White stretch limousine courtesy of Southern Elegance

Limousines aren’t just for proms, weddings, and bigwigs anymore! When departing from Port Canaveral on a Disney Cruise (which I recommend you do ASAP!), a limousine from Orlando International Airport (MCO) or a Walt Disney World Resort hotel to Port Canaveral might be cheaper than using Disney’s ground transfer service. Since Disney charges per person, for a larger party, a limo might even be a bargain.

(Matt Stroshane/Disney, photographer)

Disney charges $70 per person round trip for Disney ground transfers from MCO or the Walt Disney World Resort to the port. Most limousine companies are in the $395 range round trip. So, if you have five or more people in your party, renting a limousine for transfer would be about the same as, or even a cheaper than (if you have six or more in your party), the Disney ground transfer.

Disney Cruise Line transfer motor coach courtesy of Lori Ketcherside

Using the Disney service, Guests are limited to the set motor coach departure schedule. In addition, Guests will likely be subject to multiple stops at other resorts (unless you’re lucky enough to be the last stop) to pick up additional passengers before heading out to the port. Granted, when traveling via the Disney ground transfer service, Guests won’t have to deal with their checked bags until they magically appear in their stateroom.

View from our room at the Hyatt Regency

But there’s a not-often published secret … if Guests are staying at the Hyatt Regency at MCO or a Walt Disney World Resort hotel the night before their cruise, they can pay $25 to have up to six bags picked up from their room the morning of the cruise and transferred to the ship. Additional bags incur additional cost. Guests still get to enjoy the same magical “the next time you see your bags will be in your stateroom” experience. If staying at the Hyatt you’ll need to visit the front desk when you check in to arrange the transfer. If staying at a Disney Resort, the night before embarkation, Guests need to call 1-800-395-9374 and select option #1. The $25 will be charged directly to your Disney Cruise Line onboard account.

Hiring a car service has another, often unknown, benefit. Most services offer a 15-minute grocery stop on the way to the port. So, if you want to bring the 2 bottles of wine or 6 beers that are allowed per passenger, you could pick them up here. In our case, we desperately needed juice boxes, yogurt tubes, and Goldfish crackers.

So now you’re considering hiring a private car. The next question can be overwhelming … “Who should we hire?” A quick search on the Internet will yield a lot of private car services in the Orlando area.

Jackie with Southern Elegance Limousine

Personally, our family recommends Southern Elegance Limousine. We’ve hired them twice now, and each experience was exceptional.

Jackie, our driver, was a few minutes early for both reservations and an absolute pleasure to deal with … especially considering she had a preschooler shouting questions at her for a good part of the commute.

Stretch Limousine Bar Area

The car was lovely, comfortable, and included plenty of chilled bottled water. For our most recent vacation, I remembered to bring a DVD so our little monkey could enjoy his favorite movie during the drive. On both occasions, Jackie dropped us off about as close to the terminal entrance as is possible. For our return to Orlando after debarkation, I was instructed to call the number on the card Jackie gave us once we’d cleared customs and she would be around directly to pick us up. It was easy-peasy getting in and out of the cruise terminal.

Ready to embark on our Disney Cruise

Perhaps the Disney ground transportation service is the best fit for you and your family. But if you have a larger group or just feel like treating yourself, consider this appealing alternative … hire a private car and arrive in style for your next Disney Cruise Line vacation.

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I received the services mentioned above at a discount in the hope that I would mention it on this blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”