Welcome to planDisney, Alexis!
I love that you’re looking ahead to next year’s special cruise, and especially love that you’re combining a stay at the
Walt Disney World Resort with your
Disney Cruise Line vacation! It’s truly the best of both worlds, and the service provided to transition from land to sea is simply unmatched. You can expect a mid-day to early afternoon arrival at Port Canaveral, just after the embarkation process officially begins and with plenty of time onboard prior to sailing away. Let’s look at the detailed process leading up to that special moment when you’re welcomed onboard!
First, please know you must reserve
Ground Transportation with Disney Cruise Line for a separate per-person fee as it’s a private transfer and not a public shuttle. You can do this within your reservation on the
Disney Cruise Line website or in the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App, or you may
call Disney Cruise Line and they will gladly add this service for you. You may add it one-way or round-trip, depending on your needs on disembarkation day too. You could also add your post-cruise transportation to the Orlando airport if needed rather than a resort.
Once you have this transportation reservation secured, here’s how it should work for you next year when the magical day arrives. You will receive a digital letter via email 48 hours prior to embarkation detailing your location and time of pick-up at your Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. This communication will also detail the process for Bell Services to pick up your luggage early that morning, typically around 8:00 A.M. The busses to Port Canaveral are specifically scheduled to pick up Guests like you, so the exact timing is not known until that final communication. You can expect pick-up around mid-morning. You do not need to select a Port Arrival Time (PAT) during the
Online Check-In process 30 days prior to sailing as Disney is now managing your port arrival through this ground transportation. The bus may stop at other resorts before heading to your beautiful coastal destination of Port Canaveral.
I love this ride to the port because you can relax and know Disney is taking care of everything! The drive is approximately 60-90 minutes depending on traffic and weather, so you can anticipate a mid-day to early afternoon arrival. Rest assured, embarkation officially begins around 1:00 P.M. so you will arrive with plenty of time to board, explore the ship, enjoy a meal or snack, and be ready for the fun
sail away activities by late afternoon.
Please come back and “sea” us as you continue planning the details of your amazing cruise, Alexis! We’d love to help you make the most of this magical vacation, as our planDisney team answers questions about both Disney Cruise Line and the Walt Disney World Resort.
Happy planning!
Amy