Hi there, Christina!
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I am so glad to hEAR you are planning a Disney Cruise Line vacation! If this will be your first time sailing with Captain Mickey, I can guarantee you that you are in for a treat! If you are a previous cruiser, then you are certainly aware of all the
fun that awaits you onboard! I love Disney Cruise Line vacations because I feel like after the initial planning is done, all I have to do is show up and ENJOY!
Disney Cruise Line recommends that Guests not make flight reservations before 11:30AM on debarkation day. That being said, my family has reserved flights for earlier than 11:30AM from Orlando International Airport and made it from
Port Canaveral with no problem. My recommendation if you are going to be catching an earlier than recommended flight is to arrange for private transportation to the airport on the morning that you disembark. I also recommend trying to plan (and pack) so that you can participate in Express Walk Off as soon as the ship is cleared (typically around 7:30AM, assuming no delays in getting back to port) instead of the typical disembarkation system. Typically, Guests have the opportunity to put their luggage out the night before and their stateroom hosts or hostesses will ensure that it makes its way off the ship and Guests pick up their luggage in the port terminal after disembarking. This can be a little bit more of a lengthy process, so being able to walk off the ship with all your luggage in hand eliminates some extra wait time.
As you continue planning for your adventure at sea, please come back with any other questions you may have!
Happy Sailing!
Stephanie