Stay on property before cruise?

[cwpoll]

Wife and I took our first DCL cruise (first ever cruise!) in September. We wanted to get the lay of the land before taking the kids next February. When we went, we took an early morning flight (leave house at 4AM) to be sure to get into MCO the morning of. However, with kids, I was thinking of getting a room on property the night before. Can you get the DCL Transportation if you don't stay on property? Are there any of the value resorts that have better DCL Transportation hook-ups?

Thanks

 

[BrerNashville]

Disney transportation from the resorts will get you to Port Canaveral no earlier than 12:30 or 1:00, so if boarding the ship early is a priority, I'd make other arrangements. If you stayed at a hotel around the airport, you could take the disney transportation from MCO to the port, which starts to leave by 9-9:30 and gets you to the port very early. The Hyatt at MCO is our favorite, but the Hyatt place or other airport hotels will be cheaper. However, you need to get back to the airport in the am. If you stay at the Hyatt, you leave your bags in the room and they take care of getting them to the ship if you are using disney transportation.

 

[mmouse37]

We often stay on property before our cruises. We take DCL once in a while but usually we just rent a car for our stay at WDW (pick up at the airport when we land) and return to the port area morning of cruise after dropping people and luggage off at the port. Then the rental driver hops the rental shuttle bus back to the terminal.

MJ

 

[disneyfaninaz]

We love spending the night before a cruise at a WDW property. You can take a leisurely morning and let the kids swim in the resort pool, while DCL takes your luggage from your room. Then you can get DCL transportation to the port. They play a cute video with the characters to prepare you for checking in. It really gets you in the mood. Your kids would love it too. You do get to port later, but you don't have to keep the kids occupied while waiting for your boarding number to be called and in most cases you can get directly to your stateroom to drop your stuff off before heading to lunch.

 

[diznymom]

We like to stay at a value resort before the cruise (All Star Sports is our favorite). Vacation for DH means (1) he doesn't have to drive and (2) he doesn't have to schlep luggage.

Therefore, we fly in and use ME to get from MCO to the WDW resort (usually AS Sports). We then use DCL transportation from the resort to Port Canaveral and then from PC to MCO. We use a a "participating airline" so we can do the onboard check-in and after we set our luggage outside our door on the last night, we don't see our luggage until we get to our home airport.

The cost to use the DCL transportation is $35 per person each way, or $70 per person round trip.

Using DCL transport from the resorts, your luggage gets picked up in the morning and you don't see it again until it is delivered to your stateroom aboard the ship.

Also, by using DCL transport from the resorts, you get to the port a little later, but you get to walk right on after checking in. There is hardly any line and there is no crowd.

 

[Hundredacre]

Kids love this. Really love it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Are there any of the value resorts that have better DCL Transportation hook-ups?

All are about the same. You're told when to meet and when the bus will be there, you leave your checked bags in your room and they are taken to the port separately. Get on your bus, stop at other resorts unless you were the last resort, and take the 45 minute drive out there.

Kids love this. Really love it.

My kid is OVER it. He'd rather be in a car or a limo and get on a ship early rather than wait around until the bus shows up.


OP you can also take the Disney Cruise bus from the airport, so you could stay at the Hyatt Regency IN the airport (MCO), or you could stay nearby and shuttle back to the airport that morning and get on the DCL bus. If staying at the Hyatt Regency they also have a "leave the bags in the room and they bring them to the port" program. Just let them know you have DCL transfers booked at the time you check in, so you get on the list!

 

[KristiMc]

Another option would be to do two one way rentals and stay at a hotel near the port. We have found that it is nice to get up the morning of the cruise and only be 5 minutes or so from the terminal.

 

[Ozarkglittergirl]

This is our first cruise. We plan on going down a day early. We've opted to stay at a moderate price WDW resort called Port Orleans French Quarters.

Disneys Magic Express will transport us from MCO to the resort at no charge. Check in isn't until 3 pm but if we arrive earlier that's ok. They will check us in and check our baggage. We can use the resort amenities, which include a nice pool and a River cruise system that will take us to Disney Springs/shopping/restaurants, et. They will call when room is ready and even deliver our luggage.

Someone suggested we make dinner reservations at T Rex, in Disney Springs.

The next day we will have breakfast at French Quarter and are using DCL transport to port.

Hope this helps you see the many options available to you depending on where you stay. We want it to feel like we are on vacation every minute.

 

[mmouse37]

This is our first cruise. We plan on going down a day early. We've opted to stay at a moderate price WDW resort called Port Orleans French Quarters.

Disneys Magic Express will transport us from MCO to the resort at no charge. Check in isn't until 3 pm but if we arrive earlier that's ok. They will check us in and check our baggage. We can use the resort amenities, which include a nice pool and a River cruise system that will take us to Disney Springs/shopping/restaurants, et. They will call when room is ready and even deliver our luggage.

Someone suggested we make dinner reservations at T Rex, in Disney Springs.

The next day we will have breakfast at French Quarter and are using DCL transport to port.

Hope this helps you see the many options available to you depending on where you stay. We want it to feel like we are on vacation every minute.

POFQ is one of my favorite moderate resorts at WDW. It is beautiful and not too large. Also has a great pool. Our new favorite moderate is Coronado Springs Business Class rooms which include continental breakfast and from 5-10 pm all the beer, wine or sangria you care to have!! Also a great pool at Coronado Springs. We are staying at CS for 2 nights before our August cruise and then spending the night before the cruise at the new Homewood Suites in Port Canaveral.

MJ