From WDW to DL With Love - January 06, 2011 part 3

[JenKatt]

We're using Southern Elegance to transport to the port. We couldn't get Happy Limo to give us the time of day. SE is providing a car seat for Jack, I'm sure HL would do the same for you with boosters.

 

[carmie3377]

I like the idea of renting a minivan, and driving to the port early...especially if renting saves me $ over DCL transfers. I was thinking it would be great to use ME from MCO-BWV, and then pick up rental car the next morning. It would be great to walk over to Dolphin, but National & Alamo don't have a place to drop off at the port. So that means taking a shuttle to DD or the Car Care Center to pick up from Avis or Budget. Is it worth the aggravation? Or should I just rent at MCO, drive to BWV, and use that same car to port the next day?

Since you are arrivng at MCO the evening before the cruise, I would rent at MCO and return in PC the next day. In Dec, we were spending a few days at WDW prior to our cruise so we opted to rent from Budget at the DTD location and pick up the car the morning of the cruise. When I rented, I noted that the offered free pick up and that they opened at 8am. I thought that was great but when I called to request pickup, they said that their pick up times started at 9 and to just call a couple of days before to request it. We called and they said the earliest they had available was 9:30. We considered him catching the bus to DTD but then he'd have to walk to the Budget office and not knowing what the weather was going to be like, we just stayed with the pick up. Anyway, by the time DH got picked up, it was 9:45 and we were pushing 10:30 before he got back to our resort. Then, by the time the car was loaded and we were on the road it, was after 11. After an "emergency" stop at Walmart to get a hot iron for my hair (my CHI went out that morning and I had to have something! And we had no idea where anything was located), it was about 1pm before we got to the port to drop us off. Then there was chaos getting DH back on the shuttle as a large group arrived right before him and he had to wait for the shuttle to return. It was 2:30 before he got back. Sure, we still had time, but I felt so rushed - and it all started with him getting picked up 1 hour and 45 mins after I had originally planned.

This cruise, since we are arriving the day before the cruise and staying at BLT, we are just renting at MCO. That way, we can leave most of our luggage in the car, we can make any grocery store/liquor stops before the morning, and I don't have to depend on someone else's schedule to get picked up.

Now, if we were spending time at WDW before hand, I would get the car the afternoon before. But the morning of, don't know if I would do again.

 

[LindaBabe]

I'd rent at the airport and turn it in at port. Hertz is particularly handy, as is Avis. I've always used national previously but their nearest turn in is across the bridge in Melbourne, so renting from Hertz this time.

 

[DVCinderella]

When did Avis and Budget start at the Car Care Center? When I was at WDW in March the only company I saw was Alamo/National. Of course I will admit, I can be very unobservant.

I didn't mean to imply that Avis or Budget were at the CCC...I know they are both near DD. To be honest, I didn't know which companies were currently at the CCC. I was just trying to make the point that National/Alamo would be the most convenient to BWV. But without those two companies having dropoff points at PC, I'd have to go to elsewhere on-site to rent a car. Is National/Alamo the only company at CCC? If so, that rules that location out too.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Budget was really good as well and its right next to raddison.

 

[DVCinderella]

This cruise, since we are arriving the day before the cruise and staying at BLT, we are just renting at MCO. That way, we can leave most of our luggage in the car, we can make any grocery store/liquor stops before the morning, and I don't have to depend on someone else's schedule to get picked up.

That's a great point! And something I didn't even think of -- if we rent at MCO, we can leave most of the luggage in the car, and not even lug it up to the room. Awesome point!

 

[poohs4me]

We usually rent the car and I always worry someone will steal the luggage. I would hate that. Depending on the time of night we arrive, we sometimes bring all of it in with us and just stack in a corner.

 

[aan1701]

Yes Sak. If you use DCL buses they are responsible for getting you to the ship. On the cruise I took in Oct we left PC late due to a flight booked by DCL arrived late into MCO and that in turn made the bus late. Clayton was on the PA saying that we were late because of this. I asked him later if we would have waited if it was all independent, he said nope, we would have set sail on time.

 

[CruznLexi]

We are taking the DCL bus as they are just 2 of us and we have transfer to GCV too. It is already added to the cruise I did not want to start a 3 week vacation with extra expenses. For our Oct vacation a small one way suv from Hertz to PC is $96. I prefer to get to the ship early but I have my Mom staying with us in our villa and her flight is not until 2pm. Plus I have wanted to ride the cruiseline bus. I have 15 nights on the ship. Also I do not think there will be a huge amt of people using the bus.

 

[granmaz]

Can someone tell me how much DCL transfers are from San Pedro port to DL? Thanks.

 

[LindaBabe]

How bad would it be to drive from Port to DL? It's about 30 miles. I drive in Orlando successfully.

 

[aan1701]

How bad would it be to drive from Port to DL? It's about 30 miles. I drive in Orlando successfully.

It should take about a half hour. The only thing is, our driving conditions here in Los Angeles is way different than Orlando.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

It should take about a half hour. The only thing is, our driving conditions here in Los Angeles is way different than Orlando.

That I will agree, one obs I made, in orlando if there is a space in traffic and you indicate to go into it, folks ease off, in Ca I swear they put the foot down and where there was a space is gone.

 

[JenKatt]

The only place crazier to drive than Southern California is New Orleans. We won't be doing Disney transfers in LA either, but we also won't be renting a car. We've driven in SoCal a few times in and around LA and Anaheim. Having grown up driving outside NYC, I have never seen such driving and traffic. Midtown Manhatten has NOTHING on traffic in California. It makes me crazy. At least in NYC you have an option of ferry ot subway to get off the roads. No such expansive public transportation in California. So while it *should* take a half hour from the port to DL, you can easily double or triple that time!

 

[WDW Princess 71]

Nicole, I had to be in Memphis late February when my aunt was passing. Carly and I didn't stay at the hospital all-day everyday, so we took a trip to Graceland. I am so glad we went. I bought the all-access pass. I loved the whole experience, since I'm part of the Elvis generation. Carly thought it was okay. We didn't feel in the least bit afraid. I reccomend it.

We went while we were on a road trip to WDW! We loved it! We actually stayed at the Heartbreak Hotel which is a hotel owned by Graceland. I am not a diehard fan but it was fun to see history.

Thanks to both of you for replying about Graceland advice. It sounds like I should do it then, if my fellow DISers enjoyed it ; ) One more question though, did you drive and park at Graceland, and if so did you feel it was safe/secure parking? I'm asking because I'll have a full car of luggage and souvenirs collected from the first 2 weeks of my road trip, and I dont want to leave the full car somewhere where I feel it might get broken into. I've also contemplated leaving the car in the parking structure downtown where I'll be and taking a shuttle or cab over if parking is safer downtown. Any thoughts?

Happy Early Birthday The wristbands sound great. Looking forward to wearing one.

One question though, I thought you were taking names so we could reimburse you for the cost of our wristband, not that you were giving them as FE gift.

I thought we were paying for the wristbands too. The FE gift idea is nice, but personally I would rather be able to pay for mine to guarantee that both of us in our stateroom get one, in case you decide that it gets too expensive for you to do them as FE gifts for every single person.

If you want to do the 10:45 then you will need to book on your own. We arrive at 7:30am and leave at 4:30pm. When I do non-ship excursions, I always make sure I'm back well before then. The 3:34pm time is cutting it too close for me...but maybe I'm just a worry wart when it comes to that. We were on an excursion one time where the steering went out in the bus. It took at least 30 minutes to get another bus to use and then finish the tour. Thank goodness that was a cruise line excursion so I was not worried.

When I asked them if they pick up at the ship, they told me the closest they can get is the Collage?? I was also told that from Collage to Los Veranos site is about a 45min ride. I guess I'll have to call them again to confirm. The time I was looking at is the 9:15am with pick-up at Collage, which is the closest to the ship. I read on another board that you can walk there from the ship or take a very short taxi ride. The other option would be the 9:45am pick up from the canopy office. Are either of those good with everyone else that is interested?

BTW, I was told they can take up to 70 people on each tour. And so far, August 2010 is the only month that is completely booked. Even September 2010 has openings.

The earlier the tour, the better is sounds like to me. If it is that close to the ship to meet them, it should not be a problem to do the 9:15 pickup. I am like you, I'd rather go earlier and be done earlier to leave plenty of time to get back to the ship since its a non DCL excursion. We had unexpected traffic leaving St. Thomas on my last trip, and had we not left so early because we hated ST so much, we would have been worried since it would have been cutting it way too close for us.

Now, if we were spending time at WDW before hand, I would get the car the afternoon before. But the morning of, don't know if I would do again.

I agree. Since the car rental is for 24 hours same price, it really doesnt make sense to rent it the morning of and deal with the stress when it costs the same to rent it the morning before and keep it for the 24 hours.

 

[carmie3377]

That I will agree, one obs I made, in orlando if there is a space in traffic and you indicate to go into it, folks ease off, in Ca I swear they put the foot down and where there was a space is gone.

I've never driven in LA but DH spent 2 months at UCLA working on a research project 7 years ago. He was actually impressed w/the courtesy of the other drivers. He said all he'd have to do is put the blinker on and someone would slow down for him. Other than the insane number of vehicles, he said the actually driving wasn't bad at all. Unfortunatley, it was a lot of sitting too!

The only place crazier to drive than Southern California is New Orleans.

We lived outside of NO for 3.5 years. I hated driving in the city! It was so easy to get turned around so I usually left the city driving in NO to DH. Thankfully, there weren't too many times I had to go to the city by myself. As far as those driving on the highway, you leave any amount of following distance and someone will find a way in. I hated that!

 

[tinkryansmom]

Wow I have been MIA for awhile - thread #3 and already 19 pages. I have some catching up to do!!

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

Thanks to both of you for replying about Graceland advice. It sounds like I should do it then, if my fellow DISers enjoyed it ; ) One more question though, did you drive and park at Graceland, and if so did you feel it was safe/secure parking? I'm asking because I'll have a full car of luggage and souvenirs collected from the first 2 weeks of my road trip, and I dont want to leave the full car somewhere where I feel it might get broken into. I've also contemplated leaving the car in the parking structure downtown where I'll be and taking a shuttle or cab over if parking is safer downtown. Any thoughts?


The parking is in Graceland's parking lot. You park on one side and they shuttle bus you across the street to the house. I had no concerns about leaving my items in the car. Although the area was not the greatest - I did not have any concerns at all. I can suggest an awesome BBQ place too if you are interested!

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

On the car rental/DCL transfer comments... we have taken the DCL transfers and there is nothing wrong with them but this time we decided to rent a car for a couple of reasons.

We rented with Thrifty. We will pick up at MCO and return at Port Canaveral (it's about 2 miles away from the ship). We decided to do this so we could stop and get the beverages we wanted as well as get to the ship a little earlier then the bus will. Also, we only have one day at the parks so we decided we would rather drive to them then wait for the Disney bus. Again, we have taken the bus at the resort several trimes and have no problems but we don't have the time to wait each time we want to change parks and we plan on hitting our favorite rides at each park) so we decided to go with the car.

We will drive to the port and drop off our bags, myself and DD and then DH will return the car to Thrifty and they will shuttle him back.

 

[WDW Princess 71]

Thanks to both of you for replying about Graceland advice. It sounds like I should do it then, if my fellow DISers enjoyed it ; ) One more question though, did you drive and park at Graceland, and if so did you feel it was safe/secure parking? I'm asking because I'll have a full car of luggage and souvenirs collected from the first 2 weeks of my road trip, and I dont want to leave the full car somewhere where I feel it might get broken into. I've also contemplated leaving the car in the parking structure downtown where I'll be and taking a shuttle or cab over if parking is safer downtown. Any thoughts?


The parking is in Graceland's parking lot. You park on one side and they shuttle bus you across the street to the house. I had no concerns about leaving my items in the car. Although the area was not the greatest - I did not have any concerns at all. I can suggest an awesome BBQ place too if you are interested!

Thanks for the reassurance! And sure, if you have a BBQ recommendation that would be great!