Port Canaveral shuttle?

[mom2girlsVT]

I will be on a carnival cruise that stops at Port Canaveral for the day. Is there any sort of shuttle service or taxi stand at this port that will take me any my kids to the Disney area? We'd like to just hang out at Downtown Disney, but the cruise excursions are way too expensive.

[JohninDC]

Your best bet is to rent a car -- most of the major agencies are located in either PC or nearby Cocoa Beach and offer free port shuttles. The drive to Disney takes just over an hour each way. Good luck! :)

[Johncn]

I will be on a carnival cruise that stops at Port Canaveral for the day. Is there any sort of shuttle service or taxi stand at this port that will take me any my kids to the Disney area? We'd like to just hang out at Downtown Disney, but the cruise excursions are way too expensive.

 

Hi,

 

The short answer is "no". The options for seeing Disney other than the packaged excursions would involve a car rental. The parks don't have any sort of free or sponsored shuttles.

 

There are pros and cons of renting a car, but be aware it is a drive of about an hour (minimum) that can involve traffic, and sometimes accident-related delays. Some say that the ship purchased excursions are a safer bet, as they believe the ship may "wait" for a group.

 

Either way, if your time in port is limited, you'd probably be paying for a car rental ($45?), gas (varies), tolls ($15.50-ish from memory), and no admission for Downtown Disney, but the parks are around $90 a day per person or more with tax.

 

So, depending on how much time you have, your comfort level with risk, and expense account, there are options. However, there are less expensive ways to pass a day that may be enjoyable closer to Port Canaveral, but they don't involve the parks. I am an independent traveler when on a cruise, and would personally like the beach options around Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach....I think it's a low key area, and has the sorts of things my family and I like. But, it does not have a highly developed tourist infrastructure. To me (as a local) that is a good thing. ;-)

 

Johncn

[Capt_BJ]

J is spot on

 

you CAN jump in a taxi and it will be around $100 plus tip each way - and hour ride each way - but that cost IS per car, not per person.

 

You COULD hire a car for the day - a limo even - cost probably more.

 

several recent threads about what to do near PC

 

beach and surfing lessons

 

airboat rides

 

brevard zoo and zip line adventure (even this is $50 per person . . .)