WHY? Rush, Wait, Push, Hurry up?

[dtheboys]

? for past cruisers....
Why get to the port early?
Why wait in line to board ship?
Why not let the rush happen, and walk on later that afternoon?

Is there any advantage to getting to the port early, and on the ship first?

I can't see a reason to be one of the first to board the boat?

We are staying at a nearby hotel, and would like to enjoy the day at the pool, etc. before boarding the ship.....

Ok, you early birds, and late birds....what is the advantages?

PS.....The life boat drill......does anyone attend? I heard that it is manditory? How do they enforce this?
Thanks.....

 

[outahere]

If you want to get reservations at the spa or at Palo, you would need to get on fairly early. You can always have lunch then go hang out at the pool on the ship.

As for the life boat drill......... they take attendance, by cabin number.

 

[jwann]

Re: the life boat drill -- no getting around this one -- just go with the flow -- take pics and make it a fun part of your cruise instead of a bothersome event.

Okay -- we are one of the Early Boarders -- we've been on 2 Disney cruises and have been the first ones on the ship each time. Here's why...
1. We don't rush to the terminal but get up (from a hotel by the Orlando airport), have a leisurely breakfast, (as much as a group of 8 can have), and then get to the port around 10:15. We can roll down the windows and the kids can gawk at the boat as wel wait for them to open the terminal. Since we are one of the first there, we drive right to the curb, get out, and have a lovely organizational "meeting" (i.e., all 8 of us pile out and we begin to line up the children, luggage to check, and day bags).
2. Next we ride the escalator up to the terminal. The kids settle into the couches and watch cartoons. The grown-ups go out on the verandah and look at the ship up close. Around 11, they begin to check in. Again - no line here.
3. After the big "check-in" - remember all adults have to check in together in your group. A couple of grown-ups get in line by the big yellow mickey ears and the rest watch cartoons or look around.
4. Around 11:30 or so, the characters start to come out and the kids go get pictures and then the rest of the family joins us in line.
5. About noon (though I heard they are starting earlier now), they let the rope down and we leisurely enter the atrium.
6. We are usually very hungry and we head right to the buffets and CHOW DOWN! No waiting for tables and every dish is filled to the brim!
7. After we eat, the men go get Palo reservations (if we go) and the women go get spa reservations. Again, little or no waiting, as we have eaten at the buffet which doesn't take an hour to do!
8. Next, we all meet in the atrium and pin trade with the CMs as there are usually a BUNCH of them greeting guests.
9. After pin trading we head to the rooms to see if they are ready -- both times they have been ready! (no luggage yet, however) We all change into our swim suits and then head to the pools. At this time the pools are virtually empty!!!!!!!!!!!!! This will be the ONLY time during the cruise that the mickey pool is so vacant.
10. We have a lovely leisurely afternoon of swimming and snacking. Around 4, we head back to rooms and get ready for the drill!!

IMHO, getting there early is the only way to go. It's a relaxing way to start your vacation.

 

[Rippington'sFan]

We took our time going to the Port and did what you are thinking of doing. We hung out at the pool for awhile and casually made our way over to the Port and we still had to wait in line to board the ship. We didn't care about getting reservations at Palo. It was no big deal to us and neither was the spa or all the other stuff people run around like crazy signing up for. That's the reason people are there early. (to sign up for everything and register kids in the clubs etc...)
You'll even see people waiting in line to get into the dining rooms at dinner time every night. ???? I could never understand that. People are in way too much of a rush. Then you have the ignorant people fighting over seats in the theatre and scrambling for chairs around the pool etc... wow! I guess it takes all kinds.
We found that we enjoyed ourselves better by not running ourselves ragged trying to do everything that there is offered. We just picked a couple of things to do each day and if we did them great. If not...Oh well.

 

[DisneyKids]

Personally, we are one of the early types. We, too, are among the first on each time. But, if the reservations don't mean much and if you want to enjoy the hotel pool, area attractions, etc., then no no need to rush. We just like to take advantage of every minute that we can. It's really a personal preference. Whatever makes your trip the best for you!

 

[jrabbit]

For us making Palo brunch ressies and signing the younger kids into the club/labs before the lines there get long. It is easy to sign your kids in, it's just that there are so many families doing that.

*** (Mickey Vacation Time) is precious and goes by very quickly. Just like at the parks, you get there early, do some waiting outside of ***, so that once you are in you can get what needs to be done, done before the lines get long. We also like being able have lunch before the crowds arrive (and early enough so that you feel like having dinner) and have some time in the pools/hot tubs before they get crowded. Once the rush is over its a week of relaxation.

If you have no ressies to make, no kids to check in, and have late dinner seating, don't bother showing up early. Just arrive at the port between 1 & 2, check in and walk on. Oh yeah, the thing you might miss is Mickey and Minnie applauding you as your name is announced while boarding the ship.


Lastly, DO NOT skip the MANDITORY safety drill. Yes it seems to be no big deal, but it didn't on the Titanic either. Please don't be late, the rest of us will be there waiting for you (and we will wait - a lot of us outside in the heat and humidity and for those on the starboard side in the sun!!). And we will wait and sweat and wait and sweat hoping that you will show up. If you don't show up you will recieve a nasty (but important) letter from DCL. And during this time, there are NO services onboard - no pool, no food, no drinks, no signing up for things, no movies, no TV. So like Nike says: Just Do It (and come to the safety drill).

 

[westjones]

What my kids like about being early is so that when we get on the ship we can head right for the pools and under thier clothes they have swimsuits on already so they are one of the first (or like on our last trip THE first) to get in the pool. After that, the pools are usually very crowded (at least on the 3 or 4 day cruises). When we were on the 7 day cruise we did find a few times to enjoy the pool without it being too terribly crowded.

But for us, that is it. Get to the pool and enjoy them when they are are not crowded for the only time on the cruise (in fact, on our last 3 day cruise that was the only time the girls went to the pool--3 day cruises go by very fast!).

DJ

 

[jgalecpa]

Reduces the cost per hour on the ship!



jim

 

[mmouse37]

We like spending every minute we can enjoying what the ship has to offer.....let's see....sitting by a hotel pool or being on the ship enjoying all her offerings....no brainer for us. We like being on the ship as early as possible. We do not rush from here to there. We go with the outlook of if we get ressies, we get them, if we don't, we don't....no big deal.

MJ

 

[IrishCowboy]

Well said!!! We like to get there as early as possible too!

 

[Magic_Fan_Bruce]

We like Palo and sometimes do the Spa, but when (or if we do them at all) makes no difference to us. Also, since we normally sail on the Magic, making reservations later in the day (or later in the cruise) is more likely than on the Wonder. We signup the kids for the Lab/Club late on the first night, or the next day when there is no wait. We have arrived to the port early on a couple of cruises and did the waiting thing, which definitely has all the advantages everyone here is posting. But, it is also very nice to walk into the terminal with no wait at check-in, no wait for photos, and then right onto the ship, and to your waiting and prepared stateroom.

That being said, the one thing that we don't like to miss is the announcement of our family boarding as we enter the atrium. I'm not sure what time they stop, but we did miss it once.

 

[Verandah Man]

Originally posted by jgalecpa
Reduces the cost per hour on the ship!



jim

Sounds like a true CPA, but I like your thinking Jim!!!

Our family arrived early for our first ever cruise this past August, we were second in line. You could call it excitement with it being our first cruise considering I woke up at 5:15am, looked out our room window from the Radisson, and saw the Magic sailing back up the port channel. We were one of the first families at Topsiders, had a nice relaxing lunch, then we dropped off our carry ons at our cabin, went and made Palo ressies, got out DD signed up at Common Grounds, than just walked around the ship until it was time to get ready for the safety drill. BTW, we never felt rushed at all.

Will probably do the same thing next cruise, as we already have a ressie for the Radisson.

 

[MrsPete]

I think we did it just right:

We arrived at the port early so that we walked right up to the check-in counter. This allowed us plenty of time to walk around and enjoy ourselves. We didn't wait in line, however. When they started boarding, we waited until 90% of the "standers" had boarded, then we walked right on.

We grabbed one of the last Palo reservations for the night we'd wanted. Less-desirable evenings were still available. We were able to enjoy lunch and the pools without crowds.

The only downside: DH wanted the ship to START MOVING IMMEDIATELY. He was onboard. That was all that mattered. Seriously, I thought the man would have a stroke waiting.

 

[inkkognito]

We are major early birds because that's just the way I am. I would rather head out early and wait at the terminal than get stuck in traffic or have something else unforeseen happen and risk getting there late. We fly in the night before, score an MCO area hotel via Priceline, and take Happy Limo to the port the next morning. That usually allows us to get a good night's sleep while still getting there early.
Of course, we do Palo and the spa, and we also know many of the people at the port since we do so many Disney cruises. So the wait time goes very fast for us because it's more like visitng with friends than waiting. And it's become a tradition for hubby and I to get a coffee at R. E. Fresh's while we wait, and we often meet fellow DISers which makes the time pass even more quickly. Lately, boarding is starting at 11:30.
We also like to have plenty of time to enjoy the whirlpool before the safety drill. And believe me, they DO take attendance and WILL notify you if you did not attend. I know because we got "the letter" once, even though we were there. Somehow they missed marking off our room number. Ironically, it was the one time we had proof of our attendance because we had finally gotten around to taking photos after 20-some cruises!
But if you are not the anal type like I am, I don't think there's anything wrong with getting there later. If you're not interested in Palo or the spa, and you'd rather enjoy the hotel pool than the ship, then I think it would work out fine for you. With boarding starting so early, you wouldn't encounter any line if you get there later. I know the majority of DISers (myself included) like to spend every possible minute either at the terminal or on the ship, but there's nothing wrong with doing it the other way
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[brack]

I too like to get there early. It is much better to wait in the terminal knowing I will get onboard than to have a chance of being held up unexpectantly.

I love to take pictures but I do not want to take a picture of the Magic leaving port without me being onboard when I am supposed to be.

 

[Rippington'sFan]

To Magic_Fan_Bruce or anybody who can answer this.

What exactly does this quote below from "magic fan bruce" mean?
I thought the Magic and Wonder were "twin" ships. Aren't they exactly the same ships except for different names of dining room,etc...??? why would it be different to make reservations for Palo on the Magic vs. Wonder? Just curious.


"We like Palo and sometimes do the Spa, but when (or if we do them at all) makes no difference to us. Also, since we normally sail on the Magic, making reservations later in the day (or later in the cruise) is more likely than on the Wonder."

 

[Magic_Fan_Bruce]

The Magic sails for 7-days, but carries the same number of people. Therefore it has about double the timeslots to guest ratio for Palo and the Spa reservations than the Wonder.

 

[Keggy]

We have done both - been early - like first or second in line and come late. We are now swithching to going over later.

We head over the the terminal at about 12:30pm. There is no line. We check in - go straight in to the ship - my husband goes to PALO and I go the spa, then we meet up for lunch. No waiting, no lines. We have gotten everything we wanted without the hassle. BUT - we do not have children (yet). I think our way is easier for two people without kids, because we have a step that is taken out of the first day "to do" list. We don't have to register the kids in the kids club.

But, to each their own. Without the early birds there would be a line for us late birds. So, I appreciate the people that get their early, just as we once did.


Kelly

 

[mrsfuzzmo]

Always early! I actually enjoy the waiting and anticipation! I like to see people talking about what to expect and kids freaking out when they see the characters. I really also love to be onboard so that I can start my vacation as soon as possible. Many times I am up on the top deck, with sailaway cocktail in my hand, relaxing, watching everyone else scrambling and finding their way around. (I too, love to explore and love to have enough time to do that.) I LOVE the sail away, because I know what's in store for us for the week. So I try to absorb as much anticipation and excitement of the sailaway as I can (as well as absorb as many Pina Coladas as I can). I don't want to scramble once on board!

As for the Life Boat drill. Yes, it is mandatory on all cruise ships. Basically painless and actually kind of fun. Great photo opportunity with those life jackets on! I've been on cruises where, when someone missed the lifeboat drill, they had to do one the next day!!! Who wants to break up your wonderful day at sea for a lifeboat drill! Do, though, pay attention to your muster station number. My husband and I were once on a cruise where we were celebrating with champagne and not paying much attention during the drill (we've done it many times). Well, let me tell you, the night we had 20-25 ft. swells and the front end of the ship was lifting out of the water and smashing down so hard we thought the ship would break in half.....well... we then tried to remember where we were supposed to go. We laughed about it, but now definitley pay attention.!

mrsfuzzmo

 

[dtheboys]

Thanks for all the responses so far.....
OK....I'm now leaning towards being the early bird!! My wife wants to do Palo, and I want to get a good night and time....so I guess i'll be in line.....