Need help deciding how to plan 2012 cruise/WDW stay

[E-OR]

We are just now starting to plan a trip for September 2012. We want to do a three day cruise and then spend 7 to 8 days at WDW. We are planning to rent a car for WDW. Would it be best to rent the car at the airport and pay to park it at the port for the days we are on the cruise or is there a shuttle to take from the airport to the port to avoid paying the parking fees? How much does the shuttle cost? We are also going to need to stay the night somewhere before we leave on the cruise, any ideas of a place to stay close to the port? I'm sure there are many more questions to come. Any suggestions or tips would be very welcome. Thanks!

[Ed]

Just my personal opinion - - I'd do it the other way around; WDW first, then some recuperation and relaxation time on the cruise. But, that's just me.

If you did do it that way, you wouldn't need a hotel near the port; you'd start your adventure by renting your car at the airport, driving to WDW, and staying at whatever hotel you'd be using at WDW, then checking out and driving to the port on the day your cruise starts. At the end of the cruise, you'd get back in your rental car and head for the airport for the trip home. WDW to the port will take you about 80-90 minutes. From the port to the airport about 60 minutes.

There is a shuttle from the airport to the port that costs $70 per person. To determine if parking a rental car at the port for three days would be cheaper, you'd need to calculate the daily car rental charge plus $15 per day parking fee times 3 days.

[wildernesslady]

I would do WDW first also. We went on a cruise and then WDW and wish we switched it up.

We stayed at the Country Inn and Suites the night before and would highly recommend it.

Have fun planning.

[Imalismom]

Another vote for WDW first and then the cruise.

I like The Radisson Resort at the Port for staying the night before the cruise - plus they have a shuttle to take you to the cruise line.

Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz and Thrifty have car return and shuttle to the cruise terminal. If you are going to rent a car - I'd return it and then rent once again when you are off the ship. Why pay for rental if you do not have to?

There are many private shuttles from WDW to the Port. If you Google "Shuttle from WDW to Port Canaveral" you will see many options.

The last I knew the Disney transportation option was $69 per person - when you book your cruise, you can book that option if you want to go that way (under ground transportation). I have never used this option so I cannot comment on how well it goes. etc.

On a side note - I'm cruising on the 24th of June next year. The prices have already gone up over $1500 since I booked, so you may want to book soon.

[E-OR]

After reading others suggestions and looking at the cruise schedule it seems more practical to do Disneyworld first and then the cruise. Thanks for all your help. I know there will be many more questions for all of you who are experienced cruisers.

[moobear67]

I am also planning a cruise/WDW combo vacation next summer. We are booked on the Dream for 5 nights (Aug 10-15) and we're planning on doing WDW after the cruise because the parks are less crowded and the prices go down (hotels, etc) in mid August from what I understand. Are the crowds/hotel prices really that much less after mid-August that it would be worth it to stick with our original plan, or should we do WDW before the cruise?

[iceicebritney]

I was wondering, if you didn't want to rent a car and chose to do WDW first, would magical express be an option for transportation from the airport to WDW and then from WDW to the port? I've always seen the Disney cruise line buses at the resorts. Are they an included feature or are they an additional cost?

Sorry, this will be our first ever cruise so we have lots of questions!

[Ed]

I was wondering, if you didn't want to rent a car and chose to do WDW first, would magical express be an option for transportation from the airport to WDW and then from WDW to the port? I've always seen the Disney cruise line buses at the resorts. Are they an included feature or are they an additional cost?

Sorry, this will be our first ever cruise so we have lots of questions!

Yes, you could take DME from the airport to WDW, then take a DCL bus from WDW to the port then back to the airport. The DME portion, which only runs between the airport and the resorts, would be at no charge, but there is a fee for the DCL transportation; offhand, I'm not sure how much.

You will often see DCL buses at the resorts, even on non-cruise days, as those buses are owned and operated by Mears and are used to supplement DME and for other purposes.