Few quick check in questions!

[skiwee]

Sorry if this has been asked before but............. We are going on our first Disney cruise and check in is tomorrow. What time is the earliest I can get online and be able to check in? Also since I have two cabins booked what happens if they get different arrival times since I have to check both in separately?

 

Thanks for any info!

[Shmoo here]

Sorry if this has been asked before but............. We are going on our first Disney cruise and check in is tomorrow. What time is the earliest I can get online and be able to check in? Also since I have two cabins booked what happens if they get different arrival times since I have to check both in separately?

 

Thanks for any info!

 

Check in window opens at midnight Eastern time. Whatever time that is where you are. And, you must log in after midnight. If you are already logged in, just hitting "refresh" won't do it.

 

Chances are that you will get the same time, but, if not, DCL requests that those parties with different Port Arrival Times plan on arriving with the later time.

 

Of course, if you plan to arrive 12:30 or later, you'll most likely be real close to the Open Boarding time anyway.

[moki'smommy]

First, relax.

 

Unless it has changed recently, you should be able to book excursions, adult dining, etc. starting at 12:01 Eastern time and do on line check in at 3:00 am Eastern time. DO NOT log on in advance--you'll have to leave the web site and log on again to somehow tell DCL's system that it is time.

 

What happens depends on who is in what cabin. If it is one of those "we have 4 people split between 2 cabins" situations, you'll be able to board all 4 at either time. If you are a large group (like 8 people in 2 cabins), you'll need to board at the later time.

 

You are not choosing a boarding time. You are choosing a terminal arrival time (which is tied to your boarding number). But, you are all going to be on the ship in time for lunch, so what else is there to worry about? No matter what arrival time you are able to choose, it will all work out.

[Shmoo here]

First' date=' relax.

 

Unless it has changed recently, you should be able to book excursions, adult dining, etc. starting at 12:01 Eastern time and do on line check in at 3:00 am Eastern time. DO NOT log on in advance--you'll have to leave the web site and log on again to somehow tell DCL's system that it is time.

 

What happens depends on who is in what cabin. If it is one of those "we have 4 people split between 2 cabins" situations, you'll be able to board all 4 at either time. If you are a large group (like 8 people in 2 cabins), you'll need to board at the later time.

 

You are not choosing a boarding time. You are choosing a terminal arrival time (which is tied to your boarding number). But, you are all going to be on the ship in time for lunch, so what else is there to worry about? No matter what arrival time you are able to choose, it will all work out.[/quote']

 

The online check in window and the excursion/spa/adult dining/nursery reservation windows both open at midnight now.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Shmoo here

[skiwee]

Thanks all! Guess I know what I'll be doing tonight. I got the passports ready to check in and I guess that is all I need. I know we have first diniing already. Got lucky there. Any recommendations for a shuttle to go back and forth from MCO? Also are shows assigne times? If we are doing early dinner do we just go to later shows? What are my chances at booking massages once on board?

Edited July 7, 2014 by skiwee

[moki'smommy]

The online check in window and the excursion/spa/adult dining/nursery reservation windows both open at midnight now.

 

I always wondered why they had separate times.....but then, I was never one of those "middle of the night" people.

[Shmoo here]

Thanks all! Guess I know what I'll be doing tonight. I got the passports ready to check in and I guess that is all I need. I know we have first diniing already. Got lucky there. Any recommendations for a shuttle to go back and forth from MCO? Also are shows assigne times? If we are doing early dinner do we just go to later shows? What are my chances at booking massages once on board?

 

If you're backing up your onboard account with a credit card, you'll need that info, also.

 

We usually do the DCL transfers. Depending on how many people you are talking about it might be cheaper to look into a private transport. DCL transfers cost $35.00 per person each way. But, once you check you bags in at your home airport, you won't see them again until they get to your room onboard the ship. Nice not having to schlep bags.

 

Show times are not assigned. There is a show at approximately the same time as the dinner seatings. So early dinner goes to the show afterward, and late dinner goes to the show before.

[skiwee]

If you're backing up your onboard account with a credit card, you'll need that info, also.

 

We usually do the DCL transfers. Depending on how many people you are talking about it might be cheaper to look into a private transport. DCL transfers cost $35.00 per person each way. But, once you check you bags in at your home airport, you won't see them again until they get to your room onboard the ship. Nice not having to schlep bags.

 

Show times are not assigned. There is a show at approximately the same time as the dinner seatings. So early dinner goes to the show afterward, and late dinner goes to the show before.

 

Thanks! There is only 4 of us but I want to tell them what time I want pick up. I don't want transfers where they give me a time. I also like to hand over my bags to the porter myself so I know they at least got that far. LOL We have a room booked at the hotel right in MCO. We are arriving at 4pm night before cruise and will leave directly from there to the port the next morning. Thanks for the CC reminder! Forgot that one!

[Shmoo here]

Thanks! There is only 4 of us but I want to tell them what time I want pick up. I don't want transfers where they give me a time. I also like to hand over my bags to the porter myself so I know they at least got that far. LOL We have a room booked at the hotel right in MCO. We are arriving at 4pm night before cruise and will leave directly from there to the port the next morning. Thanks for the CC reminder! Forgot that one!

 

The Hyatt MCO has a service (for a fee - $10.00, I think) that they will get your bags to the DCL truck to be taken to the ship.

 

If you take DCL transfers from MCO, they open about 8:30-8:45 am. Check in and you are giving a ticket for the next available bus (it's first come, first served). Busses start running around 9:10, departing every 20 minutes or when full, whichever is first.

 

You can carry your bags to the DCL transfer desk check in, but it will be handed off to the bus driver for transport to the ship. Then you'll have to claim it back from the driver, and take it into the terminal yourself.

[moki'smommy]

Actually, if you have DCL transfers, there is NO fee to have your bags taken from your room at the Hyatt MCO to the DCL bus. This is part of the service with the transfers. You sign up on a list at the Hyatt desk and they give you a form to give to DCL when you check in for the bus (the list tells the Hyatt to claim your bags, the form tells DCL to be sure they got them).

 

The $10 fee you are probably thinking of is the service that the Hyatt offers where they will pick up your bags from the luggage carousel at MCO and deliver them to your hotel room. There is a $10 charge for that...but it saves you a few minutes when you arrive at the airport, if that is important to you.

 

If you are doing DCL transfers from MCO, there is no "they tell you what time" issue. The time you will depart on the bus is essentially the time you show up at the welcome center. The center opens at 8:30 officially (8:15 really) and the first bus leaves slightly before 9:30. Each successive bus leaves either when full or every 20 minutes--whichever comes first.