Late PAT but using DCL Bus - What happens?

[act1980]

Taking the DCL bus down to the port, will I have to wait around in the terminal for my boarding time?

 

[DCL58]

Taking the DCL bus down to the port, will I have to wait around in the terminal for my boarding time?

Yes. DCL has changed the BG numbers for those taking the DCL bus. You can now get a later BG number. You will have to wait until your BG is called to board the ship.

 

[act1980]

So I'll be waiting in the terminal for 4 hours?

 

[act1980]

I added the transportation after I checked in and got my PAT. Just checked again and the PAT has disappeared, but it was 2:15pm

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So I'll be waiting in the terminal for 4 hours?

Typically, no. Once the boarding number being announced catches up with the number being issued at the check in counter Open Boarding is announced. Anyone holding any boarding number may board. Generally this happens around 12:30-1:00

 

[Add-On-Itis]

I added the transportation after I checked in and got my PAT. Just checked again and the PAT has disappeared, but it was 2:15pm

We added the transportation after we checked in and got our PAT. Our PAT got moved to much earlier. It took some time for it to change tho, don't remember the exact amount of time it took.

 

[Mommb]

There is a difference between Port Arrival Time (PAT) and Boarding Group (BG).

PAT is the time you are allowed to enter the cruise terminal. It is typically selected during online check-in. However, people on Disney transportation from a Disney hotel will typically be assigned a PAT that matches the bus arrival time, so they can enter the terminal when they are dropped off.

BG indicates when you are allowed to board the ship. The boarding group number is related to the port arrival time in that people with an earlier PAT will usually have a lower BG number, but they are not directly connected. The first people to board, usually at or before 12 noon, have BG 1. The next number will be called every 3-7 minutes or so. As PrincessShmoo described, at some point DCL stops calling BG numbers and allows people to board as they arrive in the terminal.

 

[act1980]

Just checked the Port Arrival form and it now says boarding group 9. Doesn't specify time though

 

[rhit2004]

Just checked the Port Arrival form and it now says boarding group 9. Doesn't specify time though

Boarding Group (order you can walk onto the ship) is all that matters with Disney transportation. The port arrival time (what time you can enter building) doesn't matter as bus people automatically enter when they walk off the bus.

It is like flying with an airline. The Boarding Group is like when airlines say "now boarding zone 1" and then once the line dies down "now boarding zone 2". There are lots of people sitting in the terminal and the boarding group indicates which people can now actually walk onto the ship (or airplane). There is no precise time when you board just an order of groups after people are allowed to start boarding. You are the equivalent of an airline saying "now boarding zone 9" (there are about 30 boarding groups and group 9 will not take too long to call as it is only a couple minutes between each boarding group once they get to boarding group 4/5).

 

[NauticalNights]

I was worried about this as well last month. We sailed last year and got an early boarding group number (5 or 6). We were coming from the POLY and we waited a long time to get on bus and at the port. I think it was about 45 minutes in the terminal, and it was very crowded as they had not called any boarding groups when we arrived.

This past month we were coming from All Star Movies and got boarding group 10. It was a short wait for bus. Once we entered the port to check in, they were calling bg 1-5. Once we were done checking in, we waited maybe 5 minutes, and our boarding group was called. They were way less people waiting. I would say with all the waiting we got on maybe 15-20 minutes earlier last year coming from POLY, but it was more chaotic and crowded. Not really worth the 15 minutes of ship time. Still was able to get dining ressies adjusted etc.

 

[justafigment27]

Just checked the Port Arrival form and it now says boarding group 9. Doesn't specify time though

Are you staying at a Disney resort or the MCO Hyatt? Or just taking a DCL bus from the airport?

 

[act1980]

Are you staying at a Disney resort or the MCO Hyatt? Or just taking a DCL bus from the airport?

Taking the bus from Riverside

 

[sponica]

Taking the bus from Riverside

You'll get an email a day or two before the cruise telling you when the luggage has to be ready and when to check in for the bus. We took a DCL transfer from POR and arrived at the port after boarding had begun, I think they were at our BG before we got through security. The next time we took a transfer from SSR and got to the port before it even opened....and waited forever to start boarding. I much preferred arriving after boarding had begun.

 

[act1980]

You'll get an email a day or two before the cruise telling you when the luggage has to be ready and when to check in for the bus. We took a DCL transfer from POR and arrived at the port after boarding had begun, I think they were at our BG before we got through security. The next time we took a transfer from SSR and got to the port before it even opened....and waited forever to start boarding. I much preferred arriving after boarding had begun.

Thanks for the info!