Family Walking the Beach/further away shot/Mom and Dad looking at daughter
  • On Jan 10, 2026
    Kelly from NC Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    We have booked and paid in full a DCL cruise for the end of March. We are now planning to stay at a Disney resort the night before. How do I go about that booking and also make sure I have transportation to the port the morning of our departure

    Hey, howdy, hey, Kelly!

    My family and I love land and sea vacations that combine a visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth with a Disney Cruise Line sailing out of either Port Canaveral or Fort Lauderdale. Our most recent cruise was aboard the stunning Disney Treasure. Our Western Caribbean cruise was followed by a stay at Disney's Art of Animation Resort. It was such an incredible vacation that we decided to do it again this year by pairing a stay at Disney's Contemporary Resort with a visit to Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

    For Guests focusing only on a cruise vacation, the Disney Cruise Line partners with select hotels at many of their departure ports, allowing Guests to book a pre-cruise or post-cruise hotel stay directly with the cruise line. Guests who wish to stay at the Walt Disney World Resort have a magically large variety of options to choose from. From hotel resorts, to park ticket options, to other experiences like water parks, Disney Springs activities, and sports and recreation, there are so many magical opportunities that it's best to book the Disney World portion of your vacation separately by calling the Walt Disney World Resort directly or by contacting your travel agent.

    Once you have booked your Disney Cruise Line reservation and your Disney World reservation, you can magically connect the two vacation reservations with Disney Cruise Line transportation to Port Canaveral. (Note that Disney Cruise Line ground transportation from Disney World to Fort Lauderdale is not currently available.) Contact the Disney Cruise Line or your travel agent who booked your cruise to reserve your ground transportation. I recommend booking your ground transportation as soon as you have your other reservations in place, as availability may be limited.

    If you book ground transportation from a Disney World hotel to the port or from the airport to the port, you will receive an email about a day or two before your cruise that includes information about when and where to meet on the day of your cruise. If you are heading toward Disney World after your cruise, check the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app for information about when to disembark your ship and where to meet your motor coach at the cruise ship terminal.

    There are flexible ways to combine hotel stays and transportation to meet your vacation needs. For example, my family's last land and sea vacation started by flying to Orlando International Airport (MCO), spending one night at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport hotel, then riding a Disney Cruise Line motor coach from the hotel to Port Canaveral. After we disembarked the Disney Treasure, we boarded a motor coach from the port to the Art of Animation Resort. After a few days at Disney World, we used a rideshare service to travel back to MCO to catch our flight home.

    Have a magical land and sea vacation, Kelly!
    ~Tony

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Meet the Panelist: Tony, Utah

Coming to you from the Beehive State, I’m a Disney-loving dad and husband, buzzing with excitement to share advice and tips for making your Disneyland Resort vacation as magical as possible! I’m excited to help you discover the storytelling magic of the “Happiest Place on Earth!” Learn More About Tony

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