Transportation Options

[meegster]

My forum search doesn't seem to be working so I couldn't find previous answers - any input would be appreciated . . .

Our last cruise, we used Disney Express for all transportation from airport to resort then to port and then back to airport but I didn't like that we got to port so late.

Has anyone used Disney Express to get from airport to resort, booked their own shuttle/limo to port and then used Disney Express from port to airport on the back end?

What are your money-saving suggestions for this? We don't need to rent a car, but now might consider it if it saves time & money.

Input?

 

[tlloftus]

We are paying $279 plus tips for 7 people for a car service from MCO-POP, POP-Port, Port-MCO. We did book this car service a while ago, I would imagine that they have gone up since then.

 

[meegster]

Which company, if you don't mind me asking? FL Tours seems to have a good rep but open to suggestions.

 

[tlloftus]

****** transportation

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We used Happy Limo for our last cruise. I like that we could choose our own pick up time and with a group of 6, it was cheaper to hire a stretch limo than ride the DCL bus. HL gave us a free upgrade to a big Excursion limo that had 4 flat panel tvs playing POC2. It was such a blast!

 

[LisaBi]

We used ****** two years ago and were very pleased.

We used Cocoa Beach Shuttle this year from airport to hotel and hotel to port and were very unhappy (they were over an hour late both times). I was so unhappy with them, I canceled my port-to-airport ressie and switched to DCL that that.

 

[sirena]

Can you reserve Disney Express to pick you up at MCO but drop off at hotel? I fly in a day earlier...

 

[LisaBi]

Can you reserve Disney Express to pick you up at MCO but drop off at hotel? I fly in a day earlier...

Not as far as I know - that's why I had originally scheduled a shuttle. We were going from MCO to a hotel in Cocoa Beach the day before. Unless you are going to WDW - then you can take Magical Express (free) from MCO to hotel, then DCL transport from WDW to port and back to airport.

 

[hache]

We just used S U N R A Y Transportation and would highly recommend them. We paid $200 for 5 people to/from the port. 800-204-4355

 

[CSwan1]

We used Happy Limo for our last cruise. I like that we could choose our own pick up time and with a group of 6, it was cheaper to hire a stretch limo than ride the DCL bus. HL gave us a free upgrade to a big Excursion limo that had 4 flat panel tvs playing POC2. It was such a blast!

Did you have an issue with your luggage? We have 6 people and will probably have 12 suit cases plus carryons... would we fit in a limo??

 

[goofy4tink]

Disney's Magical Express is not the same thing as DCL bus. DME gets you from the airport to your WDW resort, then back to the airport. It would seem that some are confusing the two services.
DME can be booked, but is tied to your resort reservation. If you were to arrive at MCO and want to go to WDW a day before your cruise, then yes, you could book DME...as long as you are staying at a WDW owned resort that night. You would need to find transportation to the port from the resort though. DCL does pick up at certain WDW resorts, at specific times. You can also get a rental car or book a towncar service.

 

[Anal Annie]

I have been pricing car rentals and car services. The cheapest thing to do to get to the port is to rent a car - but then you're on your own for picking it up, getting your luggage loaded in / out...refueling...dropping off...taking their shuttle etc.

I called both FL Tours and Happy Limo yesterday - they are comparable in their price (I think FL Tours includes or builds in some airport surcharges and the tolls while Happy Limo separates them - but the bottom line came out that FL Tours was about $15 more inclusive). FL Tours supports this board and Happy Limo is recommended by Mousesavers.com so I think both are good services. We have always used the free ME bus to WDW in the past & the whole reason we are not planning that this time is because we want a grocery / beer stop so we can take some "stuff" on the ship with us. We are using the DCL buses back to MCO after the cruise so FL Tours will not do a stop unless you book a round trip. Happy Limo will give us a 15 min. stop at Albertsons on the way from MCO to WDW....She even gave me a phone & fax number for Albertsons so we can arrange ahead of time for our order to be ready & waiting for us! Bottom line - a town car for the 3 of us to go from MCO to WDW then from WDW to the port will run approx. $210 total. I think the DCL bus would cost around $29 pp or $87. But we're trying to save on our ship bill and DH could drink that difference in Miller Lite on the ship! Nevermind what damage I can do with a few Captain Morgans! Considering a 6 pack at the WDW stores is about $12....we will defintely recover the extra cost if we stop between MCO and WDW!!

 

[meegster]

Thanks for the info, everyone !