Port Canaveral and Disney?

[NYK9COP]

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to fit Disney (or any Disney theme park) on our port of call visit to Port Canaveral. We are sailing the Breakaway from NY and Port Canaveral is our first stop. We arrive at 1pm and depart at 9pm. Is it enough time to take our 4 year old daughter to any of the Disney parks or anywhere where she can get a taste of Disney with the short amount of time we are there. I saw some mention about Downtown Disney. Any recommendations would be helpful.

[KnightsFan]

It's a minimum of an hour from the cruise port to Walt Disney World. So it is doable, but you'd be severely limited in your time and would be paying the same price as if you were there all day, about $100 each.

 

So I would recommend against it. It's not impossible, but it wouldn't be the perfect experience.

 

Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) is an option, but it's just a shopping and dining complex. So not really much for a 4 year old to enjoy.

[Capt_BJ]

It's a minimum of an hour from the cruise port to Walt Disney World. So it is doable, but you'd be severely limited in your time and would be paying the same price as if you were there all day, about $100 each.

 

So I would recommend against it. It's not impossible, but it wouldn't be the perfect experience.

 

Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) is an option, but it's just a shopping and dining complex. So not really much for a 4 year old to enjoy.

 

Agree 110%

 

the cost effective way to do a park from the port is renting a car ... this cuts into your time even more.

 

a one day one park ticket is over $100 ... you REALLY wanna do ALL day at this price. With your time you MIGHT do ONE good ride and spend the rest of the time just walking around. Don't forget that just getting from the ticket center to the park entr' can be 30 minutes or more .....

 

Down Town Disney is no more .... now Disney Springs ... but still more of a shopping place.

 

IMO keep Disney a secret until you can do it "right" .... (how much do you remember from when YOU were 4?)

 

Consider: a DCL cruise that includes a day at Magic Kingdom arrives b4 dawn and has you at the park close to opening and keeps you there past 6pm ..... just sayin'.

 

Less of a day is just not worth it ESPECIALLY for a first timer, IMO.

[SteerageJoe]

Please allow me to offer an alternate view!

 

We've done the "few hours at Disney" or nearby attractions many times for different reasons. With some planning you get to experience exactly what you set out with the time you have!

 

Assuming you are fully aware of the costs and 75 minutes travel time each way and the fact that you cannot see it all, I would not count out the Magic Kingdom! Pick one activity/sight you want to do there and go for it!

 

If you are less excited about costs, then you can have heaps of fun at Disney Springs while spending hardly any money. There are at least 10 or more exciting and FREE things to do with kids, ranging from boat rides to popular Disney hotels, the monorail, bus rides to see Africa animals at the AK Lodge, Mr Potato Head Assembly, build with Legos, T-Rex Dig Site, and much more.

 

Disney Springs is much more than shopping - it is a gateway to FUN FUN FUN!

 

Orlando does offer many other attractions too.

 

And you can take naps if you let someone else do the driving to Orlando and back!

[msmayor]

A 1pm to 9pm port stop is really an unreasonably short period to consider Disney as a viable option. Your all aboard would be 8:30pm at the latest...so assuming you are off the ship reasonably quickly (by 1:30pm) that gives you seven hours maximum.

 

Now knock off the 2-3 hours of travel time IF you have private transportation booked and waiting for you at the pier ($250 round-trip...I know, we did it back in 2010). Now you're down to 4-5 hours.

 

So your private transportation gets you only as far as the Ticket and Transportation system (if you want the Magic Kingdom). Now add 30 minutes to get to the gates by either monorail or ferry boat (if there's no lines) and another 30 to get BACK to Ticket and Transportation at the end of your visit to meet your private transportation.

 

Now you're at 3-4 hours of park time...when the crowds are usually at their heaviest. Time for at best 3 rides. That's about $350 in admission costs for three rides...$600 when you consider the cost of your private transportation.

 

Can you save on transportation with a rental car? Sure...but now you've lopped at least an hour (or more) of time in the park off, because you'll need to shuttle to the rental agency to get the car, drive and park...shuttle to the monorail/ferry...then allow more time to get back to the car and get it returned and then back to the ship.

 

Now you may wonder...I said we did it with private transportation in 2010. Here's the difference:

 

1) This was not our family's first visit to Disney...it was our fifth or sixth

2) Our kids were teens...lots of energy to go quickly from place to place

3) Our port time was 7am - 7pm. Four more hours, and we were able to get to the gate right at opening before the crowds were bad

4) We already had tickets...days left on old multi-day park hoppers so our only cost was the private transportation.

[SteerageJoe]

It is true that conventional wisdom advise against doing the Magic Kingdom during 1pm to 9pm cruise stops at Canaveral.

 

The biggest argument against this shore trip is cost/value and I agree 100%. You do not get a discount from Disney for half-day visits!

 

HOWEVER, if money is not your main concern then you can ABSOLUTELY make it work. The Magic Kingdom experience is much more than standing in line for rides! If you r short on time and not focused on rides then a whole new world of opportunities open up and you will need less time to see more. The parades are highlights and ultimate Disney experiences.

 

For example - the Festival of Fantasy Parade is at 3pm right when the PM cruise ship folks are arriving. This can be a huge negative or a big help. You can make this event work FOR you if you consider most people would try to be in position no later that 2:30pm along Main Street- meaning getting into the park between 2:30pm and 3pm will be much faster than expected.

 

If you study the parade route then you can plan your viewpoint near the entrance (avoid Main Street) and your movements afterwards. There will be a rush of people leaving after the parade - giving you easier access to other areas as long as you do not have to fight the departing parade crowd.

 

Then you have the Dance Party Parade at 5:45pm - another opportunity to see your favorite characters! Afterwards you may want to think about moving to the exits.

 

There are many online resources available nowadays to help plan your day at Magic Kingdom given the time of year and calendar of events.

 

It will take careful planning and this kind of visit is not for everyone but it is very doable when you are not counting pennies and you can adapt to the situation.

Edited February 13, 2017 by SteerageJoe

[NSPenny]

I agree with all the previous posts about limited time, but if you would like to invest in Disney, I'd recommend Disney Animal Kingdom as an option. With a 4 year old, they just want to see Mickey and get the Disney vibe which is totally possible here. They have some great attractions for small children and the park is smaller which helps from a logistical perspective as well as the chaos and stress. It's easy to do much of this park in 4-5 hours and touch on the main attractions for younger children. Have done all the parks many times with my kids at varying ages, it's still one of the favorites for our family. If you book a private shuttle, the drive both ways would be stress-free also - no worries about getting lost or taking time to pick up or drop off a shuttle. Of course, it would be a pricy day, but if that's not your concerns, it's do-able.

[ommax2]

While I would not choose to do this(my kids would never want to leave WDW that quickly) it is doable. If you want the Disney magic...I would choose Magic Kingdom, I would have bought tickets in advance, and have planned FastPass+ choices 30 days ahead, in the sweet spot of time. I agree that you get there, watch the Parade...and then ride what you can...

for a 4 year old, plan to spend your time in Fantasyland. You want a FP+ for :Peter Pan, Dumbo, and meeting Cinderella at the Fairytale Hall. Plan on seeing Mickey's Phillarmagic(never a line), It's a Small World(very rarely a line) and if you can swing a 4th FP+(after you rode, and saw Princess') ride Winnie the Pooh.

 

You will be now out of time!

 

Plan on NOT eating at the parks...pack snacks in bags, and eat a BIG lunch before you go on the ship...eating at a park, even quick service will take you an hour...no way around this!

 

This will be a push push push day...plan nothing the next day because you all will be exhausted...

 

While a crazy idea, if you need to do it...I get it...

there is nothing like standing, watching your little, staring up at the castle....nothing.... :)

 

Good Luck...next time sail from Port Canaveral and add a few days prior or after for a WDW stop....

 

:)Mary Anne (cruise lover and huge WDW fanatic!)