Port opening time.

[Mickeygolf]

I know the new port opening time is 11:00AM but I have read where they are still letting people in earlier than that on occasion. I recently saw a post that let them into the port around 10:45. I'm just wondering if anyone who has recently cruised could verify if they are sticking to the actual opening time of 11:00 or are they opening a little earlier?

Just trying to time our transportation to the port. Thanks!!!

 

[JustTJ]

For our Sept 11th and 15th cruise last month, they opened the port for parking at 10:30 am. Porters were also available at this time to take luggage. I'm sure we were in the terminal BEFORE 11 too, so they must have opened the terminal at least a few minutes before 11am.

 

[kcashner]

The confusion may be as above--whether people were allowed into the port area or the terminal itself.

Recently there have been reports of cars being turned away at 10:30; others were allowed to drop off passengers at this time. They seem pretty consistent that by 10:45 they are allowing parking.

As with most things Disney, the terminal seems to open a few minutes before 11, but not much before.

 

[dismom73]

We were let into the parking lot at 10:30 on our October 2nd sailing on the Dream. My DH dropped us off and left to take the rental car back. We walked straight into the terminal, no lines at security or check in.

 

[Mickeygolf]

Thanks for the quick replies!!!

 

[Henlady]

Mickeygolf:
If you have done your "online check in", you would have selected your "Port Arrival Time". If this time frame is later in the day, it may not do you any good to arrive at port opening. They may or may not let you into the terminal if you arrive early and your boarding number supposedly coincides with your arrival time, ie......your assigned arrival time is 11-11:30am - by all means arrive at that time. If your scheduled arrival time is not until 2:00-2:30, and you arrive at 11:00am you may be held from entering the terminal until that time and/or given a boarding number that won't allow you to actually board until close to that time frame.

If you haven't completed your online check in, do so as soon as possible to get the best available port arrival time.

 

[Mickeygolf]

Thanks for the heads up Henlady, but I have completed my online check-in and we did receive the 11-11:30AM port arrival time. Just wondering how much earlier than 11:00 if at all I can enter the port and terminal. We're debating taking the rental car shuttle or getting a taxi. Thanks!

 

[DREAM WAVES]

I called Port Canaveral last week & I was told that the parking lot opens at 10am.

 

[Henlady]

Thanks for the heads up Henlady, but I have completed my online check-in and we did receive the 11-11:30AM port arrival time. Just wondering how much earlier than 11:00 if at all I can enter the port and terminal. We're debating taking the rental car shuttle or getting a taxi. Thanks!

I have been surprised at the number of post on the DIS that indicated that people didn't know they had to do Online check in, so I was just following up with that. Glad you got that wonderful 11-11:30 arrival time. We did also.
Have a great cruise!! We'll be following you in a little over 2 weeks on Nov 13.

 

[wonkadeb]

So, am I getting this correctly? If I check in online at 3am when my online check in becomes available to me as a Silver CC member, and I get the 11:00am-11:30am port arrival time slot and arrive to the terminal accordingly, odds are I will get an early boarding number?

 

[kcashner]

I called Port Canaveral last week & I was told that the parking lot opens at 10am.

VERY interesting since I people have been turned away at 10:30!

 

[ppiew]

we were on a B2B a week ago. On cruise #1 there were people sitting on the ground waiting for the terminal to let them in and this was 10:15AM It seemed they got in about 10:30-10:45AM on the 2nd cruise we could see them all milling around the doors upstairs and down and a line on the second level to the middle of the road at 9:35 and still there at 10:15. Interesting thing though - I always wanted to get there early in hopes of an upgrade availability - NADA. Don't get your hopes up! We were boarding #2 on the first cruise and of course on the b2b were let into the terminal about 10:30 and both times the sign was out 'no upgrades available - full ship" I asked a CM about this on the second cruise and she said 'yes' that is very common . So whatever boarding # I get I will be happy with -no need to run run run and then wait wait wait. It was really nice to see people being boarded in an orderly manner. They actually looked happier - no tense faces! The longest lines were in registering kids for the kids club and getting the wrist band. I guess I just don't see any benefits anymore to arrive early, maybe that is just me.

 

[dismom73]

So, am I getting this correctly? If I check in online at 3am when my online check in becomes available to me as a Silver CC member, and I get the 11:00am-11:30am port arrival time slot and arrive to the terminal accordingly, odds are I will get an early boarding number?

Yes, your boarding number coincides with your arrival time. We had an 11:00-11:30 arrival time and we got boarding number 3. We were traveling with a group, and one cabin from that group had an 11:30-12 port arrival time, they got to the terminal and checked in the same time as us and they were given boarding number 9.

 

[wonkadeb]

Thanks, dismom73 for the info. That is encouraging news.

 

[kjd469]

On the Dream Oct. 6 sailing, we had the 11-11:30 boarding time and were in the terminal by 11 and got #3 boarding pass and were on the ship around 11:40...the family ahead of us to get into the terminal had one of the latest boarding times (can't remember exactly which one) and were given boarding #33!!! That was going to be a long wait!!

 

[lbgraves]

I called Port Canaveral last week & I was told that the parking lot opens at 10am.

VERY interesting since I people have been turned away at 10:30!

Looks like that CM didn't update their info card.

On the Dream Oct. 6 sailing, we had the 11-11:30 boarding time and were in the terminal by 11 and got #3 boarding pass and were on the ship around 11:40...the family ahead of us to get into the terminal had one of the latest boarding times (can't remember exactly which one) and were given boarding #33!!! That was going to be a long wait!!

It's nice to see that they are finally enforcing this part and sticking with it.

 

[llnolte]

We just got off the october 16th cruise. We had the 11-11:30 check in time. Our friends dropped us off at the port around 10:40. We dropped off our bags and then were directed right into the very small line to make our way into the terminal. We were given boarding number3 and we were on board and making our way up to cabanas around 11:45. It was a very easy and smooth process!