WDW pre-stay, What happens to your car?

[Rhys'Gamps]

I'm planning my first cruise ever next Sept on the Magic, Eastern Carib. I had planned a two day stay at a WDW resort before catching the bus, transfer, to the Ship. After the cruise, transfer back to the resort where I stayed to pickup my car and returning home the same day.

But, now I'm being told by my TA that the resort won't let you leave your car there while you are on the cruise? Is this because I only have a pre-stay and not a post-stay at the same resort? What happens to the cars of all those people who get picked up by the DCL buses that I have seen many time while staying at Disney?

I have paid for a transfer to and from WDW so where will they take me if not back to my original resort?

Help, please!

 

[jilljill]

You will need to call the resort to see if they will allow you to leave your car parked there if you are not staying there. If the resort will not allow you to park your car there you option is to drive to the port and pay to park there or drive to the airport and pay to park there and then pay for DCL transfers from the airport to/from the port.
DCL transfers can be cancelled if not needed.

 

[js]

Why don't you drive your car to the port and after disembarking from the ship on the last day, get in your car and drive home.
SOOOO much easier!!! The money you would be spending on bus to/from Resort/Ship (ME is not free to get to the cruise) you can just park your car and pay at PC.
You are just adding an hour or more to your trip back home.

 

[Rhys'Gamps]

Since this is my very first cruise , I am more nervous about getting on the ship than anything else.

Where I live , in Mobile, Al, there a Carnival cruise ship which docks and leaves each week. I have heard so many bad experience from friends about embarking that I guess I assumed DCL would have the same problem.

I plan to drive down, so staying one night at WDW and leaving for the ship from there might be the best option. Thanks, js and jilljill!

 

[js]

Since this is my very first cruise , I am more nervous about getting on the ship than anything else.

Where I live , in Mobile, Al, there a Carnival cruise ship which docks and leaves each week. I have heard so many bad experience from friends about embarking that I guess I assumed DCL would have the same problem.

I plan to drive down, so staying one night at WDW and leaving for the ship from there might be the best option. Thanks, js and jilljill!

Rhys'Gamps, If you are taking your car and driving from AL, your best and easiest way would be to drive to port and stay at the Raddison or another hotel in Port Canaveral or drive yourself to the port. Take your money back from your TA and don't pay for transfers. You can get your own towncar to drive you and your party to the cruiseline yourself instead of waiting for Magical Express with the masses for the same money.

We've stayed pre night in hotels and have driven to cruise as well as flown.
In July, we are driving to Disney and staying overnight precruise a few nights. Then driving to PC, cruise and back in car to drive home.

BUT, if you are saying only one night, are you planning on doing parks?
If not, why don't you stay closer to Port Canaveral? Lots of cruisers stay at the Raddison and other hotels only a few minutes from the cruise ship (go onto cruisecritic.com and go to Florida departure ports. You will find TONS of information).
If you stay at the Raddison, it is only a few minutes away. You can, though, park your car there and sign up for their shuttle service (for free) and it will take you to/from ship roundtrip day you arrive/depart. So you will not have to pay the fee at PC and it is only a few minutes away vs. an hour. If you are staying pre-cruise for one night, I would much rather be in PC than Orlando.

If I was staying one night, I may choose to do that instead of Disney. It will get you in the cruise mood!
Hope this helps!

 

[NancyIL]

I'm planning my first cruise ever next Sept on the Magic, Eastern Carib. I had planned a two day stay at a WDW resort before catching the bus, transfer, to the Ship. After the cruise, transfer back to the resort where I stayed to pickup my car and returning home the same day.

But, now I'm being told by my TA that the resort won't let you leave your car there while you are on the cruise? Is this because I only have a pre-stay and not a post-stay at the same resort? What happens to the cars of all those people who get picked up by the DCL buses that I have seen many time while staying at Disney?

I have paid for a transfer to and from WDW so where will they take me if not back to my original resort?

Help, please!

All those people who get picked up by Disney Cruise Line buses probably flew to Orlando and don't have cars.

 

[marlower]

Parking at the cruise terminal is $15 per day and it is very easy to park and get to the ship. Depending on the number of nights you are sailing, you could actually save money by parking at the cruise terminal instead of taking the DCL bus.

 

[marlower]

Oops, just saw you will be on the Magic! If you are traveling solo then you will pay a bit more for parking at the cruise terminal versus taking the bus but if you others going with you, then it will be cheaper to park then to take the bus!!

 

[plutospup]

Embarkation/Debarkation at the DCL terminal is a very easy process. I am confident that it is nothing like you have heard regarding Carnival and Mobile.

Make it easy on yourself, drive to the port, and park your car. As mentioned this eliminates the cost and hassle of taking the bus from a Disney Resort to the DCL terminal.

 

[NancyIL]

Embarkation/Debarkation at the DCL terminal is a very easy process. I am confident that it is nothing like you have heard regarding Carnival and Mobile.

Make it easy on yourself, drive to the port, and park your car. As mentioned this eliminates the cost and hassle of taking the bus from a Disney Resort to the DCL terminal.

It also eliminates a big bill to retrieve your car after it has been towed!

 

[luvdisney24]

I would not risk leaving your car at WDW and cannot imagine they would allow you to leave the car there for a full week. If every person who was cruising left a car at a resort, there would be no place for the resort guests to park. DCL has parking at the terminal and depending on how many of you are cruising, it's may be less expensive to park at the terminal than it would be to purchase DCL transfers at $70/pp.

The people you see boarding at the resorts most likely flew into Orlando and used Magical Express to get to the resort. From there they purchased DCL transfers to take them to the port.

The embarking and disembarking process is very smooth and I really doubt you will have any issues.

Good luck with your decisions. I think you were given some great advice!

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

I would not risk leaving your car at WDW and cannot imagine they would allow you to leave the car there for a full week. If every person who was cruising left a car at a resort, there would be no place for the resort guests to park. DCL has parking at the terminal and depending on how many of you are cruising, it's may be less expensive to park at the terminal than it would be to purchase DCL transfers at $70/pp.

The people you see boarding at the resorts most likely flew into Orlando and used Magical Express to get to the resort. From there they purchased DCL transfers to take them to the port.

The embarking and disembarking process is very smooth and I really doubt you will have any issues.

Good luck with your decisions. I think you were given some great advice!

We left our car at POR last October/November for a full week while on the cruise. But we had DCL transfers, a pre- and post-stay of 1 night at the same resort, and OK'ed it with the resort before hand. The CM manager at check-in just put a note on our parking pass displayed on the dash that we were on the Magic. POR has lots of parking and that is a traditionally slow time of year at WDW, so, as the old adage says, results may vary. Definitely call before hand. I know it wasn't the cheapest option, but DS (5) really wanted to ride on that DCL bus!

 

[Rhys'Gamps]

Thanks guys and gals, I will definitely be driving to Port Canaveral and parking as it would be cheaper and faster and stay at a hotel there.

 

[Rhys'Gamps]

WOW, I just checked on the Radisson website and saw that they offer a cruise package which includes free parking, shuttle to and from the ship and free breakfast.

Thanks again!

(Now to try and get my transfer payment back?)

 

[luvdisney24]

WOW, I just checked on the Radisson website and saw that they offer a cruise package which includes free parking, shuttle to and from the ship and free breakfast.

Thanks again!

(Now to try and get my transfer payment back?)

You can get a refund on your transfers up to a few days before travel.

 

[marlower]

WOW, I just checked on the Radisson website and saw that they offer a cruise package which includes free parking, shuttle to and from the ship and free breakfast.

Thanks again!

(Now to try and get my transfer payment back?)

Yep! I just got my transfers payment back yesterday and I cruise on the 14th of Nov, so no worries!!

 

[nenis]

I'm planning my first cruise ever next Sept on the Magic, Eastern Carib. I had planned a two day stay at a WDW resort before catching the bus, transfer, to the Ship. After the cruise, transfer back to the resort where I stayed to pickup my car and returning home the same day.

But, now I'm being told by my TA that the resort won't let you leave your car there while you are on the cruise? Is this because I only have a pre-stay and not a post-stay at the same resort? What happens to the cars of all those people who get picked up by the DCL buses that I have seen many time while staying at Disney?

I have paid for a transfer to and from WDW so where will they take me if not back to my original resort?

Help, please!

i worked at the fort wilderness front desk back office.
go to the fort and show them proof of being a wdw guest (kttw cards)
and show them proof that you are going on the DCL
ask them for an "over flow" parking pass while you are on the DCL
there is wdw security always patrolling the overflow parking lot...ITS SAFE!