Ground Transportation To/From WDW Resorts

[Chuck96]

Good afternoon, team! I haven't taken DCL ground transportation since 2012. Lo and behold, this fall my DW and I have a 7 night on the Disney Treasure (25 OCT - 1 NOV), with a WVL night before sail away (24 OCT) and a AKL-Kidani night (1 NOV) upon return, before flying out the next day - going from the boat to the airport is always brutal

Our "online check-in" day is 20 September, so still a few weeks out. We have booked the hotel nights, paid for the cruise, gotten some activities. One thing we have not done is set-up ground transportation by Disney to and from Port Canaveral and the ship. Should I set that up BEFORE online check-in or wait until I have a boarding group?

I don't know if one informs the other. We'd clearly like to be on a relaively early DCL bus on both ends, as long as our boarding group time lines up (and earlier is better for boarding groups, as always). I'd hate to find out I should have gotten ground transportation set up before online check-in, so I figured I'd check with some of the professionals here. TIA!

 

[dreamer17555]

Before! Groups are preset taking DCL transportation- From a deluxe resort you will be given BG 4. The Bus is a set pick up time.

 

[Makdex71]

Last time we set it up before we did online check in and it didn't matter the system and check in time was defaulted. Boarding group was assigned at the port and was group 7 they were already on 5 when we got past security. On board and at lunch in Cabanas by 11:45. We came from pop century.

 

[Tripscarcare]

We were close to the above post timing, coming from Carribean Beach Resort on DCL transport in April. Our luggage was picked up at our room for 730, and we were all in the lobby and shortly on the bus around 930. And eating lunch close to 1130, DCL transport was well worth it for our group of seven. ( All done via online check in) Shuttle service after the cruise we used private Transport back to the Airport and hung out there for a later afternoon flight.