Question Regarding Magical Express & Early Check-In

TexasPete

Mouseketeer

Joined

May 4, 2015

• May 27, 2015

• #1

We are thinking about coming in the night before our GF reservation begins and staying at the Hyatt at MCO (free stay with points - woo!), which raises a couple of questions about our stay at the GF. First, can we get on the Magical Express and head over there whenever we want the day our reservation begins? Do we need to update our reservation to show we will be getting on the bus in the morning rather than late afternoon as we would have done with our original flights? Second, I've read about folks receiving a text letting them know their room is ready, sometimes hours early. How can we get this - do we need to request early check-in? How likely is it that we would get our room early, or does it just depend? Thanks so much!

 

IndyRnRfan

Never take a laxative and sleeping pill together

Joined

Jan 14, 2015

• May 27, 2015

• #2

We had some friends stay at MCO the night before and they rode the DME the next day over to their resort. I think they just told them when they would be wanting to leave the hotel the next day and took their luggage with them down to the DME area when they checked out.

I don't think you would have to change your reservation. GF doesn't need to know the exact time you are arriving, just as long as it is the same day.

Can't help you with the text. I would like to know this as well since we will be arriving at 10 am this summer.

 

Brenda Kim

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.

Joined

May 1, 2015

• May 27, 2015

• #3

You can get a text message sent if you do online check in prior to your stay. I think you can "check in" 60 days before your arrival. Part of My Disney Experience. There is a check box that states something like: I would like to receive updated text messages. Make sure to have your cell phone number on your My Disney Experience profile and you will get a text. Also we stayed at POR in February and I put in for a check in time of 11 AM and received a text at 11 AM stating my room was not yet ready. So they will notify if the room is not ready by your specified check in time, and then a half hour later I got the text that my room was ready and the room number. Since we had our magic bands already and had just gotten off the ME we went straight to the room. Super easy! Also we took our luggage on the ME with us, because we wanted access to our luggage instead of waiting for it to "magically" arrive in our room later, no issues with that. I have also arrived earlier and boarded the ME both earlier and later than my flight arrival time, due to jumping on an earlier flight and in one sad trip a 4 hour delay on our flight to MCO.

 

R

rpcvpanama

Mouseketeer

Joined

Nov 30, 2011

• May 27, 2015

• #4

We have stayed at the Hyatt many times and taken MDE the next day. I think I just booked MDE without putting in the airline information. Your magic band will have the hotel information and when you show up at MDE they will put you in the correct line for the bus. We had to carry our luggage with us, but it wasn't a big deal; we just dropped it at bag check when we got to our hotel. I believe that when you do on-line check in it gives you the text option. I think online check in begins 2 weeks before your stay.

 

sunflowerblooms

Mouseketeer

Joined

May 6, 2013

• May 27, 2015

• #5

We did this exact same thing our last trip. Flight arrived MCO AT 12:30 AM. We were in room asleep at the MCO Hyatt by 1:30 am.
Next morning we were up and out of the room by 7:15. At ME by 7:30. They scanned our magic bands. Loaded us and our luggage on the bus and we were on our way to Yacht Club.
No one questioned our 7 hour late arrival to ME.
Unfortunately I can not respond to early check in since the computers were down when we got to Yacht Club.
But we did make rope drop at Epcot and rode soarin first thing. So that was awesome.

 

E

ELSA711

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 11, 2015

• May 28, 2015

• #6

So you can request a specific time for check in? We'd like to request checkin around 12noon - is that likely?

 

bumbershoot

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 5, 2007

• May 28, 2015

• #7

ELSA711 said:

So you can request a specific time for check in? We'd like to request checkin around 12noon - is that likely?

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It's not about requesting a time. It's about letting them know when you plan to be there, so IF a room meeting your requests/needs/type-of-room-booked is empty and clean by that time, they can assign it to you.

 

Brenda Kim

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.

Joined

May 1, 2015

• May 28, 2015

• #8

ELSA711 said:

So you can request a specific time for check in? We'd like to request checkin around 12noon - is that likely?

Click to expand...

All of my early room requests have been granted. Although I choose to have that option before location of room. When you do the online check in for your resort it will give you a few options. First floor, second floor, corner room, etc. depending upon where you are staying. I click the option of having the room available early above all other options. It is really simple and pretty self explantatory process, start checking on your My Disney Experience App around the time you make your FP+ selections. If you have linked an email address, Disney will also send you an email reminding you of online check in prior to your arrival.

 

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ELSA711

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 11, 2015

• May 28, 2015

• #9

Thanks all! I'm in a preferred room at CBR so hoping to check in early. We are driving and not using ME this time. So many new things this time around, new resort, new transportation mode.
New dining experiences...ugh. Stressed thinking about it.

 

Brenda Kim

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.

Joined

May 1, 2015

• May 28, 2015

• #10

The newly refurbed rooms at CBR are beautiful. And you will love having a car as the resort is very big. I love how tranquil CBR is and found so many lovely out of the way spots upon walking around the lake. And after stressing on my last vacation about making all my ADR's on time, I realized it was not the end of the world if our party was 15-20 minutes late. I used my GPS from home and found my way to CBR and all other places really easily last time I drove. Don't stress, everything will work out and even if it doesn't go exactly to plan, you're still at Disney, so relax and take a breath.