Pre Cruise - what would you do?

[Sharkmeister]

We arrive into Orlando on a Saturday night at 5:30pm. Our cruise leaves on Monday from Port Canaveral.
We are trying to decide if we should stay at a Disney resort, the airport or somewhere else on Saturday and Sunday. We are doing the Parks after the cruise, so don't need to go there. But we do have to factor in transfers to the port from where we stay.
Just wondering what people might suggest?

 

[ladyofthetramp]

If you are doing the parks after, I would rent a car and stay near the port. Easy drive. Beaches, Kennedy Space center, Merritt Island (nature, birding, hiking). Plenty to do on Sunday. Nothing near the airport, to do, IMO.

 

[Flossbolna]

You could also do one of the non-Disney parks in Orlando on Sunday. Universal, SeaWorld, a water park (Volcano Bay and Aquatica are both great fun!) or Discovery Cove (Dolphin swim, but also snorkeling and birds, we loved it).

Get a hotel close to the park you want to visit. If you don’t want to rent a car, you will have to either arrange private transportation or deal with shuttling back to airport to take DCL transfers.

 

[John VN]

Arrive at MCO and we would go to a hotel in Cocoa Beach on the coast with a room facing the Atlantic that includes free breakfast. Chill out Sunday or not and have breakfast Monday morning with only a 5/10 minute drive to DCL terminal, cruise and then off to WDW.

ENJOY your vacation

 

[Bmill]

I like being in the Disney bubble. I’d explore Disney springs, resort hop etc. to enjoy all the things non park Disney, then take Disney transport to and from your cruise.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

What about staying in a Disney resort different from the one you'll be in after the cruise? Just enjoy the pool and amenities.

 

[Skippyboo]

With the free water park day on arrival, you could stay somewhere close to airport with a free shuttle and then go to a WDW hotel in the morning and then use DCL transfer to port.

I also like the idea of just going to cocoa beach. But I wonder how pricey those hotels are on the weekends.

 

[Disnsyncey]

With the free water park day on arrival, you could stay somewhere close to airport with a free shuttle and then go to a WDW hotel in the morning and then use DCL transfer to port.

I also like the idea of just going to cocoa beach. But I wonder how pricey those hotels are on the weekends.

I vote this! But if you are doing the waterpark on the way back on your c/i day, I bet some time at Cocoa would be fun

 

[Kwami]

We had the same situation on our last cruise! We took the Mears bus to Art of Animation, went to Disney Springs the next day, and then took the DCL bus to the port the following day. We really enjoyed doing that, so I think we'll do the same thing again next time.

 

[bbn1122]

Many years ago my family did two nights before our cruise at OKW and just chilled. After our cruise we went back for 1 night just to have a little more time in the bubble.

We went to DS before and after, plus chilling by the pool. My boys were younger at that time. They rented bikes, played basketball and rented a surrey....very fun.

We own DVC, so we have stayed at VB a couple of times before our cruises too. That is a fun things to do. It is a longer drive to the port. When we do this we usually have rented a car or have driven to Florida from NJ.

Happy cruising....

 

[tntstults]

I would stay near the port. It makes your morning of boarding the cruise much more relaxed.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I'm doing a WDW resort stay and plan to use the pools and take the free Disney transport to other resorts for meals and to walk around. That said, we're just adults and it's very easy for us to go with the flow and change what we're doing.

 

[jimmymc]

Do you have any plans for that Sunday? If not, here's a bunch of suggestions:

1. Rent a car, stay near the beach, visit the Kennedy Space Center, and drop off the car before the cruise.
2. Stay on I-drive and enjoy some of the non-Disney touristy things in Orlando before taking a private transfer to the port.
3. Do a resort-only Disney stay and use Mears/Disney transfers.
4. Stay on Sea Harbor Dr. and visit Sea World, then get a private transfer to the port.
5. Stay at the MCO Hyatt Saturday, book a Disney room for Sunday, and use the free waterpark ticket on Sunday.

 

[Amunet]

I like the idea of doing Universal before the cruise. One time in a more budgeted trip, I stayed at a hotel near the airport that had a shuttle. I did some shopping at the Character Warehouse outlet, ate dinner, then the next day took the hotel shuttle to the airport and took the DCL transport from there. If DCL is still doing transport from MCO, then staying at a Universal hotel (or nearby) and enjoying Universal for a day or so and then taking transport for DCL from the airport. DCL transport usually has earlier PAT time too.

 

[Kit Jackson]

It depends on what you want to do. We stayed at the Home2 Suites by Hilton Cape Canaveral Cruise Port, but we were only there one night. I think it depends on if you want more time in the Disney bubble, spending time at a theme park (one day Universal trip), or if you want more of a relaxing beach weekend (with the possibility of touring the space center if you're interested in that).

 

[hardcorestitch]

We arrive into Orlando on a Saturday night at 5:30pm. Our cruise leaves on Monday from Port Canaveral.
We are trying to decide if we should stay at a Disney resort, the airport or somewhere else on Saturday and Sunday. We are doing the Parks after the cruise, so don't need to go there. But we do have to factor in transfers to the port from where we stay.
Just wondering what people might suggest?

I would go 100% Disney and stay at a resort. Great way to kickoff your Disney cruise!

Knowing you’ll be in the parks after that dreadful cruise d************n day, WDW has lots of other non-theme park activities in Disney Springs. You can also mini golf at both the Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland mini golf courses. There are plenty of restaurants both in DS and at most of the resorts that you can reserve for a nice meal (Ohana, Artists Point, etc).