Parking at hotel or Port Canaveral

[SCPixie]

I'm sure this question has been posed somewhere on the boards before, but I've spent the last 45 minutes trying to find it. I'm sorry if it's a repeat.

I'm about to book my very first Disney Cruise on the Dream, leaving Port Canaveral on March 28, 2016 for four days. We will travel from SC to FL the night before and stay in a nearby hotel (TBD).

Parking at the Port is $75 but someone told my husband that we can leave our car parked at a nearby hotel for a significantly discounted rate. I'm curious about everyone's thoughts on this. Which do you feel is safer (or are they equal)? What has been your experience with both?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[jeepnjudy]

We have done both... We have parked at the port which was cheaper when we drove directly there and did not overnight before the cruise and we have parked at a nearby hotel when we overnighted before the cruise. We had no issues either way with our vehicle and the hotel offered a free shuttle to the port and retrieved us when the cruise returned so we could retrieve our vehicle.

 

[Justacruiser]

Stop for the night in Titusville at the Fairfield Inn and Suites. They will provide you a 40% parking discount upon request. I am actually staying there tomorrow night! It's about 15 minutes from port. Park your car at the port parking and walk off the ship and get in your car! The couple would save you $30!

 

[mumto2]

Stop for the night in Titusville at the Fairfield Inn and Suites. They will provide you a 40% parking discount upon request. I am actually staying there tomorrow night! It's about 15 minutes from port. Park your car at the port parking and walk off the ship and get in your car! The couple would save you $30!

This is exactly what we did last year, and are doing again this summer!

We drive from SC, too, and it is between 7-8 hours (depending on what time we hit Columbia). We took our time coming home, stopping in Jacksonville for lunch and meeting friends for ice cream in Savannah, but it was wonderful to disembark, get a porter, go through customs and then straight to the car, while others were waiting for shuttles, loading luggage onto the shuttle and then, presumably having to repeat the exercise when they got back to the hotel.

Fairfield Inn is very clean, relatively new (or refurbished), great staff, large complimentary breakfast, and saves you $30 on parking.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I have parked at the official PC car parking lot it's so close and good easy access and the fasted way to go home. I found it very safe.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

 

[RHSTigerMom]

I'm sure this question has been posed somewhere on the boards before, but I've spent the last 45 minutes trying to find it. I'm sorry if it's a repeat.

I'm about to book my very first Disney Cruise on the Dream, leaving Port Canaveral on March 28, 2016 for four days. We will travel from SC to FL the night before and stay in a nearby hotel (TBD).

Parking at the Port is $75 but someone told my husband that we can leave our car parked at a nearby hotel for a significantly discounted rate. I'm curious about everyone's thoughts on this. Which do you feel is safer (or are they equal)? What has been your experience with both?

Many thanks in advance!

If you have kids I would definitely park at the port. The Fairfield sounds like a good deal. Walking off the ship and straight to the car is a "Dream".

 

[darkwing818]

If you have kids I would definitely park at the port. The Fairfield sounds like a good deal. Walking off the ship and straight to the car is a "Dream".

Exactly what we do, it get us on the road to WDW quick & easy; not to mention the time DW had to take me to a hospital emergency room after we disembarked. Trust me I was very grateful not to be waiting for a shuttle.

 

[JimGA]

Stop for the night in Titusville at the Fairfield Inn and Suites. They will provide you a 40% parking discount upon request. I am actually staying there tomorrow night! It's about 15 minutes from port. Park your car at the port parking and walk off the ship and get in your car! The couple would save you $30!

Exactly, we stayed at this same hotel in 2013 and got the discount on parking at the port, it was sooooooo nice to be able to walk on and off the ship and not worry about an shuttle bus hassle.

Plus the Fairfield Inn in Titiusville has an excellent hot breakfast that is free and the hotel is really nice. I am booking this same hotel for our 2016 cruise.

 

[SCPixie]

You all are so helpful! Thanks for the tip! I do have children so parking at the port makes perfect sense. I would have never thought about waiting for the shuttle if you all wouldn't have mentioned it. Thanks again!

Now - will it be difficult for me (as a first time cruiser) to lead the Fish Extender exchange if no one else steps up to do it?

 

[peachypowell]

I'm sure this question has been posed somewhere on the boards before, but I've spent the last 45 minutes trying to find it. I'm sorry if it's a repeat.

I'm about to book my very first Disney Cruise on the Dream, leaving Port Canaveral on March 28, 2016 for four days. We will travel from SC to FL the night before and stay in a nearby hotel (TBD).

Parking at the Port is $75 but someone told my husband that we can leave our car parked at a nearby hotel for a significantly discounted rate. I'm curious about everyone's thoughts on this. Which do you feel is safer (or are they equal)? What has been your experience with both?

Many thanks in advance!

We just came back last week and stayed at Country Inn and Suites the night before. We parked there and they shuttled us to the port. It was very easy. I was really concerned about it but we had to stay the night before anyway and it was only $40 to add on to park there. For us to park for 7 nights at the port was going to be $170. I couldn't see paying more. We decided to try it once and if it didn't work out we would pay to park at the port any other time. Shuttle over was quick and kids (6 and 8) were fine. When we got off the ship, we went to the pick up location and before they could finish unloading our luggage off the cart the shuttle was there to pick us up. We were told if they were not there to call but we never even called. Super quick and was worth the $130 savings. I hate trying to find my car in a parking deck!

 

[safeti01]

If you stay at one of 14 hotels near the port the night before, you can get a 40% discount coupon to park at the port parking. To get the hotel list you go to the Port Canaveral website an clink on parking. The list is there. For a 7 night cruise the cost goes from $120 to $72. Good deal. Parking for a 7 night cruise, standard vehicle is $120.

 

[Cheerio]

We get the discounted port parking from the Best western cocoa beach as well.

 

[hpsalb]

I have done both (with kiddo in tow) and both have been fine. Parking at the port I did not have to fold up the stroller, but taking a shuttle offsite was way cheaper. We did not have to wait long either way on a shuttle. Both seemed about as secure. Can't remember what hotel. So, it's really a toss up.

 

[Natalie Herbert]

You all are so helpful! Thanks for the tip! I do have children so parking at the port makes perfect sense. I would have never thought about waiting for the shuttle if you all wouldn't have mentioned it. Thanks again!

Now - will it be difficult for me (as a first time cruiser) to lead the Fish Extender exchange if no one else steps up to do it?

My family is going on the same cruise, we are also first timers. Ive read about fish extenders so when and if you start the new thread I can't wait to join in.

 

[Quellman]

You all are so helpful! Thanks for the tip! I do have children so parking at the port makes perfect sense. I would have never thought about waiting for the shuttle if you all wouldn't have mentioned it. Thanks again!

Now - will it be difficult for me (as a first time cruiser) to lead the Fish Extender exchange if no one else steps up to do it?

Better set it up quickly since you cruise soon. You don't want to be adding people to a group less than 30 days out since many people hand make gifts for the exchanges. You want them to be sure to make the appropriate amount of stuff.

But in a nut shell, the easiest is to keep a list of first names, room cabins, any allergies or prohibitions, maybe ages and sex optional. Then have a list outside your door, or set up a meeting place incase someone gets changed from their original room assignment!