Scared about Park and Shuttle From Hotel

[NickyKnack]

This will be the first time I have ever parked at a hotel and taken a shuttle somewhere and over planner that I am, I am more then a little freaked out.

How do I know what time they will be dropping us off at the port so that I can pick an arrival time online? With them cracking down on this at the port I don't want to wind up being there early and standing for hours on end - but I also don't want to be late and shoved in with the other people who didn't plan...

How do I know what time they will be picking us back up, and how do I make sure that I am off the boat and through customs on time? I have no clue how long that should take. Again (due to arthritis problems that allow me to stand and walk, but not for more then fifteen minutes or so at a time), I don't want to wind up standing for a long time.

Help?

 

[jdb in AZ]

I would just list noon as an arrival time, since you'll be arriving after that. Disney would rather have you arrive later than your appointed time, instead of before. Your online check-in will let them know that you're coming on the DCL transfer bus and will assign you a time accordingly.

After the cruise, a fleet of buses will be waiting as you collect your luggage, and a porter will load it onto the bus for you. As each bus fills it will leave, and another bus will start loading. You won't need an assigned time for the bus.

If you get tired of standing while waiting at embarkation, just ask for a wheelchair. Don't be afraid to have them "push you around" cuz you're a "big wheel."

Have a great cruise -- Disney will do everything they can to accommodate you. Sing three choruses of "Be our Guest."

 

[NickyKnack]

I'm sorry I should have been more clear.
It wont be with DCL.
We're spending the night either at the Doubletree Hilton in Cocoa Beach or at the Raddioson. Leaving the car at the hotel and taking a hotel shuttle both ways.

I'd love to stay at a Disney hotel and shuttle in and out through Disney, but I don't think they'd let me. (We're driving up the night before - not flying in.)

I would just list noon as an arrival time, since you'll be arriving after that. Disney would rather have you arrive later than your appointed time, instead of before. Your online check-in will let them know that you're coming on the DCL transfer bus and will assign you a time accordingly.

After the cruise, a fleet of buses will be waiting as you collect your luggage, and a porter will load it onto the bus for you. As each bus fills it will leave, and another bus will start loading. You won't need an assigned time for the bus.

If you get tired of standing while waiting at embarkation, just ask for a wheelchair. Don't be afraid to have them "push you around" cuz you're a "big wheel."

Have a great cruise -- Disney will do everything they can to accommodate you. Sing three choruses of "Be our Guest."

 

[NancyIL]

I'm sorry I should have been more clear.
It wont be with DCL.
We're spending the night either at the Doubletree Hilton in Cocoa Beach or at the Raddioson. Leaving the car at the hotel and taking a hotel shuttle both ways.

I'd love to stay at a Disney hotel and shuttle in and out through Disney, but I don't think they'd let me. (We're driving up the night before - not flying in.)

Disney doesn't care how you get to Orlando, but there's no point paying $35 pp when you have your own car.

I would call the hotel, ask what time the earliest shuttle goes to Port Canaveral, and pick a check-in time on DCL shortly after that - if it's available. Also ask what time they start picking up passengers when the cruise ends. You can walk off the ship as soon as it is cleared.

Don't worry...you'll be on the ship before it sails at 4 or 5!

 

[NickyKnack]

It's not so much the before it sails part that worries me as the "in time to eat lunch" part. We have late dinner - so it would be quite a while before we got a second chance to eat.

That and we want to get back to the hotel and get our car so we can head to DW and get to Epcot as early as possible.

35 PP will they let us leave our car at the Disney hotel if we go that route?


[
QUOTE=NancyIL;41929988]Disney doesn't care how you get to Orlando, but there's no point paying $35 pp when you have your own car.

I would call the hotel, ask what time the earliest shuttle goes to Port Canaveral, and pick a check-in time on DCL shortly after that - if it's available. Also ask what time they start picking up passengers when the cruise ends. You can walk off the ship as soon as it is cleared.

Don't worry...you'll be on the ship before it sails at 4 or 5![/QUOTE]

 

[NancyIL]

It's not so much the before it sails part that worries me as the "in time to eat lunch" part. We have late dinner - so it would be quite a while before we got a second chance to eat.

That and we want to get back to the hotel and get our car so we can head to DW and get to Epcot as early as possible.

35 PP will they let us leave our car at the Disney hotel if we go that route?

No - you can't leave your car parked at a WDW resort while you cruise.

Request an early boarding time on DCL, and get to the port as close to 11:00 as possible.

 

[glindamood]

It's not so much the before it sails part that worries me as the "in time to eat lunch" part. We have late dinner - so it would be quite a while before we got a second chance to eat.

That and we want to get back to the hotel and get our car so we can head to DW and get to Epcot as early as possible.

35 PP will they let us leave our car at the Disney hotel if we go that route?


[
QUOTE=NancyIL;41929988]Disney doesn't care how you get to Orlando, but there's no point paying $35 pp when you have your own car.

I would call the hotel, ask what time the earliest shuttle goes to Port Canaveral, and pick a check-in time on DCL shortly after that - if it's available. Also ask what time they start picking up passengers when the cruise ends. You can walk off the ship as soon as it is cleared.

Don't worry...you'll be on the ship before it sails at 4 or 5!

[/QUOTE]

There will be plenty of places to grab a bite to eat if the shuttle gets you there after the restaurants stop serviing lunch but based on what I have read (and will find out first hand in October) they buses don't begin leaving until around noon and could stop at other hotels first. We are planning to have a big breakfast and then will grab something from the fast food places if we arrive after they have stopped the lunch service.

 

[mmouse37]

Why don't you just park at the port and not worry about the shuttle at all....just park in the parking garage...simple.

If you are willing to pay for DCL transfers....parking at the port would not be that much more. Parking at the port is $15 per day...well worth it to me for peace of mind. This way you don't have to stress about your port arrival time. Arrive and park at the port whenever your port arrival time is.

Upon leaving the ship it will be so convenient to have a porter walk your bags to your car and you head out....no waiting around for a shuttle back to the hotel. You leave when you want to and head off to WDW.

The fast food lunch places should be open until 3:00 pm if the dining room and buffet are closed.....you won't starve!!

MJ

 

[mmouse37]

There will be plenty of places to grab a bite to eat if the shuttle gets you there after the restaurants stop serviing lunch but based on what I have read (and will find out first hand in October) they buses don't begin leaving until around noon and could stop at other hotels first. We are planning to have a big breakfast and then will grab something from the fast food places if we arrive after they have stopped the lunch service.[/QUOTE]

OP is taking a hotel shuttle....not DCL bus.

MJ

 

[mickeyfan1]

I agree with MJ, since you have a car, just drive it to the parking structure. That way you control your arrival time. You can get a good breakfast, you don't have to rush around waiting for the shuttle and if you get a 12 to 1PM port arrival, you will most likely walk onto the ship after all the check in stuff with no issues. There is plenty of food available on board. One thing about cruising, you don't need to over plan.

 

[giljr]

This will be the first time I have ever parked at a hotel and taken a shuttle somewhere and over planner that I am, I am more then a little freaked out.

How do I know what time they will be dropping us off at the port so that I can pick an arrival time online? With them cracking down on this at the port I don't want to wind up being there early and standing for hours on end - but I also don't want to be late and shoved in with the other people who didn't plan...

How do I know what time they will be picking us back up, and how do I make sure that I am off the boat and through customs on time? I have no clue how long that should take. Again (due to arthritis problems that allow me to stand and walk, but not for more then fifteen minutes or so at a time), I don't want to wind up standing for a long time.

Help?

Most of the hotels run the shuttles multiple times per day. The earliest most of them leave is 10:30am, with most getting you to the port at 12pm. To get picked up, you simply call the hotel and let them know you are there, and they will come and get you. Now, if you just happen to get off when the shuttle for your hotel has just left, you will probably be waiting for a half hour or so.

If you still want to get the parking bargain, but don't want to stand around at the port, you can get a cab. Most of them have fixed rates to the port.

 

[NickyKnack]

Any idea how I can find out how much a cab rate would be to and from our hotel? I would need to budget for it.

Most of the hotels run the shuttles multiple times per day. The earliest most of them leave is 10:30am, with most getting you to the port at 12pm. To get picked up, you simply call the hotel and let them know you are there, and they will come and get you. Now, if you just happen to get off when the shuttle for your hotel has just left, you will probably be waiting for a half hour or so.

If you still want to get the parking bargain, but don't want to stand around at the port, you can get a cab. Most of them have fixed rates to the port.

 

[Octoberbride03]

Most of the hotels run the shuttles multiple times per day. The earliest most of them leave is 10:30am, with most getting you to the port at 12pm. To get picked up, you simply call the hotel and let them know you are there, and they will come and get you. Now, if you just happen to get off when the shuttle for your hotel has just left, you will probably be waiting for a half hour or so.

If you still want to get the parking bargain, but don't want to stand around at the port, you can get a cab. Most of them have fixed rates to the port.

From Cocoa Beach a hotel shuttle if it exclusive to just that hotel shouldn't take more than 10-15 minutes after loading everybody's luggage and getting on the road. We are staying at the CI&S. 1 of the closest hotels to the port and it only takes a few minutes. We'll just pick a shuttle time when we get there(maybe I'll email first to see how many passengers are expected) and when we disembark, we'll give a call to the shuttle driver to pick us up. I imagine the Raddison and Double Tree work their shuttles very similar. CI&S shuttle does NOT stop at other hotels before going to the port. No long waits. And it only costs $15.00 extra to park the car for the duration of the cruise. The car is marked as a Park&Cruise option and there is a security patrol while we're away.

 

[mmouse37]

Any idea how I can find out how much a cab rate would be to and from our hotel? I would need to budget for it.

This is listed at the Port Canaveral site:

Taxi Companies

Triple-A AAA Taxi

321-868-8888

But, consider parking at the port....seems like the best answer for your scenario!!

MJ

 

[NickyKnack]

I can't afford to park at the port.
That's 100+ dollars I don't have to add to my budget.

This is listed at the Port Canaveral site:

Taxi Companies

Triple-A AAA Taxi

321-868-8888

But, consider parking at the port....seems like the best answer for your scenario!!

MJ

 

[NancyIL]

I can't afford to park at the port.
That's 100+ dollars I don't have to add to my budget.

If your hotel offers free parking and a free (or low-cost) shuttle to the port - take that.

 

[mickeyfan1]

OK< so now we understand about port parking. Most of the hotels are with in 15 minutes of the port, most of them run shuttles every 1/2 hour or so. Here is what I would do, call the hotel directly and ask them about the shuttle times and cost, some of them do charge. If they have a shuttle that leaves every 1/2 hour,, and you don't want to do a lot of standing, then pic 1pm arrival time, leave the hotel at 12:30, you should be into the terminal and walking onto the ship by 1:30. There are seats in the terminal, but you will have to go to the check in desk to get your picture taken for your room key. If the hotel doesn't offer a shuttle, then the cab would be less expensive than car service for that short ride. Country Inns and Suites and the Radison offer shuttles, I believe. The Residence Inn, I think it does not. Please realize that with out knowing all your details, budget for parking, we only suggested parking at the port because you would save a lot of time and hassle.

 

[BealsRwe]

Fear not! We have taken advantage of park & cruise from the Country Inn & Suites at Cape Canaveral twice, we have it booked for a cruise in a few weeks, and our next DCL trip in October.

Each hotel runs their shuttle a little differently. At CI & S, you can call the day of check in and reserve a specific time. They usually schedule them every 15-30 minutes, depending on the number of ships in port. We love the service we get through CI & S, which is why, even though we live in orlando, we are now always doing it this way from now on!

If you are concerned about a specific time, you could always have someone drive everyone and luggage over, drop all luggage and people off, then return to the hotel to park and hop on the shuttle luggage free.

The return shuttles at CI & S are simple...we just call the driver's cell phone number when we are through customs, and we are scooped up on his next pass-by. The more ships=a longer wait sometimes, but we have never waited more than 20 minutes or so.

I find I am less stressed for my vacation heading over to port and relaxing a day early! Be sure to enjoy dinner at Rusty's or Fishlips the night before...they are right at the port Our favorite is Rusty's!

CI & S, if you book the park and cruise package, there are no extra costs...shuttle, parking, and even breakfast is included. We enjoy waffles, eggs, cereal, and coffee before heading to the cruise terminal. For our last cruise, room, parking, shuttle, breakfast was around $120...considering we would have paid $105 to park at the port...my room, breakfast, shuttle only cost me $15 for a night or relaxation and family fun...well worth it!

 

[lbgraves]

If you are concerned about the arrival time, wait until after you have checked in and know what your timeframe actually is so that you can then schedule the shuttle time from your hotel. There's no reason to worry about what time to get on the shuttle until you know when you are going to be allowed to enter the terminal.

 

[NickyKnack]

And I should have just said somethin in the first place, but I have a hang up about money. It embaresses me to have to admit that I can't afford something. It's this stupid hang up I have about money.

I think I'll take everyone's advice on how to handle the shuttle to the port, and maybe see if I can scrape together enough to take a cab back to the hotel so that I can control how early we're able to head towards Orlando.

OK< so now we understand about port parking. Most of the hotels are with in 15 minutes of the port, most of them run shuttles every 1/2 hour or so. Here is what I would do, call the hotel directly and ask them about the shuttle times and cost, some of them do charge. If they have a shuttle that leaves every 1/2 hour,, and you don't want to do a lot of standing, then pic 1pm arrival time, leave the hotel at 12:30, you should be into the terminal and walking onto the ship by 1:30. There are seats in the terminal, but you will have to go to the check in desk to get your picture taken for your room key. If the hotel doesn't offer a shuttle, then the cab would be less expensive than car service for that short ride. Country Inns and Suites and the Radison offer shuttles, I believe. The Residence Inn, I think it does not. Please realize that with out knowing all your details, budget for parking, we only suggested parking at the port because you would save a lot of time and hassle.