An slightly different DCL transportation question...

[Dug720]

Being solo (and not driving), DCL transportation is my best option. I'm cool with the transportation TO the ship - BTDT.

BUT my question is in the transfer FROM the port. My flight home isn't until 6:45pm. A friend in the Orlando area and I were thinking we could meet up at Disney Springs, but I wasn't sure about transportation back. I know you have to take it to a resort and not a theme park or Disney Springs...but do you have to have a reservation AT the resort you go to? Or can you take the transportation to a resort and then use Disney transportation to get to Disney Springs (or a theme park) without a reservation? (She's cool with taking me to MCO - I just don't want to make her go out there to pick me up too if I don't have to.)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Being solo (and not driving), DCL transportation is my best option. I'm cool with the transportation TO the ship - BTDT.

BUT my question is in the transfer FROM the port. My flight home isn't until 6:45pm. A friend in the Orlando area and I were thinking we could meet up at Disney Springs, but I wasn't sure about transportation back. I know you have to take it to a resort and not a theme park or Disney Springs...but do you have to have a reservation AT the resort you go to? Or can you take the transportation to a resort and then use Disney transportation to get to Disney Springs (or a theme park) without a reservation? (She's cool with taking me to MCO - I just don't want to make her go out there to pick me up too if I don't have to.)

Pretty sure that you need a reservation at a resort to take the bus there. But not really sure, if you had booked your own reservation, how would the DCL system know whether you actually have a reservation or not?

I know when you do the online check in they ask for post cruise information:


Don't know why you couldn't say you are going to a WDW resort via DCL transfers. I don't know, if you click "Disney Resort Hotel", whether they ask for further info (like a booking number, or something).

 

[Dug720]

Pretty sure that you need a reservation at a resort to take the bus there. But not really sure, if you had booked your own reservation, how would the DCL system know whether you actually have a reservation or not?

I know when you do the online check in they ask for post cruise information:
View attachment 202523

Don't know why you couldn't say you are going to a WDW resort via DCL transfers. I don't know, if you click "Disney Resort Hotel", whether they ask for further info (like a booking number, or something).

OK. Thanks! I guess I can give it a try when I get to that point and see what happens. Worst-case I do airport and we figure things out from there.

 

[mmouse37]

Since you can book transport to the parks from the ship without showing a reservation I don't see why you can't just pay and take the bus to the parks. I think it can be done. I booked transport to the parks from the ship on the last morning and was not asked for any WDW reservation number. They just asked which resort I wanted to go to.

The other option is to book a one way car rental from the port area and drop back off at MCO before your flight. If you rent a car you have a place to store your luggage while you are at Disney Springs. I don't think you can have bell services hold your luggage if no reservation but I am not sure on that.

MJ

 

[Flossbolna]

One problem I can see is that you cannot take luggage on the Disney transportation at WDW. So, you would have to meet your friend as soon as you get there to store the luggage in her car.

 

[Dug720]

One problem I can see is that you cannot take luggage on the Disney transportation at WDW. So, you would have to meet your friend as soon as you get there to store the luggage in her car.

I'm hoping I could do the airline reservation check since I'm flying American. I'd only have a backpack with me.

 

[Dug720]

Since you can book transport to the parks from the ship without showing a reservation I don't see why you can't just pay and take the bus to the parks. I think it can be done. I booked transport to the parks from the ship on the last morning and was not asked for any WDW reservation number. They just asked which resort I wanted to go to.

The other option is to book a one way car rental from the port area and drop back off at MCO before your flight. If you rent a car you have a place to store your luggage while you are at Disney Springs. I don't think you can have bell services hold your luggage if no reservation but I am not sure on that.

MJ

Thanks.

As I said, I DON'T drive. I have a license, but have not been behind the wheel since moving to NYC in 2006.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm hoping I could do the airline reservation check since I'm flying American. I'd only have a backpack with me.

Not sure - can you do the onboard airline checkin but not take the DCL transfers to the airport?

 

[mmouse37]

I don't think so.

MJ

 

[Sytrace]

Being solo (and not driving), DCL transportation is my best option. I'm cool with the transportation TO the ship - BTDT.

BUT my question is in the transfer FROM the port. My flight home isn't until 6:45pm. A friend in the Orlando area and I were thinking we could meet up at Disney Springs, but I wasn't sure about transportation back. I know you have to take it to a resort and not a theme park or Disney Springs...but do you have to have a reservation AT the resort you go to? Or can you take the transportation to a resort and then use Disney transportation to get to Disney Springs (or a theme park) without a reservation? (She's cool with taking me to MCO - I just don't want to make her go out there to pick me up too if I don't have to.)

In June, I booked last minute transportation using the Disney bus for my husband and son to the resort we were staying at post cruise.( I actually had to call it in since I had originally indicated that we would all be driving from port to Yacht club. )
Anyway, they asked for the reservation number and hotel when they processed the payment for me.

 

[Dug720]

Ok. So maybe I'll just go to the airport and get a taxi or car service to Disney Springs.

 

[Sytrace]

Ok. So maybe I'll just go to the airport and get a taxi or car service to Disney Springs.

That would be a good idea...just to be on the safe side.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Ok. So maybe I'll just go to the airport and get a taxi or car service to Disney Springs.

I think HappyLimo only charges $85 for town car service from MCO TO WDW, could you just do that, then put your luggage in your friends trunk? It probably won't be that much more than DCL transportation to MCO, then a car to Disney Springs.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think HappyLimo only charges $85 for town car service from MCO TO WDW, could you just do that, then put your luggage in your friends trunk? It probably won't be that much more than DCL transportation to MCO, then a car to Disney Springs.

I believe the issue with that was Dug wants to participate in the Onboard Airline check in (where they take the bags from the ship directly to the airport and check them through to her home airport).

I don't think she can do that, if she's not taking DCL transfers to the airport.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

I believe the issue with that was Dug wants to participate in the Onboard Airline check in (where they take the bags from the ship directly to the airport and check them through to her home airport).

I don't think she can do that, if she's not taking DCL transfers to the airport.

Can you do that with a 6:45 flight? We always fly back to AZ on the 11:55 flight.

 

[tinay]

If you go to the WDW from the port, the buses don't leave until 9am. My brother's family and I left the boat early (waiting in line to get off) hoping to get out of port as soon as the buses were full, but the buses were full and we sat there for about 90 minutes until 9am...when we finally left for WDW.

My parents that were going to the airport had breakfast and took their time getting off the boat...they made it to the airport before we even left the port to WDW!!! I was kinda annoyed

Just a suggestion, but maybe you should do the Onboard Airline check in, so that you get rid of your luggage. Then, take the bus to the airport and get a taxi or uber to Disney Springs.

 

[Dug720]

Can you do that with a 6:45 flight? We always fly back to AZ on the 11:55 flight.

I think Southwest (I know they don't do Southwest anymore) and JetBlue are the only airlines with a restriction on how early you can check it in. If I do have to schlep it with me then so be it - but it was over $100 less for the 6:45pm flight.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Can you do that with a 6:45 flight? We always fly back to AZ on the 11:55 flight.

As long as the flight is on one of the participating airlines (in this case American is), and the flight is the same day as embarkation, you can do the Onboard Airline check in. We had a 5:30pm flight after our cruises in 2014 and could have done it, but we opted to rent a car and headed over to Animal Kingdom for the day before going to the airport.

 

[tinker&belle]

I had noticed SW isn't eligible for check in on board. What is the chance that will change? I know when we went to WDW in 2014 we could check our bags there.

 

[Dug720]

I had noticed SW isn't eligible for check in on board. What is the chance that will change? I know when we went to WDW in 2014 we could check our bags there.

Slim to none. They tried it and one or both parties didn't want to continue to participate.