Hi there, Alicia! Thanks so much for sailing on over to planDisney. I'm happy to help you get your (Daisy) ducks in a row for your sure-to-be-magical voyage on
Disney Cruise Line!
You will be sailing from Port Canaveral, which is about an hour from the Orlando International Airport. To arrange ground transportation to the port through DCL, you can
call to add this to your existing cruise reservation--I recommend doing this sooner rather than later. Using the Disney Cruise Line ground transfers also means that your luggage will be taken care of from the time you board the transportation until it's delivered to your stateroom!
Personally, I like staying at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport the night before departure from Port Canaveral. This is the hotel attached to the Orlando airport and it has solid restaurants and amazing people-watching! The rooftop pool is so much fun and has great views of planes taking off and landing. You're also sure to meet some fellow cruisers at the pool. My girls have even made new friends at the pool and traded contact information so they could keep the fun going once we were all onboard!
Alicia, if you do decide to stay at the Hyatt and use the DCL ground transfers, be sure to note this when booking the transportation. Many Guests go this route and the process is so seamless. On your departure day, simply proceed to Side B, Level 1 in the airport to board your Disney Cruise Line transportation to Port Canaveral. You will receive a specific arrival time once your online check-in is completed. It makes for a stress-free start to your vacation, which is always my primary objective!
If you want to squeeze in some time at
Walt Disney World Resort before (or after!) your cruise, this is a breeze. Disney Cruise Line also offers ground transfers to and from the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels so you can stay firmly in the "Disney Bubble" from start to finish! These can also be booked by calling DCL. Our family has used this service as well and it couldn't be easier. Some DCL fans like to enjoy the "land" part of a land and sea Disney adventure first, while others (like us) choose to head to the theme parks following some relaxing cruise time. I think you can't go wrong either way!
I hope this information is helpful for your planning purposes, Alicia! Please stop back anytime if we can help with any additional questions before your magical
Disney Wish cruise.
Life is the Bubbles!
Susan