Parking at Port Canaveral

[disneypanda11]

We're taking our first cruise this November and trying to navigate transportation. We're flying in a day before our sailing and plan to rent a car and spend the day at Disney Springs and our hotel (near DS). The next day (embarkation day), we plan to drive our rental car to the port and park it there for our sailing, then use it again on our last day to do a few local activities before flying out late that night.

We mainly decided on this plan because we have a little one we'd like to use our own carseat for so Uber/Lyft is out and we need a car the day before and after we sail.

Is this a good plan or do I have a blindspot somewhere I'm not seeing?

Is there parking close to the port? Would we need to (or could we) drop our luggage somewhere at the port before parking?

Once we check-in are we able to drop off our luggage somewhere or must we keep it all with us as we board the ship?

 

[erionm]

There is parking garage right next to the cruise terminal. The rate is currently $17 per day which includes your arrival and departure day. So if you are doing a 3 night cruise, you will pay for 4 days of parking.

Bags you want delivered to your stateroom will be dropped off with a porter before entering the parking garage. You will have to keep any carry-on bags with you.

 

[disneypanda11]

There is parking garage right next to the cruise terminal. The rate is currently $17 per day which includes your arrival and departure day. So if you are doing a 3 night cruise, you will pay for 4 days of parking.

Bags you want delivered to your stateroom will be dropped off with a porter before entering the parking garage. You will have to keep any carry-on bags with you.

Thank you.. this is very helpful to know!

 

[brentm77]

We're taking our first cruise this November and trying to navigate transportation. We're flying in a day before our sailing and plan to rent a car and spend the day at Disney Springs and our hotel (near DS). The next day (embarkation day), we plan to drive our rental car to the port and park it there for our sailing, then use it again on our last day to do a few local activities before flying out late that night.

We mainly decided on this plan because we have a little one we'd like to use our own carseat for so Uber/Lyft is out and we need a car the day before and after we sail.

Is this a good plan or do I have a blindspot somewhere I'm not seeing?

Is there parking close to the port? Would we need to (or could we) drop our luggage somewhere at the port before parking?

Once we check-in are we able to drop off our luggage somewhere or must we keep it all with us as we board the ship?

Renting a car and parking at port for Canaveral is our preferred method. It is more money than even a private car service, but it gives us flexibility. It is also much less of a hassle than dropping the car off at the rental agency near the port and catching the shuttle. We love walking off the cruise and having our car right there. It is particularly valuable if our flight isn't until late in the day and we want to kill time before going to the airport.

 

[daedelus]

We usually rent a car then drive to the port, drop off everyone but me, I return the car to a local place then get them to shuttle me back to the port. Same on disembark day (assuming we're coming back in to PC). It's worked well in the past, although there are fewer rental car places now post-plague near to PC, so check first! But this saved us 7 days x $17.

In January of this year, we flew into Orlando a day early then caught the DCL bus to the port. It was awesome! Granted, this was before the bus company change, but not having to deal with your baggage is worth every penny.

 

[brentm77]

But this saved us 7 days x $17.

Plus the daily rental car fee for those 7 days while it sits in a parking lot. I still find the other way worth it, but it isn't the most economic option for sure.

 

[Clarkson U]

I prefer to use park port canaveral. Have used them a ton. They are five minutes to port and are about $4 cheaper per day with advanced booking. They take your luggage and drop you and your luggage off at the port at which point there will be people there to take your luggage onto the ship. It is a very easy process and saves a few bucks per day.

 

[ngl]

We previously used the reserved lot right next to the ship (not parking garage) but just found out that is no longer an option. The Port told our friend they no longer have that lot. Just curious if anyone had any insight to that? It was so easy to park there.

 

[juxtapose]

Parking at the cruise terminal was extremely easy. They stop you to drop off any luggage you want taken to your room, you park in the garage, and walk maybe 5 minutes to the terminal. We did it because we had 2 kids in carseats and went other places before and after. Maybe I'm a sucker but after paying 7k for a cruise I'm not going to bother to try to save $20 to park somewhere further away.

 

[KC Fan]

Super easy to do. We have done both using a car service from MCO to the Port and rented a car with two little ones and parked at the DCL parking lot. Its very convenient. You cant really go wrong with either and with having a rental car you can control where and when you go. Always a bonus.

 

[happycamper47]

We previously used the reserved lot right next to the ship (not parking garage) but just found out that is no longer an option. The Port told our friend they no longer have that lot. Just curious if anyone had any insight to that? It was so easy to park there.

When they remodeled the terminal area they re-configured the luggage drop off and closed that lot. You drop the luggage and then go into the garage then walk over on level 3 and down to check in.

 

[allaboutthemouse]

Are there height/size restrictions on the parking garage, does anyone know? We have an Excursion.

 

[Capt_BJ]

there is alternate out door parking for oversize vehicles .... next to the garage

"Official Port Canaveral Cruise Parking is available only directly adjacent to each of Port Canaveral’s Cruise Terminals. ... Oversize parking for RV's and buses is also available at each Cruise Terminal. "

 

[erionm]

Are there height/size restrictions on the parking garage, does anyone know? We have an Excursion.

A google search turned up a max vehicle height of 7' 2".

 

[allaboutthemouse]

there is alternate out door parking for oversize vehicles .... next to the garage

"Official Port Canaveral Cruise Parking is available only directly adjacent to each of Port Canaveral’s Cruise Terminals. ... Oversize parking for RV's and buses is also available at each Cruise Terminal. "

A google search turned up a max vehicle height of 7' 2".

Thank you!

 

[tigerchic89]

When we drive, we just pay the prices and park right at the port. $150 for a 7 night but worth it to be in the car and on the way home quickly when the cruise is over. When we used to drive our full size van, it was supposed to fit in the deck by 1-2 inch clearance, but I was so nervous about it getting stuck in that deck when we started to enter the deck, that I made my sweet husband park on the outside rows. There used to be tons of spots, I think 3-4 rows all along the back of the deck (i'm not sure how Wish changed the back of the parking deck lot)

When we fly and rent a car, we can't justify spending the money on the rental car just sitting in the deck, so hubby drops all of us off/luggage 1st and does the rental car/drop/shuttle while I get the rest of us settled at the port/checked in as much as possible. His efforts doing all of the hard work usually saves us $300ish for a 7 day cruise.

HTH

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I’m in the why am I bookending a $$$$ trip with hassles to save $20-30 bucks.

We park at the port and it’s worth every penny to have a porter put the luggage directly in the car and be on our way vs having to call, wait for the shuttle, drag the luggage on and off then to the car then be on the way home 45-60 min later if we are lucky?

My time saved on both sides is worth more than the money spent..

 

[doolaford]

Sorry to be dense on this one, but we're driving from Dallas in November, and seeing the height restriction is making me think. We're driving 9 people in a transit van so that we have room for luggage, lol. Problem is I think that thing is 9' high. So based on what I'm seeing there's an alternate lot for vehicles that won't fit in the garage - anyone else used the alternate lot?

 

[happycamper47]

Sorry to be dense on this one, but we're driving from Dallas in November, and seeing the height restriction is making me think. We're driving 9 people in a transit van so that we have room for luggage, lol. Problem is I think that thing is 9' high. So based on what I'm seeing there's an alternate lot for vehicles that won't fit in the garage - anyone else used the alternate lot?

It's right next to the garage.. Should have added using the same entrance

 

[lynnfitz]

This is such great info! We're cruising for the first time in August. Since we're not familiar with anything at the port, I thought we would arrive a day prior to the cruise, drive down to the port and stay at one of the nearby hotels, but drive ourselves with our rental car to the port. I really didn't think $17 (at this time at least), is a bad price for parking. I know it will be just sitting there, but I do like driving ourselves, maybe if we do another cruise we would choose a shuttle-but being our first time, I think driving ourselves, at least for us is the best option, thanks for all the information! I didn't realize they take your baggage prior to parking?