Port Arrival Time - Canaveral

As a first time DCL cruiser not staying in concierge level stateroom, it appears that we'll be doing on line check in last and therefore will have a smaller selection of available check in times. Realistically, what is the earliest time slot you have seen still open 75 days out or do people pick slots all over the spectrum? Thanks!

As a first time DCL cruiser not staying in concierge level stateroom, it appears that we'll be doing on line check in last and therefore will have a smaller selection of available check in times. Realistically, what is the earliest time slot you have seen still open 75 days out or do people pick slots all over the spectrum? Thanks!

Some previous Castaway Club Guests do pick times over the range of times available. It all depends on how they get to the port.

There may still be a 10:30 slot available, or one that if you check in again after your initial check in that becomes available. And realistically, an 11am or 11:30 am slot can often become available when people finalize their plans.

Check back every few days leading up to your cruise, and switch if one becomes available.

ex techie

edit to add, it also depends on the ship you are sailing on. The larger ships have more Guests so less chance, but the Magic and Wonder had the terminal built in mind, so it is appropriately sized for them.

Thanks, ex techie. BTW, I didn't find any part of that response to be sarcastic.

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Thanks, ex techie. BTW, I didn't find any part of that response to be sarcastic.

:)

ex techie

As a first time DCL cruiser not staying in concierge level stateroom, it appears that we'll be doing on line check in last and therefore will have a smaller selection of available check in times. Realistically, what is the earliest time slot you have seen still open 75 days out or do people pick slots all over the spectrum? Thanks!

It's often been reported by first time cruisers that they were able to select the earliest Port Arrival Time. It just depends on what people realistically pick for their PAT.

Yes, people do pick later ones, allowing the earlier ones to remain available to those whose check in window is closer to the cruise date.

Many cruisers have later flights or are coming from WDW and won't be arriving till after 1:00. Thus, there are often early times available to first timers.

If there is not something to your liking, choose the earliest time available. Then check back periodically to see whether anything better is available and use the "edit" function.

If your final time is after 12, show up at the port between 12 and 1. This is rather the sweet spot. The people coming from WDW on DCL transportation haven't arrived yet and the "early birds" are already on board. You will typically be able to board about 1:00.

As a first time DCL cruiser not staying in concierge level stateroom, it appears that we'll be doing on line check in last and therefore will have a smaller selection of available check in times. Realistically, what is the earliest time slot you have seen still open 75 days out or do people pick slots all over the spectrum? Thanks!

On our first Disney cruise from PC, we got an 1115 PAT. Obviously, the trick is to be up at midnight eastern on the day your window opens, I think. If you cannot do that I believe you will find that trying the next day the early times are taken. However, not all is lost, as Moki's Mommy has written many times....a late PAT will often turn into a 1230 boarding time after the early crowd has dissipated.

However, not all is lost, as Moki's Mommy has written many times....a late PAT will often turn into a 1230 boarding time after the early crowd has dissipated.

+1!

ex techie

Good Evening!

I was indeed one of those people who stayed up until midnight this past Sunday. I am also a first time DCL cruiser, but was able to get an 11 a.m. PAT. I believed it helped that we are arriving with our own transportation and flying in 1 day prior to actual cruise day. Could be that only later times are shown depending on what you enter as your arrival time / mode, i.e. flying in that day would perhaps be given later PAT times?

Thanks to all. So let's say your flight gets in at 11 to MCO and you are going to take the Disney Transport from the airport to the port. What is the earliest PAT you would suggest. Half of us are traveling by car and will be there the day before but the others are flying in morning of (I know, crazy).

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We are first time DCL cruisers and I stayed up until midnight at our 75 days and got the second slot- a 10:45 PAT.

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Thanks to all. So let's say your flight gets in at 11 to MCO and you are going to take the Disney Transport from the airport to the port. What is the earliest PAT you would suggest. Half of us are traveling by car and will be there the day before but the others are flying in morning of (I know, crazy).

Realistically, if the flight lands on time at 11, 30 mins for debark and getting to the bus, so if the bus is already nearly loaded and ready to depart, you won't be at the port before 12:30. So a 12:30 PAT would be best.

And you will most likely (all being well with the ships arrival), be boarding around 12:45.

ex techie

Good Evening!

 

I was indeed one of those people who stayed up until midnight this past Sunday. I am also a first time DCL cruiser, but was able to get an 11 a.m. PAT. I believed it helped that we are arriving with our own transportation and flying in 1 day prior to actual cruise day. Could be that only later times are shown depending on what you enter as your arrival time / mode, i.e. flying in that day would perhaps be given later PAT times?

Yes it makes sense if you enter an arrival time after the PAT's start that they would not show as available to you.

ex techie

True--if you list a flight that arrives at 11:00, the system will only give you PATs after noon to choose from. They allow an hour for transportation to the cruise terminal (it is a 45 minute drive and will take you a few minutes to get from the plane to your mode of transportation).

I got the earliest PAT time on my first Disney Cruise. But our shuttle was late and we didn't get there until about 1. We checked in and walked right on the ship, ate lunch, and went right to our room. The second cruise we got the earliest PAT time and I regret getting there as early as we did. There was a huge crowd (this was in Miami) and I felt like we waited forever. This time we are leaving Orlando at noon, so I'm hoping for a check in-walk on-lunch-cabin scenario again.

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I got the earliest PAT time on my first Disney Cruise. But our shuttle was late and we didn't get there until about 1. We checked in and walked right on the ship, ate lunch, and went right to our room. The second cruise we got the earliest PAT time and I regret getting there as early as we did. There was a huge crowd (this was in Miami) and I felt like we waited forever. This time we are leaving Orlando at noon, so I'm hoping for a check in-walk on-lunch-cabin scenario again.

 

 

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If you leave Orlando at noon, you will get your "walk on" situation provided no wreck on the 528 or other untoward event.

If you leave Orlando at noon' date=' you will get your "walk on" situation provided no wreck on the 528 or other untoward event.[/quote']

 

 

I figured that if we leave Orlando by noon and there's no traffic, it will be about 1pm when we get to PC. Do hours long delays often happen on the road to PC? I think the latest PAT time was 3pm.

 

 

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I figured that if we leave Orlando by noon and there's no traffic, it will be about 1pm when we get to PC. Do hours long delays often happen on the road to PC? I think the latest PAT time was 3pm.

 

 

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"Often"? Sometimes. There could be an accident, road work, or even a wildfire that can close the highway.

No, not often...but it does happen. Most commonly it is due to an auto accident. For road work, there are routes open, but it can be fewer lanes or whatever. The good news is that if your car can't get thru, the DCL bus can't get thru either. But it is always good policy to plan to be there a few hours before the "latest possible" time.

First time on Disney, so where do I choose my PAT time? is it during the online check in process?

First time on Disney, Where do I choose my PAT time to arrive? is it in the online check in?

Yes, choosing your PAT is part of the on line check in process.

First time on Disney, Where do I choose my PAT time to arrive? is it in the online check in?

http://blog.touringplans.com/2015/08/19/10-steps-online-check-disney-cruise/

This site shows step-by-step checkin directions.

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ex techie

On my first DCL cruise, we got the first PAT slot on a spring break cruise. I did online check in at midnight.