Best way to get from Airport to PC when coming day early?

[mividajp]

We’ve been on a DCL cruise three years ago. At the time we were traveling with 7 people so our best option was to rent an SUV. This time there will be only three of us. We’ll be flying in the night before and staying at the hotel there at the airport.  What are our transportation options? Are there any advantages to using Disney transportation?  Thank you!

[1025cruise]

You might want to ask on the Florida Departures Board.

[Shmoo here]

15 hours ago, mividajp said:

We’ve been on a DCL cruise three years ago. At the time we were traveling with 7 people so our best option was to rent an SUV. This time there will be only three of us. We’ll be flying in the night before and staying at the hotel there at the airport.  What are our transportation options? Are there any advantages to using Disney transportation?  Thank you!

Staying at the Hyatt MCO give you the advantage of being able to be on the first bus to the port.  Not that it will give you much of an advantage, since boarding typically doesn't start until 11:15-11:30.  But, arriving via DCL transfers to the port means you can enter the terminal, regardless of what time you actually get there.

 

DCL transfers cost $39 per person.  

 

Other options - private limo, rental car.  You'd have to price those out to see if it works better for your budget to do those.

[allison0523]

We had this same discussion for our October 3 night dream cruise. We are flying in the evening before. My brother wanted to stay at the Hyatt and take Dcl transportation while our family wanted to do a one way rental and drive to a hotel closer to the port to stay the night, then 1 person can drop the rest of the group at the port and return the car.  There will be 8 of us. Personally, I felt the cost for the Hyatt and the cost of the DCL transpiration was too much.  I reserved a 12 passenger van from Mco dropping off at the port for $130.  DCL transfer would have been $312.  I think the Hyatt was running $350 while the hotel near the port that has free breakfast is $125.  So, for us, it just made more sense to rent the car and stay at the port.   

[Shmoo here]

17 minutes ago, allison0523 said:

We had this same discussion for our October 3 night dream cruise. We are flying in the evening before. My brother wanted to stay at the Hyatt and take Dcl transportation while our family wanted to do a one way rental and drive to a hotel closer to the port to stay the night, then 1 person can drop the rest of the group at the port and return the car.  There will be 8 of us. Personally, I felt the cost for the Hyatt and the cost of the DCL transpiration was too much.  I reserved a 12 passenger van from Mco dropping off at the port for $130.  DCL transfer would have been $312.  I think the Hyatt was running $350 while the hotel near the port that has free breakfast is $125.  So, for us, it just made more sense to rent the car and stay at the port.   

The break even point between DCL transfers and, say, renting a car, is typically around 4 people.  For 3 people doing DCL transfers it's $117.   And, I'm not a great fan of having to drive in unfamiliar territory.  I prefer someone else to do the driving.  Of course it depends on what time of day the OP would be arriving at MCO, whether driving to the port is a good idea.  

 

Plus, if you book the Hyatt MCO through DCL, it's generally cheaper (we got it for around $100).  

[mividajp]

Thank you everyone for your input! My husband travels extensively for work so we use airplane and hotel miles when we go on vacation.  Hotel prices aren't really a factor for us.  We have a 7 yo daughter that is NOT a good morning person so being able to sleep in as much as possible is a bonus.  My husband also has car rental points but they don't let us use them for same day pick up and drop off.  We would have to have at least an overnight rental which wouldn't be a problem going but would be troublesome coming back.

 

When we rented an SUV on our first trip it was definitely more convenient and cheaper for transporting 7 people. Plus my husband and Father-in-law took care of the car and my mother-in-law and myself took care of the kids.  I hate to try to handle all the luggage and my daughter while my husband is picking up/dropping off.  Also trying to hook back up in unfamiliar territory is sometimes frustrating.

 

Thank you again for your help! 

[allison0523]

On 7/1/2019 at 8:42 PM, Shmoo here said:

The break even point between DCL transfers and, say, renting a car, is typically around 4 people.  For 3 people doing DCL transfers it's $117.   And, I'm not a great fan of having to drive in unfamiliar territory.  I prefer someone else to do the driving.  Of course it depends on what time of day the OP would be arriving at MCO, whether driving to the port is a good idea.  

 

Plus, if you book the Hyatt MCO through DCL, it's generally cheaper (we got it for around $100).  

How do you book the hotel through DCL? We are booked through a TA so I don't know that we would even be able to do this.  And as far as the rest goes, to each their own.  I don't really want to sit or stand around for a bus to get filled up before leaving the airport.  And theres really only one road that goes to the Port, so it's not a hard drive.  

 

[Shmoo here]

1 hour ago, allison0523 said:

How do you book the hotel through DCL? We are booked through a TA so I don't know that we would even be able to do this.  And as far as the rest goes, to each their own.  I don't really want to sit or stand around for a bus to get filled up before leaving the airport.  And theres really only one road that goes to the Port, so it's not a hard drive.  

Have your TA call DCL and ask how much a reservation at the Hyatt MCO would be.  That's where they would need to call to get the reservation made.

 

The buses at the airport - the transfer desk opens at 9:00.  That's when they start filling the buses.  As soon as the first bus is full, it leaves (generally around 9:10).  Subsequent buses depart every 20 minutes or when full, whichever comes first.  So you're not really waiting that long for the bus to leave.  Especially first thing in the morning, as there's typically a pretty good line.

[ed01106]

On 7/2/2019 at 11:02 PM, mividajp said:

We would have to have at least an overnight rental which wouldn't be a problem going but would be troublesome coming back.

 

 

Do you have to do the same method going and coming?  Eg. Does Disney only sell round trip airport transfers, or can you buy just going to the airport at the end for half the cost of both directions?

 

If the later rent a car (for free) the day before the cruise, but take a Disney transfer to the airport.

[Shmoo here]

1 hour ago, ed01106 said:

Do you have to do the same method going and coming?  Eg. Does Disney only sell round trip airport transfers, or can you buy just going to the airport at the end for half the cost of both directions?

 

If the later rent a car (for free) the day before the cruise, but take a Disney transfer to the airport.

Yes, you can purchase transfers one way.  The cost is $39 per person each way.

[cantgetin]

As above, you can purchase one way transfers. 

The best way to/from the airport is what works best for each family situation.  We used to stay off property (hotel was much cheaper and included breakfast) and rent a car.  Now that I'm often traveling with a mobility challenged family member, we find the convenience of the Hyatt MCL usually outweighs the cost.