Private car transfer pick up time

[Partyof4LA]

We cruised last November, rented a car and spent the night in cocoa beach. We returned the rental the next morning and took the shuttle, which had us in the port by 10 if I remember correctly, but i know we were definitely past security and in the terminal before 10:30. Terminal was nearly empty and security lines were short. We are flying in and staying at Coronado Springs resort for two night pre-cruise this time. We have a 10:30 PAT and want to get to the terminal as close to this time as possible to have a similar experience.

I've read on here that DCL transfers won't get you to port until well after noon and private transfers were recommended to those wanting to arrive earlier. I checked out FL tours, but their website states "Port Canaveral recently passed a new law restricing all transportation companies from dropping passengers off before 11:00 AM. Due to this restriction, FL Tours is unable to pick guests up from the airport or Disney resorts before 10:00 AM."

So now I am questioning whether private transfer is really a better option if they can't pick up until 10. I've requested quotes from other companies and haven't gotten responses, but I am assuming they will all get you there after 11. Is this correct? Does anyone have recent experience with a company getting you there earlier? Any other suggestions on getting there?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We cruised last November, rented a car and spent the night in cocoa beach. We returned the rental the next morning and took the shuttle, which had us in the port by 10 if I remember correctly, but i know we were definitely past security and in the terminal before 10:30. Terminal was nearly empty and security lines were short. We are flying in and staying at Coronado Springs resort for two night pre-cruise this time. We have a 10:30 PAT and want to get to the terminal as close to this time as possible to have a similar experience.

I've read on here that DCL transfers won't get you to port until well after noon and private transfers were recommended to those wanting to arrive earlier. I checked out FL tours, but their website states "Port Canaveral recently passed a new law restricing all transportation companies from dropping passengers off before 11:00 AM. Due to this restriction, FL Tours is unable to pick guests up from the airport or Disney resorts before 10:00 AM."

So now I am questioning whether private transfer is really a better option if they can't pick up until 10. I've requested quotes from other companies and haven't gotten responses, but I am assuming they will all get you there after 11. Is this correct? Does anyone have recent experience with a company getting you there earlier? Any other suggestions on getting there?

Yes, it's correct. Anyone arriving via paid private transportation typically can't get into the port area until 11:00.

DCL transfers from resorts typically pick up anywhere between 10:45-12:30, arriving at the port about an hour after whatever time you get picked up.

You can still arrive a little earlier by booking private transfers than taking DCL transfers, but you can't get in as early as if you drive yourself. You could get a rental car and park it at the port. That way you could enter the port when it opens at 10:30.

What time is your Port Arrival Time?

 

[Partyof4LA]

Port arrival time is 10:30.
My youngest needs a car seat or high back booster (she is only 4), so renting a car means we have to haul a seat.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Port arrival time is 10:30.
My youngest needs a car seat or high back booster (she is only 4), so renting a car means we have to haul a seat.

Sorry, didn't catch that in your first post.

I was just tossing out a suggestion for how to get there earlier. Personally, I usually plan on arriving around 12:00-12:15. Typically no lines at check in and no line for boarding.

 

[Partyof4LA]

Thanks for the suggestions and quick response!
I assumed since we were able to get there early on outside transportation (the rental company shuttle) last time, the same would be true again and I was bummed to see that wasn't the case.
It would be much easier to make a decision if I knew exactly what time dcl was picking up at my resort. If private car guarantees 10:00 pickup and dcl has a range 10:45-12:30, that makes it hard to decide. 45 extra minutes is not worth the private car over dcl. Two hours on the other hand...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks for the suggestions and quick response!
I assumed since we were able to get there early on outside transportation (the rental company shuttle) last time, the same would be true again and I was bummed to see that wasn't the case.
It would be much easier to make a decision if I knew exactly what time dcl was picking up at my resort. If private car guarantees 10:00 pickup and dcl has a range 10:45-12:30, that makes it hard to decide. 45 extra minutes is not worth the private car over dcl. Two hours on the other hand...

Unfortunately, you won't know what time you're being picked up at your resort until the night before. Since DCL doesn't know for sure how many people, and from what resorts, need transportation until like 2 days beforehand, they don't make up the schedule until then.

 

[Lovewinnie]

Yes, it's correct. Anyone arriving via paid private transportation typically can't get into the port area until 11:00.

DCL transfers from resorts typically pick up anywhere between 10:45-12:30, arriving at the port about an hour after whatever time you get picked up.

You can still arrive a little earlier by booking private transfers than taking DCL transfers, but you can't get in as early as if you drive yourself. You could get a rental car and park it at the port. That way you could enter the port when it opens at 10:30.

What time is your Port Arrival Time?

I see this on the FL tours site. However, I recently booked a 9:30 pick-up from another transportation company and there was no mention of this. We will be at Polynesian for our pick-up. What happens if we arrive before 11:00 in paid private transportation?

 

[Partyof4LA]

What happens if we arrive before 11:00 in paid private transportation?

I wonder this as well. One I submitted to last night for a quote emailed me back today saying they can pick us up at our resort at 9am and have us to port at 10. If FL tours says they can't get us there until 11 because of port regulations, how would someone else be able to?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I wonder this as well. One I submitted to last night for a quote emailed me back today saying they can pick us up at our resort at 9am and have us to port at 10. If FL tours says they can't get us there until 11 because of port regulations, how would someone else be able to?

I'm not sure it's so much that they won't allow private transportation before 11:00. I believe if private (paid) transportation arrives prior to that time they pay an extra charge for being allowed to enter earlier. Some private companies don't pay the extra and only pick up at a time that will allow them to arrive after 11:00, others do (and pass it on to the passenger in the cost of the transportation).

At any rate, anyone arriving prior to 10:30 (10:15 in some cases) won't be allowed to enter as the port opens to new cruisers at 10:30. Prior to that, anyone arriving (either via paid transportation or by driving themselves) are usually asked to go away and return later.

 

[ErinGaf]

What about a hotel shuttle? We are staying at the Country Inn and Suites and our scheduled PAT is 10:45. Will we be able to arrive at the port between 10:30-10:45? Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What about a hotel shuttle? We are staying at the Country Inn and Suites and our scheduled PAT is 10:45. Will we be able to arrive at the port between 10:30-10:45? Thanks!

You'd have to ask the hotel if the shuttle runs that early.

 

[Partyof4LA]

I'm not sure it's so much that they won't allow private transportation before 11:00. I believe if private (paid) transportation arrives prior to that time they pay an extra charge for being allowed to enter earlier. Some private companies don't pay the extra and only pick up at a time that will allow them to arrive after 11:00, others do (and pass it on to the passenger in the cost of the transportation).

Makes sense. The guy that quoted me a pickup time of 9:00 and arrival of 10:00 did charge more than the others that put me getting there at/after 11.

 

[Northof54]

What about a hotel shuttle? We are staying at the Country Inn and Suites and our scheduled PAT is 10:45. Will we be able to arrive at the port between 10:30-10:45? Thanks!

Hi Erin! We too are staying at the Country Inn and Suites. Have you stayed there before? Just wondering what it is 'like'?

 

[thornton0511]

Sorry to piggyback this thread but we are planning on renting a car from Orlando Disney Car Care Center the day before our cruise and driving to Port C ourselves and having National shuttle us to DCL. If we get there around 10am does that mean National cannot shuttle and drop us off until 11am? Our PAT is 10:30am. :/

 

[ErinGaf]

Hi Erin! We too are staying at the Country Inn and Suites. Have you stayed there before? Just wondering what it is 'like'?

Sorry, I missed this! We have not stayed there before. Last time we stayed at the airport. Reviews are quite good, though!

 

[Dug720]

Hi Erin! We too are staying at the Country Inn and Suites. Have you stayed there before? Just wondering what it is 'like'?

We found it really nice. Stayed there once as a family of 4 adults (*gasp* yes, in ONE room...we actually had ONE cabin on the ship and were perfectly fine) and enjoyed it. And my parents have stayed there at least 2-3 more times - if it wasn't nice, they wouldn't have stayed.

I will say we ended up taking a taxi over the first time because the early shuttles were all booked by the time we got there. It's possible we could have called the night before arrival to sign up, but there were mixed messages on that.

 

[ErinGaf]

We found it really nice. Stayed there once as a family of 4 adults (*gasp* yes, in ONE room...we actually had ONE cabin on the ship and were perfectly fine) and enjoyed it. And my parents have stayed there at least 2-3 more times - if it wasn't nice, they wouldn't have stayed.

I will say we ended up taking a taxi over the first time because the early shuttles were all booked by the time we got there. It's possible we could have called the night before arrival to sign up, but there were mixed messages on that.

Thank you!

The hotel did say I can call 24 hours before check-in to reserve a shuttle.