Transportation Question (Cruise to Resort)

[sammykster]

We are traveling in November and have a few days at WDW planned prior to our cruise with one night after to do the Christmas party. Our current plan is to get back to the airport and get an airport shuttle to the cruise to get more time on the ship since it's just a 4 day this time around. Since we're going back to WDW after we were hoping to do the shuttle from the port to the resort. Trying to book these and right now it isn't showing resort transfers as an option for our cruise. Is this common? I know it says it is only available for some but we haven't run into that before so I'm wondering if it might open up closer to and I should keep trying or if they just don't offer it all the time.

I would hate to have to do the extra transfer on our way back too so we may look into private transfers but since one of our four is only 2 it adds a bit to do it on our own.

 

[QuiltLover]

We couldn't do it online for our cruise to resort transportation so we called and got it set up.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are traveling in November and have a few days at WDW planned prior to our cruise with one night after to do the Christmas party. Our current plan is to get back to the airport and get an airport shuttle to the cruise to get more time on the ship since it's just a 4 day this time around. Since we're going back to WDW after we were hoping to do the shuttle from the port to the resort. Trying to book these and right now it isn't showing resort transfers as an option for our cruise. Is this common? I know it says it is only available for some but we haven't run into that before so I'm wondering if it might open up closer to and I should keep trying or if they just don't offer it all the time.

I would hate to have to do the extra transfer on our way back too so we may look into private transfers but since one of our four is only 2 it adds a bit to do it on our own.

If you've already made your reservation, you have to call to add the transfers.

If I may just point out something. You'll have to furnish a flight time for the Magical Express to take you back to the airport. Typically they will pick you up at the resort about 3 hours ahead of your "flight". You'll have to wrangle your own luggage to the Magical Express and from there to the DCL transfer desk. Plus, since boarding typically begins around 11:30 or so, you're not going to gain a whole lot doing all this travel. That's an hour to the airport, and then another hour to the port.

DCL resort transfers typically arrive at the port in the 12:30-2:00 window.

 

[sammykster]

We couldn't do it online for our cruise to resort transportation so we called and got it set up.

If you've already made your reservation, you have to call to add the transfers.

If I may just point out something. You'll have to furnish a flight time for the Magical Express to take you back to the airport. Typically they will pick you up at the resort about 3 hours ahead of your "flight". You'll have to wrangle your own luggage to the Magical Express and from there to the DCL transfer desk. Plus, since boarding typically begins around 11:30 or so, you're not going to gain a whole lot doing all this travel. That's an hour to the airport, and then another hour to the port.

DCL resort transfers typically arrive at the port in the 12:30-2:00 window.

Thank you for all the quick responses! I will call tomorrow and get it set up. I'm still on the fence about the two transfer idea. I just really didn't like our last cruise doing the resort to port transfer. I realize it's a pain to go to the airport and deal with luggage and the extra time in travel so maybe we'll just do the resort to port. I was just so bummed last time because we got there as one of the last buses and there was no excitement at the port. I'm one of the weird ones that likes the crowd excitement when I get there lol! I may still consider the resort to cruise just to make it more seamless but I'm torn either way. Thanks for the feedback PrincessShmoo!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you for all the quick responses! I will call tomorrow and get it set up. I'm still on the fence about the two transfer idea. I just really didn't like our last cruise doing the resort to port transfer. I realize it's a pain to go to the airport and deal with luggage and the extra time in travel so maybe we'll just do the resort to port. I was just so bummed last time because we got there as one of the last buses and there was no excitement at the port. I'm one of the weird ones that likes the crowd excitement when I get there lol! I may still consider the resort to cruise just to make it more seamless but I'm torn either way. Thanks for the feedback PrincessShmoo!

We actually like the resort transfers. I like not having to wait in line to check in, or for the boarding to begin. Plus elbowing my way through the crowded throng blocking the entrance to the boarding gate when the terminal is full is no fun. Arriving via DCL transfers, there's typically no line to check in and you go directly onboard.

 

[sammykster]

We actually like the resort transfers. I like not having to wait in line to check in, or for the boarding to begin. Plus elbowing my way through the crowded throng blocking the entrance to the boarding gate when the terminal is full is no fun. Arriving via DCL transfers, there's typically no line to check in and you go directly onboard.

You're starting to sway me back towards that! I think one of the downfalls last time was we had a larger group that I felt stressed and responsible for and we we also had early dining. I felt like we got to the port, got on the ship, did muster and had to go straight to getting ready to eat. This time it is just my DH and our two kids and we have late dining so it might not feel so rushed once we get on board! It would be nice to cut out the useless transfer to the airport of course. While I like the excitement of arriving right away I do get what you're saying about not having to fight with the crowds when you arrive. I would also love it if someone took my bags for me in the morning again. Clearly there are a lot more pros on this side than I originally was willing to admit.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Can you take a private transfer to the port and use the DCL bus back from the port? That would solve your problem and you have to pay for DCL bus anyway, so you might as well use that money towards a private transfer from the resort.

 

[DCLDVC1]

Can you take a private transfer to the port and use the DCL bus back from the port? That would solve your problem and you have to pay for DCL bus anyway, so you might as well use that money towards a private transfer from the resort.

That's what we do and it works great.

I love getting to the port as soon as it opens. I don't mind the wait because I love the atmosphere of excitement in the terminal.

 

[mareed]

Thank you for all the quick responses! I will call tomorrow and get it set up. I'm still on the fence about the two transfer idea. I just really didn't like our last cruise doing the resort to port transfer. I realize it's a pain to go to the airport and deal with luggage and the extra time in travel so maybe we'll just do the resort to port. I was just so bummed last time because we got there as one of the last buses and there was no excitement at the port. I'm one of the weird ones that likes the crowd excitement when I get there lol! I may still consider the resort to cruise just to make it more seamless but I'm torn either way. Thanks for the feedback PrincessShmoo!

It's really quite easy to take ME back to the airport and then catch the DCL bus to the port, as long as you're comfortable handling your own luggage a bit! Just pick a flight with an 11:30 departure, and you'll leave the resort around 8:30 and be on one of the first DCL busses to the port. Provide DCL with a flight with 9:00 or 9:15 am arrival and everything lines up perfectly. If you're doing DCL transfer from the resort, you have to be up early anyway for them to come pick up your luggage, and then you're waiting around for whatever time they assign your bus pick-up which will be several hours after your luggage pickup, and that would drive me crazy feeling like I'm missing out on my cruise time!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If you're doing DCL transfer from the resort, you have to be up early anyway for them to come pick up your luggage,

Not that early. Luggage pick up is typically 8:00.

 

[mareed]

Not that early. Luggage pick up is typically 8:00.

Yeah, that's early to me since I couldn't sleep in and just get up in time for the later bus! And I'd have to be up and ready and fully packed by that time in order to turn over my luggage, so that means I'm actually getting up earlier than if I'm taking ME back to the airport. But I'm also a person who would never let ME handle my luggage from the airport to resort and would rather handle it myself and know where it is, so that's just the kind of person I am!