Early Arrival at Port?

[SJDisneyFanatic]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me what will happen if you arrive before your port arrival time? The earliest time I was able to secure was 12:45 pm. I read that it is best to be there as early as possible but since we booked kind of last minute, this was the best I could do. What happens if you arrive earlier than your reserved time? Do they just make you wait and if so, where do they make you wait?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me what will happen if you arrive before your port arrival time? The earliest time I was able to secure was 12:45 pm. I read that it is best to be there as early as possible but since we booked kind of last minute, this was the best I could do. What happens if you arrive earlier than your reserved time? Do they just make you wait and if so, where do they make you wait?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

The terminal opens at 10:30. With boarding beginning around 11:30 or so. If you arrive earlier than your selected Port Arrival Time, and the terminal is full (as it well may be, especially with the Dream class ship) you may be asked to wait outside until either your PAT or when the terminal is less full (whichever occurs first). One note on this - the boarding number you get when you check in at the port is tied to your PAT.

Around 11:15-11:30 actual boarding begins with the announcement for Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club members. Then they start announcing boarding numbers. Once the boarding number being announced catches up with the number being issued at check in, Open Boarding is called. This is generally around 12:30-12:45. Anyone holding any boarding number may board.

The "sweet spot" for arriving is generally around 12:15-12:30. By then most people have checked in and boarded, the buses from the WDW resorts haven't started arriving yet, and Open Boarding is soon announced. You typically can get right through check in and board with no lines.

 

[SJDisneyFanatic]

The terminal opens at 10:30. With boarding beginning around 11:30 or so. If you arrive earlier than your selected Port Arrival Time, and the terminal is full (as it well may be, especially with the Dream class ship) you may be asked to wait outside until either your PAT or when the terminal is less full (whichever occurs first). One note on this - the boarding number you get when you check in at the port is tied to your PAT.

Around 11:15-11:30 actual boarding begins with the announcement for Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club members. Then they start announcing boarding numbers. Once the boarding number being announced catches up with the number being issued at check in, Open Boarding is called. This is generally around 12:30-12:45. Anyone holding any boarding number may board.

The "sweet spot" for arriving is generally around 12:15-12:30. By then most people have checked in and boarded, the buses from the WDW resorts haven't started arriving yet, and Open Boarding is soon announced. You typically can get right through check in and board with no lines.

Thank you so much!!

 

[n2mm]

I normally get an early pat and usually get a number 2 or 3 to board.
In February we booked a last minute cruise so by the time I got my pat the earliest time was 11:30. We still got there early....not stand in line early, but right after they opened. Because I had a later pat I was given the number 12 to board. So I'm assuming your boarding number must be related to your pat, no matter what time you arrive. I'm a platinum level now, so it doesn't matter any more.

 

[Dug720]

I normally get an early pat and usually get a number 2 or 3 to board.
In February we booked a last minute cruise so by the time I got my pat the earliest time was 11:30. We still got there early....not stand in line early, but right after they opened. Because I had a later pat I was given the number 12 to board. So I'm assuming your boarding number must be related to your pat, no matter what time you arrive. I'm a platinum level now, so it doesn't matter any more.

Yes. Your boarding group IS tied to your PAT. You can arrive earlier (as long as it isn't at capacity), but be prepared to potentially watch people who arrive after you but at their PAT board before you.

 

[kiford]

It's debatable as to whether it's best to be there as early as possible, as it's really based on personal preferences. We prefer not to be there as early as possible. Arriving early, even if you have an early PAT, means waiting in line and then waiting until boarding starts. Then you have to carry your carryon with you until your room is ready at 1:30 pm. You also have to be up early. We prefer to sleep in a bit, have a leisurely breakfast, get to the port when no one else is in line so check in is immediate, walk onto the ship right away and head up to the room. We still have time to go to Guest Services to get tickets for tastings, unpack carryon, check that excursion tickets are correct (had to have this fixed twice), then head to lunch. Others like to be at the port as early as possible (some who have early PAT and some who don't) so that they can be on board as early as possible. Only you can determine what meets your needs. There's pros and cons to both.

 

[SJDisneyFanatic]

It's debatable as to whether it's best to be there as early as possible, as it's really based on personal preferences. We prefer not to be there as early as possible. Arriving early, even if you have an early PAT, means waiting in line and then waiting until boarding starts. Then you have to carry your carryon with you until your room is ready at 1:30 pm. You also have to be up early. We prefer to sleep in a bit, have a leisurely breakfast, get to the port when no one else is in line so check in is immediate, walk onto the ship right away and head up to the room. We still have time to go to Guest Services to get tickets for tastings, unpack carryon, check that excursion tickets are correct (had to have this fixed twice), then head to lunch. Others like to be at the port as early as possible (some who have early PAT and some who don't) so that they can be on board as early as possible. Only you can determine what meets your needs. There's pros and cons to both.

Thank you for your thoughtful response! I don't want to rush just to stand in line so will consider this in our planning. Seems like when we our PAT is, might be a fine time to head on board.

 

[FigmentSpark]

What happens if you have an earlier PAT, but don't show up until later? Do you go to the back of the line or can you fast forward?

 

[Dug720]

What happens if you have an earlier PAT, but don't show up until later? Do you go to the back of the line or can you fast forward?

I would assume that you would get your assigned boarding number and if they are past it you could board.

But I would hope that if someone knew in advance they were not going to make their selected PAT - or knew when selecting that they weren't going to be arriving until later - they would change to or select a later PAT so that someone who knows they will be there early could get it. (Obviously I know that there can be things like accidents on the road to make you late. That is an exception. I'm referring to someone who knows going in they won't be there until noon or so but selects a 10:30 PAT so they can just jump in line - or someone who knows at least a few weeks in advance that they will be arriving later than anticipated.)

 

[dcassetta]

What happens if you have an earlier PAT, but don't show up until later? Do you go to the back of the line or can you fast forward?

If the number on your boarding card has already been called, you'll be able to board right away.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What happens if you have an earlier PAT, but don't show up until later? Do you go to the back of the line or can you fast forward?

You will get the same boarding number, based on your Port Arrival Time you selected, regardless if you check in 20 minutes early or 3 hours late. If your boarding number has already been called when you check in, you just go ahead and board at the time you finish your check in.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I would assume that you would get your assigned boarding number and if they are past it you could board.

But I would hope that if someone knew in advance they were not going to make their selected PAT - or knew when selecting that they weren't going to be arriving until later - they would change to or select a later PAT so that someone who knows they will be there early could get it. (Obviously I know that there can be things like accidents on the road to make you late. That is an exception. I'm referring to someone who knows going in they won't be there until noon or so but selects a 10:30 PAT so they can just jump in line - or someone who knows at least a few weeks in advance that they will be arriving later than anticipated.)

I was thinking of those unforeseen things that can happen, not a pre-planned late arrival with an early PAT. You are right that a person should book what they expect to require, but, as you said, accidents happen, planes get delayed, rental places have line ups and limited shuttles, etc.

 

[Dug720]

I was thinking of those unforeseen things that can happen, not a pre-planned late arrival with an early PAT. You are right that a person should book what they expect to require, but, as you said, accidents happen, planes get delayed, rental places have line ups and limited shuttles, etc.

Yep. Obviously if it's unforeseen that is going to happen occasionally.

 

[scootch]

Yes. Your boarding group IS tied to your PAT. You can arrive earlier (as long as it isn't at capacity), but be prepared to potentially watch people who arrive after you but at their PAT board before you.

I had a 1pm arrival time for a cruise I booked just a couple weeks in advance. I arrived at opening(as we like to take pictures) and was boarding group 6 and on the ship by 11:40am.

 

[disneyholic family]

we do always get there early, but there is something to be said about getting there only when the rooms open..
i really do hate to schlep my carryon bags around with me all over the ship until i can finally put them away in my room..
that being said, i'll probably never change about that get on board early habit..

 

[Dug720]

I had a 1pm arrival time for a cruise I booked just a couple weeks in advance. I arrived at opening(as we like to take pictures) and was boarding group 6 and on the ship by 11:40am.

You got lucky. They don't usually do that.

My last DCL cruise I had a 10:45 boarding time, was on the first bus from the airport, and got group 3 (there were a lot of golds this time who grabbed 10:30). The family checking in next to me had a much later PAT but were on my bus. They were something like Group 24 or even later. The guy checking them in explained that the boarding group was tied to the selected port arrival time.

 

[gotomu212]

But I would hope that if someone knew in advance they were not going to make their selected PAT - or knew when selecting that they weren't going to be arriving until later - they would change to or select a later PAT so that someone who knows they will be there early could get it. (Obviously I know that there can be things like accidents on the road to make you late. That is an exception. I'm referring to someone who knows going in they won't be there until noon or so but selects a 10:30 PAT so they can just jump in line - or someone who knows at least a few weeks in advance that they will be arriving later than anticipated.)

I don't think it makes much of a real difference though. It just means the group number behind them get to board faster. For example say I get the earliest PAT and my boarding number is 3. If I'm not there and they get to #3 there will be one less family to go through and they'll call group #4 faster (that time lag is pretty unnoticeable if there just 1 family not in their group but applying it across several it could go down a few Minutes. The people,m group #4 were most likely the people who would snag my earlier PAT anyway so an entire group goes earlier instead of just one person. Apply this over several hoarding groups and the whole process just moves faster.

I don't think it's jumping in line because "the line" was when you registered for your PAT. At port you're just collecting your boarding number. That's just my perspective though and why we always grab the earliest PAT.

 

[scootch]

You got lucky. They don't usually do that.

My last DCL cruise I had a 10:45 boarding time, was on the first bus from the airport, and got group 3 (there were a lot of golds this time who grabbed 10:30). The family checking in next to me had a much later PAT but were on my bus. They were something like Group 24 or even later. The guy checking them in explained that the boarding group was tied to the selected port arrival time.

IDK, my friend had the same experience as I did, so maybe it is luck.

 

[Sytrace]

Our upcoming September 16th cruise has a PAT of 11:45 (last minute booking) and I fully expect we will arrive and be in a later boarding group, but still have little wait time in the terminal. Once they clear out the early PAT guests, it seems to move faster.

But our September 24th cruise we have a 10:30 AM PAT which means we will wait until 11:15 or so but be in an early group number. Still get onboard but have a bit of a wait in the terminal.

We will only have 3 carryons. I will have my purse with docs, ID, cash, medicine and jewelery
my daughter will have the swim bag
my son will carry the camera case. Not that much to lug around thank goodness.

 

[Dug720]

IDK, my friend had the same experience as I did, so maybe it is luck.

Yeah... Or a CM in a good mood or who doesn't know the protocol for where to find the correct boarding group.