Hi, Laura!
Thanks for coming to us at planDisney for help with your question about an exciting land and sea adventure! It’s hard to stay away from the
Walt Disney World Resort and combining a magical stay with a cruise out of Port Canaveral, Florida sounds like a wonderful escape. I’m happy to talk through some logistics with you to see what’s possible.
Disney Cruise Line offers ground transportation from the Orlando International Airport, partner hotels, and
Disney Resorts Collection hotels to their cruise terminal at
Port Canaveral. This is not a shuttle but rather a reserved, per-person fee service that is exclusively for Disney Cruise Line Guests. This transportation is arranged and managed by Disney Cruise Line, paid directly to Disney Cruise Line, and connected to your cruise reservation, rather than through the Walt Disney World Resort. Unfortunately, you are not eligible to purchase this service if not sailing with Disney Cruise Line.
Please see some more details on this service that I recently shared with another Walt Disney World Resort Guest. I recommend that you use the great
Car Care Center on the Walt Disney World Resort property to reserve a one-way rental car for the day. You can
arrange a complimentary ride to the Car Care Center from your Disney hotel, pick up your pre-arranged rental vehicle, and drive straight to the coast for your cruise. The rental companies are plentiful in Port Canaveral so you can return the vehicle directly to that company when you arrive. Each rental company has a complimentary shuttle to your exact cruise ship terminal where you can drop your luggage and be on your way to paradise! I’ve done this a few times, and it is seamless. Similarly, you can reserve a rental vehicle one-way back to the airport if the cruise is the last part of your journey before returning home. The rental companies pick you up at the cruise terminal with your luggage, you get a new rental vehicle, and drive to the Orlando International Airport where you return it safely at the departure terminal.
You can
reserve a vehicle directly through the Car Care Center or through one of the major brands that serve this location. Be sure to specify your rental pick-up location as
Disney’s Car Care Center in Bay Lake, Florida and the drop-off as
Port Canaveral, Florida.
The drive from the Walt Disney World Resort to the port is about an hour on a major highway with very clear signage. If you’d rather not drive yourself, there are many rideshare options available if you search for this service online in advance of your trip.
I hope this is helpful in thinking through options for transitioning from your stay at a wonderful Walt Disney World Resort hotel to your tropical sailing out of Port Canaveral. Please let us know if you have any other questions as you put together the details of this special trip.
Wishing you a magical stay,
Amy