Travel ????

[ohioworkingmom]

My question, we are flying in to Orlando the day before our Wonder cruise (April 16, 2006) - what options are their besides staying in a hotel near airport and using DCL transportation the following morning, and what are your experiences? We used DCL on our first cruise and stayed in Orlando, this worked well, but would like to know what others do. If we already booked transportation, can we cancel?

 

[mommasita]

Hi, Yes you can cancel your transportation.

We usually get a transportation company (Happy Limo, Murray Hill, etc) to pick us up at the airport, and transfer us to our hotel, and take a cheap taxi to the port the morning of the cruise...You could either take DCL transfers one way back to MCO the day the cruise ends, or have the transport company do a round trip, by picking you up at the end of your cruise and bringing you back to the airport......

We love using Murray Hill, they pick us up, do a free grocery stop, and then bring us to our Hotel..Our vacation starts early doing this...

This is how we do it..

 

[two-foxes]

You could rent a car from Budget at MCO, drive to port and stay at one of the hotels in the Coco Beach area (see www.dcltribute.com for great port area hotels). There is a Budget drop off super close to the Radisson at port where you could drop the car off, then either shuttle it or cab it to the terminal the morning of your cruise. You are held to no ones pick up times, you can make as many grocery stops as you need and the cost of a rental car is pretty inexpensive through Budget. Also, we are not the most "directionally abled" folks are around (meaning we get lost ALOT!) and the trip from MCO/WDW to port is an easy one! We didn't get lost once!

 

[kaykels]

I found it less expensive to rent a car from Budget for 24 hours and drop it off at the port the next morning. The Budget office is close to the port and they shuttle you over. That way you can do Downtown Disney if you like, or come and go as you please. Your best options, in my opinion, are to get a hotel in the Disney area and going to downtown Disney or Pleasure Island at night OR you could get a room at the port and go to the beach and have a nice dinner at Grills. If you time it right you can watch the Magic cast off at 5 PM. It will go right past the restaurant. My kids LOVE THAT.
Try not to stay at the airport hotel. Too boring!

 

[ohioworkingmom]

Thanks all, keep the tips coming. I pm'd kaykels and mommasita with a few more. More suggestions are very welcome

 

[poohssmum]

Another vote for renting a car and driving yourself to the port ... either that day or the next morning. I think Avis and Budget both do one way rentals out to the port. I like the freedom and flexibility in having a car at our disposal. We have some "plus" visits left on passes from years ago and next time we go, we're going to use these to go to one of the water parks after our cruise. We did think about going the day before the cruise, but decided to take a later flight from home. HTH!