Online check in

[NJEMT29]

If I stay up to midnight on May 4 2013

can I check in online at 12:01 am on May 5

or does dcl open up the checkin online at a certain time

any help would be appricated

[matondo]

I have heard people say they are doing it but I have not heard of anyone saying they did it. I tried doing it, forgot my password and gave up. Got up in the morning and checked in around 7 or 8 and still got the 11:00 AM arrival time. Then again we are sailing the first part of May so it may not be a high demand time.

[tweis]

If I stay up to midnight on May 4 2013

can I check in online at 12:01 am on May 5

or does dcl open up the checkin online at a certain time

any help would be appricated

 

I did my online checkin a couple of weeks ago for our May 30th cruise. I logged in at midnight did my check in to get my 11:00 PAT and then booked my excursions and Palo reservation. Do not log in and wait until 12:00, log in at 12:00. :)

[whirlybird3]

Why is it so important to check in so early?

[tweis]

Why is it so important to check in so early?

 

I personally check in early because I wanted to secure my Palo ressie and book the excursion I wanted before it was sold out. If you want any shot at a cabana at all, you should check in as early as possible since they sell out very quickly. Also, if it's a popular cruise and you want an early PAT, it is best to check in early. If none of this matters to you, then I think you have up until 3 or 4 days until your sail date to do your online checkin and select your PAT. :)

[Quench]

Does PAT matter if you're using Disney RT transfers??

[tweis]

Does PAT matter if you're using Disney RT transfers??

 

I have no personal experience with Disney transfers but my understanding is that now your PAT does matter with DCL transfers. Your boarding time will be tied to the PAT that you select. I believe this change was implemented last year. Maybe someone with recent experience can chime in and correct me if I'm wrong. :)

[bphman]

When is your cruise that you would be checking in at midnight? We're sailing May 26th and did our registration as soon as we booked. Did not get Palo but wanted to try Remy which is wide open. Am I missing something? Do I need to check back?

[tweis]

When is your cruise that you would be checking in at midnight? We're sailing May 26th and did our registration as soon as we booked. Did not get Palo but wanted to try Remy which is wide open. Am I missing something? Do I need to check back?

 

I sail May 30th and did my online checkin at 90 days out since we are silver CC members. It sounds as though you may have booked after the paid in full date and did everything when you booked? You can continually check and make changes to your reservation up until 3 days before you sail. I hope this is what you were asking....? :)

[Gumbey]

Does PAT matter if you're using Disney RT transfers??

Depends...Are you coming from the Resorts? If so, it doesn't really matter what time you get as a PAT. Resort busses usually arrive around 1-2pm. If you are coming directly from the airport, I have no idea what the time of arrival is for the ME buses there.

[bphman]

I was told by Disney that the buses start leaving MCO at 9:45 and to just board when you land. We have a 12 noon embarkation time bit they told me to go right to the buses. We have a 6 am flight.

[Quench]

Depends...Are you coming from the Resorts? If so, it doesn't really matter what time you get as a PAT. Resort busses usually arrive around 1-2pm. If you are coming directly from the airport, I have no idea what the time of arrival is for the ME buses there.

 

Yes, coming from AOA Resort.

[Gumbey]

When we stayed at Beach Club Villas, we didn't leave until almost noon. :(

[babynyc88]

I didn't realize you had to choose a online check-in time. I just registered and the earliest time is 12:30pm. Do you know if I can show up earlier or will they make us wait till the time? We sailed Disney 3 years ago and I don't remember having a check-in time. I think we just showed up on that day and waited in the line.

[Gumbey]

That time is your Port Arrival Time, it is not the time you board the ship at. Once you arrive at the port and check in and show all your paperwork and sign up for the kids club, they will give you a boarding card number. That number determines when you will get on the ship.

 

Obviously, the earlier the PAT you get the more likely to get a lower boarding card number.

 

But at around 12:30 you are probably about mid-point in the boarding process. If it's not too busy then you might be able to stroll on through to the ship, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

The first time we did the Disney (Dream) we were at the resorts and only got to the port around 1:30-2pm and weren't on the ship before 2:30pm which was too bad. This past Xmas cruise on the Fantasy I purposely arrived via limo to the port by 10:45am (we had a 11-11:30am PAT) and had boarding card #3. We were literally in Cabanas by 11:45am!

[tweis]

I was told by Disney that the buses start leaving MCO at 9:45 and to just board when you land. We have a 12 noon embarkation time bit they told me to go right to the buses. We have a 6 am flight.

 

 

I think it's about 45 mins to an hour from MCO so once you arrive at the Port you will check in an be given a boarding number which is directly tied to your port arrival time that you selected which is noon so you may board later than others that arrived at the same time or after you.

[Supercrossfox21]

I have no personal experience with Disney transfers but my understanding is that now your PAT does matter with DCL transfers. Your boarding time will be tied to the PAT that you select. I believe this change was implemented last year. Maybe someone with recent experience can chime in and correct me if I'm wrong. :)

 

We are sailing on the Fantasy in September, and our flight gets into MCO at 7am. We booked tranfers to the port through Disney, but the first bus doesn't leave until 10am. I called Disney to ask if I was going to get assigned a specific PAT (I didn't want to sit at the airport for 3hrs and then find out I had a late time and have to sit at the port- especially with a 3yr old). They said that by booking a transfer through them at the airport, you don't need one because we get there basically when the bus drops us off. So if you catch that 1st bus out of the airport you should be one of the first on the ship if everyhting runs smoothly. They said the time you get on the ship depends on how fast they get cleared from customs and get the ship ready from that morning arrival. The lady said this was a major advantage to booking a transfer- You don't need a PAT.

 

Just wondering if you already signed up for a transfer, does the system know that and therefore not ask you to choose a PAT?

[ktb2002]

You will still need a PAT as your boarding number is tied to that. With DCL transfers you can get into the port when the bus drops you off, however you cannot board until your boarding group.