Need help deciding on cruise transfers.

[V2000]

I can't decide how to transfer from the WDW resort to port canaveral.

One concern is money, the other is time. This is my first cruise and I am not sure if it is necessary to arrive early. We are a party of 4.

I also would like to know if you can rent a car at the port. When the cruise is over we wanted to rent a car to explore because our flight doesn't leave until late at night.

 

[iivye]

After our cruise, we took a shuttle from the port to the Budget rental office and rented a car for the day. We went to the Space Center, had a nice lunch and then did the IFly in Orlando. Dropped the rental car at the airport and flew home that night.

 

[V2000]

After our cruise, we took a shuttle from the port to the Budget rental office and rented a car for the day. We went to the Space Center, had a nice lunch and then did the IFly in Orlando. Dropped the rental car at the airport and flew home that night.

Sounds lovely. They probably charged you an extra fee to drop off at the airport, huh?

 

[Quellman]

There are no rental facilities AT the port. You will need to take a shuttle to the rental locations. One way rentals sometimes incur a one way charge.
Your poll does not include a private car hire, either town car or limo. It might be similar in cost as a one way trip on DCL Buses ($140 one way for the 4 of you). It would be super convenient, allow you a quick grocery stop if you wanted to pick up sunscreen or a few bottles of wine. They also meet your time schedule. You would be able to leave for the port earlier than the DCL buses.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I can't decide how to transfer from the WDW resort to port canaveral.

One concern is money, the other is time. This is my first cruise and I am not sure if it is necessary to arrive early. We are a party of 4.

I also would like to know if you can rent a car at the port. When the cruise is over we wanted to rent a car to explore because our flight doesn't leave until late at night.

With 4 people you are pretty much at the "break even" spot between rental car or DCL transfers. We always take DCL transfers as it's so nice for DCL to pick up our checked bags from our room at the resort and the next time we see them is onboard at our room. Also don't have to worry about traffic, or "did we take the right turn-off?" issues. We much prefer arriving around 12:30 or so. Really not much of a line for check in and you head straight onboard.

Sounds lovely. They probably charged you an extra fee to drop off at the airport, huh?

Unlike most one-way rentals, the port to MCO (or reverse) typically doesn't have the extra charge in Florida. At least we didn't have it on our one way rental from port to airport (spent the day at Animal Kingdom).

 

[Chemist]

We took transfers to the port (super-duper easy), and then rented a car on the other end to go to Kennedy Space Center.

I don't know if we were lucky, but we paid under $100 for a minivan for the day.

(We used AVIS, I get decent rates with my corporate discount and being preferred makes the pick-up process so much faster.)

 

[Dug720]

I am a DCL bus girl all the way!

Of course my situation is a little different...

* I have not driven in 11+ years, so a rental car is not where I want to start again.
* I travel solo, so the car services are WAY more expensive.
* I refuse to use Uber. I might consider Lyft, but why when the bus is right there (and I’m sure Lyft would be pricey too).
* Taxi, FORGET IT. Talk about expensive!!

 

[3Down1Up]

We've rented from Dollar and Alamo from Port Canaveral after cruises and not had any issues. Not charged an extra fee for dropping off a different location.

To get to the port - you have to decide how much the cost difference matters to you. For four people one way, that's $140 on the DCL bus. You can get a car rental for $100 or less, and I believe an Uber/Lyft will be $100 or less as well. It's much more of hassle to rent a car, both in getting the car in Orlando and returning it at the port. The DCL bus is the easiest, most relaxing way IMO to start your trip. Is that cost savings worth the extra time and energy you will spend getting a car? Only you can decide that.

Just do NOT take a taxi. That cost and hassle both make it the worst option.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Between WDW resort and PC, we rent a car. This is usually near break even for us compared to the DCL bus, in the range of $70-75 plus gas compared to the $70 for the bus. There are no separate "extra" charges in Florida for car rental pickup and dropoff at different locations with either National or Alamo, although the daily rental rate may be different than would apply to a pickup and dropoff at the same location. We get the car the evening before cruise departure so we can do a restaurant that might be more difficult to get to using Disney transportation and stop for any food or drink we want to carry onboard the next morning. We're platinum, so we like to get to the port early enough to board and get to lunch early.

I always drop off DW and our luggage at the ship and then return the rental car. That way I can hop on the shuttle back to the ship without wrangling luggage.

When debarking the ship, we take the DCL bus, either to MCO or WDW. If we had another passenger or two, we might consider renting a car.

 

[Shanti]

We're a party of two, so the DCL bus works for us. It is so convenient, comfortable, and it keeps you in the bubble.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We're a party of two, so the DCL bus works for us. It is so convenient, comfortable, and it keeps you in the bubble.

Same here.

 

[SDJEL]

We've rented a car and done a private car service. The private service is the best by far. For a family of five it is cheaper than a Disney transfer and provides door to door service.

 

[Twilight Terror]

Thanks @V2000 for the pole. I will be watching with interest

We've rented a car and done a private car service. The private service is the best by far. For a family of five it is cheaper than a Disney transfer and provides door to door service.

What service did you use for your private transfer? We have kind of narrowed down our options to one-day car rental or private transfer to the port. Thanks

 

[SDJEL]

Florida Sunshine shuttle. If you want the phone number, pm me.

 

[Shellyred8]

We did DCL transportation for our first cruise. It was nice to let them worry about everything. As others have mentioned: they pick up your bags, you don't have to lug them around; they know where they are going when they drive there, so you don't have to worry about taking a wrong turn; you get to stay immersed in Disney during your drive out. One other thing to consider: there's a bathroom on the bus. So if you have kiddo's that might need a potty break, this might be an added benefit.

We arrived at the port around 12:30pm and there wasn't a line at all. We checked in and walked right on the boat. If you get there earlier, you might have to wait in lines.

Have a great trip!

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

We rented a car each way. It gave us a lot of flexibility as well as saving some money. Leave the hotel whenever we feel like it in the morning, not rushing to keep our designated time. Stop at a grocery store, liquor store, or both. Plus unexpected things. My BILs suitcase broke on the flight into Orlando, so he just woke up early that morning, popped out to a store and bought a new one, without delaying the rest of us as all.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We hire happy limo. It comes at our preferred time and we don't have the extra step of dropping off a rental and shuttling to port.
After the cruise we again avoid the rental craziness and take the bus to our wdw resort. It is a tad less expensive than happy limo and we don't care about timing that day.

 

[V2000]

We hire happy limo. It comes at our preferred time and we don't have the extra step of dropping off a rental and shuttling to port.
After the cruise we again avoid the rental craziness and take the bus to our wdw resort. It is a tad less expensive than happy limo and we don't care about timing that day.

Was the limo expensive?

 

[AndreAggie]

We're a family of 3 and we rent a car. My husband travels a lot for work and is "preferred" with Avis. I think because there are so many vehicles transferred between the airport, resorts and port, there isn't a high fee to drop off at a different location. The last cruise, my son woke up with a stuffy nose and allergy junk on debarkation day. I had packed kids pain meds, tummy meds, motion sickness, but didn't think to pack any allergy medication (lesson learned). Thank goodness we had a rental car and we were able to swing by a Walgreens and get him some meds. That probably works with a private car too. But not an option with DCL transfers. Was also helpful when we were going to the cruise and I needed a target because I forgot flip flops. Who forgets to pack flip flops for a cruise?! This girl, evidently!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We hire happy limo. It comes at our preferred time and we don't have the extra step of dropping off a rental and shuttling to port.
After the cruise we again avoid the rental craziness and take the bus to our wdw resort. It is a tad less expensive than happy limo and we don't care about timing that day.

We need a van since we are a family of 6. It is $165 plus tips.
Cars are a bit less I think. Well worth it.