Beyond confused about morning-of transportation! Help!

[JBird77]

Hi! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May, and clearly I like to start worrying early! Our plan is to fly in to MCO early on the morning of our cruise...but then what? Do we do the ground transportation? (I've heard horror stories about not getting on the ship until 4 p.m. doing that) Do we get a Minnie van? Then I read something about Disney cruise transport buses, and I don't know what the heck those even are! Help!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May, and clearly I like to start worrying early! Our plan is to fly in to MCO early on the morning of our cruise...but then what? Do we do the ground transportation? (I've heard horror stories about not getting on the ship until 4 p.m. doing that) Do we get a Minnie van? Then I read something about Disney cruise transport buses, and I don't know what the heck those even are! Help!

The late arrival at the port via DCL transfers relates to the transfers from WDW resorts. The buses from MCO start running at 9:00 am. It takes about an hour from MCO to the port.

The cost for the DCL transfer (bus) is $39 per person, one way. Depending on how many people you're talking about, it could be less pricey to get a limo, or rental car.

 

[starry_solo]

Hi! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May, and clearly I like to start worrying early! Our plan is to fly in to MCO early on the morning of our cruise...but then what? Do we do the ground transportation? (I've heard horror stories about not getting on the ship until 4 p.m. doing that) Do we get a Minnie van? Then I read something about Disney cruise transport buses, and I don't know what the heck those even are! Help!

Ditto what the prior poster said about the costs. However, since you're flying in the day of (most people recommend flying in the day prior, in case of flight delays), there are other cruise line transfers that are $20/per person (one way) that leave from MCO or $30/per person (round trip).

Here is what I found during my search:
https://www.cruzely.com/the-cheapest-way-to-get-from-the-orlando-airport-to-port-canaveral/
I'm going to spend the extra money and get a private transfer.

 

[JBird77]

So the buses from MCO are the "ground transportation" that are $39/person and run starting at 9. Am I getting it?

Would you take your chances with those buses or limo it? (personal preference)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So the buses from MCO are the "ground transportation" that are $39/person and run starting at 9. Am I getting it?

Would you take your chances with those buses or limo it? (personal preference)

Yes, DCL transfers (ground transportation) is $39 per person.

Personal preference - DCL transfer bus.

 

[JBird77]

Thank you! I can plan a WDW trip with my eyes closed but I don't know anything about DCL! Thank goodness for the Disboards!

 

[Adventurelawyer]

I’d get on the bus, if the math worked out for out party.

TBH I’ve never heard a horror story involving DCL ground transpo and I am aware of the ship, in at least one instance, waiting on DCL ground transportation to arrive at port. I have heard plenty of horrible stories about people not making the ship due to late flights or late private transportation, which the ship won’t wait for. I’ve also personally had bad experiences with limo companies, either not showing up, or getting lost or taking detours by their house.
Arriving at 4PM is really an outlier whether its from the airport or the resort.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

As PPs have stated, DCL transfers (bus) is a very reliable means of transportation from MCO to Port Canaveral.

Having said that the "Horror Stories" about people missing their flight, flight delays and flight cancellations trying to fly into MCO on the day of the cruise should be a bigger concern: https://www.disboards.com/threads/flight-schedule.3767152/#post-61016270

This is DCL information on airport transfers:

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I've never heard of someone not reaching the ship until 4:00pm because they took the DCL transfers. The buses start running out of MCO around 9:00am. The earliest buses will get you to the port right around the time it opens and they run frequently.

The bigger concern is flying in the morning of your cruise. I did that the first cruise I ever took, and it worked out for me. I had a super early flight that got into MCO before 9:00am and everything went smoothly with the flight. I went down to the DCL transfers and ended up on the first bus to the port. But my second cruise, we flew in the night before our cruise, and it was a nightmare of delays. The first delay was a maintenance issue with the flight before ours so our plane was about 45 minutes late getting to our airport. Then we had a multitude of delays caused by bad weather in Orlando. MCO was shut down for a while. There was a point where I started to wonder if I should get our car and start driving to PC because we weren't sure if we were going to be able to get out that night. The flight crew ran out of time and had to be replaced with a new crew. All told, our flight was delayed by about 5 hours. After that experience, I have never again flown in the morning of a cruise and will never do that at any point in the future. If I can't fly in the day before, I won't take the cruise.

 

[4formickey]

Don't let other people horror stories scare you.Depending on your departure city and your time of day things will work out. Thousands of people fly in every day for a cruise that will depart that day without any problem. I always rent a car because it's cheaper for me. If you need to change your flight to arrive a day earlier for peace of mind do that. You have a ton of great hotels around the airport that you can spend the night at and be able to relax.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Don't let other people horror stories scare you.Depending on your departure city and your time of day things will work out. Thousands of people fly in every day for a cruise that will depart that day without any problem. I always rent a car because it's cheaper for me. If you need to change your flight to arrive a day earlier for peace of mind do that. You have a ton of great hotels around the airport that you can spend the night at and be able to relax.

I agree, there are many variables about traveling. Time of year, where you're flying from among them.

If we're flying in, say, late spring-early fall, direct flight (no connections) there's a very nice red-eye flight that leaves at 10:00 in LA (not that late) and arrives at MCO around 6:00 am. That gives us about 9 hours of "wiggle room" if we need to change flights.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Hi! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May, and clearly I like to start worrying early! Our plan is to fly in to MCO early on the morning of our cruise...but then what? Do we do the ground transportation? (I've heard horror stories about not getting on the ship until 4 p.m. doing that) Do we get a Minnie van? Then I read something about Disney cruise transport buses, and I don't know what the heck those even are! Help!

Consider flying in the day before. You can stay at the airport Hyatt. Then take the Disney Cruise Bus transportation. Have Fun!

 

[Dug720]

Yes, DCL transfers (ground transportation) is $39 per person.

Personal preference - DCL transfer bus.

Agreed!

ESPECIALLY taking the risk and flying in the morning of. At least on a DCL bus once you're checked into that, they'll know you are on your way. (ETA:There is a big difference between a red-eye and a morning-of flight from elsewhere. Morning of leaves very little wiggle room unless you are in a major market (and even then your options are dwindling). And it's not just weather. There could be mechanical issues, your crew could have gotten in late the night before and the flight has to be delayed because of their mandatory rest period. There could be weather in other areas affecting planes getting to you. Or just last week FLL got shut down due to torrential rains - no one was leaving there or getting in...and there were a few cruises leaving that day. The truth of the matter is, that while yes there are people who do it without issue, there are a good number who start their vacation super stressed out about it when it could have been prevented by just eating the cost of a hotel the night before.)

 

[jeffbeardreams]

Agreed!

ESPECIALLY taking the risk and flying in the morning of. At least on a DCL bus once you're checked into that, they'll know you are on your way. (ETA:There is a big difference between a red-eye and a morning-of flight from elsewhere. Morning of leaves very little wiggle room unless you are in a major market (and even then your options are dwindling). And it's not just weather. There could be mechanical issues, your crew could have gotten in late the night before and the flight has to be delayed because of their mandatory rest period. There could be weather in other areas affecting planes getting to you. Or just last week FLL got shut down due to torrential rains - no one was leaving there or getting in...and there were a few cruises leaving that day. The truth of the matter is, that while yes there are people who do it without issue, there are a good number who start their vacation super stressed out about it when it could have been prevented by just eating the cost of a hotel the night before.)

Agree on all of this. If you're flying in day-of, you are better off with Disney's transportation because they keep track of you. But I don't recommend flying in the day of a cruise at all. Flight delays are all too common and it's just another thing to worry about.

 

[lfracas1]

Hi! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May, and clearly I like to start worrying early! Our plan is to fly in to MCO early on the morning of our cruise...but then what? Do we do the ground transportation? (I've heard horror stories about not getting on the ship until 4 p.m. doing that) Do we get a Minnie van? Then I read something about Disney cruise transport buses, and I don't know what the heck those even are! Help!

We used to fly in the day of until we got in late once. We were rushed off to the ship but 1/2 our luggage didn’t make it. We didn’t get it till the 3rd day. Now we always fly the day before. Shuttles to the port from a hotel are much cheaper than 39 per person.

 

[YoDisney]

flown in 2x to orlando the AM of the cruise, both no delays & have had success. It is a RISK but both times no weather/flight issues. 1st time, we used the DCL transfers where the Disney Cruise buses will start taking ppl to port canaveral arnd 10am $39/pp each way!
2nd cruise, we used Cortrans shuttle which was $20/pp RT--cheap & great communication all the way thru..got us to port canaveral by 10:30/11am..no delays whatsoever (google cortrans)

 

[bumbershoot]

Our plan is to fly in to MCO early on the morning of our cruise...but then what?

Then you take the DCL transfer. Since you’re new to this and don’t know the route to the port etc, just do the easy thing imo.

You can tag your bags and they’ll be taken to the port and it’ll all be simple.

I've heard horror stories about not getting on the ship until 4 p.m. doing that

I sure would love a link to those stories.

IF that happens in Canaveral it would be because of an accident on the way to the port (look at a map of that road...there are no exits for a LONG while). In which case you would hope to be on a dcl bus and not your own transport.

Leaving from the airport the only reason you would get to the port by around 2 would be because of a later arriving flight. It’s from the resorts when 2 is a regular-ish occurrence. Not always but it can happen.

 

[Adventurelawyer]

Then you take the DCL transfer. Since you’re new to this and don’t know the route to the port etc, just do the easy thing imo.

You can tag your bags and they’ll be taken to the port and it’ll all be simple.



I sure would love a link to those stories.

IF that happens in Canaveral it would be because of an accident on the way to the port (look at a map of that road...there are no exits for a LONG while). In which case you would hope to be on a dcl bus and not your own transport.

Leaving from the airport the only reason you would get to the port by around 2 would be because of a later arriving flight. It’s from the resorts when 2 is a regular-ish occurrence. Not always but it can happen.

Exactly. The only time I have ever heard if a bus coming in after muster, was a DCL bus from the airport was delayed due to an accident on the expressway (no involvement, just delayed) and the boat was departing later than expected as a result. Why? Those passengers were accounted for by Disney.
Boarding the DCL bus is the moment you can relax. You are getting on that ship!

 

[mevelandry]

Hi! We are going on our first Disney cruise in May, and clearly I like to start worrying early! Our plan is to fly in to MCO early on the morning of our cruise...but then what? Do we do the ground transportation? (I've heard horror stories about not getting on the ship until 4 p.m. doing that) Do we get a Minnie van? Then I read something about Disney cruise transport buses, and I don't know what the heck those even are! Help!

Have you thought of Go Port Canaveral ? They are very efficient and less expensive than the DCL transportation. 15$/pp each way.

p.s.: I agree with others... You never know that your flight in not going to be delayed. If you haven’t booked your flights yet, I would suggest leaving the day before.

 

[otten]

If you haven’t booked your flights definitely fly in the day before.

a cruise is too expensive a vacation to risk missing because of a flight delay.