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