DCL Bus Question

[TandLMommy28]

How early do buses start running the day you get off the ship? And how is it organized? Is it like at the airport where you get in a line for your resort? I am trying to get back on property as early as possible but I already paid for DCL buses and now I'm feeling a little stuck.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How early do buses start running the day you get off the ship? And how is it organized? Is it like at the airport where you get in a line for your resort? I am trying to get back on property as early as possible but I already paid for DCL buses and now I'm feeling a little stuck.

They start filling the buses as soon as people start getting off the ship. As a bus fills, it departs. As you leave the terminal, you head for the bus loading zone, a CM there (with a clipboard) will check your KTTW card (to confirm you've got DCL transfers) and ask you your resort. Then will direct you to which bus is going there. One note on that - buses for the resorts don't start departing until 9:00. So being early off the ship really doesn't work. And any given bus may stop at up to 3 resorts.

 

[TandLMommy28]

Do airport buses leave earlier?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do airport buses leave earlier?

The buses to the airport start leaving as they fill up. I would imagine the first one to the airport would be around 8:00 or so. But, it's hard to say. It depends on how many people in the early groups want the airport.

Were you thinking of heading to the airport first? And then catching the Magical Express from there to your resort?

 

[Sytrace]

On our most recent cruise (June) my husband and son took the DCL bus over to Yacht Club. They were on the bus by 8:15 ( per the letter we got in our cabin the night before) They arrived at Yacht club at about 10:30. They told me that they left the port at 9 AM and there were a few stops along the way to other resorts.

My daughter and I drove to the hotel and arrived at 9:00 AM.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

How early do buses start running the day you get off the ship? And how is it organized? Is it like at the airport where you get in a line for your resort? I am trying to get back on property as early as possible but I already paid for DCL buses and now I'm feeling a little stuck.

If you are trying to get back to WDW as early as possible, I'm not sure I would recommend the DCL transfers. The buses wait until they are full and then they can stop at several resorts where you might be the last drop off. Last cruise, we took a town car. We left port at 9:30am (we docked late and then a quarter of the guests were held in customs because of the congestion in port and outside) and were at our resort by 10:10am. We walked into MK by 11:30am. I would recommend a town car or a hire car.

 

[poohs4me]

Call and cancel your transfers and book an alternate method.

 

[rantnnravin]

Call and cancel your transfers and book an alternate method.

***You can choose to keep the transfers for your trip there and only cancel the return. One way transfers are allowed.