Is my timing right?

[momto3gr8boys]

We are doing the three night on the Dream in May. Since this is such a quick trip (which can't be extended), I am planning on booking a later flight back on the day we disembark (Sunday, May 12, 2013). I was hoping to rent a car at PC and drive over to DTD and then head back to the airport. So, I have a few questions to see how do-able this is.

 

1. If I am not using DME to go back to MCO, can I still check in for my flight at PC? We will be on JetBlue. I know in the past we checked in outside after claiming our luggage, but I'm not sure if times have changed and I am fairly certain we used Disney transportation in the past.

 

2. I looked to see which rental car places are nearby. It seems like Hertz and Budget are closest. Are there any others? And again, I have not rented a car at Disney in a long time, but back when we did, I am fairly certain the Budget was not at MCO. Is that correct?

 

So, assuming we can check our luggage, and get a shuttle over to a rental car place by 9:00 am, we would get to DTD around 10:30 - 11:00 and for an 8pm flight out of MCO we would need to leave the Disney area around 5:30-6, return the car and head home.

 

Does this sound feasible? Any other ideas on how this could work out more smoothly? I had considered Sea World or a day at the parks, etc. but we will be in WDW for 10 days in August, so I am just looking for something to do to extend our vacation a bit longer and not spend a ton of extra money. We are a family of five, if that matters in suggestions.

 

Thanks!

[Shmoo here]

We are doing the three night on the Dream in May. Since this is such a quick trip (which can't be extended), I am planning on booking a later flight back on the day we disembark (Sunday, May 12, 2013). I was hoping to rent a car at PC and drive over to DTD and then head back to the airport. So, I have a few questions to see how do-able this is.

 

1. If I am not using DME to go back to MCO, can I still check in for my flight at PC? We will be on JetBlue. I know in the past we checked in outside after claiming our luggage, but I'm not sure if times have changed and I am fairly certain we used Disney transportation in the past. In order to use the DCL transfers (not ME) either your air transportation or your transfer from PC to MCO must be booked through DCL.

 

2. I looked to see which rental car places are nearby. It seems like Hertz and Budget are closest. Are there any others? And again, I have not rented a car at Disney in a long time, but back when we did, I am fairly certain the Budget was not at MCO. Is that correct?

 

So, assuming we can check our luggage, and get a shuttle over to a rental car place by 9:00 am, we would get to DTD around 10:30 - 11:00 and for an 8pm flight out of MCO we would need to leave the Disney area around 5:30-6, return the car and head home. Be aware there have been occasions that security/checkin at MCO has run 2-3 hours. There's no telling when that will happen. I would allow more time at the end of the day to get to the airport/turn in car and checkin.

 

Does this sound feasible? Any other ideas on how this could work out more smoothly? I had considered Sea World or a day at the parks, etc. but we will be in WDW for 10 days in August, so I am just looking for something to do to extend our vacation a bit longer and not spend a ton of extra money. We are a family of five, if that matters in suggestions. You could get a day room at the airport hotel. That gives you a place to unwind from the (early) morning getting off the ship, clean up, swim, watch TV, rest. Even have dinner.

 

Thanks!

 

See my suggestions in red.

 

:)

[Shmoo here]

1. If I am not using DME to go back to MCO, can I still check in for my flight at PC? We will be on JetBlue. I know in the past we checked in outside after claiming our luggage, but I'm not sure if times have changed and I am fairly certain we used Disney transportation in the past.

 

Thanks!

 

I didn't answer this right. In order to do the onboard checkin, you must be using either DCL transfers or your airflight must have been booked through DCL.

 

I guess, in theory, if your flights are booked through DCL, you could do the onboard checkin, have your bags go directly to the airport and onto your flight, and you could get private transportation to go where you wish during the day.

 

The only time I've read of someone trying to send their bags on the bus without either the DCL transfers or airflight booked through DCL, they said one person in their party had to book DCL transfers in order to do this.

 

That's something you'd have to call DCL and ask.

 

:)

[Scrapnana]

Enterprise is also close to Port Canaveral.

 

Although this is feasible, it sounds like alot of effort and money for a few hours. We recently rented a minivan at PC (3 adults and 2 kids + a child seat) for a day and it was $133 with my AARP discount. You don't mention children's ages. Are they going to be totally worn out by the time of an 8o'clock flight. How long is the flight? Do you have to change planes? What time would you actually get home? If your kids are teenagers, it probably wouldn't be a problem but younger kids might be at the meltdown stage.

[momto3gr8boys]

Thanks for the advice. This is our 4th DCL cruise out of PC and we had always disembarked, picked up our luggage and then brought them out to an airline check-in desk at street level. I assume that is no longer the case and you can check-in onboard if using a DCL transfer. I suppose we could put our luggage in the rental car.

 

My kids are teens, will be fine going all day, and have been to Disney many times. We've flown out of MCO at least 30 times over the years. I've never waited anywhere near 2-3 hours and have flown 4th of july week, thanksgiving and Easter. I'm not too concerned about needing to be there 3 or 4 hours early, but you are right that it would be smart to aim to get there a little earlier. I can get a rental from hertz for and with five of us that would still be cheaper than any transfer from the port to mco even if were headed straight home. But to fly out earlier in the day the tix are over $500 more. We fly direct and are 15 minutes from JFK, so it would be nice to actually do a little something other than just hang out in MCO (which we've done plenty of over the years lol.)

 

Thanks for the advice.

[Shmoo here]

Thanks for the advice. This is our 4th DCL cruise out of PC and we had always disembarked, picked up our luggage and then brought them out to an airline check-in desk at street level. I assume that is no longer the case and you can check-in onboard if using a DCL transfer. I suppose we could put our luggage in the rental car.

 

My kids are teens, will be fine going all day, and have been to Disney many times. We've flown out of MCO at least 30 times over the years. I've never waited anywhere near 2-3 hours and have flown 4th of july week, thanksgiving and Easter. I'm not too concerned about needing to be there 3 or 4 hours early, but you are right that it would be smart to aim to get there a little earlier. I can get a rental from hertz for and with five of us that would still be cheaper than any transfer from the port to mco even if were headed straight home. But to fly out earlier in the day the tix are over $500 more. We fly direct and are 15 minutes from JFK, so it would be nice to actually do a little something other than just hang out in MCO (which we've done plenty of over the years lol.)

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

We started cruising DCL in 2008, and I've never seen an airline checkin desk at the port.

 

I think the rental car would be the best option.

 

:)

[momto3gr8boys]

And our last was 2006. It was a fantastic service! Oh well...not all good things last.