Port arrival time

[rubbergypsy]

so we are at the Grand before the cruise. What time should I check on online checkin for arrival time? I imagine we would arrive noonish?

 

[Donna M]

How are you traveling to the Port? If by Disney bus you might get picked up at the Floridian around noonish which means your check in will be when the bus drops you off at the ship.

 

[rubbergypsy]

I thought I read the grand was first at 10:45. Yes cruise bus

 

[Donna M]

I guess I may be off. I thought I read that pickups were closer to noon. You can pick any PAT, but it may not matter since you are arriving by bus. The Grand Floridian is a great resort!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I thought I read the grand was first at 10:45. Yes cruise bus

I guess I may be off. I thought I read that pickups were closer to noon. You can pick any PAT, but it may not matter since you are arriving by bus. The Grand Floridian is a great resort!

The DCL transfer buses pick up at the various resorts any where in the 10:45-12:30 window. Depending on how many people are going from any given resort to the port determines the pick up order of each bus. Each bus may stop at up to 3 resorts to fill up before heading to the port. There's no way to know when your pick up is before you receive the letter in your room at the resort telling you what time to check in for the bus.

The trip from WDW resort to port takes 60-90 minutes, depending on your particular resorts pick up in the order.

Arriving via DCL bus will allow you to enter the terminal, regardless of what PAT you actually selected during online checkin. However, your boarding number is tied to your PAT. You'll get the same boarding number, regardless of whether you check in 30 minutes before your PAT or 3 hours after.

With that said, most DCL buses arrive after 12:30ish to the port. By then Open Boarding has either been announced, or is close to being announced. Anyone holding any boarding number may board at that time.

 

[kiford]

We were once picked up at the Grand Floridian at 10:30 am but I wouldn't count on that necessarily being the case when you're there. We've always arrived between 12-2 at the port. In any event, we've never had to stand in line to check in and have walked right on.