Disney transfers vs rental car w/WDW before & after

[AndreAggie]

We are book-ending our cruise with days at WDW. We're looking at renting a car just to get to the port the morning of the cruise. This way we get there early enough for lunch and a little time to explore the terminal. For our family of 3, it'll cost about $70 to rent a car for one day. We won't need a rental car until that morning of the cruise....we can just rely on disney transportation from the airport and around the resorts/parks.

On the return trip, it is my understanding the Disney transfer buses get rolling fairly early and we could get straight to our resort and get in the parks somewhat early instead of messing with picking up and returning a rental car. It would cost us about $30 more, but that might be worth it to not have to hassle with renting a car.

Has anyone done this? Should we just plan on renting a car before and after? Just pay up and use the disney transfers both ways?? Thoughts?

 

[openwater]

Yes, to get to the port earlier the rental car will be my choice. There are a lot of unnecessary/inconvenient things going on if you use the bus from WDW (such as having your luggage ready by 8am and so on), it is cheaper and a very easy drive.

JUST TAKE A NOTE OF THE ROUTE. From WDW my GPS always directs me to I-4 - wrong! Avoid I-4 and look for 536/417 - pick it up near Old Key West resort. Tolls will be $1.50 + $1.50 + $1 + $1 = $5 each way.

For the return trip I would stick with the DCL bus.

 

[AndreAggie]

Good to know! We're not going until 2017...I'm just a planner.

 

[westrocks116j]

We are book-ending our cruise with days at WDW. We're looking at renting a car just to get to the port the morning of the cruise. This way we get there early enough for lunch and a little time to explore the terminal. For our family of 3, it'll cost about $70 to rent a car for one day. We won't need a rental car until that morning of the cruise....we can just rely on disney transportation from the airport and around the resorts/parks.

On the return trip, it is my understanding the Disney transfer buses get rolling fairly early and we could get straight to our resort and get in the parks somewhat early instead of messing with picking up and returning a rental car. It would cost us about $30 more, but that might be worth it to not have to hassle with renting a car.

Has anyone done this? Should we just plan on renting a car before and after? Just pay up and use the disney transfers both ways?? Thoughts?

Just to add our experience...When we cruised in late January this year, the buses for WDW departed at 9:00 a.m. and not a moment before. We were given a letter the night before detailing this.

 

[kickash]

Last summer we parked our rental car at the port for the duration of our cruise (5 nights). When we disembarked, we ate breakfast in the dining room, carried our luggage with us, went through customs, and were on our way to WDW fairly quickly. We went to DHS that day and we arrived for opening at 9 am. Very easy drive!

 

[bumbershoot]

Just to add our experience...When we cruised in late January this year, the buses for WDW departed at 9:00 a.m. and not a moment before. We were given a letter the night before detailing this.

That hasn't been our experience. Do you have the letter that you could scan and upload here?

Last summer we parked our rental car at the port for the duration of our cruise (5 nights).

Alas that isn't the cost effective option every time. I've never gotten that to work out financially. If I had my own car it would, but the rentals are always too much. (then again we're generally using a free rental day with national, so it's the difference between a free day vs paying for several days LOL)


All that said, I'm all about dollar-savings and freedom, and I'd get the rental car to go back to WDW. Assuming you're renting from an agency where returns at WDW are super-easy (like National or Alamo returning to Car Care Center or the Swolphin).

 

[kickash]

That hasn't been our experience. Do you have the letter that you could scan and upload here?



Alas that isn't the cost effective option every time. I've never gotten that to work out financially. If I had my own car it would, but the rentals are always too much. (then again we're generally using a free rental day with national, so it's the difference between a free day vs paying for several days LOL)


All that said, I'm all about dollar-savings and freedom, and I'd get the rental car to go back to WDW. Assuming you're renting from an agency where returns at WDW are super-easy (like National or Alamo returning to Car Care Center or the Swolphin).

Our rental car was free for our 16 day trip due to credit card points and the $90 parking fee was not an issue. We needed the car because we had a split 10 day stay at WDW after the cruise, part on property and part off property.

 

[AndreAggie]

We will be using Avis since my husband is emerald diamond platinum whatever status with them. I don't even know where they are located, but he said it'll be fine. I don't know how much trouble it'll be to rent a car after vs. just hopping on a transfer.

 

[Weedy]

Another suggestion: Have your husband drop you the luggage and any other passengers off at the port before returning the car.
This way you only have to move the luggage once ( there will be porters at the curb to take your luggage) and he will only need one seat on the shuttle van returning to the port.

 

[openwater]

Renting from Avis for the return is not going to be much of an issue except for 4 things:

1. You have to stand in line to get the shuttle to the rental building and then you have to get the car. How long this will take depends on the number of people on that day but the drive is only 10 minutes or so. The location is in the wrong direction for WDW so you have to backtrack a bit. My guess is you will lose at least 30 minutes or so versus the Disney bus if the car shuttle and bus depart the cruise terminal at the same time.

2. When you arrive at the WDW resort there can be a line of cars at the security gate whereas the bus keeps to the right and do not stop! You may lose a few more minutes.

3. You need $5 for tolls. Change given.

4. You have to deal with luggage when you rent a car.

Here is a map of the car rentals near port Canaveral - http://cruiseportcanaveral.us/car-rental/

 

[westrocks116j]

That hasn't been our experience. Do you have the letter that you could scan and upload here?



Alas that isn't the cost effective option every time. I've never gotten that to work out financially. If I had my own car it would, but the rentals are always too much. (then again we're generally using a free rental day with national, so it's the difference between a free day vs paying for several days LOL)


All that said, I'm all about dollar-savings and freedom, and I'd get the rental car to go back to WDW. Assuming you're renting from an agency where returns at WDW are super-easy (like National or Alamo returning to Car Care Center or the Swolphin).

That hasn't been our experience. Do you have the letter that you could scan and upload here?



Alas that isn't the cost effective option every time. I've never gotten that to work out financially. If I had my own car it would, but the rentals are always too much. (then again we're generally using a free rental day with national, so it's the difference between a free day vs paying for several days LOL)


All that said, I'm all about dollar-savings and freedom, and I'd get the rental car to go back to WDW. Assuming you're renting from an agency where returns at WDW are super-easy (like National or Alamo returning to Car Care Center or the Swolphin).

 

[bumbershoot]

Our rental car was free for our 16 day trip due to credit card points and the $90 parking fee was not an issue. We needed the car because we had a split 10 day stay at WDW after the cruise, part on property and part off property.

Ah, well, 16 days of free rental car will make quite a bit of difference!

We almost always do a split stay, and we love having a car, but we haven't yet gotten it to be cost-effective to keep the car. For us it's been better to turn it in then get a new rental at the end of the cruise.

Have your husband drop you the luggage and any other passengers off at the port before returning the car.
This way you only have to move the luggage once ( there will be porters at the curb to take your luggage) and he will only need one seat on the shuttle van returning to the port.

Yes yes yes.

View attachment 176948

I don't remember getting such a letter when we booked the bus (back to the airport, FWIW), and it's worded so strangely.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ah, well, 16 days of free rental car will make quite a bit of difference!

We almost always do a split stay, and we love having a car, but we haven't yet gotten it to be cost-effective to keep the car. For us it's been better to turn it in then get a new rental at the end of the cruise.



Yes yes yes.



I don't remember getting such a letter when we booked the bus (back to the airport, FWIW), and it's worded so strangely.

The 9:00 departure for WDW resorts only recently started (like in the last 2 or 3 months). Prior to that, the busses were departing when they were full. It apparently led to many buses hitting the same resorts. Due to the buses having to hit 3 (or sometimes more) resorts.

This way, they can fill a whole bus with the same resort (or maybe two), meaning better traffic patterns.