Transport from Orlando airport hotel to Disney Dream.

Hi guys

We are a family of 5 (2A, 15,13,10) booked on 4 night Disney Dream in Sept. We are flying in from Washington DC the night before and plan to stay in an airport hotel the night before our cruise (unless someone can recommend anywhere else). Which is our cheapest option to get to the cruise terminal on embarkation day? Any help or info greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi guys

We are a family of 5 (2A, 15,13,10) booked on 4 night Disney Dream in Sept. We are flying in from Washington DC the night before and plan to stay in an airport hotel the night before our cruise (unless someone can recommend anywhere else). Which is our cheapest option to get to the cruise terminal on embarkation day? Any help or info greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I don't know how much the airport hotel is, but we are also taking a cruise out of Port Canaveral in April and the cheapest hotel we found was actually one of the Disney Value resorts- $120 a night. It was cheaper than the hotels by both the airport and pier. (For the days we need it)

Google Port Canaveral shuttle services and several options will come up. Also check the Florida departures board.

The cheapest transportation for a family of 5 will likely be a one way car rental. The only reason I say "likely" is that it depends on the vehicle size you need. You can find discounts at rentalcodes.com. I've paid as little as $39 or as much as $98 for a minivan. All of the airport area hotels will have shuttle service to/from the airport, which you won't need if you rent a car at the airport.

Your next lowest cost will be a private towncar/shuttle service. FL Tours and Happy Limo are two good, reputable companies.

Depending on your hotel needs/desires, we've done priceline 2.5* hotels for under $40 per night...but for 5, it sounds like you'd need 2 rooms. I paid a bit over $100 when I needed a 6 person suite. These prices included breakfast. I've NEVER found a WDW resort to be the lowest price hotel--those near MCO are typically less and don't charge a resort fee on top of hotel tax. And they include breakfast. Also, WDW is a drive in the wrong direction from the port...that drive may take 20 minutes or an hour depending on traffic. In addition, a WDW hotel won't include breakfast; by the time your feed 5 people, that's significant. You might check COuntry Inn and Suites near MCO if you need a suite. This is a decent hotel--cookies and coffee/tea complimentary on check in and a good breakfast. We also stayed at the Best Western Suites near the port when we had 6 people--it was very basic and I wouldn't choose it again.

There WERE several hotels that offered a cruise package of hotel stay + transportation to the port and back. These used to be quite a bargain, and then prices started to increase. The best one was at the Hyatt Place NW. The on line price included transfers for 2; you had to call the hotel to add extra people to the transfer list (for a fee). I'm using past tense as I haven't used this service recently. The last time I looked it up, I was surprised at how much the fee had increased. Still cheaper than a hotel + DCL transfers, but not the bargain it once was.

Look into car rentals. 5 + luggage would mean a full sized car/ suv or minivan.

We have stayed at the Homewood Suites (hilton) near the airport for both cruises.

http://homewoodsuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/homewood-suites-by-hilton-orlando-airport-MCOGTHW/index.html

There is restaurants next to the hotel and a Walmart just a little bit further down the main drag. There is also the Airport Lakes Park with in walking distance.

We normally fly Southwest from BWI to MCO becasue of how cheap the tickets are especially with the 2 free checked bags.

Look into car rentals. 5 + luggage would mean a full sized car/ suv or minivan.

 

We have stayed at the Homewood Suites (hilton) near the airport for both cruises.

http://homewoodsuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/homewood-suites-by-hilton-orlando-airport-MCOGTHW/index.html

 

There is restaurants next to the hotel and a Walmart just a little bit further down the main drag. There is also the Airport Lakes Park with in walking distance.

 

We normally fly Southwest from BWI to MCO becasue of how cheap the tickets are especially with the 2 free checked bags.

Have you been pleased at the Homewood? How about the shuttle? Are restaurants an easy walk? We have a 2 bedroom suite booked for our pre-cruise night.

Wow thanks so much for all your answers. I think we will go for the car hire for the whole time we are in Florida.

So I have one more question. If we hire the car is there parking facilities at the port and does anyone know the daily rate? Our cruise is 4 nights.

Thanks again guys, really appreciate all this help).

Have you been pleased at the Homewood? How about the shuttle? Are restaurants an easy walk? We have a 2 bedroom suite booked for our pre-cruise night.

The hotel is very nice. The 2 bedroom suite has tons of room. The Master has a queen (maybe a king) full bath with separate sink area with lots of counter space. The other room has 2 queen beds full bath and separate skin area. The living room has a fold out full sized bed, and a table with 3(?) chairs and a small but useable kitchen area. None of the Homewood suites have a resturant or bar in them but they do have a hot breakfast and a light early dinner.

The Long horn, Ihop and Bonefish are an easy walk (with sidewalks) The chick-a-fil and Panera are 2 stop lights to the north and the Walmart Market is about 2.5mils to the north and the normal Walmart is 3 miles. I think the normal Walmart has a liquor store in the same shopping center.

We have only has to use the shuttle for part of our group that flew into MCO late at night but it was prompt. I believe it is shared with the Hampton Inn, but it is based out of the Homewood. I don't know if it also is shared with the Garden Inn across the highway. Since there is 8 or 10 people in our group, we normally get a rental full sized van or 2 minivan. Most rental company have locations in the garage at MCO and a shuttle that will take you from the port to their location in Port Canaveral are. Normally my dad drops us off at the boat and we deal with the luggage. Both times he was able to drop the van off get the shuttle back intime to catch up with us in the Disney check-in line (we also were moving slowly due to 2 or 3 small kids). Then for disembarkation, 1 time we took the disney busses due to staggered flights, the other we all left the boat together and rode the shuttle.

Parking at Canaveral is $15 per DAY, not per night of cruise....so $75 on a 4 night cruise. Another option would be a one way rental, where you would drop off the car near the cruise terminal and get another vehicle after the cruise. The easiest way to do this is for you to drop the family and luggage at the terminal and then return the car. There is a complimentary shuttle back to the cruise terminal.

Parking at Canaveral is $15 per DAY' date=' not per night of cruise....so $75 on a 4 night cruise. Another option would be a one way rental, where you would drop off the car near the cruise terminal and get another vehicle after the cruise. The easiest way to do this is for you to drop the family and luggage at the terminal and then return the car. There is a complimentary shuttle back to the cruise terminal.[/quote']

 

 

Thank you. I think we might go this option.

 

Do you know how long the drive is from the port to Disney hotels?

If traffic is good, it is about an hour from a WDW hotel to the port. However, traffic is not always good....

If you are going to WDW before the cruise, transportation to WDW via Magical Express is a part of your reservation. If you sign up and place the appropriate tags on your luggage, it will be claimed for you and taken to your resort. You go to the Welcome Center (lower level terminal B) and will be taken to your resort.

While staying at WDW, there is really no need for a car--WDW transportation will take you anywhere on property at no charge. The transportation runs to the various parks and to Downtown Disney, so to get from one hotel to another is a bit more complicated--you ride to the nearest park and chance bus.

Obviously you could rent a car at MCO and drive to WDW. Alternatively, many car rental companies have outlets on or near WDW property. Budget is at the Doubletree hotel near Downtown Disney. Another company is located at the Hilton Hotel in this same area. Both offer shuttles but have limited shuttle hours. Still another company is located in the Swan/Dolphin hotel complex which is served by the WDW buses. When you rent a car, it is a 24 hour rental (not calendar day). You save no money by turning it in sooner--rate is the same whether you keep it for 1 hour or 23 hours. Thus, you can pick up the car the afternoon before the cruise. Parking is free at WDW for hotel guests. And then you have the vehicle ready to load up and go to the terminal in the morning. Cost for a mini-van should be about $100 (sometimes there are great specials) + gas and tolls. I've paid as little as $29 or as much as $93 for a minivan for 1 day. If you have young children, there will be an additional fee for car seat rental.

Another alternative that would be less hassle but more cost would be a towncar service. They will pick you up at WDW and take you to the terminal at any time you choose. Cost would be about $160 + tip. If you used the same company to get from the cruise ship back to the airport or to WDW, the total would be about $300.