What time do they let you into Port (if you're NOT on Magic Express)?

[Bonacker]

Is it correct that the earliest Magic Express bus allowed into the terminal at Port Canaveral is the M.E. bus coming from the airport (and/or from the Hyatt at the airport)?

So . . . . What time do they let you into port canaveral terminal if you are coming in private transport?

We've got a concierge room, so I'm not concerned about port arrival time or boarding group --- I'm just trying to figure out how to get checked in as early as possible to ask for a port upgrade.

thanks so much!

 

[Terrena]

you can park at 10 am and enter the terminal at 10:30

 

[Bonacker]

Thanks so much!

Sorry to be dumb, but . . . . So, they let you into the terminal earlier if you're on an early-arriving bus from the Hyatt or the airport?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

The first busses don't' leave MCO until about 9:30 or so, so by the time they arrive at the terminal it is close to 10:30.

 

[Bonacker]

Super, thank you!

 

[ptcbass]

Just a FYI - We took our first cruise in May. We arrived (our own car) about 10 minutes till 10 am. We were allowed to park but not leave our luggage with the porters yet. We went up to 3rd floor to see how bad it was going to be to get a parking spot and there was already a really long line waiting to get in. We had a lot of luggage so we circled back around after 10 so that we could leave our luggage with the porters at the curb. Then we went and parked and got in line. It took us about an hour just to get into the building. I am not sure what I was expecting but I didn't think we would have to wait this long to get into the building. Once in the check in line only took about 10 minutes and then they were boarding almost as soon as we were done with check in so there wasn't any down time in the terminal. Then they allowed about 4 or 5 boarding numbers to board in about a 2 minute time frame so it was crazy.

 

[beeasy0203]

Just a FYI - We took our first cruise in May. We arrived (our own car) about 10 minutes till 10 am. We were allowed to park but not leave our luggage with the porters yet. We went up to 3rd floor to see how bad it was going to be to get a parking spot and there was already a really long line waiting to get in. We had a lot of luggage so we circled back around after 10 so that we could leave our luggage with the porters at the curb. Then we went and parked and got in line. It took us about an hour just to get into the building. I am not sure what I was expecting but I didn't think we would have to wait this long to get into the building. Once in the check in line only took about 10 minutes and then they were boarding almost as soon as we were done with check in so there wasn't any down time in the terminal. Then they allowed about 4 or 5 boarding numbers to board in about a 2 minute time frame so it was crazy.

With all that being said, what time did you actually end up on the ship?

 

[sue]

Is it correct that the earliest Magic Express bus allowed into the terminal at Port Canaveral is the M.E. bus coming from the airport (and/or from the Hyatt at the airport)?

So . . . . What time do they let you into port canaveral terminal if you are coming in private transport?

We've got a concierge room, so I'm not concerned about port arrival time or boarding group --- I'm just trying to figure out how to get checked in as early as possible to ask for a port upgrade.

thanks so much!

Forgive me for asking, but if you are already in a concierge room, isn't the only upgrade a Walt Disney suite? I'm sure they sell out months and months in advance since there are only two.

 

[su_A_ve]

Short and official answer: Your PAT - Port Arrival Time.

On busy times, the port may enforce the PAT and will not allow you to enter the building until your PAT. In reality, even if this happens, you will probably have no lines after 11am.

Note the only benefit from arriving early is to try to secure an upgrade. And then again, these have been coming scarce due to the special offers DCL has been putting out (*GT, etc). They are pushing to sell the ship out. If this is the case, there will be no upgrades.

Your PAT will dictate your boarding number.

 

[kaseyC]

Forgive me for asking, but if you are already in a concierge room, isn't the only upgrade a Walt Disney suite? I'm sure they sell out months and months in advance since there are only two.

If they are in a Cat.V - Concierge Family Stateroom, they could possibly upgrade to a Cat. T - 1 bedroom suite if available.

Short and official answer: Your PAT - Port Arrival Time.

On busy times, the port may enforce the PAT and will not allow you to enter the building until your PAT. In reality, even if this happens, you will probably have no lines after 11am.


Note the only benefit from arriving early is to try to secure an upgrade. And then again, these have been coming scarce due to the special offers DCL has been putting out (*GT, etc). They are pushing to sell the ship out. If this is the case, there will be no upgrades.

Your PAT will dictate your boarding number.

The OP is Concierge so no PAT.

 

[Zandy595]

With all that being said, what time did you actually end up on the ship?

What time you board the ship is more about the Port Arrival Time you choose during online check-in, than it is about what time you get to the port.

They usually start boarding about 11:30am, so if you pick the earliest PAT (10:30-10:45am) you will probably get boarding number 2 or 3 and get on the ship right after concierge and platinum guests. So, long story short, you could be on board by 11:40am, give or take a few minutes.

 

[kimerinc]

we were concierge on the 7/26 Fantasy. Arrived at port via private car at 10:10 a.m. waited until 10:30 to enter terminal. It was already full of people waiting in line who had already taken some of the upgrades. That cruise the buses from MCO started arriving about 10:10-10:15 they were allowed in. We were not.

 

[kimerinc]

That being said, I did get the last 1 bedroom upgrade. They had sold 4 before I got there.

 

[jetskigrl]

The first busses don't' leave MCO until about 9:30 or so, so by the time they arrive at the terminal it is close to 10:30.

Last year for our Fantasy cruise, we were on the first bus from MCO. Since there were a lot of people, the first bus filled immediately and we were on the road by 9:15. I think we arrived at PC a little after 10 and were the first people in the building. They didn't open the doors for the others until 10:30 so we were all checked in and relaxing in the seating area before it even opened.

So it all depends on how quickly the first bus fills and gets on the road. It could arrive the same time as they open the terminal for others, or that first bus could get a good jump start on the people waiting outside.

 

[jetskigrl]

we were concierge on the 7/26 Fantasy. Arrived at port via private car at 10:10 a.m. waited until 10:30 to enter terminal. It was already full of people waiting in line who had already taken some of the upgrades. That cruise the buses from MCO started arriving about 10:10-10:15 they were allowed in. We were not.

This was exactly our experience last year but we were on the bus side of it. They let us enter the security area and proceed to check-in while the long line of people who arrived by car were still waiting outside.

They need to send the buses right back to MCO to pick up more people so they off-load those passengers and get them started on check-in.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Thanks so much!

Sorry to be dumb, but . . . . So, they let you into the terminal earlier if you're on an early-arriving bus from the Hyatt or the airport?

Last year for our Fantasy cruise, we were on the first bus from MCO. Since there were a lot of people, the first bus filled immediately and we were on the road by 9:15. I think we arrived at PC a little after 10 and were the first people in the building. They didn't open the doors for the others until 10:30 so we were all checked in and relaxing in the seating area before it even opened.

So it all depends on how quickly the first bus fills and gets on the road. It could arrive the same time as they open the terminal for others, or that first bus could get a good jump start on the people waiting outside.

This was exactly our experience last year but we were on the bus side of it. They let us enter the security area and proceed to check-in while the long line of people who arrived by car were still waiting outside.

They need to send the buses right back to MCO to pick up more people so they off-load those passengers and get them started on check-in.

Yes - this has been my experience as well. The last two cruises (4/2014 and 1/2014) we arrived around a little after 10am via the bus from MCO and we did have to wait a few mins on the bus but we were easily in the terminal around 1010am. They did not let those who had come by other means into the port until 1030am.

Heather

 

[ptcbass]

With all that being said, what time did you actually end up on the ship?

We had boarding number #2 and was getting on the ship at 11:30. They called #'s 1-4 back to back. It goes really fast once they start boarding.

I wonder if we were to use Disney transportation to the terminal and then back to Disney after the cruise if they would allow for us to leave our car at the resort while we were on the cruise. We usually stay at Port Orleans.

 

[OnePrincessMom]

I am a little confused by this process. We are flying in the night before, staying at the airport Hyatt and taking the Disney bus to the port. Our PAT is 2:00; what time should I aim to be at the bus loading area? Thanks

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I am a little confused by this process. We are flying in the night before, staying at the airport Hyatt and taking the Disney bus to the port. Our PAT is 2:00; what time should I aim to be at the bus loading area? Thanks

Did you book the Hyatt through DCL? If so, it apparently doesn't matter what PAT you have.

That said, you can take DCL transfers at anytime. It takes about an hour to get to the port from MCO, and Open Boarding is generally called around 12:30-12:45. I'd suggest you catch a bus departing. around 11:15-11:30.