My Experience with DCL Check-In at Hyatt MCO

[respoc]

I just got off of the Disney Wish and stayed at the Hyatt MCO prior to the cruise. I just wanted to report my experiences to those who will be staying at the Hyatt or the resorts.

We got the e-mail prior to the day of sailing listing the times to check-in by Castaway Cay status. When we arrived, we were directed to a long line. Apparently, DCL will now start to do the check-in process (showing passports/Oceaneer Club bands/MagicBand activation) at either MCO Hyatt with Disney resorts starting next week per a DCL worker. After we got checked in , we got assigned our bus. Because we were a smaller party, we were able to sit with the Concierge/Pearl/Platinum group. However, we had a delayed departure time because some parties were not told when their bus was to leave. Also our bus was labeled "the hot bus" because the air conditioning was not working.

When we arrived, we got put in Boarding Group 1. We did not board until noon. Word on the ship was that Bob Iger, Josh D'Amaro and a group of investors boarded the Wish in between debarkation of the 3 night group and the 4 night group.

 

[LGWJ]

Thanks for sharing the latest experience. We are going next month and we booked Hyatt MCO and Disney transfer for the first time.

 

[Mdub1021]

Which sailing were you on? Another member posted this process as well on the Wish. They had a delayed boarding due to finalizing the Halloween decor. Interested to know if they are trialing it with the Wish or this will be all Port Canaveral sailings. I have only seen Wish guests posting this change.

 

[enzy65]

If you want to be on your own time schedule, not leave luggage in room for pick up, and not have to be 1st on the ship, I highly recommend staying at the hyattMCO but using DCL transfers from the airport.
Each time we go down to McCoys for a leisurely breakfast, it seems like it is a chaotic mess in lobby for people checking in and waiting for the bus. Unlike the check in process at DCL airport location. Maybe we’ve just been lucky.
Just my 2 cents, I like an easy no stress start to my vacation.

 

[respoc]

We were on the 4 day Wish sailing, Sept 18 to Sept 22.

Apparently we were the first sailing to have this new check-in process. By the time we got to Port Canaveral, we just had to wait to get on the ship.

The Disney resorts will have this process as well starting next week as reported by a Disney cast member at the Hyatt.

 

[CamColt]

What CC status are you?

 

[respoc]

We were Silver status. We were also a party of 2. I don't know if we were able to get on the first bus because of our small party size.

 

[Mdub1021]

We were on the 4 day Wish sailing, Sept 18 to Sept 22.

Apparently we were the first sailing to have this new check-in process. By the time we got to Port Canaveral, we just had to wait to get on the ship.

The Disney resorts will have this process as well starting next week as reported by a Disney cast member at the Hyatt.

The Wish on the 15th had the tiered bus check-in at the Hyatt, but I don’t think they had all the other check in. Would love to hear experience from the other ships at PC.

 

[noonew]

Because we were a smaller party, we were able to sit with the Concierge/Pearl/Platinum group. However, we had a delayed departure time because some parties were not told when their bus was to leave. Also our bus was labeled "the hot bus" because the air conditioning was not working.

So they put Concierge/Pearl/Platinum guests on the bus with no air conditioning?

I don't think they should use this bus at all with FL temperature, but it's an interesting decision to assign this bus to these particular groups.

 

[respoc]

The bus driver told us that since the door was open so long that it was going to take a while to cool off. The door was open for an extended period of time since we were waiting for the last families to arrive. Our ride was about 45 to 50 minutes long, and the bus did not cool off to comfortable levels. There were a lot of complaints, and I do not blame those who complained at all. There was a passenger that went to speak with a cast member, and I don't know what happened after that.

 

[enzy65]

We always seem to get a bus that’s like a freezer, jacket needed.
I wish all the drivers were as good as UNCLE JERRY, he was great!!

 

[Mdub1021]

I would have definitely said something to guest services. I’m sure they took that bus back to pick up more guests. And it probably got hotter.

 

[leggoons]

Which sailing were you on? Another member posted this process as well on the Wish. They had a delayed boarding due to finalizing the Halloween decor. Interested to know if they are trialing it with the Wish or this will be all Port Canaveral sailings. I have only seen Wish guests posting this change.

The Fantasy sailing on the 17th had the same process as well as the cruise check-in at MCO Hyatt. We were given Boarding Group 1 and were able to board the ship as soon as we got through security.

 

[Mdub1021]

The Fantasy sailing on the 17th had the same process as well as the cruise check-in at MCO Hyatt. We were given Boarding Group 1 and were able to board the ship as soon as we got through security.

What level are you? Just curious what the timing is.

 

[leggoons]

What level are you? Just curious what the timing is.

Platinum - 9:00 am.

I believe Concierge, Pearl, Platinum and some Gold were all on the 1st bus that left around 10:30.

 

[Mdub1021]

1030? Wow, that feels later than usual. I could be remembering wrong. Was boarding already happening when you arrived?

 

[kiford]

If you want to be on your own time schedule, not leave luggage in room for pick up, and not have to be 1st on the ship, I highly recommend staying at the hyattMCO but using DCL transfers from the airport.
Each time we go down to McCoys for a leisurely breakfast, it seems like it is a chaotic mess in lobby for people checking in and waiting for the bus. Unlike the check in process at DCL airport location. Maybe we’ve just been lucky.
Just my 2 cents, I like an easy no stress start to my vacation.

I think that's what we'll do in future. I didn't realize they'd changed the process so for our Sep 1 cruise, we went down to the lobby at 8:30-ish, thinking maybe we could check in and select the bus we wanted but got scheduled for the first one just after 9. Got to the port a little after 10 am and got checked right in. Then sat there for two hours. Not a big problem as I had a book to read but I'd have preferred to do a later bus and have breakfast before we left. But then we also had to drag our carry on bags around for another two hours.

When we've stayed at the Hyatt previously, we'd wander down to the bus in the airport around noon and get to the port after open boarding and be able to go direct to our room. While it's a bit more of a pain that we'd now have to take our luggage with us rather than having it picked up, we were also a little stressed watching our airtags to make sure the bags arrived at the port. I'd rather get up late, have a leisurely breakfast and be able to go right to my stateroom. Lesson learned.

 

[foolish-mortal]

When staying at the Hyatt can you change from taking a DCL bus from Hyatt to DCL bus from the airport? Do you have to notify anyone of the change or can you just show up at either? Thanks!

 

[lanejudy]

When staying at the Hyatt can you change from taking a DCL bus from Hyatt to DCL bus from the airport? Do you have to notify anyone of the change or can you just show up at either? Thanks!

There is a manifest for each location.

 

[enzy65]

I think that's what we'll do in future. I didn't realize they'd changed the process so for our Sep 1 cruise, we went down to the lobby at 8:30-ish, thinking maybe we could check in and select the bus we wanted but got scheduled for the first one just after 9. Got to the port a little after 10 am and got checked right in. Then sat there for two hours. Not a big problem as I had a book to read but I'd have preferred to do a later bus and have breakfast before we left. But then we also had to drag our carry on bags around for another two hours.

When we've stayed at the Hyatt previously, we'd wander down to the bus in the airport around noon and get to the port after open boarding and be able to go direct to our room. While it's a bit more of a pain that we'd now have to take our luggage with us rather than having it picked up, we were also a little stressed watching our airtags to make sure the bags arrived at the port. I'd rather get up late, have a leisurely breakfast and be able to go right to my stateroom. Lesson learned.

I don’t like to waste time sitting around either, that was our first DCL cruise and we came from the poly. I also was worried when they had to pick our luggage up so early. At least at the airport location you can see it go in the truck.
We are the ones people probably loathe because we keep our luggage the last night on the cruise and take it off ourself, I really hate being separated from it.