Driving from Resort to Port

[Mainsail Minnie]

Anyone have experience with driving from a WDW resort to Port Canaveral? Any tips you'd like to share, like about how long it takes (we'll be coming from the Contemporary), what parking is like, and how early you can arrive to park?

ETA: This will be the Saturday after Christmas, so I'm wondering how much time to add to driving time predictions given Christmas week road congestion.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

Anyone have experience with driving from a WDW resort to Port Canaveral? Any tips you'd like to share, like about how long it takes (we'll be coming from the Contemporary), what parking is like, and how early you can arrive to park?

The drive takes an hour and fifteen minutes, all in, roughly. There is plenty of parking in the garage right by the Disney terminal, with a skybridge on level 3, so park there. I don't know how early you can arrive and park in the garage, sorry.

My biggest tip would be to take the route that doesn't use I-4. Sometimes, I-4 is fine. Sometimes, having to go even a couple of miles up I-4 on a Saturday is a nightmare. Take 536 to 417 to 528, rather than I-4 up to 528. That avoids the potential traffic problems. Bring lots of quarters for the tolls. There's not much along the route, but it goes by really fast.

 

[Marc D]

Get a Sunpass through the mail and you’ll be able go through the tolls without stopping of fiddling with quarters.

 

[OKW Lover]

Agree with @Doofenshmirtz513 above that the drive is about 75 minutes. We live only a few miles from the Contemporary and have done the drive to the port several times. Its an easy, but boring drive. Agree that avoiding I-4 on a weekday during rush hour is a good strategy.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Agree with @Doofenshmirtz513 above that the drive is about 75 minutes. We live only a few miles from the Contemporary and have done the drive to the port several times. Its an easy, but boring drive. Agree that avoiding I-4 on a weekday during rush hour is a good strategy.

This will be on the Saturday after Christmas. Would you still recommend the alternate route? How much time should I allow for the drive given the Christmas week madness? Thanks!

 

[suzannews]

I live just west of WDW and have driven to the port twice to sail on the Dream. I agree that it is an easy drive and I agree to take the toll roads and avoid I4 if you can. I wanted to add that parking in the garage is $85-ish for the 4 night cruise and you pay when you enter. As you enter the port, before you enter the garage, you pull over to the side and unload your "checked luggage". There are always many workers there to help. We tip a couple of dollars per bag so make sure you have cash if you plan to do so as well.

 

[cvjw]

Just use the waze app. It will tell you which route is the best. Second getting a sun pass - it is life changing . No more scrambling for quarters or picking the shortest toll lane. Just drive right thru.

 

[Weedy]

Typically first day at Port Canaveral
9:30-9:45 Parking garage opens.
You can pull up to the curb and drop your luggage off with the porters. A few weeks before the cruise Disney will send you luggage tags. Have these on your luggage before you arrive. They will deliver your luggage to your cabin. Cabins aren’t available until 1:30 and luggage may not be delivered until 4:5:00. So keep a small bag with you with anything you may need.
***You will wait outside until the terminal opens.
10:30. When you arrive and check in you will be given a boarding number. Your boarding number is tied to your Port Arrival Time. The earlier your PAT the lower your boarding number. You pick your PAT when your booking window opens.
11:15-11:30 boarding begins. Concierge and Platinum board first. Then they start with everyone else. They call the next number(s) every 4-5 minutes. The terminal is crazy busy/crowded 10:30-12:00.
11:45-12:00 all pools and restaurants and bars open
1:30 cabins available
3:30 all pools and restaurants close to get ready for the lifeboat drill
4:00 lifeboat drill
4:30 quick service restaurants reopen
4:30 sail away party

 

[OKW Lover]

This will be on the Saturday after Christmas. Would you still recommend the alternate route? How much time should I allow for the drive given the Christmas week madness? Thanks!

I would think that the I-4 to 528 route would be just fine that day. Anybody that is going anywhere for the holiday will already be where they are going and people won't be heading back home yet.

 

[Weedy]

19 more sleeps until the Skyliner officially opens

 

[SamFaniam]

19 more sleeps until the Skyliner officially opens

This will not get you to the port!
( I am guessing this was supposed to be on another thread)

 

[Weedy]

Oops lol. I’m a bit obsessed. I’m just spreading the word

 

[Mom24Princesses]

We don't live in Florida and 3 of our 4 vehicles have Sunpasses!!

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

This will be on the Saturday after Christmas. Would you still recommend the alternate route? How much time should I allow for the drive given the Christmas week madness? Thanks!

I've only ever driven from WDW to the port on a Saturday and still got caught in some nasty traffic once, so definitely check your preferred navigation app for traffic that day. I'd imagine that the Saturday after Christmas will be fine, but Orlando traffic doesn't seem to follow the patterns I'm used to from DC.