DCL transportation versus private transportation

[bow0303]

We recently took our 1st Disney Cruise on the Dream and booked another for Oct 2015. We're considering flying into MCO, staying at the hotel located in the airport and taking the DCL transfer to the port the next morning. Another option is taking private transportation to the port. We did that from the Port to WDW. We did use DME from the resort to the airport and liked it. Thinking taking DCL transfer would add to the whole experience but have heard that they don't get you to the port very early. We would prefer to get their as early and possible. Can everyone advise which gives you the best experience and being at the port as early as possible?

 

[Tom]

If you're going to the port directly from the airport, DCL transportation is fine. I don't know exactly when they start running, but they will get you there plenty early. We stayed in a Concierge Stateroom in February, and made some fancy moves to get us to the airport, and then to the port. We ended up being the first two guests on the ship, once they opened for the first boarding group (concierge).

We stayed at Boardwalk Villas the night before, so we didn't risk a late plane (like you're doing). We got up early, had Disney manually set a DME time to get us to the airport, then we turned around and got right on a DCL bus to the port. Lots of time on the road, but no hassle and it got us there plenty early.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Tom is right, Disney transfers from the airport are much quicker. We stayed at the Hyatt and went from the airport in November and I was literally the first person in the terminal. I have the pictures (okay, like 100 pictures) to prove it.

 

[MaryJaneP]

Did DCL in Aug 2013 and stayed at hotel at MCO the night before cruise. We were told to be at bus loading in Airport at 9 am. Other guests had arrived before us. It took about a half hour to navigate the lines and about an hour from MCO to PC. We ended up at terminal closer to 11 am and we were one of the last groups to board but we were still on board the Fantasy well before noon. We didn't see any need to arrive earlier than that but your mileage may vary.

 

[bow0303]

Great, thanks for the info. What happens with your luggage? Do you have to pick it up and drop it back off the following morning?

 

[Tom]

Great, thanks for the info. What happens with your luggage? Do you have to pick it up and drop it back off the following morning?

Yes, if you're not arriving on your embarkation day, you will need to take all your bags up to your room. Then, when you get to the DME area, you'll take them over to a "Luggage Desk", after you put your DCL tags on them. They'll load them onto a box truck, and you'll board a bus. Next time you'll see them is in your stateroom.

But again, you will need to get the bags after you get off the plane.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

If you are staying at the Hyatt, you need to pick up your bags as Tom said, but they'll actually pick up your bags from your room the morning of the cruise. You won't see them again until later that day onboard. It's a great perk!

 

[Tom]

If you are staying at the Hyatt, you need to pick up your bags as Tom said, but they'll actually pick up your bags from your room the morning of the cruise. You won't see them again until later that day onboard. It's a great perk!

Oh wow, didn't know that. That's cool!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Oh wow, didn't know that. That's cool!

It is! We loved it.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

If you are staying at the Hyatt, you need to pick up your bags as Tom said, but they'll actually pick up your bags from your room the morning of the cruise. You won't see them again until later that day onboard. It's a great perk!

Oh wow, didn't know that. That's cool!

When checking into the Hyatt in the airport be sure to let them know you're sailing with Disney the next day. They have a handout with instructions and info to give you. The time Tracey & I did the airport Hyatt the night before we chickened-out leaving our luggage in the room and took it down but there was specific instructions for that. You have to let them know at check-in so they can put you on their list to pick up the luggage.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

When checking into the Hyatt in the airport be sure to let them know you're sailing with Disney the next day. They have a handout with instructions and info to give you. The time Tracey & I did the airport Hyatt the night before we chickened-out leaving our luggage in the room and took it down but there was specific instructions for that. You have to let them know at check-in so they can put you on their list to pick up the luggage.

Hah! My parents did that too! They were so worried about leaving it. They were dragging it down and passed the person picking it all up and gave it to him directly.

I wasn't worried! I left it and we were out of there.

And Kelly is right, you should let them know you are on the transfers. There is usually a big sign reminding DCL guests to let them know at check in.

 

[EOD K9]

Here is one....My wife and I are taking our ten month old girls in March, we already are staying at SSR the night before and DMEing it over from MCO then DCLing it over to the Port. Would it be better to A) leave it that way? B) Rent a car from MCO and drop it off at the Port? C) DME it to MCO then Xfer over to the Port?
Follow up....will Disney still xfer our luggage if we choose B or C? TIA

 

[wdwstateofmind]

Here is one....My wife and I are taking our ten month old girls in March, we already are staying at SSR the night before and DMEing it over from MCO the DCLing it over to the Port. Would it be better to A) leave it that way? B) Rent a car from MCO and drop it off at the Port? C) DME it to MCO then Xfer over to the Port?
Follow up....will Disney still xfer our luggage if we choose B or C? TIA

You cannot drop rentals off directly at the port. You'd be stopping beforehand at an external location(s), most places are about 5 - 10 minutes from port, and then you are at the whim of their transportation will. From experience, I can tell you the AVIS transportation there is not only slow, but they are downright rude...I would just stay with your current plans as it will be the easiest and quickest way with a 10 mos. old without having to gamble being stuck in one of our 80 degree March days (March is usually when we here in Central Florida start seeing the 80s and some rain again) or have to deal with car rental transportation which can be spotty.

 

[EOD K9]

@wdwstateofmind Thanks. This will be our third time on the Dream and wanted to maximize our time on the ship. Didn't know if it would be worth it to get there earlier and also try an upgrade if possible. Also, would anyone know what a rough price increase it is to go from a DFOVSRWV to the same but in Concierge? Sorry for the slight skewing of the thread.

 

[MaryJaneP]

As above. 1. We were in the hotel the night before the cruise so we had to gather our luggage at airport baggage claim upon our arrival. 2. We informed hyatt that we were DCL next am and they gave us instructions on how bags would be picked up next morning in our room. 3. Our bags were picked up by hyatt in the morning and we kept a few as carry-ons. 4. All of our bags that hyatt took were successfully delivered to Fantasy. Number of bags (as best as I can remember) were discussed before hand so we needed to make decisions before check-in at hyatt to tell them how many bags they were transporting to DCL for us.

 

[FlyTriPacer]

B) Rent a car from MCO and drop it off at the Port?...

We've sailed on the Dream twice and both times we have rented a car at MCO and overnighted in the Port Canaveral area. We dropped our car off about 9am both trips and have been in line at the port by 10am on both occassions. We were some of the first folks in the terminal and were on the ship shortly after 11am both times. Haven't decided what we're doing in 2015, but since we're only cruising w/no parks I'm leaning towards DME to Pop the night before and then DCL xfer to the port and vice-versa on the return to maximize our Disney time

 

[bow0303]

Here is one....My wife and I are taking our ten month old girls in March, we already are staying at SSR the night before and DMEing it over from MCO the DCLing it over to the Port. Would it be better to A) leave it that way? B) Rent a car from MCO and drop it off at the Port? C) DME it to MCO then Xfer over to the Port?
Follow up....will Disney still xfer our luggage if we choose B or C? TIA

On our recent trip earlier this month, we rented from MCO and stayed overnight in Cape Canaveral. We dropped the car off the day before the cruise. We took a taxi the next morning to the port which took less than 10 minutes. I don't think you could go wrong with option 1 but from everything I've read seems like you can DME from MCO would get you to port sooner.

 

[EOD K9]

On our recent trip earlier this month, we rented from MCO and stayed overnight in Cape Canaveral. We dropped the car off the day before the cruise. We took a taxi the next morning to the port which took less than 10 minutes. I don't think you could go wrong with option 1 but from everything I've read seems like you can DME from MCO would get you to port sooner.

Hmm. I may try that. Being as we are DVC, we are staying in the bubble the night before to make sure we are there with no flight delays. Do you have a recommended time to be back at MCO with DME to catch the xfers?

 

[bow0303]

Hmm. I may try that. Being as we are DVC, we are staying in the bubble the night before to make sure we are there with no flight delays. Do you have a recommended time to be back at MCO with DME to catch the xfers?

Not really sure, but it seems like you control the time. Sounds like the transfers leave every so often as the busses fill up from MCO. It doesn't seem like the transfers from WDW start until 11:30ish or so.

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

Here's what we did and it worked for us:

We came in 2 nights before and got a rental car to go to Disney. We left the resort on the morning of the cruise at about 8:30 and was at Port by 10. This included stopping for breakfast at a fast food eatery. We were going back to Disney after the cruise for 5 days, so we kept the rental car and parked it at the Port for $75. It was much cheaper than turning the rental in before the cruise and getting one after. The car rental was slightly cheaper than the Disney transfers. (I stalk our car rental sites a few weeks before trips, to get the best deal) and it was slightly more when you factored in parking costs, but not much more. We like having our own car, so this worked for us, especially since we were traveling before and after.