ETA 7/6/18: My travel agent just informed me that from now on, DCL needs to be made aware ahead of time that you are staying at the Hyatt and want to use the luggage transfer service. All you need to to is call DCL (or have your travel agent do it, if you are using one) and let them know.
The two times that I have flown to Orlando for a Disney Cruise I have flown in the day before, stayed at the Hyatt MCO (the hotel inside the Orlando airport), and then taken the DCL transfers to Port Canaveral the next morning. This is definitely not the cheapest method, but it is definitely the most convenient. I have received questions from quite a few readers about how exactly this process works (especially if you let DCL get your luggage from the hotel to the port) so I will outline the steps here.
I am going to try and give you all of the information that I wish I had before we did this for the first time, because I was a bit confused and unsure of how everything worked. Now having done it twice, hopefully I can help you if you have any questions about the whole process. Please note that the process I am about to spell out will only work for you IF:
You fly into the Orlando Airport (MCO) the day before your cruise, AND
You have a room booked at the MCO Hyatt, AND
You are taking the DCL transfer bus to Port Canaveral the morning of your cruise ($35 per person, each way), AND
You are okay with your luggage leaving your possession for a period of time
If all of these apply to you, this is how it works:
When you leave your home airport, DO NOT put the luggage tags that DCL sent you in the mail onto your bags. Just bring them with you, along with your cruise document booklet.
When you arrive at MCO, you can either (a) go get your checked luggage from baggage claim and proceed to the Hyatt check in desk, or (b) proceed straight to the Hyatt check in deck and ask them them to go get your checked luggage for you from baggage claim and deliver it to your room (I would call in advance to verify that they still do this and if so, what the cost is).
When you check in to the Hyatt, tell them that you will be taking the Disney Cruise transfers the next morning and that you would like your luggage picked up from the room and taken to the ship. They will put your room number on a list and hand you a form with instructions on what to do the following morning. There is also a small section for you to fill out. It looks like this:
The following morning, put your DCL luggage tags (that you received in the mail) onto your bags and leave them right inside your hotel room door at the time given on the form. Look at the map on your form and go downstairs to the DCL transfer desk to check-in. (Note: There is a food court nearby in the airport, a restaurant at the Hyatt, and a Starbucks downstairs as breakfast options).
Once you are at the DCL transfer check in area, they will ask to see your cruise documents (to make sure that you purchased transfers) and they will also ask you for the form that the Hyatt gave you, which has an area to fill out your name, room number, and how many bags you left in your room. They will then put you on the next bus to the port.
The next time you will see your luggage will be outside of your stateroom door later that afternoon/evening.
FYI, the Hyatt MCO also has day room rates so that if your return flight is later in the day, you can have a room to sleep/shower/hang out (and there is a swimming pool as well) instead of camping out in the airport.
You can also read all about the boarding process at Port Canaveral in this post.
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Yup I have and that is my normal MO when I do the cruise. makes things a lot easier.
I agree, it may not be the cheapest option but for me, the convenience makes up for the cost!
Hi! I read on another post that the airport cruise check in was discontinued in 2013, is that true? I am taking the DCL transfer, but not staying at Hyatt. Is this airport checkin only for ppl that stay at the Hyatt?
Thanks for your info!
I think what you are referring to was the program that let you check in for your cruise at the airport (sign forms, get room keys, etc.) and thus not have to do anything after you arrived at the port other than wait. This was discontinued and now must be done after arriving at the port. In your case, you will just need to check in at the DCL transfer desk once you are ready to get on a bus. This just involves showing your cruise documents & proof that you purchased the transfers. People who are staying at the Hyatt and want DCL to transfer their luggage from their hotel room to the ship for them also have an additional step: they must fill out a form at the hotel desk that tells their room # and how many pieces of luggsge they have. I hope this helps!
What time does the DCL transfer leave the Hyatt and what time does it arrive at the port?
They start leaving the airport (the Hyatt is located inside the airport, just a short walk away) around 9:00 am and leave throughout the morning as they fill up, approximately every 30 minutes or so. It is about a 45 minute drive to the port, which officially opens at 10:30 but if you arrive before that on a DCL bus, they will let you go inside and wait until check in starts at 10:30. I am not sure what time the last bus of the day leaves the airport, but I would guess around 2:30 or 3:00.
In your experience, is it possible to leave only some of your luggage in the room and take a bag with you on the DCL bus? My wife is not okay with leaving all large luggage behind in the Hyatt room for Disney to handle. Thanks in advance and thanks for the great write up!
You can definitely do that. When you board the bus, the bus driver will take any bags that people want to store down below in the luggage storage area, and then he will get them back out for you at the port. Or, if the bag is small enough, you can keep it with you on the bus. Enjoy your cruise!!!
In the past you would leave your bags at 8am outside your hotel door for pickup. Have they changed that? Are you usually on the Disney transfer before your baggage is picked up?
As far as I know they are still allowing you to leave your bags in your room (not in the hallway) for pick up and transfer to the ship, but double check when you check in at the hotel. Also make sure you fill out the necessary form & that your room is on the list for pick up. We leave our bags in our room & go down to eat breakfast & get on the shuttle. Your luggage will be taken to the port on a truck, not the shuttle bus. Hope this answers your question.
This was very informative, thank you! Disney told us that we could take the bus as early as we wanted, even if our port check in time is later. She made it sound as if we wouldn’t have to wait for our scheduled check in time. Is this true? Our check in time is 12:30, I’d hate to get there at 10:30 and sit for 2 hours. Thanks again!
Glad I could help! You can definitely take the bus as early as you would like – the shuttle people at the airport don’t check your port arrival time. You will also be allowed to enter the terminal and check-in at the counter immediately after arriving (check-in opens at 10:30), but here’s where your port arrival time may come into play. At check-in, you will receive a card with an assigned boarding group number. I am fairly certain your boarding group number will be tied to your port arrival time. So, you may be one of the first ones to check in, but may receive a higher boarding number. For example, you may get boarding group #6 even though you were the first one to check in and boarding hasn’t started yet. So, when boarding does start (usually around 11:45-12:00), they will invite people to board the ship according to group number. It doesn’t typically take very long for them to move on to the next number – I’d say around 5 minutes, maybe less. I would venture to guess that even with a port arrival time of 12:30, you will probably be on the ship within 30 minutes after boarding starts. Hope this helps!
Good to know — thank you!
Our last cruise we stayed at the Hyatt and did the Disney transfer, and I am SO glad we did. I think you mentioned, it isn’t the cheapest option available, but it is SO convenient, and that is worth the money to my husband and me. We’re doing the same for this next cruise, and honestly, I think we’ll always do it that way. It’s just SO easy, and the Hyatt is a lovely hotel with a great restaurant. I did NOT know that you can stay there for the day too, I wish we new that last time. Since it was our first cruise, we weren’t sure what time to schedule our return flight, and we ended up sitting in the airport for close to six hours. A place to take a nap and hang out without fear of losing our luggage would have been great!
TOTALLY agree about the extra money being worth the convenience, especially when traveling with young kids and/or lots of luggage. We will always do it this way as well.
My family and I are doing the Halloween cruise in September2018 but I’m a little confused how to to the DCL transfer were do you get it from we are flying into Orlando from Australia on the 23rd and our cruise leaves the 24th so we were going to stay at the Hyatt and do the transfer down the next morning but not sure were to book it I have booked my cruise thru the official disney cruise web site ?
Hi Stacey! To add the DCL transfers from the airport, you just call DCL and have them add it to your reservation. It is $35 per person, each way. You can add them just at the start of the cruise, just at the end, or both. When you check into the Hyatt, let them know that you will be taking the DCL bus the next morning. They will give you a map that tells you where in the airport you need to go and at what time. They will also tell you that if you want to participate in the luggage service, you can leave your luggage in your room (make sure your DCL tags are on your suitcases, but don’t put them on until you get to the hotel!) and the won’t see it again until it’s outside your stateroom on the ship later that afternoon. Just make sure you have a carry-on bag(s) with everything you will need to check in at the terminal and for the first few hours on the ship. Hope this helps!
Hi, I have pictures of the Disney transfer form that the Hyatt gives you at checkin. Happy to email pics to you if you’d like to add to this page.
Thanks for the info! Transfers worked out perfect.
Thank you Mike, I would LOVE that! When we stayed there, it was before I started my blog and thus didn’t save/photograph everything like I do now. You can email it to me at disneycruisemomblog@gmail.com. Thanks again!!!
Can you take your bags down to the line with you if you don’t want them left/collected from the room? (sort of the same as if you do the express walk off the ship with your bags). Where would you hand them in at the cruise transport area? I’m assuming when you check in for the transfer bus but not sure. Once you’re at the port do you have to wait to get your bags off the bus and hand them off to a porter or would it be automatic if they have your cruise tags on them? Thanks for the informative article – answered some questions I had 🙂
I have never done this so I cannot tell you with 100% certainty, but it is my understanding that you can carry your luggage to the transfer check in desk and they will take it from you there. You need to have your cruise luggage tags on them because they will load them onto a truck & send them to the port. You do not claim them at the port, they will be sent straight to your stateroom. Double check all of this with the cast members at the transfer desk at MCO though. Hope this helps!
Thank you 🙂
Can I book the Hyatt on my own with a discount (AAA, govt, etc) or do I have to book it with my DCL reservation?
You can book it on your own. That’s what we have always done.
Very helpful article! Between your post and the comments/answers, all of my concerns were resolved. Thank you!!
Your article is very helpful. Thank you so much! Would you mind sharing your experience of getting back to the airport on the disembarkation day? Did you take DCL transfer bus with all of your luggage?
Hi Lucia! We did take the DCL bus back to the airport after we got off the ship. We only had our carry-ons with us on the bus. We participated in the onboard airline check in program which allowed us to put our checked luggage in the hallway outside our room on the final night of the cruise, and DCL sent it straight to the airport and then straight to our plane. I have a blog post about the onboard airline check in if you want more info about it. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much!!
Does the bus only pick up guests at the Hyatt, or other hotels as well? Also, what is the benefit of getting to the terminal early if check-in time is not tied to boarding time (as you mention in a post above)? How do they determine your boarding time? Number of cruises you have taken, or stateroom you are in? Thank you so much!
Hi Lisa! The DCL bus only picks up passengers at the Orlando airport (MCO). So, if you are staying at another hotel, you would have to get back to the airport the morning of the cruise to catch the bus. Your ship boarding time will be determined by the Port Arrival time that you choose online once your booking window opens and you complete your online check in. The only advantage of getting to the port before your port arrival time is if you are hoping for a room upgrade and want to try and be one of the first ones to check in. But, this may result in a longer wait to board the ship, so be prepared to wait. Hope this helps!
When I did my online check-in for my 5 Jan 2019 cruise, I checked off that I was staying at the Hyatt and taking the bus from MCO. I was not allowed to pick a PAT. Is this something new? Will we get a PAT when we check-in at the hotel? I hate to wait at the port – I would rather spend the morning at the hotel relaxing and take a late bus if I don’t know when my PAT will be.
Hi Kathryn! None of the people taking the DCL bus from the airport (or the Hyatt) are able to choose a PAT. These people will receive a boarding number at the check-in counter at the port (unless boarding has already started – in this case they can walk right on). I don’t think anyone knows for sure how they determine which boarding # to give you, but this link provides some people’s experiences and speculation: https://www.disboards.com/threads/boarding-number-w-disney-transfer-and-no-pat.3629468/
That is so helpful, thank you. One last question… is the upgrade something you have to wait in line for, or something they give out to people that check-in early if they have availability?
To try for an upgrade, you need to go through the regular check in line and check in like normal. Then after you are done, go down to the supervisor’s desk. There may or may not be a line. They will allow people to purchase upgrades at any time during the check-in period (10:30-3:00 or so) as long as there are rooms available. Here is a post that describes all of the details: http://www.disneycruisemomblog.com/how-to-get-a-port-upgrade/
Thank you!!!
Where do you purchase a DCL transfer?? Before you get to Orlando or at the Hyatt??
We have always added it to our reservation either through DCL (online or by phone) or by asking our travel agent to do it. I have heard that you can walk up to the DCL transfer desk at the Orlando airport and purchase them on the spot, but I have not personally verified this. If you call DCL, they should be able to give you a definitive answer. I know you can add them for the return trip by visiting guest services on the ship.
Hello… Thanks for the GREAT time and quality you have put in your blogs and responses.
Question, what exactly IS a “transfer”? Some context to that question is I have been looking at a shuttle from the airport to the port before our cruise and a price chart said “Round Trip” in one column then said “Transfers” in another. Then I see the term used many times throughout this blog and discussion…
Hi Kyle! When I refer to a transfer, I am talking about bus service provided by Disney Cruise Line in between the airport (MCO) and the cruise terminal in Port Canaveral. You can either purchase a one way or round trip, and the last I checked it cost $35 per person, each way. You purchase these through DCL. DCL also provides transfers (bus service) in between the cruise terminal and WDW resorts for the same price. I hope this answers your question.
I am staying at the Hyatt the night before my cruise so I am excited to know I can use the DCL bus. My problem is that after the cruise, my son and I are going to Universal Studios. I’m fine with taking the bus back to the airport and getting a cab or Uber from there. What I’m concerned about is my luggage…willl they let me put both of our bags (the “checked” bag and the “carry-on) on the bus so we can get it immediately when we get to the airport?
Hi Erin! Yes, you can always choose to carry your own luggage with you on the DCL bus. You will just need to claim it in the terminal after you leave the ship, take it through customs with you, and then take it to the bus where the driver will store it in the cargo area underneath the bus. Another option would be to hire a car service to take you straight from the terminal to Universal Studios. I have used Happy Limo in the past (before the cruise though, not after) and was pleased with their service. There are also car rental locations in Port Canaveral with shuttle service to the terminal, so that would be an option as well. Hope this helps!
You mention a fee for Hyatt to go get your bags from baggage claim for you. Do you remember how much that was? Also, do you need to tell them this before arriving or just mention it when you check into the hotel?
Hi Sarah! It has been several years since I stayed at the Hyatt MCO, so I am not certain they are still offering this service and I never did ask how much it costs. I recommend calling the hotel directly and asking about it.
How can I book the DCL transfers from Hyatt MCO to port canaveral? We are staying at the Hyatt MCO the day before and after the trip.
You just have to call DCL to add the transfers. Or, if you have booked the cruise through a travel agent, then they must be the ones to make the call. The transfers cost $35 per person, each way.
Hi! Why would someone try to upgrade on the day of embarkation? Is there a significant difference in cost vs. just booking the stateroom level you want when you book your cruise?
Hi Tess! Yes, the cost of upgrading at the terminal is usually a fraction of what it would cost you to book the same room before the cruise. I have read reports ranging from “good” deals to “amazing” deals in terms of discounts.
Is there anywhere that wine can be bought to take on the cruise if staying at the Airport Hyatt?
I have not personally used them, but have heard good things about the ABC liquor store delivery service to the airport Hyatt. They will deliver wine to your hotel room. Hope this helps! Here is their website: https://www.abcfws.com
You noted on your blog that if staying at the Hyatt before the cruise and not made the reservation through dcl, I will need to let DCL know this? Has this been verified with DCL? I called and they told me the process has not changed, Just to olet the Hyatt knoe at check in.
Hi Debra! My travel agent called DCL and they told her about the change. I have heard reports of people calling DCL and some are told nothing has changed, while others are told that DCL must now be notified in advance (if you want to use the luggage service) so that they can put your name on “the list” for the luggage transfers. It sounds like DCL doesn’t have their ducks in a row right now and are giving out conflicting information.
Regarding pick up at 9 am. Wondering how quickly the busses fill. First time out of Port Canaveral and like to arrive early to the port. I would like to be there around 11 but do I need to be stalking the busses starting at 9 or can I come down around 10?
Hi Kate! The first bus usually leaves around 9:15-9:30 and it takes about an hour to drive to the port. So, if you want to arrive at the port about 11:00, you should be on a bus that leaves the airport about 10:00. I would show up around 9:30 as it does take some time to check in and you will have to wait in at least a short line before getting on the bus, and the buses leave as they fill up. From what I understand, people start lining up by 8:00 (or even earlier) to try and get on the very first bus. The counter opens at 9:00 and at that time they start assigning people to buses, presumable in the order that they are lined up (I don’t know for sure as I have never gotten there that early). So, showing up at 9:00 would mean getting at the end of the line that has already formed while waiting for the counter to open. By 9:30 there will probably still be at least a short line, and if you show up around 10:00 you may not have to wait in a very long line but would probably not leave until 10:15 at the earliest (just because it takes time to check in and then you would have to wait for a bus to fill up), putting you at the port at 11:15 or later. Sorry for such a long explanation but I hope it helps!