First timer question

[Paradise Pier Pinocchio]

Greetings everyone, just had a question regarding boarding time on a Disney cruise. I don't want to use the bus service from WDW because I have heard that they don't get you to the terminal very early and as this is my first cruise I want to board as soon as I can. What time is that? I'm sure they let Castaway Club members on board first but was wondering the procedure / timing. Thank you in advance. Thinking about renting a car or using a transfer service to get there at a decent hour.

 

[KalamityJane]

Greetings everyone, just had a question regarding boarding time on a Disney cruise. I don't want to use the bus service from WDW because I have heard that they don't get you to the terminal very early and as this is my first cruise I want to board as soon as I can. What time is that? I'm sure they let Castaway Club members on board first but was wondering the procedure / timing. Thank you in advance. Thinking about renting a car or using a transfer service to get there at a decent hour.

They will give you a Port Arrival Time and your boarding number is linked to that time. I think open boarding for all is around 12?

 

[gary in florida]

Greetings everyone, just had a question regarding boarding time on a Disney cruise. I don't want to use the bus service from WDW because I have heard that they don't get you to the terminal very early and as this is my first cruise I want to board as soon as I can. What time is that? I'm sure they let Castaway Club members on board first but was wondering the procedure / timing. Thank you in advance. Thinking about renting a car or using a transfer service to get there at a decent hour.

You must get an arrival time when you log into the cruise site, the earliest arrival at the Port is 10:30, they will give you a number for boarding, depending upon the time you arrive at the Port is when you get a lower number. Castaway Club members and newbies, except for Platinum, all board based upon the numbers at arrival.

 

[Marc D]

In fact, only Platinum and Concierge guests are guaranteed to board in group 1. All the other groups are determined by the port arrival time you will choose when you check in online. Being a first timer, you’ll be the last to choose your PAT but you might still get an early one. They begin at 10:30, when the terminal opens, and are available in 15min increments. They usually begin boarding around 11:30 or 11:45. They call a group and wait for it to go through the photographers and onboard before calling the next group.

 

[Paradise Pier Pinocchio]

Thank you for the answers!

 

[diznymom]

Suggestion: Come in the day before the cruise and stay at the Hyatt in the MCO airport. Take the bu from the airport to Port Canaveral. You can be on the buses fairly early. I think they start running at 9 am.

 

[Marc D]

Suggestion: Come in the day before the cruise and stay at the Hyatt in the MCO airport. Take the bu from the airport to Port Canaveral. You can be on the buses fairly early. I think they start running at 9 am.

Indeed, if you stay at the Hyatt and use DCL ground transfers, you are not required to pick a PAT (anymore. You had to before.) and if you get on the first few busses at 9AM, you’ll enter the terminal before anyone else, while people arriving independently wait in line outside. Last March, being on the first bus, we walked in to an empty terminal. And they pick up your luggage in the hotel room and deliver it to the stateroom. Not cheap but mighty efficient.