Welcome aboard, Kimberly! Congratulations on your very first cruise with Disney! It is so exciting to set sail with Disney Cruise Line every single time, but the first cruise is the most magical, as everything will be brand new for you, and there are so many surprises in store!
You can absolutely check your luggage when you arrive at Port Canaveral. There is an area, clearly marked with signs, where you can pull your car up to the curb and porters are there to check your bags. If you're
parking at Port Canaveral, you can then continue to the parking area and then walk back to the terminal with just your carry-on bags. We've used this outside luggage check a few times, and it's super easy. Be sure to keep a few singles with you to tip the porters who take your bags, as that is customary. Put your
DCL luggage tags on the bags before you leave them, however, if you forget to bring them with you, the porters there have extra blank tags (I know from experience, whoops!) on which you can handwrite your name and stateroom number, and they WILL make it to your stateroom!
Checked luggage will arrive at your stateroom later that afternoon, so be sure to keep any must-have items with you in your carry-on bags. Then, head straight to lunch when you board the ship and enjoy a relaxing meal without having to haul around your big bags! Enjoy the rest of your cruise planning and have the most magical vacation ever, Kimberly!
Marcy