Pearl and platinum

[lanejudy]

Pre covid it used to be that Disney security would Actually check PAT before they even let you in to drop off luggage but that seems to have changed in the past year even with the language you cited.

Just to clarify... actual "pre-covid" times it was rare for PAT to be checked. Very occasionally, but not regularly.

During the "restart" when a lot of restrictions were in place, PAT was as you mention -- not even allowed in to drop luggage and/or park if too early for your PAT.

Currently reports are that PAT is adhered to only for entry to the terminal building, no restriction on accessing the luggage drop or parking.

 

[cvjw]

We sailed from Port Canaveral on the Fantasy, on 4/15/23. At 30 day checkin, I logged in at 12:01 am and have been doing this long enough to speed through check in. I got 11:15am port arrival time, BUT... got boarding group 7!

So, what I found out on embarkation day is that people on DCL buses from the resort get boarding groups 1-6. Because I was driving to port and parking there, the best boarding group I could get was 7! I was very mad. I stayed up til midnight only to see appx 1,800 people stroll past me to board for an hour. I talked to the customer service supervisor about it. She told me I was "lucky" to get group 7.

I understand they need to turn over the resort buses, but let them use the same queue as the rest of us! I dont think this change in check in date for Platinum and Pearl is going to help, since it doesnt seem to impact boarding group (if still assigned based on how people arrive to port.) Are people "fudging" their arrival method to improve their boarding group? Thoughts?

I was also on that cruise, stayed up til midnight to do online checkin, and got boarding group 5. We always drive to the port. Boarding group 7 was not the earliest group for people not using Disney transportation.

Yes, it was painful watching the huge number of people boarding the ship in groups 2-4. But, it isn’t always like that. We sailed in January and got boarding group 5 that cruise too. We were called within minutes of boarding starting because hardly anyone used Disney transportation, so groups 2-4 were very small.

 

[cvjw]

I am more concerned about getting an earlier PAT time than the boarding number. Once boarding starts the numbers go pretty quickly.

We were on the Wish last November and we arrived at the port a little past our PAT time so once we parked we walked into the terminal without delay. I noticed signs outside the terminal indicating what PAT times were allowed to enter the terminal and people waiting outside the terminal for their PAT times to be called so they could enter.

So we will be on the Wish in September and I noticed this paragraph regarding arriving at port under online checkin:

"Guests will not be permitted at the terminal or in parking areas before their scheduled arrival time. Guests who arrive early will be asked to return at their scheduled arrival time, and Guests arriving after their scheduled time may be delayed and asked to wait behind those arriving at their scheduled time."

When we arrived at the port we were directed to drop off our luggage and then park. No one looked at our PAT time until we actually were entering the terminal. Based on the above paragraph from DCL has the process changed? If we happen to arrive early will we still be able to drop off our luggage and park the car? If we have a later PAT time I want to be able to at least drop off the luggage and park the car even if it means not being able to enter the terminal yet. Anyone with recent Port Canaveral experience regarding port arrival and PAT times?

DCL does not check your PAT to drop off your luggage and park now. They check your PAT to enter the terminal. They have been doin it this way since at least last October.

However, on the 4/15 cruise, we arrived at the port 45 minutes early due to an air show in the area. We were sent straight into the terminal, no one even looked at our PAT.

 

[mmouse37]

Bottom line is any day the process could be a bit different.....some don't check PAT as you enter, some do. All depends on who is working that day I think. I was told that only 1-4 was reserved for people on DCL transfers from the resorts and the Hyatt at MCO. People on DCL transfers from MCO (other than the Hyatt) still had to pick a PAT.

Just for reference....we sailed on March 4, 2023 for a Pixar cruise. Originally, we did not have DCL transfers as we were staying overnight in PC and was just going to rent a car at MCO and drop off at PC. We did our online check in at 30 days out and got a PAT of 11:45 I think and a boarding group of 17.

Well, our plans changed a week before the cruise and we wound up renting a car and returning it to WDW as we added an extra night there. So we decided to book DCL transfers from Coronado Springs. As soon as we did that our PAT changed to 11:00 am and our boarding group changed to #3.

I am Pearl at 53 DCL and I really do think that deserves a dedicated early boarding group like Platinum used to be. I read somewhere that there are approximately 4,000 Pearl members so I can't see how that would cause a problem on any particular cruise. I can't see Pearl members crowding out the bus people on any given cruise.

MJ

 

[dwg]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I do realize that regardless of what anyone's experience is today that can change tomorrow. Normally we stay in Cocoa Beach the night before but this time we are staying in Disney World before the cruise so a little more concerned about getting to the port timely. Also want to get to port early enough to not have to worry about parking or has that not been a problem?

 

[lanejudy]

Also want to get to port early enough to not have to worry about parking or has that not been a problem?

Arriving to park has not been a problem. Later PATs may not be able to enter the terminal early.

 

[Mathmagicland]

Another group to keep in mind is the Back-to-Back passengers. Those people typically reboard before Group 1 if they’ve remained in the terminal with the reboard group between cruises, regardless of the group number assigned at check-in.

 

[n2mm]

Just returned and signed on and was done by 12:05. Did it for both my b2b cruises. I got 11:15 PAT and was boarding group #5 both cruises. I didn’t really have to do both, but had medical issues and was nervous I would have to cancel one or both cruises. Btw I’m Pearl, and there was no change. No #1 is available. Bus folk are now taking 2-4 slots. I’m reading the new procedure didn’t change much. Pearl are still getting #5. I’ll be doing my Pearl checkin in a few weeks for my July cruise and platinum checkin for my granddaughters.

 

[kiford]

DCL does not check your PAT to drop off your luggage and park now. They check your PAT to enter the terminal. They have been doin it this way since at least last Octobe

They didn't check our PAT at all in January, even to enter the terminal. It may depend on the number of people on a particular sailing.

 

[cvjw]

They didn't check our PAT at all in January, even to enter the terminal. It may depend on the number of people on a particular sailing.

They didn’t check our PAT in April. But they did in January and October. Maybe they check when it gets really crowded in the terminal.

 

[o&smom]

Definitely were checking it in San Diego in February.

 

[RedHead0186]

So, what I found out on embarkation day is that people on DCL buses from the resort get boarding groups 1-6. Because I was driving to port and parking there, the best boarding group I could get was 7! I was very mad. I stayed up til midnight only to see appx 1,800 people stroll past me to board for an hour. I talked to the customer service supervisor about it. She told me I was "lucky" to get group 7.

Last November (on the Fantasy) we were BG 5 and were driving to port. So I'm not sure that 1-6 are automatically reserved for DCL buses (unless that changes each sailing depending on how many take DCL buses?).

 

[cvjw]

Last November (on the Fantasy) we were BG 5 and were driving to port. So I'm not sure that 1-6 are automatically reserved for DCL buses (unless that changes each sailing depending on how many take DCL buses?).

I was on the same cruise the PP was talking about and had boarding group 5. She was correct about the literally hundreds and hundreds of people that were in the boarding groups 2-4 that took DCL transportation though. Most I have ever seen.

 

[pogmog]

2 & 3 are usually filled with Disney transportation passengers.

Don't think that's quite fair either!

 

[anricat]

Don't think that's quite fair either!

But is there another way to do it? Like, say you have a bus filled with people with all different PATs but the bus drops them off at 10:30. Do they make them sit outside for two hours if they happened to get a 12:30 PAT? That doesn't seem right either.

 

[Joel0917]

I always get five. No matter how fast I am I believe that is earliest available. Haven’t tried the new system. I’m concierge for my July cruise so I wasn’t sure if I need to get a pat or not. Last august on wish I did. So this time up til midnight and through all the uploads and then it said arrive when you want. So who knows

 

[stkgator]

From the restart to around Aug 2022, the boarding group was not a factor - it was the PAT and COVID test that determined when you could board. DCL wanted to minimize the number of guests in the terminal so as soon as you cleared security, you could immediately board.

On our most recent Fantasy cruise last month (May 2023), we had a 11:15 PAT and BG 6 (Online check-in completed at 12:05 am!). I did not pay attention to when boarding started, but similar to a previous comment, there were a LOT of passengers in BG 1-5. We finally walked on-board at 12:15 PM. This was our fifth PC cruise since Sept 2022 - and we have never waited that long to board - and this cruise only had around 3,100 passengers. So, something has definitely changed in the boarding process.

Our next cruise is in Sept - with an August Platinum online check-in - fingers crossed that I see a BG less than 5!

 

[Snowwhyt]

Don't think that's quite fair either!

Ever get a quote for the hotel rooms? You pay for the privilege. You can easily get those rooms so much cheaper without Disney. I have insurance problems/concerns so I do Disney packages

 

[Timandalicia]

Hi
are Pearl and platinum getting back their #1 boarding as prior to covid ?
i saw yesterday they were getting their check in area as before but what about #1 boarding ?

Not sure. We do concierge. Kidding not kidding.

 

[pogmog]

But is there another way to do it? Like, say you have a bus filled with people with all different PATs but the bus drops them off at 10:30. Do they make them sit outside for two hours if they happened to get a 12:30 PAT? That doesn't seem right either.

You're right. Maybe concierge, pearl and platinum on an earlier bus and gold and silver on a later bus. Don't have the buses come in so early. Guess there's really no fair way to do this.