Another Embarkation Question...

[ZFamily5]

Hi everyone!

My family is sailing on the Fantasy next week. We are flying to Orlando on Friday and staying at All Star Sports. Our PAT is 11 am but DCL said that the earliest we could be picked up at the resort is 11 am. When we tried to determine if there was a way we could get to Port Canaveral earlier, the DCL representative told us that it wasn't imperative to be to the terminal early because boarding doesn't begin until 1 pm.

I guess my questions are:
What has your experience been transferring from a WDW resort and the terminal? (using Disney transportation)
When has boarding begun for your cruises? We've sailed on the Fantasy before and were onboard prior to noon... Unsure of if things have changed.

Thank you for all of your help!

 

[Sytrace]

We have boarded anywhere between 11 AM and 11:15 AM in boarding groups 2 or 3 for our cruises on Fantasy. Our PAT is usually 10:30 to 10:45 or 10:45 to 11:00 AM.
Let me clarify that we live in Orlando and arrive by car.

Taking Disney transportation is different as they stop (usually) at a few resorts and load the bus before heading out to Canaveral. I would imagine that because you are staying AS that it would not make that many more stops. You could probably be there by noon.

 

[bumbershoot]

The dcl bus from your resort will get you there on the later side.

You can get yourself back to the airport and take the dcl bus from there. They start boarding at 9 and leave as they fill buses.

There are rental cars and agencies like fltours and happylimo as alternatives as well.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi everyone!

My family is sailing on the Fantasy next week. We are flying to Orlando on Friday and staying at All Star Sports. Our PAT is 11 am but DCL said that the earliest we could be picked up at the resort is 11 am. When we tried to determine if there was a way we could get to Port Canaveral earlier, the DCL representative told us that it wasn't imperative to be to the terminal early because boarding doesn't begin until 1 pm.

I guess my questions are:
What has your experience been transferring from a WDW resort and the terminal? (using Disney transportation)
When has boarding begun for your cruises? We've sailed on the Fantasy before and were onboard prior to noon... Unsure of if things have changed.

Thank you for all of your help!

It's standard to say that boarding doesn't begin until 1:00. In reality, they usually start around 11:15-11:30. Since the terminal doesn't open until 10:30, and the buses that DCL uses for transportation are the same ones that they use to get the people FROM the port to WDW resorts, most pick up times at the WDW resorts to go to the port are in the 10:45-12:30 window.

It takes about an hour to get to the port, once the bus actually leave WDW (after stopping at up to 3 resorts). They may make multiple stops in order to fill the bus, or they may make only one, depending on how many people from any given resort are using the DCL transfers.

Our last WDW/port transfer we were picked up at 12:30 and arrived at the terminal at 1:30. No lines for check in or boarding, and there was no crowd at Cabanas so we got a table easily. And we could drop our bags off directly upon boarding in our room.

The first time we took DCL transfers we were picked up at 11:00, made two other stops, and then had to return to our resort for one party that felt they didn't have to be at the pick up point at the right time for whatever reason. So we didn't leave WDW until around 12:15.

 

[ZFamily5]

Thank you for all of the information! Definitely helps clarify the process!!

 

[TestingH2O]

It's standard to say that boarding doesn't begin until 1:00. In reality, they usually start around 11:15-11:30.

This is so true. It really depends how you want to handle boarding. If you want time in the port and don't mind crowds, I would suggest looking for alternatives for transportation. If you want to try to minimize lines and don't mind getting on a bit later, then stick with DCL transport.

I would say that, if you are hoping for an upgrade or to get a tough ticket like the Princess Tea, you want to try to get to port ASAP.

 

[Donna M]

If you really want to get to the port early you can use the Magical Express to get to the airport for free and then take a Disney transfer. We did it and would again, but it could be a hassle for a family with checked luggage. We were awake early and would rather hang around the port than the resort, just too excited! We were the first in Cabanas.

 

[Weedy]

This is from the person who always gets to the port early: It's not a bad thing to get there a little later. Because you are on a 7 day cruise and will have lots of this on the ship (compared to a 3 day). And now you can book Princess meet and greets in advance. You may not need to rush to the port. The lines in the terminal are very long until about 12:30. If you take the Disney buses from the resorts the buses usually arrive after that so you check in and walk on. Also you can't get into you cabins until 1:30. So if you arrive a little later you can get into your cabin put your day bags down and then go get lunch.
But I understand the excitment of wanting to get there early LOL

 

[ceecee]

What is PAT?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What is PAT?

Port Arrival Time. You select a PAT window when you do your online check in.

 

[ceecee]

I haven't done that yet, when do you do the online check in?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I haven't done that yet, when do you do the online check in?

Depends on your Castaway Club level

Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club members - 120 day out from the cruise
Gold Castaway Club members - 105 days out
Silver Castaway Club members - 90 days out
First time DCL cruisers - 75 days out.

 

[ceecee]

Ok Thanks! I guess it's obvious we are First Time DCL Cruisers!!!

 

[My2Kidzmom]

Taking Disney transfers from ASMu. Didn't see a spot to select a PAT, it's just whenever our bus shows up right?

Also, cruising within-laws (locals), linked reservations, do we all have to embark together or can they board earlier?

Tyia - cruising in 11 days!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Taking Disney transfers from ASMu. Didn't see a spot to select a PAT, it's just whenever our bus shows up right?

Also, cruising within-laws (locals), linked reservations, do we all have to embark together or can they board earlier?

Tyia - cruising in 11 days!

If you are not prompted to select a PAT, then you don't need to. Generally, you still select a PAT, even arriving via DCL transfers. But it's moot, as you'll actually enter the terminal when the bus gets there. However, your boarding number that you get at check in at the terminal is tied to the selected PAT, regardless of what time you actually arrive.

If you're Concierge or Platinum Castaway Club level, you don't have to select a PAT.

Some reservations that have booked WDW resort/Hyatt MCO through DCL also don't select a PAT.

One note, with DCL transfers from a WDW resort, you'll be arriving, in most cases, after the Open Boarding has been called, and having an actual boarding number is unnecessary.

 

[Hundredacre]

Hi everyone!

My family is sailing on the Fantasy next week. We are flying to Orlando on Friday and staying at All Star Sports. Our PAT is 11 am but DCL said that the earliest we could be picked up at the resort is 11 am. When we tried to determine if there was a way we could get to Port Canaveral earlier, the DCL representative told us that it wasn't imperative to be to the terminal early because boarding doesn't begin until 1 pm.

I guess my questions are:
What has your experience been transferring from a WDW resort and the terminal? (using Disney transportation)
When has boarding begun for your cruises? We've sailed on the Fantasy before and were onboard prior to noon... Unsure of if things have changed.

Thank you for all of your help!

I find it very disturbing that they would lie to you (boarding starts a lot earlier than 1), but we recently had a very similar experience where we could not do on line check in for several days after it opened for us (problem on disney's side- website related), and the person I spoke to the first time was like don't worry about it, you probably could not get a boarding time before one anyway. I was thinking, really...????
Of course because of scheduling this is pretty much the first cruise where we wanted on early. When I finally got to check in online, we got a 10:30 slot. And that was several days after she said I would not get before 1.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I find it very disturbing that they would lie to you (boarding starts a lot earlier than 1), but we recently had a very similar experience where we could not do on line check in for several days after it opened for us (problem on disney's side- website related), and the person I spoke to the first time was like don't worry about it, you probably could not get a boarding time before one anyway. I was thinking, really...????
Of course because of scheduling this is pretty much the first cruise where we wanted on early. When I finally got to check in online, we got a 10:30 slot. And that was several days after she said I would not get before 1.

It's fairly standard in the cruise industry to indicate that boarding begins at 1:00. Since most major cruise lines actually start boarding around 11:00 or so, that allows for a lot of wiggle room, without mad passengers saying "I thought we'd be onboard by now."

Our EBTA cruise they didn't start boarding until after 12:00.

 

[My2Kidzmom]

Thanks Shmoo, I just found this under my "Port Arrival Time" button

"You have a pre-cruise hotel stay purchased through Disney Cruise Line and are not required to select a port arrival time. Information about your motor coach transportation pick-up time will be communicated to you upon arrival at your hotel."

Any ideas about the in-laws? Do we have to board together b/c we're linked reservations or???

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks Shmoo, I just found this under my "Port Arrival Time" button

"You have a pre-cruise hotel stay purchased through Disney Cruise Line and are not required to select a port arrival time. Information about your motor coach transportation pick-up time will be communicated to you upon arrival at your hotel."

Any ideas about the in-laws? Do we have to board together b/c we're linked reservations or???

No, each room can check in independently. Have they completed their online check in yet?

 

[Hundredacre]

It's fairly standard in the cruise industry to indicate that boarding begins at 1:00. Since most major cruise lines actually start boarding around 11:00 or so, that allows for a lot of wiggle room, without mad passengers saying "I thought we'd be onboard by now."

Our EBTA cruise they didn't start boarding until after 12:00.

I get that but I still think they should be honest and say something like formal boarding time is one but generally boarding starts around 11:30. I have never been on a cruise where boarding started at 1. Is that really even theor official boarding time? I have never seen that anywhere.