What time do the DCL transfers leave WDW and how much is parking?

[puffkin]

We are doing a 4 Night on the Disney Dream next year and will be bookending our trip with a stay at AKV and Vero Beach. We will be renting a car during our trip. Depending on car rental rates, we will either do two short rentals or 1 long one and pay to park it at the Port. Just curious how much the parking is there?

Also, what time do the DCL busses pick up guests at WDW and arrive at the port? We would like to try and beat that wave of guests over to the port if possible since we will have our own transportation.

 

[Bree]

Parking http://www.portcanaveral.com/Cruise/Directions-Parking

Busses will pick up anywhere from 10:30am and later (I've seen up until 2pm!). You will not know the time until the night before the cruise.

 

[ppiew]

no matter what time the busses pick up there is seldom a wait at the port. They are VERY efficient and boarding begins usually around 11-11:30. Cost to leave care at the port is $20 per day (at least it was last year). If you drive yourself you will get a boarding number dependent on whether you are Silver, Gold, or Platinum or concierge. It really isn't an issue as far as wait time. you can ck in on line and have everything done before you even get there.

 

[Bree]

no matter what time the busses pick up there is seldom a wait at the port. They are VERY efficient and boarding begins usually around 11-11:30. Cost to leave care at the port is $20 per day (at least it was last year). If you drive yourself you will get a boarding number dependent on whether you are Silver, Gold, or Platinum or concierge. It really isn't an issue as far as wait time. you can ck in on line and have everything done before you even get there.

Boarding number for Gold & Silver & Newbies is based on the Port Arrival Time you select during online check-in. It's not tied to your Castaway Club status. Now, as to when you can select a PAT during online check in IS tied to your Castaway Club status.

 

[puffkin]

Thanks. I did Carnival last year and it took forever to check in, glad to hear DCL is a much better process!

 

[Sir William]

Parking http://www.portcanaveral.com/Cruise/Directions-Parking

Busses will pick up anywhere from 10:30am and later (I've seen up until 2pm!). You will not know the time until the night before the cruise.

We've done this twice. First time the pickup was at 11am with an arrival at the port just after 12 and we had maybe a 5 minute wait to board.

The second time we were asked to be in the lobby by 11am for a 12pm pickup and told not to stray as the bus might arrive earlier. Bus arrived at about 1pm and we arrived at the port at 2.15pm. We boarded immediately after check-in as the terminal was totally empty and were able to go straight to our stateroom.

On our trips from the port to the resorts, we've averaged about an hour after disembarking.

 

[Sir William]

Note: The buses at the port wait to fill up before they depart and then they will typically stop at 2-3 resorts. The buses fill quickly once disembarkation begins but fill slower as the flow of passengers dies off. One time we left about 9am and we waited for about 15 minutes before we left about half full (and we still had 3 resort stops). Depending on traffic, if you're the first stop it'll be about an hour to the resort. If you're the last stop you may take 1 1/2 hours to get to the resort. Same in reverse when going from the resort to the port: if you're the first stop you'll be on the bus longer while making any additional stops.