Orlando or Port Canaveral hotel the night before cruise

[IdigDUG]

Hi everyone,
We will be booking a 4-night cruise on the Dream from Monday, 11/2 to Friday 11/6. We will be flying into Orlando the day before (Sunday). We will not be visiting any parks on Sunday. We will strictly be cruising.

Would it better to book a hotel for Sunday night in Orlando close to the airport or in Port Canaveral?

Thanks.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

If you are traveling with kids, this place is great.

http://www.ihg.com/holidayinnclubvacations/hotels/us/en/cape-canaveral/ccvcv/hoteldetail

 

[ScoutN]

I found the Radisson by the port is very nice too. I use DVC points most time the night before. If I don't want to use those I stay at the Rad.

 

[IdigDUG]

Thank you for the responses. Seems like staying in Port Canaveral is preferred over staying in Orlando.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I did think of one thing in Orlando to do for fun. Staying near the new I-Drive 360 complex could provide an evening of dining, live music, and fun.

http://i-drive360.com

 

[Brian & Jill]

Stay right at the Hyatt at Orlando Airport. You can get picked up Monday morning for the boat. When you fly in Sunday make sure your cruise line tags are NOT on your bags when you leave home. When you check in at the Hyatt you you can set it up so the cruise line will pick up your bags right from your hotel room and get them to the ship for you. We will be doing this for our second time when we go for our cruise in 2 months. It is a very smooth process. You also have a wide variety of places to eat right there at the airport.

 

[MaryJaneP]

We also stayed at Hyatt at airport and we highly recommend it. Great room. Great food choices (both hotel and airport). Bags easy as Brian&Jill say above. Simple ride early AM on Disney Transport from airport to terminal. We were not the first in the terminal, but since rooms are not ready until after 1:30 p.m., we were in no rush. Overall flawless.

 

[wdwstateofmind]

Cape Canaveral...the night sky there over the ocean sure beats Orlando.

 

[Jonathan Dalecki]

Hyatt at the airport has always been solid for us. Sometimes we'll spring for a room at the All-Star, which honestly isn't too expensive for one night in the off season, just to feel like we're on vacation right away, then catch the bus to the Port in the morning.

 

[djpoore94]

We also stayed at the MCO Hyatt the night before our cruise. Flew in late afternoon (it was so nice to not be up before the crack of dawn like we usually are for vacations) had dinner at the airport and then hung our in our room watching the planes take off and land. We got up fairly early the morning of our cruise departure, had a quick breakfast, grabbed our carry-on bags and headed down to DME. It was the strangest feeling leaving our checked bags in the room and I was really nervous when only two of them showed up, but the third one made it later so all was good. I highly recommend they Hyatt and we'll definitely stay there again for another cruise!

 

[Megan Kelly]

When staying in the Hyatt at the airport, does that get you to the cruise terminal fairly early?

 

[MaryJaneP]

When staying in the Hyatt at the airport, does that get you to the cruise terminal fairly early?

We were not in a race to be first, so we didn't catch the first buses from MCO to PC. We eventually were on a bus closer to 10 AM and got to the terminal and inside (through security and check-in) slightly after 11. We did get a higher group number in the high 40's. We did not end up boarding until well after earlier groups. Some people want to board as early as possible and that is understandable. We, however, did not mind boarding after lunch since we had to drag around our carryon bags and couldn't access rooms until they were available after 1:30. Thus, we waited by eating lunch at the buffet, checking out the navigator schedule, and enjoying simply being onboard.

 

[LAKid53]

We driving down and staying at the Vero Beach DVC resort the night before.

 

[Ralphlaw]

We book one night at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Kidani. It puts us right into the Disney spirit, and there's animals. We don't usually stay there during our Disney World visits because it's so far from everything, but before a cruise, it's perfect.

 

[TomHendricks]

We're staying at the AoA Cars area, we're flying down on Saturday. We're not going to the parks, just going to hang out at the hotel and pool. We are going to go to Downtown Disney Saturday night and have dinner at California Grill and watch the fireworks on Sunday night. Monday well take the bus to the port. I have to make those reservations in a few days, can't wait.

 

[lostpro9het]

We like to bookend the cruise with a night or two in the bubble. It's nice to get in the mood before the cruise and decompress a little after the cruise before the trek home. This fall we have two nights at AKL before the boat and one night at BLT after the boat.