Advice needed on booking excursions, etc.

[dismom75]

Hi there! It's been a while since we've been on a Disney Cruise. And, our booking window to do online check in, book Palo, excursions, etc. is quickly approaching. So, I have a couple of questions....

1. I think I had read that the booking window opens at midnight. Is that true? If so, you can bet I'm staying up late that day!

2. Is there a mad dash to get things booked (like I feel it sometimes is to book WDW fastpasses, dining, etc.)? If so, here are the things I want to accomplish and would like to know what order I should attempt to get them booked....Palo brunch for an at sea day (I'm assuming I need to try to get this booked first, but please correct me if I'm wrong!), BBB for my daughter on an at sea day, Earliest boarding time that I can get, and SeaWorld Explorer excursion for my family of 4 on St. Maarten. Am I forgetting anything else that is obvious and needs to be accomplished when my window opens up (besides registering kids for kids clubs)?

Thanks in advance! I want to be prepared!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Hi there! It's been a while since we've been on a Disney Cruise. And, our booking window to do online check in, book Palo, excursions, etc. is quickly approaching. So, I have a couple of questions....

1. I think I had read that the booking window opens at midnight. Is that true? If so, you can bet I'm staying up late that day!



Yes true! 00.00 Eastern time.

2. Is there a mad dash to get things booked (like I feel it sometimes is to book WDW fastpasses, dining, etc.)?


Yes yes yes cabanas, Palo brunch goes, things with dolphins go.


If so, here are the things I want to accomplish and would like to know what order I should attempt to get them booked....Palo brunch for an at sea day (I'm assuming I need to try to get this booked first, but please correct me if I'm wrong!),

Palo brunch goes fast, yes priority, do Aldo note like online shopping you have to put it in the cart and then book it, dome people think the first selection is it, and you need to check all in your room, or all adults for palo.


BBB for my daughter on an at sea day,

Popular but should be ok.

Earliest boarding time that I can get,


10.30 can go fast. Have travel and ID details.

and SeaWorld Explorer excursion for my family of 4 on St. Maarten.

Lower priority.


Am I forgetting anything else that is obvious and needs to be accomplished when my window opens up (besides registering kids for kids clubs)?

Spa, Remy on the new ships.

Thanks in advance! I want to be prepared!

Answers above.

 

[dismom75]

Thanks so much for all of your answers!

Just to be clear...are you saying that I should book Palo and then check out before going back into my reservation to do the rest?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks so much for all of your answers!

Just to be clear...are you saying that I should book Palo and then check out before going back into my reservation to do the rest?

Yes things like

Palo Brunch or
A Cabana,

Then select it and check it out then go on to the next,

 

[xlxo]

To clarify.... which cruise are going on? On some nights you might want to skip Palo if it's a special dinner night night (seafood? Character appearances?)

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

To clarify.... which cruise are going on? On some nights you might want to skip Palo if it's a special dinner night night (seafood? Character appearances?)

Indications are a seven night Eastern. On Fantasy.

 

[dismom75]

To clarify.... which cruise are going on? On some nights you might want to skip Palo if it's a special dinner night night (seafood? Character appearances?)

It's a 7 night Eastern Caribbean (itinerary C)

 

[UCLAVES]

"Earliest boarding time that I can get,


10.30 can go fast. Have travel and ID details."

Wife and I have passports, 3 kids do not.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

"Earliest boarding time that I can get,


10.30 can go fast. Have travel and ID details."

Wife and I have passports, 3 kids do not.

So you need to fill in your and your wife's I/D details and the flights before and after if booked, there are other options for birth certificates etc and no flights etc.

Just have to hand what you need and have.

 

[dismom75]

Am I choosing a boarding time OR a check in time? How does that work? Can I only check in at the time (and after) that I choose when doing online check in? Then we wait until our boarding group is called to board? You say that 10:30 goes quickly. What would the next earliest time available be?

 

[Racer X]

I can hear you hyper-ventilate from here!!

Relax Dismom! This is suppose to be fun! Just a few pointers:

1) Make sure to log in AFTER midnite or the website will think you were on too early. (if you are going to stay up!)

2) the Port Arrival Time (PAT) is just that... the time you are allowed to enter into the port. After that, there is check in and then you will be assigned a number for embarkation. When your number is called you can board! If you don't get 10:30, they are by 15 minute increments. My last time I checked in a couple days late and still got 11:00. If you are first time cruiser, you will be in the last group to check in (as platinum, gold, silver would have already had dibbs).

BUT don't worry! Even if you get 12:00 or later there is still plenty of time for lunch, and wander around before your room is ready. There is even some merit to getting to the port later as the first thing the port can be a ZOO! If you arrive after the rush, you should be able to just check in and get right on.

Just my humble opinion - don't get sucked into the typical Disney rush mentality... there will be much more offered than you can do. Pick a few things and try to do them, and if not that's okay too because you will most likely want to cruise again like most of us! Be relaxed, don't rush around and just enjoy the experience... my first cruise I didn't know anything and it was one of the best cruises as we learned day to day and did things as they came and never felt left out. One bit of advice research the expeditions before your check in time and know what you want to do before you log in... otherwise just enjoy the ride!

 

[dismom75]

I can hear you hyper-ventilate from here!!

Relax Dismom! This is suppose to be fun! Just a few pointers:

Sorry....just seeing this message! Not hyper-ventilating at all. Believe it or not, this planning part is a lot of fun for me! I'm not a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. I LOVE to plan. I guess that's why I was a teacher in my former life. Thanks for all the pointers. I appreciate it!

 

[dismom75]

Another question....does anyone know if Anna and Elsa will still be onboard the Fantasy in January? I have read that they were there during the summer and it was a ticketed event (meaning you had to go get a ticket once you board which told you when to return during the week for the meet and greet). I'll be booking my Fastpasses in a few weeks for our MK day after the cruise. But, if Anna and Elsa will be on the ship, I'd love to not have to race to get a Fastpass booked for the parks.