Probably been asked but can’t find answer on DCL transfers

[smores]

We are cruising concierge and would like to arrive at the port earlier than later. If we opt for DCL transfers would it be best to take from MCO/MCO Hyatt or a Disney resort… if so is there a preferential resort (I think I heard the bus will stop at several resorts and there is no specific order)…?

 

[Dug720]

It's my understanding that WDW resorts are given earlier PATs and Boarding Groups, then MCO Hyatt if booked through DCL, then MCO.

No real preferential resort other than whatever you prefer. It's very likely that there will be more than one resort on a bus, but which are combined and the order will vary depending on how many at each resort are going. There's no way to know that in advance. I've personally been on one from ASMusic where we were the only ones because there were so many of us, and I've been on one from Riviera which had stopped at AoA and Pop before us and CBR after.

 

[sponica]

If you book from MCO you choose a PAT (to plan around an incoming flight), MCO/Hyatt or the resorts a PAT is assigned for you based on when the busses are slated to arrive.

Based on geography, the Hyatt ones might get there a tad earlier than the resorts and you are checked in at the Hyatt so you just have to go up the stairs. or they get there a tad later but you might be talking 15-20 minutes on either side.

The resort transfers it all depends on how many people are staying at any specific resort as to whether it stops at more than one resort.

It's really all luck, throw in an accident or traffic and an earlier planned bus could get their later.

ETA: I think in my last cruise group, the highest BG number I saw for a transfer was 6(?). We had an 11:30-11:45 PAT with BG 6? Based on the photos of my timestamps we weren't through security until after noon.

 

[dreamer17555]

It's my understanding that WDW resorts are given earlier PATs and Boarding Groups, then MCO Hyatt if booked through DCL, then MCO.

No real preferential resort other than whatever you prefer. It's very likely that there will be more than one resort on a bus, but which are combined and the order will vary depending on how many at each resort are going. There's no way to know that in advance. I've personally been on one from ASMusic where we were the only ones because there were so many of us, and I've been on one from Riviera which had stopped at AoA and Pop before us and CBR after.

Boarding groups and PAT are assigned as follows-
Group 1 Concierge
Group 2 Pearl
Group 3 MCO (but the buses tend to arrive later)
Group 4 Hyatt
Group 5-8 DCL Transfers- Deluxe are given group 5 generally and value are given the later number. Transfer from Pop I was given group 9 last April, just depends on how many guests there are using DCL transportation, fewer and you will get a lower number)
then Platinum etc..

 

[Dug720]

Boarding groups and PAT are assigned as follows-
Group 1 Concierge
Group 2 Pearl
Group 3 MCO (but the buses tend to arrive later)
Group 4 Hyatt
Group 5-8 DCL Transfers- Deluxe are given group 5 generally and value are given the later number. Transfer from Pop I was given group 9 last April, just depends on how many guests there are using DCL transportation, fewer and you will get a lower number)
then Platinum etc..

When I was going from Riviera in 2022 we had 3 or 4 - and I'm only Gold. *Maybe* 5, but definitely not higher.

When did they change back to WDW resorts not having priority? WDW resorts definitely had priority in 2022. Seems really sucky to put people not even staying at WDW property higher priority (I'm not counting Concierge and Pearl. Just counting people using DCL transportation.)

 

[dreamer17555]

When I was going from Riviera in 2022 we had 3 or 4 - and I'm only Gold. *Maybe* 5, but definitely not higher.

When did they change back to WDW resorts not having priority? WDW resorts definitely had priority in 2022. Seems really sucky to put people not even staying at WDW property higher priority (I'm not counting Concierge and Pearl. Just counting people using DCL transportation.)

Its how it was working in 2023, 2024. I took 5 DCL cruises out of PC in 2024 alone. Now things might have changed in 2025 but just sharing how it has been working and that more and more guests seem to be booking transportation. I was pretty bummed to pay for a DCL transport to be given BG 9 from a WDW resort in April 2024 but it happens.

In 2025 I have done 3 cruises out of Fort Lauderdale. Concierge was Group 1, Pearl was Group 2, Airport Transfers Group 3, and Partner Hotels Group 4... I would have assumed partner hotels would have been before airport but nope.

 

[sponica]

Its how it was working in 2023, 2024. I took 5 DCL cruises out of PC in 2024 alone. Now things might have changed in 2025 but just sharing how it has been working and that more and more guests seem to be booking transportation. I was pretty bummed to pay for a DCL transport to be given BG 9 from a WDW resort in April 2024 but it happens.

In 2025 I have done 3 cruises out of Fort Lauderdale. Concierge was Group 1, Pearl was Group 2, Airport Transfers Group 3, and Partner Hotels Group 4... I would have assumed partner hotels would have been before airport but nope.

Was it an April break cruise that was BG 9?

We were 6 from POR in February 2024, but it was really moot. The line at check in was soooo long, I think they were ON BG 9 or 10 by the time we got upstairs.

 

[dreamer17555]

Was it an April break cruise that was BG 9?

We were 6 from POR in February 2024, but it was really moot. The line at check in was soooo long, I think they were ON BG 9 or 10 by the time we got upstairs.

It was the end of April so it was not a holiday crowd just a lot of people staying a WDW resorts... We got group 7 from All Stars Feb 2024 but like you they were at group 12 by the time we were checked in and upstairs.

 

[RedHead0186]

Boarding groups and PAT are assigned as follows-
Group 1 Concierge
Group 2 Pearl
Group 3 MCO (but the buses tend to arrive later)
Group 4 Hyatt
Group 5-8 DCL Transfers- Deluxe are given group 5 generally and value are given the later number. Transfer from Pop I was given group 9 last April, just depends on how many guests there are using DCL transportation, fewer and you will get a lower number)
then Platinum etc..

Is this posted/printed somewhere? Or just your take based on observations?

 

[RedHead0186]

If you are concierge and want to take advantage of being the first group to enter the terminal, I wouldn't take DCL transportation. It's unlikely you will be there right when port opens. I took DCL transportation from Coronado a couple weeks ago-we left Coronado at about 10am and got to port about 11:15am. I'm not sure what the earliest PAT was for our sailing (probably 11), but there were definitely people already in the terminal when we got there. They hadn't started boarding yet, they called family of the day as we were waiting in line for the security check.

If you just want to get there early, and not necessarily earliest, then DCL transport should work. The order/number of stops depends on how many people are taking DCL transportation for a given cruise, so you wouldn't know that ahead of time.

 

[dreamer17555]

Is this posted/printed somewhere? Or just your take based on observations?

Observation 16 DCL cruises- 10 out of PC since 2022, 1 out of PC in 2020 (very different system then), 3 out of Port Everglades in 2025, 2 out of Miami since 2022 Seems to be the general pattern of course it is always subject to change.

 

[kiford]

How many resorts the bus goes to entirely depends on the number of people booking and which resort they're staying at. We've been on buses where they only picked up at our resort and ones where they picked up at one other and ones where they picked up at 3-4. There's no way of knowing in advance.

 

[Girl of the South]

It’s not like there’s an hour between boarding groups being called. Could be 5 to 10 minutes.

 

[thegreatdonaldo]

FWIW I am going 3/3 from Beach Club to Port Canaveral on the DCL transfer. This will be my 1st DCL cruise (Wish) and I was given PAT 4.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We sailed concierge and stayed the night before at the MCO Hyatt. We went down for the bus around 8:30 and there was a dedicated check in line for concierge. When we lined up-also a line for concierge and first to board the very first bus. When we got to the port, since we were checked in, just through security, right upstairs and right into the lounge to wait. We were some of the first to be there. Concierge boards right after the family of the day.

 

[MrMagoo]

As has been stated, busses from the resorts often stop at other resorts unless they fill up at one resort.
Therefore they may arrive later than the bus from the Hyatt. I would not want to stay at a resort and expect to
be at the port earlier than most.

Since you are going concierge, as already stated there is a dedicated check in desk at the Hyatt for concierge and pearl.
This is a GREAT amenity because when we sailed 2 weeks ago the line for regular check in was VERY long!!!!

Then you will be the first group to board a bus. Generally it is around 9:30 when you will be called.
You will have a dedicated bus for concierge and pearl.
At the port, there are people asking about your status and they will escort you to the concierge lounge.

Yes there will be people already at the port when choosing either option of staying at a Disney hotel or the Hyatt.
If you really want to arrive at the port as early as possible, the only way is to arrange private transportation.

But in reality the bus from the Hyatt MCO is generally early enough and in our families opinion the best option.
You should arrive at the port around 10:30-10:45.

When staying at the resorts we always use private transportation because we have had many problems with Disney
transportation to the port.

You may want to go to the concierge waiting area and get a seat when you arrive before you use the restroom because the
concierge area is not really large enough anymore since Disney has added so many rooms to concierge on all the ships.
This is one big failure of Disney for their concierge guests.
Before we boarded 2 weeks ago, there were people standing along the walls because there were not enough seats in the lounge.

 

[jimmymc]

The MCO Hyatt tends to be there earliest. There isn't a guaranteed order they leave or arrive in, but if all you care about is being as early as possible, that's what I would do.