Ideas for flying in the night before

[Chrisey]

We always fly in the night before (landing around midnight), stay at the Hyatt and then take the Disney bus over to port. We are 4 people (me, my 6 and 7 year old boy and my mom)

Would love to hear some other options (hotel or transportation) that would still be relatively convenient but maybe more cost effective.

TIA

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I personally think you have done the best and that can't be improved on.

 

[disfans44041]

I would definitely stay at the Hyatt! So easy being right there! I would book private transportation I found it to be more convient, comfortable and cheaper for round trip versus DCL. However, others like the simplicity of the DCL bus because the Hyatt has a service where you don't have to take your bags to the bus they do it for you!

 

[diznymom]

We've stayed a AS Sports. We used DME to transport from MCO to AS Sports (free). Ate dinner somewhere on property, went to Downtown Disney, slept. In the morning got bags packed and set by the door, went and ate b'fast at the food court. DS swam that morning. Took DCL bus from AS Sports to PC. Literally walked on the ship at that time - no lines. Went straight to lunch, the rooms were ready right after lunch. At the end of the cruise, we hopped on another DCL but and rode to MCO to go home. We used a "participating airline" so we didn't have to mess with luggage.

Note: The DCL bus is the same cost from the Disney resorts as from MCO -- $35 pp each way. The All Star resorts are cheaper than the MCO Hyatt.

 

[SnowWhite2]

If you are going to still be landing at midnight, you are doing the most stress-free option. Not sure if other hotels in the area with a free shuttle will be running that late at night.

 

[moosecrouse]

When your flight is delayed & you end landing closer to 1 am the extra $100 it cost will seem like a Godsend. Unless you were getting in early enough to enjoy a day at one of the resorts I would stick with your plan. By far the easiest & most convenient.

 

[Trera]

If you are going to still be landing at midnight, you are doing the most stress-free option. Not sure if other hotels in the area with a free shuttle will be running that late at night.

i would call a local hotel or two and see if they will shuttle you over in the evening. There are some 15 hotels all around the airport that would be much less per night and would pick you up and drop you back at the airport.

If money is no object, then the hyatt is great...............but an extra 100 or so dollars in your pocket might be a spa treatment or something else on your trip.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Not cheaper but we usually go in two nights before and rent a car and drive to Disney vero beach. Then drive up coast highway to port on sail day and drop off car.

 

[chloe77]

I would definitely stay at the Hyatt! So easy being right there! I would book private transportation I found it to be more convient, comfortable and cheaper for round trip versus DCL. However, others like the simplicity of the DCL bus because the Hyatt has a service where you don't have to take your bags to the bus they do it for you!

If you book private transport instead of the bus, do you have to take your luggage with you or would Hyatt still transport it? If you take it with you, does your limo drop you and your luggage off in front of the port entrance? Will DCL porters take it from there or do you have to bring it up to check-in?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Can't beat the convenience of staying at the Hyatt as you have done. Well worth the extra cash.

 

[disfans44041]

If you book private transport instead of the bus, do you have to take your luggage with you or would Hyatt still transport it? If you take it with you, does your limo drop you and your luggage off in front of the port entrance? Will DCL porters take it from there or do you have to bring it up to check-in?

If you book private transfers you have to move your own luggage. One year they picked me up in front of the airport, so I learned my lesson and told the company specifically to pick me up at the hotel. You literally take you and your stuff to the bottom floor on the elevator, walk out and you are in a covered area where they pull up. It was so easy. Then from there they drop you off at the port and the DCL Porters take your bags. I really appreciated private transfers, no waiting, we were all comfortable and I did not have to worry about my kids upsetting anyone else. Oh and they have always had a car seat upon request. I wish I remembered who we used the second time, they came in an excursion we popped in the movie and enjoyed the ride to the port. But that was two addresses ago (military) and I have no recollection of the company. When we cleared customs I called and they were right there when we came out and straight to the airport to departing. It was so simple and honestly with a party of 7 way cheaper than DCL transfers I think with tip it was like $200 versus almost $500 for DCL. Hope that info helps.

 

[jpeppers]

If you get the Hyatt credit card you get 2 free stays the first year and a free stay every year after. It does come with a $70 annual fee but that is a pretty cheap stay. I also always rent a car. I paid $26 for a full size SUV to the port and $59 for the same for the trip back. I have rented vehicles 3 times to the port and it has worked great plus you are able to stop on the way to the port to stock up on whatever you might need. I drop everyone off at the port with the luggage then return the car alone, no problem getting a shuttle back with no luggage.

 

[saraheli]

My flight that was supposed to get in at 11pm got in at 1:30am the night before the cruise. We were so exhausted we barely had enough energy to take the elevator up to the Hyatt let alone getting on a shuttle to go to another hotel. I personally wouldn't consider staying anywhere else, especially given the ages of your kids!

 

[Saamh]

Since we fly in from the west coast, arriving at midnight doesn't feel that late to us. We usually rent a car and stay near the airport (last time we stayed at a Country Inn and Suites for free using air miles that were expiring for a carrier we rarely fly). In the morning we ate at the hotel's free breakfast and then drove to port and dropped the car ($17.00 total for the full size rental from Thrifty, approx $2 in tolls and $2.50 in gas).

 

[chloe77]

If you book private transfers you have to move your own luggage. One year they picked me up in front of the airport, so I learned my lesson and told the company specifically to pick me up at the hotel. You literally take you and your stuff to the bottom floor on the elevator, walk out and you are in a covered area where they pull up. It was so easy. Then from there they drop you off at the port and the DCL Porters take your bags. I really appreciated private transfers, no waiting, we were all comfortable and I did not have to worry about my kids upsetting anyone else. Oh and they have always had a car seat upon request. I wish I remembered who we used the second time, they came in an excursion we popped in the movie and enjoyed the ride to the port. But that was two addresses ago (military) and I have no recollection of the company. When we cleared customs I called and they were right there when we came out and straight to the airport to departing. It was so simple and honestly with a party of 7 way cheaper than DCL transfers I think with tip it was like $200 versus almost $500 for DCL. Hope that info helps.

Thanks so much. We took DCL transport on our last cruise and it was fine, but we recently had a limo take us from MCO to Disney World and it was so nice. I think I might do that again. The lines aren't bad to get on the bus at the airport early on departure day, but you do have to wait a little... Since the cost is about the same, I think we'll get our own transport this time. Thanks!