MCO to Downtown Disney

[sweet tooth]

I arrive at MCO Hyatt about 7 am and cruise out the following day am wondering about going to Downtown Disney to get in the "Mickey" mood. Does someone know who to use for transportation there, how long it takes and how much it costs?

 

Any other ideas on how to spend the day? Thanks, Ele

[poncho1973]

I would bet solid money that you could rent a car and drive there cheaper than you could take a taxi. Especially if you have a family.

 

If you rent a car... please look at this post of mine:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=13555796&postcount=3

There is a tourist trap gas station right next to the airport.

 

Mears Transportation and taxis run 24hrs

 

 

 

 

If you feel really adventurous... you could ride the Lynx bus. If time isn't your concern and you'd like something REALLY cheap (they don't have change, so you need to have exact change) you could visit http://www.golynx.com and plan a trip.

 

To me, it looks like you have two options to take:

 

#42 from the airport (there are signs telling you how to get down to the load point) to the Florida Mall. (Get a transfer) Looks like the bus leaves at the top and bottom of each hour.

 

#43 from the Florida Mall to Sea World (Get a tranfer)

 

#50 from Sea World to Downtown Disney

or

#51 or #11 for the airport to the Lynx Central Station

 

#50 from the Lynx Central Station to Downtown Disney

 

Obviously, the second option is less hassle. It would be easy, but take a bit longer.

[Host Mick]

I don't know if Disney's Magical Express is available to cruise guests but you could ask. The closest resort stop would be The Saratoga Springs Resort. Take the boat over from there.

[sweet tooth]

Ponxho1973 and Mick, thanks for the ideas! Ele

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

I don't know if Disney's Magical Express is available to cruise guests but you could ask. The closest resort stop would be The Saratoga Springs Resort. Take the boat over from there.

 

I am pretty sure you have to show your Disney Hotel key card to use the boats from their hotels to Downtown Disney. This has been my experience when staying at a Disney Resort Hotel such as The Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverwalk.

 

So you may be better off renting a car for 24 hours and not risk using transportation you are not entitled to.

[MC-AZ-07]

I'm not sure if you've already arranged transportation from Orlando to Port Canaveral, but if you do wind up renting a car, you can return most of them in Port Canaveral.

 

Where are you staying the night before the cruise? There is tourist stuff in Cape Canaveral, too, if you felt like just heading straight there from MCO, but it's more space related than Disney, I think.

[sweet tooth]

I'm not sure if you've already arranged transportation from Orlando to Port Canaveral, but if you do wind up renting a car, you can return most of them in Port Canaveral.

 

Where are you staying the night before the cruise? There is tourist stuff in Cape Canaveral, too, if you felt like just heading straight there from MCO, but it's more space related than Disney, I think.

 

We're at the airport Hyatt and it's been too long since I've had a Disney fix so that's high on the list even though we'll be on a long cruise.

[NancyIL]

If my flight arrived at 7 a.m. the day before the cruise, I would skip staying at the Hyatt and reserve a room for 1 night at WDW. You could take the Magical Express bus to your resort, then go to Downtown Disney or even a theme park - if you have leftover park tickets. How are you getting from the airport to the port? If you're using Disney bus transportation, the price is the same whether you take it to the port from WDW or the airport.

 

Another option, as mentioned my MC-AZ-07, is to rent a car, drive to WDW for the day, then drop-off the car the next day in Cape Canaveral. You need to watch the 24-hour clock for pick-up/drop-off so as not to be charged for 2 days of car rental. I have used Avis twice for airport pick-up with drop-off at Cape Canaveral.

[Host Mick]

I am pretty sure you have to show your Disney Hotel key card to use the boats from their hotels to Downtown Disney. This has been my experience when staying at a Disney Resort Hotel such as The Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverwalk.

 

So you may be better off renting a car for 24 hours and not risk using transportation you are not entitled to.

 

I don't remember ever being asked to show a card for any transportation at WDW. Though is technically not allowed, i wouldn't feel bad in that you are a cruise line guest and you're heading over to Downtown Disney to spend some money. I doubt that Disney would want to discourage that.

But if you get "carded", hop on a bus to the Congress Park buildings and walk over from there. It's an 8 minute walk (I timed it) from CP to the first stores of DD.

Map here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/Saratoga.htm look for the little hiker guy on the far right.

[DISNEY CRUISE FAN]

We have never been asked to show cards proving that we are staying at a WDW resort before we have gone on either the boats of the buses.

 

The vacation we had a few weeks ago we went on the boats from downtown disney to saratoga springs to do some timeshare notary business, and no-one questioned us at all.

 

If anyone asks why you are on the boat just say you want to look at DVC, and there is no problems.

[cruzmaven]

As a local, I frequently use WDW transporation around the hotels and Downtown Disney and have never been asked to show a room key. I think the best advice given, however, if you want your Disney fix is to ditch the Hyatt and stay overnight on Disney property. Disney has the service now that gets you, and your luggage right from the airport to your hotel so you don't even have to go to baggage claim. On cruise days, those Disney cruiseline buses are constantly on the road between the port and WDW it should be easy enough to make arrangements for transportation to the ship.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

My reply was based on my personal experience. I woulndt recommend lying to get my way. Personally I would be annoyed if the boats were full of non hotel guest out for a joy ride or because they didnt want to pay for their own transportation. On some evenings the boats are too full to pick up more passengers and people who want or need to get to and from their Disney hotel are left standing on the dock quite a while. Apparently there is inconsistency in checking hotel key cards when boarding.

 

As far as the buses that run from the Disney hotels to the Parks, I guess if someone who was not staying at a Disney property wanted to avoid parking fees they could find a way to the hotel via the boats and then board the free shuttle bus. But that wouldnt be right would it?

 

Are there still signs on the DTD docks saying boats are for hotel guest only?

[ducklite]

No there aren't. As a "local" I often spend a day at WDW. We'll park at Epcot, and thentake WDW transportation to one of the resorts for dinner at a Signature Restaurant before returning to Epcot. Do you really think that WDW is going to tell us that we're not allowed to use the transportation when we're going to spend over $100 on dinner someplace?

 

They like to have people visit the resorts, as they often spend money when they do. Some people like to look around at various resorts to help plan their next vacation. Disney isn't stupid enough to tell people they can't use the transportation system when they might squeeze a few more dollars out of the guest, and it actually costs them nothing, as those buses and boats are running anyhow.

 

I do agree with the others who suggested staying at WDW. I'd rent a car at the airport, stay at WDW, and drop the car off near the port the next day.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

No there aren't. As a "local" I often spend a day at WDW. We'll park at Epcot, and thentake WDW transportation to one of the resorts for dinner at a Signature Restaurant before returning to Epcot. Do you really think that WDW is going to tell us that we're not allowed to use the transportation when we're going to spend over $100 on dinner someplace?

 

They like to have people visit the resorts, as they often spend money when they do. Some people like to look around at various resorts to help plan their next vacation. Disney isn't stupid enough to tell people they can't use the transportation system when they might squeeze a few more dollars out of the guest, and it actually costs them nothing, as those buses and boats are running anyhow.

 

I was speaking specifically of the boats that transport people to and from the various hotels such as French Quarter etc to DTD.

 

So you are saying that those who are not staying in the hotels often use the little boats to travel to and from DTD to the hotels to just walk around?

 

 

Maybe my memory playing tricks on me but I am pretty sure I had to show my room key card. I remember the times I stayed at the French Quarter and Riverwalk the boats were sometimes full and didnt stop to pick us up because they were full. I would be pretty ticked if I knew those boats were full of people not staying at the resort and just wanted to go for a ride.

[ducklite]

We've taken the boats from DTD to a Port Orleans for a meal or a drink. I've never been asked for a room key.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

Ok then its settled.

 

:D Thanks for your reply. :D

[poncho1973]

My wife/I have passes to WDW and go all the time. We have also never once been "carded" on any form of transportation.

 

I've been on the boats from DTD to PO/SS/OKW dozens of times in the last 10 years.

[ducklite]

There was a time, at least 10-15 years ago, when you did need to either be staying on property or have purchased a transportation pass to use the various forms of transportation around WDW. This was before MGM and Animal Kingdom were opened, before the Epcot resort area existed, before Disney had a reason to want people to go from place to place and spend more money.

 

In the past ten+ years the only time I've seen Disney restrict access to any transportation is the express monorail from the TTC to the MK in the early morning to those without early ADR's at Cindy's or who aren't WDW resort guests.

 

Maybe that's part of the confusion. There was a time long ago that transportation access was restricted. :)