Coming from CA for 3/4 pkg - best place to stay

[santacruzcruiser]

Our group of 5 (3 generations, 3 adults + toddler + 4 yr) are flying to MCO from CA in April 07 and will arrive around 6 pm. We're thinking about arriving the day before our pkg starts, stay at an airport hotel and transfer to WDW early the next am. We have transfers from WDW to the cruise, but not from the airport to WDW because we will be booking our airline separately. Has anyone else done this and what works the best? What hotels would be recommended? Any airport hotels provide free shuttle to ANK in WDW? Am I asking for too much? :confused: Thanks for the help.:)

[OceanLiner]

Yes we did exactly that when we did our first Disney cruise. The airport has a Hyatt with a very good pool. Fly in a day early and toss the kids into the pool and let them burn off the energy.

By coming in a day early, and then going to WDW the next morning, you will really get extra value in time and money at the parks. There are any number of car services available from the airport to WDW but I am not sure of any free shuttles at this time. The thing you need to watch out for are the services that drop off to serveral different hotels, this could burn up a vast amount of the time that you gained by arriving a day early. Hire a car just for your family.

Be aware that your WDW room might not be ready in the morning. The WDW hotel will check you in, and then secure your baggage in a locked room. You will be given your park passes and are free to enjoy the day even though your room is not yet ready.

At which property will you be staying?

[Momof 2 boys]

I can tell you that we have stayed at the Hyatt also the day before many times. This time we will be staying at the WDW resort for 5 days than 10 day cruise. So....this is how we are doing it also coming from CA and air fare separately. First since we are staying at the resort we have free transportation to our resort hotel through Disney's Magical Express. Call Disney reservations about that. # 407-934-7645. You need to give them your time of arrival. Is there a reason that you don't want to spend an extra night at DW? Instead of another hotel!If it is price they have hotels that you can stay at for like $79.00 a night. You can book that seperatly from your PKG. We have done that before. Also there are things that you can do at Downtown Disney that night without going into the park if it has to do with your hopper pass. We have done that also. We go to the movies..very large Theater there. By the way Disney's Magical express will mail you tags to put on your luggage and once you get on your plane you will not see your luggage again till you get to your room. You get off the plane ,go right to the Bus(they will tell you where) and than you leave. No trip to retreve your luggage they do all that for you....for free. We always pay for our flight seperatly, and take the express. So hope this was helpfull,and have a WONDERFULL time.:D

[santacruzcruiser]

Thanks. I also posted the same question to 'AllMouseEars' (I think that's the right name) and the suggestion was to spend the night before at a Value resort and then checkout and have our baggage went to the Animal Kingdom Resort, where we are staying for 3 days until our cruise portion starts. That seemed like a good suggestion and we are there bright and early the first day of our vacation. I have really enjoyed reading many of the postings and replys with great info and experiences. Thanks so much :D