Your Experiences of The Disney Cruise Line Transfers

[kcashner]

Originally Posted by Debers17

Since we are touching on this subject, not to hijack OP's post, but quick question. We have selected to use DCL transfers, however we are staying at a time share with friends a couple days before the cruise. We don't have to stay at the hotel in the airport to use the transfers right? We plan to rent a car from the airport and then return it that morning, checking ourselves in at ME for the cruise that morning. I can still use the transfers this way correct?

We've done a variation of this several times...fly in the night before the cruise and stay at a hotel near the airport (but not the Hyatt MCO). Many of these hotels offer complimentary shuttles to/from MCO. SO, we arrive the night before and take the shuttle to the hotel. In the morning we take the shuttle back to MCO and catch the DCL shuttle to the port.

If I'm cruising solo, this is by far the cheapest way. For 2 of us, it about the same to rent a car and drive to Cape Canaveral vs. doing the transfers, but the transfers are more convenient.

Yes, as long as you are leaving from MCO and going to the port on the morning of the cruise, you can use the DCL transfer bus.

[LDISNEYFOX]

Originally Posted by Sleepyluke

For OP, take this for what it is worth, we have been on Magic and not the Dream, we are users of the DCL transfer ease. With all of the talk of you can't get in before this time, hurry up and wait in this line to get to that line, no thank you. We put luggage out in the morning, go have a nice leisurly breakfast while others are in cars at the parking deck trying to get in, we then go to the bathroom if we want in our room or at the resort, rather than getting out of the car that is still in line and running into the parking gargage (which I think is a great idea by the way, since I had not figured out how they were going to accomodate all those folks with kids bladders) - then we may goof around in the gift shop while others get parked (or get dropped off) whichever be the case, then we get with our other 10-30 people going on the cruise while waiting inside in the A/C, instead of outside in line in the heat and or rain, then we board the bus noon ish or so, maybe make 1-2 stops to pick up other folks, then about 10 minutes in the cartoons start, while others are still outside in the heat. About 2 cartoons in, the folks are getting into the terminal to wait in another line and get upset that DCL gave them boarding pass number 42 instead of the 1 or 2 that they wanted, even though those folks are on the ship already, some lugging luggage, some not. We pull up after a nice ride and happy cartoons and a video tour of the ship and see Mickey, Minnie and all the gang, then the little one needs to go to the bathroom, so you get back out of line and go back to the parking garage since it is not your time to enter the terminal, we get up go to the back of the bus and use the restroom and return to our seat only missing a few minutes of the cartoon, then we unload the bus, while you jsut got on the ship 15 minutes before we got there, if you got there real early, you may be on the ship lugging around your backpack, your kids backpack, and other crap you have already accumulated because the room is not ready, and then we walk through security, maybe taking 5 to 10 minutes at the absolute most (don't think it has ever taken that long even if on the back of the bus) but for arguments sake, then you walk to the large mickey hand waiting for you at the top of the stairs, walk straight to one of the waiting customer service folks, or ok,one person is in line in front of you, then walk straight onto the ship, take your boarding pictures at one of the waiting photographers, go drop stuff in the room, walk up to the buffets, find a seat and enjoy lunch and by this time it may be 2-2:30. We are having a great time and others have already started the stress of hurry hurry hurry.

Really long sentence to say, well worth the $100 difference for us!

Sorry for the ramble, but I guess people really amuse me on vacations, (to each their own, I do understand the get as much out of it as you can group too) roll with things and enjoy life, it is too short and work sucks to bad to work at having fun! We consider the night before, the bus and the cruise all part of the experience. Now if you were talking $1,000 difference, ok, but after reading the above, $100 is worth your sanity!

Thanks for this, reading it again, now I am near to booking flights etc, I think this is the way to go. I don't really want to be joining, leaving, joining queue after queue.

[scootch]

I like disney transfers from the airport or back... but did not want to get to port so late... so we went with limo pickup. I don't want to be sitting at WDW for hours waiting to go.