For once, we're hurrying off....

[kasar]

Even though the thought of leaving is horrible, I need to know how EARLY we can disembark in Port Canaveral - we have early seating.

We're going directly to WDW on New Year's Eve and I know it will get so full that they may close the gates. So, my questions are:

How early can we get off if we skip breakfast?

Would the transport buses (to the Swan) leave right away or do they wait to fill up for the resorts?

How early should we have a limo come get us if that's the way we decide to go?

Is it difficult to bring out the bags yourself or would we be better having them checked?

Thanks!

 

[kcashner]

Your bags are off the ship and cleared in customs before they open the doors to let passengers off. You can go to early breakfast and still be one of the first off. The ship docks really early (like 5 am) and is then "cleared" by customs before any passengers are allowed off. That means all non-US citizens have been to their 6am meeting with customs, all bags are off and dog sniffed, etc. THEN they let the passengers off. SO...I'd check your bags. They are very quick and easy to claim....organized by "tag color" and then by stateroom number.

On my trip, the WDW bus left as soon as it was reasonably full, then they started filling another bus....we waited maybe 5 minutes.

I believe that they announce disembarkation to begin at 9am, but in my experience, it is usually a bit earlier than that. In know that if we go to late breakfast, we can usually (but not always) get off right after breakfast.

 

[Towncrier]

Don't skip breakfast. We had early seating and ate a leisurely breakfast. We got in line and were the second family off the Disney Wonder and through customs. My wife and I were first on the DCL bus back to the airport. We sat for about 10 minutes while the bus filled up. After arriving at the airport, we checked our bags at the airline counter then headed down to the rental car counter. We rented a PT Cruiser and drove to WDW. Parked at the Dolphin, dropped off a package for a friend at the Dolphin front desk, then walked to the Epcot International Gateway. We were in the park by 10:45AM.

Since I imagine you'll be going straight to WDW, I imagine that you may even get there before 10:45AM.

 

[Disneymommie]

In AUg when we cruised the wonder, the rope was dropped and people began to leave at 7:45! We were still waiting to get into second seating breakfast when people were getting off. Can not help with the busses, we drove to port!

I can not imagine that they ever wait till 9am to start letting peoplr off , I was under the impression that everyone had to be off by 9am. Good luch and have fun!

 

[LisaGoeke]

In October it was 8 a.m. or before when they let us get off. We waited a few minutes but then were off, car loaded, and on the road by 8:30 a.m.