As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
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To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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We're spending a week at Disney before our 7-night cruise in a few weeks, and planning to rent a vehicle for the week. We're planning to pick up at MCO and drop off at Port Canaveral, then do a 1-way rental on the last day of our cruise to get back to MCO for a 4:30pm flight (plenty of time - may even hit a park for a few hours!).
Anyway, can anyone make recommendations on agencies -- who has good timely shuttles to and from the port, doesn't charge 1-way fees, etc? Or am I better to do a 2-week rental and pay to park it for the week at the port? That seems like a waste of $$ though.
I've got lots of rental points with Hertz and National, so would prefer one of them if possible (because it would cost me next to nothing for the rental).
What's it cost to park at the port? Anyone know the address of the DCL port so I can put it into my Garmin and get good driving directions to drop the DW & kids off before I drop the car?
Our on-board time is 4pm; what time does the DCL port open? I've been told that the earlier you arrive, the better your chances for an upgrade to a nicer stateroom, so I figured we might show up when they open (or is there a line at the door before then?), get checked in, hopefully upgraded, then make a quick run down to Cocoa Beach to visit Ron Jon's before we actually get on board. Or am I completely out of my mind?
This is our first cruise... (on any line, let alone DCL), so any tips or pointers on getting "on board" are appreciated. I plan to re-read my Passporter as well, but I'm traveling this week and left it at home.
I know that National's car rental at the port is the furthest away and doesn't have a shuttle but does have cab fare that is negotiated already.
Budget, Avis and Hertz all have local agencies with shuttles. I know a lot of folks rent with Budget and I almost rented with Hertz but we had a few others join us so we went with a Van rental with a Town Car Service instead.
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Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Studying Hard to Make a Difference!
Haven't actually done it yet (first timer here too ) but we got a really good rate from Budget with no drop-off fee, and apparently they have frequent shuttles...the "CC5" office (if you are trying to choose which Budget office) is about 2 miles from the Disney dock. Have heard of lots of others having good results with Budget.
ETA, apparently the terminal opens at 10-ish and boarding starts before noon. We're going to try to be relatively early b/c we haven't been able to book Palo on line. But I have to get dd to BBB that morning in Orlando, so we won't be lining up before they open the parking!
Never heard of anyone checking in then leaving, though I don't know why you couldn't. We hope to get on in time to have lunch on board and maximize our time.
Good luck!
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JoAnne and family (dh, ds 10 and dd 7) WDW May 06 (Pop/AKL/Poly); Jan 07 (CBR); DCL Magic Eastern, Dec 07. CSR Sept 2009.
Hoping to book for February 2011 to check out Hogwart's
Last edited by coastgirl; 10-08-2007 at 09:31 PM..
We've had great luck with Budget (a painless experience and a great price) booked through Costco. You have to go through security to check in (similar to airport security), so I think leaving would be a pain, but I'm not sure it's not allowed. My DH dropped us off and returned the car and shuttled back. We were all checked in when he returned less than 30 minutes later. We boarded about noon. If hitting Ron Jon is important, I'd go do that and then check in and board. Our first cruise we didn't board until 1:30 (we took the Disney Bus), and we walked right on to the ship.
We did a 3 nighter and stayed off site for a week after the cruise. I rented the car for the entire time (12 days) but because we stayed the night before the cruise at the Port Canveral Radisson, we parked for free during the cruise. It was cheaper to keep the car the entire time than to try and rent it in segments or do a town car service and rental combination.
This all becomes spreadsheet material when it comes to figuring out how much it's all going to cost and pick the best option for your money. See how much it is to keep the car then entire length of your vacation, and parking and see how much it is to do it in segments.
We like to be at the port early just to look around. If you get there too close to boarding time, you don't see all the "magic" in the terminal, and you don't leave the way you came in at the end of the cruise.
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There is no one way drop-off fee in Florida. I think this is a state law. In Texas it's horrendous, I think $75 and up for National. But Enterprise doesn't charge one.
Just watch out for the taxes and fees. They can really blossom what looks like a great rate. But that "great rate" will still be better than the "not great rate", but it will eat into your budget if you don't watch out.
Also, call your credit card company (the one the car will be on) I called my disney visa and found out that I do not have to buy insurance for the car (may still have to for our items) because by using my visa they will cover it! That saves a lot over a week without having to worry!
Also, call your credit card company (the one the car will be on) I called my disney visa and found out that I do not have to buy insurance for the car (may still have to for our items) because by using my visa they will cover it! That saves a lot over a week without having to worry!
I spend 30-50 weeks a year on the road.... but haven't "bought" insurance from a rental agency in the 10 years I've been traveling, because it's NEVER a good deal. I've had 1 accident in that time, which the other guy's insurance company covered (he backed into me in a parking lot).
If your credit card won't cover it, normally your regular auto policy will (mine does). Yes, if you make a claim your rates will go up, but they would if you were driving your own car, got in an accident, and made a claim, so why pay the $20/day for "insurnace" on a rental.... unless you're taking it to the Crash-up-Derby or something.
We recently cruised in September (our first) and flew in to MCO the night before. We rented from Budget (the closest rental agency to the port) and dropped the car off the next AM of the cruise. Be aware the shuttle service starts about 11-11:30AM which is great if you want to get to the port early. The pick-up shuttle begins about the time you can disembark- they'll give you the exact time- and they run frequently. We waited about 10 minutes. We were at Epcot in time for the gates to open!!! It was nice to get some park time before heading to the airport. Mousesavers.com has a page with discount offers from the rental companies- also try Budget's site without a code.
What's it cost to park at the port? Anyone know the address of the DCL port so I can put it into my Garmin and get good driving directions to drop the DW & kids off before I drop the car?
Rich
This is what Google says. I personally do not know.
Northside Cruise Terminals
1492 Charles M. Rowland Drive
Port Canaveral, Florida 32920
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) but we got a really good rate from Budget with no drop-off fee, and apparently they have frequent shuttles...the "CC5" office (if you are trying to choose which Budget office) is about 2 miles from the Disney dock. Have heard of lots of others having good results with Budget.
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