Ahoy, Dilek!
Welcome to planDisney! I'm glad you stopped by as you prepare for your upcoming adventure, both on land and at sea. Combining a visit to Walt Disney World Resort and a Disney Cruise Line vacation in one trip is pure magic! With so much fun planned, let's chat about transportation options to ensure "smooth sailing" when navigating to and from your various destinations.
When you arrive at Orlando International Airport (MCO), you'll have
several options to get to Walt Disney World. I typically prefer to use either a rideshare or bus transportation through Mears, as both are cost-effective and offer options to accommodate my family and our luggage. If you're staying at a
Disney Deluxe Resort,
Disney Deluxe Villa Resort, or have booked a
Club Level room for your Walt Disney World Resort stay, you could also consider
Minnie Van as another option. Since this service is only available to select Guests, you must call at least two days ahead of your arrival to make arrangements to reserve a Minnie Van. Each of these options comes with a cost, so I often find myself making a decision based on what is the most reasonably priced for our family.
If you are staying at any
hotel in the Disney Resorts Collection and use one of these transportation options to get to Walt Disney World Resort, your easiest option to get to Port Canaveral for your cruise would be to contact Disney Cruise Line directly and
add ground transportation for an additional per-person fee. This should be done at least a week before your embarkation day, although I recommend doing it sooner if possible, as availability can be limited. You could also consider a rideshare or search online for available private transportation options.
We have also arranged a one-way car rental from MCO with a return to Port Canaveral before our cruise. Depending on the length of your stay, size of your travel party, and plans while visiting Walt Disney World Resort, this option may provide more flexibility and come in at a very similar price point. Don't forget that if you're staying at a Disney Resort Hotel, you'll enjoy
complimentary parking both at your hotel and at the theme parks during your stay! If you choose this option, just make sure that you build in enough travel time on embarkation day to not only make the drive to Port Canaveral, but also to return to your rental car and be shuttled to the port before your designated Port Arrival Time.
After your cruise, I would consider a one-way car rental, which will give you the flexibility to enjoy the area around Port Canaveral while keeping your luggage with you, as Disney Cruise Line does not offer luggage storage after disembarkation. If your plans change and you choose to head back to the Orlando area once you disembark the ship, you can contact Disney Cruise Line about adding ground transportation to MCO for an additional fee. Ground transportation through Disney would again need to be arranged before your cruise.
I hope this information has been helpful, Dilek, and that you enjoy a wonderful vacation this spring! If you have any other questions, please stop by to see us again here at planDisney!
SEA ya real soon!
Kristi