Help choosing hotel and ground transportation

[Gdes1]

This is for a January sailing and I haven't done this yet, so hopefully it's not too late. Two adults and two teens arriving at MCO at 1:30pm the day before sailing. Years ago we did "Resort at the Port" but it gets mixed reviews now. I thought I heard there was something special about the Hyatt at MCO, but I can't remember what now. Is transport to the cruise included? Otherwise, with DCL transportation being $45pp I'm thinking our best bet for 4 people is an Uber Xl or private car. Any reason to choose one vs the other?

And then for hotels, is there a reason to stay near MCO until the morning we sail, or should we get to Port Canaveral the day we fly in?
Thanks!

 

[PAGA2003]

You can take DCL transfers from the MCO Hyatt but they are an additional cost and not included in the room rate. If it were me arriving that early I would stay at a Disney resort. We've always done that prior to our Port Canaveral sailings and especially like either Carribbean Beach or Poly to start the tropical mood!

Also, since your going in 2025 I believe you would be able to take advantage of the free waterpark entry on your arrival day as well.

 

[auntlynne]

My take: Hyatt is great for later arrivals, as often you have worked all day and then flown or you have a long travel time, or now it’s late and being done with travel at that time of night is all you want. Ours was the third reason.

Yes, it is a nice hotel and you can get an earlier PAT & BG if you use DCL transfers.

But you do pay for all that. $$

I have only opted to stay in Cape Canaveral one time, at the Country Inn & Suites, to meet up with our fellow cruisers before a Transatlantic sailing that had lots of interaction here in the Boards. (Over a decade ago. Many more hotel options now).

If you opt for staying near the port, make sure you calculate transportation to dinner and back to hotel. Plus airport to hotel and hotel to port. If I am telling you something you already know, forgive me. I’d also check out the dining choices.

It is a chunk of time to occupy yourselves, but if you can get a hotel with a decent pool or enjoy the ocean or Ron Juan surf shop, it would be reassuring to be over the causeway in the morning. But I do love seeing the ship as I approach PC from the West on Boarding Day.

I’d probably rent a car and stay somewhere near WDW or SeaWorld, maybe Palm Parkway, wherever I could get a decent price for a hotel, maybe one with a big pool. Have dinner at a restaurant not in my hometown (it might just be Raising Cane’s or Fish & Chips in Disney Springs. Or go crazy with the Boathouse).

I like the independence of a car and would look for a one-way rental (often no drop-off fees between MCO & Cape Canaveral). They will shuttle you to the ship in the morning. I think that’s what we did the time we stayed by the port.

I think our biggest challenge is often what to do with ourselves if we arrive early afternoon. Pools and dinner are good time fillers.

I like the idea of staying at Disney and getting the free water park entry, but a 1:30 plane arrival and travel to WDW won’t leave you a lot of time before a water park closure at 5 pm. And it may be cool. Then just realized hotel pools may be cool, too.

 

[Pixarfans]

If you were planning Disney transport to cruise anyway, I would do a WDW resort hotel. Then goto disney springs for dinner and hotel pool. We like port orleans for this or swan/dolphin (you just need to walk to boardwalk with luggage for pickup).

 

[ladyofthetramp]

At that time of the day I would plan to rent a car and drive to Port Canaveral. Plenty of shopping, beaches and wandering. The drive is about 50 minutes and pretty straightforward. Dropping a rental off at the port is easy is well with rental agencies offering a free shuttle to the port. If you don't mind the $$ transfers, staying a a WDW resort is also really nice. Just not enough to do at the Orlando airport arriving at that time of the day.

 

[Gdes1]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone! I agree with getting our beach vibe on early in PC. But, yeah, will the pools and weather be warm enough? I think the last time we did this it was a November. And there was a January that we did Universal and had cooler weather than we were expecting.

 

[auntlynne]

You’re not going to have a lot of sunlight time. Sunset in Jan is 5:30 - 6 pm; hard to beat a good sunset beach walk. Maybe just play on the beach; walk, throw a football, go to dinner. Bring your electronic screens if that’s your thing.