Ahoy Wayne!
Congratulations on your upcoming vacation with
Disney Cruise Line! I have all my fingers crossed that you are one of the first Guests to experience a return to sailing with Captains Mickey and Minnie and their crew this fall.
I notice that you specifically said you wanted a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel. I second that decision! With these Resort hotels, it’s an absolute breeze to take Disney Cruise Line
ground transportation the next day to Port Canaveral. However, this service does not guarantee specific port arrival times since Disney Cruise Line Guests select different pre-cruise Resort hotels.
Because routes and times can vary from sailing to sailing, you will find out your pick-up time the night before your cruise departure. Just FYI: they are usually scheduled from mid-morning to early afternoon. As a Disney Resorts Collection Guest, you’ll receive a letter the night before with everything you need to know. Luggage pick-up time is usually 8:00 A.M.
My understanding is that the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport has probably the earliest pick-up times for dropoff to
Port Canaveral for a Disney cruise. But you may not want to stay at an airport hotel on that first day. I know my preference would be to head straight to Disney and be
immersed in the magic for the day before my cruise. If you want total control of your port arrival time, then you could also set up private transportation. This usually works best with larger parties that can share the costs of this service.
Once you arrive at the port, you'll check-in and receive a boarding group number. In my experience, the entire process does not take long at all. Soon, we are walking onboard and hearing that familiar greeting, “Welcome Aboard!”
Wayne, we always have the welcome mat out for you at planDisney, so feel free to cruise back by anytime! Wishing you a DREAM vacation from start to finish.
Happy Sailing!
Sherry