How early can you enter the terminal?

[WanderLit]

How early can you enter the cruise terminal at Port Canaveral on embarkation day? My party will be driving ourselves and have the earliest PAT time. Will we be able to enter the terminal upon arrival?

For my last Disney cruise, I flew in and used the Disney Shuttle service. We had a long wait for the shuttle and a long wait at the cruise terminal. Driving ourselves, can we go into the terminal before the busses and masses start to arrive?

 

[Weedy]

The parking garage opens at 9:30 and the terminal at 10:30. If you arrive before 10:30 you will have to wait outside.

 

[southerngirl528]

If you arrive before 10:30 you will have to wait outside.

And not sure what time of year your cruise is, WanderLit, but if it's from June through November, it will be our rainy season. So it could be a wait in some pretty soggy weather if you got there TOO early.

 

[WanderLit]

Thank you! Knowing when we can park and when we can get into the terminal (and out of the heat and/or wet) is just what I wanted to know.

 

[Marc D]

The first people to go into the terminal are the guests on the first two busses coming from MCO. They arrive 10-20 minutes before 10:30 and enter the terminal by a separate entrance. By that time, there usually is a line at the parking garage and in front of the terminal. In any case, if you arrive early, you’ll have to wait either in line outside, in line inside to get to the counter or for the boarding to start.

 

[tlprice]

The first people to go into the terminal are the guests on the first two busses coming from MCO. They arrive 10-20 minutes before 10:30 and enter the terminal by a separate entrance. By that time, there usually is a line at the parking garage and in front of the terminal. In any case, if you arrive early, you’ll have to wait either in line outside, in line inside to get to the counter or for the boarding to start.

Thanks for this. It helps me. This will be our first time using Disney transportation from MCO. Our flight gets in at 6:25 AM, but they said the first bus from MCO isn't until 9:30. Obviously we will be on that bus. I'm glad to know we will be able to get right into the terminal though. We are going to be TIRED! I plan on taking a nap as soon as we can get into our room until muster time.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm glad to know we will be able to get right into the terminal though. We are going to be TIRED! I plan on taking a nap as soon as we can get into our room until muster time.

Just to clarify... while passengers on the first buses from MCO can enter the terminal immediately on arrival, boarding is not immediate. Boarding typically begins 11:15/11:30-ish. And even once onboard you do not have access to your stateroom until 1:30pm. I didn’t want you thinking you’d get to your stateroom shortly after arriving at the terminal. I’d grab a lounger on the pool deck and possibly rest a bit if tired.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[tlprice]

Just to clarify... while passengers on the first buses from MCO can enter the terminal immediately on arrival, boarding is not immediate. Boarding typically begins 11:15/11:30-ish. And even once onboard you do not have access to your stateroom until 1:30pm. I didn’t want you thinking you’d get to your stateroom shortly after arriving at the terminal. I’d grab a lounger on the pool deck and possibly rest a bit if tired.

Enjoy your cruise!

Oh yes, thank you. I wasn't sure exactly when we'd be able to board and figured we'd have to wait around for a bit in the terminal. I did know that you can't get to your state room until 1:30. I'm sure by then I'll be ready to crash. The only flight available for us leaves here at 12:45 at night and gets in to Orlando at 6:25 AM (which will be like 4:25 to us). We don't even get a lot of time to sleep on the plane. BUT, we are going on another Disney cruise so whatever it takes!

 

[Vista20]

Will the bags be in the room at 1:30 or later?

 

[Marc D]

Will the bags be in the room at 1:30 or later?

The bags arrive anywhere between Noon and dinner. Even in Concierge, we usually get them just before or after the muster drill or sometimes a bit earlier.

 

[southerngirl528]

Will the bags be in the room at 1:30 or later?

The bags arrive anywhere between Noon and dinner. Even in Concierge, we usually get them just before or after the muster drill or sometimes a bit earlier.

I've never sailed concierge, but it has almost always been after 1:30 that our bags have arrived. That's why it is VERY important to carryon any essentials. Plus a swim suit if ya plan on swimming or the AquaDuck as soon as you board!

 

[kiford]

If you get there too early, you won't be able to get into the parking garage because other cruisers haven't left yet. We got there on our last cruise a little before 10 am and there were still a lot of cars in the lot. No trouble finding a spot, but it wasn't like it was empty. We waiting in line in the garage until they opened the door at 10:30. At that time, they checked our ID and must have checked some paperwork to ensure we were actually sailing. I don't exactly recall what I showed them but I do know that they checked both (we usually come in on DCL transfers so it's never been an issue; this time we came with friends who are local). So they don't open the doors and just let people stream in. They still control the lines so it took another 5-10 minutes to get in as the lineup was already quite long when we got there.

 

[Trera]

The first people to go into the terminal are the guests on the first two busses coming from MCO. They arrive 10-20 minutes before 10:30 and enter the terminal by a separate entrance. By that time, there usually is a line at the parking garage and in front of the terminal. In any case, if you arrive early, you’ll have to wait either in line outside, in line inside to get to the counter or for the boarding to start.

Typically the first guests into the terminal are the B2B guests from the previous cruise.