Car Rental Port Canaveral

[dpl]

We are looking forward to our first DCL cruise in October and I am starting to think about hiring a car - but I'm not sure the best way to go? We fly into MCO and will be staying within WDW for a week before the cruise begins. When we arrive back we have almost a full day before flying home. Should we:

• Hire a car at MCO, pay for parking at Port Canaveral (is this within walking distance of the terminal?) and then return the car to MCO at the end of our stay.
• Hire a car at MCO from a company who also has a garage at Port Canaveral (so I would return it before boarding the cruise) - then hire another car for a day when we get off the cruise? What is the best company to go with if we did this? Are the car rental places within walking distance or do they provide transport to DCL terminal?
• Get the Disney coach from the resort/back to airport. The disadvantage her (I think) is timing? We are concierge and want to get there early to make the most of boarding day. Also, don't want to have to spend too much time in the airport on the way home!

As this is our first time I'd love to hear from more experienced people about what they would do?

Thank you

 

[Billinaz]

The DCL bus is $35 per person, per way. For a family of 5 that gets pretty expensive.

I have rented from Budget and Avis at MCO and returned the car in Cape Canaveral. They shuttle you to/from the port.

I have rented cars for $35 or less and minivans for $100.

I have also rented from both companies at WDW.

Best way to go IMHO.

 

[wombat_5606]

We are looking forward to our first DCL cruise in October and I am starting to think about hiring a car - but I'm not sure the best way to go? We fly into MCO and will be staying within WDW for a week before the cruise begins. When we arrive back we have almost a full day before flying home. Should we:

• Hire a car at MCO, pay for parking at Port Canaveral (is this within walking distance of the terminal?) and then return the car to MCO at the end of our stay.
• Hire a car at MCO from a company who also has a garage at Port Canaveral (so I would return it before boarding the cruise) - then hire another car for a day when we get off the cruise? What is the best company to go with if we did this? Are the car rental places within walking distance or do they provide transport to DCL terminal?
• Get the Disney coach from the resort/back to airport. The disadvantage her (I think) is timing? We are concierge and want to get there early to make the most of boarding day. Also, don't want to have to spend too much time in the airport on the way home!

As this is our first time I'd love to hear from more experienced people about what they would do?

Thank you

I'm going out on limb here and say money is no option, so I would just get a car at MCO, pay for parking at the terminal and return your car to MCO when your flight departs. The terminal is connected to the garage, so very walkable.

I used to do the car drop off when I first started cruising, but I just don't think the cost saving is worth the hassle and time spent. The first day getting on the cruise is already busy enough without adding this to my day.

Others won't agree with this. You should figure out what is more important to you and go with that.

 

[Billinaz]

Wow, I guess wasting the money for a week of a car rental is nothing to some people. It is an incredible waste of money with no benefit IMHO. If you can get a car for $40/day each way why would you spend an extra $200 for the car and that additional added cost per day of parking in the garage?????

You can drop it off at the rental agency and they shuttle you to the port. Not an issue.

Always fly in the day before!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Sometimes the cost of a total rental vs the drop off at another location and the hassle of the shuttle makes a difference. Sure, if it's just to get to and from the airport that doesn't make sense, but for people who need a car on either end of their trip, there are bargains to be had that make the convenience of having a car parked and ready vs the hassle of shuttles reasonable. I'm getting a van for 11 days for the price I would need to have it one way for 3 days and then one way for another 3 days on the other end. But not everyone finds or needs that kind of deal.

 

[dpl]

Thanks everyone, I can see that from the 'money's no object' perspective putting the car in the parking lot is easiest and most convenient, however it would appear there is quite a saving to be had by returning the car in Cape Canaveral. That said I've read a few awful reviews of it taking people 90 mins to get from leaving the ship to driving off from certain rental companies in Cape Canaveral... More thought needed, I think, but I appreciate everyone's opinions

 

[danajay]

Note that the people who wait 90 minutes are generally waiting for the free car rental shuttle. We decided to skip that and took a taxi to the rental car company--no wait! It was $20 which was way too expensive for a 5 minute ride, but it was worth the convenience.

 

[LSUfan4444]

We fly into MCO and will be staying within WDW for a week before the cruise begins. When we arrive back we have almost a full day before flying home. Should we:

Use Disney Magical Express to get from MCO to WDW. The day of your cruise pick up your car rental either at the disney car center, the rental place at the dolphin or one of the rental locatoins down near downtown disney. Drive to the port and take the car rental shuttle to the ship. Sail. When the cruise is done get another one way rental from the airport and drop off at MCO. To save time the day your cruise ends, carry your own bags off for the express disembarkation.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

Also not everyone has to take the shuttle. My dad dropped us all off at the port and returned our rental car with my hubby on embarkation day. When we debarked the ship my dad and hubby walked off earlier and took the shuttle then picked my mom, sister and I up at the port with the bags. Singles with no bags will fit on a shuttle that can't accommodate a family with bags.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Also not everyone has to take the shuttle. My dad dropped us all off at the port and returned our rental car with my hubby on embarkation day. When we debarked the ship my dad and hubby walked off earlier and took the shuttle then picked my mom, sister and I up at the port with the bags. Singles with no bags will fit on a shuttle that can't accommodate a family with bags.

Very good point. We've never had an issue at Port Canaveral but we may try this in May just to see how it works.

Honestly, it's less than three miles and I would prefer to just jog over from the drop off and the terminal but it's not really logistically feasible.