Rental car/driving from Orlando to Port Canaveral?

[Maesa]

So I just thought of an idea for our trip in March. We are flying in the day before our cruise, plan on going to one park. I'm not sure where we are staying yet but seems like where ever we stay it will be hassle to get to the port the next day and our flight leaves late the day we areive back from the cruise so didn't want to wait at the airport for 8hrs. The transportation fee is high from Disney and if I use them I would either have to get back to the airport the day of cruise or stay at a Disney resort and then not knowing which pick up time is us and may have to be on the busy for over 2-3 hrs...
How about renting a car and parking it at the port? How is the drive from Orlando to the Port? Pricing it out seems cheaper then using Disney's transportation even with the rental sitting their while on the cruise plus I wouldn't have to worry about transportation to and from airport, and can just take our time when we return from the cruise back to the airport since our flight leaves at 8:50pm...etc!

Any suggestions?!?!?

 

[Eeyore19]

We just changed our port transportation plans this week. We have a similar problem, as our fight home does not leave until 7:30pm out of MCO. We are coming in the day before our cruise next week, and we were planning on staying at the MCO Hyatt ($190). Our flight lands mid-afternoon the day before our cruise. We just booked a one night car rental (pickup Friday MCO-drop off Saturday PC) with Avis for a compact car for $65. We are spending the night at the Radisson for $170. Once our cruise is over, we are picking up another one day car rental from Avis (pickup PC-drop off MCO) for another $65. Instead of spending 6 hours at MCO on our return day, we are planning on visiting the Kennedy Space Center. At the end of the day the cost is a wash, since we are a family of 4 ($280 DCL transfers). Luckily, my kids are older so all 4 of us only have carry on luggage, so space in the rental is not an issue. Lastly, for us, the flexibility of having a car was very important. Now I can easily stop and pickup a nice bottle of wine to bring on board.

 

[Scillycruisers]

You could get a one way rental from either MCO (or if you stay at WDW from the Car Care Centre) to the port, then on debarkation, get one from the port to MCO.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

Just do a one way rental from Orlando to Port, then the same going back. It's easy and when we priced out all the options, it was the cheapest. Plus you have total control and where you go, stops, etc. To me it's a no brainer.

 

[bumbershoot]

The drive is very easy. About $5 in cash tolls. Simple.

 

[OKW Lover]

How is the drive from Orlando to the Port?

Very easy drive. From the airport its a straight shot across 528. No lights, multi-lane highway all the way. Less than an hour's drive.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Renting a car gives you so much flexibility, and since you are there the day before, and most of the day on the way home, you will appreciate that. Like others said, we found two one-way rentals were cheaper than keeping it for a week. Renting twice, sounds like a pain, but it wasn't too bad. The pick up is easy since most agencies have a desk right in the airport and part their cars at the MCO parking garage across the street. I recommend if you have two adults, send one to get the bags (and watch the kids) while the second adult picks up the car. That way, you can have the car rented by the time the bags are claimed and then walk them across the street to pick up the car. Also, I recommend dropping all of the passengers and luggage at the port, and then dropping off the car. This means only one baggage-free person has to take the rental car's shuttle back to the port. Plus the others can go through security and wait in the terminal. We did the actual check-in once I dropped the car off. On the way back, CMs will direct you to the area to pick up your Shuttle to your rental company.

Some people report an extra charge for one-way rentals, but we did not experience that. Also, we were able to reserve our cars online, but didn't have to pay ahead or commit to anything in advance.

The drive is a straight shot, and everything is well marked. Though GPS or phone GPS is a nice safety blanket. Less than an hour drive. Faster than the buses, for sure.

 

[wombat_5606]

So I just thought of an idea for our trip in March. We are flying in the day before our cruise, plan on going to one park. I'm not sure where we are staying yet but seems like where ever we stay it will be hassle to get to the port the next day and our flight leaves late the day we areive back from the cruise so didn't want to wait at the airport for 8hrs. The transportation fee is high from Disney and if I use them I would either have to get back to the airport the day of cruise or stay at a Disney resort and then not knowing which pick up time is us and may have to be on the busy for over 2-3 hrs...
How about renting a car and parking it at the port? How is the drive from Orlando to the Port? Pricing it out seems cheaper then using Disney's transportation even with the rental sitting their while on the cruise plus I wouldn't have to worry about transportation to and from airport, and can just take our time when we return from the cruise back to the airport since our flight leaves at 8:50pm...etc!

Any suggestions?!?!?

It's very easy to do this. I recommend parking the rental at the port if the cost is acceptable to you. I enjoyed doing this instead of doing the car rental shuttles twice.

 

[Moon Child]

We just did this a few weeks ago, did the Halloween Cruise on the Dream
We flew in the night b4, stayed in Orlando, to see friends, rented a car . It was $65
The next morning we got up, showered, headed to The Port. Found our rental car area, dropped off the car and the
shuttle took us to the ship. Very easy

 

[Maesa]

We just changed our port transportation plans this week. We have a similar problem, as our fight home does not leave until 7:30pm out of MCO. We are coming in the day before our cruise next week, and we were planning on staying at the MCO Hyatt ($190). Our flight lands mid-afternoon the day before our cruise. We just booked a one night car rental (pickup Friday MCO-drop off Saturday PC) with Avis for a compact car for $65. We are spending the night at the Radisson for $170. Once our cruise is over, we are picking up another one day car rental from Avis (pickup PC-drop off MCO) for another $65. Instead of spending 6 hours at MCO on our return day, we are planning on visiting the Kennedy Space Center. At the end of the day the cost is a wash, since we are a family of 4 ($280 DCL transfers). Luckily, my kids are older so all 4 of us only have carry on luggage, so space in the rental is not an issue. Lastly, for us, the flexibility of having a car was very important. Now I can easily stop and pickup a nice bottle of wine to bring on board.

That sounds like a great plan. Maybe i'll check into the Kennedy Space Center. Husband and kids have never been. FYI - Disney Resorts have a huge sale right now on their resorts. Got the All Star Resort for one night in March for $120. Not sure when your traveling but something to check on. So there is a rental car at PC?

 

[Maesa]

You could get a one way rental from either MCO (or if you stay at WDW from the Car Care Centre) to the port, then on debarkation, get one from the port to MCO.

From Car Care Centre? What is that? Yes, I am staying at the Disney Resort the one night before the cruise.

 

[Maesa]

Renting a car gives you so much flexibility, and since you are there the day before, and most of the day on the way home, you will appreciate that. Like others said, we found two one-way rentals were cheaper than keeping it for a week. Renting twice, sounds like a pain, but it wasn't too bad. The pick up is easy since most agencies have a desk right in the airport and part their cars at the MCO parking garage across the street. I recommend if you have two adults, send one to get the bags (and watch the kids) while the second adult picks up the car. That way, you can have the car rented by the time the bags are claimed and then walk them across the street to pick up the car. Also, I recommend dropping all of the passengers and luggage at the port, and then dropping off the car. This means only one baggage-free person has to take the rental car's shuttle back to the port. Plus the others can go through security and wait in the terminal. We did the actual check-in once I dropped the car off. On the way back, CMs will direct you to the area to pick up your Shuttle to your rental company.

Some people report an extra charge for one-way rentals, but we did not experience that. Also, we were able to reserve our cars online, but didn't have to pay ahead or commit to anything in advance.

The drive is a straight shot, and everything is well marked. Though GPS or phone GPS is a nice safety blanket. Less than an hour drive. Faster than the buses, for sure.

Thank you !! I think I'm going to take all of your advice

 

[OKW Lover]

From Car Care Centre? What is that?

That's the Alamo location near the TTC. There's also an Alamo location at the Dolphin. But don't limit your search to just Alamo. There are other major brand car rental locations on WDW property as well. You may want to check out this thread. http://www.disboards.com/threads/car-rental-locations-for-wdw.2927109/