Do you prefer staying at MCO or going to the port?

[slindamood]

We have done both and prefer Hyatt MCO, arriving the evening before, then using DCL bus in the morning. This minimizes luggage hauling both on arrival and on departure.

The Hyatt bell service will go get your bags or go with you to haul them back. When we have used this, we just head straight to the Hyatt after landing and one person goes back with bell service to get the bags while the others can go to the room. VERY good with small children and worth the tip. In the morning, bell service comes and take your tagged bags to the bus. We take DCL bus to the port.

 

[MomOTwins]

Somehow, when you have a toddler, trip essentials expand to fit the maximum number of suitcases the airline allows. But I am thinking about doing a load of laundry on the cruise ship so that we only need to pack a week's worth of clothes for our two-week trip.

Exactly this. No matter what option you choose, you’ll still be schlepping luggage at least somewhere. When our twins were little, we packed all our stuff and theirs in one suitcase and two duffle bags—one we put in the stroller and one to go over the suitcase handle. That meant one parent could push the stroller/duffle#1 and the other could do the suitcase/duffle#2. We packed for half a week and then did laundry. Laundry on the ship is very easy—they have detergent and dryer sheets for sale and it all charges to your room. Everyone had one pair of nice but comfy sandles that we wore everywhere.

 

[tvguy]

Remember, there are a dozen other hotels at MCO, just on the edge of the airport on Augusta National Drive. Cheaper than the Hyatt, and many including free breakfast. They have shuttles to pick you up, and then drop you off at the Disney bus pickup point at the airport. We stayed at the Marriott. We are west coasters so most flights get in late in the evening. I think we spent like 8 hours at the hotel, not going to pay top dollar for a hotel for just 8 hours.

 

[Dug720]

Remember, there are a dozen other hotels at MCO, just on the edge of the airport on Augusta National Drive. Cheaper than the Hyatt, and many including free breakfast. They have shuttles to pick you up, and then drop you off at the Disney bus pickup point at the airport. We stayed at the Marriott. We are west coasters so most flights get in late in the evening. I think we spent like 8 hours at the hotel, not going to pay top dollar for a hotel for just 8 hours.

Yep. I regularly stay at Hampton Inn & Suites Gateway.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

Remember, there are a dozen other hotels at MCO, just on the edge of the airport on Augusta National Drive. Cheaper than the Hyatt, and many including free breakfast. They have shuttles to pick you up, and then drop you off at the Disney bus pickup point at the airport. We stayed at the Marriott. We are west coasters so most flights get in late in the evening. I think we spent like 8 hours at the hotel, not going to pay top dollar for a hotel for just 8 hours.

Yes, as much as the Hyatt looks lovely and the service so convenient, I have Hilton points from work so we have stayed at nearby Hilton properties and done a rental car to get to the hotel and then the port. That works well, too!

 

[peacefrogdog]

For anyone who has taken Go Port from MCO:

1. Do they have buses or vans at MCO to take you to the port?
2. The website says shuttles/buses leave MCO starting at 10 AM. Does it tend to be crowded in order to get onto one of these early shuttles?