Embarkation to Airport Process

[Peaseblossom36]

Hello! I was hoping someone could run me through the process of debarking the ship in Port Canaveral, getting on ME and going through MCO. We’re flying Southwest, so I know we have to take our own luggage from the port to the bus but do I then need to take it from the bus to a Southwest counter?

Last time my DH and I both flew and/or cruised we were young enough to not deal with or pay attention to any of this so I’m really nervous about it. TIA

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello! I was hoping someone could run me through the process of debarking the ship in Port Canaveral, getting on ME and going through MCO. We’re flying Southwest, so I know we have to take our own luggage from the port to the bus but do I then need to take it from the bus to a Southwest counter?

Last time my DH and I both flew and/or cruised we were young enough to not deal with or pay attention to any of this so I’m really nervous about it. TIA

Well, first it's the DCL transfer bus, not Magical Express. The cost is $39 per person one way.

After you eat breakfast, you debark the ship, claim your bags in the terminal (if you set them outside your stateroom door the night before) and bring them through Customs. Then, you will be directed to the correct bus for your airline. Hand over your bags to your bus driver, for storage beneath the bus. Once at the airport, you claim your bags again, and take them to the airline check in counter.

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Well, first it's the DCL transfer bus, not Magical Express. The cost is $39 per person one way.

After you eat breakfast, you debark the ship, claim your bags in the terminal (if you set them outside your stateroom door the night before) and bring them through Customs. Then, you will be directed to the correct bus for your airline. Hand over your bags to your bus driver, for storage beneath the bus. Once at the airport, you claim your bags again, and take them to the airline check in counter.

Thank you. I didn’t realize the buses have a different name depending on where they are going, we’re doing magical express from the airport to a resort at the beginning of our trip. I guess it makes sense the bus to the airport would have a less fun name

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you. I didn’t realize the buses have a different name depending on where they are going, we’re doing magical express from the airport to a resort at the beginning of our trip. I guess it makes sense the bus to the airport would have a less fun name

The Magical Express is a free shuttle to/from MCO and WDW resorts.

DCL transfers run from MCO/port; WDW resort/port; port/MCO; port/WDW resorts and have a cost.

 

[Lynne M]

Thank you. I didn’t realize the buses have a different name depending on where they are going, we’re doing magical express from the airport to a resort at the beginning of our trip. I guess it makes sense the bus to the airport would have a less fun name

It’s more a matter of who runs the bus than where they’re going. WDW’s travel company has the Magical Express buses to transport their WDW resort guests, Disney Cruise Line has the DCL buses to transport their cruise passengers. Even though it looks like one big Disney to the guest, they’re different divisions of the company.

 

[deliela999]

Beware (we learned the hard way) MCO has 2 separate secure areas. If you go through the wrong one you are rewarded with a trip through security again. Make sure you know which way you're going before getting in the line for security.

For the bags you put outside your room on the last night they'll give you color/character coded tags. You'll come off the ship into a big concrete warehouse space to find your bags in the color coded areas, then wind through a long line to customs. I can't speak to the bus portion because we had a car.

 

[ember1205]

It’s more a matter of who runs the bus than where they’re going. WDW’s travel company has the Magical Express buses to transport their WDW resort guests, Disney Cruise Line has the DCL buses to transport their cruise passengers. Even though it looks like one big Disney to the guest, they’re different divisions of the company.

All of the buses are operated by Mears Transportation.

Magical Express is nothing more than the name of the "trip" as the buses are used interchangeably for the different destinations based on who's getting picked up or dropped off and where.

 

[diznymom]

You will have character coded luggage tags to put on your luggage the night before. Once you get off the ship and into the luggage warehouse, grab a porter. They will help you locate your luggage and walk you and your luggage through customs to the bus. (We tip $2 per bag). Get on the bus, the luggage is stored beneath the passengers on the bus. Once at MCO, the bus driver drops you off at the SW area. He then unloads the luggage. You take your luggage to a SW skycap or inside to the SW counter.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

As @PrincessShmoo stated, one is free and one charges a fee. Going to or from the port: you are paying (Be sure to reserve a place early or you will be the last bus out). There are porters to get your luggage after customs to the bus.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

(Be sure to reserve a place early or you will be the last bus out).

You don't reserve a specific bus when you book transfers. They load the bus until full and then it departs, until all people who book airport transfers have been placed on a bus to the airport.

 

[NAB]

You will have character coded luggage tags to put on your luggage the night before. Once you get off the ship and into the luggage warehouse, grab a porter. They will help you locate your luggage and walk you and your luggage through customs to the bus. (We tip $2 per bag). Get on the bus, the luggage is stored beneath the passengers on the bus. Once at MCO, the bus driver drops you off at the SW area. He then unloads the luggage. You take your luggage to a SW skycap or inside to the SW counter.

They will not drop you off at any one airline . You get off the bus on ground level . You have to go up and find your airline desk to check your bags . Sometimes this is across the atrium to A side. You have to read the board. Then you go though security , again find the right side A or B to your gate number. After security you get on the tram to your gates. Again follow the signs when you get off to find your gate.

Like others said..go though customs after you find your luggage , the people will ask where you are going after you clear . On your card which you need to get off the boat you will need to show the people at the buses. Everyone going to the airport gets on the same bus. When the bus is full it leaves.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

You don't reserve a specific bus when you book transfers. They load the bus until full and then it departs, until all people who book airport transfers have been placed on a bus to the airport.

In our case, 3 family's, 3 staterooms, we (carry-on) got off with family #2 (with character disembark luggage tags) who also reserved the bus 2 months ahead . Family #3 got a different character tags than #2 family ( reserved the bus 2 weeks ahead) and we waited as 2 busses departed. Therefore, reservations timing matters.

 

[NAB]

In our case, 3 family's, 3 staterooms, we (carry-on) got off with family #2 (with character disembark luggage tags) who also reserved the bus 2 months ahead . Family #3 got a different character tags than #2 family ( reserved the bus 2 weeks ahead) and we waited as 2 busses departed. Therefore, reservations timing matters.

Was this out of Orlando? Because I can tell you that there you do not wait for a certain bus . You just tell them your going to the airport they look at your card and tell you to follow a coloured line ...maybe red to a bus. Like above posters said they leave when it fills. Everyone is going to different airlines counters.

Character tags have nothing to do with buses. They are where your stateroom is on the ship. You also don’t have to wait to be called to get off. All characters can disembark at the same time. Usually first breakfast people get off then later follow . Unless you decide to take your own luggage off and get off as soon as the ship is cleared.

We just did this in January but have done it 14 times before that. Always the way I posted.

 

[mmouse37]

In our case, 3 family's, 3 staterooms, we (carry-on) got off with family #2 (with character disembark luggage tags) who also reserved the bus 2 months ahead . Family #3 got a different character tags than #2 family ( reserved the bus 2 weeks ahead) and we waited as 2 busses departed. Therefore, reservations timing matters.

The character luggage tags you get at the end of the cruise are based on your deck and location. It does not tie in with when you booked your reservation. Were all your cabins in exactly the same area of the ship? I am guessing not. But if they were and you all got different characters then they changed the system.

The majority of our 43 DCL cruises were out of Port Canaveral and most recently on the May 18th Fantasy and characters based on deck and location has always been the way.

MJ

 

[OKW Lover]

The character luggage tags are simply a method to help find your luggage in the big hall when you get off the ship.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We were all on the same deck but 2 different staging areas (life boat) at PC (Jan 2017). From my understanding the character tags are called as the luggage has been completely set out in the big room for that character. Family #2 (same deck and staging area) was the second character called. We proceeded off the ship, retrieved their luggage and processed out of the building. At that point, no luggage for family #3 was in place under that character's banner. We waited as buses filled and departed.

So reservations for the bus, therefore the same for tight airline times, have nothing to do with the need to get off and retrieve the luggage, merely the location of the stateroom. Learned something new.

 

[NAB]

We were all on the same deck but 2 different staging areas (life boat) at PC (Jan 2017). From my understanding the character tags are called as the luggage has been completely set out in the big room for that character. Family #2 (same deck and staging area) was the second character called. We proceeded off the ship, retrieved their luggage and processed out of the building. At that point, no luggage for family #3 was in place under that character's banner. We waited as buses filled and departed.

So reservations for the bus, therefore the same for tight airline times, have nothing to do with the need to get off and retrieve the luggage, merely the location of the stateroom. Learned something new.

I’m confused they never call the tags at PC. All the luggage is taken off when the ship docks, usually while people are still sleeping. All the luggage is in the terminal when getting off unless you are taking your own off and didn’t leave it out the night before.

You maybe right about having different tags even on the same deck, maybe they do go by muster stations. I just know they are not tied to the buses.

I have heard of the tags been called before but usually when at different terminal other than there own. I have only done PC ..and Miami but didn’t use the buses there.

 

[daisyx3]

When we disembarked in July they sent us right to the next bus with open seating. We did not have bags; we use Delta so we don't see them until we get back to our originating airport.

 

[hnthomps]

We are making this seem more complicated than it is OP! It will be very clear on the day of. You'll decide what to do about your baggage (some airlines participate in a program so you can leave your bags outside your door the last night and not see them again until you land at home, but this is a DIFFERENT set of tags/program from the system where you pick them up in the port terminal first).

Remember to have clothes to change into from your pajamas when you put your luggage in the hall. You can also just carry it all off yourself, some people find that easier, as they don't have to spend time looking for their bags in the warehouse.

You'll have an assigned (early!) breakfast time and can leave the ship after that. Just follow the signs and listen to the prompts and you will get from the ship to the airport with reasonable efficiency. You will get sent to the next bus going to your side of the airport that has open seats, they just go when they're full. At the airport you will claim your bags from the bus and proceed through the airport just as if you were arriving from anywhere else.

 

[ember1205]

There are no reservations for the bus back to MCO. Once you leave Customs, they send you along a specific path to a particular group of buses that is associated with where you're going (MCO versus a resort). The first bus with enough seats open to accommodate you is the one you get on.

We were walking toward the buses and expected to get on one that had just started boarding. We were a party of two and were asked to board a bus that was waiting for a party of two so that it could depart full.