Earliest Way to Port From MCO

[Macmaro]

We are flying in the day before our cruise and staying at the Hyatt. Booked it ourselves (meaning not through Disney) after booking cruise through Costco. We are a party of 3. We are Platinum so no PAT. I would like to get to the port as early as we can. I've looked into 2 options so far.

1) DCL Transportation - $210 round trip - We have never used before. What time does the first bus leave? I saw a Youtube of someone lining up 9 AM? Do you have to reserve a time and can I book that through Costco by calling?

2) Happy Limo or FL Tours - $250ish round trip - I was able to choose a 9 AM pickup with Happy Limo but trying the same with FL Tours they said DCL wont let them in the port until 11 AM. WIll Happy Limo truely pick up at 9 and thereby drop off by 10 AM?

Sitting (even standing) around the port is better than hanging at the airport. I'm just looking for other's experiences.

 

[Marc D]

The first bus leaves at around 9AM. If you have paid for it thru your TA, you just show up. Places are assigned on a first come, first seated system.

The advantage of the DCL bus is that you get to enter the terminal when you arrive, whatever the time. Arriving by a limo or any private transport means waiting for the terminal to open and a lineup at security. So Happy Limo will be able to drop you off but at the end of the queue.

The other advantage of the DCL bus is that they pickup your luggage in you’re room at the Hyatt and you get them back at your stateroom. The service is free.

 

[Macmaro]

Thanks Marc. I'm leaning that direction. It sounds like you just need to be in line early then. Just be there around 8-8:30 you think?

 

[Marc D]

There is no need to be there that early. If you arrive by 9 or 9:15, you’ll be on the first few busses and get inside before the terminal opens. That was the case last Sunday for us. The busses depart as soon as they are full.

 

[squirk]

Wait - I thought the buses didn't get there until later, like, closer to noon? I always thought one of the downsides of the buses was that you would be one of the last groups to arrive on the ship?

Or is there a distinction between the buses coming from the airport vs. the buses coming from resort hotels?

 

[Dug720]

Wait - I thought the buses didn't get there until later, like, closer to noon? I always thought one of the downsides of the buses was that you would be one of the last groups to arrive on the ship?

Or is there a distinction between the buses coming from the airport vs. the buses coming from resort hotels?

Yes. The ones from the resorts leave later while the ones from MCO begin loading at 9 and start rolling as soon as they are filled.

 

[KristiMc]

Wait - I thought the buses didn't get there until later, like, closer to noon? I always thought one of the downsides of the buses was that you would be one of the last groups to arrive on the ship?

Or is there a distinction between the buses coming from the airport vs. the buses coming from resort hotels?

The buses from WDW do not get there until later. The buses from MCO start heading to the port at 9:00

 

[professorandmom]

The advantage of the DCL bus is that you get to enter the terminal when you arrive, whatever the time.

we literally entered the terminal ahead of the long line of folks outside...it was magical...

now, a different thread is available to debate whether getting to the terminal first is worth it...

 

[Pixarfans]

Since you have to call Costco anyway to book the transfer, ask what price DCL has for the Hyatt. We saved over $60 going though DCL as opposed to the Costco rate. We loved this option, so easy.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

If price is the same, is there any advantage to booking they Hyat through DCL, as opposed to on your own (or Costco, expedia, etc.)?

 

[Snowwhyt]

If price is the same, is there any advantage to booking they Hyat through DCL, as opposed to on your own (or Costco, expedia, etc.)?

Well when the hotel was overbooked I still had a place to sleep. I noticed several in the halls next to every outlet to charge phones with sweat shirts to cover their eyes to sleep. I got 4 cots in a conference room I was so happy at 2am. The 2 groups of people before us got no help at all. Think Disney was their #1 customer that day

 

[NAB]

We stayed at a hotel by the airport , got picked up at 8:00 I think to go back to the airport.

When you get to the airport , you will already be there you check in and they will give you a character , we were on the first bus it filled fast. While we were sitting there waiting they were already on to the second character. I think they started calling us to get on the bus at 9:15?

We sat at the front of the bus and were the first ones in the terminal because you go right in while the doors are not even open yet from the front of the building. I was the first one in with my husband. Never been in the terminal when it is empty...lol We are Platinum too so really we get #1 boarding anyway. Time really does go by fast with all the excitement.

The kicker was this time the computers decided we were going on our first cruise not our 13th gave us #1 boarding and had to fix it when we got on board.

 

[Shanti]

If price is the same, is there any advantage to booking they Hyat through DCL, as opposed to on your own (or Costco, expedia, etc.)?

I'm just looking for other's experiences.

Yes. In our experience, we got a low boarding number (2), after booking the Hyatt via DCL & using DCL transfers. No PAT needed, and we weren't even on one of the first buses (we didn't try for that). We arrived to a crowded Port Canaveral to check in, then were placed in boarding group 2, so we were among the first to board the ship.

We were sailing in an inside stateroom and were only CC silver, so it wasn't about status. Booking Hyatt via DCL & using DCL transfers is the only thing I can attribute that to.

Another advantage of booking Hyatt via DCL is that Hyatt has an arrangement with Disney where you leave your bags in your hotel room, and they'll get them onto the ship for you. That's awesome.

 

[Tasmen]

We flew into MCO and stayed the Hyatt on our last cruise in February). We also used Happy Limo and had them pick us at 9am. We got to the port just before 10, got our bags taken care of and then were sent to the parking garage to get in line. Once they were ready to let people in, we were some of the first in.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well when the hotel was overbooked I still had a place to sleep. I noticed several in the halls next to every outlet to charge phones with sweat shirts to cover their eyes to sleep. I got 4 cots in a conference room I was so happy at 2am. The 2 groups of people before us got no help at all. Think Disney was their #1 customer that day

That level over overbooking isn’t normal. What was going on that caused it to happen?

Another advantage of booking Hyatt via DCL is that Hyatt has an arrangement with Disney where you leave your bags in your hotel room, and they'll get them onto the ship for you. That's awesome.

They do that no matter how you book the hyatt, if you’re taking the disney transfers.

The op will get that even if he leaves his direct Hyatt booking alone. Just want to make sure you let them know at the front desk and get your name on the sheet!!

 

[Snowwhyt]

That level over overbooking isn’t normal. What was going on that caused it to happen?



They do that no matter how you book the hyatt, if you’re taking the disney transfers.

The op will get that even if he leaves his direct Hyatt booking alone. Just want to make sure you let them know at the front desk and get your name on the sheet!!

Think upper east coast had some snow. Not superbad snowfall, I had just come from Wisconsin with the 40 minute delay. But enough for flights have been delayed and some very late ones may have been canceled. I think the biggest problem was connections were missed. I think I would’ve got a real room if I would’ve called had I known there was a storm somewhere.

 

[Youneek1]

Since you have to call Costco anyway to book the transfer, ask what price DCL has for the Hyatt. We saved over $60 going though DCL as opposed to the Costco rate. We loved this option, so easy.

This is a super dumb question....this will be my 3rd cruise, but first time going through Costco. I am going to be transferring my reservation over to Costco, so please forgive the kind of newbie question. Should I book the Hyatt through Disney before transferring over, or can I have Costco book the Hyatt, but handle it as if Disney was the one making the reservation? I hope that makes sense.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

As to the busses, they start handing out the 'character' for your bus at 8ish.. after that you can still leave til like 8.45 to grab breakfast etc but if you arrive at 8.45 without having picked up a character you'll be on the 3rd/4th bus.
If you don't stay at the Hyatt you can load your luggage on a special truck as from 8.30.
To pick up a character your entire party needs to be present and you need your cruise bookled or check-in form.
The first bus leaves around 9 (once it left at like 8.50 but last time it wasn't til 9.10) they will call the character and people that have that character can come-up to get scanned for the bus. No pushing needed, if you have that particular character, you'll make it on that bus.
My experience is that the first MCO bus is the very first amount of people arriving in the terminal. I've never seen 'other's that were there before us...
Now tbh, if you don't care for seeing the 2 characters that alternate in the terminal there is no need to be THAT early. I mean I LOVE characters so for me it is perfect to be one of the first ones to check in, go in line where the first character will be, once I'm done that line is usually that long it is time to go back into that line for the second character that bumps the first one half an hour later...

 

[jcarwash]

Have you considered doing one way rental cars to and from port? You're saying that getting to port early is important for you vs. hanging around the hotel. With your own car, you can get out to Cape Canaveral as early as you want, and even if you're there too early for the terminal, you can make a quick stop to walk on Cocoa Beach, go to Publix for anything you might need, etc. In my experience, the one-way rentals have been the more economic and more flexible option for us.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

This is a super dumb question....this will be my 3rd cruise, but first time going through Costco. I am going to be transferring my reservation over to Costco, so please forgive the kind of newbie question. Should I book the Hyatt through Disney before transferring over, or can I have Costco book the Hyatt, but handle it as if Disney was the one making the reservation? I hope that makes sense.

I was going to ask the same thing, but Hyatt doesn't take reservations so far in advance (our cruise is June 2019). So, we'll find out the best way to book in a few months!