Magical Express questions (cruise related)

[alaskanabbott]

Hubby wants smooth and hassle free next cruise (after 2 anything but hassle free DCL trips, Galveston and Miami). I, as always want least expensive. We are going to stay 2 nights pre-cruise at Port Orleans, then one night post at Animal Kingdom. There are 11 of us, I'm down to only 2 that qualify as children! So, free ME from MCO to hotel, and after cruise from hotel to MCO. Now I need hotel to port, and back. My favorite 2 options are ME and limo. What might tip the scale is luggage. If we choose ME, when we put our bags out the last night, do we still collect them at port, or do they magically appear in our room, ie like when taking ME from the airport.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Going to Port Canaveral from WDW, you will have them picked up in your room the morning you depart and will not see them again until they are delivered to your stateroom in the afternoon. At the end of the cruise you will put them out in the hall, you will need to collect them at Port Canaveral, go through customs, then board the bus to your resort.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Hubby wants smooth and hassle free next cruise (after 2 anything but hassle free DCL trips, Galveston and Miami). I, as always want least expensive. We are going to stay 2 nights pre-cruise at Port Orleans, then one night post at Animal Kingdom. There are 11 of us, I'm down to only 2 that qualify as children! So, free ME from MCO to hotel, and after cruise from hotel to MCO. Now I need hotel to port, and back. My favorite 2 options are ME and limo. What might tip the scale is luggage. If we choose ME, when we put our bags out the last night, do we still collect them at port, or do they magically appear in our room, ie like when taking ME from the airport.

If you want least expensive, with 11 people you will likely find a private car service is significantly cheaper than the DCL transfers. As for luggage, I recently read here that you can book luggage transfer from your WDW resort to the ship for a small fee even if you are taking a private car to/from the ship. That might be your best bet. But I'm not sure how it works when going from the port to a WDW resort. I believe you still have to pick them up at customs and then drop them off somewhere for transport to the resort.

 

[tink too]

I'm pretty sure that a private transfer will work out cheaper. I think the DCL transfers are still $70pp return, so almost $800 for a party of 11.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I'm pretty sure that a private transfer will work out cheaper. I think the DCL transfers are still $70pp return, so almost $800 for a party of 11.

They are $35 per person each way, so $70 pp roundtrip.

 

[DVC4US]

Just to be clear - ME and DCL transportation are not the same. ME will transport you to/from MCO(airport) and Disney hotels for free. DCL transportation will transport you to/from MCO or Disney hotel and Port Canaveral(cruise port) and it costs $35 per person each way($70 round trip). If you take DCL transportation from your hotel to the port you can tag your bags and they will be picked up and will show up at your cabin. The return trip does not work like ME. You will have to collect your bags, go through customs, and load them on the bus to go to the hotel with you.

With that being said. I do agree with what others have said, private transfers will be much cheaper for 11 people to go to/from the port.

 

[bumbershoot]

They are $35 per person each way, so $70 pp roundtrip.

You and the other poster are saying the same thing. "70pp return" is a European way of saying 70pp round trip.


OP, smooth and hassle free = good. Low cost = good. It's hard to get them *both* in this case. DCL bus to the port means they get your bags that morning and you see them next in your room. Taking a limo or towncar/SUV (limos actually have very little luggage room!) means you get them to the vehicle driver, then at the port you hand them to the porter, and you see them next in your room. Not THAT much different. But DME is so much money. Definitely run the numbers.

 

[diznymom]

Do you mind splitting up your party? You and your DH could use DCL transport w/ the luggage pickup and the rest of your party could use a towncar. It is a compromise between cost and convenience.

On our first cruise, we stayed at WDW a week before the cruise. We used a town car service. It was not a happy experience.
Our second cruise we stayed at WDW the night before the cruise. We used Disney transport exclusively and used a "participating airline". Much, much better experience. (We did not go back to WDW after the cruise).

Note: There are porters at the luggage warehouse. For a tip ($1-2 per bag), they will help you through the customs desk and get your luggage loaded (if the town car shows up on time - ours didn't). We didn't see a porter right away. DH started getting our luggage himself. I raised my hand and whistled - Mr. porter appeared out of nowhere.

 

[alaskanabbott]

Thanks EVERYONE who replied. I think for the return, it looks like it's not worth the DCL transport. Thanks DVC4US for reminding me it isn't ME. I'll research my options for a limo back. As for TO the port I'm going to try and find the info on just baggage going, or maybe sending one person from each room on DCL transport, leaving 7 of us to rent a minivan, which is so much cheaper than a passenger van. You all gave me lots to think about, and more options than I previously considered. Thanks for being really great DiSers

 

[bumbershoot]

Some on this board have mentioned that you can actually use DCL transport for bags without being on it. It's something like $25 for a large number of bags; maybe look around the boards for other topics like this to find it. I think that Disney_Fantasy talks about it, and maybe Princess Schmoo?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Some on this board have mentioned that you can actually use DCL transport for bags without being on it. It's something like $25 for a large number of bags; maybe look around the boards for other topics like this to find it. I think that Disney_Fantasy talks about it, and maybe Princess Schmoo?

There was a thread on it not too long ago. I believe it was 6 bags for either $25 or $35. They would pick them up from your room and you'd see them next outside your stateroom. I believe you're correct that Disney Fantasy is one of the Dis'ers who posted that he has used the service.