Parking - save money or save time?

[kohlby]

Is it better to park on or off-site? And if off-site, are there any places you would recommend? This will be at Port Canaveral.

 

[RedSox68]

It really depends on your preferences and how much more you want to spend to park on-site.

I can only tell you from my experience in NYC. This question came up when Disney was sailing from Manhattan. We park on-site every time we sail from there. It's much more costly than parking at PC, and there are cheaper off-sites (that require taxi fare anyway), but after parking up there three times, I can tell you that parking on site -- for us -- was well worth the costs. The convenience is unbeatable and you don't have to trek your stuff in a cab to the off-site lot, or leave the family, pick up the car and come back, etc.

 

[Laughfreely]

We like to park in the lot across from the port....I know it costs a little more but it was super smooth and fast to get on the road after our cruise.

 

[mom2brooke76]

We now always park in the garage at PC. We've parked offsite before, but waiting on a shuttle to get back was a pain and nothing can beat tipping a porter to take your bags through customs and all the way to your car for you. Plus, for us the savings was only $30-$40.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

My brother used one of the park and cruise lots just a little ways outside the terminal. A friend of his recommend it for the price and a quick escape once you are off the ship. Check the web sites for pre-paid discounts. The lot he used had a shuttle service, which they all probably provide.

 

[g_ppetto]

Sometimes, time is money... or time is vacation time... It may depend on what you are going to do after the cruise. How much is it worth to wait. Not too long ago we took the AutoTrain south for a trip to WDW. When making our reservation we saw where we could pay a little extra, $50, to be one on the first 20 cars unloaded (it is now 50 cars). We went for it. Sure enough our car was one of the first few off of the train. We were standing in line waiting to check into the Contemporary Resort while they were still unloading cars from the train. We still laugh and giggle about that. It was the best $50 we spent on the trip.

We have a cruise planned out of Port Canaveral later this year and plan to spend a few days at WDW after we get off of the ship. For us, it makes sense to head to WDW asap. We're parking at the port rather than wait for a ride to an off-site location.

Another thing that helped make the decision to park at the port is Google Maps satellite photos of the off-site parking areas. A big lot behind a hotel with no fence is not my idea of a secure location.

What are your plans for after the cruise?

 

[Trera]

We park in the garage every time and typically on the first floor. We come out of the port, jump in the car and go.

After the cruise, the last thing we want is to wait for a shuttle to get to our car to save a few dollars.

 

[hubbard53]

We park in the garage every time and typically on the first floor. We come out of the port, jump in the car and go.

After the cruise, the last thing we want is to wait for a shuttle to get to our car to save a few dollars.

100% THIS! We've only parked in there once (we've only been within driving distance to port for 2 years) but will definitely park there EVERY TIME due to the convenience of being able to hop in the car and GO!

 

[WiscMomof2]

We would rather spend a little more to park at the port than shuttle to and from an offsite location.

 

[kohlby]

Sometimes, time is money... or time is vacation time... It may depend on what you are going to do after the cruise. How much is it worth to wait. Not too long ago we took the AutoTrain south for a trip to WDW. When making our reservation we saw where we could pay a little extra, $50, to be one on the first 20 cars unloaded (it is now 50 cars). We went for it. Sure enough our car was one of the first few off of the train. We were standing in line waiting to check into the Contemporary Resort while they were still unloading cars from the train. We still laugh and giggle about that. It was the best $50 we spent on the trip.

We have a cruise planned out of Port Canaveral later this year and plan to spend a few days at WDW after we get off of the ship. For us, it makes sense to head to WDW asap. We're parking at the port rather than wait for a ride to an off-site location.

Another thing that helped make the decision to park at the port is Google Maps satellite photos of the off-site parking areas. A big lot behind a hotel with no fence is not my idea of a secure location.

What are your plans for after the cruise?

Kid 1 has the ACT test the next day so likely go home. We live close to WDW.

 

[kohlby]

My brother used one of the park and cruise lots just a little ways outside the terminal. A friend of his recommend it for the price and a quick escape once you are off the ship. Check the web sites for pre-paid discounts. The lot he used had a shuttle service, which they all probably provide.

I did start looking into them and all had shuttles. I didn't get too far in looking since I wondered if it made sense. The first one I looked up didn't work with our dates and the second one said they didn't do the Disney cruises. I know there are several more though.

 

[n2mm]

Like the others, we choose to park at the garage at the port. Yep, it cost more, but you’re paying for the convenience of saving you time. We always use the porter service too. They grab our bags and wheel them to the garage. A well deserved tip!

 

[CamColt]

I agree this comes down to what is more important to you. In this situation I go with the "time is money" theory...we spend the extra money to park at the port. Convenience, and saving time so we can get on board with group #1 and start vacation asap.

 

[koala1966]

At PC we always park on site, but we had family that parked offsite there and they had a delay with the shuttles both before and after their cruise. Once in Miami we parked offsite and that was a nightmare. For us time is more important, so we just park on-site everywhere now.

 

[darnheather]

At PC I parked away from the port. With a military discount I save at least $100 for a 7 night cruise. For me that was worth the shuttle hassle. At NYC I parked at the hotel and had a private car to the port. That was NICE. No way was I driving in NYC.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

We’ve driven to port a LOT of times. Only made the mistake of parking offsite ONCE. Never again. It was a horrible experience. Very rude lot & shuttle staff barking orders at everyone. They chewed my husband & brother for trying to ensure our luggage was placed on the shuttle and ordered them onboard before all our bags were loaded. Got to port and we were missing a garment bag. Called back to the lot and it had been left curbside. Then the person on the phone berated my husband for leaving it. When we returned from the cruise we were in line behind a couple families who had been waiting over an hour for the shuttle. It was hot waiting out in the blazing sun. When a shuttle finally came there was only room for a couple when it got to us. We had 3 adults + 4 teens. Hubby & brother hopped on the shuttle to go retrieve the cars while I waited with all the kids & luggage. The guys came back for us & we loaded up. It was the most awful experience. Very chaotic & inconvenient. We vowed never again. That’s the only time we ever parked offsite. Won’t do it again.

 

[FigmentSpark]

We park on site. Our time is worth the cost. Heck, we rent a car (I've gotten great rates for 12 days!) and park it for 7 days. It's still either cheaper or very close to renting, returning and waiting for a shuttle to rent again.

 

[polyqueen]

We park on-site; first few times it was in the preferred lot, but when we got to the car after a 4 night cruise, the interior was sooo hot. We now park on the 3rd floor in the parking garage--very easy for terminal entry.

 

[Kathy K]

We also have parked at the port for both our Disney cruises. We found a porter, got thru customs, followed him into the garage, bags loaded in car, left him a tip and at Animal Kingdom by 9:30. Fantastic use of time.

 

[suedon70]

Six cruises out of PC so far, parked on site in the garage every time. I have a kinda unique reason to do so most of the time: on the 3-night cruises on the Dream arriving back on a Monday morning I have to leave straight from the port as soon as we can walk off the ship and get to work that same morning. So time is literally money for me!