Transfer from Port to Disney World

[WishingMom]

if you use DCL Transfer, how quickly can you disembark and be at Disney World? How frequently do the shuttles run?

Tks,

 

[PrincessShmoo]

if you use DCL Transfer, how quickly can you disembark and be at Disney World? How frequently do the shuttles run?

Tks,

The first bus to the resorts departs at 9:00. It takes about an hour to WDW, and, depending on which stop your resort is, you could be there by 10:30 to 11:00.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

We were on after the ship was cleared at 7.30 and there is a rolling service, they certainly do not start at 9 am that's incorrect.

We were at the Polynesian by 8.35 checked in and in the park by 9 am.

Similar to beach club post cruise we were in Epcot by 9.15 am.

By 9 am everyone's us typically off the ship, and there would be massive queues if they only started at 9 am.

It's a rolling service from when the ship is cleared for customs, as a bus fills it goes, then another etc.

 

[meg8182000]

That's great to hear that there is a bus that leaves earlier. From personal experience, I have been off the ship by 8am, collected luggage, went through customs and once on the bus, sat and waited close to an hour before it departed. There were people who had been on the bus prior to us as well.

I think that maybe there are 2 departures, 1 after the first breakfast people get off and then the 2nd seating. It could also depend on what resort your are heading to as well as you tell then which resort and then they tell you which bus # to get on.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

That's great to hear that there is a bus that leaves earlier. From personal experience, I have been off the ship by 8am, collected luggage, went through customs and once on the bus, sat and waited close to an hour before it departed. There were people who had been on the bus prior to us as well.

I think that maybe there are 2 departures, 1 after the first breakfast people get off and then the 2nd seating. It could also depend on what resort your are heading to as well as you tell then which resort and then they tell you which bus # to get on.

TBH I do not think there is an exact timetable, for every cruise, as it's depends on resort bookings and what resorts, and these change up and down cruise by cruise. Of course when used the Wonder and Nagic have less people.

If there are high resort bookings there will be more buses, if low, less. They may change and amend routes depending on numbers, i.e. Low resort bookings one bus will drop off at many resorts. If on the other hand one bus has lots going to one place it will be off.

Certainly not waiting until 9 am if the ship is cleared one and a half hours earlier.

 

[meg8182000]

TBH I do not think there is an exact timetable, for every cruise, as it's depends on resort bookings and what resorts, and these change up and down cruise by cruise. Of course when used the Wonder and Nagic have less people.

If there are high resort bookings there will be more buses, if low, less. They may change and amend routes depending on numbers, i.e. Low resort bookings one bus will drop off at many resorts. If on the other hand one bus has lots going to one place it will be off.

Certainly not waiting until 9 am if the ship is cleared one and a half hours earlier.

I certainly didn't expect nor want to wait on a bus for an additional hour when I exited the ship at 8am but wasn't given a choice. If I had known that was going to be the case, I would've waited on the ship a bit longer.

I believe our bus had 4 different resort stops but we still waited. I'm not sure if it would've made a difference if we got off at 7:30am or not. One can only hope. I know that the people that were on the bus prior to us were quite frustrated by the time we were finally departing.

 

[dcassetta]

We were on after the ship was cleared at 7.30 and there is a rolling service, they certainly do not start at 9 am that's incorrect.

We were at the Polynesian by 8.35 checked in and in the park by 9 am.

Similar to beach club post cruise we were in Epcot by 9.15 am.

By 9 am everyone's us typically off the ship, and there would be massive queues if they only started at 9 am.

It's a rolling service from when the ship is cleared for customs, as a bus fills it goes, then another etc.

When were these trips? People have been reporting in the last year that the resort buses do not start running until 9am.

 

[Weedy]

FYI: you have to be staying at a Disney Resort to use the Disney transfers.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When were these trips? People have been reporting in the last year that the resort buses do not start running until 9am.

I found a copy of a letter on the Mom's panel (dated May 2017) stating that busses from port to resorts depart at around 9:00 am.
https://disneyparksmomspanel.disney...resort-pickup-luggage-cruise-terminal-339783/

 

[lanejudy]

It used to be that DCL transfers from PC to WDW departed on a rolling basis as the bus filled. About a year ago it was reported that all buses to WDW would not depart until 9am. I have read fairly recently of departure slightly earlier - maybe 8:45, but there don't seem to be any particularly early buses or vans to WDW right now unless it's a very recent change back to the rolling departures. Too bad, we used to enjoy early breakfast and arriving at our resort about 9am. I don't know if the delayed departures is to make fewer resort stops per bus, or what the reasoning was.

OP - I wouldn't plan to arrive at your WDW earlier than ~10:30am with DCL transfers. If you want to get there sooner, plan alternate transportation.

Enjoy your cruise!