Normally, each bus serves 3 resorts in the same general area (like the EPCOT area, Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk) with pick up between 11:30 and 12:30. You will get an exact time the day before you depart. Your luggage will be taken from your room about 8 am and will go on a truck to the port. You will get to the port in the 1:30-2:00 range (traffic being normal, etc).
There is no question that the
DCL transfers are the easiest way to go; you do get to the port later than many people like. A rental car is typically $40 and up depending on dates, size of car, etc. and you can drop it at a location near the port and shuttle back if you wish to arrive earlier. When figuring the cost of using a rental car, add gas, tolls, and a tip to the porter who takes your luggage.
^^ Exactly this. ^^
We stayed at AKV. Had our baggage picked up at 8am. We kept a day bag with us with things we wanted onboard the ship for a few hours in case our bags / cabin were not available for a bit for whatever reason.
We went over to AKL, had breakfast, checked in with the cruise staff personnel. We were directed to a lounge. We confirmed some paperwork / ID and chilled with some fellow cruisers for maybe 15 minutes. We were then informed the shuttle had arrived. We went out front, boarded the shuttle. We made 2 other stops within the WDW property and then headed off to the port.
Onboard the shuttle there was a video of Disney trivia, cruise info, fun Disney stuff while we enjoyed the ride - completely stress-free.
We arrived at port, checked in, went through security and boarding process (passport check, etc...). We boarded the ship, found out our cabin was ready for us, stopped at the dining rotation requests desk to change our rotation, stopped by our cabin to "regroup," and went up to the lunch buffet that was in progress.
Easy-peasy. Would a rental car or taxi/limo have gotten us there faster? Sure. However, for $35/person, as 2 adults, it was hassle-free, easy, done.
- Dreams
Boarding THE BUS (yeah, the one with the cool windows that means we are - ah! - going on a
Disney Cruise!)
Comfy, albeit blurry LOL
Coming over the hill, do you see it? Eeek! It's our ship! We're going on a Disney Cruise!
Inside the terminal
Check in
Cute ship model
Enter the ship this ------> way
'nuf said
Yum! Dessert at the Lunch Buffet which we had "just" enough time to catch
With, of course, an ocean view
And before long, the ship was moving and we were enjoy the Sail Away Sailabration ("OMG We are on a Disney Cruise!!!)
Yeah, it was fun and exciting from the moment we got on the shuttle. The cute little shuttle with the porthole windows. Wanna see it again? Okay! Since you asked...

(At Port Canavaral)
HTH! Enjoy!