Stopping for pizza on the way to port...

[Raya]

I promise, I know how crazy this sounds. But I have to ask....

One of our travelers grew up in Indialantic, FL, where there is a pizza place they remember very fondly. It appears to be 42 minutes away from the Port. We'd like to surprise our elder with a pizza lunch before we cruise. That would mean not using Disney transport and renting a car to go from Disney pre-cruise, getting pizza, dropping the car off (I've found an Enterprise rental near the port) and then boarding the ship. Total travel time on Google maps is 2 hours. If we leave the hotel around 10, we'd get there just as the pizza place opened, and make it to the car rental by 12:30, from there it should be less than 30 minutes until we get in line at the port.

Before I go to all this trouble for their pizza fix, is it too risky? Surely, other people drive themselves from Orlando, right? If you do, how does that work? When do you leave, do you go directly there, etc? We've always had Disney transport to handle the logistics, and I'm nervous about missing the boat.

 

[Dug720]

To me the riskiest part is planning your driving there so tight. Anything can happen on the road traffic-wise and while 10 may get you there at 11/11:30 by the map - that is IF everything goes perfectly. I'd probably plan to leave a little earlier than 10 just to give yourselves a cushion.

Would going AFTER the cruise be an option?

 

[Raya]

To me the riskiest part is planning your driving there so tight. Anything can happen on the road traffic-wise and while 10 may get you there at 11/11:30 by the map - that is IF everything goes perfectly. I'd probably plan to leave a little earlier than 10 just to give yourselves a cushion.

Would going AFTER the cruise be an option?

That's actually a much better idea! We could book a later flight. We'd have time to get the car, hit the pizza on the way to Orlando, and if we happened to get there early it just means more time at the airport. Thanks!

 

[Liastaob]

Maybe crazier: call ahead and get the pizza to go? Could save some time that way?

I used to live in Melbourne back in the day, the traffic usually isn't that bad around there but that was, wow, more than 20 years ago...

 

[DisBud]

I live near Disney and we drive to Canaveral for most of our cruises. It usually takes us about an hour and 15 minutes. Canaveral is a breeze compared to other ports, so it is doable. I tend to hit more traffic heading home, so I would plan to be at the pizza place as early as possible. Could you call the night before to see if they can start the order during opening?

 

[Girl of the South]

Were you planning to bring the pizza on the ship? I know they don't allow
"Homemade, precooked, or perishable foods or open food containers"
But you could eat it in your rental car!

 

[Raya]

Were you planning to bring the pizza on the ship? I know they don't allow
"Homemade, precooked, or perishable foods or open food containers"
But you could eat it in your rental car!

We have to eat it there. Apparently this place is right on the beach, so you order pizza, then walk along the beach eating it. At least you did 40 years ago anyway.

 

[Mommb]

Your original plan would work. My family has driven from the Orlando airport and from Walt Disney World to Port Canaveral many times -- both are easy drives. However, I agree that it would probably be less stressful to get the pizza after the cruise as long as you can get a late flight home.

You will need to wait for a rental car shuttle either before or after the cruise. Even though there may actually be a longer wait after the cruise, you won't be worried about making it to the ship on time. If you don't otherwise need a car to Walt Disney World, you would need additional time to pick up the car at WDW on embarkation day.

If you do the pizza after the cruise, you can take Disney or private transportation directly to the port, then pick up a car after the cruise, get pizza, and return the car to the airport. If you're surprising your family member, you can adjust plans in the unlikely event that there are major traffic or weather issues after the cruise.

 

[Girl of the South]

Too bad Disney can’t make a halfway decent pizza . .

 

[Cfabar1]

In jest I would point out this plan would never work for me. One must starve the week prior to the cruise. Means you can eat more on the ship and the food tastes even better since I am very hungry…. One meal a day. Preferably small piece of chicken and broccoli with no butter salt or oil.

 

[Liastaob]

In jest I would point out this plan would never work for me. One must starve the week prior to the cruise. Means you can eat more on the ship and the food tastes even better since I am very hungry…. One meal a day. Preferably small piece of chicken and broccoli with no butter salt or oil.

Haha, great idea!

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Just as a minor tweak to your plan (if you do it): I would drop all of your passengers/luggage off at the port before returning the rental car. Much easier for 1-2 people without luggage to go from the rental car office to the ship.

 

[WB1971]

We have to eat it there. Apparently this place is right on the beach, so you order pizza, then walk along the beach eating it. At least you did 40 years ago anyway.

I live here. Can’t imagine any pizza in Brevard county worth that kind of effort. Let me know the name of the place if you don’t mind. We know good pizza and it’s not here anywhere that we’ve found beachside.

 

[Raya]

I live here. Can’t imagine any pizza in Brevard county worth that kind of effort. Let me know the name of the place if you don’t mind. We know good pizza and it’s not here anywhere that we’ve found beachside.

Bizarro's Beachside Pizza - https://www.originalbizzarro.com/

Best NY Style Pizza in Florida, or at least it was 40 years ago according to Dad.

 

[WB1971]

Bizarro's Beachside Pizza - https://www.originalbizzarro.com/

Best NY Style Pizza in Florida, or at least it was 40 years ago according to Dad.

Gotcha, thanks! There are a few different Bizarros, I understand they aren’t all the same owners. Will have to give that one a go! Good luck.

 

[TooBoyz4us]

That's actually a much better idea! We could book a later flight. We'd have time to get the car, hit the pizza on the way to Orlando, and if we happened to get there early it just means more time at the airport. Thanks!

I think this sounds like a much better idea as well. Personally, I would be too worried about traffic and time getting back to the port to enjoy the surprise experience for my family member.
depending how many of you there are, you could quite possibly skip debarkation breakfast that morning, and book an Uber XL to take all of you and luggage to the restaurant, then Uber again to the airport when its time. I know that would mean keeping bags with you at the restaurant however.
You would really have to price out a rental car vs 2 Uber rides to see what comes out better for you!

Also, let me just say how absolutely sweet of you it is to plan this surprise for your elder family member.

 

[lanejudy]

Going for pizza post-cruise may be the better option, but I'll point out that you are likely to have time to kill if the pizza shop doesn't open until 11am.

Would it be an option pre-cruise but not embarkation day?