Suggestions for Transportation to Port

Thank you in advance for any suggestions you can give us. We will be a family of 6 adults and one 17 month old traveling from the Dolphin Hotel to Port Canaveral for our Disney cruise. Looking to see if we could all go in the same vehicle with luggage, stroller and bodies - FYI we will bring our own car seat. Any advice on the most convenient and economical way to get there will be highly appreciated.

Private transportation will be your best option. You basically have 2 options--you can use a towncar/limo service like FL Tours, Happy Limo, RJ's, Southern Elegance, the list of good reliable companies is long. You will select a vehicle based on the number of people and the amount of luggage and pay accordingly. You may need to call the company in order to arrange WDW to port plus port to MCO as some on line sites list only "one way" or "round trip." You will get a price break for using 2 legs even though they are not a round trip. Your least costly vehicle will be a van, but a limo would probably be another option.

Your other alternative is to use one of the car rental companies to rent a full size van. You can do this as a one way rental. One of the major companies has a location in the Swan/Dolphin complex, several others are very near WDW and will provide shuttle service. This will need to be reserved in advance. Some of the car companies (Budget at Cape Canaveral, code CC5) will allow you to store your car seat at their location if you have a rental both ways. Do use a discount code for the rental.

The towncar service will likely cost more but will be less effort on your part. IF you do the car rental, drive first to the terminal and drop off luggage and passengers, then return the vehicle. More on this if you wish.

We were six adults traveling to Port canaveral in June. I rented a minivan from Avis (pick up at the Hilton on Hotel Blvd) for around $75 one way. For a small fee, you can arrange for DCL to pick up your luggage from your hotel room the morning of the cruise which will save you a lot of room.

Personally we use Happy Limo any time we are in Orlando. Yes, the rental car is cheaper, but I prefer the service and the help with luggage etc, as well as less hassle.

Poster has 7 people total. That + luggage isn't going to fit in any minivan I've driven. They'll need a full sized van, whether they drive it themselves or use a limo service. Luggage service only from a WDW resort to the port is $25 for up to 6 pieces (unless that has changed recently). They don't advertise this service, but it has always been available when we've asked. As noted, there are several car rental companies in hotels along "Good Neighbor" row by Downtown Disney. You can take the bus to the Marketplace stop and walk or use their shuttle. Budget is in the Doubleday, someone is in the Hilton, and another company is at the Swan/Dolphin complex.

Yes, it is totally a matter of which is more important, cost or convenience. A service will cost more but they will assist with luggage and you won't have to do anything. A rental is cheaper but you'll have to pick up, return, gas it up, pay tolls along the way, and drive it.

You could just book transfers through DCL from the hotel to the port and from the port to the airport. The price is reasonable and much less hassle than renting and then parking a car.

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You could just book transfers through DCL from the hotel to the port and from the port to the airport. The price is reasonable and much less hassle than renting and then parking a car.

 

 

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While the luggage transfers would be a lot simpler that way, the cost may be a factor. OP has 7 people. At $35 per person each way that's $420 (I believe the 17 month old doesn't pay). Way more than a rental car or town car.

You could just book transfers through DCL from the hotel to the port and from the port to the airport. The price is reasonable and much less hassle than renting and then parking a car.

 

 

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Wouldn't even think about it. They can do a towncar service a whole lot cheaper and be able to leave when they want to, make a store stop if needed, and not have to deal with riding around WDW before heading to the port.

Transfers are the best you can do for a small family. More than 4 people...price and convenience is better by going private.

Poster has 7 people total. That + luggage isn't going to fit in any minivan I've driven. They'll need a full sized van' date=' whether they drive it themselves or use a limo service. Luggage service only from a WDW resort to the port is $25 for up to 6 pieces (unless that has changed recently). They don't advertise this service, but it has always been available when we've asked. As noted, there are several car rental companies in hotels along "Good Neighbor" row by Downtown Disney. You can take the bus to the Marketplace stop and walk or use their shuttle. Budget is in the Doubleday, someone is in the Hilton, and another company is at the Swan/Dolphin complex.

 

Yes, it is totally a matter of which is more important, cost or convenience. A service will cost more but they will assist with luggage and you won't have to do anything. A rental is cheaper but you'll have to pick up, return, gas it up, pay tolls along the way, and drive it.[/quote']

 

I used my situation as a comparison, since the 7th person was an infant. But point well taken. It's a matter of cost versus convenience. Just giving the OP all options and let them decide.

Depending on how much luggage they packed and the suitcase sizes, they may be able to ft 7 people and luggage in a minivan. Bags would have to be placed in the middle isle and in the stow and go compartments. I know because we have done it but we were only going for the 3day cruise on the Dream. A full sized van will have a lot more room.

How many pieces of luggage will the Magic Express allow? Could you send 2 people on the Magic Express with most of the luggage and the other 5 people get a rental? Typicaly there is a pretty big price jump between a midsize vs minivan vs fullsized van rental price. Also, if you have a warehouse club membership, check on the rental prices thru them.

Yeah, you just have to check car rental prices with various discount codes. I once got a minivan for $39 total on a special rate. The one for the return trip was $99 as the special was over! There is no limit to the amount of luggage per person on Magical Express or DCL transfers. You could send one adult + baby on the DCL transfer bus (baby is free), and put 5 people with their carry ons in a minivan--if you were OK with splitting up the group.

DCL sends 2 luggage tags per person, but the bell service people have plenty of extra tags. That honestly might be a great way to go as you'd avoid all the luggage handling hassles! IF you do this, use only the luggage tags for the persons you have purchased transfers for. Then get the extra tags from the bellman. DO NOT use tags with names of people who do not have transfers or DCL has a history of charging for a transfer for them! At any time during your WDW stay, drop by bell services and tell them you need additional tags. After all, babies need a ton of stuff, don't they?

The only downside would be all of the luggage going to 1 room, the room of the person going on the magic express but if you are near each other, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

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Or let a grandma from one room take the baby from the other room and tag the bags appropriately. Baby will be listed for transfers even though they are free. Just be sure reservations are linked.

Ooooo, I didn't think of that.

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The real question becomes how much this is worth. It will save $175 on DCL transport fees. They will spend anywhere from $50 - $125 for a minivan, tolls, and gas depending on how good a rental rate they can get on the van. So how much savings is worth the hassle of getting and dropping off the van and splitting up the family for the transport.