As I mentioned in Part 1, I had initially decided to rent a car and drive down to the Port. However, after thinking about it further I decided to hire a car service to take my friend and I to the Port. Disney has a transportation option that for $35 per person will take you to the port. However, you don't have much control over when you leave and I like to be at the port by 10:30-11:00 AM. The last time I took their transport we got to the port about 1:45 which was a bit late for my tastes.
I am also going to re-evaluate my plan to visit MK that morning of the cruise. Since EMH (Extra Magic Hours) are at the Magic Kingdom on Thursday, it opens at 8AM for resort guests. This means the buses will be starting about 7AM which makes it easy to get to Kona Cafe; I'll just take a bus to MK and ride the monorail over to the Polynesian for my 7:30AM breakfast. However, I don't know if I will have time to go into MK as I'll need to ride a bus back to Coronado Springs and be there by 9:30 to meet the town car for the drive to the port. I *might* be able to bounce in for a quick 15-20 minutes and soak up some Main Street USA atmosphere, which will work for me!
The town car will pick me up, and then we'll go to Art of Animation to pick up my friend and her daughter. Then onward to Port Canaveral! It's about a 45-60 minute drive from Disney World.
At Port Canaveral, you drop off your bags before you go in with the porters (the bags will be delivered later to your room, so don't forget the baggage tags you get in your cruise packet!) and then go through a small security (much like you would at the airport, except you don't need to remove your shoes or coats). You then get in line to check in; if you are a Castaway Club member (you've sailed on DCL before), or are sailing Concierge, you have special check in areas. You then turn in your signed cruise contract (that you printed off at home once you completed your online cruise check in), show them your passport or other documentation, get your Key to the World card, your lanyard (if you've sailed before) and then you're ready to go! In the past, this process takes anywhere from 5-20 minutes, depending on the length of the line.
You also get a boarding group number; when the ship starts boarding about 11:30AM, they call boarding groups 1, 2, 3, etc so there isn't a mad rush to the boat, all at once. I am hoping to get a fairly high boarding group number, so I can have as much time as possible on that great ship!
When my boarding group is called, I will walk through these gorgeous, gleaming ears....and be ready to start the cruise! WOO HOO!
I hope to be on the ship itself by about Noon. Caletta, her daughter and I will grab lunch, and then I imagine we'll go our separate ways until dinner time. We have separate staterooms, but we've chosen to link our reservations together so we can dine together in the evening. We have the second seating, at 8:15PM. I prefer the later seating, as it's nice to not rush after excursions or a day at the pool to get ready for dinner.
You have access to your stateroom about 1:30PM, although your luggage won't arrive until closer to 4:30PM.
I don't have many set-in-stone plans for that first day, but I will for sure:
* Check out my stateroom at 1:30PM and put my custom magnets on the stateroom door. I have ordered a few from Etsy and also made some - it's a fun way to personalize your door (and also helps locate your room the first few times you go to it!). Just be sure you only use magnets; any tape or other adhesives is a no-no, and you'll be paying for them to clean and paint the door!
* Change into my swimsuit, and spend some time at the pool. Make sure that you pack your suit, medications or whatever else you'll want before you get your luggage in a day bag.
* Register for a mixology class. Caletta and I plan on going to at least one of the mixology classes on board and you register once you're on the ship, so I'll do that in the afternoon at some point. I have done the wine tasting before - I would like to try the martini tasting this time!
* Attend the Sail Away party. This is a party of the top decks of the ship where there's music and dancing with the characters and cruise staff while the boat sails away from port. It's fun and a great way to kick off the cruise!
Other than that, I am just going to relax and see where the day takes me!
What are your favorite parts about embarkation day on Disney Cruise Line?
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