Ahoy there, Shelley, and welcome back to planDisney! I'm so glad the cruise we talked about earlier this year is getting closer for you and your crew. There's nothing like your first Disney Cruise Line Vacation, so good thinking to make sure you get everything SHIP SHAPE before you embark on this magical adventure!
You're absolutely right that you have to choose a "Port Arrival Time" for when you will get to
Port Canaveral and do everything that's required for embarkation! You'll do this as part of your
Online Check-In process 30 days before your sail date. You can do this either on the website or the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App! Don't worry: it'll be step-by-step so you won't miss a beat! So you know, even before pre-embarkation testing, Port Arrival Times were a thing! The good news is, since you're arriving on official
Disney Cruise Line ground transportation, you have a little leeway!
Now, it's been a while since my family has done a
Disney Vacation by Land and Sea, so I sailed on over to talk to a crew member about the finer points of your question. Even more good news: they confirmed that you should just pick the earliest time available! They also said that this was a good fallback if for some reason you had to cancel your transfers - because you'd still have an arrival time on file!
Once you've got that all squared away, you'll be one step closer to what is in my opinion the best Disney vacation around. As Rapunzel said, you'll have your, "BEST. DAY. EVER." - and more than one - as every day on a Disney Cruise Line vacation is filled with magic from bow to stern!
Thank you so much for sailing by again with your question, Shelley. I can't wait for you to go from "letting the good times roll" at
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter to embarking on your first Disney Cruise Line vacation. Once you set sail, be ready for the line where the sky meets the sea to call you over and over again!
I wish you fair winds and following seas!
Andrew