Transfers from Disney resorts?

[jacksonsmom]

No, the reason that you won't know until the night before embarkation what your specific pick up time is has to do with the fact that they don't do the schedules, until that day or just before. That way they know for sure how many are requiring transport from each resort and can schedule the buses to best fill them.

We've taken the WDW resort/port transfer 3 times. The last time we were picked up at 12:30, with 2 more pick up stops after ours and were at the port by 1:45. The other two times we were at the port shortly after 12:00. Never have arrived at 3:00.

one time when we were leaving from BWV we did not get to the port until 3:30!!! Not kidding. We even missed lunch!
That is not the norm, as the bus was waiting for a family at the Boardwalk before they left. I felt they should have just left, as we all had the time to leave, but I guess I am mean.

Anyway, I know that doesn't always happen but those rare cases...it definitely has happened!

 

[Starwind]

We like getting to the port early, as we like to have lunch on board in the open MDR, get rainforest room passes, verify dining arrangements, and possibly sign up for some special events. Because some of those things are time-limited in terms of when you can do them, we prefer arriving as early as possible.

In the past we have had DCL pick us up at our resort, but we found we didn't have enough time to get what we wanted/needed done on board that first day.

We have used a private towncar service, but had two issues: one is cost, as there is only two of us; the other is that they could not pick us up earlier than 1030 and that still got us to port a bit later than we prefered (it was a bit of a rush).

Our last cruise we found a solution that we think works for us:

Arrive 3 days before cruise (we cruise in the winter and live in Canada; 3 days in advance means I literally could drive down if we had to due to flight cancelations). Spend 2 nights at WDW resort of our choice. Day before the cruise, in the late afternoon or evening, take DME back to the airport (DME allows this, and we discovered you do NOT need a "fake flight", just tell them what time you want to be leaving your resort/arriving at the airport and they will fit you in according on a scheduled bus close to your time (eg. you may want to leave at 4pm but the bus will be at your resort at 330, so you will be put onto that bus -- you need to have some flexibility). Then spend the night at the Hyatt inside the airport. In the morning, checked bags inside by the room door by 8 am for pickup. Head down to the DCL transfer desk and get in line and eventually get on the bus and to the port.

For us, the Hyatt was great because the rate we had included breakfast in their Hemisphere's restaurant, and that breakfast starts early (about 6 am if I recall) (also, the Hyatt was cheaper than the Disney resort we had been at the previous two nights). So, we got up, got ready, had an early breakfast and were back in our room in time for the luggage pickup at 8. We then leisurely finished getting ready and then headed down to the DCL transfer area. We joined the line. We were one of the first people on the second bus that left the airport. we got to the port nice and early and after getting checked in had time to explore the port and sit and relax -- not rushed like we were and felt when the car service had dropped us off the previous cruise. We had an early boarding number and were on the ship with plenty of time to do everything we wanted to get done in those first few hours. Again, not rushed. Had time to relax and enjoy lunch, etc.

One change we will make for next time: go back to the airport later. We went later afternoon, thinking we would have dinner at the airport and use the hotel pool. We did have dinner at the airport, but did not swim because the air temp was rather cool that evening. For our next cruise we will have dinner at a WDW restuarant at our resort (an "early dinner") and then head to the airport after that, in the early evening. Enough time to relax at the Hyatt and get ready for the cruise the next day.

This will not work for everyone, and some people definitely won't like the switching of hotels and such. It works for us, though.

SW

 

[kiford]

However, reading that we won't get to the port until maybe 3 worries us as we may not be able to book all the alcohol tastings we want to do.

We've never arrived as late as 3 pm. I suppose it's possible (and one PP did mention it, but it's quite unusual). The latest we've ever arrived was 2 pm because of traffic (accident on the way) but we're usually sitting down to lunch about that time

We like getting to the port early, as we like to have lunch on board in the open MDR, get rainforest room passes, verify dining arrangements, and possibly sign up for some special events. Because some of those things are time-limited in terms of when you can do them, we prefer arriving as early as possible.

In the past we have had DCL pick us up at our resort, but we found we didn't have enough time to get what we wanted/needed done on board that first day.

We've always found that we have time to unpack our carry on bags, check our excursion tickets (and twice had to have them fixed), book some alcohol tastings, and check out the movie listings for the cruise before going for lunch.

 

[Starwind]

We've always found that we have time to unpack our carry on bags, check our excursion tickets (and twice had to have them fixed), book some alcohol tastings, and check out the movie listings for the cruise before going for lunch.

Glad you have had the time to do what you wanted.

Our challenge was trying to get time-limited things in with some complications.

e.g. I have multiple food allergies. So we have to meet with the dining people during their open time (Dream: 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm in Royal Palace) which can take half an hour between waiting and actually talkign to them and ordering dinner for that night. Because of the same food allergies I need to eat in an MDR; lunch at Enchanted Garden is only open from 1200-200. Because I cannot eat off the buffet, lunch takes the better part of an hour, much of it waiting. We've tried fitting in one of the walking tours but haven't managed to pull that off yet -- however they are usually repeated on a later day so we've been able to do it eventually. Plus throw in getting rainforest passes (Senses opens at noon, so we usually make that our first stop).

Anyhow, for us getting on the ship early is very helpful. For others it probably does not matter nearly as much, especially if e.g. one can eat at Cabanas or from the Enchanted Garden buffet.

SW