Magical Express for Disney Cruise Line

[tara98]

We are taking our first cruise in October and wasn't sure if The Magical Express was offered from MCO to Port Canaveral, and then from port Canaveral back to a Disney resort? I think it may be, but for a fee. Has anyone done this, and is this something that can be booked through Member Services?

Thanks!

 

[Jestocost]

We are taking our first cruise in October and wasn't sure if The Magical Express was offered from MCO to Port Canaveral, and then from port Canaveral back to a Disney resort? I think it may be, but for a fee. Has anyone done this, and is this something that can be booked through Member Services?

Thanks!

Magical Express only operates between MCO and the WDW resorts. DCL does offer transfers between MCO, Port Canaveral and the WDW resorts but unlike DME there is a cost of $35 per person each way for the service.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Might be cheaper to rent a car. We rented a Budget car and they have a an office close to the port with free shuttle to the ship. When the cruise was over the shuttle van was there to take us back to rent another car. Pretty easy. And we were able to make a stop at the grocery store before boarding the ship. We got a couple bottles of wine to take on the cruise. Much cheaper than paying for a bottle on the ship.

 

[cayennews]

I am confused. I know that there are cruise buses that leave from the MCO airport. Don't they bring you to the Port Canaveral crusie location? And don't they bring you back to a resort if you are staying at one and/or back to MCO?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I am confused. I know that there are cruise buses that leave from the MCO airport. Don't they bring you to the Port Canaveral crusie location? And don't they bring you back to a resort if you are staying at one and/or back to MCO?

The OP talked about the DME bus to the Port. The DME does not go to the port it only goes to Disney resort. There is a seperates bus reservation system that takes folks to the Port it's the Disney Cruise Line(DCL) system.

There are two bus systems at the airport 1. DME to/fr the resort which is free 2. The DCL to the port which cost $35 each way. If you are staying at a Disney resort after your cruise the DCL bus will take you to that resort.

 

[lovebugsmom]

Glad I found this, I've been trying to figure out how to get to the port.
We are flying in 5 days before our cruise to visit WDW. I know we can use magical express to our hotel.
Then I just need to book a bus to the port and at the end of our cruise a bus back to MCO correct?
Am I right in understanding it $35 per person each way?
What is the earliest time we can get a bus to port?

 

[Jestocost]

Glad I found this, I've been trying to figure out how to get to the port.
We are flying in 5 days before our cruise to visit WDW. I know we can use magical express to our hotel.
Then I just need to book a bus to the port and at the end of our cruise a bus back to MCO correct?
Am I right in understanding it $35 per person each way?
What is the earliest time we can get a bus to port?

Pricing may have changed but it's still in that $35 per person each way range. If you are taking DCL transportation from a Disney resort to the port, buses tend to start leaving in the late morning and into early afternoon, and it takes about an hour to get to the port from there. You won't be able to pick a time, you'll just get there when your scheduled bus gets you there. That means that you won't be among the first to board (but unless you are in a concierge room or have platinum CC status you won't be anyway) and will be boarding an hour or more after boarding starts.

If you want to get to the port earlier and manage to score an early Port Arrival Time, you can book private transportation to get you there and still book the bus back to MCO after. That's what we have done in the past when going from a WDW resort to PC. We're platinum, however, and board in Group 1. First-time cruisers who aren't in a concierge room will tend to get later PATs and, tied to that, later boarding numbers.

 

[Prose]

A couple of other notes - the buses will be waiting when you get off the ship, but they won't take off immediately, so factor in the (sometimes short) wait for the bus to fill up. Also, the bus from MCO to the port is only for the day of sailing - if you are flying in the day before, you can't use them to get to the Port Canaveral area or to your PC hotel. Seems obvious, but it has been asked before.

 

[goofy4tink]

Glad I found this, I've been trying to figure out how to get to the port.
We are flying in 5 days before our cruise to visit WDW. I know we can use magical express to our hotel.
Then I just need to book a bus to the port and at the end of our cruise a bus back to MCO correct?
Am I right in understanding it $35 per person each way?
What is the earliest time we can get a bus to port?

Yep, just book your ride, both ways. I believe it's $35 pp one way and $68 r/t.
My biggest issue with the bus to port is timing. I like to get to the ship as early as possible. DCL buses don't leave all that early....usually get to port early afternoon. But, that may have changed.

 

[Donna M]

$35 each way or $70 round trip. An option for those who don't mind the busses and want to get to the ship early, and are staying at a Disney hotel prior to the cruise, is to take the ME back to the airport early by giving a flight that departs 3 hours after you want to arrive at MCO, and then hop on your reserved cruise bus to the port. We did that last trip and were at the ship around 10 am. I'd do it again, better for me to wait at the ship than at the hotel.

 

[seashoreCM]

If you want to take Magical Expres back to the airport and catch the Disney Cruise Lines bus from there, you should arrange to leave the resort extra early to better assure you don't miss the connection at the airport. I would prefer to book the DCL bus directly from WDW.

 

[RideShareRob]

I'd like to point out that Uber also goes to the cruise port and may be a much better option than that bus from rhe sounds of it. *opens can of worms and waits for all hades to break loose*

 

[goofy4tink]

I'd like to point out that Uber also goes to the cruise port and may be a much better option than that bus from rhe sounds of it. *opens can of worms and waits for all hades to break loose*

No Hades opening, just be careful about pushing one service. When things get too close to solicitation, then Hades opens!!!