where to stay the night before the cruise?

[apcall]

I am planning in flying in the night before and was wondering whether it was better to stay at the airport Hyatt or something near the port (if there is any)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RickW]

I would say it depends on two things:

- What time are you arriving?
- How are you planning on getting to the port?

The later you are arriving, the more likely you won't want to spend an extra 45 minutes to an hour to get to somewhere by the port.

If you are planning on taking Disney transportation, then you pretty much need to stay at the airport. If you are renting a car, then heading to the port the night before is a pretty good option. If you are taking a towncar service, and stay by the port, then you need to consider how you will get from the hotel to the ship on the morning of the cruise.

Dave's site (http://dcltribute.com/) has a lot of good info about lodging and car rental.

 

[apcall]

wow...didn't think of that....I guess we will fly in Fri night (7 or 8 PM) so the girls won't miss another day of school..... When I usually go the WDW I take a limo, but have never been on the cruise....I guess maybe the simplest way would be to stay at the hyatt and use disney transportation....thanks for your help

 

[CM_Mom]

Although a little pricey, my preference is the Airport HYATT. If you're planning on getting in at 7:00 or 8:00, then it's the quickest way to get settled. If your plane is late like ours was, it's the shortest distance between the plane and the bed! (We finally arrived at MCO at 3:30 AM)

If you're using DCL transportation then the main difference is that if you stay at the Hyatt, DCL transportation picks up directly from there and you leave your bags outside your room with luggage tags on them. If you stay somewhere else, you have to take a shuttle back to the airport (with luggage) to meet the DCL Transportation.

If you decide to rent a car or take a limo then where you are the morning of the cruise doesn't matter as much.

 

[Mickeynutz]

Depending on the size of your party..it might be cheaper to do a one-way car rental from the Orlando airport to Cocoa Beach. Then you can stay right near the port. The driver in the family can drop everyone & luggage off at the port as early as you want to be there and then drop off the rental car and hop on the shuttle bus back to the pier to meet back up with the rest of the group.

We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Cocoa Beach for our pre-cruise night only because it is free for us via use of my husband's Priority Club points. Our plan is to arrive at MCO, get the rental car & go shopping at the Character Warehouse at Beltz Factory Outlet then head to Cocoa Beach for to check-in at the motel. The next morning we plan to spend an hour at the beach & then head to the pier. We also plan to stop somewhere to buy bottled water & beer.

There are some motels near the pier where you can wake up and go out of your veranda and see the ship...that would be cool. A good source for info on motels near the pier and one way car rental info is www.dcltribute.com (hope I am allowed to list that). Good Luck whichever way you decide to go with your pre-cruise planning!

 

[apcall]

I guess the hyatt would be best....but the transportation is still up for graps....rental is out since I am traveling with my 9.5 and 13.5 year old daughters alone (as my x-wife and her husband will probably be canceling)...I guess the decision between the disney transportation and a towncar/limo will come down to cost and personal prereference...thanks for your help

 

[Mickeynutz]

...You were going to go on vacation WITH your ex-wife & her new husband?

 

[mark_story]

It also depends upon the weather. My family and I went down last February and since the weather was pretty nice, we opted to stay the night before at a Best Western in Cocoa beach. My children were able to play in the pool and on the beach.

You don't have that option if you're at the airport hotel.

 

[CM_Mom]

If you're staying at the Hyatt and there are only three of you, then DCL transfers are a great option. You leave your luggage outside your room with the DCL luggage tags on it and it MAGICally appears in your stateroom that afternoon. You take yourself and the girls down to the lobby about 9:00, sign in with the DCL folks and board a bus as soon as there are enough to make a full bus (about 10 or 15 minutes). Then you watch a DCL video on the way to the port. This is hands down for me the EASIEST way to go.

We stayed the Hyatt and were at the terminal meeting DD who had just completed her contract and signed off the ship by 10:30.

 

[tvguy]

Hyatt's advantage is location and the special baggage service.
Hyatts disadvantage is it's about twice as expensive as the dozen or so hotels just off the airport property (5 minutes by free shuttle).
We got in at 11:30 pm, stayed at the Sheraton just off the airport. Shuttle picked us up at the airport, and dropped us off the next morning at the Disney buses.
The savings over the Hyatt were within a few dollars of our total bar tab for the week.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

I guess budget really isn't an issue here. But 2 weeks before we arrived the night prior to our cruise we went to priceline and got a room for $35 (fit 4 people). They even had buffet breakfast in the morning. We also had a rental car though.

We arrived at dinner, walked to Chilis and then went to bed. Didn't spend much time in the room, but they did give us a suite. For $35!!! I still can't believe it. Just my two pennies...

 

[apcall]

...You were going to go on vacation WITH your ex-wife & her new husband?

LOL....I know it sounds weird but me, my x-wife, and her husband are the best of friends...its a long story but our divorce was very smooth and amicable. Althought the girls live with me, my x-wife is a very hands-on-mother. But the big thing that makes it work is that there is no alimony, palimony, or child support. When the girls needs something (whether clothes, tuition, etc) WE (my x-wife and I) work together on it. So yes, we do vacation together (not always) as a family. They (my x-wife and her husband) may not be my family, but they our childrens' family. However, we do stay in separate rooms. Our last 2 trips to WDW were taken together and were great.

 

[Mickeynutz]

That is awesome to hear apcall!! That is great that you get along so well with your ex-wife and still parent together as a team and even take vacations together! I work in Child Support Collections so I am well-aware that it doesn't always work out that way. Your children truely benefit from those good adult relationships.

ENJOY your Disney Cruise with your girls...you'll have a blast !

 

[thomprod]

We have crusied twice and flew down the day before in both cases. We stayed at the Clarion Airport, which is a five-minute shuttle ride away from the terminal. We also used the DCL transportation, so on embarkation morning, we got free breakfast at the hotel, gave our bags to the shuttle driver and were taken directly to where the DCL busses load up at the airport. Then onto the buses for our ride to the port. No worries!

 

[disneedee]

where did you stay for $35 and what catagory did you bid? tia.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

where did you stay for $35 and what catagory did you bid? tia.

Hi Tia. I bid for 3 to 3.5 stars. It was a business hotel and right off hand I cannot remember the name of it. It was just outside the airport. Near Chilis and a bunch of other hotels. We bid 2 weeks before our stay and I had started at $20 - it took several attempts before we got an acceptance. Priceline only guarantees a room for 2 but when I called to confirm my reservation I requested 2 beds. When we arrived they only had kings so they gave us a suite with pull out couch. For just one night that we need to only sleep there I would definately do it again. There was a hot breakfast buffet too.

Good luck!

 

[bratray]

TIA = means Thanks in Advance

 

[mmouse37]

In Janaury we bid 3-3.5 stars for an MCO area hotel and got the Crown Plaza...rooms were great...we got two rooms and I bid $45.00 and was accepted. Hotel web site was listing rooms starting at $101.00 per night.

There were redoing interior areas as it had gotten hit pretty hard by the hurricanes, but by now they should be almost done. Pool area was also closed, but we did not have time for pool anyway.


It was a simple entrance to the beeline from the hotel and it took us about under 45 minutes to port.

 

[mmouse37]

In Janaury we bid 3-3.5 stars for an MCO area hotel and got the Crown Plaza...rooms were great...we got two rooms and I bid $45.00 and was accepted. Hotel web site was listing rooms starting at $101.00 per night.

There were redoing interior areas as it had gotten hit pretty hard by the hurricanes, but by now they should be almost done. Pool area was also closed, but we did not have time for pool anyway.


It was a simple entrance to the beeline from the hotel and it took us about 45 minutes to get to the port.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

TIA = means Thanks in Advance

OMG - that is too funny, what a dope.

BTW - we stayed at the Wyngate (or Wingate) hotel for $35.