Being First Onboard

[simba baby]

Me and my friend are so excited about going on our first cruise togther that we want to be one of the first ones on board. I heard that boarding starts at 11:45. What time should we be at the terminal if we want to be the forst ones on? Thanks!

 

[maria-fan-22]

10AM when they first open. They start boarding with boarding cards #2(They do exist!) Boarding goes very quickley no matter what number you have.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Me and my friend are so excited about going on our first cruise togther that we want to be one of the first ones on board. I heard that boarding starts at 11:45. What time should we be at the terminal if we want to be the forst ones on? Thanks!

I've been informed that the concierge people get to be first.....a previous post said that the counters open around 10ish, and then you will be issued a number...but if you're not concierge, the lowest number for boarding you can get is 2.

 

[emilyann415]

Unless you're family of the day!!!!!

 

[Scotty69]

Unless you're family of the day!!!!!

OK i have to bite. Just how do you get to be Family of the day?

 

[LKFan]

OK i have to bite. Just how do you get to be Family of the day?

I think it is random. We were family of the day at a restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge and it was completely random.

 

[brucechase]

Family of the day is completely random. It happened to some disboard members on my last cruise at around 12:30.

Here is a pic of the coveted #2 boarding card.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

Or you can be first on board by doing a B2B ...2 cruises back to back..then you even beat the concierge people but it's only on the second leg of your journey. You have to wait with everyone else for the first cruise.

 

[LimoFam5]

Although most will say there is NO reason to get to the port early I love getting there early. I love being one of the first to check in, get my #2 or maybe even a #1 if we can upgrade..........
Then we just wonder around the terminal and relax, we made it and we are on our way!!!!!! SOOOOO Excited!

 

[catzle]

We were there a little bit before 10 and the line was already loooonnnnggggg!!!

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Although most will say there is NO reason to get to the port early I love getting there early. I love being one of the first to check in, get my #2 or maybe even a #1 if we can upgrade..........
Then we just wonder around the terminal and relax, we made it and we are on our way!!!!!! SOOOOO Excited!

Sounds like me!! That, and I'm always afraid (okay, paranoid) of flat tires, break downs, etc. and I'll miss the boat. Hey, it could happen! I'm one of these people where if it's important, I'm really early!

 

[tchrrx]

Any ideas as to what time people who are taking the Disney motorcoach from a WDW resort arrive? We are curious as to what time we will be picked up that morning and what time we'll arrive/board.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Any ideas as to what time people who are taking the Disney motorcoach from a WDW resort arrive? We are curious as to what time we will be picked up that morning and what time we'll arrive/board.

Okay, I'm not speaking from experience, but from what I've read previously. Evidently they pick up sometime between 11:00-12:00 and you arrive sometime between 1:00-2:00. Me and DH are thinking of taking other transpo TO the port, because I think we'll be needing to get there early to snag Remy reservations.

 

[simba baby]

thanks for all of the feedback. we will definitely aim for like 10 (maybe a little earlier). last time we were number 9 and although the boarding went rather quickly it felt like it took forever. it good to know that that number 2 card does exist! and darn those concierge people getting on first...but oh well, next cruise

 

[CrazyBoutDisney]

Any ideas as to what time people who are taking the Disney motorcoach from a WDW resort arrive? We are curious as to what time we will be picked up that morning and what time we'll arrive/board.

Just did it in May--we were picked up at AKL around 12:30 and arrived at Port Canaveral around 2:30. Needless to say, there weren't many more to board after our bus load. On a happier note, our stateroom was available to us immediately and we were able to dump our carryons before heading out for lunch. Parrot Cay was already closed off, but the buffet on Deck 9 was still open and we had no trouble finding a table.

 

[castaway3]

Unless you're family of the day!!!!!

We were family of the day and it was GREAT

 

[mndisfam]

Somehow, once we boarded early and I have pics of my kids being the first in the Goofy pool. It seemed we got there pretty early and waited around too much tho. I do get bummed when we board too late to get the Topsiders buffet. We always take the Disney transportation, so it seems like its kind of random when we get there.

 

[maria-fan-22]

We were family of the day and it was GREAT

LUCKY!!!!!! That would be the best!!!

 

[txsoccermom]

We were family of the day and it was GREAT

Just curious, what did you get? What a magical way to start your vacation

 

[tanyaewa]

Yes! Please tell us what family of the day gets that is special!!