? for West Coast cruisers

[GrumpyMom1]

A question for West Coast cruisers - if you fly in the day before, is it best to stay near the airport or drive to the port and stay there? Since most flights from here don't get there until at least late afternoon, is that too late to drive to the Radisson?

Also, if you stay near the airport and use a towncar service, will they pick you up at the hotel or only at the airport?

 

[Michelle]

Hi Grumpy Mom!

We generally get in LATE at night the night before the cruise and either stay at the airport Hyatt or at one of the WDW resorts. I just typically don't feel like driving to the port after a long day of travel to get to Orlando.

The towncar services will pick you up ANYWHERE you are, at an airport hotel or at a WDW resort hotel...or any OTHER hotel, for that matter.

 

[Minybear]

Hi GrumpyMom1

We fly in the night prior and stay at the Hyatt at the airport. Its only the 2 of us so we have DCL transporation take us to the port and back to the airport.

If you do towncar service they will pcik you up at the hotel that you are staying at and take you to port and then pick you up at port and then take you to the airport. If you have 4 or more people its less expensive if you do the towncar service.

 

[mobetsy]

Hi! We haven't gone yet, but our plan is definitely to leave So Cal mid-day, arriving relatively late at night the day before the cruise. However, with the time difference, it should simply seem to be bedtime to our kids' bodies. We'll stay near the airport, be able to let them sleep in a bit the next a.m. (hah! like that's gonna happen!) and still get to the port fairly early.

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

We always go with the airport Hyatt and DCL buses, just because it's easier. However, the ride to the port is not a long one. I've heard people say that if you get into MCO in late afternoon/early evening, it might be worth going to the coast that night. We usually get in at around 5:00pm, but would rather just relax than go through the hassle of getting a rental car and driving for another hour.

It's really up to you, there's not really a bad choice. The trip to the port is a pretty easy drive, it's really just one highway (SR 528), which essentially ends when you get to the port.

 

[tezb]

We fly in the night before and stay at the Radisson near the Port. My DH would rather make the trip that night to avoid having to get to the Port the next morning...wants to already be close by I guess. Then the next morning, we can see the ship from the Radisson, have breakfast and head on over for our 3 minute ride to our cruise. The ride to the port doesn't seem as far in the dark. I have older kids (teens) so it's easier to do it this way.

 

[BeanoC]

We always have a towncar or a limo waiting for us at the airport, and head straight to the Radisson! The kids love the pool there, so after a long day of travel, we enjoy the relaxing ride to the hotel and then a nice swim. The next morning, it's just a 5 minute shuttle ride to the ship and we're off! The ride from the airport to the Radisson is just under an hour...





'Beano'

 

[GrumpyMom1]

Thanks everyone. You have confirmed what I suspected - we will get in too late to get to the port on Friday. Now that I'm looking at flights, it looks like we won't get in until late Friday night.

I'm still trying to decide what to do. I may choose to stay at the Hyatt and use the DCL transfers. What time do the buses start leaving for the port?

Another option I'm considering is renting a car, staying at a hotel near the airport, and then driving to the port in the morning.

Has anyone ever flown Southwest from California to Orlando? Right now I'm looking at American, Continental, or SW.

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

The DCL buses usually leave around 10:00am, or a little after. We generally arrive at the port between 11:00 and 11:30.

If you go the rental car option, the Radisson at the port has an Avis desk. Budget also has an office nearby. Both offer shuttles to the port.

I've never flown Southwest, but the connections (for us, at least) aren't usually very good. We'd have to stop in Phoenix (usually) and Nashville. We usually end up on Delta, flying from Ontario, CA (much more convenient than LAX), with a single stop in DFW. American has pretty much the same route.

 

[tezb]

We are flying American this time...one stop in St Louis. I wish more airlines flew direct. United flew direct a few years ago but 400. RT. We got tix w/ American in Nov for 256.pp round trip..BUT they keep changing our itinerary now.

 

[mobetsy]

Jet Blue flies from the west coast to Orlando, but currently only via NYC, I think; if you don't need to book right away, it might be worth checking back. Spirit Airlines flies from LAX (though I'll take any other LA airport over LAX...Burbank is my favorite) to Orlando via O'Hare, which isn't quite as bad. SWA always seems to take too many stops to get across the country...fine for adults, but not if you have kids or are pressed for time.