What am I missing?

[ktglads]

Everything that I read claim that the towncar option is cheaper than using Disney transport, so why am I finding it to be more expensive? What I would like is transportation from MCO to a disney hotel, and then transport to port and back to a disney resort. Maybe I am finding outdated information, but isn't the Disney transfer $46 round trip per person? For 4 people, that comes to $184 total. We would have to take a van or limo and the cheapest that I got was at $200 round trip, not including tip, so you would be looking at more like $240 round trip. I figured the same price from the airport to a disney hotel at $60 one way for a van, so that price is fixed.

We won't rent a car since, no matter how easy the directions are, the only eligible driver will get lost.

Any help/suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[CheapMom]

4 people should take a towncar- not a van- also i think land/sea tranfers are more like $69pp-
don;t you also need to get back to the airport?

 

[ktglads]

No, what we are doing is staying at disney for a couple of days and then renting a car and doing universal. We would then go to the airport from there, but not for almost a week.

Also, I would rather not sit that close to someone for 45 minutes if I have to. 3 adults in the backseat of any car is not my idea of a good time.

 

[CRB#33]

$49 per person Airport/Cruise/Airport transfers through DCL

$69 per person Airport/Land/Sea/Airport transfers through DCL.

I'm not sure what the transfers Airport/Land/Sea/Land would be. I'm betting on $69.00.

The more people there are in your party, the more worthwhile it is to go with a towncar.

I would check with DCL or your travel agent just to be sure about these prices.

 

[SeaSpray]

We're a party of 4 and I agree that there simply would not be enough room in a towncar for all us PLUS all of our luggage. Our next choice was a van (10 passenger van) or a limo. The price for the van for a 3-leg trip would be $245 PLUS tip. The price for a limo for all 3 legs is $385 PLUS tip. The towncar/limo companies allow you to break up your trip and book each leg separately, so if you wanted a limo for one part, but the van for other parts, you could do that.

I think that if you add up the cost for each person on a 3-leg trip using Disney transfers, it still comes out to more money than having a private van.

 

[Jiffymom]

Now even I am confussed. So what is the difference.
DCL land/sea
DCl airport/ cruise/airport

 

[ktglads]

Okay, so now I am wondering. If I do not book a land/sea cruise, can I still use the land/sea transportation? Basically, instead of using the Disney transport back to the airport, can you use it to go back to a resort?

 

[mmouse37]

ktglads....yes you can book a one way DCL transfer from the port to WDW. They have several buses that go exclusively to the airport and some more that go exclusively to WDW. The price for one way transfer pp is $25.00.

We always rent a car...it is much cheaper, and we have far more flexibility in coming and going. We always book two 1 way rentals. One from MCO to the Port the day before cruise and one from port to MCO after we get off the ship. WE usually book a late evening flight and have the car to store stuff in and we usually spend the day at WDW.

side note.....my brother in law used to live in Cheektowaga and we used to visit!!!

MJ

 

[cantsitstill]

I was looking into this too, it would've been the same price for the 6 of us to take a limo instead of buying the transfers, but not enough room for all of our luggage; so don't forget to consider the luggage situation.

 

[hydster]

49.00 is from airport to cruise and back to airport

69.00 is from airport to a hotel, hotel to the cruise, cruise back to airport.

For us it worked out almost the same to get a car service to take us from the airport to Port Orleans Total is $50.00 +tip

Then a limo from Port Orleans Riverside to the cruise and a limo from the cruise back to the airport. Total is 250.00 + tip and we get to decide when we go. We also get complimentary soft drinks and water, grocery store stop, ride along with Mickey Mouse and Disney Movie for the kids each way. For us to use the Disney Transfers it would be Car service $345.00 so you figure in some tips and it's just about even. There are 5 of us going but 3 of them are kids.

Heidi

 

[Cruise04]

We also decided on the car rental for our Sept cruise. Was just going to be much more affordable and give us more moulah for either the cruise or WDW.

 

[crisi]

One of the values of a towncar/van/limo over transfers is that you schedule it, rather than them scheduling it. With a towncar, they wait for you....with Disney transfers, you wait for the bus to fill - may make a few resort stops, etc.

'Course it gets even better with a rental car and the car is at your complete disposal.

(Our party of four did fine in a towncar, but two of us were little kids. But yes, four people using transfers is probably going to be cheaper than four in a van. People are getting by "cheaper" because they are putting four people in a towncar).

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Also, I would rather not sit that close to someone for 45 minutes if I have to. 3 adults in the backseat of any car is not my idea of a good time.

After reading this... I wonder how you'd do in a Disney bus? I'm sure you'll be right next to people.... just like you would in the back of a car. Unless I'm wrong and there is lots of space between the seats on the bus?

 

[ktglads]

Well, I was figuring that the bus you could give them everything besides something the size of a purse. You can fit that on the floor easily on a bus. In a towncar, we will have to first fit our luggage in the trunk, which I know will not happen since we are all packing for 1.5 weeks. Plus, there is the option of being able to stand up on the bus if the need becomes necessary. I am really thinking now of taking a van down and, depending on what resort we pick for the summer, either a van or the disney shuttle back. I have tried working every combination of this and this is what I came up with as the cheapest and easiest solution.

If you get a service to pick you up, what time do you tell them? Do you pad in time in case you get delayed in customs or getting off the boat? I would like to get off the boat with the least amount of hassle and having to wait in line. About what time would this be?

 

[crisi]

Our towncar driver was there by 8:00. We had early seating and expected to be to him around then. But we had some lost luggage (which showed up in Ft. Wayne Indiana), and didn't leave until 9:00. He was fine with that.

You'll only be able to check two pieces of luggage per person. And if its big enough that it won't fit in the back of a towncar, you might have some issues if you are all sharing a stateroom. There isn't endless room for luggage storage in a stateroom. We put our big suitcase and our small suitcase under the bed. The kid's carryons went there, too, and we had a single garment bag in the closet. We could have fit much more (and we could have fit much more in the trunk of the towncar), but not a ton more.

Have you considered shipping some luggage back before you get on the ship?

Our dining companions had the same problem - a 3-4 day land/sea combination had them packing both for parks and cruise - different clothing. I think they determined that if they'd ever do that again, they'd ship stuff home.

 

[ktglads]

Well, we are actually figuring this into the equation. That is why we are planning on cruising first so that we don't have to carry all the stuff we buy at WDW on the boat with us. Usually we do the pack one suitcase inside the other trick for our trips, so we would still be at the one suitcase phase at the beginning, giving us less luggage. So shipping stuff back really isn't an option. We could ship the stuff from the cruise home, but by that point, we would be in the hotels so it really wouldn't matter.

 

[crisi]

You could ship stuff to meet you at the hotels. People have done this successfully in the past (not me, but others).

 

[UMTerp]

crisi - you bring up a good point! How big is the trunk of the town car? Has anyone had trouble fitting in luggage for 4 people? What happens if it doesn't fit? I think we will be OK but just wondering.

Thanks!

 

[crisi]

We had a 30" upright, a 21" wheeled carryon, a garment bag, 2 15" wheeled carryons (those cute little kid ones). My husband had his briefcase, I had my carryon duffle. That isn't a lot of luggage for four people, but that fit without problem.

All the suitcases fit under the bed in the room (lift the bed to push a thick suitcase like my upright under), and the garment bag went in the closet (where it didn't fit too well).

 

[UMTerp]

Thanks crisi!

We will have more luggage than what you just described.
I guess I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Thanks!