Cruising through Ft Lauderdale help, please.

[BamaBornNemoNut]

Planning to cruise on the Dream in a couple of months. The DCL website says that transfers to/from MIA are available for $35pp and to/from FLL for $25pp. For anyone else looking at this MIA transfer option are you nervous about the traffic on debarkation morning? Does anyone know if highways have dedicated bus lanes that would make the timing more predictable??

 

[SteveMouse]

If you adhere to recommended flight times, you should not see an issue.

 

[BamaBornNemoNut]

I saw that they only addressed flights departing from FLL:

• Earliest departure time from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on debarkation day: 11:00 AM

So if anyone has good info regarding bus lanes and approximate commute time, I appreciate the info. Looking at a 1pm flight but I would love feedback!

 

[SteveMouse]

1 pm should not be a problem. A transit from Port Everglades to Miami airport is about 30 minutes in light traffic and about an hour and 15 minutes in the height of evening rush hour.

 

[BamaBornNemoNut]

Thank you

 

[FitDad35]

We head out on Dream 11/20 returning on 11/25 with a transfer back to MIA. If you don’t see a response within a week reply to this thread and I’ll be sure to update you with how it went.

 

[BamaBornNemoNut]

Wonderful. Thanks so much and enjoy your cruise. Love all the available options from Port Everglades and folks here are truly the best sources for feedback and detailed advice.

 

[AndreaHurtt]

I'm looking at staying at the Marriott Renaissance Ft Lauderdale Marina Hotel. It says it's a 10-minute walk (1/2 a mile) Does anyone know if the main street - 17th street - is walkable?

 

[SteveMouse]

To go from the Marriott Renaissance to Port Everglades, you would cross 17th Street at Eisenhower Boulevard, not walk along 17th for more than 100 feet. But 17th street is walkablle, with a wide sidewalk. It is a very bus street, so please be careful and take small children by the hand.

 

[brent02139]

I'm looking at staying at the Marriott Renaissance Ft Lauderdale Marina Hotel. It says it's a 10-minute walk (1/2 a mile) Does anyone know if the main street - 17th street - is walkable?

Walkable. But just FYI, everyone on my cruise hated the Marriott. Said it was old and dirty.

 

[britfish]

We head out on Dream 11/20 returning on 11/25 with a transfer back to MIA. If you don’t see a response within a week reply to this thread and I’ll be sure to update you with how it went.

Would love updates when you get the chance!

 

[sjuncfan]

Here was our very recent experience: We were on the Dream 12/18-12/23. We flew in the day before and stayed at the Embassy Suites. The hotel was fine... it's a little dated for sure but had a decent pool area and a good breakfast. It's also a good location near a Publix, a couple good restaurants, etc.

We took uber* from the hotel to the airport. Not sure exactly how much that was but I think less than $20.

The morning of our cruise, my husband took a jog towards the port to scope it out. We had plenty of time to kill and it was less than a mile so we decided to walk from the hotel to the port. I wouldn't do it in August but in December with temps in the low 70s it was just fine. Easy walk down 17th to Eisenhower. It was slightly dicey with construction and the sidewalk situation isn't great when you get to the port garage but other than that it was easy peasy and took less than 30 minutes. FWIW I think uber would have been pretty cheap, like $10-$15, so we did it more for the adventure than cost savings lol.

After the cruise - we spent one night at the Marriott Harbor Beach. I had checked uber while we were still eating breakfast and I think it was less than $10. By the time we actually disembarked, around 9, it was like $15 but seemed like it was going to be 20-25 minute wait. DH thought it would be a fun adventure to walk again, so off we went (figuring we could call up an uber if needed). That walk was less fun... dragging our two very heavy bags over the bridge was pretty miserable and it was a bit longer than the walk from the Embassy Suites to the port had been. The Marriott was nice and a good way to continue the vacation/transition back to the real world. Sunday we ubered from there to the airport for about $20.

Everything is so close that the prices Disney charges for transport will never be worth it... but I get that it's easier to have it all baked in together.

*"uber" is my generic term... Lyft was actually cheaper most of the time.

 

[lorenni]

If you are in Fort Lauderdale between Thanksgiving and Christmas , a good thing to do in the evening is to cruise on the Water Taxi. You'll get a treat of homes and a few businesses on the water, decorated with lights.

There are a number of places to board and disembark. An easy one for people staying at the Hilton Marina or the Renaissance on 17th Street is under the 17th Street bridge.

Another fun thing to do, especially with kids, is to feed the tarpon at 15th Street Fisheries.

Realize this is an older post but wanted to ask if folks generally keep their lights up for a bit? We’re on the Jan 2nd cruise, flying in on the 1st and this sounds like a fun thing to do on our evening in Ft Lauderdale.

 

[Lesverts]

It is a bit of a trek to the Port, but staying in Sunrise is a nice option as well. If you stay near Sawgrass Mills there is shopping and lots of restaurants. It is about a 35-40 dollar uber to the port. But hotels can be a lot cheaper.

 

[SteveMouse]

Realize this is an older post but wanted to ask if folks generally keep their lights up for a bit? We’re on the Jan 2nd cruise, flying in on the 1st and this sounds like a fun thing to do on our evening in Ft Lauderdale.

There will be at least some lights up through at least the 1st. I expect many will come down just after New Year's Day.

 

[Dug720]

I'm looking at staying at the Marriott Renaissance Ft Lauderdale Marina Hotel. It says it's a 10-minute walk (1/2 a mile) Does anyone know if the main street - 17th street - is walkable?

To the port?

I personally wouldn't do it. Port Everglades is a HUGE complex. My guess is the 1/2 mile thing is to the port entrance. Then you have to go through all the winding roads to get to your individual pier - and it can be a LONG way to some of them.

Just budget for a cab or an Uber.

 

[SteveMouse]

To the port?

I personally wouldn't do it. Port Everglades is a HUGE complex. My guess is the 1/2 mile thing is to the port entrance. Then you have to go through all the winding roads to get to your individual pier - and it can be a LONG way to some of them.

Just budget for a cab or an Uber.

No, it really is a half mile (maybe a few ~100 feet or so) plus or minus from the Marriott to the Disney terminal. I lived 3/4 of a mile from Port Everglades for 20+ years and was on 17th Street almost every day. We used to go to Ocean World, which was an ocean-themed animal park, that was where the Marriott is.

 

[Doingitagain]

How much are the DCL transfers from the hotel to the port? Has anyone successfully used them from Hilton Marina to the port, when booking the hotel on your own?

 

[mmouse37]

How much are the DCL transfers from the hotel to the port? Has anyone successfully used them from Hilton Marina to the port, when booking the hotel on your own?

$25 pp

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/ground-transportation/

MJ

 

[SteveMouse]

The main value in a Disney transfer is in the PAT. Rideshare, taxi, or other modes are going to be cheaper from any of the hotels from Las Olas at the beach through 17th Street, as well as downtown Fort Lauderdale.