OOPS! DCL Bus will not pick up from some moderate hotels?

[TexasGirl]

We are booked for 3 days prior to the cruise at Coronado Springs Disney Moderate Hotel. I was just talking to the Travel Agent confirming our flights and they told me that DCL does NOT pick up from our hotel like we had thought. We thought we were using Magical Express to get to the hotel and DCL transfers would pick up our baggage and us to take us to the ship at the end of the 3 days when the cruise started. The travel agent is now saying we'd have to haul all of us and our stuff to the airport to be picked up there.

No way. That was the whole reason we were staying on property instead of Embassey Suites like we normally do. With an infant and a 5 year old convience is very very important. We are now going to cancel our reservation and rebook. They said the only moderates that have pick up are Port Orleans Riverside, Carr Beach and Port Orleans Square. One of those is now what we will pick.

Anyone know about this? I am so glad we found out in time. We would have been beyond upset if we didn't know until already checked in. Any insight, comments or suggestions would be very very appreciated.

 

[BabyBird]

I'm sorry that you are having to re-book but really glad you posted! We are taking the 7-day Western next November and I want to stay on-property for 3/4/5 days (can't decide how many) before the cruise. I wondered quietly if the bus picked up from the resort but hadn't researched it.

I stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter in '97 with my sister and LOVED it! I am trying to talk my husband into springing for the extra $$ to stay there. Now I have more info to influence our decision.

If you haven't stayed there before, POFQ is charming, quiet and much smaller than POR. Good luck with your rebooking.

 

[musicgirl]

I believe that you can go over to one of the other hotels or the Animal Kingdom to be picked up. You'll have to take a bus over, but you don't need to go back to the airport!!!!

Personally, depending on how many are going, it might be better for you to take a private car from the resort to the port. You are generally charged for transfers to the port anyway. You can cancel this portion (if you already had it planned).

Private car services are nice because there are no lines and you can go early. The buses do not pick up until after noon from the resorts.

So before you change anything, investigate the private car service and going to one of the resorts/AK instead.

 

[hawaii5o]

I am staying at pop century and they wouldnt pick us up either. They said we would have to go to carribean beach resort to pick up the dcl bus. So we opted for a rental car instead and cancelled our disney transportation.

 

[paulmc80]

If I'm not mistaken DCL busses will only pickup from the following resorts:
Grand Floridian
Polynesian Resort
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Beach Club Resort
Swan / Dolphin
Port Oreans French Quarter
Port Orleans Riverside
Caribbean Beach Resort
Animal Kingdom (pretty sure they are still doing that)

I'm would think you can stay at one resort and get the bus at another. But, you may have to bring your bags over to the other resort. Or, maybe they would do a baggage transfer. I would just stay at another moderate resort myself, something I have done in the past.

 

[TexasGirl]

I think it will be quite worth it to us to cancel and rebook at a mod that has pickup. It will be the same price anyway I assume. You're right I'm sure that we could just be picked up at another resort instead of coming back to the airport. But with all the baby gear and overpacking we'll do, I just want to put it out our door in the morning and be done with it. It sounds like CBR, POR or POFQ would all be good. The pool is imp to my daughter and getting around easy is imp to me since I have the newborn. Thanks again.

 

[cristit14]

We stayed at CBR last summer with our land/sea. It is very big. Everything is really spread out. I don't think I would stay there again. We met some people on the cruise that stayed at either POR or POFQ and they said it wasn't as spread out. They liked it. I think one of them is supposed to have a pretty cool pool too.

 

[DrCavin]

I think it will be quite worth it to us to cancel and rebook at a mod that has pickup. It will be the same price anyway I assume. You're right I'm sure that we could just be picked up at another resort instead of coming back to the airport. But with all the baby gear and overpacking we'll do, I just want to put it out our door in the morning and be done with it. It sounds like CBR, POR or POFQ would all be good. The pool is imp to my daughter and getting around easy is imp to me since I have the newborn. Thanks again.

Depending on when you originally booked, it may be ALOT more now for the same cruise. I would check all your options before canceling.

 

[TexasGirl]

Oh, to clarify...we wouldn't be canceling and rebooking the cruise portion. That would NOT be worth it. Our sailing is sold out, rates are higher now etc. I'm only talking about the hotel part. We booked it on our own...not the official Land/Sea vacation...just our version of it.

 

[RKB]

We stayed at the Pop for one night before our cruise. I had arranged to catch the DCL bus at the Swan. I notified DCL and they put us on the bus list of passengers leaving from the Swan. The morning we had to leave I was in the process of getting a taxi from the Pop to the Swan and one of the bell hop cast members said that as a courtesy you can often get a ride from one resort to another. He got out a Shuttle Van and personally drove us to the Swan! I did tip him, but it was less then getting a taxi. He was very nice. No other cast member even tried in the slightest to help me out - they were like get a taxi! And by the way if you did have to take a taxi from one resort to another it is easy to do they are just waiting outside of the hotels. Hope this helps.

 

[kcashner]

We stayed at Old Key West when it was not a hotel serviced by DCL. Prior to our booking, we were told that the bell service would take us to the nearest hotel serviced by DCL (along with our luggage) and we would catch the DCL transportation there. THat's exactly what happened--no problems at all.

 

[paulmc80]

Hey! I like that they offered to take a guest from Pop Century to the Swan for DCL pickup and baggage transfer. That's darn good service.

I would it is probably worth changing to a resort that has the DCL pickup if you've got small children especially. You put your DCL tags on your bags and leave them in the room adn they'll pick them up for you. Just need to make sure and check-in with the DCL people at that resort the day before or that morning. That is if you're using the DCL busses of course.

 

[DL_DCA_fans]

All the moderates are spread out. It all depends on where you are staying at. When we stayed at Dixie Landings (now POR), we had to walk 10-15 minutes to get the main building. We were at the farthest point of the resort from the main building. When we stayed at CBR, we stayed at closer building (which we requested) with a 5-10 minute walk.

 

[Regina]

It's been their policy for years to pick up only from the resorts that they use for land/sea packages. They'll also pick up from them when they're booked independently or prior to a seven day. They pick up from the DVC resorts as well.

Why are you being told that you have to go to the airport? That's simply not true. You can pick any of the resorts mentioned and get picked up from there. You'll have to figure out how to get to the resort (taxis are an easy solution.)

Pick which resort is closest to Coronado and tell your TA to let DCL know that you wish to be picked up from that location. Your TA will be able to find out what time they pick up from the resort that you select.

 

[pooh luver]

We stayed at the sports hotel and we decided that we would do the rental car because then we wouldn't have to lug all the luggage some place else and we could get to the port earlier so that we could get on board earlier. The busses left at 11:30 I was told and I wanted to make sure that I got Palo reservation.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Not sure how many are in your party, but for 4 people or less, a town car from WDW to the Port cost us approximately $100 + tip. If you need something bigger, a limo costs more. We did get a complimentary upgrade to a limo on our trip to the port, most likely because we booked a two-way trip with the service, rather than one-way. It was awesome and very convenient. Good luck!

Tink

 

[mom_rules]

Don't know about resort p/u but they do drop off from port to resort at POP-our bus stopped there and at Fort Wilderness Lodge before we got dropped at Beach Club.

 

[Regina]

Unofficially, they're more flexible with the drop-off resorts, but not the pick ups.

 

[TexasGirl]

Well this is resolved now. We went ahead and switched our hotel from CSR to POFQ. We were able to secure the same class of room at the same rate. This way, we we don't have to worry about being driven to another hotel by porter or by taxi.

THANK YOU to all who provided such helpful advice and suggestions. Hopefully this post will help others as they too make their pre-cruise arrangements. We greatly appreciated the replies.

I think we'll enjoy POFQ. The compact grounds will be appreciated due to the July heat and toting kiddos around...and my DD is excited about the dragon slide at the pool. Lastly, I think we'll take advantage of the short boat ride from the property to Downtown Disney. Sounds fun.

Thanks again.

 

[hawaii5o]

We stayed at pofq last year and really liked it. It is smaller than the other disney propertys and it seemed alot quieter. Everything is right there within a quick walk.