8/27, 8/30, 9/3, & 9/6 Dream sailings PAT updates

[JayhawkCruiser]

Just received an email that you can now request earlier PATs for these sailings. So if you’re on one of these cruises be on the lookout!

 

[JBeaty0507]

Here is a copy of the email received

 

[jimandshane]

Of course, I had just settled on using Disney transport for our November cruise since it was so smooth this past weekend. Looks like it's back to our original plan!

 

[CamColt]

That is great for those cruisers! Hopefully they continue with that.

 

[DenverDis]

Of course, I had just settled on using Disney transport for our November cruise since it was so smooth this past weekend. Looks like it's back to our original plan!

8/27. Saw the email in my inbox and first thought “uh oh,” but it was a happy surprise. The email says if you already did online checkin (I have) and have a PAT (I do; 1:00 pm), you will automatically be move 2 hours earlier. I would LOVE to have a PAT of 11:00 am, but had also settled on DCL transport from BWV. Now I’m wondering. No way the DCL bus gets me to PCV by 11:00 am, right? I think the drill is they send one bus per resort and it isn’t going to be loading at 9:45 am, which is what it would take to make PCV by 11:00 am. I may reverse course, rent a car and cancel DCL transport if I still can. Thoughts? Any chance DCL transport would get me to PCV by 11:00 am?

 

[jimandshane]

They definitely do not send one bus per resort. Our bus on Friday picked up at Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge and Polynesian before heading to port.

Our pickup time was Noon, and we were to the port by 1:30 or so.

We just received an email yesterday from DCL about our November cruise, and they specifically mention busses from the resorts begin heading to the port as early as Noon. My guess is this was in recognition of the fact that they would share today that PATs are getting bumped back (i.e., to ensure you know what you're getting into with a resort-to-port transfer).

We currently have the night before sailing booked in Port Canaveral, and we were contemplating cancelling in favor of staying at WDW because our process this weekend was so smooth. However, we are staying Concierge and don't want to miss out on a few hours on the ship.

 

[DenverDis]

They definitely do not send one bus per resort. Our bus on Friday picked up at Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge and Polynesian before heading to port.

Our pickup time was Noon, and we were to the port by 1:30 or so.

We just received an email yesterday from DCL about our November cruise, and they specifically mention busses from the resorts begin heading to the port as early as Noon. My guess is this was in recognition of the fact that they would share today that PATs are getting bumped back (i.e., to ensure you know what you're getting into with a resort-to-port transfer).

We currently have the night before sailing booked in Port Canaveral, and we were contemplating cancelling in favor of staying at WDW because our process this weekend was so smooth. However, we are staying Concierge and don't want to miss out on a few hours on the ship.

Sorry I should have been more clear. I know the DCL busses stop at multiple resorts but somewhere I picked up the notion that there is one, and only one, pickup time generally per resort. Could be rogue information but I saw it somewhere in a thread here. Not sure how those numbers would works but DCL seemed to confirm when I talked to them last week (e.g., your bus from the Boardwalk will depart at 11:30 (hypothetically), and that is THE (only) bus from Boardwalk that day (irrespective of whether it stops at additional resorts). Sound right/wrong to anybody else?

 

[jrapps]

This is both Great and slightly annoying at the same time. LOVE that we can get on 2 hours earlier, but now I have to re-book a hotel I literally JUST CANCELLED yesterday. Ugh. We live 3 hours from the port and always stay at a hotel nearby the night before. With the 1pm arrival, we decided to just drive up that morning.

Time to re-book my hotel.

 

[lanejudy]

I know the DCL busses stop at multiple resorts but somewhere I picked up the notion that there is one, and only one, pickup time generally per resort.

That is correct. One pick-up time at each resort, and each bus may stop at multiple resorts depending on the number of guests at each. Your stop may be the first or the last in that pick-up, you won't know until you board the bus.

 

[jimandshane]

Sorry I should have been more clear. I know the DCL busses stop at multiple resorts but somewhere I picked up the notion that there is one, and only one, pickup time generally per resort. Could be rogue information but I saw it somewhere in a thread here. Not sure how those numbers would works but DCL seemed to confirm when I talked to them last week (e.g., your bus from the Boardwalk will depart at 11:30 (hypothetically), and that is THE (only) bus from Boardwalk that day (irrespective of whether it stops at additional resorts). Sound right/wrong to anybody else?

Oh sorry! Yes you are correct, just one pickup time! And we happened to be the only ones at WL getting on the ship, and there was only one couple at Poly as well.

 

[jimandshane]

That is correct. One pick-up time at each resort, and each bus may stop at multiple resorts depending on the number of guests at each. Your stop may be the first or the last in that pick-up, you won't know until you board the bus.

They actually told us the schedule the day before (11:45 at CR, 12 at WL, 12:15 at Poly) -- probably because our transfer letter said "Your pickup time is ." -- no time, it was blank! So we had to go down and they called around to figure it out.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Sorry I should have been more clear. I know the DCL busses stop at multiple resorts but somewhere I picked up the notion that there is one, and only one, pickup time generally per resort. Could be rogue information but I saw it somewhere in a thread here. Not sure how those numbers would works but DCL seemed to confirm when I talked to them last week (e.g., your bus from the Boardwalk will depart at 11:30 (hypothetically), and that is THE (only) bus from Boardwalk that day (irrespective of whether it stops at additional resorts). Sound right/wrong to anybody else?

That has been our experience in the past ..... one and only bus to the port from our resort (SSR) met at (a given time) near Guest Services.

 

[lanejudy]

They actually told us the schedule the day before (11:45 at CR, 12 at WL, 12:15 at Poly) -- probably because our transfer letter said "Your pickup time is ." -- no time, it was blank! So we had to go down and they called around to figure it out.

Yeah, you can probably find out by asking. I meant it isn't a set route nor is it stated in the letter with the pick-up time.

 

[jimandshane]

Yeah, you can probably find out by asking. I meant it isn't a set route nor is it stated in the letter with the pick-up time.

Right, I just thought it was funny the time was blank on our letter.

 

[jrapps]

This also means now that we get on the ship 2 hours earlier (yay!) we also likely have to carry around our carry-on luggage for 2 more hours until the rooms are ready (boo!) This will make me re-think my carry on plans.

 

[n2mm]

I was excited. I ran to my computer to check my new PAT. Printed my updated port arrival form. 11:00am. Now I should able to eat lunch at a decent time. Of course I still have boarding group 3. Miss my #1, but it’s all good.

 

[jrapps]

I was excited. I ran to my computer to check my new PAT. Printed my updated port arrival form. 11:00am. Now I should’ve able to eat lunch at a decent time. Of course I still have boarding group 3. Miss my #1, but it’s all good.

I was missing my #1 group too, but then I realized by the time my son clears testing, they will probably be past Group 3 anyway, so won't make much of a difference.

 

[n2mm]

I was missing my #1 group too, but then I realized by the time my son clears testing, they will probably be past Group 3 anyway, so won't make much of a difference.

true. No grands with us this time, but they are 14 & 16 and fully vaxed. I know yours is under 12.

 

[jimandshane]

I was excited. I ran to my computer to check my new PAT. Printed my updated port arrival form. 11:00am. Now I should able to eat lunch at a decent time. Of course I still have boarding group 3. Miss my #1, but it’s all good.

If it makes you feel better, we were up in the terminal on Friday when they called BG 1...and about 2 minutes later, BG 2 (which was us). So 3 won't be far behind.

 

[CamColt]

This also means now that we get on the ship 2 hours earlier (yay!) we also likely have to carry around our carry-on luggage for 2 more hours until the rooms are ready (boo!) This will make me re-think my carry on plans.

Obviously I have no idea on what timing they have planned so take this with a grain of salt, but when PAT's started at 1:00, boarding didn't actually start until 1:45. And I know in normal times boarding was usually between 11:30/11:45 so even with an 11:00 PAT, you may not be on board before noon. That would give you less time to carry your bags around, but still quite a while depending when rooms are ready.

For comparison we arrived about 12:55, got through security at 1:17 and went right up the escalator. My video of walking up the gangway was at 1:49, so we basically waited a half hour in the terminal.