check-in tips???

[mjmjcrop]

I just read thru this post and I am confused.......what time is the best time to arrive at the port for check-in? I have two young kids and would like to make it as easy as possible if I can. We will be traveling down from Orlando the day of the cruise.........can anyone tell me how far a drive it is? I am figuring a hour or 1 1/2 hours? Thanks for all of your help.

 

[crisi]

Its an hour from Orlando to Port Canaveral from the airport, a little more from WDW.

The numbers are boarding order. Rather than have everyone stand in a long line, they give you a number and you board when your number (or a higher one) is called. The boarding groups for each number are relatively small.

Best time - it depends on you. Some people like to arrive right at 10:00 when the terminal opens. You'll hang at the terminal for two and a half hours - but there is check in and check in for the kids clubs - plus some characters come out and there is the ships model. Other people like to get there a little later - we got there around 11:00 and boarded about 20 minutes after the "ears" opened - but it was enough time to get the kids checked in, see the ship model - and they were quite BORED for that hour - they were impatient to get on the ship. Other people like to arrive after 1:00 - when the ears have opened and the terminal clears out. Then you sign up your kids in the clubs after you board.

 

[ESN]

I think that the answer to what time should you arrive varies depending on what you want.

There are those who want to arrive early (maybe to score an upgrade, get Palo ressies if shut out online, or just spend as much time as possible on the ship) - For them - as close to 10 am (if not before !) is the best time to get there.


If you have booked things like Palo online - or don't care much one way or another - then in my opinion - why kill youself to get to the terminal and wait around for 2 hours or more?

Granted, the terminal is cool and there are a few photo ops, and characters around - but if you have small kids who get restless/impatient easily (and what small kids don't ?) then you might be better off waiting a bit to get there - maybe closer to 11-12.

It takes about 1 hr from MCO to port- a bit longer from WDW area- closer to 90 minutes - depending on traffic.

The earliest you could realisticallly start boarding is prob 11:45 or so - so think about what your needs/wants are - and go from there.

 

[michaels_mom]

Unless things have changed...we only had to have one adult check our whole group in for our last cruise in 05. DH stayed with the kids and secured us a spot in line while I checked us all in. I did have to have all the documents and his id with me....but he didn't need to be in line and show his own ID. Of course this was a year ago (before they started handing out numbers)....so things may have changed.

I cruised in March '06 and was also able to check in our family while DH and DS explored the terminal...

 

[blacksmithcrm]

One thing to keep in mind if you are among the first to board is that your cabin may not be ready until later. To be sure, there is lots to do once you are onboard, but settling in the cabin may not be an option. (cabins ready about 1:00ish if memory serves)

 

[shelleyr25]

Can one of us check in for the cruise and the other check in for the kids club? Or do we all have to check in for the cruise as a family?

I checked my whole family in for the cruise and then once we had the KTTW cards I went over with my kids and checked them in. They needed to be with me to have their wristbands put on. We had arrived early and accomplished all of this in under 15 minutes.

 

[imlazar]

We are boarding the Magic on Saturday. It's been 5 years since our last Disney cruise and I'm sure a lot has changed since then. Anyone have any tips or advice for us?

Here are my tips:

- Check in on-line in advance, it will save you a ton of time at the port, make sure you print everything out, make backup copies, and bring them with you. You can also register for the kids clubs in advance (but you still need to check the kids in and get bracelets/pagers).

- Don't bother checking the kids into the club at the port, the line is very long and slow moving, you can simply go to the kids club after you board

- Fill out all your other paperwork in advance

- Bring as little as possible with you on-board, the terminal is crowded, as are the lunch restaurants

- Your room won't be ready until 1:30, so a lot of folks wear their bathing suits under their clothes and hit the pools right away

- Go to Parrot Cay for lunch, it's less crowded that topsiders and has the same food (but you sit inside).

- Buy the water package if you drink a lot of bottled water, people will be selling it all over the place

- Make sure you plan for the safety drill, which I think was around 4:00

- Don't fret getting to the port early, the ship doesn't leave until 5:00, I'd plan to be on-board by 3-4 latest (we've always arrived at the port around 11:00).

 

[Vanvmom]

For our 11/11/06 cruise... Before we left home, one DCL rep. on the phone told us that everyone in the party has to be together to check in, yet later another rep. told us that I could start the check-in, but that DH would need his cruise paperwork along with his photo ID to get into the building, so he would have to check-in by himself. None of this totally fit with what we'd read on these boards.

When we got to the port, the CM directing vehicles told us to stop at specified curbside umbrella, and the CM there told us that I could indeed do all of the check-in while DH was gone. He could meet me upstairs. I took everyone's passports and bahamas immigration forms and went to check in. Kids walked around and looked at the model of the ship, the Christmas tree, etc. DH turned in the rental (and kept his DL with him). I got everyone's KTTW before DH even returned in the rental shuttle. All he needed to get into the building was his DL, and he told them that the rest of his family was upstairs. We met up with him upstairs, and I gave him his KTTW, and we boarded the ship.

 

[imlazar]

For our 11/11/06 cruise... Before we left home, one DCL rep. on the phone told us that everyone in the party has to be together to check in, yet later another rep. told us that I could start the check-in, but that DH would need his cruise paperwork along with his photo ID to get into the building, so he would have to check-in by himself. None of this totally fit with what we'd read on these boards.

When we got to the port, the CM directing vehicles told us to stop at specified curbside umbrella, and the CM there told us that I could indeed do all of the check-in while DH was gone. He could meet me upstairs. I took everyone's passports and bahamas immigration forms and went to check in. Kids walked around and looked at the model of the ship, the Christmas tree, etc. DH turned in the rental (and kept his DL with him). I got everyone's KTTW before DH even returned in the rental shuttle. All he needed to get into the building was his DL, and he told them that the rest of his family was upstairs. We met up with him upstairs, and I gave him his KTTW, and we boarded the ship.

They have a master list of all passengers at the gate, they check each one off as they come through, so you don't need all members of your party together.