Does
DCL hold you to your boarding time?
We have not cruised since 2007. This is the first time I checked in on-line and picked a boarding time. Are they pretty strict with the time chosen?
We are a group of 18 and we are all beginning to check-in on-line and we all seem to have different boarding times. This is fine but curious if we get there a bit earlier or if we need to be all together to check in (which is crazy).
TIA>
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The busiest time at the terminal is opening. Everyone (well it seems that way) wants to be first onboard, so they all want to be there when the terminal opens.
The terminal doesn't open until 11:00 (sometimes a bit earlier). If you have a, say, 1:30-2:00 PAT, and arrive at 11:00, most likely you will asked to wait until either your selected PAT or until the terminal is less busy.
Your boarding number, which you receive when you checkin at the terminal, is tied to your PAT. Earlier PAT = lower boarding number; later PAT = higher boarding number.
Actual boarding generally begins around 11:45 with boarding number 1 (Concierge) then #2 (Platinum CC members), #3, and so on. The time between number announcements is about 5-10 minutes, depending on how quickly each succeeding group gets through the door to board.
Once the boarding number being announced catches up with the boarding number being issued at checkin, Open boarding is announced. This generally happens in the 12:30-1:00 area. At this time any boarding number may board.
It's possible that you can enter the terminal and checkin earlier than your selected PAT, but the boarding number will be the same. You may see others arriving after you (at their correct PAT) boarding before you do. The "sweet spot" is usually in that 12:30-1:00 window. That's after open boarding has been announced and before the busses from WDW begin arriving with more people.