First Time Platinum Cruiser

[mom2brooke76]

Our 5 night double dip in June will be our first ever as platinum! Yay! We live 45 minutes from Port Canaveral and since moving here never get to the port until around 12 to avoid huge crowds. This time, however, I'd like to get there earlier to take advantage of boarding as one of the first (I know B2B, concierge and family of the day go before platinum). What time should we plan on arriving at the terminal? Do platinum guests even choose a PAT? Any help is appreciated! ☺

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Our 5 night double dip in June will be our first ever as platinum! Yay! We live 45 minutes from Port Canaveral and since moving here never get to the port until around 12 to avoid huge crowds. This time, however, I'd like to get there earlier to take advantage of boarding as one of the first (I know B2B, concierge and family of the day go before platinum). What time should we plan on arriving at the terminal? Do platinum guests even choose a PAT? Any help is appreciated! ☺

No, as Platinum, you won't be prompted to select at Port Arrival Time. The terminal opens at 10:30. Board generally begins around 11:15-11:30.

I'll tell you, boarding "early" ain't all it's cracked up to be. With all the people crowding the entry to the queue area before their number is called, it can be a real challenge to actually get there when it's your turn.

 

[lorimay]

Our 5 night double dip in June will be our first ever as platinum! Yay! We live 45 minutes from Port Canaveral and since moving here never get to the port until around 12 to avoid huge crowds. This time, however, I'd like to get there earlier to take advantage of boarding as one of the first (I know B2B, concierge and family of the day go before platinum). What time should we plan on arriving at the terminal? Do platinum guests even choose a PAT? Any help is appreciated! ☺

Congratulations!!!

No you do not choose a time, there will be a massage that pops up telling you to come whenever you would like.
We are also platinum members, we like to get to the port by 1030 and we are most times onboard before noon, boarding group 1.

 

[mom2brooke76]

No, as Platinum, you won't be prompted to select at Port Arrival Time. The terminal opens at 10:30. Board generally begins around 11:15-11:30.

I'll tell you, boarding "early" ain't all it's cracked up to be. With all the people crowding the entry to the queue area before their number is called, it can be a real challenge to actually get there when it's your turn.

Yeah, I figured as much. I moved to the Orlando area in 2012 from Alabama and remember the days of being one of the first in the terminal with the crazy crowds LOL That's why we started coming at 12 once I moved here. My DH thinks I'm nuts, but for out first platinum cruise I wanted to "experience" everything hehe

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yeah, I figured as much. I moved to the Orlando area in 2012 from Alabama and remember the days of being one of the first in the terminal with the crazy crowds LOL That's why we started coming at 12 once I moved here. My DH thinks I'm nuts, but for out first platinum cruise I wanted to "experience" everything hehe

Well, that's part of the "experience".

The evil looks you get when you say "excuse me, it's my turn to board" when trying to wade through the crowd can be a bit daunting, however. It's like people are afraid they aren't going to get onboard........or something.

 

[lorimay]

I truly wish DCL could do more than an automated message over the loud speaker that tells guest to sit and wait for their boarding number. People don't listen to that. They would need people standing around the entrance enforcing it, but Disney doesn't want to ruffle feathers, so the crowding continues.
Also, in The Walt Disney Theater, the same voice with the message not to save seats is pretty much useless. I had a woman behind me once shooing people off as she held a whole row for The Tangled Show for her family and she just kept saying " I have a large family". She held that row for 45 minutes and not one person challenged her as I was praying they would.

 

[Trera]

Too many crowding the front hoping to "slip" through with others showing early boarding numbers.

Disney is so great at controlling crowds in most other ways..............it is bizarre to me that cant control boarding onto their ships.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Too many crowding the front hoping to "slip" through with others showing early boarding numbers.

Disney is so great at controlling crowds in most other ways..............it is bizarre to me that cant control boarding onto their ships.

I hear you. I don't get it, either.

 

[Weedy]

At Port Canaveral it’s not that bad for Platinum Cruisers.
You get to check in in the same area as the Concierge Guest. It’s at the top right side inside the terminal. There are couches in this area and you can wait there.
This area. you are “above” the crowd.
Once they start calling numbers it’s easy to get in the que without fighting the crowd.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

At Port Canaveral it’s not that bad for Platinum Cruisers.
You get to check in in the same area as the Concierge Guest. It’s at the top right side inside the terminal. There are couches in this area and you can wait there.
This area. you are “above” the crowd.
Once they start calling numbers it’s easy to get in the que without fighting the crowd.

That's not been my experience. The Concierge/Platinum check in line can get pretty long. Sometimes it's quicker to use the regular check in lines. Then, once the lounge is full, you have find somewhere else to sit. Putting you behind the crowd trying to rush the queue for boarding.

 

[Shanti]

The crowd waiting to board has always been civil in my experience. There are a lot of people, but I've never witnessed any pushing or rude remarks. People are eager to board, but that does not have to be problematic. It's nowhere near as crowded or rude as what you experience in the hub before MK fireworks, to give a little context.

We have enjoyed boarding early, as the emptier pool deck of the first few hours is a pleasure to enjoy. Definitely worth a little bit of benign crowding in the boarding area imo.

 

[JW9DVC]

The crowd waiting to board has always been civil in my experience. There are a lot of people, but I've never witnessed any pushing or rude remarks. People are eager to board, but that does not have to be problematic. It's nowhere near as crowded or rude as what you experience in the hub before MK fireworks, to give a little context.

We have enjoyed boarding early, as the emptier pool deck of the first few hours is a pleasure to enjoy. Definitely worth a little bit of benign crowding in the boarding area imo.

Well stated.

 

[Trera]

The crowd waiting to board has always been civil in my experience. There are a lot of people, but I've never witnessed any pushing or rude remarks. People are eager to board, but that does not have to be problematic. It's nowhere near as crowded or rude as what you experience in the hub before MK fireworks, to give a little context.

We have enjoyed boarding early, as the emptier pool deck of the first few hours is a pleasure to enjoy. Definitely worth a little bit of benign crowding in the boarding area imo.

I don’t think it is about being civil per se but I have been in the platinum boarding group and have seen numerous times there were groups crowding the entrance with boarding group numbers at numbers closer to 10. If they see the cast member isn’t looking closely, they will push on through with lower boarding groups.

It makes it much more chaotic than it has to be.

 

[jlemieu1]

Not being Platinum I have hard that you will get #1 boarding number. So you will be in the first group to board.

 

[FSU Girl]

I truly wish DCL could do more than an automated message over the loud speaker that tells guest to sit and wait for their boarding number. People don't listen to that. They would need people standing around the entrance enforcing it, but Disney doesn't want to ruffle feathers, so the crowding continues.
Also, in The Walt Disney Theater, the same voice with the message not to save seats is pretty much useless. I had a woman behind me once shooing people off as she held a whole row for The Tangled Show for her family and she just kept saying " I have a large family". She held that row for 45 minutes and not one person challenged her as I was praying they would.

I did on my first cruise on the Magic. I was one of the first people in the theater because I like getting a good seat so I lined up really early. I also really like being dead center in a theater so we picked a row and moved all the way to the center and sat. Then this lady shows up completely alone and says she needs to save like 12 seats or some really large number and they can't all fit in the row unless I move three seats over. Mind you, the theater was almost completely empty at this point and the entire row behind us were wide open, so I told her no I wouldn't move and she could sit there. She was so mad at me and complained loudly the entire show about how I wouldn't move for her. She also yelled at people who tried to sit where she was saving.

 

[lorimay]

I did on my first cruise on the Magic. I was one of the first people in the theater because I like getting a good seat so I lined up really early. I also really like being dead center in a theater so we picked a row and moved all the way to the center and sat. Then this lady shows up completely alone and says she needs to save like 12 seats or some really large number and they can't all fit in the row unless I move three seats over. Mind you, the theater was almost completely empty at this point and the entire row behind us were wide open, so I told her no I wouldn't move and she could sit there. She was so mad at me and complained loudly the entire show about how I wouldn't move for her. She also yelled at people who tried to sit where she was saving.

OMG! She had the nerve to ask you to move for her??? People never cease to amaze me.
I guess you forgot its her world and you're just part of it......

 

[Racer X]

It does get a bit chaotic at boarding time. I am not Platinum or even concierge, but i wonder if the did a "Pre-Boarding" of these guests, that way there would be no numbers that could sneak by. Perhaps it could be setup something like an airline gate with different Queues that feed onto the ship... instead of the herd mentality. Doesn't seem like rocket science does it?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I'll go when it is my turn, they can look at me evil if they want.

Although we end up sitting around somewhere since we have carryon bags and the staterooms aren't ready yet.

Airlines make announcements all the time asking you to sit until your boarding time comes, but the gate lice don't care.

Platinum do get the #1 boarding number, but they are always preceded by concierge guests and the family of the day.

 

[Shanti]

Airlines make announcements all the time asking you to sit until your boarding time comes, but the gate lice don't care

Eww. I really don't see the need to refer to people as vermin, especially when their only fault is standing a bit in the way as they wait for boarding.

 

[kandt]

We will be going on our first cruise as platinum in November. Does platinum get to sit in the same area as concierge while waiting to board? Just curious.