New Boarding Procedures?

[EpcotKilterFan]

My question, is if one person in your party drops you off at the terminal and then goes to drop off the rental car.... what number does that person board with?

Did that make any sense? So I drop off my mom and she is in group 2 and by the time I get back they are handing out group 3

Debbie

 

[American Scrapper]

We just returned from the 10/22/05 cruise and this was not how it was done. We waited in line the same as we had in the past and it was first in line first on (after handicapped).

Kathy

 

[GilesFamily]

Why change a good thing? One thing (among several) that makes DCL stand out from other cruise lines is their hassle-free embarkment and disembarkment. I sure hope they did'nt change it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, DCL!

 

[MrsMork]

I did send a message to DCL. If we want the 1,2,3 cattle call then we want the cattle call discount fares.

 

[MarkRG]

I so agree with that Angie!

The 'cattle call' is one of the reasons I don't like flying and would absolutely never fly Southwest becasue of it.

I'm not thrilled by this.

 

[ivanova]

what is the point of having the castaway club line if this new rule is in affect?

the castaway club line never had anything to do with boarding, it was only for checking in. And sometimes it was longer than the "regular" check in line.

 

[ivanova]

My question, is if one person in your party drops you off at the terminal and then goes to drop off the rental car.... what number does that person board with?

Did that make any sense? So I drop off my mom and she is in group 2 and by the time I get back they are handing out group 3

Debbie

You would board with the rest of your group.

 

[ivanova]

I so agree with that Angie!

The 'cattle call' is one of the reasons I don't like flying and would absolutely never fly Southwest becasue of it.

I'm not thrilled by this.

Ironically in some airports Southwest has improved on the process - maybe DCL can use some of their boarding ideas

 

[inkkognito]

One of the drivers for this has to be that they have moved the kids club sign in from ship board to in the terminal. This saves people from the dillema - do I lose my place in the boarding line to sign the kids up now, or do I sign the kids up and get on board later?

That's never been much of a dilemma for people. Typically one or two family members will stake out a spot in the line while the others explore the terminal or take care of business. Nobody minds because everybody does it.

Barb

 

[Verandah Man]

This sounds awful! One of the things that set Disney apart from other cruise lines was their logical first-come-first-served boarding process. RCCL does the number boarding thing, and it is a nightmare. We sail on 11/5, so I guess I'll get to see it firsthand...ugh!
Barb

And, we'll be waiting for your "full report" Barb!!!

 

[BuzzBoyMom]

I'm trying to see all the different points of view...we are a family who likes getting first dibs on stuff so we are willilng to get up early and wait.

I understand if DCL is trying to make the process less painful (i.e., not having to wait in huge lines), but come on - why not hand out numbers in order... first groups to arrive get #1, next groups #2, etc.

Sooo sad...

 

[suwoogie]

It was my understanding that that is what they did—hand the numbers out in order of who came up the escalator first. I don't think anyone said that the number allocation was arbitrary. If it was I wasn't aware of that.

We got to the port very early. In fact we had to wait outside for quite a while before the port was opened. So, when we came up the escalator we were given Group 2. And I believe people after me, up to 150 people, were also in group 2. Then when those were handed out, Group 3 were given out. At least that's how a CM explained it to me.

 

[jns]

It was my understanding that that is what they did—hand the numbers out in order of who came up the escalator first. I don't think anyone said that the number allocation was arbitrary. If it was I wasn't aware of that.

We got to the port very early. In fact we had to wait outside for quite a while before the port was opened. So, when we came up the escalator we were given Group 2. And I believe people after me, up to 150 people, were also in group 2. Then when those were handed out, Group 3 were given out. At least that's how a CM explained it to me.

what time did you get there at

 

[lmok]

suwoogie,

So what time did the port open?

lisa

 

[PearlandPaige]

I was not under the impression that they were handing out boarding numbers randomly. I thought it was still first-come, first-served (after concierge and disabled passengers), based upon boarding groups. I arrived for the 10/15 cruise shortly after 10:00 a.m. and got assigned to boarding group 2. We were by far among the earliest to arrive. I know others who arrived around 10:30-10:45 and were assigned to boarding group 4, but there were a significant number of folks who arrived between me and them. I believe boarding on our cruise started somewhere around 12:45 and we were onboard by 12:50, so once boarding began for us, the process went quickly.

I totally agree with a PP suggestion that they have areas designated for the various boarding groups (like Southwest). That is such a good idea! The CMs tried to keep the roped boarding area clear, but once they started calling boarding groups, everyone descended en masse to that area and clogged it up. We could barely make it through the crowd when our boarding number was called. If people were segregated before they started calling the numbers, that would probably ease the strain significantly.

What I'm curious about with the new boarding system is what the time difference is between when people in group 1 boarded and when people in the last group boarded. If it's not significant and I have all of my Palo and spa ressies made, then I am not going to get to the terminal three hours early again.

 

[MrsMork]

Ironically in some airports Southwest has improved on the process - maybe DCL can use some of their boarding ideas

Again, if we are to expect Southwest service instead of Disney service, then we want Southwest discounted prices. We too refuse to fly Southwest for this very reason.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

what is the point of having the castaway club line if this new rule is in affect?

I've personally never seen the point. The idea was great when they first started DCL and there weren't that many repeat guests. But it didn't take long before the repeat guests attempting to use the one CC Club line would get longer than the rest of the people using the array of lines.

And the trips where we've gotten to port early, all the lines (CC Club and "regular") were all virtually empty, so again it didn't do any good.


As for boarding based on numbers
Unless you break the numbers down very fine (i.e. 100 groups with about 10 families per group), like others witnessed, you're going to get that "cattle call" mentality when the next group gets called.

I'll admit that it makes no sence, but there's a lot of people who want to be first on the ship. So if you call large groups at one time, you'll get that mad stampeed to form a line with everyone trying to get to the front when their number is called, or they will already to congregating waiting to JUMP into line when the numbers are called.

<Side Bar>
It reminds me of the people who line up outside the doors starting about 10-20 minutes before dinner to be the first to get to their ASSIGNED table. We quickly learned how foolish that was and just always come to dinner about 5-10 minutes late. By that time, the line has died down and we can walk strait to our table without a wait, and we're usually not the last to leave, so it's not like we're getting feed last either.
</Side Bar>

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Please read post number #22. She has since sailed after suwoogie and said it was the same procdures as it always was. Maybe suwoogie was on the sailing in which they were 'testing' the new procedure, saw how disastrous it was and went back to the old way? Let's hope and pray!

Hey DCL, we appreciate your efforts and stamina to keep up with changes, but the boarding procedure IMHO, was one of the 'if it's not broken, don't fix it,' features.

 

[Verandah Man]

This was just posted by someone who got on the Magic this past Saturday, sure does make things interesting now doesn't it?


...We get to the port early, because me and my daughter did this before, just the two of us, week of Dec. 13, 2003 for a special mommy/daughter Christmas Cruise. This is Hubby's first, and Miss Judit's first. So the last time I came, you went to documents line, and then you just lined up, first come first serve....but noooooooooooooooo.....for the love of Ben and Jerry's I get handed this card....and the number on it is 3.....bummer dude. I said, what's the use of coming so early, if you can't be first???? But no, the system is different now. Groups 1 and 2 boarded first, then 3 and 4, and finally 5 and 6. Which wasn't too dreadful...

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

Please read post number #22. She has since sailed after suwoogie and said it was the same procdures as it always was. Maybe suwoogie was on the sailing in which they were 'testing' the new procedure, saw how disastrous it was and went back to the old way? Let's hope and pray!

Hey DCL, we appreciate your efforts and stamina to keep up with changes, but the boarding procedure IMHO, was one of the 'if it's not broken, don't fix it,' features.

Both of the Live threads on the Magic (BeanoC and Tenorsinging) have discussed the new procedures as well, so it was done during the most recent cruise. Perhaps they only have it for the Magic right now and not the Wonder during the testing process? suwoogie didn't say which ship they sailed on.