Have I got a transportation problem?

[cropman]

Ok, here's the Readers Digest version. Flying to Orlando March 24 and going to stay at OKW for two days, before going on a Disney Cruise on the 26th. Staying on points at OKW, getting there by ME. Now the tricky part. I'm cruising on cash thru RCI and my person who I booked with is not returning my calls for whatever reason. Vacation, indifference because the trip is paid for, I don't know. Will Disney pick us up at OKW and take us to the cruise? After the cruise will they take us back to the airport? And one final question, how early/late can I book the flight flying out of Orlando? Thanks for all of your help.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I don't know what RCI is. Are you taking a DCL cruise? If DCL, you can pay for DCL transfers from OCW to the port and then from the port to MCO. It is $70 round trip per person. If you are cruising another cruise line, you will need to arrange for private transportation, either a car service or rental car.

If cruising DCL, they recommend any flight after noon.

 

[cropman]

It is a Disney Cruise. RCI stands for Resort Condominiums International and is the company you can use to trade your DVC points. So what you are saying is I will have to pay Disney to ride the Magical Express after the cruise? Do you know if they will pick me up from Old Key West?

 

[snoopy5386]

Transportation to/from the port is not ME, it is different and yes, you have to pay for it. You can take the DCL bus, rent a car or take a towncar. The DCL buses will pick you up at your resort and take you to the airport.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

It is a Disney Cruise. RCI stands for Resort Condominiums International and is the company you can use to trade your DVC points. So what you are saying is I will have to pay Disney to ride the Magical Express after the cruise? Do you know if they will pick me up from Old Key West?

ME is the free service from MCO to and from WDW. You can use ME from MCO to OKW if you like. It is free. DCL provides transportation and luggge delivery to the ship for a fee. Yes, they do pick up from OKW. DCL is $35 per person each way.

Transportation to/from the port is not ME, it is different and yes, you have to pay for it. You can take the DCL bus, rent a car or take a towncar. The DCL buses will pick you up at your resort and take you to the airport.

ME provides free transportation service from MCO to and from WDW. DCL does not provide service from WDW to MCO. It does provide service from WDW to/from port and Port Canaveral to/from MCO.

 

[18sprint]

We did almost exactly the same thing you are. We booked a "cash" trip through AAA for the cruise. We flew into MCO the day before the cruise and took ME to OKW. Then, through AAA we arranged for Disney to pick us up at OKW to transport us to Port Canaveral, then back to OKW after the cruise. This was a seperate charge of $70 per person round trip. It worked out great! There was a pamplet in our room from DCL telling us exactly when we would be picked up, our DCL luggage tags and a few other pieces of information. Then, we got a phone call from DCL confirming the same information. On our sail day, we had to have our luggage ready to go by 8:00am in the morning so that bell services could pick it up. And they were right on time! We were instructed to be at the main check-in at OKW by 11:30am. About 11:45am a representative from DCL came around and took role call then about noon, she escorted all of us to the waiting DCL bus. It took 45mins to an hour to get to PC. We were in our stateroom by 1:30pm and our luggage was delivered before 3:00pm. I would keep calling RCI until you get someone to talk to, to confirm if you're price included transportation from the resort to PC.

 

[vicki_c]

I'm sure the RCI trade-in doesn't include transfers to the port (which was suggested by the PP - there isn't actually a "price" per se doing a timeshare points trade-in), but you can make arrangements for the transportation and pay for it. You need to call RCI to see if it has to be done through them, or if you can do it directly with DCL yourself, though.

Edited: just re-read your original post - if you're doing this on someone else's RCI membership, I don't know if RCI will talk to you or not. For DVC, only the owner can talk to DVC about the reservation no matter who is using it. Not sure what to tell you in that case other than to try and call DCL and see if they will work with you on setting up your transportation.

 

[KristiMc]

We are on the same cruise as you. We are arriving at MCO Friday night and renting a one-way rental and staying the night at the port. We will then get another one-way rental from the port to MCO on 4/2.

We have a DIS meet group on the DCL board - feel free to join our group
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=35532447

 

[Julylady]

Just wanted to add that you have to arrange for the Disney Cruise Line bus to pick you up at your hotel in advance before your trip.

A couple of years ago we were planning to stay at Old Key West and had arranged for cruise transfers from there to the port. A few weeks before the cruise our waitlist for Beach Club came through. I forgot to call and switch the cruise transfers. The morning of the cruise we went down to the Cruise Desk at the Beach Club to check in. Of course, we were not on "the list." After several phone calls, she found us on the list for OKW. It all worked out and we got on the bus, but it was a hassle.