Please share your PAT experiences - not sure which time to choose

DisneyWishes14

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 21, 2011
Hi everyone! I am in the process of picking a PAT time for our upcoming cruise and I'm wondering if you have a favorite?

I currently have 11:00 - 11:15 am chosen (everything from 11:00 am on is available). We are gold CC (first time sailing as gold), so I'm not sure if this gives us any advantages in the terminal? We will be staying in WDW pre-cruise and I was thinking of leaving for the port around 10:00 am (private transfer), to be at PC by our PAT. I'm just hoping we won't be waiting in the terminal too long before we board? Ideally, I'd like to pick a time that keeps our wait time to a minimum, but I assume the earlier we arrive the sooner our boarding number will be called?

My other thought is to get there a little later (maybe around noon?) so we don't have to wait as long for our stateroom to be ready? I'm just concerned the terminal will be packed by then.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. We haven't sailed in a non-concierge stateroom since 2014, so I'm a little rusty on the PAT process.
 
Congrats on first sailing as GOLD! I think you will have a special check in line (and a lounge?). I would keep what you have chosen. I think the terminal remains super busy until the afternoon. FWIW I have not found the PAT super indicative how things will go. In the past, we have not been turned away, if we were earlier than our PAT, and OTOH we have waited FOREVER (1.5 hrs?) another time (MIA) with an early PAT and despite being among the first 100 people in the terminal.
 
Nothing special for Gold. You don't have to show up during your PAT. You can show up before or after. All the PAT does is decide your boarding group number. The earlier the PAT, the lower the boarding group number. Some people like to be as close to the first onboard as possible. We typically show up right before the rooms are ready (rooms ready at 1:30) so we can walk onboard and put our carry on stuff down (soft drinks in fridge, etc.) All personal preference.
 
At Port Canaveral the terminal opens at 10:30.
They typically start boarding the ship 11:15-11:30.
The line is typically gone by 12:15-1230. At this time they go to an open boarding meaning you check in and walk on.
Cabins are ready at 1:30.
 


Nothing special for Gold. You don't have to show up during your PAT. You can show up before or after. All the PAT does is decide your boarding group number. The earlier the PAT, the lower the boarding group number. Some people like to be as close to the first onboard as possible. We typically show up right before the rooms are ready (rooms ready at 1:30) so we can walk onboard and put our carry on stuff down (soft drinks in fridge, etc.) All personal preference.

We always stay at a WDW resort before the cruise and take the DCL shuttle to the port. Many people don't like this method because of the late arrival time to the port; but we're with you. We would rather check in, get on the ship (no wait), go directly to our stateroom, get rid of the carry-on luggage we don't need and go directly the buffet line to eat.
One cruise we got on board a little to early but decided to go up to our deck on the elevator closest to our stateroom and hang out until the rope drop. We were literally looking into our stateroom, with nothing but a rope keeping us from entering. By that time we only had about five minutes to wait.
 
There are basically three choices. They all have advantages and disadvantages.

Option 1 (which you have currently signed up for): Get there ASAP, get on the ship ASAP. The good news is you will get on the boat as fast as you can. By having an early PAT you will have a lower Boarding number and by getting there and checking in early, you will be ready to board when your number is called. As long as there are no hold ups (which happens sometimes), you will probably be on the boat by Noon (or a bit before) and you can go to the buffet, check out the ship, sign up for things, before going down to the rooms at 1:30 to drop your carry-ons.

The bad news is, this is probably the most crowd-intense option. Longest lines for security, lines for check-in, crowds at the buffet, crowds to get into the rooms. But if you like getting on early and don't mind crowds, this can be a good option for you.

Option 2: Show up later, like 1:30 or later. The good news about this option is less crowds everywhere. When you get to the terminal they will already be in open boarding, so once you go through security and check-in you'll walk right on. Then, once you get on the rooms will already be open, you can drop off your stuff and get a late lunch with very little crowds (compared to earlier).

Of course, the downside is that you'll have a couple less hours on the ship and have to eat lunch later. If you hate crowds or aren't in too much of a rush, this can be a good option for you.

Option 3 (my personal favorite): Try for the Sweet Spot in between those two options. As mentioned by @Weedy, open boarding happens usually around 12:15-12:30, so if you get to the port at about 11:45 or 12:00, much of the initial crowd will already be boarding or waiting to board. Then, when you get through security and check-in, open boarding will have been called and you will miss the crowds and walk on at about 12:30 or so. Next, DON'T go to lunch quite yet. If you have a several adults, you can leave one with the bags (and perhaps some/all of the kids) to rest on deck, while the rest of you explore or make reservations for things. If it is just you and the kids, sit for a bit, or if you don't have too many bags, explore for a bit. Then, just before 1:30 meet back up and head for Cabanas for the buffet. At 1:30, when they announce that the rooms are available, Cabanas will empty out and you can eat in peace. Once you are done eating, then you can go to the rooms without the "rope-drop" like conditions that you would find at 1:30 when people were lining up to get into their cabins.

To me, this gives you the best of both worlds, less lines and waiting, but also more time to enjoy the ship. Waiting until 1:30 for lunch is a downside for some, but we just compensate with a later or larger breakfast and bringing some (pre-packaged) snacks for people who get hungry.

Whichever option works for you, have fun!
 
Last edited:
Wow, thank you SO much everyone!! This is fantastic information!! We are staying at YC, so I think we will just leave at 11 am (or even ask for late checkout and leave at noon if the request is granted) and get to PC around 12 pm - 1 pm Hopefully that will get us onboard fairly close to the time our stateroom is ready. Thank you!
 


We are probably the opposite of everyone else. We like to get to port early. The kids get pictures with whatever characters are out, explore the terminal, go outside to look at the ship, and get in line to complete the kids club check in (not sure if this is till done at the terminal since it has been years since our last cruise). We have always done it this way and it works for us plus our kids are always starving so eating as soon as we can keeps them from getting "hangry".
 
We like to board as early as possible- love those ships! Never found the crowds at port to be overwhelming. We've never felt cramped or uncomfortable- they're nothing like WDW crowds.
 
We don't choose a PAT anymore but still love to get there at 10:30 or so to go thru security, check in etc. We take photos, review the Navigator and discuss plans for our first day as well as check out the movies that are playing during the week and get a plan together of which we will see and when.
We are in boarding group 1, so between skipping the photo line and going right, we board rather quickly. We travel light with carry ons, so no excessive bags to tote around while we wait for the cabins to open.

The first cruise we took we had a PAT of 11:45 and that was fine too. We were able to basically walk right on by the time we got thru security and check in as they had gone to open boarding.
I do wish that PC would implement some form of control in regards to lines to board once the BG numbers are called. Guests who have higher boarding groups are clustered around the entrance area and those with lower group numbers (1 thru 3) find it harder to get thru. But the excitement is contagious and really builds so we just enjoy the process. :)
 
First time cruiser here. We have a PAT if 1-1:30. I’m fine with letting the kids spend the morning at the beach at our hotel, having a late breakfast and getting there at 1 hoping to get right on board and to our rooms.

My one concern is that we don’t have any reservations for princess meetings, Palo or the nursery because they were all sold out before we could book. Several people mentioned going to a special line (or 3) to sign up for these things once onboard. Are we going to miss all of these things too because of our late PAT?
 
First time cruiser here. We have a PAT if 1-1:30. I’m fine with letting the kids spend the morning at the beach at our hotel, having a late breakfast and getting there at 1 hoping to get right on board and to our rooms.

My one concern is that we don’t have any reservations for princess meetings, Palo or the nursery because they were all sold out before we could book. Several people mentioned going to a special line (or 3) to sign up for these things once onboard. Are we going to miss all of these things too because of our late PAT?

Hmm. That is a reasonable concern. It is a possibility. On any given sailing, it is hard to know just how fast the slots they hold on board will go. My sense is that you will be able to get all/most of these things, but you might have to be flexible on times.

Definitely try to go seek them out (and yes they may be in different locations on the ship) as soon as you can after you board. If feasible, split up and tackle more than one at a time. You can use the Nav App's chat feature to tell each other what times you have booked for things. Of course, it means you each will have to know the schedule of what you have already planned well. Maybe print it out in multiple copies ahead of time.

Also, anywhere you can't get the thing or the time you want, ask to be put on the waiting list. No shows, (especially for the Princesses) do happen.
 
First time cruiser here. We have a PAT if 1-1:30. I’m fine with letting the kids spend the morning at the beach at our hotel, having a late breakfast and getting there at 1 hoping to get right on board and to our rooms.

My one concern is that we don’t have any reservations for princess meetings, Palo or the nursery because they were all sold out before we could book. Several people mentioned going to a special line (or 3) to sign up for these things once onboard. Are we going to miss all of these things too because of our late PAT?
There are usually meet and greet tickets available on board at GS, just go there as soon as you board. Palo doesn't even start taking requests until 1:30 if I remember correctly and it is at one of the main dining rooms (Royal Palace or Court on the Dream or Fantasy) So you should be good to go. Nursery times should also be no problem as they permit each guest 10 hours total in the nursery. I don't have little ones like that but it seems to me that DCL would know the number of nursery age kids will be sailing with them and have proper times available. Your cabins will be open at 1:30 or after, I would start at GS first right after you walk on and then go to dining reservation place next. Then go to cabin and then lunch if you have bags to drop off.
 
There are usually meet and greet tickets available on board at GS, just go there as soon as you board. Palo doesn't even start taking requests until 1:30 if I remember correctly and it is at one of the main dining rooms (Royal Palace or Court on the Dream or Fantasy) So you should be good to go. Nursery times should also be no problem as they permit each guest 10 hours total in the nursery. I don't have little ones like that but it seems to me that DCL would know the number of nursery age kids will be sailing with them and have proper times available. Your cabins will be open at 1:30 or after, I would start at GS first right after you walk on and then go to dining reservation place next. Then go to cabin and then lunch if you have bags to drop off.
One difference. We have been told that (we don't plan on using all of it) we are allowed 18 hours total in the nursery. We are concierge but I don't think that matters.
 
We like to get the earliest time. We like the energy of all the people getting ready to board the boat. Then we take pictures with either Mickey or Minnie, they switch out around 12:15. If you arrive later then they are not around

We like to spend as much time on the ship, we go to the Enchanted Garden (Fantasy) for the sit down lunch to get away from the Cabana's crowd.

We also go to the kids club and do character meet and greets there before everyone shows up.
 
We prefer to board after the crush. We are on vacation and in no hurry to "hurry up and wait". We try to get to the ship around 1:00 or 1:30, take our luggage to the room and then have lunch. We feel there is less stress by boarding a bit later in the day.
 
Thank you so much everyone! I love reading everyone's strategies and the pros of arriving at different times! We scheduled our car to pick us up from YC at noon. This will give us time to sleep in, try Ale and Compass for breakfast and walk over to Fantasia to use our free mini-golf passes - not a bad morning, IMHO! My hope is, that by the time we get to the port, we can check in, walk on the boat (it sounds like open boarding will have started), and get right into our room!
 
One difference. We have been told that (we don't plan on using all of it) we are allowed 18 hours total in the nursery. We are concierge but I don't think that matters.

I am thinking then that maybe you can pre book 10 hours maximum and then get the rest if needed once on board and if available. I would also think it has to depend a bit on the length of your cruise??
 
Both our first two cruises we walked right on, one was before noon, one was afternoon. I don't understand how it works truly but it is all so magical I don't even care.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!







Top