In November 2023, Disney Cruise Line announced the opening of the new terminal in Port Everglades, Broward County, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
This terminal is the second official for Disney Cruise Line and is part of a 15-year partnership between the company and Broward County, with three 5-year extension options, so we’re safe to say that there will be a DCL terminal in that location for a while.
Back in 2021, Forbes published an article regarding Fort Lauderdale’s potential growth over the next ten years. Therefore, Disney Cruise Line is also betting on this city, making it more attractive for local and foreign tourists looking to vacation in Florida.
Location
The terminal address is 1800 SE 20th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 3331 Port Everglades Cruise Terminal 4.
It is approximately 15 minutes by taxi or Uber from the airport or from the Brightline train station.
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the terminal to board the Disney Dream, which is the first ship to have its operation based in Port Everglades.
I invite you to take a tour of the new terminal facilities.
Arriving at the Terminal
The ship welcomes you to the dream vacation that is about to begin.
After going through the port entrance/checkpoint, you enter the building, the parking is large and covered, which is very appreciated since it protects visitors from the sun, rain and the weather in general.
Terminal workers will receive the luggage. If you do not have Disney Cruise Line tags, they will provide you with the necessary ones.
A few meters away you reach the entrance to the boarding area, as soon as you enter, you can see the Disney theme in the murals that welcome you to this new space.
Boarding Process
After walking through the corridors, you reach the main area, where the boarding process begins, it is a very large and spacious area.
This area is themed based on the Disney Pixar film Finding Nemo, with well-known characters from the film, the ceiling resembles thousands of bubbles as if we were submerging underwater, note that you can find several “hidden Mickeys”.
The atmosphere in the terminal is bustling, happy, and the excitement for the journey that will soon begin is palpable.
A good number of Crew Members are at stations to check passengers’ documentation, this process is relatively quick.
After the carry-on luggage security check process, you pass through the official photo area, and then take the electric stairs (or elevator for those who require it) and in a few minutes you are on board the ship!
Disembarkation
When the trip ends, the disembarkation process is relatively quick. You exit the ship from the same place you entered, take the escalators (or elevator) this time downwards and suddenly you will find yourself in the area where the luggage has been placed. This area is as large and wide as the boarding area.
After collecting the luggage, you will proceed to the last area, which is the Customs Department. At the end you will find yourself in the area outside the terminal where there is signage to take transportation, be it taxi, Uber, or shuttle.
In general, the terminal offers adequate spaces for passengers, and fulfills the purpose of facilitating the process of boarding and disembarking from cruise ships.
If you want to live the experience of a Disney Cruise, I recommend you book it with Dreams Unlimited Travel, where you will get free advice from a travel agent specialized in Disney destinations and you will receive an on-board credit depending on the amount of the cruise.
Have a magical vacation!
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