Fly the night before?

[toniosmom]

We are scheduled for our first Disney cruise on the Dream next year. We will be flying in from New Jersey and I was wondering if we should fly in the night before?

I'm hoping that someone on this board has done that and could give me some advice. What hotel did you stay in? What kind of transportation did you use from that hotel to the ship?

Thank you in advance!

 

[ksucats]

We are scheduled for our first Disney cruise on the Dream next year. We will be flying in from New Jersey and I was wondering if we should fly in the night before?

I'm hoping that someone on this board has done that and could give me some advice. What hotel did you stay in? What kind of transportation did you use from that hotel to the ship?

Thank you in advance!

I would say to absolutely fly in the night before. Flight delays happen all of the time & I would be too stressed out if I was flying in the same day as my cruise departed.

We did this last year & rented a car, which is much cheaper than Disney transportation. We stayed at the Sheraton in Cocoa Beach, because I had points for a free night. I think many on here stay at the Radisson.

I think the best way would be to do a one-way rental car, which can be dropped off near the port & they will shuttle you to the port. Of course you would want to drop off the rest of your party & luggage prior to doing this.

 

[nemofans]

We are flying in the night b4, staying at Hyatt MCO (at airport), & taking DCL transportation to the port in the morning.

 

[DVC4US]

We always fly in the night before and stay at the Hyatt at the airport. We usually take a car service to the port but you can also use DCL transfers.

There are many different options and I am sure you will get a lot of suggestions here on the DIS.

 

[HappyontheLake]

We fly in the night before and stay at the Radisson (we use a Limo service to the hotel and from the Port to WDW after the cruise) we will either use the hotel's shuttle or a couple of cabs to get to the terminal (there are 6 of us)

 

[skypixy]

We are scheduled for our first Disney cruise on the Dream next year. We will be flying in from New Jersey and I was wondering if we should fly in the night before?

I'm hoping that someone on this board has done that and could give me some advice. What hotel did you stay in? What kind of transportation did you use from that hotel to the ship?

Thank you in advance!

As a flight attendant for a major airline, I can't tell you how many times people have missed cruises or tours due to weather or mechanical delays. Please protect your vacation investment and your sanity by flying in the day/night before! You will not regret it. There are many hotels near MCO to choose from, depends on your travel party where you want to stay the night. We have stayed the night before & rented a car, we have also taken DCL bus. This Dec. we will try a town car. Either way, don't risk your trip!

 

[toniosmom]

Thank you all for the quick replies. Looks like we are definitely going to fly in the day before.

Does Disney offer free transportation to the port like they do to the resorts (Magical Express)? I know that they charge $35pp to travel from the resorts to the port, but I didn't know if the same applied to and from the airport.

 

[NancyIL]

Thank you all for the quick replies. Looks like we are definitely going to fly in the day before.

Does Disney offer free transportation to the port like they do to the resorts (Magical Express)? I know that they charge $35pp to travel from the resorts to the port, but I didn't know if the same applied to and from the airport.

DCL charges the same $35/pp between the airport and the port.

 

[ksucats]

Thank you all for the quick replies. Looks like we are definitely going to fly in the day before.

Does Disney offer free transportation to the port like they do to the resorts (Magical Express)? I know that they charge $35pp to travel from the resorts to the port, but I didn't know if the same applied to and from the airport.

The same fee (or very similar) is charged from the airport.

 

[mmouse37]

Yes, DCL transfers are $35 pp each way or $70 pp round trip. You can either go from MCO to Port and back or from WDW to Port back to MCO.

Rental cars are the least expensive. It is a very easy drive from both WDW or MCO to the port.

Rental car companies at the port area are Hertz, Budget, Avis, Thrifty/Dollar and Enterprise.

Hotels in the port area nearest the port are Marriott Residence Inn, Country Inn and Suites and the Radisson. There are other hotels on the beach further down the road into Cocoa Beach but the ones above are the closest. All get good reviews. MRI and CIS are only 3 years old and include a free hot buffet breakfast in the rate.

You can find discount rental car codes at www.mousesavers.com

We always fly in at least the day before....an average price from EWR to MCO is about $250. Sometimes I can find it much cheaper and sometimes more. For our cruise on 10-30-10 we could not get anything under $400 except out of White Plains. Continental was sky high for fares.....but, for our January cruise we got EWR to MCO for $159.00 pp.

MJ

 

[CADisneyMom]

I live on the West Coast so of course I fly out the day before, if not 2 days. Even if I lived on the East Coast I would still fly down the day/night before just to be sure. I've stayed at a couple of different places near the airport that had free shuttle service to and from the airport that were very reasonable and clean. I'm always on a very tight budget when I do the cruise so I try and stay at a reasonable place. In April we're actually coming out 2 days early and Animal Kingdom Villas for 2 nights and this way if we want to go to a park or two before the cruise we can. We are also taking a town car this year since we've done DCL transport 4x now and this time we want to make a liquor stop.

Have a great time on your cruise.

 

[Mich123]

We drove in the night before from Southern FL and stayed at the Cocoa Beach Marriott Courtyard--it was great. We parked at the port because we had a great rental rate and wanted the convenience of a rolling storage unit . On a four day cruise, the cost of parking isn't too bad and you'll be able to get there early (which was our goal) to maximize your time on board and not be frustrated by shuttle schedules. The Magical Express transported our friends from WDW to the ship and they didn't get in until after 2 p.m. By then, we'd checked out the ship, had a lovely lunch, unpacked and relaxed poolside.

 

[paceyswife]

We are flying down the Thursday night before our Saturday cruise. We are from the northeast and I just don't want to chance the weather in February to threaten our making it down. Disney was offering great room rates so the cost of two nights is less than $150 at the POP.

 

[ksucats]

We are flying down the Thursday night before our Saturday cruise. We are from the northeast and I just don't want to chance the weather in February to threaten our making it down. Disney was offering great room rates so the cost of two nights is less than $150 at the POP.

I am also considering coming down two days before our next cruise. That just makes things so much less stressful. We aren't coming until 2012, so I can't book flights yet. If the prices are reasonably close, we will come down two days before, otherwise it will be one day before. I would never ever consider flying in on the day of the cruise.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

We are flying down the Thursday night before our Saturday cruise. We are from the northeast and I just don't want to chance the weather in February to threaten our making it down. Disney was offering great room rates so the cost of two nights is less than $150 at the POP.

I agree! We are also from the northeast, and it seems like everytime we fly there has been a delay do to weather, or a threat of weather and we are stressed out. Now, we fly down on the Wednesday before a cruise, so we have some leeway--even if we can't rebook (vacation weeks are brutal!) we could drive down.

The extra cost for a precruise hotel is worth our piece of mind.

It's also a nice way to start a vacation-and a good excuse to start early.

 

[5boyz]

I would say to absolutely fly in the night before. Flight delays happen all of the time & I would be too stressed out if I was flying in the same day as my cruise departed.

We did this last year & rented a car, which is much cheaper than Disney transportation. We stayed at the Sheraton in Cocoa Beach, because I had points for a free night. I think many on here stay at the Radisson.

I think the best way would be to do a one-way rental car, which can be dropped off near the port & they will shuttle you to the port. Of course you would want to drop off the rest of your party & luggage prior to doing this.

That is exactly what we do...but never thought to be dropped off at port first with luggage and hubby join me/us..

 

[5boyz]

Yes, DCL transfers are $35 pp each way or $70 pp round trip. You can either go from MCO to Port and back or from WDW to Port back to MCO.

Rental cars are the least expensive. It is a very easy drive from both WDW or MCO to the port.

Rental car companies at the port area are Hertz, Budget, Avis, Thrifty/Dollar and Enterprise.

Hotels in the port area nearest the port are Marriott Residence Inn, Country Inn and Suites and the Radisson. There are other hotels on the beach further down the road into Cocoa Beach but the ones above are the closest. All get good reviews. MRI and CIS are only 3 years old and include a free hot buffet breakfast in the rate.

You can find discount rental car codes at www.mousesavers.com

We always fly in at least the day before....an average price from EWR to MCO is about $250. Sometimes I can find it much cheaper and sometimes more. For our cruise on 10-30-10 we could not get anything under $400 except out of White Plains. Continental was sky high for fares.....but, for our January cruise we got EWR to MCO for $159.00 pp.

MJ

Just incase you didnt know this.....Alamo can also be rented and dropped of at Enterprise....they are in partnership or something along those lines. I did it in the summer, just cant take Alamo back, so took budget instead....actually that is what I am doing in Jan, got great rates from both.....$33.60 there from MCO and $35. back from PC....

 

[5boyz]

We drove in the night before from Southern FL and stayed at the Cocoa Beach Marriott Courtyard--it was great. We parked at the port because we had a great rental rate and wanted the convenience of a rolling storage unit . On a four day cruise, the cost of parking isn't too bad and you'll be able to get there early (which was our goal) to maximize your time on board and not be frustrated by shuttle schedules. The Magical Express transported our friends from WDW to the ship and they didn't get in until after 2 p.m. By then, we'd checked out the ship, had a lovely lunch, unpacked and relaxed poolside.

How early can you board the ship? I am deciding wether to stay in Orlando or Port Canaveral? Dont want to be sitting around for hrs waiting to get on the ship...

 

[budbeerlady]

We always fly in the night before a cruise and priceline a cheap room. Its only for 1 night but the peace of mind is priceless!

I like the car rental idea, I will have to explore that more! I do have a basic room booked at the radisson IF my priceline prospects don't look good so we have someplace to crash in Cocoa Beach. I like to sleep near port it cuts down on the stress that we only have to get to the ship. If we run into construction or an accident we are not stressing over time with a long drive.

 

[Elangen]

Because of the distance, we would have had to come in the day before our 5 day Double Dip (leaves on a Monday). Then, when I started looking at flights, it was cheaper to come on Saturday. We got a room at All Star Music for $230 (I think POP was even less) for two nights and will spend Sunday at WDW, then leisurely make our way out to Port Canaveral on Monday am.

We have decided to go with a car service. That way we can customize it from Resort to Port, Port to MCO. They will also stop at a Walmart etc for anything we want to take on board (we plan to get water and wine). It works out to about the same as the Disney Transportation, maybe less, but I like the flexibility and that we will not be with a big group.