Orlando to Miami ... pls help with logistics!

[lowestar]

Hi all,

 

Further to my Disney/cruise post last week, I have some follow-up questions!

 

We are now looking at 4 or 5 days in Disney, followed by a 7 day RCI cruise from Miami on the Liberty (this is a good one, right Michele?!).

 

We would be staying right at WDW, so we can take advantage of the Magical Express to the resort.

 

Now, at the end of our WDW portion, we will need to get a rental vehicle to drive to Miami. It looks like a 3.5 hour drive. Does that sound right?

 

Can we use Magical Express to go back to airport (even though we won't have a flight back from that airport) in order to get a rental? What have others done? We were at WDW in January, and to arrange the Magical Express at the end of the trip, we had to give flight info, so this is why I am not sure if I can use it in this case or not.

 

Any suggestions of rental places that would be good to use for six people (3 adults, 16 year old, 10 year old, and a 7 year old)?

 

It looks like the Miami port is not all that far from Miami airport, so we could probably take a cab, right?

 

Okay, and I want some reassurance that the Liberty will be a good choice! We have only been on Princess, but are sooo excited to try this boat because it looks like it has all the bells and whistles!

 

Tara

[more cruises]

In January we stayed at WDW, rented a car from Alamo on the Disney property and turned it in at the Alamo office at (near) the Miami airport, then took their free shuttle to the pier. Couldn't have been easier.

 

It probably cost us an extra $20 to get the car on the Disney property but it was so worth it for the convenience! They picked us up at our hotel and took us to the rental office. We drove to Miami the day before the cruise so we could get to the pier plenty early the day of the cruise. I have no idea how long the trip took because we made stops along the way but 3 1/2 to 4 hrs sounds about right.

[kitty9]

The driving distance from WDW is 248 miles and the drive time with all the traffic is closer to 4 hours. There is a car rental place right on Disney property. I know we returned our car from National right there on the Disney property. I know I also saw Alamo rental on the property.