1st cruise-questions about staying on WDW or at port Canaveral

I'm sooooo in need of advice. I do not know WHAT to do. Arrrrrrgh!

At first we were flying down. Planned to take Magic Express and spend one night at Port Orleans. The next morning we planned to take DCL to port.

NOW my dh has decided to drive us down. He adds a 5th person to our party and the rooms at Port Orleans only accommodate 4 and an infant. So, we need an additional room. Really raising the cost!

Since it would take maybe a couple hours on DCL to get to port from Port Orleans, why don't we just change our reservations to Port Canaveral or Cocoa Beach? We can rent a family suite to accommodate all 5 of us and dh can take us to port next morning.

if you're still with me, I thank you. My question(s), how difficult is it to check luggage in? Do we go through screening at the port? What does that entail? Dh won't need parking, except while helping us unload. In general how does processing work? And another thing, will we need to have packed the same way as someone who took a flight?

I'll hush now. Your help is appreciated.

Port Orleans Riverside can indeed accommodate 5 adults, it just depends on the room.

Standard and garden view rooms sleep 5 (just not the king bed rooms), it's only the royal rooms that only sleep 4 (they are in a specific building and of a different layout I believe).

I do love cocoa beach though. And while we haven't done our first cruise yet (July), it appears from threads here that the luggage piece isn't terribly difficult if you choose to lug it yourself. Either way, you should be covered.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/port-orleans-resort-riverside/rates-rooms/

I wonder why the Disney personnel assisting me with reservations didn't mention the room alternative! She mentioned twice we should move to a value priced venue...

As PP mentions, Port Orleans Riverside can accommodate 5 guests, especially if one is a younger child. At the moderate level, so do some CBR rooms. Value rooms only hold 4 except for the family suites.

Luggage is easy enough to drop off at the port. Some of the hotels near the port even offer park-and-cruise rates, with a shuttle to the port in the morning.

Have you checked that you can add 1 passenger to your cruise reservation? That's usually much harder than adding on to WDW. Relatively few staterooms can take 5 passengers, and even if your's has the 5th bed space, if the muster station is full they won't allow the extra to be added without changing rooms.

Good luck with the changes and enjoy your cruise!

Ozarkglittergirl said:

I wonder why the Disney personnel assisting me with reservations didn't mention the room alternative! She mentioned twice we should move to a value priced venue...

Click to expand...

I often speak with call center staff in various industries and it tends to be the case that if you don't like a particular answer you are getting, call back and you'll probably get a different one. That said, you'd have no way of knowing not to trust the associate and no desire to waste hours getting a better answer. At least now you know your options!

All the best

kdogfister said:

Port Orleans Riverside can indeed accommodate 5 adults, it just depends on the room.

Standard and garden view rooms sleep 5 (just not the king bed rooms), it's only the royal rooms that only sleep 4 (they are in a specific building and of a different layout I believe).

I do love cocoa beach though. And while we haven't done our first cruise yet (July), it appears from threads here that the luggage piece isn't terribly difficult if you choose to lug it yourself. Either way, you should be covered.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/port-orleans-resort-riverside/rates-rooms/

Click to expand...

lanejudy said:

As PP mentions, Port Orleans Riverside can accommodate 5 guests, especially if one is a younger child. At the moderate level, so do some CBR rooms. Value rooms only hold 4 except for the family suites.

Luggage is easy enough to drop off at the port. Some of the hotels near the port even offer park-and-cruise rates, with a shuttle to the port in the morning.

Have you checked that you can add 1 passenger to your cruise reservation? That's usually much harder than adding on to WDW. Relatively few staterooms can take 5 passengers, and even if your's has the 5th bed space, if the muster station is full they won't allow the extra to be added without changing rooms.

Good luck with the changes and enjoy your cruise!

Click to expand...

Dh is not cruising with us . Than k you for your help

The luggage drop off is really simple. There is a guard when you arrive at terminal parking that can direct you where to go to drop off luggage and people. You need to present the ID of every adult guest in the car before they will let you onto the parking and drop off areas.
Once you are at the drop off point, the porters will be available to get your tagged luggage to the terminal to be checked in. Once that happens, you won't see your luggage again until it is delivered outside your cabin. So be sure to not pack ANY traveling documents, (passports, birth certficates, ID etc) in your luggage. Carry them on. Along with bathing suits, sunscreen, medications and the like.

After that your husband can leave the terminal area without parking.

If you stay onsite at Disney, POR does have rooms to accommodate 5 people, I am thinking perhaps the Disney rep did not suggest this as there weren't any available? Just guessing there. lol Seems the logical solution.
If you stay at Port Canaveral, there are hotels that offer shuttle services to hotel guests. Since you would not actually BE parking there as hubsand is dropping you off that really shouldn't be a concern.
The Raddison I hear is a good hotel with a nice pool. Also have heard good things about Country Inn and Suites.
We live in Orlando, so we have never used these hotels personally though.

We just stayed at POFQ the night before, it took about an hour to get to port Canaveral. I would see if you can stay at Disney, we spent the day at the pool and Disney springs, then spent the morning at the pool and headed over.

Very easy to drop off just like at an airport you will just pull up to the curb and porters will be there to take your bags. Make sure you have your luggage tags on your bags. The porters will take them and deliver them to your cabin. Make sure you have a separate day bag with passports/ birth certificates, RX and swim suits you keep with you. You will not be able to get in your cabin until 1:30 and your bags may not arrive until 5pm.

Thank you each and every one for the reassurance. I think we are going to go with country inn & suites at port Canaveral. The cost is a real incentive plus being at the port suits all of us. Knowing check in will be easy is a load off my mind. Thanks again