Resort > MCO > Port Bus Question

[Amy11]

Since there is only 2 of us, we want to do the bus for cost reasons, but want to arrive at the port early so we would like to do DME from our resort (AoA) to MCO and then take the DCL bus transfer as early as they run.

How do we go about reserving Magical Express to get to the airport at around 9 am? Reserve when we get to Orlando at the ME desk or should we provide fake flight and if so, what departure time?

 

[mmouse37]

Usually ME picks you up about 3 hours before your flight so if you want to get picked up at 8:00 by ME then give them a 11:00 am flight time.

MJ

 

[Amy11]

Thanks! Anyone have good/bad experiences doing this?

 

[tinkerone]

I've never done this so this is jmo and worth very little.

To me it seems like a very long drawn out way of doing things. You need to schedule the ME bus and they will give you a time to meet. Assuming the bus shows up when it says (and its never been more than a few minutes late for us) there is the time needed to load all the riders and their luggage. Then you have to consider that they may be stopping at other resorts to pick up other travelers. So lots of time to load more people and then load more luggage. The ride to the airport is about 45 minutes. Once there you need to collect your luggage and transfer it yourself to the new bus. Then you get in the line for the bus to the port and wait your turn to have your luggage loaded and the people loaded before you actually leave for the port, which by the way is about an hours drive. So all told you could be traveling and waiting two and a half to three hours. Maybe longer. I do believe that there is a way to pay to have your luggage sent ahead for a fee but not sure if they still do that or what the cost is. Even doing that they do not allow people to get off the bus until the driver has pulled all the luggage from the bottom of the bus so you are still waiting for other peoples luggage to unload before you can go anywhere.

Again, that's just my thoughts and I know others do do it and don't mind at all. It may be just what you are prepared for, you could know all this already. I just do not have the patience to be waiting and riding a bus that long. My point is to make sure you realize that its not a quick way.

 

[Dug720]

I've never done this so this is jmo and worth very little.

To me it seems like a very long drawn out way of doing things. You need to schedule the ME bus and they will give you a time to meet. Assuming the bus shows up when it says (and its never been more than a few minutes late for us) there is the time needed to load all the riders and their luggage. Then you have to consider that they may be stopping at other resorts to pick up other travelers. So lots of time to load more people and then load more luggage. The ride to the airport is about 45 minutes. Once there you need to collect your luggage and transfer it yourself to the new bus. Then you get in the line for the bus to the port and wait your turn to have your luggage loaded and the people loaded before you actually leave for the port, which by the way is about an hours drive. So all told you could be traveling and waiting two and a half to three hours. Maybe longer. I do believe that there is a way to pay to have your luggage sent ahead for a fee but not sure if they still do that or what the cost is. Even doing that they do not allow people to get off the bus until the driver has pulled all the luggage from the bottom of the bus so you are still waiting for other peoples luggage to unload before you can go anywhere.

Again, that's just my thoughts and I know others do do it and don't mind at all. It may be just what you are prepared for, you could know all this already. I just do not have the patience to be waiting and riding a bus that long. My point is to make sure you realize that its not a quick way.

I agree it seems a lot of back and forth to me. Hence why I stay at a hotel near the airport.

BUT... Unless they've changed things, for the MCO to PC transfers, you put your luggage on a truck (or give it to the guys who put it on the truck) to go to the port and the only luggage on the bus is whatever carry-on you have. So you're not waiting for luggage to be loaded before leaving MCO and unloaded when you arrive at the port.

 

[tinkerone]

I agree it seems a lot of back and forth to me. Hence why I stay at a hotel near the airport.

BUT... Unless they've changed things, for the MCO to PC transfers, you put your luggage on a truck (or give it to the guys who put it on the truck) to go to the port and the only luggage on the bus is whatever carry-on you have. So you're not waiting for luggage to be loaded before leaving MCO and unloaded when you arrive at the port.

That's correct and maybe I should have clarified it better. You need to take the luggage from the ME bus to the new bus THEN you hand it off to them and not have to worry about it again. Only carry-ons go with you to the port on the DCL bus. Even though it is only small pieces you still need to wait for it to be unloaded before they allow you to leave the bus at the port.
You still have to tote the luggage yourself from resort to the DCL bus where they will take it from you.

 

[Dug720]

That's correct and maybe I should have clarified it better. You need to take the luggage from the ME bus to the new bus THEN you hand it off to them and not have to worry about it again. Only carry-ons go with you to the port on the DCL bus. Even though it is only small pieces you still need to wait for it to be unloaded before they allow you to leave the bus at the port.
You still have to tote the luggage yourself from resort to the DCL bus where they will take it from you.

Yes. Correct.

 

[Capt_BJ]

Disney transfers are not "cheap"

you may find a lil shopping WILL get you a direct ride for same money (close anyway)

and others have found one way rental cars for as little as $35 . . .

 

[kboo]

So am I correct that there is no direct bus from WDW to the port? We are thinking of adding a few days at WDW before our cruise and wondering whether it is worth it to pay for a Saturday night at WDW or better to stay overnight at the airport.

 

[Capt_BJ]

DCL DOES pickup at WDW resorts .... but it is $ and some feel "too late" cuz they want to be members of the ME FIRST club

 

[tinkerone]

So am I correct that there is no direct bus from WDW to the port? We are thinking of adding a few days at WDW before our cruise and wondering whether it is worth it to pay for a Saturday night at WDW or better to stay overnight at the airport.

There certainly is a direct bus from WDW to the port. Having said that, you may have to make a stop or two at other resorts to pick up more people. Not sure if you meant direct from one resort or if you meant direct from WDW. The cost is the same as if you were to take the bus from the airport so that's a wash. The thing that makes some want to stay right at the airport is that buses leave earlier. I personally like staying at WDW for the night because it makes the vacation seem to start earlier and builds the anticipation of a DCL cruise. To me dinner at Disney Springs is a lot nicer than dinner at the airport. Plus, I can get in some Disney purchases. The morning of the transfers you can have breakfast and not have to rush.
If your not one of the people in a hurry to sit at the port then I would think strongly about spending the night at WDW. So much nicer IMO.

 

[Amy11]

thanks all! Yes, I realize this is not the fastest method but we've always thought DME was pretty enjoyable. We may end up just catching an Uber from the resort to the airport also. I would have no problems scheduling a direct town car if it was $100 or less but I haven't found anything that low. We are not looking to rent a car to get there since it seems to me also a hassle taking 2 shuttles that day when picking up/dropping off.

And I'd like to clarify we are not trying to get to the port early because we have a "me first" attitude, it is our first Disney cruise and we are excited to board and have lunch and have time to do the scheduled ship walking tour and check our dining assignments and attempt to change our Palo Brunch. Not that boarding as early as you can should need to be justified!

 

[bumbershoot]

So am I correct that there is no direct bus from WDW to the port? We are thinking of adding a few days at WDW before our cruise and wondering whether it is worth it to pay for a Saturday night at WDW or better to stay overnight at the airport.

There is. But it doesn't genearlly pick up until at least after 11:30, and there are stops and then the ride to the port, and that just feels sad.

DCL DOES pickup at WDW resorts .... but it is $ and some feel "too late" cuz they want to be members of the ME FIRST club

Gracious. No one has to feel like they are "me first" in order to want to be there earlier. There are ways to get there early; why not use them? On our first DCL cruise my cousin and her family drove in from their home, and they were onboard for 2 hours before we got there. Getting texts from them was painful! We wanted to be there, exploring and playing like they were. We were excited; not selfish.


ETA:

furthermore, as to this... "DCL DOES pickup at WDW resorts .... but it is $"

The cost of DCL transport from resorts is the exact same amount as from the airport.


if anything, people are giving themselves more of a headache by getting back to the airport to get to the port earlier.

No one's getting anything they aren't (and I"m not using this in a negative way) entitled to. DCL doesn't let people on at 8am just because they are there, or are pushy, or whiny or whatever. They let people on when they let people on. Being there at the time that they let people on isn't selfish. Being there, sitting around in the public area of the ship next to the disembarkation ramps, until 9am when the final call to get off the ship comes, isn't selfish either. It's allowed.

No one's getting anything they aren't allowed to do.

 

[professorandmom]

And I'd like to clarify we are not trying to get to the port early because we have a "me first" attitude, it is our first Disney cruise and we are excited to board and have lunch and have time to do the scheduled ship walking tour and check our dining assignments and attempt to change our Palo Brunch. Not that boarding as early as you can should need to be justified!

yes, this! Didn't understand the "me first" comment....

 

[Capt_BJ]

the port has required DCL to implement arrival times because the fire marshal has at times closed the doors due to the terminal exceeding maximum occupancy .... then the early birds get to wait outside ... in Florida ....

 

[DCLDVC1]

I'm also a member of the ME FIRST club when it comes to getting to the port. I enjoy spending time in the terminal and like to be there for rope drop.

Since it's your first cruise, I'd pay the extra $50 (assuming you don't use Uber) and take a car service to port.

 

[Starwind]

You do not have to give Magical Express a fake flight time for them to take you back to the airport.

On our most recent DCL cruise/WDW trip, we did the following:

Arrive at MCO 3 days before cruise, take ME to our resort (WL). Two nights at WL. Late in the afternoon on checkout day (day before cruise) we took ME back to the airport and checked in to the Hyatt inside the airport. The next morning, we did breakfast at the Hyatt restaurant (Hemisphere), the Hyatt took care of our checked bags (picked up at 8 am from the room), we checked out and wandered down the to line for the DCL transfers. We arrived in line about 830am. there was already a line. We were the second family on the second bus to leave and left ~915am IIRC. After our cruise, we used DCL transfer to AoA where we stayed one night, then ME to MCO for the flight home.

Some lessons learned:
- we would spend less time at the Hyatt (even though we liked it a lot), and have dinner at WDW then ME to the airport in the early evening

- for the return ME with no flight before the cruise: this could not be booked in advance. we were told that the day before we need the pickup to have the hotel front desk or concierge help us with arranging the pickup. No fake flight time was needed, we just needed to tell them when we wanted to be at the airport/what time we wanted to be picked up. NOTE: I went down at about 6 am and the CM at the front desk who helped me did not know how to use their computer system to book a ME return to the airport with no flight, so she had to call ME; except ME was not open at that time. She suggested we come back after whatever time it was she gave me that the ME people opened (at least for phone support to CMs). We came back a few hours later and the different CM helping us knew how to make the ME reservation without a flight via their computer so had no need to call ME. No big deal as we had the time, but would have been a problem if we didn't.

I flip flop on do we spend that third night at WDW then airport in the morning then to the port from the airport, or go up the night before and stay at the hyatt then port in the morning. Right now I am on the last night at the hyatt side of the fence. That we are staying at a Deluxe resort whose room rate is nearly twice the price of the Hyatt is part of the equation. But we just found it easy to do, allowed us to be relaxed.

As for getting on the ship early: we have several things we want and need to accomplish on board right away and almost all of them can only be done at set times or in between very limited hours. We learned on our first two cruises it just is not possible to get them all done if we are arriving later at the port (e.g. when DCL transfers from a resort or even a town car will get us there) and we just barely manage to get them done when we have the earliest possible PAT and are arriving from MCO on DCL transfer. So, MCO to the port it is, for us. The only question becomes where do we spend the night before.

SW

 

[tinkerone]

As for getting on the ship early: we have several things we want and need to accomplish on board right away and almost all of them can only be done at set times or in between very limited hours. We learned on our first two cruises it just is not possible to get them all done if we are arriving later at the port (e.g. when DCL transfers from a resort or even a town car will get us there) and we just barely manage to get them done when we have the earliest possible PAT and are arriving from MCO on DCL transfer. So, MCO to the port it is, for us. The only question becomes where do we spend the night before.
SW

I'd like to ask a serious question. Please do not take this as judgmental in any way, its meant to be a simple question. I get why people want to be at the port early, I just don't understand it and I am hoping that one day I do. What are the several things you want and need to accomplish on board right away? I ask this because more and more things are being done online and the things, like dinning changes, do not begin to take requests until one.
Again, no judgment, just trying to understand why people feel this way. If I keep asking the question I will someday understand the thought process.
Truthfully when it was my first cruise I wanted to be their asap as well but I found it rather a crowded mess so I have never gone out of my way to do it since.

 

[Amy11]

What are the several things you want and need to accomplish on board right away? I ask this because more and more things are being done online and the things, like dinning changes, do not begin to take requests until one.

For me, I noticed there are 2 times for a ship tour the first day and I'd like to do that. I'd also like to take a look around, eat lunch, change my Palo brunch time, double check my table request (and rotation if requested not assigned.) and I'd like to do it at a relaxed pace. Potentially ride Aquaduck as well. So I don't have to be the very first at the port, however, taking the direct bus from my resort would make doing at least half of this before the muster drill not possible if I got picked up at say 12:30.

And it is my first DCL cruise so maybe I'm not thinking right! But excited to get aboard. And checking all my request stuff trying to make it just right because we will probably not cruise DCL for some time again.

 

[Starwind]

I'd like to ask a serious question. Please do not take this as judgmental in any way, its meant to be a simple question. I get why people want to be at the port early, I just don't understand it and I am hoping that one day I do. What are the several things you want and need to accomplish on board right away? I ask this because more and more things are being done online and the things, like dinning changes, do not begin to take requests until one.
Again, no judgment, just trying to understand why people feel this way. If I keep asking the question I will someday understand the thought process.
Truthfully when it was my first cruise I wanted to be their asap as well but I found it rather a crowded mess so I have never gone out of my way to do it since.

This is what we want and need to accomplish. Note the overlapping times, so you have to time things "right".

(using times from Fantasy as an example; on our last cruise we were on the ship by 11:45; I bought my rainforest room passes at 11:55)

Needs:
- eat lunch; due to multiple food allergies this is best done in the open MDR which has limited hours (Enchanted garden 12:00-2:00) (although it is buffet, a chef or the head server walks the buffet with us and we tell them what we want and they make it in the back fresh and it is brought out to us at our table; it takes no less than one hour start to finish)

- meet dining team, in person, due to multiple food allergies; includes ordering dinner for that night; Royal Court 1:00-3:15

- drop bags at room (sometime ~1:30)

Wants:
- walking ship tour, offered at 1:45 and 2:30; we have yet to actually manage to be able to do this

- buy rainforest room length of cruise passes (as above if we are on the ship before Enchanted Garden opens we can do this first)

- sign up for things like gingerbread house making (anytime, but they do run out of slots eventually)


On our first cruise we took DCL transfers from WL. We were picked up at IIRC 11:30, had at least two stops after WL, arrived on ship around 1:30 and were able to go drop our bags in our room right away. However, we missed out on lunch in the MDR and had to eat it in Cabanas, the only sit-down place still open. It worked out ok, but was not comfortable, and by the time wwe were done they were closing the place up.

On our second cruise we took a town car and got to the port earlier, but then were rushed in the terminal.

For our B2B cruise we did what I described previously and got to the terminal, checked in, got to go find a nice seat to relax at, visited washrooms, took pics, no rushing, then were able to board soon after they started boarding. Still did not manage to get the walking tour in, but we are determined to for our next cruise.

SW

SW