Port arrival time

[Garyjames220]

I think I might just stick and get the transfers from AKL to the port and hopefully not be to late and won’t miss lunch. Is there a small chance I could be on board by 12

If I didn’t do that I would get the magical express and go to the airport first but as people mentioned. I’ll need to be up early for a big day ahead and more hassle and sounds like I would only have Mybe 2 hours more on the ship

All the other options involve losing money which I am not to keen on plus we quite like the dcl transfers. Gets u in the mood

 

[DCLDVC1]

I think I might just stick and get the transfers from AKL to the port and hopefully not be to late and won’t miss lunch. Is there a small chance I could be on board by 12

If I didn’t do that I would get the magical express and go to the airport first but as people mentioned. I’ll need to be up early for a big day ahead and more hassle and sounds like I would only have Mybe 2 hours more on the ship

All the other options involve losing money which I am not to keen on plus we quite like the dcl transfers. Gets u in the mood

There's no chance you'll be on the ship by 12. The odds are slim the DCL bus will be on the way to the port by then.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

I think I might just stick and get the transfers from AKL to the port and hopefully not be to late and won’t miss lunch. Is there a small chance I could be on board by 12

If I didn’t do that I would get the magical express and go to the airport first but as people mentioned. I’ll need to be up early for a big day ahead and more hassle and sounds like I would only have Mybe 2 hours more on the ship

All the other options involve losing money which I am not to keen on plus we quite like the dcl transfers. Gets u in the mood

Your DCL pick-up from AKL will likely be scheduled around 12, maybe later. If you really want to get there earlier, without having to pay extra money, you'll have to take the Magic Express to MCO that morning and board one of the earlier DCL buses from MCO. If you don't wish to wake up early to take the Magic Express, or cancel the DCL tranfer to pay for an Uber/Lfyt, then plan to be there after 12 with your AKL DCL transportation. No matter what, you'll still have a magical time once you're on the boat! Best wishes for figuring things out!

 

[Dug720]

This is why we always do DCL transfers. I hate schlepping the bag around, I hate waiting in lines in the terminal and then waiting to board. Only once did we not take transfers because friends who live in Florida who were cruising with us picked us up earlier than we would normally leave (they were coming from Tampa and wanted to make sure there were no traffic issues) so also had to get up early for breakfast. Waited in line to get into the parking garage to park, waited in line in the parking garage to enter, waited in line to check in, found a chair and waited while people packed in around me and used me to lean on, literally had to push my way through scores of people using my elbows as no one would move aside and then had to shove our carry on bags under the table in the MDR and constantly trip on them or kick them while we ate lunch and waited to get into our rooms. Ugh. Never again.

Yeah, I wasn't sure I'd like it because I'd been in the "get on board as soon as possible" camp previously. But I didn't want to do the schlep to DME and DME to the airport and then the bus from there to try and get onboard earlier, so I went with it. And discovered that I LOVED being able to go directly to my cabin and drop stuff off. And I did still have time to go to Cabanas for food! (The one thing I learned is that if you're going to eat outside, grab some silverwear off a table inside because that stuff that has been sitting out in the sun is HOT!)

 

[Rob1872]

It's too much stress and worrying to try to figure out how to get to the ship a few hours earlier.

If you get there super early, you won't even be boarding the ship immediately. If you get there a bit later from the WDW transfer, you probably walk right on. So arriving at 10:30 and getting on board at 12:00 doesn't seem worth it to probably arriving around 1:00 and being on board at 1:15.

If you end up with a 10:30 pickup from WDW, you are fine. If you end up with a 12:30 pickup, then just have a nice early lunch at 11:00 with the money you've saved by not paying your change fees or Uber costs. You still will be at the port around the time the cabins are ready for you.

 

[MomOTwins]

We've only ever taken the resort-to-port DCL transfers. It is really not that big a deal, and you're only missing a couple of hours at most. One time we got on the ship around 1pm, the other time around 2pm--we were able to grab lunch at cabanas then immediately drop our stuff in our room (which does not become available until around 1:30) and go for a swim before the safety drill. Remember they do not even start boarding until 11:30, so arriving at the port in the morning does not mean you'll be on the ship in the morning: just that you'll be waiting in the terminal.

 

[Garyjames220]

Your DCL pick-up from AKL will likely be scheduled around 12, maybe later. If you really want to get there earlier, without having to pay extra money, you'll have to take the Magic Express to MCO that morning and board one of the earlier DCL buses from MCO. If you don't wish to wake up early to take the Magic Express, or cancel the DCL tranfer to pay for an Uber/Lfyt, then plan to be there after 12 with your AKL DCL transportation. No matter what, you'll still have a magical time once you're on the boat! Best wishes for figuring things out!

Some people on here have said there pick up was 10.30 and 11am

 

[Garyjames220]

We've only ever taken the resort-to-port DCL transfers. It is really not that big a deal, and you're only missing a couple of hours at most. One time we got on the ship around 1pm, the other time around 2pm--we were able to grab lunch at cabanas then immediately drop our stuff in our room (which does not become available until around 1:30) and go for a swim before the safety drill. Remember they do not even start boarding until 11:30, so arriving at the port in the morning does not mean you'll be on the ship in the morning: just that you'll be waiting in the terminal.

Oh right I thought boarding was around 10.30 oh well not as bad as I thought

 

[MomOTwins]

Oh right I thought boarding was around 10.30 oh well not as bad as I thought

Nope--10:30 is when they open the cruise terminal so people can get inside and check in, but they won't board the ship until later. And once they do start boarding, it is done by boarding group (just like an airplane) so even if they start calling groups at 11:30, you might not actually get to board until 12/12:15 depending on your group number.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

Some people on here have said there pick up was 10.30 and 11am

10:30/11 am wasn't for those being picked up by DCL at a Disney Resort hotel. That time is for those driving themselves to Port Canaveral, taking Uber/Lyft/Minnie Vans, and for those boarding at MCO. Generally, DCL picks up from the WDW hotels in the afternoon. Although I don't have an official reason, I'm sure the later time has something to do with not flooding Port Canaveral with hundreds more people from the WDW hotels at the same time that the others are getting there.

 

[Garyjames220]

10:30/11 am wasn't for those being picked up by DCL at a Disney Resort hotel. That time is for those driving themselves to Port Canaveral, taking Uber/Lyft/Minnie Vans, and for those boarding at MCO. Generally, DCL picks up from the WDW hotels in the afternoon. Although I don't have an official reason, I'm sure the later time has something to do with not flooding Port Canaveral with hundreds more people from the WDW hotels at the same time that the others are getting there.

Ok but one post on here did say this ......


"I've never had that happen. We've been picked up at the resorts as early as 10:30 and as late as 12:30. Even once got stuck in traffic but Cabanas and the MDRs were still open when we arrived and we even had time to go to Guest Services to book tastings, correct some errors on our Port Adventure tickets, and unpack my carry on."

 

[NOLA_Tink]

I hope you end up with the outcome that you're hoping for and lots of "faith, trust, and pixie dust," my friend!

 

[ktate82]

I think I might just stick and get the transfers from AKL to the port and hopefully not be to late and won’t miss lunch. Is there a small chance I could be on board by 12

If I didn’t do that I would get the magical express and go to the airport first but as people mentioned. I’ll need to be up early for a big day ahead and more hassle and sounds like I would only have Mybe 2 hours more on the ship

All the other options involve losing money which I am not to keen on plus we quite like the dcl transfers. Gets u in the mood

I don't know how many people you have with you, but we faced the same situation for our cruise next month. We are a party of 8 and could either take our chances with the resort pick up or get up early, go to the airport via ME and then take DCL transport (we did this last year and it was a long day). I called Disney Transportation to talk to them about the MinnieVans and found out Mears offers a Luxury Van for $195 that seats 8 and Disney offers a luggage transportation service for $25 up to 6 bags and $3 each extra bag. We are doing that as it is much cheaper, and we were able to book the time for pick up.

 

[MomOTwins]

Ok but one post on here did say this ......


"I've never had that happen. We've been picked up at the resorts as early as 10:30 and as late as 12:30. Even once got stuck in traffic but Cabanas and the MDRs were still open when we arrived and we even had time to go to Guest Services to book tastings, correct some errors on our Port Adventure tickets, and unpack my carry on."

We were picked up from AKL by the DCL resort-to-port bus at 11:30, and the bus already has passengers on it from another resort meaning they must have been picked up even earlier. So yes, there is absolutely a range of pickup times.

 

[Garyjames220]

I hope you end up with the outcome that you're hoping for and lots of "faith, trust, and pixie dust," my friend!

Haha thanks

 

[lilysgigi]

Are they just as firm with timing if boarding at a different port?

 

[kiford]

Are they just as firm with timing if boarding at a different port?

They were in Barcelona (both times) although those coming in by DCL transfers from the hotels were able to board as soon as check-in. But they were definitely holding people back until their boarding number was called. A family tried to piggy-back with us sort of pretending we were all together when I showed my boarding number (which was low and had already been called) but the CM had seen them hovering around earlier and then nip in close to us so she stopped them and checking their boarding card and told them they had to wait. We got the bus from the hotel around 11-ish both times and it was only a few minutes from the port so we were boarding about 11:30-ish.

 

[tinkerone]

Generally, DCL picks up from the WDW hotels in the afternoon.

That makes it sound like they don't pick up till late. They actually start picking up from the hotels at 11:30 and depending on how many from which resorts will determine the pick up time. We have been picked up at 11:30 at the Pop and then gone over to AKL to pick up people, on the highway by 12:10. We have also left the Pop with a full bus at 11:45 and straight onto the port. Another time we were picked up at 12:15 with one stop and at the port by 1:30. I know some have reported being picked up much later but again, this is unusual.
I also am in the group where I would gladly give up an hour on the ship to avoid the chaos of the port in the morning, fighting the crowds for the few seats they offer and not having to push our way through the masses to get to the boarding gate.

Having to get up and ride a bus for an hour with our luggage to the airport, then having to get to the bus pick up location, wait in line there to have them do our bus check-in, wait for an available bus, then ride another hour to the port, well you have just used up 3 hours for that mess. Seems like a hectic start to a vacation don't you think?

I would just stick with the pick up from your resort. The DCL bus ride starts a nice leisurely vacation and when you get to the port you will be able to just walk on and not have to push past 5oo people, again a nice leisurely way to start the vacation. In all likely hood you will lose, at most, two hours but your vacation will seem so much calmer.

What ever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

 

[Garyjames220]

That makes it sound like they don't pick up till late. They actually start picking up from the hotels at 11:30 and depending on how many from which resorts will determine the pick up time. We have been picked up at 11:30 at the Pop and then gone over to AKL to pick up people, on the highway by 12:10. We have also left the Pop with a full bus at 11:45 and straight onto the port. Another time we were picked up at 12:15 with one stop and at the port by 1:30. I know some have reported being picked up much later but again, this is unusual.
I also am in the group where I would gladly give up an hour on the ship to avoid the chaos of the port in the morning, fighting the crowds for the few seats they offer and not having to push our way through the masses to get to the boarding gate.

Having to get up and ride a bus for an hour with our luggage to the airport, then having to get to the bus pick up location, wait in line there to have them do our bus check-in, wait for an available bus, then ride another hour to the port, well you have just used up 3 hours for that mess. Seems like a hectic start to a vacation don't you think?

I would just stick with the pick up from your resort. The DCL bus ride starts a nice leisurely vacation and when you get to the port you will be able to just walk on and not have to push past 5oo people, again a nice leisurely way to start the vacation. In all likely hood you will lose, at most, two hours but your vacation will seem so much calmer.

What ever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

That makes it sound like they don't pick up till late. They actually start picking up from the hotels at 11:30 and depending on how many from which resorts will determine the pick up time. We have been picked up at 11:30 at the Pop and then gone over to AKL to pick up people, on the highway by 12:10. We have also left the Pop with a full bus at 11:45 and straight onto the port. Another time we were picked up at 12:15 with one stop and at the port by 1:30. I know some have reported being picked up much later but again, this is unusual.
I also am in the group where I would gladly give up an hour on the ship to avoid the chaos of the port in the morning, fighting the crowds for the few seats they offer and not having to push our way through the masses to get to the boarding gate.

Having to get up and ride a bus for an hour with our luggage to the airport, then having to get to the bus pick up location, wait in line there to have them do our bus check-in, wait for an available bus, then ride another hour to the port, well you have just used up 3 hours for that mess. Seems like a hectic start to a vacation don't you think?

I would just stick with the pick up from your resort. The DCL bus ride starts a nice leisurely vacation and when you get to the port you will be able to just walk on and not have to push past 5oo people, again a nice leisurely way to start the vacation. In all likely hood you will lose, at most, two hours but your vacation will seem so much calmer.

What ever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

That makes it sound like they don't pick up till late. They actually start picking up from the hotels at 11:30 and depending on how many from which resorts will determine the pick up time. We have been picked up at 11:30 at the Pop and then gone over to AKL to pick up people, on the highway by 12:10. We have also left the Pop with a full bus at 11:45 and straight onto the port. Another time we were picked up at 12:15 with one stop and at the port by 1:30. I know some have reported being picked up much later but again, this is unusual.
I also am in the group where I would gladly give up an hour on the ship to avoid the chaos of the port in the morning, fighting the crowds for the few seats they offer and not having to push our way through the masses to get to the boarding gate.

Having to get up and ride a bus for an hour with our luggage to the airport, then having to get to the bus pick up location, wait in line there to have them do our bus check-in, wait for an available bus, then ride another hour to the port, well you have just used up 3 hours for that mess. Seems like a hectic start to a vacation don't you think?

I would just stick with the pick up from your resort. The DCL bus ride starts a nice leisurely vacation and when you get to the port you will be able to just walk on and not have to push past 5oo people, again a nice leisurely way to start the vacation. In all likely hood you will lose, at most, two hours but your vacation will seem so much calmer.

What ever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

Just going to stick with the transfer from AKL we decided

 

[DCLDVC1]

Just going to stick with the transfer from AKL we decided

Please let us know what time you get picked up and get to the port.