Arriving night before...need help

[HollyBud]

We changed our flight plans and are going to fly in the day before the cruise, rather then the day of. I made this decision based on the postings that I have read here...thanks for the advice guys.

Question 1: Can someone please tell me of a descent hotel nearby the airport? I'm not concerned about a pool or anything as our flight does not get in until 5pm.

Question 2: We have Disney airport transfers, so can someone explain to me how we go about this. We would have to get back to the airport, but where do we go when we get there?

Thanks!!
Holly

 

[jrabbit]

Theres the Hyatt INSIDE the terminal. There are also a lot of nice hotels in the vicinity of MCO.

If you don't stay at the Hyatt, you will catch a shuttle from MCO to your hotel. Spend the night there. Next morning, put your DCL luggage tags on your bags, and take the hotel shuttle back to the airport. There are two terminials I think. It doesn't matter which terminal you go to because DCL has the busses run out of both sides. Tell your driver you are going on the DCL cruise and they will drop you off near the area where you board the DCL busses. It's pretty easy!!

 

[TheWog]

You could try priceline and get a hotel very cheap. Around $35 if I remember correctly. do not go lower than a 3* as you run the risk of getting a bad hotel (la Quinta), but otherwise you will be fine. betterbidding.com and biddingfortravel.com can help you. the hotels will have a shuttle returning and should know where to drop you to catch the bus.

 

[ColeenD]

Try the Amerisuites NW. Decent, priced around $62, free breakfast buffet, shuttle. Take the shuttle back to the airport in the a.m., go downstairs near slot #27, ask at the counter inside for the Disney line (you almost can't miss it).

 

[kcatoir]

Try the Best Western Airport Inn & suites. We used it for our 9/03 cruise and it worked perfect. They have a free airport shuttle to p/u and they will take you back in the am.
We paid abou $50 thru hotelwiz.com. No problems at all.
Hotel is Clean, recently remodled, hotel staff is very friendley and helpful. Decent free continental breakfast.

We will stay their again in 9/05

KC

 

[Pigsty333]

Okay - if you leave the airport and take the Semoran Exit, there are about 10 hotels next to each other. Drive to one of these or check them out online (Sheraton, Ramada, Marriott, etc.) Much cheaper than the Hyatt at the Airport.

This would be your better bet, rather than trying to drive all the way to International Drive or WDW about 25 minutes away.

Let me know if this helped you out.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, all the off site hotels are clustered together in a circle around a man made lake 5 minutes from the airport. We stayed at the sheraton. They picked us up in their shuttle, then the next morning dropped us off right at the DCL busses.
Only mistake we made was not getting a "reservation" for the return shuttle back to the airport the night before. The shuttle runs every 15 minutes, we were ready at 10 am, but had to wait for the 10:15 shuttle!!!. No big deal.

 

[NancyDVC]

We just retruned from the 9/11 Magic. We had a reservation for the Radisson at the Port but because of all the uncertainty I made a 'just in case ressie' at the Courtyard near the airport. I checked out Dave's DCL tribute site www.dcltribute.com. He has lists of lodging near the airport as well as near the port with links to the hotel websites. They list all the amenities for each. You can check them out online and then make a reservation on their own site or one of the bid sites (priceline, hotels.com etc.)
And the offsite hotels are in several areas varying from a little under a mile to several miles away.

We were lucky because the Radisson was open and in great shape. (Many of the beach side hotels weren't) So I was able to cancel our other ressie. But Dave's site helped me find a decent hotel with a restaurant, shuttle to the airport etc.

 

[invaderzim]

We always fly in the night before, and always stay at the Hyatt inside the airport terminal. They take very good care of the Disney Cruise Line patrons. Upon check in they give you an envelope with instructions on when to put your luggage out the next morning and where to meet the DCL reps in their lobby. It is very well organized and you are transported to Disney buses right from their lobby. Your luggage is taken for you and transported to the ship and you don't have to worry about it again until it is delivered to your stateroom. You CAN bring your carryons on the bus, however, if you choose.

The last time we did that (2002), they had pastries, coffee and juice for everyone. I liked the fact that we didn't have to worry about getting back to the airport to find the DCL reps.

I got a AAA rate for $99 for the night. It was worth it to me. I don't know what the rate is now, but you would have to decide price versus convenience.

Good luck planning and enjoy your trip.

 

[HollyBud]

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I certainly do like the idea that at the Hyatt you can meet right up with a Disney rep and not worry about a shuttle back to the airport.
You all gave me a lot to look into...much appreciated.