More info about Pt. Canaveral - Disneyworld excursion

[marilynd]

Taking my second cruise on the Dawn next month with my two daughters - 24 & 16. We are big Disney fans and have been to Disneyworld several times. My last visit to the park was just last October and I don't think much as changed since that time. I would like to send my daughters on the shuttle bus to Epcot. An extra day onboard sounds great to me.

 

My inquiry is for anyone who has done this excursion on previous cruises.

 

How much time do you actually have in the parks?

Do the buses pick up at both Epcot and Magic Kingdm? Is there just one bus out of the parks or a continous shuttle? Does the driver take your names so that a check can be made to ensure all are onboard at the time of return to the ship?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Overly nervous mother

 

NCL Sun 4/02 - Carnival Elation 6/02 - NCL Norway 8/02

NCL Dawn 6/03 - RCI Monarch 1/04 - NCL Dawn 6/04

 

 

 

[cliffd64]

OK... the bus operators in December were quite explicit that you had to be back to the bus at a specific time, and if not... basically they would not wait (well, not long anyway) and you would be forced to take a cab (very expensive). These are NOT shuttles in that they do not run at intervals or anything like that, they are private transportation companies. Basically the operator will leave the park and come back at the designated time, so you need to remember where and what bus number etc you are told and be there at the designated time.

 

Assuming you have no delays getting off the ship, you have usually until about 5 PM or so at any of the theme parks, whether it is Disney, Universal, Epcot, or Sea World.

 

Best advice is to pay attention and don't lose track of time You should have an enjoyable day!

 

Cliff

 

 

Carnival Holiday November 2001

Norwegian Sky 11/4/2002

Norwegian Sky 11/11/2002

Norwegian Wind 10/11/2003

Norwegian Dawn 12/14/2003

Norwegian Sun 02/08/2004

[marilynd]

Thanks Cliff for the information. I will just have to make sure that the girls have their watches and a cellphone with them.

 

Any a lot of cash for the cab if necessory !! LOL

 

Marilyn

 

NCL Sun 4/02 - Carnival Elation 6/02 - NCL Norway 8/02

NCL Dawn 6/03 - RCI Monarch 1/04 - NCL Dawn 6/04

 

 

 

[HappyTravels]

We had about 5 1/2 hours and I would not do it again. I don't feel that's enough time. We went on maybe 3 or 4 rides.

 

HappyTravels

 

2004-Norwegian Dawn (April)

Voyager of the Seas (July)

Miami (August)

2003-Aruba

Bahamas

Las Vegas, NV

Carnival Pride (Bermuda)

2002-Voyager of the Seas (Western)

Nordic Empress (Bermuda)

Wildwood, NJ

2001-Grand Princess (Eastern)

Jamaica

Turks & Caicos

2000-Puerto Rico

Carnival Fascination (Southern)

Turks & Caicos

1999-Las Vegas, NV

Cancun, Mexico

Paris, France

Venice, Florence, Rome, Italy

Carnival Fascination (Southern)

1998-Dominican Republic

Los Angelos, CA

Las Vegas, NV

1997-Puerto Rico

St. Maarten

Daytona Beach, FL

1996-Jamaica

Orlando,FL

 

 

[Tomct]

marilynd:

 

(Just posted a reply for you on another message)

 

As for the Disney Shuttle, we used it last June to go to Epcot, and have mixed reviews on it.

 

We left the ship a littl after the 9:00 am time we were allowed off, and just missed the first bus. As it was, we then had to wait for the next one to fill up. (LESSON 1, be among the first to leave, and duck the photographers)

 

It takes about an hour to get to the Disney Transportation Center, the one drop off point for the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Sonce the couple with us did not have tickets, we got stuck in a long line, that wasted about 30 minutes. (Lesson 2, get tickets at the Disney Store if you do not have any)

 

As you know, you then take transportation to either MK or Epcot, and it takes longer to get to Epcot. I think we walked into Epcot at about 11:30. the ideal would be to leave PC by 9:15, arrive at the WDWTC by 10:15, and be in one of the parks by 10:45. I'm not sure if you could do better than that.

 

For our return, just as mentioned above, we were told to be back at the bus, prior to the 7:00 pm departure. Our bus pulled out promptly at 7 PM. We were told the bus would be there by 6:15, but to try and be there by 6:45 at the latest. The taxi fee to PC was quoted at $80. So, with that in mind, you would want to leave the park no later than 6:15, so you can do the math on how long you will have in the park, depending on your :fear factor" for missing the bus.

 

Change??? I recall reading a while ago, that the bus procedure had changed, where they began using the same return procedure as for going, that being, when a bus is filled, the bus leaves for Port Canaveral. This way, if you decide you want to get back a little earlier, you can be back for the first bus, and not have to wait until 7 PM (in our case).

 

Our problem: We happened to have some big issues with the bus company that day, no fault of NCL, and that may be part of the reason they changed procedures, if they did. First, the A/C was not working on the bus, which wasn't bad on the way up, but dreadful on the way back, after a day in the 90's, and everyone was tired. We were clearly told as we boarded in PC, and as we exited in WDW, that the bus would leave no later than 7 PM sharp. All but three people were there by 6:45, but we could not leave. We pulled out without them at 7 PM, and aobut 25 minutes later, the bus driver was ordered back to pick them up, by his supervisor. Everyone was upset, as it cost us about an hour in time, and messed up all our eventing plans for dinner, shows, lounges, etc. Then, after picking them up, and basically noone spoke to the guilty party of three, we were chugging along the highway with a bus that had trouble making it up the hills along the way. Do you recall many hills in Florida? Any little incline made it difficult to pick up speed, as did stopping for tolls. Then, about 1/2 way back, the driver suddendly pulled the bus off to the shoulder, and exited the bus without saying a word. Everyone was speculating what was wrong, but nobody figured it out. Because the A/C did not work, and the driver had his window open, his prescription glasses had blown out the window. He was using prescription sun glasses, but since it was now getting dark, he felt he really needed the regular glasses.

 

It was worse than it sounds, as I've skipped some details, but NCL did give us a no questions asked full refund, and apologized for their vendor's blunders.

 

So check around and see if the procedures have changed, so you at least know exactly what you are dealing with. Hopefully you can get some help on this message or another one if this one doesn't work, or maybe from NCL directly.

 

We went to Animal Kingdom this year, with a car rental, mainly because we had six of us, and a mini van was much cheaper, and more timely. Our April cruise also left PC at 8 PM this year, vs. last year's later departure.

 

Good luck! Worst case, prepare the kids to meet you in Miami. I'm sure it would not be the first time that happened. I know both years they were paging a few people at departure time.

 

Tom/Connecticut

 

 

[marilynd]

Hello Tom:

 

I liked the part about getting past the photographer LOL

 

Thanks for the "heads up". I will talk it over with my daughters. They will have the advantage of park tickets. We always buy the Disney 7 day hopper passes because you can use them again on another time. That should save them time.

 

I will nag (what mothers do best) them about being sure to get to the bus early. Thank goodness they will have cellphones with them so that I can bug them close to time to leave the park.

 

 

Hopefully they have new vendors this year.

 

Less than 30 days till the Dawn !!!!

 

Marilyn

 

NCL Sun 4/02 - Carnival Elation 6/02 - NCL Norway 8/02

NCL Dawn 6/03 - RCI Monarch 1/04 - NCL Dawn 6/04

 

 

 

[beasfriend]

How do you get single day tickets ahead of time?

I've been told by Disney that these have to be purchased at the gate.

 

Thanks

[Guest]

Same here, I called the Disney store and was told they only sell the hopper passes, no single day tickets.

 

Norwegian Dawn 6/20/04