Transport from Universal to Port Canaveral?

[Fyrefly]

We're on the SWDAS Western Fantasy on 2/29. I've never been to Universal Studios so we want to check out the Harry Potter stuff etc. for a few days before which will mean it's my first time not going directly from the airport to the ship. It seems like most of the ride services here like Happy Limo etc are geared towards larger families and the DCL buses are the way to go cost-wise for parties under 4 (we are a couple). A rental car just for one leg of the trip seems obnoxious so I'm trying to figure out if it's better to do roundtrip to/from the airport on the Universal side then catch the shuttle, or if there is some service at a similar price point that could get us at our hotel. Anyone have any experience with ride options for small parties?

 

[XSeabiscuitX]

I have no first hand experience as I'm about to take my first cruise, but I work around Universal and I've run across this question before. A one way car rental or an Uber is going to be your easiest options. Or stay at a Disney resort and Uber/Taxi to Universal. There's nothing outside of the Universal parks that's Harry Potter related, so you're not losing out on much by not staying in the area.

 

[xavier2001]

We used Jiffy Jeff, they picked us up at our Universal resort. Was super convenient. Another option is to Uber from Universal back to the airport, then catch the Disney bus to the Port. LOVE Universal!

 

[tinkerone]

Here's what we have been doing, are doing on our next cruise in October. We are spending one night at Disney and will spend the evening at Disney Springs for dinner. This way Disney takes care of our luggage. They will deliver it to our room, BONUS! Next day we Uber to Universal which is usually in the $15 area. We will spend a week at Universal before our sailing and Uber back to the airport on the morning we sail. That's about $30. We then take the DCL bus from the airport to the port. Easy Peasy. We will be able to take our time going from the resort to the airport. If we get up early in the morning we will go over early. If we sleep in we will go over later. It's nice not to have a set schedule that we have to adhere to.

ETA--Love Universal. Everything is so much cheaper. Dinning is amazing, lots to choose from and you don't need to make reservations six months out. You will be very happy with your choice.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Uber back to the airport on the morning we sail. That's about $30. We then take the DCL bus from the airport to the port.

That's $30 total, for the whole party? Plus the $39 per person for the DCL transfers from the airport.

I think you could get a rental car cheaper. And then your trip from hotel to port won't be 2 hours long (or more).

 

[Fyrefly]

Here's what we have been doing, are doing on our next cruise in October. We are spending one night at Disney and will spend the evening at Disney Springs for dinner. This way Disney takes care of our luggage. They will deliver it to our room, BONUS! Next day we Uber to Universal which is usually in the $15 area. We will spend a week at Universal before our sailing and Uber back to the airport on the morning we sail. That's about $30. We then take the DCL bus from the airport to the port. Easy Peasy. We will be able to take our time going from the resort to the airport. If we get up early in the morning we will go over early. If we sleep in we will go over later. It's nice not to have a set schedule that we have to adhere to.

ETA--Love Universal. Everything is so much cheaper. Dinning is amazing, lots to choose from and you don't need to make reservations six months out. You will be very happy with your choice.

Wait so you leave your luggage at Disney Springs so it goes to the port without you? And then you live out of a carry-on at Universal?

We were thinking of staying at Universal for the park perks but if it's not that far from Disney we could stay there. Haven't really sorted out much yet beyond realizing doing two days at Universal before the cruise is probably the best logistics wise as most of our vacation time is committed and I do want to see it at some point.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Wait so you leave your luggage at Disney Springs so it goes to the port without you? And then you live out of a carry-on at Universal?

We were thinking of staying at Universal for the park perks but if it's not that far from Disney we could stay there. Haven't really sorted out much yet beyond realizing doing two days at Universal before the cruise is probably the best logistics wise as most of our vacation time is committed and I do want to see it at some point.

I think they were saying that they're staying at Disney Springs initially for the luggage transfer from airport to resort. Then they're heading over to Universal for a week (with their luggage).

Although I don't think the transfers from airport to resort will actually put your bags in your room. My experience is that you claim your bags back from the Magical Express driver at the resort and carry the to the check in desk with you.

 

[tinkerone]

That's $30 total, for the whole party? Plus the $39 per person for the DCL transfers from the airport.

I think you could get a rental car cheaper. And then your trip from hotel to port won't be 2 hours long (or more).

Yes, that's $30 total for the whole party and our luggage. Rental probably would be cheaper however we don't want to be bothered with the driving. We have done it before and do not enjoy it at all. Transferring from Universal to MCO really isn't a big deal at all and I look at it as we would have to pay the cost if we were flying home anyways. This way we do not have to decide up front what time we have to be ready. We can play it by ear.

Wait so you leave your luggage at Disney Springs so it goes to the port without you? And then you live out of a carry-on at Universal?

We were thinking of staying at Universal for the park perks but if it's not that far from Disney we could stay there. Haven't really sorted out much yet beyond realizing doing two days at Universal before the cruise is probably the best logistics wise as most of our vacation time is committed and I do want to see it at some point.

No, we book a room at Disney for the first night. That is the time we use to explore/dine at Disney Springs. Its the next morning that we transfer to Universal and complete our stay there.
This is where the Magical express comes in and Disney delivers our luggage to the room. By spending our first night at a Disney hotel they do it for us. I absolutely hate waiting at the turnstile with 200 other people, waiting for luggage to come through so this is our work around. We get off the plane, get on the bus, and spend one night at Disney. No parks, just an afternoon/evening enjoying the resort/Disney Springs. We transfer our luggage from Disney to Universal ourselves.

I think they were saying that they're staying at Disney Springs initially for the luggage transfer from airport to resort. Then they're heading over to Universal for a week (with their luggage).

Although I don't think the transfers from airport to resort will actually put your bags in your room. My experience is that you claim your bags back from the Magical Express driver at the resort and carry the to the check in desk with you.

I'm not sure I'm understanding this. Why would Disney not take our luggage if we are staying there? Unless they have changed this since November then the sure do. We just get on the bus and they bring the luggage with everyone elses. Unless your read it as we are staying at a non Disney hotel? I mentioned we were staying at Disney and spending the evening at Disney Springs so maybe that was the confusion?
Anyways, they do take our luggage from the airport to the hotel, as long as we put the luggage tags on properly that is.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yes, that's $30 total for the whole party and our luggage. Rental probably would be cheaper however we don't want to be bothered with the driving. We have done it before and do not enjoy it at all. Transferring from Universal to MCO really isn't a big deal at all and I look at it as we would have to pay the cost if we were flying home anyways. This way we do not have to decide up front what time we have to be ready. We can play it by ear.

No, we book a room at Disney for the first night. That is the time we use to explore/dine at Disney Springs. Its the next morning that we transfer to Universal and complete our stay there.
This is where the Magical express comes in and Disney delivers our luggage to the room. By spending our first night at a Disney hotel they do it for us. I absolutely hate waiting at the turnstile with 200 other people, waiting for luggage to come through so this is our work around. We get off the plane, get on the bus, and spend one night at Disney. No parks, just an afternoon/evening enjoying the resort/Disney Springs. We transfer our luggage from Disney to Universal ourselves.


I'm not sure I'm understanding this. Why would Disney not take our luggage if we are staying there? Unless they have changed this since November then the sure do. We just get on the bus and they bring the luggage with everyone elses. Unless your read it as we are staying at a non Disney hotel? I mentioned we were staying at Disney and spending the evening at Disney Springs so maybe that was the confusion?
Anyways, they do take our luggage from the airport to the hotel, as long as we put the luggage tags on properly that is.

Last time we did that, we had to claim our bags and take them to the Magical Express bus. Then we got our bags from the bus driver at the resort when we got there. We had to take our bags to check in with us. Then we could leave them with the bell captain (after check in, before room was ready), then they would put them in our room when it was ready (while we were out in the parks).

 

[tinkerone]

Last time we did that, we had to claim our bags and take them to the Magical Express bus. Then we got our bags from the bus driver at the resort when we got there. We had to take our bags to check in with us. Then we could leave them with the bell captain (after check in, before room was ready), then they would put them in our room when it was ready (while we were out in the parks).

I don't understand why. You get the luggage tags in the mail with your Magical Express letter, why would they make you pick up your luggage. I can tell you we have done this on our last 4 or 5 trips, last was in November, and we have always had them take our luggage. I don't know why they would make you pick yours up.

 

[Dug720]

I don't understand why. You get the luggage tags in the mail with your Magical Express letter, why would they make you pick up your luggage. I can tell you we have done this on our last 4 or 5 trips, last was in November, and we have always had them take our luggage. I don't know why they would make you pick yours up.

I think if flights get in between 10pm and 5am you have to get the luggage yourself. They only pick it up for flights between 5am and 10pm. I believe @PrincessShmoo lives on the West Coast so if she had a red-eye it could well have gotten in prior to 5am.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think if flights get in between 10pm and 5am you have to get the luggage yourself. They only pick it up for flights between 5am and 10pm. I believe @PrincessShmoo lives on the West Coast so if she had a red-eye it could well have gotten in prior to 5am.

That would be it. We typically take the red-eye, as it actually works well for us. Leaving at 10:00 at night and arriving in the morning. We catch a little sleep on the plane that way.

 

[tinkerone]

That would be it. We typically take the red-eye, as it actually works well for us. Leaving at 10:00 at night and arriving in the morning. We catch a little sleep on the plane that way.

Glad that got explained. I couldn't figure out why they would make you take your own luggage but pick ours up. As I said earlier I hate, with a passion, having to get luggage from the turnstile. It's the reason we spend the first night at Disney since they deal with it. If they no longer did this we would forgo them completely and head right on over to Universal. It is always nice to spend some time at Disney Springs though. We enjoy that.

 

[Dug720]

Glad that got explained. I couldn't figure out why they would make you take your own luggage but pick ours up. As I said earlier I hate, with a passion, having to get luggage from the turnstile. It's the reason we spend the first night at Disney since they deal with it. If they no longer did this we would forgo them completely and head right on over to Universal. It is always nice to spend some time at Disney Springs though. We enjoy that.

I just do carry-on and don’t have to deal with the carousel OR waiting on it to get delivered. Easy-peasy.