here is what i put together in my Alaska cruise in 2016- (it's part of a huge 30 page booklet i compiled) - the information was taken from all the different discussion boards -
o Online check-in
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/
Really easy to do. Just have your reservation number and birthday and name. You will have to print out the forms and sign in a couple of places. YOU MUST BRING THESE PAPERS WITH YOU TO THE PORT.
o Book excursions
o PALO reservation:
o Select Port Arrival Time
(PAT) Disney Cruise Line offers staggered arrival times to help prevent congestion in the port, so you will need to pick from a list of available times.
§ Past cruisers advise choosing arrival time as early as possible. The times slots range from 11:00 AM-3:30 PM. Earliest times are booked the quickest.
§ The latest assigned PAT is around 2:30 or 2:45.
o Spa treatments
o Children’s programmes (pre-register)
At port, after check-in (which will happen really smoothly since you’ve already completed your paperwork), you can go to Check-In desk for the children’s activities. You’ll be able to bypass everyone who is filling out paperwork, because you did it several weeks ago! Kids will be assigned a Mickey band to wear and you can ask questions about how the kids’ clubs work. Anyone who doesn’t get this done in the terminal will have to make their way to the club onboard and complete the process there.
• Traveler advice:
“My suggestion is that you prioritize what you want to reserve, and when your time comes, add those activities in order. If you are worried that you will miss out at an opportunity for one of the more popular reservations, then I would prepare to burn the midnight oil and log in as soon as your booking window opens. I’ve been guilty of this in the past & it is not fun. However, it is a good feeling to get the reservations you have been planning over the last few months even if there is still ample availability a week later.”
• Disney will send booklet with luggage tags (?)
While you will receive a packet of documents prior to your cruise, you can also access online and print the Embarkation form, Payment Authorization form, Cruise Contract, Medical Information Form
For additional information or help with reviewing your reservation online or pre-booking shore excursions, Palo reservations, spa treatments or children's programs please email
dcl.reservations@dreamsunlimitedtravel.com or your agent.
Notes/Advice for
check-in with LINKED/MULTIPLE ROOMS:
· The online check in window and the excursion booking window both open at midnight eastern time on the day your window opens. Sometimes one or the other (for whatever reason) isn't available right away. There have been reports of up to a 4-6 hour difference.
· You can do either the check in or excursion booking first - whichever is more important to you to do first.
· The only thing check-in first gets you is an early boarding time. Harder gets like Palo brunch, spa etc.. are more important to do first. So do those first, then go back and check in. You don't even have to enter ALL the information right away, just get your boarding time.
· But you do have enter something in all blanks. The Port Arrival Time page will not "unlock" unless everything is filled out. Now, that information can be actual info, made up, or gibberish. The system only recognizes that SOMETHING was entered, not whether it makes sense.
· Then you can go back and correct any "errors" later.
o For example, it's quicker to say you're arriving by private car (don't have to enter all the flight info), or say you're using cash for your onboard account (instead of having to enter all the credit card info).
· I would do you port adventures/ dining stuff first. And then check in.
· Or if you have 2 reservations that are linked. 1 person can do the port adventures for both reservations and the other can do the check in for both rooms.
· For me it's more important to get the earliest available arrival time so I do the online check-in first. You can blow through it and go back later and correct mistakes or fill in any non-required fields you skipped.
· FYI, one trick for multiple cabins is to do the check-in "simultaneously" in different browsers. Has worked well for me for getting the same arrival times for both cabins.
· Type up another schedule that will be posted in each cabin which includes day/date, where you'll be (boarding, sea day, port), scheduled activity (shore excursion, adult restaurant, beach), reservation time/meeting place & evening dining room assignment (you will rotate through 3 different dining rooms each night-- you can leave this column blank & then pencil it in when you get your dining tickets). This way everyone in your party will know the specifics of each scheduled activity at a glance.
· Print info about ship and deck plans
http://www.wdwinfo.com//disney-cruise-line/images/deckplan-DisneyWonder.pdf