1st cruise ever on Dream in March 2017, help me please!

[sharonabe]

Fast pass? on the ships?

It is confusing. FP+ for WDW is at 7 am. Online check in for DCL is at midnight. I think ADRs are at midnight, but not really sure about that one. When free dining came out, I think some were able to book it around 3 am. Wish they would just make it all the same, but it would probably overload their computers even worse than it already does.

 

[cyndiella]

Fast pass? on the ships?

Yes, the online check in/excursion booking windows typically open at midnight, eastern time. You can't log into your reservation until after midnight. I say "typically" because, sometimes, one or the other (or both) won't open on time.

No, I meant that there is a difference in times between getting Fast Passes (or is it ADR's??) this year from previous years.. Used to be you had to stay up until midnight to get your must have choices.. See.. It's getting late for me now.. I should go to bed, brain has stopped thinking. lol

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

12:01 Eastern Time. It took me a few minutes of trying to get in, but just keep trying. (Make sure you have set up your online account before that day!)

Also, as Shmoo said, you MUST answer all the online check-in questions before you can select a PAT, but they don't have to be your final answers. I didn't know some passport numbers or where I'd be staying before my trip, so I put down temporary answers, then changed them to the correct answers days later. (It is important to have the correct answers before you sail as this will speed up your check-in process at the port.) But this allowed me to get my PAT, ASAP. Also, if you don't get as early a PAT time as you'd like, keep checking. People might drop their PAT time and then you can get it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

12:01 Eastern Time. It took me a few minutes of trying to get in, but just keep trying. (Make sure you have set up your online account before that day!)

Also, as Shmoo said, you MUST answer all the online check-in questions before you can select a PAT, but they don't have to be your final answers. I didn't know some passport numbers or where I'd be staying before my trip, so I put down temporary answers, then changed them to the correct answers days later. (It is important to have the correct answers before you sail as this will speed up your check-in process at the port.) But this allowed me to get my PAT, ASAP. Also, if you don't get as early a PAT time as you'd like, keep checking. People might drop their PAT time and then you can get it.

Yes, the "must answer all questions" is funny. You don't have to have the correct answer, or even an answer that makes sense (gibberish). The system only recognizes that you've put some sort of answer in there. You can always go back and correct any "errors" up until 3 days prior to the cruise.

Many people just use the default answers, or say they're using birth certificate/ID instead of passport (don't have to enter passport info that way), and that they're backing their onboard account with cash (don't have to enter credit card info that way), in order to get to the PAT page quicker.

 

[Dug720]

Yes, the "must answer all questions" is funny. You don't have to have the correct answer, or even an answer that makes sense (gibberish). The system only recognizes that you've put some sort of answer in there. You can always go back and correct any "errors" up until 3 days prior to the cruise.

Many people just use the default answers, or say they're using birth certificate/ID instead of passport (don't have to enter passport info that way), and that they're backing their onboard account with cash (don't have to enter credit card info that way), in order to get to the PAT page quicker.

I would just caution NOT to input random numbers for a passport if you're "going to have one but don't have it yet" or "am in process of renewing". IF you randomly input the number of someone on the no-fly list you may have a very rude awakening at the port. If waiting on a new one or renewal, better to check ID and birth certificate and then enter the passport later (or just present it at the port - I don't think it's a problem to change there anyway) when you have the number.