How does taking a bus from one of the Walt Disney World resorts work? This will be our first cruise and I just want to make sure we don't need to line up additional transportation.
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Buses to Port Canaveral
- Thread starter DisneyDayDreamer
- Start date
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Just be aware that it is easy, but it's not free. It may be cheaper (and just as easy) to either rent a car and drive yourself, or to arrange for car service. In that case, you can leave at a time that is good for you, not a time dictated by the Disney Transfer service.
However, on the other hand, from what I have been told, a Disney transfer is sort of like a DCL sponsored shore excursion. Once you get on the Disney bus, DCL takes care of you. If the bus breaks down on the way to the port, DCL is going to arrange a pick up, and if necessary rush you through check in and even hold the sailing for you. If your rental car breaks down (or your car service), then you are on your own.
Otherwise, it's pretty much like DME, except you pay for it.
-dave
However, on the other hand, from what I have been told, a Disney transfer is sort of like a DCL sponsored shore excursion. Once you get on the Disney bus, DCL takes care of you. If the bus breaks down on the way to the port, DCL is going to arrange a pick up, and if necessary rush you through check in and even hold the sailing for you. If your rental car breaks down (or your car service), then you are on your own.
Otherwise, it's pretty much like DME, except you pay for it.
-dave
EOD K9
Well-Known Member
On my last cruise, our bus broke down about 25 minutes from port. Another bus came and all was fine. We were told once we were on the second bus that they would make this right, but nothing came of it. I was just happy to get to the boat.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
This was a DCL bus? I think that they made it right. Things happen and buses break down. An other came and you made the ship on time. If you were on the side of the road in 100 degree heat for 5 hours, then I could see "making it right", but for a run of the mill breakdown, with really no ill effects, I would not expect anything. Sometimes it's worth the extra money to let other people take care of things for you.
As an aside, this is why I am a fan of both travel agents and DME. Both don't cost you anything extra, but when something goes wrong on a trip and you have an agent, you have somebody in an office, with the skill set and resources to find a solution for you.
With DME, when the airline sends your luggage to the wrong location, it is DME that hunts it down and collects it for you.
-dave
EOD K9
Well-Known Member
Dave, it was 95 degrees that day and no A/C. I wasn’t expecting anything, but when they say they will make it right, that would lead one to believe there would be something done. The other bus had a few people on it and they wanted to know at Port who was on the broken down bus. I don’t know what would have made it right, but I would have been ok with just about anything they would have offered. It could have been a bottle of sparkling apple cider for all I cared. As I said, I wasn’t expecting anything initially, but based on the actions and words, at that point, I was expecting any gesture.
raymusiccity
Well-Known Member
They 'made it right' by getting you on the ship! They'll always wait for a bus that has encountered a delay, but, they won't wait for a rental car. It would be 'Bon Voyage', See Ya Real Soon! Not missing a connection is priceless.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
i could see them making an offer like that given the heat. I wonder if nothing happened because it was Mears as a contractor and not Disney directly and something got mixed up in the communication . I know when I had issues with noise on one cruise they kept giving me small things to "make it right", although all I really wanted was no club music at 2 AM
EOD K9
Well-Known Member
Yeah, if it was only so easy. It was nice knowing though that we wouldn't be left behind because there was a transportation issue.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that was a fun trip. I had booked a porthole stateroom, mainly because my one daughter was now old enough to open the balcony door, and was young enough (and insane enough) that I did not 100% trust her. Due to a series of issues that required moving the date of the cruise, we ended up in the GTY status. They "upgraded" us to a veranda stateroom that was directly over the club. Thanks for that one DCL
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
We've done both, rented and taken the DCL bus from the resort. Will only do the DCL bus from now on. Our first sailing we wanted to be on the boat as early as possible. The DCL bus tends to pick up and get you to port from the resorts a little later, which is just fine with us--we miss the mass waiting to line up and get on the ship. It was great to just breeze through with no line, the staterooms had just opened so we could put our carry-ons in the room without lugging them all over the ship and through Cabanas for lunch. No stress!!
Fear
Well-Known Member
Got an estimate on what time you made it to Cabanas? Trying to see if it's necessary to pack a lunch.
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
They open the staterooms around 1:30 so we were up in Cabanas before 2:00. For us we were fine hunger-wise (and blood sugar-wise for the diabetics in the group); we flew in from the west coast the night before and still were trying to adjust. Plenty of hit food at Cabanas—I’d pack a light snack unless you’re like my DH and can eat 6 meals/day
