Hotels at port canaveral

[Disneyloverliz]

Hi! I have a cruise planned for September 2021. Trying to decide which hotel near port canaveral to stay at. OR maybe at one of the Disney resorts. But also wondering how transportation works. I paid for ground transportation from airport to port. I supose I could change it to airport to resort? And I so, do the resorts have shuttle to port canaveral?

 

[mjkacmom]

No shuttles, the port is 45+ minutes from Orlando.

 

[Starwind]

If you want to use Disney Cruise Line transportation (ground transfers), you have two options. The timings are based on pre-covid information and subject to change.

(1) From the airport to the port - this takes you from MCO airport directly to the port on the day of the cruise. They start running them at about 9 am and a new bus leaves as it is full. The lineup for the buses usually starts 8 am or earlier, so if you want to be on the first bus or two, get there early. For Disney transportation this is the option that will get you to the port the earliest.

(2) From a WDW resort hotel to the port - this takes you from a WDW resort hotel directly to the port on the day of the cruise. These will depart in a window between about 11 am and 1:30 pm - you don't get to pick the time, DCL does. The night before Disney will leave a letter under your room door letting you know when you will be picked up, where to meet for the pick up, and when your luggage will be picked up from your room with instructions on where to leave it. This bus will usually get you to the port after general boarding has been announced, once the bulk of the huge initial crowd is on the ship.

If you browse or search the cruise subforum there are lots of posts about ground transfers as well as other options, and about hotels near the port if you want to explore that option: https://www.disboards.com/forums/disney-cruise-line-forum.9/

 

[mjkacmom]

If you want to use Disney Cruise Line transportation (ground transfers), you have two options. The timings are based on pre-covid information and subject to change.

(1) From the airport to the port - this takes you from MCO airport directly to the port on the day of the cruise. They start running them at about 9 am and a new bus leaves as it is full. The lineup for the buses usually starts 8 am or earlier, so if you want to be on the first bus or two, get there early. For Disney transportation this is the option that will get you to the port the earliest.

(2) From a WDW resort hotel to the port - this takes you from a WDW resort hotel directly to the port on the day of the cruise. These will depart in a window between about 11 am and 1:30 pm - you don't get to pick the time, DCL does. The night before Disney will leave a letter under your room door letting you know when you will be picked up, where to meet for the pick up, and when your luggage will be picked up from your room with instructions on where to leave it. This bus will usually get you to the port after general boarding has been announced, once the bulk of the huge initial crowd is on the ship.

If you browse or search the cruise subforum there are lots of posts about ground transfers as well as other options, and about hotels near the port if you want to explore that option: https://www.disboards.com/forums/disney-cruise-line-forum.9/

It was a long time ago, but we had 6 nights booked through rented points at the BC, followed by a 3 night DCL cruise. We had to arrange transportation from the resort to the port because it wasn’t an official land/sea vacation.

 

[Starwind]

It was a long time ago, but we had 6 nights booked through rented points at the BC, followed by a 3 night DCL cruise. We had to arrange transportation from the resort to the port because it wasn’t an official land/sea vacation.

That is no longer the case. You can book ground transportation directly with DCL to transfer from a WDW hotel to the port without your WDW hotel being booked through DCL. IIRC the cost is $39 per person per direction. We've done it as recently as December 2019.

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/ground-transportation/
SW

 

[mjkacmom]

That is no longer the case. You can book ground transportation directly with DCL to transfer from a WDW hotel to the port without your WDW hotel being booked through DCL. IIRC the cost is $39 per person per direction. We've done it as recently as December 2019.

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/ground-transportation/
SW

Would an Uber be cheaper?

 

[Jen0107c]

Would an Uber be cheaper?

I just looked up my Lyft from last August. From the Grand Floridian to dcl was $108.66 using a Lyft xl.

 

[mjkacmom]

I just looked up my Lyft from last August. From the Grand Floridian to dcl was $108.66 using a Lyft xl.

So like most transfers, cheaper for small parties, more for larger.

 

[lanejudy]

Hi! I have a cruise planned for September 2021. Trying to decide which hotel near port canaveral to stay at. OR maybe at one of the Disney resorts. But also wondering how transportation works. I paid for ground transportation from airport to port. I supose I could change it to airport to resort? And I so, do the resorts have shuttle to port canaveral?

Regarding the bolded -- if you booked DCL transfers MCO -> PC, that will be day of embarkation only, no option for arriving on a different date to take DCL transfers. If you wish to stay at a hotel in the Port Canaveral area, you will need to arrange for alternative transportation -- most use a car rental, though there are some public shuttles. I don't believe any hotels in that area provide a free airport shuttle.

If you'd like to stay at a WDW resort prior to your cruise, you can change the DCL transfers to be WDW -> PC (same price). Others have outlined those details above. You could use the free Magical Express service to get form MCO to your WDW resort. And then the DCL transfers (paid) to get to the Port.

I wanted to point out the difference between DCL transfers ($$ and day-of embarkation/debarkation only) vs Magical Express (free and any date during your resort stay). Depending on the size of your traveling party, private transport to/from the Port may be less expensive that what is offered through DCL. Check out limo services and car rentals.

 

[lizzyb]

We've only ever stayed at a hotel in Cocoa Beach before a cruise. Some do have shuttle options.