dcl bus to port question

[beach baby]

I'm trying to avoid renting a car and driving to port on this upcoming cruise with my mom. She loves Disney but doesn't get to experience it much so we are staying pre-cruise at WDW. Taking a dcl bus would be the cherry on top for her but everything I've read about leaving from a resort say that they arrive fairly late at the port. I would like to be at port around noon. That should be after the huge crowd and long line, but have enough people in the terminal to still be exciting for my mom's first cruise. Plus that arrival time will ensure that we can have lunch at EG which I think is an awesome way for her to start her cruise. I know that a car service will get us there exactly when we want but wanted to consider all my options so that I can give my mom as much magic as possible while balancing cost/ convenience/ "magic".
So can any one tell me .....
1) exactly how easy/not easy is it to take ME back to the airport to catch a DCL bus from there? I know that I would have to manipulate a flight time to use ME. I figured I would have to leave the resort about 10 am to catch a dcl bus at 11 am from the airport and get to port at noon-ish. If anyone has done this would you please give me your feedback and thoughts on this plan. I understand I'll have to transport my own bags but they will be minimal.
2) Has anyone that has taken the dcl bus from a resort arrive to find EG lunch already closed? The crowd at Cabanas would not be how I would want my mom to start her cruise. There will be plenty of time to experience Cabanas. (My favorite time is while we are backing into Castaway Cay!)
3) What time has been your arrival at port when leaving from a wdw resort? Does the resort matter as to your port arrival time?
3) and any reccommendations on a car service?
Sorry a bit long but thank you for reading all the way through it!

 

[sambycat]

we've been on like 8 cruises out of PC. all but one we have used DCL transfers. only once did we arrive so much later that, though the buffet was open, they were kind of shutting it down. try searching as well, there are frequent threads on the pros and cons of this scenario. enjoy your cruise!

 

[KristiMc]

I have read about people taking ME back to the airport to get on DCL transfers earlier but personally it just sounds like to much running around to be "magical". EG is open until 2:00 on embarkation day so you should be able to make that with the buses from WDW.

 

[Pens Fan]

On our three cruises we have always used DCL transportation. We love the convenience and there are only three of us so it's not that expensive. However, two out of the three times while the MDR was still open when we got on board, it was at capacity and they weren't letting anyone else in, so we were directed to Cabanas / Beach Blanket. It's not a big deal to us where we eat lunch, but if it's really important to you I'd look for alternative transportation.

 

[beach baby]

Thank you for your replies. Everything I've read in the search, people are reporting the norm for arrival is around 1:30 which would make it a close call to have a relaxing lunch at EG, especially if they are closing it all down. Are the buses leaving from the resorts getting to port earlier than what has been previously reported?

 

[Crush518]

By the time we got on the boat, everything was shut down coming from Pop Century...Did not get on the boat until around 3...

 

[Bill B.]

By the time we got on the boat, everything was shut down coming from Pop Century...Did not get on the boat until around 3...

We were picked up at the Boardwalk but we stopped at Pop Century on the way to pick up more people. We went thru the ears at exactly 2pm. Even though we really like DME we will be doing something different from the resort next time. I don't like the fact that you have to have your luggage ready by 8 and they don't pick you up until 11 or after. You are just stuck waiting until it's time to leave.

 

[MonoMan]

We might want to consider checking into a town car service to pick you up at WDW and take you to the port. We have used FL Tours in the past and have been pleased. They will also stop at the store on the way to port as long as you tell them you'd like to stop when you make the reservation. There are many reasons we use the town car service over DCL and one is that once they pick us up we know there are no more stops and we are headed directly to the port.

 

[tinkerone]

we have used dcl tf's from resorts, most from the pop century, and have never gotten to the port later than 1. no crowds, walk right on to the ship, head to lunch. very relaxed yet your starting your Disney vacation Disney style. lots of people have different results, these are ours. I think we have done this six times, if memory serves me.
imo, to take a bus back to the airport is about an hour (give or take) then you have to wait for your bus to the port to fill up and its another hour (give or take) to the port. you also have to get from the drop off point at the airport down to the bus pick up. nothing magical about any of that, again imo.
what ever you decide I really hope you and your mother have a great cruise! enjoy.

 

[bumbershoot]

I believe Cabanas closes around the same time as EG, so if you're too late for one you're too late for lunch. Could easily be wrong.

What about having a car rental and returning it to the airport, instead of the port?

But what do you think she would find so magical about the bus?

Are you leaving directly after the cruise? Does your flight home fit in with the onboard checkin scenario where you just say goodbye to your bags and see them again at your home airport? If so, might THAT be the time for Disney bus magic, and you can just drive or towncar it out to the port?

 

[Eeyorebabies]

Stayed at AoA in WDW, we got to the terminal around 2, then up to concierge briefing at 2:30, didn't get out until about 3:15. They were putting stuff away at Cabanas. Thankfully we had snacked in the concierge lounge because there wasn't much left at Cabanas.
They have you sitting at the bus stop about 30 minutes before you actually leave. So we had to be there at 12. Checkout was at 11. Which meant you can't stay in your room, not enough time to play in the pools and get changed or dry etc. for the bus. No time to go to Downtown Disney unless you wake up before the sun rises lol. The wait for the bus, the bus ride itself, and then getting back to the resort in time would have meant no time for shopping anyway. So basically we had to wait an hour to check in for DCL transfer, after we left the room at 11. Then had to sit another 30 minutes waiting for the bus. We hit traffic. The hour ride turned into 1.5 hours. So we were not feeling very magical by the time we got to the terminal. Plus, because we were promised a huge buffet, we didn't eat anything after breakfast because we wanted to save room. This made for a miserable hour long ride with 3 small hungry children and parents.
If we ever did a DCL transfer from the hotel again, we would eat a small lunch ahead of time. We would probably pay for the extended checkout time, and then we can just go down when it was time to check in for the bus.
This time we are driving to WDW ahead of time, then staying at a port hotel the night before the cruise, then taking our own car to the port.
If that wasn't an option, with a family of 5 for $70 each, it would be cheaper to rent a car for the day or hire a town car to pick us up.

 

[beach baby]

Thank you all for your help! It appears that the bus from the resort will not be optimal. I did not know your luggage had to be ready for pick up so early! I've decided that on this trip I will get a car service or just break down and rent a car! We have always driven to port and I find it an easy ride, but I was really not wanting to drive this time and I was wanting to add more "Disney" to my mom's first cruise. I think having an easy, relaxed morning will be a better way to start her vacation. Whatever fun would come out of being on the DCL bus (because they are so darn cute and I always get excited when I see them on the road!) would be lost with the wait times to get on it on to get to port.

I knew I could count on all of you to help!
Thank you!