PAT/DCL Transfers and Covid testing

[happycamper47]

Is your PAT assigned for testing if you're using DCL Transfers?

 

[ArielRae]

Not sure what your asking but we were able to picked a port arrival time of 11:15am. We took DCL transfers from the airport to the port. We boarded the first bus that left at 9:20am. When we arrived at around 10:20am they escorted the entire bus to be tested.

 

[happycamper47]

Not sure what your asking but we were able to picked a port arrival time of 11:15am. We took DCL transfers from the airport to the port. We boarded the first bus that left at 9:20am. When we arrived at around 10:20am they escorted the entire bus to be tested.

So you didn't have to wait until your 11:15 assigned time?

We keep being told don't arrive early or you have to wait. I don't want DCL to get me there at 10 if my PAT and Test time is 12 and have to sit for 2 hours in the terminal.

 

[pachy25]

Is your PAT assigned for testing if you're using DCL Transfers?

Originally, when we first signed up for this cruise, our port arrival time was 12;30. When we added the Hyatt at the airport reservation and the Disney transfere to/from MCO, our PAT changed to 11:15 AM.

 

[daisyx3]

Originally, when we first signed up for this cruise, our port arrival time was 12;30. When we added the Hyatt at the airport reservation and the Disney transfere to/from MCO, our PAT changed to 11:15 AM.

I have DCL transfers but I don't think they know we are coming from the Hyatt. Should I call?

 

[Meriweather]

We are on DCL transfers from a Disney resort and were told no time, just arrive.
I guess we can't control the bus.....we arrive when it does.

 

[ArielRae]

So you didn't have to wait until your 11:15 assigned time?

We keep being told don't arrive early or you have to wait. I don't want DCL to get me there at 10 if my PAT and Test time is 12 and have to sit for 2 hours in the terminal.

Having to wait for your port arrival time is for those arriving by car. They will be sent away to wait if they arrive to early. We didn’t have to wait for our 11:15am port arrival time to do our testing. We checked in at the airport for DCL transfers at 8:30am left on the first DCL bus at 9:20am. Arrived at port at about 10:20am and went right to the testing tents with a short restroom stop on the way. There are no restrooms in the testing area. Once we were cleared for boarding we walked over to check in and then went upstairs to wait for our boarding group number to be called. We did have to wait I believe about an hour and a half for them to start the boarding process and call our boarding group #4 to board. It does take longer for them to call boarding groups since they are doing the small group welcome shows for every 10 families/groups that enter the ship atrium. Unfortunately you will be doing some sort of waiting to get on the ship, be it waiting for the bus, to clear testing, or even boarding group number called to get on the ship. In all I believe from when we checked in at the airport to when we got on the ship took about 4hrs.

 

[Marc D]

I have DCL transfers but I don't think they know we are coming from the Hyatt. Should I call?

You should call them to add the mention to your reservation. It will allow you to use the luggage transfer if you wish to use that service. Based on the previous comments, they might modify your PAT...

 

[anjuan]

I'm taking DCL transfers from the airport and was not assigned a PAT and was assigned with boarding group 2. I do know there are some people on my cruise who are also taking DCL transfers and were assigned a PAT.

 

[matheke]

We are on DCL transfers from a Disney resort and were told no time, just arrive.
I guess we can't control the bus.....we arrive when it does.

Same here. October 8th cruise.

 

[ArielRae]

I'm taking DCL transfers from the airport and was not assigned a PAT and was assigned with boarding group 2. I do know there are some people on my cruise who are also taking DCL transfers and were assigned a PAT.

Some have been getting a PAT and some have not. No one has figured out why that is yet. It doesn’t effect anything if you have one or not. You just check in for your transfers and they will tell you what bus you will be on. Only thing is that you will board the ship only once they have called your boarding group number. Until then you will wait in the cruise terminal until your group number is called.

 

[Cheburashka]

When I checked in for our late October Magic cruise, I had to choose a PAT even though I had transfers booked. It was an 11am PAT & boarding group 2, so no complaints there, but it's worth noting that I still had to choose a PAT.

 

[mmouse37]

I think (and this is just my opinion) that they may be saving the earliest PAT times for the guests on DCL transfer early buses. We drove and had a PAT of 11:45 but didn't get to the port until 12:00. Testing took about 50 minutes for results and then once in terminal we were told our boarding number (9) had already been called but there were quite a few people on the line to go through the "ears". We waited on that line a good 20 or more minutes.

This was the set up going through the ears:




If you look toward the middle right of the pic below in the background you can see where they set up the embarkation photo area. It used to be the Concierge/Platinum check in area. They now have a set of CC level desks downstairs in the terminal where they check your passport and QR code and then send you onto the line for bag screening/security. Once upstairs in the terminal you just wait to board.



Below is a pic once we went through the ears. It used to be the area they scanned in your KTTW card. But now you get your cards in a sealed heavy cardboard envelope on your "Fish" outside your cabin.





the circles each group stands on for the short welcome show


I also have pics of the outside of the tents (where you test if you arrive by bus) if anyone wants to see those.

 

[MomOTwins]

I'm taking DCL transfers from the airport and was not assigned a PAT and was assigned with boarding group 2. I do know there are some people on my cruise who are also taking DCL transfers and were assigned a PAT.

Same here -- we did not choose a PAT and got boarding group 2 when we booked with DCL transfers. Seems like a system glitch where some people are given a PAT choice and others aren't--maybe it is based on whether your DCL transfers were put on the reservation at time of booking or added later (we were the former).

 

[Meriweather]

Same here -- we did not choose a PAT and got boarding group 2 when we booked with DCL transfers. Seems like a system glitch where some people are given a PAT choice and others aren't--maybe it is based on whether your DCL transfers were put on the reservation at time of booking or added later (we were the former).

We had our transfers from the beginning.

 

[MomOTwins]

We had our transfers from the beginning.

Just Disney glitchy IT at its best then I guess.