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tamlyn
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We are brand new to cruising and needing some advice. We are going on the Dream in Jan 2019. We plan on flying into Orlando the day before we leave. Can anyone offer any advice/suggestions on where to stay and a reasonable shuttle service? Just worried about not getting to port on time. Not looking to spend a fortune and want a nice place.

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We are brand new to cruising and needing some advice. We are going on the Dream in Jan 2019. We plan on flying into Orlando the day before we leave. Can anyone offer any advice/suggestions on where to stay and a reasonable shuttle service? Just worried about not getting to port on time. Not looking to spend a fortune and want a nice place.

We like staying at the Hyatt at the airport and using DCL transfers. But the Hyatt won't be the cheapest to stay at, just more convenient.

 

As to "reasonable shuttle service", it depends on how many people you are talking about. If there's just 2 of you, it's probably cheapest to do the DCL transfers. If there are 4 or more of you, rental car, or a town car service would probably be cheapest.

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It depends on which is most important to you--cost or convenience. It is rather a trade off.

If convenience matters, there is nothing easier than the Hyatt MCO with DCL transfers. You don't need to leave the airport at all. You get off your flight, claim your luggage, and go to the hotel IN the airport. In the morning you leave your bags with DCL tags on them in your room and go to the Disney Welcome Center (lower level, terminal B), board the DCL bus, and arrive at the cruise terminal. This is normally the most expensive hotel and DCL bus is $35 per person each way.

 

There are TONS of hotels in the MCO area, many decent ones for under $100 per night. Some have transfers to the cruise terminal as part of a package. Places that used to offer this (might still) are Hyatt Place (different from Hyatt MCO), Hampton Inn, etc. All MCO hotels offer an airport to hotel shuttle. Another option is to rent a car and drive yourself to the port area--one way rentals are easy. Or you can schedule a shuttle that will pick you up at your hotel...or take the free hotel shuttle back to MCO and catch the DCL bus from there.

 

Hotels we like--

Hyatt Place--walking distance from TGI Fridays and they will shuttle your to other restaurants or shopping for a tip to the driver when he's not busy with airport runs

Country Inn and Suites--worst roll away in the world, but otherwise great hotel for under $100 on hotels.com

We've used several others, but these are my top choices.

 

Shuttles--

RJ's shuttle, Cocoa Beach shuttle, etc. Again, there is a long list. Look on line and ask here. There are also more costly towncar and limo services.

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Most things "Disney" happen about 15 minutes before they officially happen. OK, the Welcome Center officially opens at 8:30, but often really opens at 8:15. The first bus leaves about 9:30, arriving at the terminal about 10:15. People on the first bus are the first to enter the terminal. After they have cleared security, it opens to the people who used other transportation.

 

After the first bus, following bus departures are about every 20 minutes OR as soon as the bus fills, whichever is sooner. This means that no one sits on a bus for more than 20 minutes, but if the bus fills up in 10 minutes, it will leave at that time and the next one will start filling. It really is an efficient system.

 

What we often do is to go to the Welcome Center and check in about 8:15. Then we go to the food court and get a quick breakfast...and return to the waiting area by the Welcome Center by 9:15. You will be assigned to a bus when you check in. They don't have a good way to know how many people will be there first thing in the morning. If you check in at 9, you could be on the first bus.....or you could be on the third bus just depending on how many people got there before you did. If more than one bus is full by 9:30, they will pull out about 5 minutes apart. They don't want to overwhelm security by having 200 people show up at the same time; even that 5 minutes or so makes a difference.

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What's the earliest you can take a shuttle and get to the ship? We will be flying in fairly late the night before our next cruise, and this Hyatt/DCL transfer option sounds appealing. But we want to try to get on as soon as possible.

 

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DCL transfer desk opens at 9:00. First bus out is 9:20 (or when full). Takes about an hour to the port.

 

While you could arrive at the port by 10:10ish, check in doesn't start until 10:30. And actual boarding won't begin until 11:30 or so. So, if you take that first bus, you'll be waiting to board at the port.

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We used goportcanaveral for their fly, snooze & cruise package. Shuttle from airport to hotel, room for the night, free continental breakfast, shuttle to the port and then shuttle from port to airport. $162 for me and my dad. DCL transfers alone was $140.

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We used goportcanaveral for their fly, snooze & cruise package. Shuttle from airport to hotel, room for the night, free continental breakfast, shuttle to the port and then shuttle from port to airport. $162 for me and my dad. DCL transfers alone was $140.

Exactly--these are the sorts of packages that the hotels offer. MUCH better financially than staying at the Hyatt MCO, but not as convenient. The other thing is that the hotel offers only one shuttle departure time each morning, so you must operate on their time schedule

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  • 1 month later...

Could stay at a valve resort for about $140 free transportation from the airport you can relax by the pool and go to downtown Disney and sign up for the port shuttle. It my be cheaper that staying at the airport.

 

 

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We have never found a WDW hotel to be less costly than staying near the airport. All of the airport hotels at the 2.5* level offer a breakfast included--quality varies, but it is always enough to hold you till you get to the ship--and transportation to/from the airport. You usually need to call the hotel after you claim your bags in order to get the van to come over; it will take about 10 minutes. If you don't care about brand, Priceline and similar sites have given us winning bids at this level for about $50. Regular prices are in the range of $100-125 for most. And several have transportation to port available at an upcharge price...which is a lot less costly than DCL transfers. These are decent places, not nasties.

 

If you stay at a WDW resort, you will be driving 20 minutes the wrong way (more if traffic). Even if you get a great deal on the hotel, you'll pay for breakfast and for transportation to the cruise terminal which will happen on their time schedule, not yours. We've done a WDW hotel, but I only recommend it if you'll have time to enjoy Disney Springs or the things the resort offers. If you want a pool and a bed, perhaps with a complimentary beverage and cookie on check in, there are closer, cheaper places!

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After doing some more thinking and browsing, I'm leaning towards taking a town car from the airport to a hotel out at Canaveral the Friday night we get in, then simply a shuttle/taxi/Uber to the port Saturday morning. The towncar price is comparable to the DCL transfer for our family of 4 (within $10-20), and the Canaveral hotel will certainly be cheaper than the Hyatt at MCO. Nobody has suggested this, but it seems to make sense--let me know if I'm missing something!

 

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After doing some more thinking and browsing, I'm leaning towards taking a town car from the airport to a hotel out at Canaveral the Friday night we get in, then simply a shuttle/taxi/Uber to the port Saturday morning. The towncar price is comparable to the DCL transfer for our family of 4 (within $10-20), and the Canaveral hotel will certainly be cheaper than the Hyatt at MCO. Nobody has suggested this, but it seems to make sense--let me know if I'm missing something!

 

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Comparing the Hyatt MCO to Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach hotels is apples to oranges. The Hyatt MCO is the most convenient, but also most costly option. A towncar service is the most costly transportation service. And don't forget to add the tip for the driver. The Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach hotels are more costly than the off property MCO area hotels.

 

Your plan will work fine. It will cost you more and you will need 2 means of transportation. The only advantage I see to this approach is that if there is a major accident on the highway on the morning of your cruise, you are already near the terminal and will miss the backup. That does happen rarely...but if it happens, every DCL bus is also caught in the mess.

 

There is no right or wrong. Each of us decides where our price point is and where our convenience point is.

 

Transportation options:

Rent a vehicle one way. Pick up at MCO, drop off at Canaveral/Cocoa. Cheapest, but most hassle Drive passengers to terminal in the morning, then driver can return car and take complimentary shuttle back to terminal. All hotel options still open.

Shuttle to Cocoa Hotel/cruise terminal

DCL transfers

Towncar

 

Hotel options:

Hyatt MCO--most convenient, most costly

Canaveral area--higher priced than MCO area, close to terminal

WDW area--wide range of price

MCO area--lowest cost (generally) Need am car/shuttle/towncar or return to MCO to get DCL shuttle

 

I've done most of the options at one time or another. Things I consider are when I am arriving at MCO, actual costs for my dates after any discounts available, who is in my travel party and what are the priorities on this trip.

 

I will have plenty of time in the morning to sleep a bit late, have a leisurely breakfast, and then do transportation to Canaveral, so keep in ming that going to Canaveral area on arrival day is another hour on the end of an already long travel day. There are no direct flights remaining from my "B" level airport to MCO, so it will always be a long flying day.

 

You situation and your assessment of all these factors will vary. But yes, your plan will work.

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After doing some more thinking and browsing, I'm leaning towards taking a town car from the airport to a hotel out at Canaveral the Friday night we get in, then simply a shuttle/taxi/Uber to the port Saturday morning. The towncar price is comparable to the DCL transfer for our family of 4 (within $10-20), and the Canaveral hotel will certainly be cheaper than the Hyatt at MCO. Nobody has suggested this, but it seems to make sense--let me know if I'm missing something!

 

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While I like the idea of the short shuttle ride the morning of the cruise, as that would be the most relaxing morning pre-embarkation, I would only do this option IF:

 

Your flight arrives at MCO in the early afternoon, or earlier. If your flight arrives at 5:00, by the time you get your bags and find your town car, the earliest it would be is 5:30. And, this is a Friday, so you'll hit rush hour traffic in the Orlando area. Even if you hit no traffic, the earliest you would get to your hotel is 6:30. Then you have to find something to dinner, then get settled into the hotel. This would not be conducive to an early bed time, given how excited the kids will be!

 

We plan on staying at the Hyatt at the airport, and then DCL transfer, if it's inside our budget. If not, then hotel near MCO, and hotel shuttle to port. I don't see the point in going back to MCO to catch the DCL bus. This is an extra transfer at greater cost!

 

As a final note, if you get a town car/taxi/uber, or rental car, you have to figure room for both passengers and luggage. As a family of 4, I don't think taxi/uber/town car would work, given the luggage you will have (with the driver, there will be 5 people in the car). If you do a rental car, I would suggest a minivan to make sure there is enough luggage room, as you don't know what car you may get. Mini van one-ways are *sometimes* pretty costly, but you never know.

 

A big advantage to DCL and hotel shuttle transfers is you know you'll have room for your luggage without a struggle.

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While I like the idea of the short shuttle ride the morning of the cruise' date=' as that would be the most relaxing morning pre-embarkation, I would only do this option IF:

I don't see the point in going back to MCO to catch the DCL bus. This is an extra transfer at greater cost!

 

[/quote']

Most MCO area hotels offer complimentary (included with hotel stay) transportation between MCO and that hotel. While catching the DCL bus is a bit of a hassle, the shuttle from the hotel does not add expense.

 

Uber and towncar services offer multiple options as to type of vehicle. You are correct that you need to choose an option that will handle both the number of people and the luggage. Florida, at least in the Orlando area, does not allow an upcharge for a one way rental of a car--the rental fee is the same whether you use the same or a different drop off location. Some companies offer "coupons" or special rates. Yes, renting a minivan can be over $100 for 24 hours, but it can also be $39. And we had both on a single trip a week apart! Do check sites that offer discount codes if you plan to rent a vehicle.

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Most MCO area hotels offer complimentary (included with hotel stay) transportation between MCO and that hotel. While catching the DCL bus is a bit of a hassle' date=' the shuttle from the hotel does not add expense.

 

Uber and towncar services offer multiple options as to type of vehicle. You are correct that you need to choose an option that will handle both the number of people and the luggage. Florida, at least in the Orlando area, does not allow an upcharge for a one way rental of a car--the rental fee is the same whether you use the same or a different drop off location. Some companies offer "coupons" or special rates. Yes, renting a minivan can be over $100 for 24 hours, but it can also be $39. And we had both on a single trip a week apart! Do check sites that offer discount codes if you plan to rent a vehicle.[/quote']

 

By extra expense, I meant comparing the hotel shuttle to port vs. DCL transfer to port.

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PrincessArlenasDad, thanks for adding to the conversation. And Moki too of course. I had been thinking that the short pre-embarkation shuttle ride would put my mind at ease more than any other option, but I think we will swing for the Hyatt and DCL transfers this time. That will make for a more enjoyable travel day Friday, and gives us a chance to be first into the terminal Saturday.

 

We will be flying from Omaha on a 'blacked out' work day for my wife (she is a school teacher and can't take days before breaks off), so the earliest flight we can catch will be around 5 on Friday. We will definitely have 1 stop, so the best case arrival for us is 10:30-11:00 at night. The extra cost of just crashing at the airport that night and not having to deal with all the luggage the next morning with a 5 year old and 1 year old will be worth the extra cost. Plus, we've never taken a DCL transfer, and we think it will be a fun way to start our trip (we find the Magical Express very exciting).

 

Thanks again to all!

 

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PrincessArlenasDad, thanks for adding to the conversation. And Moki too of course. I had been thinking that the short pre-embarkation shuttle ride would put my mind at ease more than any other option, but I think we will swing for the Hyatt and DCL transfers this time. That will make for a more enjoyable travel day Friday, and gives us a chance to be first into the terminal Saturday.

 

We will be flying from Omaha on a 'blacked out' work day for my wife (she is a school teacher and can't take days before breaks off), so the earliest flight we can catch will be around 5 on Friday. We will definitely have 1 stop, so the best case arrival for us is 10:30-11:00 at night. The extra cost of just crashing at the airport that night and not having to deal with all the luggage the next morning with a 5 year old and 1 year old will be worth the extra cost. Plus, we've never taken a DCL transfer, and we think it will be a fun way to start our trip (we find the Magical Express very exciting).

 

Thanks again to all!

 

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Given your details and the ages involved, the only thing that makes sense is staying at the Hyatt MCO the night before. Check prices thru DCL as well as thru any discount codes you might find/qualify for. DCL is not always the cheapest, especially if you can qualify for a corporate rate.

 

In the morning, the breakfast at the Hyatt is very pricey...again, unless your package includes it "free." We make a trip to the MCO food court where we can eat for about 25% of the Hyatt's cost. The corporate rate usually includes a continental breakfast which is pretty minimal, but enough to get you to the ship.

 

And yes, DCL transfers will have the same sort of movies as Magical Express.

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