I want to be the first to board

[Aisling]

How can I be the first to board the ship?

I know that when you get to the terminal, you have to check-in, and then line up by the gangway entrance. I have a few question about this.

If we get to the terminal before 10:30 AM and it's not open yet, does that mean they won't let cars through, or can we still get dropped off and wait outside the terminal door until they let us in? If they let you wait outside until it opens, is there a mad rush to get in?

Check-in requires all party members to be present at the check-in counter; how long do you think it would take a family of 4 with no complications to finish check-in? Do they take our luggage then, or does that happen before we enter the terminal?

Do we all need to stand on the line, or can I wait there and let my family wander around?

If I'm not the first to board, I won't care, but I'm sitting here bored, thinking about the cruise!

 

[lbgraves]

OK if there are 4 of you then have DH drop you off with luggage for the porters to pick up and then park in the terminal lot. You can go thru with one or two of the kids I am guessing and they don't need anything but their IDs to come in after you. If the kids are old enough, send one to go stand in line for boarding by the ears while you go to the first desk to have the CMs go thru your docs. You can then go to the main check in line to get your KTTW card. You will need to have the docs for everyone & their BCs to get checked in. All you DH will have to do is go to the same CM & show them his ID to get his KTTW card. After that, only one person has to stand in line. We were at the end of the roped off section each time & it didn't really take that long for us to reach the atrium. Try to relax...you have a long way to go.

 

[budwmn]

FYI: Disabled Guests and passengers with suites board first.

 

[CPM]

It's nice to be able to get on early, but not sure what benefit there is to being first. I certainly wouldn't go crazy getting there that early.
Once you are past the first picture, everyone is kind of in at once. There are a lot of hanicapped people that board first anyway.

 

[PENCOYS PIRATE]

Hello,
Please excuse my ignorance, but how does it actually work this boarding business?
We are travelling from the U.K. so I presume when our Docs are checked we will have to go to a different bit as were non U.S. folks.
We are planning on getting to the port A.S.A.P. due to the advice given on these boards so when we actually get there what happens next, Do we get in line? are people quite territorial about their line position!!! oh my goodness So much to think about I think Im right that there are tv's showing disney stuff and a fab model of the ship, ( we have 2 girls 8 & 9) so theres no way they will want to sit/stand still . so please help you good people any advice would be much appreciated

Thankyou
Pencoys Pirate

 

[dwkwootton]

lbgraves summed it up really well. You can get to the port before 10 and wait in the short line that is outside the gate. Be sure your docs are filled out before you get there. Once inside the terminal, the lines are well marked for US and non-US citizens (and Castaway Club members) and at that hour, the lines are very short. Handicapped and concierge board first but they are not in the regular line. My experience has always been that the early group is most cheerful and does not mind at all if everyone in the party is not in the line or even if you take turns leaving the line and returning.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Tell us more about we're you're staying the night before the cruise.

I totally understand the exitement and anticipation, but personally I'd rather not have to spend any more time than I have to waiting in line while I"m on vacation. If you get there TOO early you'll be wwwwaaaaiiiiitttttiiiiinnnnggggg. Will you have children with you?

On our first cruise we stayed at the Raddison at the Port so slept in, had a light breakfast, then drove to the grocery store to pick up a few things, returned the car, and got back to the terminal for late morning boarding after the first rush. Walked right on, had a great lunch, made ressies without any problem, etc...

Second cruise we stayed at the YC the night before and were having such a nice morning there we really took our time - walked the loop to the Boardwalk, went swimming, had a light breakfast, etc...and then drove over. It was about 12:30 when we boarded, a little later than we like to (in part thanks to the drawbridge going up ), but no regrets here. (We were supposed to go back to the YC for 3 nights post cruise but never made it due to Hurricane Frances ) Walked on nicely and had a quiet lunch, still had no problem making all our ressies, then our room was ready, etc...

I just think there are so few hours to out total vacation I don't want to waste any of them. Last week I was at WDW and one of the days saw a moderately full DCL bus leaving AK in the afternoon, pretty late, I thought. But then I figured those people were probably doing the Land/Sea and wanted to enjoy their morning at AK.

Do whatever works for you but remember to relax and have a good time as well.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

We stayed at the Hyatt in MCO the night before. Got up our regular time, ate a light breakfast then had our limo pick us up. We got to the port right at 10am as they were opening. We were probably the fifth family on board. It just happened to work out well for us. I won't go out of my way to get there early. There is a lot of standing around until they let you on board, especially if you have kids. Good luck!

 

[lbgraves]

Oh, just wanted to say that for our 12/4/04 cruise we did get there before 10, about the sixth car in line in the parking lot across the street from the terminal. However, customs did a cold inspection...which meant that noone would be admitted to the terminal until ALL CMs were off the ship so they could inspect it. We sat there until after 11 while watching the DCL busses start to unload. Now those people had to stand outside of the building, but they got in before we even got into the parking lot to the drop off point. Of course, I enjoyed walking right past them as they stood in the regular check in line while we were able to use the CC line. Just know that you can do everything according to your plan...then stuff happens.

 

[PENCOYS PIRATE]

Hi I don't know if the question was aimed at us but we will be staying for two days prior to our cruise at the Ron Jon resort got an AAA rate of $90 per night for a studio. So we aren't to far etc and certainly wont be breaking our necks to get there but I just have this feeling that will be up fairly early and killing time.
Also are cruise is a 3 day so we want to get as much out of it as we can, and yes I do think I need to calm down just a little I just want everyone to have the best time ever.
Also our 2 girls are totally oblivious to the fact they are going on a Disney Cruise.
Thanks for all your help everyone Pencoys Pirate

 

[staylor]

I wanted to be on first/ very early myself but imagine my surprise when we get to the port and there is a bomb threat. All of us that were there early had to go across the street and wait in a parking lot together. We didn't get on first to say the least. But, I still got all of the ressies I wanted.
Good Luck!

 

[Jillpie]

To the OP, I don't think you need to calm down at all. I can completely understand your excitement, and thats all it is, excitement!! Its not that she's stressed out about being the first one there and she's worried she won't get on or something, its probably her first cruise, yes? Well, its ours too, and I really can understand how she feels. I'm already planning on what time we want to be there in April and want to be there early too, I don't care if we have to stand around, this is a dream come true, just standing there about to board the Wonder!!!

 

[mommasita]

The next cruise (whenever that is ) will be our fourth, and we always try to get there ASAP. This is methodically thought out, and done. I think of that first day as the first part of my vacation, and having paid for that day, I want to get as much out of it a I can.
\
Also, when you arrive and eat early, and do any other appointments you may need, the pool is the absolute quietiest you will every see it. The kids enjoy this time so much.

All in all everyone has there one way of doing things, it just would get to me if I was not one of the first to board......

 

[jrabbit]

Once you've checked in at the desk you can go and get in the queue. Your entire party doesn't need to wait in the queue. You can take turns exploring the terminal and the model of the ship and get photos when the characters come out.

Queuing up in the terminal and waiting for a "little while" (1 to 1 1/2 hours) ensures that you will get on the ship as soon as possibile because as we all know *** (Mickey Vacation Time ) goes much faster than normal time. At least for me I want to enjoy as much *** as possible - so I queue up "outside" as much as possible to reduce standing in lines "inside" (you know, the ressie rush) by as much as possible. It works on the ship just like at the parks. You know, "Type B" personality at home and work and an extreme Type A on vacation (even on the ship --- Just what do you mean by "I can't do it all"???!!??!)

 

[Rence]

How can I be the first to board the ship?
_________________________________________

I think the key is set to expectations correctly. It would be virtually impossible to be THE FIRST, but it shouldn’t be hard to be AMONG the first to board. As was mentioned above, disabled passengers are boarded first, followed by those who have booked a suite. Then it would go to those in the queue.

 

[Aisling]

I think the key is set to expectations correctly. It would be virtually impossible to be THE FIRST, but it shouldn’t be hard to be AMONG the first to board. As was mentioned above, disabled passengers are boarded first, followed by those who have booked a suite. Then it would go to those in the queue.

LOL, OK, then I want to be the first on the regular queue!

Jillpie, you're correct, this will be our first cruise, and I'm so excited! I'm so happy yuop understand! I forgot that suites and disabled board first.
Trust me, it won't blow my vacation if I don't board first, but I just thought it would be extra fun to be the first standing outside the Mickey ears!

We're taking a limo from the MCO Hyatt, so we can leave early. But if we get there too early and we have to wait outside the terminal gate, I wonder how the limo driver will feel about that, just sitting there for however long before he can let us out of the car.

Part of me wants to sit on the terminal sofas, watching Disney movies, strolling around, enjoying the terminal in a leisurely and relaxed fashion, but the excited part of me wants to be right there outside those Mickey ears, ready to get into that atrium and say a big WOO HOO! It's just all in fun.
Thanks for all the great responses!

 

[TammiMcMan]

Aisling, we took a towncar service from the MCO Hyatt recently and it doesn't take long to get there at all. I think it was all of 40-45 minutes. Not sure about the limo policy, but if you get there too early and the driver has to wait, it might cost you extra money. We left at about 9:45am and that was plenty of time for a quick breakfast in the morning.

Honestly, there's not a lot to do or see inside the terminal. Once you check in, people were getting right into that queue line. We actually stood outside on the balcony for about 35 minutes watching them load and do maintenance on the ship.

We've had the pleasure of being the first guests on both our Disney cruises. I admit, it was pretty exciting.

 

[Regina]

This reminds of the time that I did a 3 and 4 day back to back. DH joined me for the second cruise and got to the terminal early. I was already there and we ended up being first in the regular line.

Well, I guess that was the plan for a group of cruizin' CMs who were behind us. They insisted that we were all waiting in the wrong spot. Seeing that they were cranky, we moved. When the CM in charge of the line showed up, he had us move right back to where we were.

Once they boarded the disabled and suite guests, the group that was second practically ran over us to get onboard first, LOL.

Don't take it too seriously. It's fine to get on early, but you do end up standing in line for over an hour, and you have to actually talk to your DH for all that time.

 

[mmouse37]

Here is a pic of my hubby and DD waiting first on the regular line!!! We just happened to be first. They were waiting on the boarding line as I was finishing up checking us all in. We became friendly with all the folks on line around us. People are very pleasant and have no problem with you leaving the line and coming back as long as you let them know what is going on!

In the past they used to do a countdown 10, 9, 8, etc. with the first family and got the whole line pumped up and excited...but they did away with that...don't know why!!!

http://community.webshots.com/photo/249426676/249461837CevzZw

They were actually standing in the wrong spot and had to move over to the right. The stantions were very confusing as they were not set up properly when we got there. The CM reconfigured them and moved the line to the right.

MJ

 

[georgina]

They were actually standing in the wrong spot and had to move over to the right. The stantions were very confusing as they were not set up properly when we got there. The CM reconfigured them and moved the line to the right.

MJ

That is something we would do - the first ones there and standing in the wrong place! It's good when they moved the line that you were still first. it would be a bummer to lose your spot due to wrong line configuration!