can fly in a day early if using dcl to book ur flight and taking their bus to port?

[jacksmom2009]

i was wondering if i am using dcl to book my flight and transporation to port through disney cruise line. Would they allow us to fly in the day before the cruise leaves?

 

[Olga]

Yes, we have done it before and they also booked our room at the Hyatt.

 

[sayhello]

Unless you book your hotel with DCL, then you'll have to pay a deviation fee of $75 per person to come in a day early.

Sayhello

 

[DonnettaR]

We will be coming in 3 days early and staying at an Orlando hotel. WE plan to visit Universal Studios. We have booked DCL transportation from the airport. What's the best way to get from MCA to Orlando and back? What do we list as our arrival time?

 

[kcashner]

We will be coming in 3 days early and staying at an Orlando hotel. WE plan to visit Universal Studios. We have booked DCL transportation from the airport. What's the best way to get from MCA to Orlando and back? What do we list as our arrival time?

As above, if you book your air thru DCL and wish to come one or more days early you will have to allow them to book your hotel as well (Hyatt MCO or WDW resort) OR pay the air deviation fee.

If you are booking your own air, you are free to make your own hotel arrangements, etc. and book DCL transfers if you wish. Above post--MCA? Do you mean Orlando International Airport which is airport code MCO? Or am I missing something? If you are planning to do Universal, etc. I think that a rental car may meet your needs better than DCL transfers. You can pick up a car at MCO and drop off at a location near the port. Without really knowing what you want to do, it's hard to advise.

 

[DonnettaR]

As above, if you book your air thru DCL and wish to come one or more days early you will have to allow them to book your hotel as well (Hyatt MCO or WDW resort) OR pay the air deviation fee.

If you are booking your own air, you are free to make your own hotel arrangements, etc. and book DCL transfers if you wish. Above post--MCA? Do you mean Orlando International Airport which is airport code MCO? Or am I missing something? If you are planning to do Universal, etc. I think that a rental car may meet your needs better than DCL transfers. You can pick up a car at MCO and drop off at a location near the port. Without really knowing what you want to do, it's hard to advise.

Yes I meant MCO. WE are doing our own air. We booked our own hotel. We are staying in the Embassy Suites on International Drive. We nixed the idea of a rental vehicle because no one wants to drive.

 

[mickeyfan1]

We will be coming in 3 days early and staying at an Orlando hotel. WE plan to visit Universal Studios. We have booked DCL transportation from the airport. What's the best way to get from MCA to Orlando and back? What do we list as our arrival time?

You will either need to take a shuttle to you hotel (Mears) or the hotel shuttle if they have one, or a cab. TO get from your hotel to US, either a cab or perhaps there is a Lynx (bus) stop and you can get there that way. You will incur some hefty shuttle fares if there is nothing free from your hotel. As far as arrival time, you can put anytime at all, but I would try to get back to the airport by about 9:30 or 10 at the latest to get the DCL bus.
DO NOT tag your bags with the DCL tags until you are going back to the airport from your Orlando Hotel. They might get picked up by the DCL baggage people. You will have to take your bags to the DCL welcome desk in MCO and hand them off for delivery to the ship.

Frankly, I would rent a car for the 3 days because the "Free shuttles" to US and WDW from the Orlando hotels run on limited schedules, they may not be leaving when you want or returning when you want. I get the whole not wanting to drive, but 3 days in Orlando and only doing US, I would be done there in 2, then what? Yeah, I could spend the day at the hotel pool, but for me, I would not spend the $ at a hotel just to do that. But that is only my opinion! Don't change plans because of it!

 

[kcashner]

It has been my experience that most of the "free" shuttles from the off site hotels to WDW or Universal run only once or twice a day (like there are 2 departure times to get you there and two to get you back). We have not stayed off site more than one night, but I was quite surprised at the lack of service from places that advertised free transportation to WDW. I can't speak to above poster's specific hotel.

For us, it was a non-issue. We just needed an overnight location before the cruise, but I took the time to look at the transportation issues for future info.

As above poster has stated, if your hotel doesn't provide transportation, you'll hit some serious fees to book it yourself.

 

[mellers]

Yes I meant MCO. WE are doing our own air. We booked our own hotel. We are staying in the Embassy Suites on International Drive. We nixed the idea of a rental vehicle because no one wants to drive.

You might do better to take a town car service from your hotel to the port, than Disney transfers from the airport--I've heard good things about Tiffany Town Car. Depending upon how many people you have, it may work out to less money than going through Disney, and certainly less trouble.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We always fly in at least the day before and stay at a WDW resort. We take the ME from MCO to the resort and use DCL transportation to get us to the port the day of the cruise. I believe it is just an additional $1.00 per person to do it this way.

 

[ibouncetoo]

We always fly in at least the day before and stay at a WDW resort. We take the ME from MCO to the resort and use DCL transportation to get us to the port the day of the cruise. I believe it is just an additional $1.00 per person to do it this way.

$35 per person for one way DCL transfer from resort to ship (or ship to resort/airport).

.

 

[sayhello]

I agree with the towncar suggestion. I can't imagine why you'd want to go through the hassle of going all the way back to the airport, meet up with DCL, wait for the bus to fill, then ride to the port. A towncar can pick you right up at your hotel, then take you directly to the port. If you want to use a towncar to the ship, then DCL transfers back after the cruise, you can do that. It just seems like it would be SO much easier! And so much simpler. And maybe even cheaper.

Sayhello

 

[DonnettaR]

I like the idea of the town car. If I get rid of the DCL transfers to the port, will that incur a fee with Disney? What are some other towncar agencies. Thanks so much.

 

[shanesgirl]

I like the idea of the town car. If I get rid of the DCL transfers to the port, will that incur a fee with Disney? What are some other towncar agencies. Thanks so much.

I'd like to know this too!

 

[ibouncetoo]

You can cancel your DCL transfers right now, no problem. (I know you can add them at the last minute, but I think you need to cancel at least a few days before the cruise.)

Happy Limo, FL Tours (a DIS sponsor), Tiffiny Towncar, Southern Elegance have all been used by DISers (I have used TT and SE and was very happy with both). There is another one that people have been raving about lately and the name escapes me, but has something to do with SPACE or Space coast in the name.

.

 

[mellers]

I like the idea of the town car. If I get rid of
the DCL transfers to the port, will that incur a fee with Disney?

This, I don't know. Maybe someone else can answer?

What are some other towncar agencies. Thanks so much.

Florida Town Car seems to have some special DisBoards perks:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/Transportation/transportation1.htm