Driving and Cruising

[Craig & Lisa]

Hello! My husband and I are in pre planning stages for a Disney Cruise adventure next year. I wouldn't mind flying down but my husband would like to drive. Has anyone driven down and cruised? We are planning a 3 or 4 day cruise and using our DVC points for a 4 day stay either before the cruise or afterwards. How (or where) do you put the car? At least when you fly, transportation is available. Some input would be helpful!

 

[Master Yoda]

It has been a few years but there is a secured parking lot that you can park in for the duration of your cruise.

 

[kal1484]

If you don't do disney's package w/the cruise and land, then you have to park the car at Canaveral. It costs $12 per day. That or you can go up the night before and stay at one of the hotels near the Port that have a Stay and Park rate. If you do the land/sea package you can leave it at Disney and take the bus over to Canaveral.

 

[Craig & Lisa]

If you don't do disney's package w/the cruise and land, then you have to park the car at Canaveral. It costs $12 per day. That or you can go up the night before and stay at one of the hotels near the Port that have a Stay and Park rate. If you do the land/sea package you can leave it at Disney and take the bus over to Canaveral.

The trick there is the fact that it costs less the way we plan on doing it. We have AP's, and are members of DVC so we only have to pay for the cruise itself. It's just that airfare is outragous now and doesn't look like it's going to become any where reasonable anytime soon. So right now driving is our best option.

 

[Laura]

The trick there is the fact that it costs less the way we plan on doing it. We have AP's, and are members of DVC so we only have to pay for the cruise itself. It's just that airfare is outragous now and doesn't look like it's going to become any where reasonable anytime soon. So right now driving is our best option.

Driving down was really easy and convenient. You'll be able to see the ship WAY before you even get there because it's so huge. Just head towards it and follow the signs to the correct terminal. When you get to the correct spot there will be a CM there with a clipboard who will ask for your ID and then give you instructions for unloading and parking and checking in.

For the 3 night cruise it was $36 for parking.

 

[celticdog]

Way back in 2001, we drove down from Virginia. We arrived a few days ahead of our cruise. We stayed in Cocoa Beach at the Doubletree. We drove to MK for a day, spent one day at Kennedy Space Center and one day on the beach. Not in that order. WDW is about an 1 1/2 down the Beeline and it's a fast easy drive.

We also did the 4 day cruise. There is ample parking right in front of the Disney Terminal. I beleive it was $8 per day for parking back then. The whole Cape Canaveral/Cocoa beach area is easy to navigate.

 

[awalkinthepark]

I know in late 2001 we were approached by a gentleman when we were getting dropped off by the in-laws, he was dressed in a uniform offering to help us get our luggage from the vehicle to the ship....as soon as he had our luggage on his cart and we walking to where we needed to go he launched into a spiel about not being a Disney employee and needed to be tipped for his services because he didn't make money any other way. We tipped him and held onto our valuables boarding the ship and the other bags did make it to the cabin ok. We probably could have managed the luggage ourselves....but we did initially think he was a Disney employee and would have tipped for the service....but be prepared if you do get approached if Disney still allows it.

Also check the cruise line materials for parking rates...we were going to park there for our cruise..but at that time hubby had a ext.cab, long bed pick up and it exceeded the limits for car length and we would have had to pay for 2 spaces....luckily my inlaws live about 20-30 minutes away and were willing to drop off and pick up.

 

[shoppingnut]

We probably could have managed the luggage ourselves....but we did initially think he was a Disney employee and would have tipped for the service....but be prepared if you do get approached if Disney still allows it.

Disney does not have a choice in allowing it or not, as port Canaveral isn't owned/runned by Disney. The ports are run separately and that is a specific union job. It's the same here in NY when you go on a cruise.

 

[ChuckElias]

My dad lives near Orlando, so when we cruise, we stay at his place and then drive down. We leave the car in the secure lot across the street from the Disney terminal and have never had a problem.