Disney Cruise Line Bus

[jocelyn6]

Good Morning,
We are planning our very first Disney Cruise in March. I have a few questions that I hope some of you will be able to answer.
1. Is there a charge for the Disney Cruise Line Bus to pick up passengers and transport to and from the airport to Port Canaveral?
2. What seating on the Disney Dream is the best time for supper with 4 adults and 2 children ages 10 and 11?
3. Do you find that there are fun activities for children ages 10 and 11? I am worried that they may find some activities "baby-ish".
Thank you in advance for your time! I appreciate it.
Jocelyn

 

[com_op_2000]

1. Charge for bus to PC and then back to OIA - $35.00 per person each way. You most will likely will come out cheaper renting a car one way each way.
2. Depends on your preference and when your family "normally" eats. If you eat early try for 1st eating and if later then late seating. If you are not already booked, at this point you may only have the option of late seating, then you can try and change to early seating when you get on-board.

 

[TestingH2O]

Good Morning,
We are planning our very first Disney Cruise in March. I have a few questions that I hope some of you will be able to answer.
1. Is there a charge for the Disney Cruise Line Bus to pick up passengers and transport to and from the airport to Port Canaveral?

As pp mentioned it's $70 each round trip. With 6 people, I would think even a car rental would be tough if you factor in the need for luggage space. We did private transportation using FL Tours four our party of 7 and saved a significant amount of money. They picked us up in a van, helped with luggage, and stopped at a grocery store so we could pick up a few things. Others have used happy limos with great success.

2. What seating on the Disney Dream is the best time for supper with 4 adults and 2 children ages 10 and 11?

Main dining is more popular, but you may feel rushed to get to dinner on time. This also means you head to shows later. Late dining gives you the option of dine and play. For kids that age especially if you have a time change, you might prefer late seating.

3. Do you find that there are fun activities for children ages 10 and 11? I am worried that they may find some activities "baby-ish".
Thank you in advance for your time! I appreciate it.
Jocelyn

They will almost certainly find some things juvenile. They will also find things to love like movies, detective agency, water slides, hopefully the clubs, etc. Plus you'll have two days they can hit the beach. If you are sailing after October of this year, there will also be Star Wars activities in the clubs and updated gaming options.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Good Morning,
We are planning our very first Disney Cruise in March. I have a few questions that I hope some of you will be able to answer.
1. Is there a charge for the Disney Cruise Line Bus to pick up passengers and transport to and from the airport to Port Canaveral?
2. What seating on the Disney Dream is the best time for supper with 4 adults and 2 children ages 10 and 11?
3. Do you find that there are fun activities for children ages 10 and 11? I am worried that they may find some activities "baby-ish".
Thank you in advance for your time! I appreciate it.
Jocelyn

As noting above $35.00 per person each way. With 6 it will be cheaper to get a rental or town car.

However that said, even the DCL Buses have the Disney magic and pixie dust, special video's and Disney cartons and plain old great service!

AKK

 

[flyersfan1129]

The bus cost has been answered, but I will say this: the convenience, imho, cannot be beat. If you are coming in same day, DCL will handle your luggage. There is no price my DH won't pay to not have to wrangle the bags. Drop them off at your departing airport, and DCL gets them to your stateroom.

We prefer second seating, feels less rushed to us, especially on port days.

Our son is now 13, going on 30, and he still finds plenty to do. He is looking forward to our cruise next week for the movies, the Aqua Duck (we are on the Fantasy), the sports deck, mini golf, the movies, the pool, the beach excursions, and did I mention the movies? Disney does a great job having entertainment for all ages. Check the Navigator every day, or get the DCL app and let your kids find stuff that looks like fun to them. Believe me, you will have an awesome time!

 

[jocelyn6]

1. Charge for bus to PC and then back to OIA - $35.00 per person each way. You most will likely will come out cheaper renting a car one way each way.
2. Depends on your preference and when your family "normally" eats. If you eat early try for 1st eating and if later then late seating. If you are not already booked, at this point you may only have the option of late seating, then you can try and change to early seating when you get on-board.

Thank you so much for your response. I appreciate the info!

 

[jocelyn6]

As pp mentioned it's $70 each round trip. With 6 people, I would think even a car rental would be tough if you factor in the need for luggage space. We did private transportation using FL Tours four our party of 7 and saved a significant amount of money. They picked us up in a van, helped with luggage, and stopped at a grocery store so we could pick up a few things. Others have used happy limos with great success.

Main dining is more popular, but you may feel rushed to get to dinner on time. This also means you head to shows later. Late dining gives you the option of dine and play. For kids that age especially if you have a time change, you might prefer late seating.

They will almost certainly find some things juvenile. They will also find things to love like movies, detective agency, water slides, hopefully the clubs, etc. Plus you'll have two days they can hit the beach. If you are sailing after October of this year, there will also be Star Wars activities in the clubs and updated gaming options.

Thank you for the great advice about the dining. Certainly helps with trying to plan out our adventures.

 

[jocelyn6]

The bus cost has been answered, but I will say this: the convenience, imho, cannot be beat. If you are coming in same day, DCL will handle your luggage. There is no price my DH won't pay to not have to wrangle the bags. Drop them off at your departing airport, and DCL gets them to your stateroom.

We prefer second seating, feels less rushed to us, especially on port days.

Our son is now 13, going on 30, and he still finds plenty to do. He is looking forward to our cruise next week for the movies, the Aqua Duck (we are on the Fantasy), the sports deck, mini golf, the movies, the pool, the beach excursions, and did I mention the movies? Disney does a great job having entertainment for all ages. Check the Navigator every day, or get the DCL app and let your kids find stuff that looks like fun to them. Believe me, you will have an awesome time!

Thank yo so much for your reply. This is our first cruise so it's always great to get other opinions about options available on the cruise for activities for children. Enjoy your cruise!

 

[bumbershoot]

What seating on the Disney Dream is the best time for supper with 4 adults and 2 children ages 10 and 11?

When do you eat, and what time zone are you from? If you're from another timezone, will you be in the area long enough to get your stomachs acclimated? If we take early dining, our stomachs think it's hardly after noon, when it's dinnertime. Not fun!

There is no price my DH won't pay to not have to wrangle the bags.

Of course, if you get to MCO, hire a porter, the porter gets your bags and takes them wherever you need to go. Rental car, towncar. If a towncar the driver might be the one to handle them. Towncar or rental car, you get to the port, the porters there take your bags. Tip 'em as you greet them and they might even unload the car.

So there's really not much wrangling at all that has to happen, from MCO to the port. And no one takes their checked bags onto the ship; they all go on by way of porter etc, so there's no messing with checked bags there!

 

[flyersfan1129]

Of course, if you get to MCO, hire a porter, the porter gets your bags and takes them wherever you need to go. Rental car, towncar. If a towncar the driver might be the one to handle them. Towncar or rental car, you get to the port, the porters there take your bags. Tip 'em as you greet them and they might even unload the car.

So there's really not much wrangling at all that has to happen, from MCO to the port. And no one takes their checked bags onto the ship; they all go on by way of porter etc, so there's no messing with checked bags there!

We have never had luck with rental cars, and for $35 a person, we feel the luxury of dropping off at our home airport and having the bags appear in our stateroom is worth it.

 

[bumbershoot]

We have never had luck with rental cars, and for $35 a person, we feel the luxury of dropping off at our home airport and having the bags appear in our stateroom is worth it.

Ok. What works for you works for you. I'm curious where luck is involved with rental cars though. We signed up with national, rent mid size, get any car from the emerald aisle (or executive the last couple years thanks to dh's job), and go.

But others should be aware that one only wrangles bags when one chooses to. Porters are plentiful at mco. Towncar drivers help. Porters at the port are the only choice for checked bags (travelers can't carry on anything that won't fit through the scanner).

Others should know how relatively little touching of the bags there is between mco and PC and that there doesn't need to be any (with a bit of tip money) so they can make their choice.

Family of two is one thing. Family of three and the bus loses its savings. Any bigger of a family, tip porters and rent a car or a driver if finances are the only consideration.

 

[chimo2u]

If you take the DCL bus from MCO to the Port, does the bus driver arrange for your bags to get to the ship or do we have to collect them once at the PORT and hand them over to a porter??

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If you take the DCL bus from MCO to the Port, does the bus driver arrange for your bags to get to the ship or do we have to collect them once at the PORT and hand them over to a porter??

Are you bringing your bags to the bus at MCO? Or are you flying in that day?

 

[over50visits]

If you take the DCL bus from MCO to the Port, does the bus driver arrange for your bags to get to the ship or do we have to collect them once at the PORT and hand them over to a porter??

The bus driver/system will take care of getting them to the ship.

 

[diznymom]

#3. The kids will be in the Tween Club. There will be plenty age appropriate activities. We could hardly get DS out of the Tween nor the Teen clubs. (The actual names of the clubs escape me right now).

We prefer DCL transportation. If you are flying in the day of the cruise (not recommended) and have chosen DCL transport, DCL will send you luggage tags. Use those luggage tags and your luggage will magically appear in your stateroom(s) later.

 

[mmouse37]

It is not actually the bus driver taking care of the bags from MCO to port. Most bags are delivered via separate truck from MCO (the correct airport code for Orlando International Airport, not OIA). We drove and dropped off our rental car at MCO at took the DCL bus and we checked our bags with staff and it did not go on the bus with us. Same with flying in....your bags will be transported separately as long as you purchased DCL transfers and tagged your bags.

You would board the DCL bus with just your carry ons.

MJ

 

[chimo2u]

Are you bringing your bags to the bus at MCO? Or are you flying in that day?

The Hyatt will be taking our bags

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The Hyatt will be taking our bags

The Hyatt will be taking our bags

Then your bags will be going to the ship via truck. You won't see them (once the Hyatt picks them up) until they show up at your room onboard the ship.

 

[chimo2u]

Thanks princesshmoo! don't know why I didn't think of that, lol - I just remembered we changed our stay to the Hyatt instead of a surrounding airport hotel, using the bag pickup will be very helpful and hopefully easy

 

[flyersfan1129]

Ok. What works for you works for you. I'm curious where luck is involved with rental cars though. We signed up with national, rent mid size, get any car from the emerald aisle (or executive the last couple years thanks to dh's job), and go.

But others should be aware that one only wrangles bags when one chooses to. Porters are plentiful at mco. Towncar drivers help. Porters at the port are the only choice for checked bags (travelers can't carry on anything that won't fit through the scanner).

Others should know how relatively little touching of the bags there is between mco and PC and that there doesn't need to be any (with a bit of tip money) so they can make their choice.

Family of two is one thing. Family of three and the bus loses its savings. Any bigger of a family, tip porters and rent a car or a driver if finances are the only consideration.

Luck= smelly car, not the car we reserved, and a car that broke down, so we are done with the rental cars in Florida. We also prefer the DCL bus because it is pre-paid. Again, we feel it is the best option for a stress free experience, and as we just got back, with a flight to Florida that was delayed to the point that we had two hours sleep before we had to leave for the port, again, it is the best option for us.