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TOWNCARS / LIMOS
If you prefer not to drive and don't want to wait for the cruise line bus or be crowded on with lots of other people, an increasingly popular option is to hire a towncar or limo. This is especially appealing to those on a land / sea package who are staying at a Disney resort and who want to get to the port earlier than the buses allow (the ship often boards early, generally between noon and 12:30, and reservations for Palo and the spa can start as early as 1 p.m. and no later than 2 p.m.). This is also the fastest way if you are on a later flight, and it eliminates the chance of sitting in front of a child whose main amusement for the 45 minute trip is rythmic kicking of your seat back! If you are traveling with several people, a towncar is usually cheaper than Disney's transfers for your own private ride.

The Platinum Castaway Club has an exclusive arrangement with Happy Limo of Orlando, which provides towncar and limo service to the port, as well as airport service, Disney World, and other area destinations. Use the links below to get more information on this option. For a report on our experiences with Happy Limo, click here.

Click here to view Happy Limo's rates

Click here to make reservations with Happy Limo via a secure online form

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DISNEY BUSES

Disney offers transfers on its buses as a part of all its cruise packages. The buses are quite nice, with reclining seats and onboard restrooms, and they show videos to help pass the time. Some of the drivers are quite entertaining, while others just concentrate on driving. If you purchase transfers with Disney, you will meet the bus at your hotel if you are on a land/sea package, or else you will pick it up at the far end of Terminal A in the airport (there are Disney reps. scattered around to direct you if one is not there to meet your plane).

The major drawback is that the buses leave pretty late from the Disney resorts, which can cause problems if you want to get prime Palo and spa reservations. As you can see by the schedule below, the earliest bus leaves at 11:15, which means you'll get to the port around 12:15 if you are on the first bus from that resort (it usually fills, so they send several), and boarding may have already begun. If you're leaving from Caribbean Beach at 12:45, you won't get to the port till 1:45, which means you can easily miss the Palo and spa ressies.

Buses leave continuously from the airport, but you will usually have to wait until the bus fills up if you arrive during a quiet period. Conversely, if you arrive in the midst of a crowd, you may have to wait for a couple of buses before you are able to board (this has only happened to us once, but we usually fly in very early).

If you are extending your vacation by returning to Disney World after your cruise, be aware that you will most likely be on a Mears shuttle van rather than on a cruise line bus, and you will have to wait until it's full and will probably stop at other hotels on the way to yours (just like taking Mears from the airport to WDW).

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DRIVING
You may choose to drive with either your own vehicle or a rental car. If so, here are the directions for getting to Port Canaveral (please note that the parking fee at the port is $12 per day, CASH, MasterCard or Visa ONLY):

FROM DISNEY WORLD:

Take I-4 East to State Road 528 East (the Beeline Expressway). Continue on State Road 528 over the Indian and Banana rivers. Make a right turn onto State Road 401, which will loop and head north over the channel locks. Stay in the righthand lane and follow the signs to Cruise Terminal #8.

FROM THE NORTH PART OF FLORIDA :

Take I-95 South to Exit 77 for State Road 528 East (the Beeline Expressway). You will pass the Westbound 528 exit for Orlando International Airport a few miles before you reach your exit. Continue over the Indian and Banana rivers. Make a right turn onto State Road 401, which will loop and head north over the channel locks. Stay in the righthand lane and follow the signs to Cruise Terminal #8.

FROM THE SOUTH PART OF FLORIDA :

Take I-95 North to Exit 77 East. You will pass the Westbound 528 exit for Orlando International Airport a few miles before you reach your exit. Continue over the Indian and Banana rivers. Make a right turn onto State Road 401, which will loop and head north over the channel locks. Stay in the righthand lane and follow the signs to Cruise Terminal #8.

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