Disney Transfer or Town Car -- Your opinions please

[soonergirl8]

Hi all.

 

We are going on our second Disney cruise on November 6 (3-night on Wonder). My 5 year-old daughter and I are going with my mom. We actually fly into Orlando on that Wednesday night and are staying at the airport Hyatt. We only need a transfer one way. We are renting a car to go to the Magic Kingdom on the Sunday after we disembark and want to drive ourselves. Anyway, I was going to do the town car service one way (we used a town car the first time we went for our family of four) but am now contemplating taking the bus with daughter and mom. How does it work and do I need to sign up ahead of time?

 

Anyone have any pros for taking the Disney transfer vs. a town car.

 

Thank you!

[Corndog819]

One of the big perks of the Disney transfers is the boarding passes for your flight on the way home, but since you don't need that I'd suggest just getting the town car service. Probably be cheaper as well.

[crusinmama06]

We always do private tansportation...but make sure you price it out. We have 4 in our family, you have 3. So price out the cost of Disney bus one way verses towncar one way.

 

For us, the towncar from Wilderness Lodge to Port Canaveral was $125 plus tip.

 

So which is cheaper? Yes the private transport is usually more convenient when going TO the ship.

[belle907]

If you take DCL transfers it will cost you $35/person (I think) but the big thing is you don't have to schlep your luggage with you. They will transport it from the hotel to the ship and then up to your stateroom. But there is also the option of renting a car and driving over yourself for about the same cost as your one way rental coming back. This way if you forget anything you can stop along the way and pick it up.

[PoohkinandPiglet]

We rent a car. It has always been cheaper than any of the other transportation we've priced. Plus, it gives you more freedom to stop along the way.

[crusinmama06]

If you take DCL transfers it will cost you $35/person (I think) but the big thing is you don't have to schlep your luggage with you. They will transport it from the hotel to the ship and then up to your stateroom.

 

If you get a towncar, you don't have to "schlep" your luggage either. :D At the Disney hotels, the bellmen pick up the bags, the car meets you at the front door of the hotel, the driver takes the bags from the bellmen, the driver loads the car....then at the port, the driver drops you off at the door and your bags are handed over to the porters.

 

So basically, if you take a towncar you don't touch your bags until they end up in your cabin.

 

But on the way back, yes, it would have been nice not to have to claim our bags. ;) But that's what the baggage handlers in the port are for. They took care of them all. :D

[Host Mick]

If you get a towncar, you don't have to "schlep" your luggage either. :D At the Disney hotels, the bellmen pick up the bags, the car meets you at the front door of the hotel, the driver takes the bags from the bellmen, the driver loads the car....then at the port, the driver drops you off at the door and your bags are handed over to the porters.

 

So basically, if you take a towncar you don't touch your bags until they end up in your cabin.

 

But on the way back, yes, it would have been nice not to have to claim our bags. ;) But that's what the baggage handlers in the port are for. They took care of them all. :D

 

Now I remember why we only took a towncar once. Luggage. We have too much of it. We've really never gotten into that packing light thing so when we travel It takes a few mules, elephants and sherpas to get our belongings to the ship and back. When we had a town car, the trunk was just way too small and we ended up with bags on our laps. We could have got the larger limo but then the price made the DCL coach look better. On our recent RCI cruise we had six suitcases and six carry-ons for four people.:eek: We would have needed two town cars for that.

[crusinmama06]

Now I remember why we only took a towncar once. Luggage. We have too much of it. We've really never gotten into that packing light thing so when we travel It takes a few mules, elephants and sherpas to get our belongings to the ship and back. When we had a town car, the trunk was just way too small and we ended up with bags on our laps. We could have got the larger limo but then the price made the DCL coach look better. On our recent RCI cruise we had six suitcases and six carry-ons for four people.:eek: We would have needed two town cars for that.

 

Been there done that. On Magic our luggage tags said 1 of 12 pieces. Yeah those were the days...when airlines didn't charge you an arm and a leg for extra bags...lol.

 

And all 12 fit in the town car trunk. :D

[ducklite]

Wow. You guys need "Overpackers Anonymous!" LOL!

 

DH and I can go for a week+ with our small roll-on's. Not so much for a cruise, that would be a roll on and a garment bag--still carry-on though! I guess we're the opposite, because we need "Underpackers Anonymous." ;)

[crusinmama06]

Wow. You guys need "Overpackers Anonymous!" LOL!

 

DH and I can go for a week+ with our small roll-on's. Not so much for a cruise, that would be a roll on and a garment bag--still carry-on though! I guess we're the opposite, because we need "Underpackers Anonymous." ;)

 

Maybe you can counsel us...lol. I would LOVE to just take a carry on and go.

 

So how would I fit 7 dresses for 7 dinners times 3 girls - that's 21 dresses and of course we need the right shoes to match. And at least 4 swim suits each. And 7 daytime clothes times 3 girls = 21 outfits plus sandals.

 

AND on Disney - we of course need a bag just for the princess gowns. :eek:

 

Yeah I think I need ALOT of help. :(

 

And we haven't even discussed the hubby and his huge shoes, that take up wayyy top much space. ;)

[ducklite]

Maybe you can counsel us...lol. I would LOVE to just take a carry on and go.

 

So how would I fit 7 dresses for 7 dinners times 3 girls - that's 21 dresses and of course we need the right shoes to match. And at least 4 swim suits each. And 7 daytime clothes times 3 girls = 21 outfits plus sandals.

 

AND on Disney - we of course need a bag just for the princess gowns. :eek:

 

Yeah I think I need ALOT of help. :(

 

And we haven't even discussed the hubby and his huge shoes, that take up wayyy top much space. ;)

 

 

Easy. Leave the dresses and shoes home. Two pair of black or khaki skirts/pants with five matching tops take care of five casual nights. A longer black skirt with two different tops for the formal/semi formal night. One pair of sandals that can be worn during the day and to dinner, another pair for the dress up clothes. The top you change into after showering for dinner is the top you wear the next day. (Obviously not for formal night) You wear the casual sandals onboard, so you are only packing one pair of shoes per person. Take two swimsuits each, I usually take only one! Take a beach sweater that can also be used as a swim coverup or for those slightly chilly evenings for each of you.

 

For your husband, he takes one pair of dress shoes, a sport coat and dress slacks, two pair of chino's. Choose shoes that are just dressy enough to wear with the dress pants but just casual enough to work with the chino's. (that is seriously the hardest part!) Take one dress shirt and a couple Oxfords, if he needs to have them cleaned in between wearings it's $3 or so to send out. He wears on the sandals that he'll wear each day onboard and for shore excursions. Stuff his socks in his shoes for packing.

 

Limit the girls to two princess dresses each. Do basically the same for them that you do for yourself as far as dinner. They can wear the princess get ups on formal and semi-formal night.

 

That should work out to two 24" pullmans and a garment bag between you, plus one small carry on (like a backpack) for each of you. :)

[crusinmama06]

Easy. Leave the dresses and shoes home.

 

Easy? You call that easy? :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

LOL....yes I am a lost cause. :D

[shelbell77]

You only wear the dinner clothes a few hours...don't plan something for every night of the week!!! I did a pair of dress pants, a skirt, and a little black dress for formal/semi (yes I wore the same dress for both). And three little tops. Just mixed and matched my way thru the week.

 

And I sacrifice my beloved shoes for the sake of like packing. Mom and I just got back from a week in WDW followed by a week on the Magic. She brought 12 pairs of shoes. I brought 4. including the ones I was wearing. Guess who had one less bag to deal with? :)

[crusinmama06]

You only wear the dinner clothes a few hours...don't plan something for every night of the week!!!

 

I told you, I am a lost cause. :p

 

Seven nights means 7 different outfits because if not, then we will be wearing the same thing in the pictures more than once. :eek: Oh the shame. :o

 

lol...

(you know I am saying this all in jest...sort of...lol)

[shelbell77]

I told you, I am a lost cause. :p

 

Seven nights means 7 different outfits because if not, then we will be wearing the same thing in the pictures more than once. :eek: Oh the shame. :o

 

lol...

(you know I am saying this all in jest...sort of...lol)

 

Thats why I mix and match! :)

 

I packed, and then got to my mom's house the night before we left, unpacked and took out like 15 things and repacked again. Mom was dumbfounded. But I didn't have a single thing with me that I didn't end up wearing, and was able to utilize a few things a few times. Made a big difference. And the decrease in shoes helped too!

[belle907]

Easy. Leave the dresses and shoes home. Two pair of black or khaki skirts/pants with five matching tops take care of five casual nights. A longer black skirt with two different tops for the formal/semi formal night. One pair of sandals that can be worn during the day and to dinner, another pair for the dress up clothes. The top you change into after showering for dinner is the top you wear the next day. (Obviously not for formal night) You wear the casual sandals onboard, so you are only packing one pair of shoes per person. Take two swimsuits each, I usually take only one! Take a beach sweater that can also be used as a swim coverup or for those slightly chilly evenings for each of you.

 

For your husband, he takes one pair of dress shoes, a sport coat and dress slacks, two pair of chino's. Choose shoes that are just dressy enough to wear with the dress pants but just casual enough to work with the chino's. (that is seriously the hardest part!) Take one dress shirt and a couple Oxfords, if he needs to have them cleaned in between wearings it's $3 or so to send out. He wears on the sandals that he'll wear each day onboard and for shore excursions. Stuff his socks in his shoes for packing.

 

Limit the girls to two princess dresses each. Do basically the same for them that you do for yourself as far as dinner. They can wear the princess get ups on formal and semi-formal night.

 

That should work out to two 24" pullmans and a garment bag between you, plus one small carry on (like a backpack) for each of you. :)

This is how we pack and it saves time and space - not to mention the hassles of extra suitcases.

We used to travel in the days of 2 outfits per day but no more. Too much time stressing what to pack and then to have to deal with the unpacking AND all that laundry at home.

 

The new motto....less is better for packing.

[Host Mick]

snip...

 

That should work out to two 24" pullmans and a garment bag between you, plus one small carry on (like a backpack) for each of you. :)

 

One small carry-on? HAH! I need two carry-ons just for the electronics, cables, batteries and chargers. Just like women are with shoes, us nerds are like that with our electronics.

[ducklite]

One small carry-on? HAH! I need two carry-ons just for the electronics, cables, batteries and chargers. Just like women are with shoes, us nerds are like that with our electronics.

 

What electronics are you taking on a cruise? My small personal item when I fly is a backpack style camera bag. i can squeeze in two DSLR bodies, an 80-200 f/2.8 lens, a 28-70 f/2.8 lens (f/2.8 means one FAT lens!), a 50mm prime, a teleconverter, and a speedlight plus chargers, extra batteries, CF cards, and a few other small odds and ends. My Blackberry charger squeezes in there as well. I've gotten to the point where I dont bring my laptop when I travel most of the time. I'll use a cyber cafe for keeping up on e-mail (or the Blackberry if I'm in the US), and work on photos when I get home. I'd rather use the time enjoying my vacation then in processing.

[Host Mick]

What electronics are you taking on a cruise? My small personal item when I fly is a backpack style camera bag. i can squeeze in two DSLR bodies, an 80-200 f/2.8 lens, a 28-70 f/2.8 lens (f/2.8 means one FAT lens!), a 50mm prime, a teleconverter, and a speedlight plus chargers, extra batteries, CF cards, and a few other small odds and ends. My Blackberry charger squeezes in there as well. I've gotten to the point where I dont bring my laptop when I travel most of the time. I'll use a cyber cafe for keeping up on e-mail (or the Blackberry if I'm in the US), and work on photos when I get home. I'd rather use the time enjoying my vacation then in processing.

 

Between the four of us we had:

1 laptop with cables, spare battery, mouse, USB drives etc.

4 cellphones and two chargers.

2 digital cameras, extra cards, chargers and batteries.

1 digital camcorder charger etc.

1 portable DVD player. charger etc. and a few DVDs

3 or 4 walkie-talkies,

AA NimH batteries and charger.

My PDA and charger, (yes I still use a Palm for the time being.)

My work Nextel and charger.

Handheld GPS.

4 Ipods, 12V and 120V adapters.

 

The funny thing is all of this stuff makes it through airport security without a word being said but the nail clippers in my wife's purse get her the "extra special" search.

[crusinmama06]

Between the four of us we had:

1 laptop with cables, spare battery, mouse, USB drives etc.

4 cellphones and two chargers.

2 digital cameras, extra cards, chargers and batteries.

1 digital camcorder charger etc.

1 portable DVD player. charger etc. and a few DVDs

3 or 4 walkie-talkies,

AA NimH batteries and charger.

My PDA and charger, (yes I still use a Palm for the time being.)

My work Nextel and charger.

Handheld GPS.

4 Ipods, 12V and 120V adapters.

 

The funny thing is all of this stuff makes it through airport security without a word being said but the nail clippers in my wife's purse get her the "extra special" search.

 

 

Yep, we take almost the same electronics here too. That's why we need the sherpa. lol :D

[BAIC03]

Take the transfer. They take all your luggage and put it straight on the ship, and there is entertainment on the bus from Orlando to Port Canaveral, so YOU don't have to worry about entertaining the kids.