Port Arrival Time - Strict or Not??

[Shamrock927]

A simple question here...

I did the online check-in for our Fantasy cruise on the 23rd. The earliest port arrival time available was 1:45-2:00.

From what I know, our Disney bus transfer from Animal Kingdom Lodge to the port will have us there closer to 12:00 to 12:30. (That is when we arrived last year but it was after our early arrival time slot)

Will we probably be able to go ahead and check in and board when we arrive or will we likely have to kill time in the port until 1:45 to board? Just trying to plan ahead for our toddler. Thanks!

 

[butterfly71076]

It depends on your boarding group. The higher number of boarding group, the later you board. We had a port time of noon and were in boarding group 8. But, there are things in the port to keep you entertained, cartoons or Disney channel shows playing, character meets. Or make sure you have some toys to keep the little one busy. The time goes by pretty fast once the boarding starts. Have a great cruise!

 

[OriolesFan]

Do you know when you receive your boarding group number? I have a port arrival time, but no boarding group number.

 

[Weedy]

It probably won't be a problem. Disney usually goes to an "open boarding" between 12:30-12:45 meaning that there is no line to board.
There has been a few (very few) that the ship has been delayed getting into port and had a delayed boarding. If this happens you may have to wait.
After 12:30ish you should be able to check in and walk right on.

 

[Weedy]

Do you know when you receive your boarding group number? I have a port arrival time, but no boarding group number.

You will receive it at check in at the port.

 

[russjen1218]

It probably won't be a problem. Disney usually goes to an "open boarding" between 12:30-12:45 meaning that there is no line to board.
There has been a few (very few) that the ship has been delayed getting into port and had a delayed boarding. If this happens you may have to wait.
After 12:30ish you should be able to check in and walk right on.

On the two Disney cruises I've been on, this was also the case. On the second cruise, we had a really late group number and boarding time, but we just by luck got to the terminal about 2 hours early. I thought we'd have a lot of time to kill, but it was already open boarding at about noon or so. But, if not, as stated above, there's lots going on from cartoons to character meets.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Once you've done online-check-in and gotten a PAT, can you check back periodically to see if an earlier one is available or is that 'set in stone'?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Once you've done online-check-in and gotten a PAT, can you check back periodically to see if an earlier one is available or is that 'set in stone'?

Yes, you can go back into your online check in pages and change whatever you'd like. Up until 3 days prior to the cruise.

 

[kiford]

If you are taking DCL transfers, it usually doesn't matter what your PAT is. Firstly, you'll usually get there at open boarding anyway. Secondly, when we've done DCL transfers in Europe, we got on as soon as we checked in even though my PAT was for a later time and others were still waiting.

 

[Hundredacre]

From our experience it is pretty open from 12/12:30 on. I wouldn't worry.