From All Star Movies to Port Canaveral

geomelin

Member
Original Poster
Hi

I would like to suggest me a transport company to take my family (4 members) from the hotel to the port.
I would like:
(a) to be able to make the reservation online (and pay beforehand, if possible)
(b) a not very expensive but reliable company
©) to be able to start the journey at about 10am-10:am so as to be early for the check-in proccess at the port.

Thanks
 

geomelin

Member
Original Poster
When I made my cruise reservation I didn't have this option. I had only to choose between aiport to port, port to airport or both!

(a) How do I make an online reservation for DCL transfer from hotel to port? How much does it cost for a family of four? Is it a good choice if I want to be among the first who check in and get on the ship?

(b) Does somebody know a trusted private company?

g
 

geomelin

Member
Original Poster
I thought that if you check in early you can board the ship sooner so as you will be able to enjoy lunch onboard and the pools. Is there anything else I have to consider that I miss?
 

Bolna

Well-Known Member
I think the port currently opens at 10:30am. But boarding does not begin until 11:30am and will be in boarding groups that are numbered. The people with the early port arrival times will be in the first groups allowed to board. So, the most important thing is to get an early port arrival time. Those are given out when you do your online check-in. I guess this is your first cruise, so you can check-in 75 days before your cruise beginning at midnight EST. People who are returning cruisers can do online check-in earlier, so you might not be able to get a very early time. You are free to arrive later than your assigned time and they will also most likely let you into the terminal earlier than your time. But your boarding group is determined by the port arrival time. After the first rush has died down, they will start to announce "open boarding" which means that everyone can board regardless of their boarding group.

So, if you are there at 10:30am and have that as a port arrival time, you will still have to wait until they start boarding and then for your number to be called. And even if you manage to get onto the ship with one of the first groups, some things might even not be open yet. Personally, we like to arrive around 11:45am to 12pm. By the time we got through security and were checked in it was always open boarding. By that time the terminal was never too crowded. We went to lunch immediately after boarding and by the time we were done with lunch it was 1:30pm and we could go to our stateroom and drop our carry on luggage there and then head out to tour the ship.

Personally, I found the first time boarding the ship a bit stressful and confusing and would recommend to just take it all easy and not try to put too many activities into those first hours. Enjoy lunch, tour the ship. While the pools might be emptier in the first few hours, there are other occassins when the pools are not too crowded. I often skip an evening show to use that time to be at the pools as they are really empty then!
 

Bolna

Well-Known Member
Oh - and since you asked about DCL transfers. I personally would not take them to go to Port Canaveral as they leave so late.

If you want to research town car companies, I would suggest to look at the general WDW Trip planning board, you might get recommendations there.

Another, but a bit complicated option woudl be: book a transfer from the airport to Port Canaveral through DCL and then book Magical Express from WDW to the airport. You don't have to prove that you go on a flight there, you can just book it for any transfer at the end of your WDW hotel stay to the airport. However, this might be a lot of time spent on busses and you would still pay 35 $ per person for the transfer to the port. A town car might be far more convenient and not much pricier.
 

geomelin

Member
Original Poster
So, the most important thing is to get an early port arrival time. Those are given out when you do your online check-in.

Thanks Bolna for all your helpful info.
So, I will check-in first (75 days before departure) to get an arrival time and then I will decide about the transfer and the time of the pick-up from the hotel!
 

EOD K9

Well-Known Member
I've taken the xfers from the hotel to the port and its not that bad. Even though I never mentioned it at check in during my previous cruises, the Mouse knows I am cruising. We got a letter and a phone call telling us to have our luggage outside our hotel room and they would transport it directly to the ship. I'll be traveling with my twin toddlers on the next cruise soon and will be using Disney xfers. While you don't get there uber early, it still allows plenty of time to grab lunch. The rooms are usually ready by the time you clear security and board.
 

Gaston's gal

Well-Known Member
Garden Tours and Transportation are also another way to get from the hotel to the port. I have used them for clients and they are great to work with. Angel will take care of you!
 

wdwstateofmind

Well-Known Member
I thought that if you check in early you can board the ship sooner so as you will be able to enjoy lunch onboard and the pools. Is there anything else I have to consider that I miss?
You're not guaranteed earlier admittance just because you show up early. A lot of factors can play into your boarding. First, obviously you have to pick a time slot. That is your initial limiting factor if you cannot get an early enough one. Second, you have no idea how many passengers get priority boarding based on disabilities, castaway cay club levels, etc... IMO about 50% of the ship is Castaway Cay Club based on the fact that about 50% of the people we talk to state that their cruise is not their first DCL cruise. As a first time cruiser this can be on the biggest factors in your wait; there is a huge difference in waits when you're CCC.

Now I'm not saying you're not going to get on early. Just don't expect to show up hours before your assigned time and get annoyed when you end up waiting an hour or more to board the ship. You'll still get on early, but you're going to wait regardless and as busy as it can get, their system usually gets first-timers on pretty swiftly if you just go with what you pick.

Personal tip if you do go early, wear bathing suits, if may be your only time to go on the AquaDuck more than once and without a 20 minute wait. There aren't too many places to change and you won't be able to get it if you pack it.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom