DCL Transport from Disney resort - pick-up times

[Lilsia]

Early October got picked up from the Riviera at 9am. They will collect your luggage early or you can just bring it on with you if you want. They give you a letter stating when and where to meet up and there is a cast member checking everyone in. They look at your ID and compare you to their list. And then they check you again as you get on board the bus.

 

[Cfudge]

Early October got picked up from the Riviera at 9am. They will collect your luggage early or you can just bring it on with you if you want. They give you a letter stating when and where to meet up and there is a cast member checking everyone in. They look at your ID and compare you to their list. And then they check you again as you get on board the bus.

End of November - Port Orleans Riverside - got a letter the night before letting us know to have our bags tagged and ready inside our room by 7AM ( we didn't receive tags before we flew out, the baggage folks at the front entrance gave us ones we could fill in). Nice guy arrived for the bags at 7:20AM. We were told to meet at 9:15AM in the lobby, a DCL rep was waiting to mark us down, and then we left at 9:30AM. Boarding group 3! Amazing!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Personally, I'll take any of these early pick-up times in comparison to 2014 when we were not picked up at Pop until 12:45!!!

Get me on that ship!

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

Personally, I'll take any of these early pick-up times in comparison to 2014 when we were not picked up at Pop until 12:45!!!

Get me on that ship!

true my last resort pick ups, I took the magical express back t the airport to get an early transportation time after being traumatised by super late resort pick-ups.. Thats why I am asking for recent pop century experiences.. staying there before my Pixar cruise in two months and wanna know before adding the shuttle

 

[scrappinginontario]

true my last resort pick ups, I took the magical express back t the airport to get an early transportation time after being traumatised by super late resort pick-ups.. Thats why I am asking for recent pop century experiences.. staying there before my Pixar cruise in two months and wanna know before adding the shuttle

Same. We're booked on the Fantasy - Feb 25, 2023 but are staying at All Star Movies. I booked DCL transportation after reading on these boards that all resorts are picking up earlier than they were for our past cruises. Hoping someone reports on their recent experiences from other resorts such as Pop and ASM.

 

[holula]

Personally, I'll take any of these early pick-up times in comparison to 2014 when we were not picked up at Pop until 12:45!!!

Get me on that ship!

And I would honestly prefer that! Time for a nice breakfast before pick up.

 

[Lilsia]

true my last resort pick ups, I took the magical express back t the airport to get an early transportation time after being traumatised by super late resort pick-ups.. Thats why I am asking for recent pop century experiences.. staying there before my Pixar cruise in two months and wanna know before adding the shuttle

Yeah, that is why I always avoided pickup from the resorts also. The one other time that we did that, we got to the ship past 1pm. But it seems that since they started cruising again, they have been picking up much earlier. I don't know if it just works better for their schedule or enough people complained but I'll take it.

 

[saintwb]

What is the advantage of having them pick up your bags early? I guess what I’m asking is do the bags go on different transportation than the bus to the port? If you have them take your bags do you not see them until they get to your state room?

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

What is the advantage of having them pick up your bags early? I guess what I’m asking is do the bags go on different transportation than the bus to the port? If you have them take your bags do you not see them until they get to your state room?

They go into a truck, not the bus you take and are delivered from there to your stateroom

 

[anricat]

I already booked DCL transport and am now rethinking because they are so early. Anyone know if we can cancel the transport. Cruise in late Jan.

Yes, call DCL or your TA (depending on how you are booked) and have the transfers removed.

 

[Lilias]

Newbie alert!

So does this change your PAT? This will be my first DCL cruise (going in April), so I'm just assuming my PAT is going to be a later one because I'll have slim pickings.

So does the hotel pickup trump that, or will I be hanging out at the port terminal for a potentially long time?

 

[jimmymc]

I've seen everything from 8:30 to noon since cruising restarted.

 

[holula]

If you are taking DCL transport from WDW you automatically get boarding group 2 or 3.

 

[SuperJ]

First time cruiser but WDW veteran, When do you learn your pickup time? We're (just a party of 2 - 1 adult, 1 child) staying at YC the night before our cruise and have booked the transfer. We're hoping to do a Cape May breakfast, even if it has to be right at 7:30 when they open since we'll be up to hand off the bags anyway, before boarding the bus. Thanks to this thread there it looks like it could be anytime between the 7am bag pickup and after 12. If pickup is 8:15, as someone mentioned, I don't think Cape May would be possible. I can always make the Cape May res and cancel, but just wondering how far in advance you learn your actual pick-up time so that we can plan more accurately.

 

[Dug720]

First time cruiser but WDW veteran, When do you learn your pickup time? We're (just a party of 2 - 1 adult, 1 child) staying at YC the night before our cruise and have booked the transfer. We're hoping to do a Cape May breakfast, even if it has to be right at 7:30 when they open since we'll be up to hand off the bags anyway, before boarding the bus. Thanks to this thread there it looks like it could be anytime between the 7am bag pickup and after 12. If pickup is 8:15, as someone mentioned, I don't think Cape May would be possible. I can always make the Cape May res and cancel, but just wondering how far in advance you learn your actual pick-up time so that we can plan more accurately.

You'll get a letter in your room the day before (or maybe at the desk if you're arriving late and only staying that night) telling you when and where to meet and info about bag pick-up. Unless it's changed since May you don't have to be in the room - just leave the bags you want them to take near the door. I was in a Riviera Studio and was a little afraid they'd grab all the bags, so I stuck the ones I didn't want them taking in the bathroom and pulled that door while I went and got breakfast at the QS there.

 

[SuperJ]

You'll get a letter in your room the day before (or maybe at the desk if you're arriving late and only staying that night) telling you when and where to meet and info about bag pick-up (unless it's changed since May you don't have to be in the room - just leave the bags you want them to take near the door. (I was in a Riviera Studio and was a little afraid they'd grab all the bags, so I stuck the ones I didn't want them taking in the bathroom and pulled that door while I went and got breakfast at the QS there.

Thanks! We are staying just the one night but we should get there pretty early in the day - our flight lands at MCO a little before 9am. We're staying there for the pool so we wanted to make sure we had the maximum time possible that day to use it. I'll just try to make the res for 7:30 departure morning and cross our fingers. At least now with the 2 hour cancel policy I can cancel without issue if our pick up time ends up being super early. Was hoping for a little more notice than after hotel check-in, but it is what it is. I appreciate the help!

 

[Dug720]

Thanks! We are staying just the one night but we should get there pretty early in the day - our flight lands at MCO a little before 9am. We're staying there for the pool so we wanted to make sure we had the maximum time possible that day to use it. I'll just try to make the res for 7:30 departure morning and cross our fingers. At least now with the 2 hour cancel policy I can cancel without issue if our pick up time ends up being super early. Was hoping for a little more notice than after hotel check-in, but it is what it is. I appreciate the help!

You're welcome!

 

[anricat]

First time cruiser but WDW veteran, When do you learn your pickup time? We're (just a party of 2 - 1 adult, 1 child) staying at YC the night before our cruise and have booked the transfer. We're hoping to do a Cape May breakfast, even if it has to be right at 7:30 when they open since we'll be up to hand off the bags anyway, before boarding the bus. Thanks to this thread there it looks like it could be anytime between the 7am bag pickup and after 12. If pickup is 8:15, as someone mentioned, I don't think Cape May would be possible. I can always make the Cape May res and cancel, but just wondering how far in advance you learn your actual pick-up time so that we can plan more accurately.

In January, we received an email the day before. I just checked and it came in at 9:11 AM the day before the cruise. We also got the letter upon arriving at AKL that afternoon.

For a data point, here are the pickup and luggage times we were given for the Wish on January 19:

All Guests with Disney Cruise Line ground transfers are invited to meet with a Disney Cruise Line representative in the Sunset Lounge at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House lobby at 08:15 AM (EST) for a 8:45 AM (EST) motorcoach departure. Photo identification for all Guests 16 years of age and older is required to board the motorcoach.

For those of you staying at your Walt Disney World Resort pick-up location, Bell Services will begin luggage pick-up at 7:00 AM (EST) on the morning of your sailing. Please place the luggage you wish to transfer to the ship inside your resort room (with Disney Cruise Line luggage tags attached) near the entrance door. You do not need to be present for your luggage to be collected.

The guy came to pick up our luggage at 6:50 AM. We weren't ready and I asked him if he wouldn't mind waiting a couple minutes. We finished at 7 AM on the dot and I pushed the bags and his tip out to him where he was still waiting in the hallway outside the room.

 

[SuperJ]

In January, we received an email the day before. I just checked and it came in at 9:11 AM the day before the cruise. We also got the letter upon arriving at AKL that afternoon.

For a data point, here are the pickup and luggage times we were given for the Wish on January 19:

All Guests with Disney Cruise Line ground transfers are invited to meet with a Disney Cruise Line representative in the Sunset Lounge at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House lobby at 08:15 AM (EST) for a 8:45 AM (EST) motorcoach departure. Photo identification for all Guests 16 years of age and older is required to board the motorcoach.

For those of you staying at your Walt Disney World Resort pick-up location, Bell Services will begin luggage pick-up at 7:00 AM (EST) on the morning of your sailing. Please place the luggage you wish to transfer to the ship inside your resort room (with Disney Cruise Line luggage tags attached) near the entrance door. You do not need to be present for your luggage to be collected.

The guy came to pick up our luggage at 6:50 AM. We weren't ready and I asked him if he wouldn't mind waiting a couple minutes. We finished at 7 AM on the dot and I pushed the bags and his tip out to him where he was still waiting in the hallway outside the room.

Thanks! Wow on the before 6:50 door knock! We're actually staying at AKL the night after the cruise. Have been there many times to eat, but have never had the opportunity or budget to stay before, so we're really excited about that. We decided to make good use of that summer discount on deluxe resorts for the before/after nights.

 

[scrappinginontario]

First time cruiser but WDW veteran, When do you learn your pickup time? We're (just a party of 2 - 1 adult, 1 child) staying at YC the night before our cruise and have booked the transfer. We're hoping to do a Cape May breakfast, even if it has to be right at 7:30 when they open since we'll be up to hand off the bags anyway, before boarding the bus. Thanks to this thread there it looks like it could be anytime between the 7am bag pickup and after 12. If pickup is 8:15, as someone mentioned, I don't think Cape May would be possible. I can always make the Cape May res and cancel, but just wondering how far in advance you learn your actual pick-up time so that we can plan more accurately.

We sailed on the Fantasy Feb 25th and stayed at ASMovies on the 24th.

Letter re: transportation to port was not received until after 9:00PM. We had asked at Guest Services a bit earlier as I thought we'd have received it by then and was advised it should arrive soon. By the time we returned to our room it was there.

A 7:30 breakfast might be doable but could feel rushed. My understanding is that deluxe resorts are normally picked up first so could be as early as 8:30-9:00AM. Out pickup time was 9:15AM and we were asked to be in the lobby 15 minutes prior to pickup.