Transportation to/from DCL

[revrob]

We are planning a trip to include a 3-night cruie in October. I'm trying to figure out transportation to/from the ship. We will be at WDW first and we will rent a car at the airport. So, is it possible to return the car close to the ship? And how about transportation from the ship to the airport? I don't want to buy ground transportation because we won't be using it from the airport to WDW. Can someone help?

 

[dizneefreak29]

I am going on a 3-night in June. I rented a car from Budget Car Rental at the airport. They have a location at Cape Canaveral which has a free shuttle to the Port. I called them yesterday and they said the shuttle starts running from the time the ships dock...so around 7:30 a.m. So that is what we are doing! And then after the cruise we are taking the shuttle back to pick up a car to get us to the airport.

 

[revrob]

Wow, that's great! So, on your way back, you just pay a one day rental? I wonder if Alamo has a return at Port Canaveral also?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Budget, Avis and National all have locations close to the port and they all offer free shuttle to the ship. Try Costco, Sam Club web sights for great discount offers.

 

[dizneefreak29]

Revrob:

I booked through Budget's web-site and got a one day rental for $35.00. My rental for Wednesday night to Thursday morning was only $20.99! I was going to book a towncar which would have cost around $170 + tip so now I've saved some money I can spend on the cruise!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You can also leave your car in the cruise lot for $10/day, then just drive it back and return it at the airport.

 

[mmouse37]

I am going on a 3-night in June. I rented a car from Budget Car Rental at the airport. They have a location at Cape Canaveral which has a free shuttle to the Port. I called them yesterday and they said the shuttle starts running from the time the ships dock...so around 7:30 a.m. So that is what we are doing! And then after the cruise we are taking the shuttle back to pick up a car to get us to the airport.

Just to clarify....the shuttle may start that early but it is for the guests departing the ship....don't get to the port before 10:00 am or you will be just waiting for the parking lot to open. DCL does not let any vehicles into the parking lot until at least 10:00 am..sometimes a bit later. The terminal does not open for check in until 10:30 am. The terminal now has a dedicated spot for shuttle passengers.

We have done the Budget shuttle a few times and sometimes there is a long line to catch the shuttle to pick up your car at the end of the cruise and sometimes there is not...all about timing and how many people are getting off the ship and wanting to hop the shuttle back to Budget. We once took a taxi from the port to Budget to pick up our car because the shuttle wait line was very, very long. Other times we hopped right on!!

Another good site for discount codes for rentals is at www.mousesavers.com

MJ

 

[mrp4352]

IMHO, if it's your first cruise with Disney - it's worth the money to ride the Disney transport. The video they show on the way out is a spectacular beginning to your cruise! Especially when they say, "Any moment your ship will appear", you come out from under a bridge - and it's there in all it's glory - the first real view of the ship you get!

 

[revrob]

is it possible to rent a car for the WDW part and then have cruise transport from WDW to DCL? I don't really want to be without a car, and I don't wanna take the thing back to the airport. I know that if it can be don, someone here will know.

 

[mmouse37]

National/Alamo (same company now) has a location at the airport and at WDW. Maybe you could rent from the airport to WDW and keep it while you are there and then turn it in at WDW. You would then have to make arrangements to get from the rental location (near the entrance to WDW/Magic Kingdom) back to your WDW hotel to pick up the DCL bus. You can definately book the DCL bus from WDW to port, then port to MCO. It is $25 per person per segement.

Maybe your WDW hotel would transport you back from the rental location at WDW to your hotel to catch the bus.


MJ

 

[Pea-n-Me]

is it possible to rent a car for the WDW part and then have cruise transport from WDW to DCL? I don't really want to be without a car, and I don't wanna take the thing back to the airport. I know that if it can be don, someone here will know.

If you don't want to be without a car you can just simplify your journey by renting one car for the week (or whatever the length of your vacation), leaving it in the cruise lot, then returning it to the airport when you're done.
That way you really don't have to worry about how you're going to get here and there or waiting in rental lines or taking shuttles, etc...

We've done it both ways: A) returning car to rental company near port pre cruise, then picking up new car for ride back to airport post cruise; and B) keeping the same car in the lot while we cruised.

It's a lot easier to just keep it in the lot and IMO not having the hassle is worth the $30 you'll pay. With that said, I'm not sure what we'll do on our upcoming 7 day cruise in this matter, but for the 3 day I think it's worth it, especially if you get a great price on your rental. (On our recent trip we got a full size car from Alamo for 8 days for $135 with additional driver free - BJ's and Entertainment had the same coupon).

 

[revrob]

I think I'm gonna do the park the car in the lot thing. That sounds like the simplest thing. Then we won't have to worry about the bus crowd boarding the ship either. Thank for all the input, it has been very helpful.