Late port arrival time for FLL - what to do?

[JoieNsk]

We were abroad when check in opened for our cruise. And Disney doesn't allow to use any American Disney applications while abroad. Even with VPN - you can't do it.

So even though I am Gold, we only were able to check in several days after our check in opened for the cruise.

I forgot how difficult all the Disney stuff is nowadays, you snooze - you loose completely. Otherwise I would have tried to make extra effort to find a way to check in as early as possible.

So here we are - left with the last port arrival time at 2.15...

I am afraid we would not find any food for lunch on the ship anymore if we will get in the ship after 2.15pm. We had that happen in the past on other cruise lines. We board, and everything is closed already. Was not fun.

We never sailed with Disney out of FLL. If we come earlier - say at 1pm - is there any chance for us to get on the ship earlier?

Thank you in advance for all the info!

 

[Skippyboo]

Don’t know what ship you are doing, but the pool deck food court should be open if the buffet is closed.

 

[JoieNsk]

Don’t know what ship you are doing, but the pool deck food court should be open if the buffet is closed.

Thank you!

We are going to be on the Dream.

 

[Girl of the South]

Open Boarding usually happens before 2:15 - maybe 1:30? But it depends on the ship and time of year. You can keep checking back to see if an earlier PAT (port arrival time) has opened up. What Boarding Group did you get?

 

[Flossbolna]

We were abroad when check in opened for our cruise. And Disney doesn't allow to use any American Disney applications while abroad. Even with VPN - you can't do it.

Just for future reference: I regularly check in for DCL and use the full website from abroad as I live there. No issues. Also our American friends are able to use the DCL app when in Europe without problem. And you can use a VPN. The only issue is the WDW website which diverts you to a regional site which does not have 100% the same stuff, only 90%. But I regularly use VPN for the WDW site.

Maybe if you were in an unusual country which limits internet there can be issues, but in general being abroad would not limit your ability to check in.

 

[holula]

Basically what @Flossbolna said. I live in the UK and other than Disney IT being Disney IT, I can check in fine. It shouldn’t stop you checking in unless you’re maybe in like, North Korea.

 

[Disnsyncey]

I was able to change my PAT/BG a few days after check in, I moved up 30 min! But that's not a ton in your case......but randomly check, it might open up earlier!

 

[cruisehopeful]

Try to add Disney transportation to the ship. It'll get you in a much earlier time.

Boarding that late is a bummer. Our first cruise was like that and we had to get food from the completely chaotic pool deck.

 

[JoieNsk]

Another screw up, sorry

 

[JoieNsk]

Sorry, screwed up

 

[JoieNsk]

Just for future reference: I regularly check in for DCL and use the full website from abroad as I live there. No issues. Also our American friends are able to use the DCL app when in Europe without problem. And you can use a VPN. The only issue is the WDW website which diverts you to a regional site which does not have 100% the same stuff, only 90%. But I regularly use VPN for the WDW site.

Maybe if you were in an unusual country which limits internet there can be issues, but in general being abroad would not limit your ability to check in.

Thank you.

We were in Spain. Maybe it was an Internet issue, or time difference issue. Or maybe I calculated days incorrect. But I could not do anything till several days after our supposed check in date. I tried couple times, then told myself - screw it, how much of my valuable vacation time I have to waste on it.

I guess I should have been more insistent. We haven't been to Disney for a while, and I forgot how everything needs to be booked the first second it is available. Or you would not able to book it later.

And now we are where we are.

I know that disneygiftcard.com and WDW American site can't be used in Europe. I even contacted Disney once about it, and they told me - no I could not use it. Even though I permanently live in US, I have our US address listed in our Disney account and was in Europe temporarily, travelling.

I guess it is their business decision. They would rather make problems for small amount of US based customers, then possible let Europeans to use American rates? That would be my guess.

 

[JoieNsk]

Don’t know what ship you are doing, but the pool deck food court should be open if the buffet is closed.

Yea, that's what we had to eat on that other cruise. Because that was the only place we could get any food by that time.

But I would rather eat something nicer - if I can.

 

[JoieNsk]

Try to add Disney transportation to the ship. It'll get you in a much earlier time.

Boarding that late is a bummer. Our first cruise was like that and we had to get food from the completely chaotic pool deck.

I agree, I would rather not eat hotdog or French fries, but something better than that, if I am on the cruise - especially on the expensive one like Disney.

I was thinking about Disney transportation.

But it is not Port Canaveral departure, it's Fort Lauderdale. And we actually are going to be in Disney Parks couple days before. So we will take Brightline train from MCO to Fort Lauderdale on the day of the cruise.

And our train will come to Fort Lauderdale at 12.19pm. It will probably take us about 30 minutes to get to the port from Brightline station - I assume. So if we can check in and board at about 12.45, would be great. Otherwise we will have to probably sit and wait at the train station, as I googled that Disney would not even allow us into the terminal before our supposed check in time.

 

[JoieNsk]

Open Boarding usually happens before 2:15 - maybe 1:30? But it depends on the ship and time of year. You can keep checking back to see if an earlier PAT (port arrival time) has opened up. What Boarding Group did you get?

We got group 24. We are boarding on October 11th, Disney Dream at Fort Lauderdale.

 

[Disnsyncey]

I agree, I would rather not eat hotdog or French fries, but something better than that, if I am on the cruise - especially on the expensive one like Disney.

I was thinking about Disney transportation.

But it is not Port Canaveral departure, it's Fort Lauderdale. And we actually are going to be in Disney Parks couple days before. So we will take Brightline train from MCO to Fort Lauderdale on the day of the cruise.

And our train will come to Fort Lauderdale at 12.19pm. It will probably take us about 30 minutes to get to the port from Brightline station - I assume. So if we can check in and board at about 12.45, would be great. Otherwise we will have to probably sit and wait at the train station, as I googled that Disney would not even allow us into the terminal before our supposed check in time.

I think the waiting at the train station idea might be the ticket.....and maybe your fb sailing group can keep people updated on how boarding is going? I don't doubt our whatsapp group will be HOPPIN around boarding time, you could possibly keep an eye on that for an optimal time to depart? and then fingers crossed for them being EXTREMELY efficient and going to open boarding sooner rather than later?

 

[Flossbolna]

Thank you.

We were in Spain. Maybe it was an Internet issue, or time difference issue. Or maybe I calculated days incorrect. But I could not do anything till several days after our supposed check in date. I tried couple times, then told myself - screw it, how much of my valuable vacation time I have to waste on it.

I guess I should have been more insistent. We haven't been to Disney for a while, and I forgot how everything needs to be booked the first second it is available. Or you would not able to book it later.

And now we are where we are.

I know that disneygiftcard.com and WDW American site can't be used in Europe. I even contacted Disney once about it, and they told me - no I could not use it. Even though I permanently live in US, I have our US address listed in our Disney account and was in Europe temporarily, travelling.

I guess it is their business decision. They would rather make problems for small amount of US based customers, then possible let Europeans to use American rates? That would be my guess.

I am sorry you had such issues! My comment was mainly so that others (or you in the future) won’t have the same issue!

Their geocaching is indeed a nuisance when it comes to WDW and I don’t get it. It also makes it more cumbersome for European tourists to WDW.

 

[princesscinderella]

I would try to get to the port at 12:30 pm once they start boarding the ship around noon the terminal clears out pretty quickly and I don't see why you couldn't get on a little early. They were really strict to the time during COVID due to the testing but now they don't block arriving to the port at an earlier time. If you have to wait in the terminal a bit, I'd rather do that and have the chance to get on early vs waiting to show up at 2:15. Could you add a disney tranfer to the port, they seem to get the early boarding groups?

 

[JoieNsk]

I would try to get to the port at 12:30 pm once they start boarding the ship around noon the terminal clears out pretty quickly and I don't see why you couldn't get on a little early. They were really strict to the time during COVID due to the testing but now they don't block arriving to the port at an earlier time. If you have to wait in the terminal a bit, I'd rather do that and have the chance to get on early vs waiting to show up at 2:15. Could you add a disney tranfer to the port, they seem to get the early boarding groups?

About Disney transfer - maybe I misunderstood something.

But our cruise starts in Fort Lauderdale, not in Port Canaveral.

I didn't call Disney (as we are booked through Costco, and to book Disney transfers we have to go through them). But I did Google, and I didn't find any Disney options from MCO or from WDW to Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades.

Maybe they have transfers from FLL airport. But we are not flying to FLL. We are flying to MCO couple days before, and spending couple days in WDW, and then planning to take Brightline from MCO to Fort Lauderdale.

So basically I didn't see any options of Disney transfer which would work well for our itinerary.

Even though I thought it was a missed business opportunity for Disney - not to have a transfer from WDW resorts to Port Everglades. As I am sure many people who are Disney customer base do what we do - use the opportunity to visit parks too, as they have to fly to Florida anyways.

 

[Disnsyncey]

About Disney transfer - maybe I misunderstood something.

But our cruise starts in Fort Lauderdale, not in Port Canaveral.

I didn't call Disney (as we are booked through Costco, and to book Disney transfers we have to go through them). But I did Google, and I didn't find any Disney options from MCO or from WDW to Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades.

Maybe they have transfers from FLL airport. But we are not flying to FLL. We are flying to MCO couple days before, and spending couple days in WDW, and then planning to take Brightline from MCO to Fort Lauderdale.

So basically I didn't see any options of Disney transfer which would work well for our itinerary.

Even though I thought it was a missed business opportunity for Disney - not to have a transfer from WDW resorts to Port Everglades. As I am sure many people who are Disney customer base do what we do - use the opportunity to visit parks too, as they have to fly to Florida anyways.

I mean, since your train doesn't get into Ft Lauderdale until 12:19, it wouldn't work anyway.....

 

[princesscinderella]

About Disney transfer - maybe I misunderstood something.

But our cruise starts in Fort Lauderdale, not in Port Canaveral.

I didn't call Disney (as we are booked through Costco, and to book Disney transfers we have to go through them). But I did Google, and I didn't find any Disney options from MCO or from WDW to Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades.

Maybe they have transfers from FLL airport. But we are not flying to FLL. We are flying to MCO couple days before, and spending couple days in WDW, and then planning to take Brightline from MCO to Fort Lauderdale.

So basically I didn't see any options of Disney transfer which would work well for our itinerary.

Even though I thought it was a missed business opportunity for Disney - not to have a transfer from WDW resorts to Port Everglades. As I am sure many people who are Disney customer base do what we do - use the opportunity to visit parks too, as they have to fly to Florida anyways.

The disney tranfer would only work if you were staying at their hotels or flying in. The brightline is great, just uber from the station to the port and wait there and hope you get let on the ship early. All the lines outside to get into the check in are gone by then so you shouldn't have any issues.