Port Arrival Time Question

[flynnibus]

So, for our upcoming trip.. we were able to score the earliest time Disney offers for our cruise.. 10:30am.. the other part of our group got 10:45

But in the cruise packet we got... it mentions the terminal and parking opening at 11:00am ??!?!

How can disney be offering times before the port supposedly opens? Any experience with this?? @Disneyfalcon ?

 

[stillgoofy]

The parking opens earlier than port opening. In spring we had 10:30 PAT and got to parking structure and parked the car and got in line for terminal opening. There is a line up in the parking structure to get into the second floor entrance of terminal. We waited about 15 min in line before 10:30 opening. No worries.

 

[TheMouseFan]

We took the DCL transfer from the airport and we were allowed in before they opened security to people arriving other ways. I want to say we got there around 10:15 or so. Our arrival time wasn't even until 11:30, but we were able to check in as soon as we got there with no problems.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

So, for our upcoming trip.. we were able to score the earliest time Disney offers for our cruise.. 10:30am.. the other part of our group got 10:45

But in the cruise packet we got... it mentions the terminal and parking opening at 11:00am ??!?!

How can disney be offering times before the port supposedly opens? Any experience with this?? @Disneyfalcon ?

That's a combination of old information and Disney trying to discourage guests from arriving too early. The terminal can handle the capacity of the Magic and Wonder pretty well, but the Dream and Fantasy have so many more guests that it was super crowded with everyone arriving at 10:30 hoping to be the first onboard. So they added the arrival times in hopes of spreading out the guests arrivals. Once boarding starts it's not a problem, but before it begins with everyone flooding in with nowhere to go, it's crowded!

There was a time when the earliest arrival time was 11, and they were strict about not letting anyone in until 11. Even the local hotels where shuttles used to start around 10 or earlier, changed their shuttle times to not even begin running until 11 or later. Disney was turning away cars if they arrived too early.

When Disney added the 10:30 arrival times, they didn't really update the port opening information. They are still doing everything they can to spread out arrival times. Many cruisers pick a 12:30 or later arrival time because that's all that's left and really believe they can't arrive until 12:30. Disney isn't really discouraging that notion. If someone had a late arrival time and got there really early and the terminal was full, they'd have to wait outside a few minutes until guests inside boarded and made some room. That's pretty rare though.

As Amy and Kris noted, it's not a problem to get into the terminal at 10:30. The guests arriving on the shuttles from the airport will get there around 10:15.

In practice, the arrival time you picked will really just determine how high of a boarding number you have, and with an arrival time of 10:30, you'll get an early boarding number no matter what time you actually arrive.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

That's a combination of old information and Disney trying to discourage guests from arriving too early. The terminal can handle the capacity of the Magic and Wonder pretty well, but the Dream and Fantasy have so many more guests that it was super crowded with everyone arriving at 10:30 hoping to be the first onboard. So they added the arrival times in hopes of spreading out the guests arrivals. Once boarding starts it's not a problem, but before it begins with everyone flooding in with nowhere to go, it's crowded!

There was a time when the earliest arrival time was 11, and they were strict about not letting anyone in until 11. Even the local hotels where shuttles used to start around 10 or earlier, changed their shuttle times to not even begin running until 11 or later. Disney was turning away cars if they arrived too early.

When Disney added the 10:30 arrival times, they didn't really update the port opening information. They are still doing everything they can to spread out arrival times. Many cruisers pick a 12:30 or later arrival time because that's all that's left and really believe they can't arrive until 12:30. Disney isn't really discouraging that notion. If someone had a late arrival time and got there really early and the terminal was full, they'd have to wait outside a few minutes until guests inside boarded and made some room. That's pretty rare though.

As Amy and Kris noted, it's not a problem to get into the terminal at 10:30. The guests arriving on the shuttles from the airport will get there around 10:15.

In practice, the arrival time you picked will really just determine how high of a boarding number you have, and with an arrival time of 10:30, you'll get an early boarding number no matter what time you actually arrive.

So say for example we had a 1pm PAT. But we showed up at 11. Are they going to give us a boarding number that 11am people would get because we are there? Or are they going to give us a boarding number that we should get had we arrived at 1pm?

 

[flynnibus]

Does this mean the terminal will be a lot more crowded at this time?

Do the first boarding numbers really start at 1pm? Or do they start those early arrivals at 11 or so?

We've only been there much later... Like 12 or so and never had problems with crowds, etc. I'm scared this 'first there' time will be much worse!

For any shot at those last minute upgrades... You go there before checkin right? What should I set my expectation for discounts on rooms that are not the ultra fancy? I'm hoping to upgrade my parents from an inside room to an outside with the split bathroom... And or maybe our family veranda to concierge .

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Does this mean the terminal will be a lot more crowded at this time?

Do the first boarding numbers really start at 1pm? Or do they start those early arrivals at 11 or so?

We've only been there much later... Like 12 or so and never had problems with crowds, etc. I'm scared this 'first there' time will be much worse!

For any shot at those last minute upgrades... You go there before checkin right? What should I set my expectation for discounts on rooms that are not the ultra fancy? I'm hoping to upgrade my parents from an inside room to an outside with the split bathroom... And or maybe our family veranda to concierge .

You can check on DCL to see if they have any concierge rooms available. I know we were going to try next month to upgrade but they're all booked I would think that verandah rooms would be easier to upgrade to from an inside stateroom if they have some available.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

So say for example we had a 1pm PAT. But we showed up at 11. Are they going to give us a boarding number that 11am people would get because we are there? Or are they going to give us a boarding number that we should get had we arrived at 1pm?

They are going to give you a boarding number based on a 1:00 arrival.

Does this mean the terminal will be a lot more crowded at this time?

Do the first boarding numbers really start at 1pm? Or do they start those early arrivals at 11 or so?

We've only been there much later... Like 12 or so and never had problems with crowds, etc. I'm scared this 'first there' time will be much worse!

For any shot at those last minute upgrades... You go there before checkin right? What should I set my expectation for discounts on rooms that are not the ultra fancy? I'm hoping to upgrade my parents from an inside room to an outside with the split bathroom... And or maybe our family veranda to concierge .

The terminal is always the most crowded between 11-11:45. When boarding begins it starts to empty.

Boarding starts at 11:30 (sometimes a little earlier) and all numbers have usually been called by noon or so. If you arrive after noon you'll pretty much walk on after checking in, no matter what your boarding number is. There's a slight rush around 1-1:30 when the buses from the resorts start arriving, but nothing like earlier that day.

Last minute upgrades are done right after you check in! Check in and then go to the supervisor's desk. Disney won't publish the discount, but I can tell you from experience that it ranges from 1/3 to 1/2 of what the normal upgrade cost would be.