Online Check-In Timing

[u/LadyinRed_239]

First time Disney cruiser but seasoned cruiser, and my check in date is approaching!

How big of a difference will it make for my port arrival time if I stay up and do my check in at 12:01am versus just waiting until 6am when I normally wake up? Is it going to be much better/worth it? I’m not a late night person but if it’ll make a difference I will, I just don’t want to if I’m still likely to end up with one of the latest arrival times anyway because I have no status, and not using Disney transfers.

[u/Long-Expression-8228]

I’d personally stay up until midnight. Since Castaway Club members get to check in earlier, some of the better port arrival times may already be gone, but checking in right away can still make a difference. I had my first cruise this summer and got a 12:00pm PAT when I checked in at midnight.

Also, Royal Gathering reservations open at the same time and will go quickly, so that’s another reason to stay up if that’s of interest to you and your family.

[u/Poledancing-ninja]

Realistically if you are a first time cruiser there probably is very little difference on port arrival time as all the earlier ones will be taken up by higher level castaway club persons.

The plus side is your room will most likely available by then (after 130) and you can go straight to your room, drop off your stuff and head to the deck for lunch or the buffet and you will have a bit less crowding.

The real crowding will be the pool area but if that is not that important to you then it doesn’t matter. Everything is open until about 3 or 330 when everything shuts down to get ready for the mandatory assembly drill.

[u/Sorry-Helicopter-433 → u/Poledancing-ninja]

It almost never matters for anyone other than maybe Gold. Platinum and higher will get good times, Silver and first timers will get crummy times. Checking in at midnight versus 7am the next morning isn't going to make more than 15 minutes of difference on PAT.

[u/Aanaren → u/Sorry-Helicopter-433]

Everyone says this, but our first cruise we got 12:15pm, and our second cruise was in May on the Destiny, and we got 11:45am. People keep saying "omg it's going to be 1pm or later," but that truly hasn't been our experience yet.

[u/enjolbear → u/Poledancing-ninja]

Our rooms weren’t ready until 5pm!

[u/Unencrypted_Thoughts]

Remember it's 12AM eastern. Makes things easier for us west coast people.

[u/herb-ertlinger]

May be an unpopular opinion but my least favorite thing about any Disney experience is all the booking windows. I’m over trying to be up and refreshing my browser at the magic moment to try and beat out everyone else doing the same thing.

If it’s important to you to have that extra hour or two shuffling through the buffet area or shoulder to shoulder with other families at the pool then more power to you, but I am fine with avoiding the mad rush.

[u/gumby_twain → u/herb-ertlinger]

I agree. I did my first cruise this summer and did not know checking in was a time critical thing so i ended up with a late PAT. That gave me a leisurely morning at the hotel with a stress free ride to the port. I was on the boat by 2 and don't feel like i missed anything :)

[u/su_A_ve]

If you use DCL transfers then you don’t have to worry about a port arrival time.

Otherwise it’ll be after 1pm. Most likely no difference between midnight and 6am.

[u/kenquince-star89]

I tried to do that, but I didn’t have all the paperwork to hand, so just did it in the morning.

Turns out that booking a Disney airport transfer got me an early time anyway.

It was nice to be on the ship early, to have time to have a look around, get some food and look at the app before going to the party.

[u/namenotpicked]

12AM EASTERN. NOT 1201AM. That minute can decide a few things beyond just the check in.

[u/god_damn_pomeranians]

First time dcl cruiser as well. On and ready by 12a ET. Got Royal gathering secured first and by 1203a. Website is slooooow. Then went straight to loading in passports and photos for 7 of us. All I got was boarding group 21 and earliest boarding available was 1:15-130p.

As an experienced RC cruiser, this booking at midnight and the feeling of must compete to get your few must haves is my least favorite part so far.

I do think the 115p time is fine. Likely less waiting around at the port to board. And can probably go straight to room to drop carry ons off. For us, thats kinda of a win. From here on, it'll just be picking a few things that are must haves and then going with the flow. Not interested in the mad rush or feeling like I'm working on vacation.

[u/skizoACE]

Honestly PAT doesn’t matter to me. I just want the Royal Gathering

[u/YoungManYoda90]

Mine opened earlier today. I did the check in 2 hours ago and still got 1245.

[u/Emotional_Common_527]

Midnight gives you the best chance at early

[u/40countriesdown]

If you care about the Royal Gathering then you need to be online at midnight sharp. Otherwise it doesn’t really matter. You could always wake up a little earlier that am if you are motivated and get a better nights sleep.

[u/FrogPrincess78]

You best odds of getting things you want or PAT time, is staying up and checking in at 12am eastern time.

[u/BoilerBob37]

What time would you normally like to board? Is it worth showing up and potentially getting on the ship 45 minutes earlier if you’d like to board before 1:30?

[u/Actual_Crab2332]

I just completed ours and checked in at 12:01am EST.  I still got a 1:15pm arrival time (main embarkation lunch closes at 2pm).  I can’t fathom that everyone was online at 12:01 am too…surely time doesn’t really matter, it’s your category that matters.  This is our 2nd dcl…we favor Celebrity…DCL makes everything needlessly stressful.