No check- in at the airport

[GarakDS9]

Sorry if I missed this news, but cruise check-in at the airport is over. I am sitting in MCO right now. The desk takes care of bus assignments only now. You still need to check in at the terminal. Cast member strongly recommends complaining through the comment cards. She said their job is boring now and they have made staffing cuts.

 

[mdinowitz]

Do you know if they are still giving you a boarding # at the airport?

 

[GarakDS9]

Yes that is the only thing done here.

 

[kcashner]

Yes, you missed it--the new system started last Saturday (perhaps a day or two earlier). As above, all guests can do is complain on the comment cards.

DCL may see a decrease in bus ridership--one of the best points of using DCL transportation was the airport check in.

 

[phoenixleigh]

I know I have reservations at the MCO Hyatt in February then take the DCL bus the following day. I think I am going to change that now and stay at the port instead. Opinions?

 

[GarakDS9]

Yes that is the only thing done here.

I just re-thought your question and my answer. Bus boarding assignments only at airport. Ship boarding assignments at port.

Disney transportation now less attractive.

 

[n8tivecaligirl]

Unless they drop the price of the busses!

 

[mmouse37]

I had a feeling this was going to happen only because there were two or three reports of the CMs at the airport advising people that this was going away and then some posters called DCL directly and were told that it was staying....I tend to have to believe the CM's actually involved in the process at MCO. Unfortunately CM's on the phone don't always have the most accurate info.

I am surprised though, because this service was not in place all that long...maybe 18 months or so and was set up as a trial run. I guess DCL ran the numbers and it did not live up to their expectations or something. We have found the service at MCO to be HIGHLY convenient. The whole purpose was to alleviate the long lines at check in at the port with the newer ships. Who knows, maybe if people contact DCL they will reinstate it.

MJ

 

[calidoc2006]

Even if you can't check in at MCO, does getting to the port via DCL transfers allow you into the port regardless of your assigned port time and get you an earlier boarding time? Or is your port arrival time - and therefore boarding number - still tied to the time you set up when you registered earlier? IE, does DCL transfers trump assigned port time still? Thanks!

 

[bzzelady]

Good question...because if it doesn't, I think I'll cancel my DCL transportation, rent a car, and choose a hotel close to port instead of staying at MCO the night prior. It will save $$ and I'll get to sleep in on cruise morning.

Again...why did DCL think they needed to fix something that was not broken?

 

[mmouse37]

Even if you can't check in at MCO, does getting to the port via DCL transfers allow you into the port regardless of your assigned port time and get you an earlier boarding time? Or is your port arrival time - and therefore boarding number - still tied to the time you set up when you registered earlier? IE, does DCL transfers trump assigned port time still? Thanks!

Yes it does, or at least it did. Hope it still does.

MJ

 

[bzzelady]

I guess the big questions are...

1) Will you be allowed to board an earlier bus at MCO if your port arrival time is not until later?


2) If you arrive early at port on the first DCL bus, are you going to be allowed in port before your port arrival assigned time?


3) If you are allowed in port early, will you be allowed to check in before your assigned time?


Anxiously awaiting answers as I need to make a decision whether to alter my pre-cruise plans for next month. This will make a difference in whether I spend extra dollars for the Hyatt at MCO and DCL transportation or stay at Port Canaveral and do a one way rental to port. If I'm not going to improve my check in time (and potential of paying for a category upgrade), I'm not going to spend the extra $$ the night before.

 

[Weedy]

Good question...because if it doesn't, I think I'll cancel my DCL transportation, rent a car, and choose a hotel close to port instead of staying at MCO the night prior. It will save $$ and I'll get to sleep in on cruise morning.

Again...why did DCL think they needed to fix something that was not broken?

Have you gone online to see what the earliest PAT you can get. For those of you waiting to see what will happen you should go ahead and pick a PAT as back up in case they change this.

 

[bzzelady]

I had already picked the earliest time as a backup (11:30). If this is the case, I am just not going to spend extra $$ for the Hyatt and we will either rent a car and stay at PC the night prior, or stay at WDW and do the DCL transport from there and have a leisurely morning

 

[luv2sleep]

What is the significance/benefit of airport check invasion port check in? Is this a concern of people who want to board the ship as early as possible? Does it affect anything else? Is this airport check I for people flying in the same day as embarkation? How does this affect people who arrive the night before or who go to the parks first?

 

[kcashner]

What they were doing last week...

Yes, you can get on a bus based on when you arrive at the desk at MCO, regardless of your designated arrival time.

Yes, you can enter the terminal when the bus gets you there.

Yes, you can get in line to check in when you get to the terminal.

NO, you will not get an earlier boarding card regardless of when you get there and check in. You get the boarding card number that is attached to your scheduled terminal arrival time regardless of when you actually arrived.

Fine print on the above--if you have a 2 pm terminal arrival time, you are not going to be sitting around till 2 pm waiting to board the ship. At some point (usually about 1 pm), they announce open boarding. That means anyone can board at that time regardless of boarding card number. Yes, you might wait from 10:30 till 1 if you were on the first bus (arriving about 10:30) with a scheduled arrival time of 2! However, on our recent cruises they started boarding about 11:30, again, moving everything us by about 15 minutes.

 

[calidoc2006]

I agree - if the MCO/DCL transfer does not you get into the port earlier and get an earlier boarding time/number, then not really worth the extra $$.

My next problem is that tonight starts my on-line check in and reservations (and we are only silver so lots of people have done this before us So, do I do my on-line check in first (to try to get the best port arrival time) or do I try to get my reservations for Remy and Palo first (hubby and I really want to do these on this cruise)? I thought that on-line check-in/advance PAT would be a moot issue since taking DCL transfers, so I could do this at my leisure and just go for the ressies first, but now this is not a sure thing. Any thoughts?

 

[bzzelady]

Thanks kcashner...that info helps a lot! I don't necessarily care about the boarding number. I want to try to do a category upgrade as a surprise for my family. We are already in a category we would be happy with regardless, but I'm planning to try for a concierge upgrade.

 

[luv2sleep]

Thanks kcashner...that info helps a lot! I don't necessarily care about the boarding number. I want to try to do a category upgrade as a surprise for my family. We are already in a category we would be happy with regardless, but I'm planning to try for a concierge upgrade.

Well that makes sense then. Seems like renting a car and controlling arrival would be the best way to go. I was really confused on this issue in general and it's importance. I drove myself to port to ensure a port upgrade. I'd be stressed waiting on someone else to get me there if I was worried about the time.

 

[mickeyfan1]

I agree - if the MCO/DCL transfer does not you get into the port earlier and get an earlier boarding time/number, then not really worth the extra $$.

My next problem is that tonight starts my on-line check in and reservations (and we are only silver so lots of people have done this before us So, do I do my on-line check in first (to try to get the best port arrival time) or do I try to get my reservations for Remy and Palo first (hubby and I really want to do these on this cruise)? I thought that on-line check-in/advance PAT would be a moot issue since taking DCL transfers, so I could do this at my leisure and just go for the ressies first, but now this is not a sure thing. Any thoughts?

Reservations will open just after midnight, Port Arrival time opens at 3am. You won't be able to change that. Since you are on the DCL bus, it won't matter what PAT you get, but the earlier the PAT, the lower your boarding number will be. So stay up and get your Palo and Remy, if available, then wake up and to the rest.