Checking in after dropping off rental car...

[MAGICX2]

We want to be as close to the first ones checking in as possible. Can I get dropped off and check both DH and I in while he is renturning rental car?

 

[shoes99]

We want to be as close to the first ones checking in as possible. Can I get dropped off and check both DH and I in while he is renturning rental car?

Yes, but you will need him to give you his passport, his credit card for charging, and the signed cruise document.
He will need photo id to get back into the terminal after the rental car van drops him off at the port. An attendant will check his id before they let him into the gate...

 

[kcashner]

As above...yes, but be sure he keeps his driver's license (he should have it for driving anyhow!). If you're traveling on birth certificates, you'll need that + a government issued photo ID for him. If the driver's license is the only photo ID he has, the CM will "process" you, but he'll have to get his KTTW after he shows her his ID. If you check in with a photo ID for him, she'll give you all the KTTW cards.

Another option--return the car at 9 and take the shuttle together to the terminal. We find option 1 better for large groups, but sometimes do option 2 when there are only 2 of us.

 

[MAGICX2]

As above...yes, but be sure he keeps his driver's license (he should have it for driving anyhow!). If you're traveling on birth certificates, you'll need that + a government issued photo ID for him. If the driver's license is the only photo ID he has, the CM will "process" you, but he'll have to get his KTTW after he shows her his ID. If you check in with a photo ID for him, she'll give you all the KTTW cards.

Another option--return the car at 9 and take the shuttle together to the terminal. We find option 1 better for large groups, but sometimes do option 2 when there are only 2 of us.

I must be totally confused because I thought you couldn't even get into the terminal area with a car until 10am. Or is that just the parking lot?

If we return the car at 9am does the shuttle take us right up to the door to the terminal? Do we just stand outside the doors til they open?

We have only been on a cruise one other time and we parked a car in the parking lot, walked across the road, gave our bags to someone (I think! I don't even remember what we did with the bags.) and then went in and up the escalator. It was like 11:30 or so.

I am a little anxious about it all because we would really like to be one of the firsts to check in...hoping for a great optional upgrade!

 

[kcashner]

The port area opens to incoming traffic at 10. Most of the car rental places open at 8 or 9....so if you take the car back at 9 or shortly after you'll be on the first shuttle that they are allowing in.

There is a shuttle drop off area between the parking lot and the terminal (so you're dropped closer than the parking lot was on your previous cruise). Most of the time the porters come out to that area and take your bags right from the shuttle. If you're there before they open the door to the terminal, yes, you'll just stand there and wait for the doors to open--but I thought you wanted to be there as soon as it opened. You'll go in, go thru security with your carry ons, and go up the escalator to check in.

I did say "most of the time" the porters come to the shuttle area because we recently had a cruise where we rolled our bags across the street to them--don't know what the issue was, but no one came over. Previously they'd always come to meet the shuttle.

 

[CoriCW]

We're trying to figure this out as well, except we will have a large party - my parents (and Dad will probably be in a wheelchair), our 3 kids (8, 7 & 5 yrs old) me and DH. Plan is for DH to drop us off at the port, return the rental car and get the rental car shuttle back to the port. I sure hope that this plan works! Mom & Dad have been on DCL before, but this is my family's first Disney cruise, and I am SO EXCITED!!

I would love the feedback from the experienced cruisers if I am missing something with our drop-off plan!! TIA!

 

[kcashner]

We're trying to figure this out as well, except we will have a large party - my parents (and Dad will probably be in a wheelchair), our 3 kids (8, 7 & 5 yrs old) me and DH. Plan is for DH to drop us off at the port, return the rental car and get the rental car shuttle back to the port. I sure hope that this plan works! Mom & Dad have been on DCL before, but this is my family's first Disney cruise, and I am SO EXCITED!!

I would love the feedback from the experienced cruisers if I am missing something with our drop-off plan!! TIA!

This plan will work just fine. If there's any problem in it , it is the fact that you'll have 3 kids plus 2 elderly adults that you will be looking after till DH arrives. If grandma and grandpa can look out for the kids, you can get in line and check in for everyone. Yes, it says all adults need to go to the counter, but they can sit in the terminal till you're at/near the front of the line, then move up to meet you. You will have plenty of help from CMs once you are thru security. Just have all the paperwork ready to go!

 

[MAGICX2]

The port area opens to incoming traffic at 10. Most of the car rental places open at 8 or 9....so if you take the car back at 9 or shortly after you'll be on the first shuttle that they are allowing in.

There is a shuttle drop off area between the parking lot and the terminal (so you're dropped closer than the parking lot was on your previous cruise). Most of the time the porters come out to that area and take your bags right from the shuttle. If you're there before they open the door to the terminal, yes, you'll just stand there and wait for the doors to open--but I thought you wanted to be there as soon as it opened. You'll go in, go thru security with your carry ons, and go up the escalator to check in.

I did say "most of the time" the porters come to the shuttle area because we recently had a cruise where we rolled our bags across the street to them--don't know what the issue was, but no one came over. Previously they'd always come to meet the shuttle.

Thanks kcashner! You have been such a wealth of info through my entire process of planning.
Yes we do want to be there as soon as it opens. I just meant do they let people hang right outside the doors or is there a special waiting area when the terminal hasn't opened yet.

I guess my confusion lies in where the car rental location actually is. I just assumed that you went down the same road that you turn on to pull into the parking lot or pull up to the terminal. That maybe it was just a little ways on down that road. Where is the car rental location? How far of a bus ride back to the terminal is i?

 

[kcashner]

All of the car rental places are on A1A (which takes the name "Atlantic Avenue" but is the same road. Most of the hotels near the port are along that road also. If you are coming from MCO, you would actually drive past the cruise terminals to get to the car return (or turn in, drop off passengers, then continue on). Hertz and Budget are closest, probably less than a mile. The others are a little farther down the same road (Thrifty/Dollar, Avis) Enterprise is somewhere near the port also. The farthest away is probably 2 miles. There are several gas stations along A1A also so you can refill the tank.

There's no special waiting area for before the terminal opens (I suspect they'd like people not to show up till it opens.) There are a few benches, but basically you'd be standing in line to go thru security as soon as it opens.

It only took us a few minutes to return the rental car--basically you show them the receipt for the gas you bought and turn in the keys...then you hop on the shuttle. Budget usually has 2 shuttles running. By the time I was finished with turning in the car, DD had the luggage on the shuttle. I walked out and hopped into the van...and we were off to the terminal.

If you are staying at a hotel near the port, you will drive by several of the car places on the way to the port (how many depends on which hotel you're in!) None of them are very far from the cruise ships--after all, that's the bulk of their business!