Ahoy there, Stephen!
Thanks for dropping anchor here at
planDisney with your question about an upcoming cruise on
Disney Cruise Line. We love setting sail on a quest to find answers to Guests’ Disney vacation questions. The
Disney Dream is a fabulous ship, with the AquaDuck "water coaster" and the indulgent delights at
Vanellope's Sweets and Treats. With so much to look forward to on board the Disney Dream, let’s ensure you feel confident with your travel arrangements to
Walt Disney World once you debark the cruise ship in Fort Lauderdale.
The evening before you disembark the ship, you will receive luggage tags featuring a beloved Disney Character. You can place these tags on your luggage and place your luggage outside of your stateroom door to be transported off the ship. The Character on your luggage tag will correspond with your debarkation group and where your luggage is located for pick up in the cruise terminal once you are off the ship. To speed up the debarkation process, you can keep your luggage with you and take it off the ship as soon as customs has been cleared. There is no assistance with your luggage if you choose the Express Walk-Off option.
Disney Cruise Line recommends 11:00 AM as the earliest departure time for a flight out of Fort Lauderdale on debarkation day. Although you will be traveling on the Brightline train, you can play it safe and stick to departing around 11:00 AM as well. The Brightline train station is just a short drive from the port, so you could book a departure as early as 9:00 - 10:00 AM. It is a matter of how early you like to arrive for travel. For me, I like to play it fast and loose, and I usually give myself just enough time to arrive, wipe the sweat from my brow, and hustle to my gate or train. So, I would probably book a 9:30 AM departure and carry a little stress around on debarkation morning. On the other hand, my husband cannot arrive early enough, so he would likely book 11:00 AM or later and give himself plenty of time to linger on the ship and lounge around the train station.
I hope you have an unforgettable vacation onboard the
Disney Dream and a magical time at
Walt Disney World. Good luck with your transportation and travel! If we can help answer any more of your questions, you’ve got a friend in us here at planDisney, so stop back by any time.
Happy Sailing!
Angie