Help with Transportation to/from Port Canaveral

[wwforever11]

Our family is flying to Orlando in December. We have reservations for Universal Studios for 3 nights and then are going to head out for our 4 night cruise on the Dream to the Bahamas. My question is what is the best way to do transportation for the entire time? Should we rent a car? Should we use a van/car/bus service? Or, should be find transportation back to the Airport and then take the Magical Express? Ideas PLEASE!:confused:

[Scrapnana]

Cheapest transportation to and from the pier is going to be a rental car. You need to see what kind of a deal you can get to see if it is worth keeping the car (and paying for parking at the port) or driving it to Port Canaveral, turning it in and getting a one day rental upon your return. If you decided to use the Magical Express back to MCO it is (last time I checked) $35 per person but is convenient. (We waited close to an hour to get to the rental agency and pick up the car after the cruise.)

[Host Mick]

We did a similar thing a few years ago.

A limo service was very convenient for the airport to Universal then to WDW (we didn't go to the port)

Most have published rates on the internet so that you can compare.

We never had the need for a car when we were in the parks so we never got one. Be sure to add in the cost of parking when figuring the costs.

[marina__]

Check this website http://www.port-canaveral-transportation.net/

the rates seem reasonable and they offer a variety of vehicles :cool:

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Rental car if limo service not DCL bus too expensive.

[moki'smommy]

Magical Express is a free service between MCO and WDW resorts. It will not get you to Port Canaveral--it doesn't go there.

 

DCL transfers are $35 per person each way. That rapidly adds up. Parking at/near the terminal can range from free to $15 per day (or has it gone up?)

 

First, find out if you hotel offers transportation from the airport to the hotel. We have never needed a car when staying at WDW, so have done one way rentals when needed; I don't know much about Universal and how that would work.

 

To get from Universal to Port Canaveral, you can do a one way car rental (turn it in near PC and take the shuttle free back to the port) or pay for the car and have it waiting for you. Alternatively, use a limo service; there are lots of good ones. Cost is about the same as DCL transfers for 3-4 people.

 

And you can make a different choice each way--limo to the port, DCL transfers back to MCO for example. One thing to consider. IF you are on a participating airline with an appropriate flight time AND using DCL transfers back to the airport, you can use on board airline check in. This service is amazing. You get your boarding passes and luggage tags in your cabin the day before. Put the tags on the bags and place them in the hall the night before; you next see them at your HOME airport. Magical!

[Want2Cruise]

We are doing the same thing. We are renting a car. We are staying at Royal Pacific for two nights and one night at a hotel by the port before going on the cruise.

[e2011]

Rent the car. It gives you many more options....

[tommyjean]

Where do you book the DCL transfers? I was looking at renting a limo but I love the idea of not having to deal with luggage!! And the limo is the same price (basically).