hotel and transfers to Magic

[cruisekitty7]

My family and I are booked on the Magic in February. I was wondering where anyone stays the night before the cruise? Is is best to stay in a resort hotel and will the transfers pick you up there? There are 3 adults and 3 kids so we are trying to figure out what would be the easiest.

[Rosem80]

We stayed at the Hyatt in the Orlando Airport and it was great! The morning of our cruise we put our tags on the luggage and left them in the room and went to the Disney checkin desk first thing and we're able to checkin for the cruise right at the airport. We then went back to the Hyatt and had breakfast before our trasfer to the terminal arrived. The Hyatt or Disney folks picked up our bags in our room and they were delivered to our cruise room later that night!

The best thing was that because we checked in at the airport at 8am we were in the second boarding group, which was great because we were one of the first ones on the ship.

[metrowon]

The Airport Hyatt is seamless travel. No hoops to jump through!

[PoopDeckPappy]

I also stayed at the Hyatt. It was excellent. They will take your bags from the luggage claim and bring them to your room (you don't even have to bother going there to be with them). Just call them for details. We met a bell hop in the elevator and he said just give me your tags and I'll get the bags for you. We were going to check in to the hotel first and then go down to luggage claim. It was great, I gave him a nice tip when they were delivered less than 15 minutes later. With my wife pregnant and a 2 & 1 year old in tow it was greatly appreciated. I thought there was a fee if you arranged it via the hotel so if that's the case you might be better off approaching a bell hop at check in. There is also a mall at the airport with restaurants, etc. The Hyatt has a nice restaurant too that we had lunch in when we got there. Breakfast at the Hyatt was expensive so we just went to McDonald's at the mall's food court. As was mentioned, in the morning it was great. Your bags are taken for you and you hop on the Disney bus.

[TIdoubleGR]

What a great idea! We are going on a Disney Cruise for Xmas 2011 and this solves all our problems- where to stay before, how to get to the port, where to meet with our other family flying in from other parts of the country. Just booked our rooms with the Hyatt! Thanks for sharing this tip!

[TIdoubleGR]

One quick question though (sorry for the double post!): How do you arrange for the transportation from the airport to the port? Is it free like Magical Express?

[eastcoastliz]

One quick question though (sorry for the double post!): How do you arrange for the transportation from the airport to the port? Is it free like Magical Express?

 

I'm interested in this information too!

[PoopDeckPappy]

One quick question though (sorry for the double post!): How do you arrange for the transportation from the airport to the port? Is it free like Magical Express?

Unlike WDW resort, transportation to the cruise pier is not complementary. I believe it was 70 pp round trip when I went in the winter of 2010. I don't remember if it was cheaper for kids. It is arranged with whomever you booked the cruise with (should be able to add even after the cruise is booked). If you didn't book via DCL you may still be able to purchase through them (not sure though, just call them).

[Gourmet Cooks]

Look up Happy Limo and they will take you from airport/Hyatt to port in a nice quiet Lincoln sedan. The cost is cheaper than using the Disney bus.