Towncar Service

[eva]

Any recommendations for a good towncar service to take DH and I from a hotel near the airport to port the morning of the cruise?

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

I have used Florida Tours & will be using them for my next trip. Enjoy your cruise!

 

[SteveMP]

Are you talking MCO to port canaveral?

 

[psac]

We've used Tiffany towncars a bunch of times with no complaints. We're using them again in a few weeks. You could also go back to MCO and take the Disney transfer from there.

 

[KVH]

Try Happy Limo. Check MouseSaver for a possible coupon.

 

[RedSox68]

Used Southern Elegance Limos for over a decade -- love them and wouldn't use anyone else.

 

[eva]

Are you talking MCO to port canaveral?

No, we are flying in late the night before the cruise and staying at the Embassy Suites right next to MCO. So the service needs to pick us up there. Then we would like to be picked up at port the following Saturday by 8:00am. We have an 11:50 flight out.

We've used Tiffany towncars a bunch of times with no complaints. We're using them again in a few weeks. You could also go back to MCO and take the Disney transfer from there.

We have used them in the past too. Maybe we will again. Using Disney Transport isn't an option. We want to be at port before 10:00 and we need to leave port on the return early.

 

[TestingH2O]

No, we are flying in late the night before the cruise and staying at the Embassy Suites right next to MCO. So the service needs to pick us up there. Then we would like to be picked up at port the following Saturday by 8:00am. We have an 11:50 flight out.

In my experience, carve ervices will count any airport hotel as the same thing as the airport.

We have used them in the past too. Maybe we will again. Using Disney Transport isn't an option. We want to be at port before 10:00 and we need to leave port on the return early.

DCL busses are going to get you in the port before any other options. The first bus or two gets to go through security before the terminal is even officially open. A car service cannot drop you off before 10:00 per port regulations. When we stayed at an airport hotel, we took the free shuttle in the morning and boarded the first DCL bus. We were in the terminal well before anyone else.

 

[eva]

In my experience, carve ervices will count any airport hotel as the same thing as the airport.


DCL busses are going to get you in the port before any other options. The first bus or two gets to go through security before the terminal is even officially open. A car service cannot drop you off before 10:00 per port regulations. When we stayed at an airport hotel, we took the free shuttle in the morning and boarded the first DCL bus. We were in the terminal well before anyone else.

What time did the first shuttle leave the airport? Is there a way to assure that you get on that first shuttle? I know that the return won't work that way. The first few busses are normally reserved for people that have early flights booked through Disney Cruiseline. We had that problem once and barely made our flight at noon. Even though we reserved the transport when making the reservation, we still had to wait a few buses before they would let us on.

 

[TestingH2O]

What time did the first shuttle leave the airport?

We got in line for transfers at 8:30 and were on the first bus that left at 9:15. The terminal wasn't even officially open yet and there were long lines of non DCL transport people waiting to get in. My family was the third or forth through security and we made it to the concierge desk before the port employee was even there to start checking people in or the kids club CMs were off the ship. I don't know when they started letting the people from other modes of transport enter but the terminal was quite empty for some time after we got there.

 

[eva]

We got in line for transfers at 8:30 and were on the first bus that left at 9:15. The terminal wasn't even officially open yet and there were long lines of non DCL transport people waiting to get in. My family was the third or forth through security and we made it to the concierge desk before the port employee was even there to start checking people in or the kids club CMs were off the ship. I don't know when they started letting the people from other modes of transport enter but the terminal was quite empty for some time after we got there.

I wonder if this is the norm. This is our 9th DCL cruise and we had used Tiffany Towncar, Disney Transfers, and have driven ourselves. I don't remember the DCL transfers getting in before others. When we drive or use towncar we usually arrive around 9:30 and usually get in to line up for security no later than 10:00. Usually in the lobby area by 10:15. Have things changed in the last couple of years? We did a Med cruise last year. So it has been over 2 years since we have been to Port Canaveral.

 

[TestingH2O]

I wonder if this is the norm. This is our 9th DCL cruise and we had used Tiffany Towncar, Disney Transfers, and have driven ourselves. I don't remember the DCL transfers getting in before others. When we drive or use towncar we usually arrive around 9:30 and usually get in to line up for security no later than 10:00. Usually in the lobby area by 10:15. Have things changed in the last couple of years? We did a Med cruise last year. So it has been over 2 years since we have been to Port Canaveral.

This is what the limo services say:

Port Canaveral Rules

Port Canaveral recently passed a new law restricing all transportation companies from dropping passengers off before 11:00 AM. Due to this restriction, FL Tours is unable to pick guests up from the airport or Disney resorts before 10:00 AM.

We've always found them to hold firm on this

 

[CamColt]

We use FL Tours often and they have always been great.

 

[eva]

We use FL Tours often and they have always been great.

Do you find that they won't pick you up before 10:00 am on departure day? The above post states they won't due to port rules. I wonder how they would regulate a towncar dropping off compared to someone driving themselves. We want to be at port before 10:00.

 

[kevjen01]

I second Southern Elegance......so wonderful, been using them for several years. Also wouldn't use anyone else.

 

[eva]

Thanks all! I will definitely check out Southern Elegance. DH has decided we are doing car service for sure. He doesn't want to haul all our luggage back to MCO to pick up a DCL transfer. I called Tiffany and they have no problem with picking us up at 8:30 from our hotel with drop off at port around 9:30. This is what we have always done in the past. I am using Hilton points for our room at the Embassy Suites the night before the cruise. So I guess DH has no problem spending a bit more on a car service. December 2 can't get here too soon!

 

[CamColt]

Do you find that they won't pick you up before 10:00 am on departure day? The above post states they won't due to port rules. I wonder how they would regulate a towncar dropping off compared to someone driving themselves. We want to be at port before 10:00.

Its actually been a few years since I've used them for arrival at the port. I have used them for departure when we had a rental car upon arriving and for WDW trips recently too. That does sound familiar though, something about he port wouldn't let them in before a certain time, but I can't confirm it.

 

[eva]

Its actually been a few years since I've used them for arrival at the port. I have used them for departure when we had a rental car upon arriving and for WDW trips recently too. That does sound familiar though, something about he port wouldn't let them in before a certain time, but I can't confirm it.

Thanks for the reply. Strange that they are saying this when two other services are saying they can get us to the port terminal area by 9:30am. Still wondering how the port can really distinguish between someone driving themselves and a service. In the past we had a black SUV that we drove to port and DH had no problems dropping me right at the area where the porters are taking the bags. I assume that is where the car services still drop you off. Like I said, it has been 2 years since our last cruise out of Port Canaveral. Now I could see it if you were in a shuttle van/bus. But not sure how they can tell otherwise. I went on the Port Authority page about commercial transport and went through the 61 page document attached there. I saw nothing about times that they could enter the port area. I guess the worse that could happen is that we have to wait.

 

[Dug720]

Thanks for the reply. Strange that they are saying this when two other services are saying they can get us to the port terminal area by 9:30am. Still wondering how the port can really distinguish between someone driving themselves and a service. In the past we had a black SUV that we drove to port and DH had no problems dropping me right at the area where the porters are taking the bags. I assume that is where the car services still drop you off. Like I said, it has been 2 years since our last cruise out of Port Canaveral. Now I could see it if you were in a shuttle van/bus. But not sure how they can tell otherwise. I went on the Port Authority page about commercial transport and went through the 61 page document attached there. I saw nothing about times that they could enter the port area. I guess the worse that could happen is that we have to wait.

There is probably a license plate coding system for registered car services. I know in NYC there is. And for Lyft or Uber drivers where people use their own cars (unless they also drive for a car service in which case they already have the coded plate) there is the symbol in the window.

I think i remember seeing people reporting on here that car services were being fined for dropping people off before 11 or whatever - so possibly they *will* drop you off...and just add the fine into your cost.

 

[eva]

There is probably a license plate coding system for registered car services. I know in NYC there is. And for Lyft or Uber drivers where people use their own cars (unless they also drive for a car service in which case they already have the coded plate) there is the symbol in the window.

I think i remember seeing people reporting on here that car services were being fined for dropping people off before 11 or whatever - so possibly they *will* drop you off...and just add the fine into your cost.

Nope, they already quoted me the price. Same as online. Maybe they just factor that cost and average it out over their posted fees. Strange though, Tiffany is actually cheaper than FL Tours.

Anyone out there have problems getting into port before 11:00 with a car service?