Ahoy there, Joe! Thanks for sailing my way with your question!
I see you're looking to sail in December - well that's "just around the river bend," as it were, so let's get to it - especially since you're probably looking to capitalize on some of the
current Special Offers available on cruises from Miami! When it comes to
Miami, there are so many choices when it comes to a pre or post-cruise stay. Something to remember is that while many of these options are close to the airport, the cruise port is roughly eight miles away - which turns into 30 minutes give or take with cruise port traffic. So, your choices fall into one of two camps: close to the airport (with a free shuttle to get there) or close to the cruise port with a low-cost shuttle to Port Miami! Staying close to the airport will be notably cheaper, but adds just a slight bit of complexity to get to the port.
If you haven't considered
booking your hotel stay through Disney Cruise Line, I definitely suggest contacting a crew member to reserve your stay at the current preferred hotel as it's one of the options that will allow you to get transfers from both the airport to the hotel AND the hotel to the cruise terminal. This comes at an additional cost per person but is super convenient.
You really can't go wrong either way, but if you are looking to sightsee at all, I suggest you splurge a little and reserve a pre-cruise stay downtown near Bayfront Park. This will give you more areas to explore the area on foot, and puts you about as close as you can be to the action of the port! It is also located near the "Metromover," a free public transport option that can help you make the most of your time! Some options are the YVE Hotel Miami, the InterContinental Miami, and a few others.
I hope that helps draw you a map of the options in Miami for your and your crew, Joe! Thank you so much for your question, and if you have any others as you look to chart this course, I'll be in the crow's nest looking for your next carrier pigeon to arrive.
Fair winds, following seas, and happy planning!
Andrew