1st cruise for a DW junkie..

[peaches0313]

So we are DVC members and been to DW many times. Considering our first cruise this fall... IF we were to stay at a disney resort the night prior to the cruise, and the night after.. how would that work? I'm assuming once we know the resort we are staying at the night prior, we can make reservations for DCL to pick us up from that resort the morning of the cruise? Is this a good idea? Also coming home, we would be staying a night at DW as we already have flights. Assume the same.. DCL would take us to the Disney resort? Has anyone done this? too much trouble involving DW resort as well? Like I said, we already have flights, so if we did this cruise, it would fall smack dab in the middle with a night at the beginning and end of our vacation at disney world...

 

[Marc D]

They can pick you up at the resort and bring you back to one after the cruise for 35$ per person per way. When you buy your cruise, you'll be able to add the transfers and provide the specific info when you check in. They'll manage all the details for you, picking up your luggage from the room and pointing you to the bus at the right time.

The only downside, except the cost which is something a lot of people complain about depending on the size of your party - a private shuttle or Limo being more cost effective once you hit 4 or more - is that you probably will get to the ship later than most people like. I am one of those. We get to the terminal ASAP and eat lunch at the embarkation buffet. The DCL shuttle from the resort will probably get you there no sooner than 1:30PM, two hours after the first passengers get onboard.

To circumvent that issue, some take the Magical Express to MCO and the DCL shuttle from there - same cost but it starts running at 9:15AM - or hire a private transport for the resort.

 

[peaches0313]

They can pick you up at the resort and bring you back to one after the cruise for 35$ per person per way. When you buy your cruise, you'll be able to add the transfers and provide the specific info when you check in. They'll manage all the details for you, picking up your luggage from the room and pointing you to the bus at the right time.

The only downside, except the cost which is something a lot of people complain about depending on the size of your party - a private shuttle or Limo being more cost effective once you hit 4 or more - is that you probably will get to the ship later than most people like. I am one of those. We get to the terminal ASAP and eat lunch at the embarkation buffet. The DCL shuttle from the resort will probably get you there no sooner than 1:30PM, two hours after the first passengers get onboard.

To circumvent that issue, some take the Magical Express to MCO and the DCL shuttle from there - same cost but it starts running at 9:15AM - or hire a private transport for the resort.

Thanks for this info! Are there any other disadvantages to getting on the ship later, other than the obvious (less time to explore the ship, etc)? Seems like the easiest would just be taking DCL from resort. Would we miss out on getting sign ups to meet characters etc? (don't know if that's even a thing--not done a cruise). Thanks!

 

[hardis5]

Being your first cruise and if only 2 or 3, DCL transfers are the easiest way to go. Yes you'd could be on-board a few hours later if taking the transfer directly from a WDW resort (see below for an option not as easy but to avoid) but post cruise back to a resort you'd not get there much quicker than personal or privately arranged transport. You may miss out on some of the activities that can only be signed up for once on-board (drinking classes being one) but unless wanting to wait-list oneself for a sold out or hard to get activity once aborard, boarding later is not an end of the world in issue. That said, we get ourselves to port and always try for an early PAT to use the extra few hours on the boat enjoyably.

A way to get there for the earliest PAT you will eventually be able to select when doing your on-line check-in is book the DME from your resort back to the airport early morning (say 8:30 am) and then take the DCL transfer (which will cost the same $35) from the airport. Since the DCL transfers from the airport run regularly and start early, you could actually get to and be some of the first in the cruise terminal - we've seen DCL buses arrive and passengers be allowed in while we've waited at the upper bridge after parking. This adds the extra DME booking to the airport and is not as seamless but gets one to the cruise terminal on their own planned time rather than the usually later DCL planned transfers from WDW resorts.

 

[hanscarlet]

You sign up now to meet the characters online so there is no rush to get on the ship for that reason. Really no reason to rush on the boat in my opinion... we are not getting DCL bus from the resort because we are concierge so that gets us first on the ship and we love exploring it and such so we're going to prob take an uber from the resort and get the DCL bus at MCO but beyond that, if I was't doing concierge I would just take the DCL bus right from the resort.

 

[CamColt]

DCL transfers are certainly convenient and fun for first time cruisers, however we were able to rent a car for the day before for less money than the transfers would have cost. We rented at the airport and dropped off the next day at the port (had to take a shuttle to the port but that was easy). Having the car also gave us the flexibility to stop at a store to pick up some waters, beer, and a couple other things I regretted not packing.