Disney Cruise Line bus vs. Happy Limo

[drcoulsey]

The Disney Cruise bus transportation is $70 roundtrip. For our upcoming cruise, there will be 15 family members so that’s $1050. I’m sure I can do better hiring Happy Limo. However, I heard that if we choose the Disney Cruise bus to the airport from the ship, Disney will take our bags the night before and check them in at the airport for us, just like they do from WDW. Is this true?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The Disney Cruise bus transportation is $70 roundtrip. For our upcoming cruise, there will be 15 family members so that’s $1050. I’m sure I can do better hiring Happy Limo. However, I heard that if we choose the Disney Cruise bus to the airport from the ship, Disney will take our bags the night before and check them in at the airport for us, just like they do from WDW. Is this true?

In order for DCL to do onboard airline check in for you (including checking in your bags) you must be on a domestic flight on specific airlines. And your flight must be after 11:30 (maybe 12:00).


From our most recent DCL trip, info for the onboard airline check in:
The requirements are below

• You must have purchased DCL Air and/or DCL Ground Transfers
• Your flight has to leave from Orlando International Airport after 11:30 am on the same day your cruise vacation ends. Your flight must be on a participating airline:

Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
Your final destination must be within the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)

• Each luggage piece can weigh no more than fifty (50) pounds.
• Airline specific baggage fees may apply and can vary by airline. Please check with your specific carrier for more details.
• Applicable airline baggage fees will be posted directly to your shipboard account.
• Some Guests may be selected to check in at the airport and may not be able to use this service.
  

 

[NAB]

Disney Cruise Line transportation is now $39. One way. So $78 round trip now.

If you are using one of the airline as posted above yes they will take your luggage. Remember though if you buy any liquor at any port they will hold it until the morning of disembarkment. Meaning you will have to keep your luggage to put said liquor in because you won’t get it through security at the airport. Learned this the hard way...lol

Easy to pick it up they have a table by the exit ,just need the paper they give you. They will not give it before either.

 

[jdb in AZ]

If you qualify for the onboard airline check-in service, you don't have to take the DCL bus both ways. If you take Happy Limo to the ship you could still save $$$, and arrive at the port before the buses.

 

[DCLDVC1]

In order for DCL to do onboard airline check in for you (including checking in your bags) you must be on a domestic flight on specific airlines. And your flight must be after 11:30 (maybe 12:00).


From our most recent DCL trip, info for the onboard airline check in:
The requirements are below

• You must have purchased DCL Air and/or DCL Ground Transfers
• Your flight has to leave from Orlando International Airport after 11:30 am on the same day your cruise vacation ends. Your flight must be on a participating airline:

Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
Your final destination must be within the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)

• Each luggage piece can weigh no more than fifty (50) pounds.
• Airline specific baggage fees may apply and can vary by airline. Please check with your specific carrier for more details.
• Applicable airline baggage fees will be posted directly to your shipboard account.
• Some Guests may be selected to check in at the airport and may not be able to use this service.

The flight must depart at 11:25am or later if flying out of Orlando International.

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/ground-transportation/

 

[closetmickey]

You might want to take Happy Limo from the airport to port, however, as they will allow a market stop on the way for beverages.

 

[Doingitagain]

We have a party of seven. We are taking Happy Limo from the resort to the port because we can leave earlier (and miss the crowds when all the DCL resort buses hit the port), have a stop for incidentals/beverages, we can keep our luggage with us all morning (DCL picks them up at 8 am if you use their transfer) and it is cheaper.

We are taking DCL back to the airport because we can have them check our luggage all the way through and we don’t have to set a pickup time for the limo and rush to get it the morning we debark (we have lots of time for our flight and we don’t know if we want to do breakfast, etc.)...we just get on the next DCL bus to the airport. Note that your airline must be one of the airlines that DCL has on their list to get the benefit of onboard checkin. Also, if you are randomly selected for security check, they can’t take your luggage...you find this out the night before you leave when you try and get your paperwork. If it happens, you just take your luggage with you to the airport. When it happened to my daughter, we were able to get her boarding pass ourselves on her phone.

If I had a party of 15 I would go purely on cost, which is likely to be Happy Limo both ways (it was for our party of 7, so a larger group would have more savings if you can all fit in one vehicle). It isn’t that big of a deal to get your luggage in the morning and there are lots of porters to help. In your cost analysis, remember to figure in tips for the porters, tip (recommended 20%) for the limo driver, and that you will need a vehicle that fits all your luggage (we got a bigger one than 7 because of that).

 

[DCLDVC1]

Happy Limo isn't the only option. There are a lot of companies in the Orlando area that provide service to and from the port. It's definitely worth looking into other options.

 

[mevelandry]

When are you going? I've booked Sunshine Limo. (They were a bit cheaper than Happy Limo). I'm going in April. I can tell you how they were when I come back?

 

[Doingitagain]

Happy Limo isn't the only option. There are a lot of companies in the Orlando area that provide service to and from the port. Its definitely worth looking into other options.

Absolutely agree! My comments would be the same whether it was Happy Limo or another of the fine service companies that are available in the Orlando area. There have been some good threads on this topic.

 

[Lisa F]

In order for DCL to do onboard airline check in for you (including checking in your bags) you must be on a domestic flight on specific airlines. And your flight must be after 11:30 (maybe 12:00).


From our most recent DCL trip, info for the onboard airline check in:
The requirements are below

• You must have purchased DCL Air and/or DCL Ground Transfers
• Your flight has to leave from Orlando International Airport after 11:30 am on the same day your cruise vacation ends. Your flight must be on a participating airline:

Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
United Airlines
Your final destination must be within the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)

• Each luggage piece can weigh no more than fifty (50) pounds.
• Airline specific baggage fees may apply and can vary by airline. Please check with your specific carrier for more details.
• Applicable airline baggage fees will be posted directly to your shipboard account.
• Some Guests may be selected to check in at the airport and may not be able to use this service.

do you know if you can purchase just the return flight through DCL? Jet Blue allows you to purchase one way tickets.

 

[Tasmen]

We've always used Happy Limo to get to and from the terminal. We reserve the limo bus (Mercedes Sprinter van) and it's worked out great. You can fit a fair # of people in them comfortably. We were a party of 11 plus luggage.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

do you know if you can purchase just the return flight through DCL? Jet Blue allows you to purchase one way tickets.

Don't know. Are you asking so that you can do the onboard airline check in? You only have to purchase EITHER your air flights though DCL OR DCL transfers to participate.

I do know we were unable to purchase a one way flight through DCL on our Med/WBTA B2B several years ago.

 

[Lisa F]

Don't know. Are you asking so that you can do the onboard airline check in? You only have to purchase EITHER your air flights though DCL OR DCL transfers to participate.

I do know we were unable to purchase a one way flight through DCL on our Med/WBTA B2B several years ago.

duh I can't english
I would do the transfers and I usually fly southwest but would consider jet blue for the return to not have to deal with luggage. Both will allow one way segments, which is why I was asking but it doens't matter if I have the transfers. I thought it was both.

 

[drcoulsey]

When are you going? I've booked Sunshine Limo. (They were a bit cheaper than Happy Limo). I'm going in April. I can tell you how they were when I come back?

We are going in August so I’d appreciate a review about Sunshine Limo.

 

[cheapster316]

We have used Happy Limo twice to return to Wdw after the cruise. Last week it was $50 more than the dcl bus plus tip. There were 6pf us and plenty of room for luggage. Both the kids and grandparents loved the limo and really how often do you get to ride in a limo

 

[mevelandry]

We are going in August so I’d appreciate a review about Sunshine Limo.

Just came back from my trip. I've had excellent service with Sunshine. The communications were very clear and constant. The driver (Jeremy) was very nice and the limousine --a lincoln stretch-- was in great shape and clean .