Which Disney transportation to Port Canaveral would be preferable ?

[kingdomkeeper]

We are 2 adults, gold castaway club status staying at the Hyatt at MCO the night before our cruise in February 2025.
I would like to know the pros and cons of using Disney transportation from the Hyatt to the port versus Disney transportation from MCO to the port.
I know if we use the MCO transportation we would be responsible for for taking our luggage to the bus but I kind of like that idea rather than leaving it in the hotel room as I then know for definite my cases are actually on the bus.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.

 

[NAB]

It actually doesn’t go on the bus with you either place it goes on a truck .

Never had a problem with leaving the luggage in the hotel or at the resorts. They really have this down to a science. We have been doing this for 20 years.

 

[enzy65]

We stay only at the MCO Hyatt and always use the DCL bus from the airport.
We get to sleep in and can go down to the DCL check in whenever we want. I don’t like waking up early and then waiting for a bus in the lobby like they do when you use the DCL transport from the hotel. We have had breakfast in mccoys and when we are done see the same people waiting for the bus from the Hyatt. An hour wasted in my opinion.
It’s just so easy and I like to keep my luggage until we check in so I see it going on the truck to the port.

 

[kingdomkeeper]

Ok, thank you. I didn’t realize the luggage went on a truck .

For some reason ( maybe because I’m a worrier ) I like the idea of handing my luggage over myself, one point to the MCO bus. Another point for just going to the bus when we are ready BUT what about port arrival time and boarding groups and all that ?
It’s been at least 10 years since I have cruised with Disney so I’m not up to speed with all the changes

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Two adults- did a Wish cruise in November and stayed at Hyatt. We did the transport from Hyatt to port. Easy peasey. We are early risers and platinum castaway-so early wake up call was fine for us. Right when we checked in they confirmed our room number at the hotel and they would be picking up our luggage. Other trips, long ago, we would bring it down to the bus. This was so nice just grabbing the day bag and heading to the ship.

 

[enzy65]

Ok, thank you. I didn’t realize the luggage went on a truck .

For some reason ( maybe because I’m a worrier ) I like the idea of handing my luggage over myself, one point to the MCO bus. Another point for just going to the bus when we are ready BUT what about port arrival time and boarding groups and all that ?
It’s been at least 10 years since I have cruised with Disney so I’m not up to speed with all the changes

I worry about luggage also, so I’m fine hauling it to DCL check in at the airport. I do keep smaller bags and put them on the bus so I have them when the cabins open and I can start unpacking. We also never surrender our bags the last night of the cruise and choose to take them off ourselves.
As for the PAT you do not have to follow that time, when the airport bus arrives at the port you go directly into the terminal.You do have to follow your BG# when it is time to board ship, no early birds.
We kind of like being on our own time schedule for embarkation day. So we will go to the airport bus around 10:30am, check in, wait 10 minutes or so to get on bus, arrive at terminal and wait for BG#, never very long. Go to sit down lunch and then to our cabin. I prefer to have a later time to get on the ship, I’m not one to have to be the first and be in the crazy mess.
Hope this helps you to decide.

 

[kingdomkeeper]

Thank you all.
enzy65 that was my thought also lug the bags to MCO bus so I know they haven’t been forgotten and have smaller carry on’s to see me through the rest of that day and first nights dinner but then I started to second guess myself
Good info regarding the port arrival time.
I am probably going to end up with a late boarding group # as I am going on another trip the day our online check in opens so won’t be able to be up at midnight to try and snag an earlier one.

 

[MsSimone]

Thank you all.
enzy65 that was my thought also lug the bags to MCO bus so I know they haven’t been forgotten and have smaller carry on’s to see me through the rest of that day and first nights dinner but then I started to second guess myself
Good info regarding the port arrival time.
I am probably going to end up with a late boarding group # as I am going on another trip the day our online check in opens so won’t be able to be up at midnight to try and snag an earlier one.

If you are signed up for DCL bus, you won't pick a PAT. You'll get a message in that section of check-in that says you don't have to pick one. If you're taking Disney Transportation, your PAT and BG are assigned automatically.

We cruised last December and I don't remember it in detail, but -- we got the earliest bus and I don't remember which boarding group, but it was fairly early too. They were slightly late starting the boarding, but we didn't have to wait more than an hour for our group to be called.

 

[MickeyD]

Jumping in to piggyback on the great info shared here. We are sailing in February and decided to take the DCL transportation both ways this time (couldn't get a rental car for the return Port-MCO). My question is: how late can you catch the bus to return to MCO on debarkation day? We have a later flight that day (thanks to Delta changing flight times) and will be in no hurry. Also, I am assuming we will need to grab our bags from customs, or can we just walk off with them and hand them over at the bus?

 

[Mommb]

Jumping in to piggyback on the great info shared here. We are sailing in February and decided to take the DCL transportation both ways this time (couldn't get a rental car for the return Port-MCO). My question is: how late can you catch the bus to return to MCO on debarkation day? We have a later flight that day (thanks to Delta changing flight times) and will be in no hurry. Also, I am assuming we will need to grab our bags from customs, or can we just walk off with them and hand them over at the bus?

I am not sure about the latest bus time, but DCL typically wants everyone off the ship by 9 am so they can prepare for the next set of passengers.

You have the choice of leaving your luggage out the night before debarkation and picking it up in the cruise terminal or carrying everything off the ship with you. We always leave most of our luggage to be picked up and taken to the terminal, so we don't have to haul it all to breakfast with us. (If you have early dining, it may be possible to return to your room but the cabin stewards want to get started on cleaning as soon as they see you leaving in the morning.)

 

[enzy65]

I don’t know the last time for the airport bus, but they leave as they fill up.
We are not going to second breakfast, so out of cabin at 8am with our luggage, we might linger until 8:30 or so and then catch the bus. Our flight is in the evening so we are getting a day room at the MCO Hyatt and it’s not available till 10am.
We normally will go to WDW after the cruise and they want you on the bus at a certain time.

 

[MickeyD]

I don’t know the last time for the airport bus, but they leave as they fill up.
We are not going to second breakfast, so out of cabin at 8am with our luggage, we might linger until 8:30 or so and then catch the bus. Our flight is in the evening so we are getting a day room at the MCO Hyatt and it’s not available till 10am.
We normally will go to WDW after the cruise and they want you on the bus at a certain time.

We are planning on just going to the Delta lounge, but I have heard that they no longer allow luggage to be checked earlier than 4 hours prior to the flight? If that is the case, we would have to do something until at least noon. I am so used to having our own transportation and being able to shift on the fly, not this year.

 

[enzy65]

We are planning on just going to the Delta lounge, but I have heard that they no longer allow luggage to be checked earlier than 4 hours prior to the flight? If that is the case, we would have to do something until at least noon. I am so used to having our own transportation and being able to shift on the fly, not this year.

Can’t check luggage in earlier than 4 hours, we are on SW.

 

[MsSimone]

There is a counter at MCO that will hold your luggage for a fee. holdmyluggage
We used them last year and headed to the Springs for a while between our bus and our flight since we have many hours to kill.
We'll do the same thing this time

 

[MickeyD]

There is a counter at MCO that will hold your luggage for a fee. holdmyluggage
We used them last year and headed to the Springs for a while between our bus and our flight since we have many hours to kill.
We'll do the same thing this time

That is great information! Thank you so much!

 

[Dug720]

Ok, thank you. I didn’t realize the luggage went on a truck .

For some reason ( maybe because I’m a worrier ) I like the idea of handing my luggage over myself, one point to the MCO bus. Another point for just going to the bus when we are ready BUT what about port arrival time and boarding groups and all that ?
It’s been at least 10 years since I have cruised with Disney so I’m not up to speed with all the changes

Whenever I've done the bus from a WDW resort, the CM at the meeting point asks how many bags, gets the info, and verifies that they are on the truck. And it's not a 100% recollection, but I'm pretty sure anything larger than airline carry-on size was taken TO the truck from the meeting point.

 

[lanejudy]

My question is: how late can you catch the bus to return to MCO on debarkation day?

You need to be out of the staterooms by 8am, and by 9am the CMs will be strongly encouraging people to debark. As PP mentions, they need all passengers off so they can turn-around the ship for the next cruise leaving later that day. You either take your bags with you or collect them in the terminal before going through customs, then take the bags to the bus. PLEASE don't be that family who dawdles and makes everyone on the bus wait -- the last bus will be held for the final passengers. You'll need to find something to do at the airport to bide your time for a later flight.

 

[MickeyD]

You need to be out of the staterooms by 8am, and by 9am the CMs will be strongly encouraging people to debark. As PP mentions, they need all passengers off so they can turn-around the ship for the next cruise leaving later that day. You either take your bags with you or collect them in the terminal before going through customs, then take the bags to the bus. PLEASE don't be that family who dawdles and makes everyone on the bus wait -- the last bus will be held for the final passengers. You'll need to find something to do at the airport to bide your time for a later flight.

I understand the timing of getting off the ship. This isn't our first DC. My question was more focused on when the last bus actually leaves. We always have second seating so would have late breakfast, I wanted to make sure they leave at least one bus for those that get off later (but by 9am). Thank you for the information regarding the baggage, that I wasn't sure of. The last time we took DC transportation it was probably 20years ago and they checked your luggage at the port and we didn't see it til we got home! Wish that was still a thing, but I get the security issues.

Lisa

 

[Minuet888]

Does it pick you up at any hotel in Orlando and take you to Port Canaveral?
DIfferent DCL transportation options? I asked on a different thread but no one said anything about DCL transportation? We are doing a DW and US vacation prior to the cruise.

 

[pangyal]

We have always been told to be on the airport-bound bus no later than 8:20am, and the buses do indeed leave around 8:30am. I imagine that at least one or two buses would leave shortly after that to allow for everyone who booked transportation to be accommodated, but I would not count one on being able to wait until later than that to depart.
Depending on how many people you have, a private car might be better for your needs.