Need a PAT if taking DCL bus from MCO?

[deerh]

Hi all,
We are going on the DVC cruise in Sept 2023. Was wondering (for check in to DCL in 2 days) will we need to get a PAT if taking (already booked) DCL bus from the airport?
I was reading the Disboards about all the stress at midnight to 'check-in' to DCL and getting an early PAT.. Do I need to stress about the PAT or no? I would like to get there early from the airport.

Any help would be appreciated.. Haven't been on Disney Cruise in 20 years!

Thanks!
DeerH

 

[lklgoodman]

We took DCL transport from MCO in 2022. When we did check in we had to pick a time because the system required it. However the CMs at MCO don't ask for it. When you go down in the morning, you will check in with the CMs and they go by the order in which people check in. We got there around 9 and they were already loading 2 buses. We waited about 15-20 mins to get on a bus. There were already a lot of people who were ahead of us on the list, but they had buses coming constantly. I had called DCL before check in to ask about picking a PAT. They told me that for their computer system a time had to be picked, but it's not actually needed at MCO.

 

[lanejudy]

If taking DCL Transfers from the MCO pick-up, yes you will need to select a PAT during online check-in. It won't impact your transfers, but you may likely be held outside the terminal until time for your PAT if you arrive too early.

If taking DCL Transfers from the Hyatt-MCO lobby or from a WDW resort then PAT is not needed.

 

[deerh]

If taking DCL Transfers from the MCO pick-up, yes you will need to select a PAT during online check-in. It won't impact your transfers, but you may likely be held outside the terminal until time for your PAT if you arrive too early.

If taking DCL Transfers from the Hyatt-MCO lobby or from a WDW resort then PAT is not needed.

Ok, thanks for the answer. We are staying (spending the night before cruise) at Hyatt MCO. So, no need for a PAT? Do you happen to know when the first bus goes to Port C? We are Concierge if that matters, and can get on the ship early. But there is really no times posted on the websites as to when/how often the busses roll to PC from MCO.. Can't seem to find them. I have found they leave every hour or 1/2 hour. But when do they first leave? 9am? 9:30? 10? And how often?

Thanks!
Deerh

 

[lanejudy]

We are staying (spending the night before cruise) at Hyatt MCO.

Make sure your transfers are noted as from the Hyatt and not just from MCO. You'll receive info at the hotel check-in about when to meet the bus. I want to say it's fairly early -- like 8:30am. Whether there is 1 bus or 2 will depend on how many guests.

 

[auntlynne]

I added ground transfers after booking. Booked Hyatt on my own. Called DCL for the transfers. I don’t have a Travel Agent.

My confirmation of transfers in my modified reservation e-mail shows this:



You may want to check your reservation e-mail. If you don’t see this type of information, give a call to Concierge or DCL line.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

Hyatt and MCO are different stories. Hyatt you will automatically get a low boarding group, get assigned a bus in the morning at the hotel and get to board with that low group.

MCO you take the bus whenever you want, you get into the terminal whenever you arrive BUT you board with the boarding group you were assigned at check-in and boarding group and PAT are linked so yes PAT does matter when taking Disney transportation from MCO.

Disney resort (WDW) transportation works the same as Hyatt.

These were my experiences in October 22, December 22, January 23 and February 23

 

[deerh]

Make sure your transfers are noted as from the Hyatt and not just from MCO. You'll receive info at the hotel check-in about when to meet the bus. I want to say it's fairly early -- like 8:30am. Whether there is 1 bus or 2 will depend on how many guests.

Thank you for your answer! I called DVC and they indeed changed the Disney transfer from MCO to Hyatt!! I thank you so much for the information and help! You are awesome! We are set and ready to go. Now, to get the 'check in' to the Disney Cruise tonight correct....

 

[kiford]

Make sure your transfers are noted as from the Hyatt and not just from MCO. You'll receive info at the hotel check-in about when to meet the bus. I want to say it's fairly early -- like 8:30am. Whether there is 1 bus or 2 will depend on how many guests.

Ugh. I wish I'd known this before booking transfers from the Hyatt and just booked them from the airport so I could pick my time. I was hoping to leave around 11-11:30 so I could sleep in. I absolutely hate waiting in the terminal to board and I hate lugging my bags around for hours waiting for my room to be ready. The last time we did this from the Hyatt (2020), you just went down to the airport and checked in so we got to the ship around 1:30 and just walked in and right to our rooms. Oh well. Too late now.

 

[lanejudy]

Ugh. I wish I'd known this before booking transfers from the Hyatt and just booked them from the airport so I could pick my time. I was hoping to leave around 11-11:30 so I could sleep in. I absolutely hate waiting in the terminal to board and I hate lugging my bags around for hours waiting for my room to be ready. The last time we did this from the Hyatt (2020), you just went down to the airport and checked in so we got to the ship around 1:30 and just walked in and right to our rooms. Oh well. Too late now.

You can probably call and change it. Just know that Hyatt won't handle your bags, you'll need to bring them down to the airport pick-up location.

 

[Budzooka]

Ugh. I wish I'd known this before booking transfers from the Hyatt and just booked them from the airport so I could pick my time. I was hoping to leave around 11-11:30 so I could sleep in. I absolutely hate waiting in the terminal to board and I hate lugging my bags around for hours waiting for my room to be ready. The last time we did this from the Hyatt (2020), you just went down to the airport and checked in so we got to the ship around 1:30 and just walked in and right to our rooms. Oh well. Too late now.

To each their own. I loved boarding early and getting to explore the ship before everyone else was on. Coming from the Hyatt was a great experience and we will definitely do that again in the future.

 

[auntlynne]

Check-in last night. It was so fun to see this. BG is 3.

 

[Mike Marzano]

Hyatt and MCO are different stories. Hyatt you will automatically get a low boarding group, get assigned a bus in the morning at the hotel and get to board with that low group.

....

Disney resort (WDW) transportation works the same as Hyatt.

These were my experiences in October 22, December 22, January 23 and February 23

Question about the Disney Resort (and I guess Hyatt) part as I'm trying to decide what to do in November for our Fantasy out of Port Canaveral. I had considered flying in the day before and staying at one of the All Stars overnight.

If we stay at WDW resort and do their transportation to the Port, am I correct in understanding that they will assign a bus, pick us up, and get us to the Port by the PAT, and we arrive we can go in? Like there isn't a risk of arriving at the Port early and having to wait around?

What time does the bus pick up at the Disney hotels and arrive at port? Like is there a chance of not arriving at port and getting on the ship until much later in the day?

 

[lanejudy]

If we stay at WDW resort and do their transportation to the Port, am I correct in understanding that they will assign a bus, pick us up, and get us to the Port by the PAT, and we arrive we can go in? Like there isn't a risk of arriving at the Port early and having to wait around?

If you stay at a WDW resort or the Hyatt MCO and take DCL transfers, you won't have a PAT. You will be assigned a low boarding group (which is normally tied to the PAT window).

However, buses may well arrive early and there is waiting around at the terminal before boarding. Quite possibly and hour or more. Buses may arrive as early as 10:15/10:30 or so. Boarding doesn't usually begin until around 11:30/11:45ish, but if there is any delay clearing the prior cruise, or if there is a surprise Coast Guard inspection, boarding may not start until later than usual.

What time does the bus pick up at the Disney hotels and arrive at port? Like is there a chance of not arriving at port and getting on the ship until much later in the day?

Buses from the resort have been picking up around 9-ish, but that can vary depending on how many guests at your particular resort as well as whether the bus you are assigned needs to pick-up at other resorts after you. It is unlikely that buses arrive late in the day, but if there is any delay in transit such as a traffic accident you could be later. The ship will hold departure as late as possible for any DCL buses that are delayed. So you aren't guaranteed early arrival and boarding, because there could be circumstances out of their control, but that is only a very slight chance.

 

[Mike Marzano]

@lanejudy Thank you very much! I appreciate your information. You have me 99% convinced to just Fly into MCO day before cruise, take Mears standard to All Star, stay the night and take DCL transfer to ship day of cruise. And when we return and get off ship take DCL Transfer back to MCO. (Hyatt MCO appears to be a little more expensive)

Based on prices I'm seeing for transportation and hotels, staying at All Star and using DCL transfers would be cheaper.

AND from what you have shared, It sounds like that would get us on the ship just as early, or possibly earlier, (unless the bus hits unexpected traffic or unforeseen circumstances) so we could explore the ship, compared to flying to MCO, taking shuttle to Port Canaveral hotel, staying over night and going to port on Cruise day for designated PAT.

(Its our first Disney Cruise, and my wife and I's second cruise over all. First was RCL out of Seattle, we flew in day before, took a 20 min uber to an inexpensive hotel which was 5 min from the port that included a shuttle voucher.)

 

[Mike Marzano]

Sorry to resurrect an older thread, that I even hijacked, but I'm excited I guess.. and don't know if its appropriate to start a new thread just for this question...

So, after thinking, and talking with my wife, we adjusted our schedule. Our plan now is to fly into Orlando Thanksgiving day, Mears to All Star Sports, get settled and spend some time in Disney springs for the afternoon (although since our son and I have annual passes, we might hit a park my wife doesn't have AP), on Friday we'll hit MK (she really wants to ride Tron. She is jealous of our son having ridden it in June)..

I did take @lanejudy 's advice and booked the DCL transfers. So Saturday morning we'll use that to get to the port/ship. When we return, the transfer will take my wife and our son to the airport (2:30pm flight), and I'll head back to All Star Sports for a few extra days before heading home.

From this thread, and others, it sounds like on embarkation day, we need to have our luggage ready in our hotel room for 8:00am, and we'll have gotten a note the night before of what time to be ready for the bus and what to do. Is that correct?

I haven't found much info on how the transfers work on the day we disembark. What should we expect? And I know Disney's web site suggests a flight no earlier than 11:30am, so how early do the transfers start taking passengers? And does the destination (Parks vs Orlando Airport) make a difference in the time you get on the transfer? Like I don't really care what time I get back to All-Star (I'm just going to do laundry and get settled), but do they board people going to the airport onto the transfer based on their flight time? or is it first come/first serve?

 

[lanejudy]

Post-cruise transfers to the airport load as guests go through debarkation/customs. Transfers to the resort are assigned to specific buses and may hang at the port longer.

You and your family can debark together. Last morning breakfast is assigned -- the MDR you visited the night prior, with early dining going to breakfast at 6:45 (?) and late dining at 8:00am (?). You'll want to confirm those times. After breakfast just join the line to exit the ship, grab your bags in the terminal and proceed through customs. Then go find your respective buses.

Just make sure the post-cruise transfers are noted which guests for which destination, so you'll be on the manifest and directed to the correct buses.

 

[Mike Marzano]

Post-cruise transfers to the airport load as guests go through debarkation/customs. Transfers to the resort are assigned to specific buses and may hang at the port longer.

You and your family can debark together. Last morning breakfast is assigned -- the MDR you visited the night prior, with early dining going to breakfast at 6:45 (?) and late dining at 8:00am (?). You'll want to confirm those times. After breakfast just join the line to exit the ship, grab your bags in the terminal and proceed through customs. Then go find your respective buses.

Just make sure the post-cruise transfers are noted which guests for which destination, so you'll be on the manifest and directed to the correct buses.

Thank you! I appreciate your help!!