How have your experiences with a very late resort arrival been?

[jtowntoflorida]

After much back-and-forth, we finally booked our flight for our upcoming SWW/Universal split stay in June. Unfortunately for us, as of right now, Delta eliminated the flight we prefer to take so now we're getting into MCO very, very late...around 11:30 pm. So with any luck, we'll be getting to BWI around 1 a.m. We stayed at the MCO Hyatt when we had a late arrival in December, but for various reasons are going to trudge on to Disney when we arrive this time.

So, with such a late arrival, are we doomed to a craptastic room? Anyone with experience?

 

[dansdad]

We have arrived after Midnight 4 times and have gotten our requests each time. Rooms are assigned 2-3 days prior to your arrival, not as you show up. And if someone arriving before you doesn't like the room they were assigned, the CM will look for an unoccupied room first. Somebody would have to really be persistent to have the front desk CM snag a room from somebody who hasn't arrived yet as it requires the room assigner to get involved.

 

[maxiesmom]

We have arrived after Midnight 4 times and have gotten our requests each time. Rooms are assigned 2-3 days prior to your arrival, not as you show up. And if someone arriving before you doesn't like the room they were assigned, the CM will look for an unoccupied room first. Somebody would have to really be persistent to have the front desk CM snag a room from somebody who hasn't arrived yet as it requires the room assigner to get involved.

I have to say, I disagree with you. When I have arrived later on in the day, my room requests have rarely been met. And I've been downgraded from a paid for preferred room to standard. If the CM has a guest in front of them unhappy with their room location, they can certainly move you out of your pre-assigned room and give it to someone else. The first time it happened the CM checking me in stated that if guests decide to extend their stay, they will not move them, but move the guest that was going to get that room.

OP--Make what requests you want, hope for the best, but don't depend on getting your requests. Keep in mind you can always ask to switch rooms the next day if you end up in a room you really don't like.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Yeah, I've never had a request granted yet regardless of arrival time, so on our last trip I just gave up and didn't make any. And what did we get? A complimentary upgrade to a dedicated 2 bedroom villa! WOOT. Except Disney is like a big drug dealer and totally sucked my husband in so he's like, "Why don't we stay in a two bedroom all the time, because that was awesome." And then I showed him the price. Heh.

I figured by 1:00 a.m. all the people who have complained about their rooms will have been accommodated with better rooms so we'll be stuck with the leftovers.

Maxiesmom...you're right. The first night we won't care as long as there is a daybed (and I think all BWI standard rooms have them), so if the room sucks, we can just ask to move in the morning.

 

[dansdad]

I have to say, I disagree with you. When I have arrived later on in the day, my room requests have rarely been met. And I've been downgraded from a paid for preferred room to standard. If the CM has a guest in front of them unhappy with their room location, they can certainly move you out of your pre-assigned room and give it to someone else. The first time it happened the CM checking me in stated that if guests decide to extend their stay, they will not move them, but move the guest that was going to get that room.

OP--Make what requests you want, hope for the best, but don't depend on getting your requests. Keep in mind you can always ask to switch rooms the next day if you end up in a room you really don't like.

I agree anything can happen and nothing is set in stone. But I've been downgraded, had the exact opposite of my requests when checking in at 7AM. When you check in does not directly affect these things. Also, we have decided to extend our stays twice while there and had to change rooms both times because somebody else was already assigned our room.

Unless something has changed since my nephew did his CP as a check in CM, if a guest would like a different room the computer will only show them unoccupied rooms. To get something else, they have to get the room assigners involved. This is especially important now with people getting texts with their room numbers early, even while at their home airport in some instances.

But OP, as you can see people have different experiences. But I can say with some confidence that just because you are checking in very late you are not automatically going to get a crappy room.

 

[Wood Nymph]

After much back-and-forth, we finally booked our flight for our upcoming SWW/Universal split stay in June. Unfortunately for us, as of right now, Delta eliminated the flight we prefer to take so now we're getting into MCO very, very late...around 11:30 pm. So with any luck, we'll be getting to BWI around 1 a.m. We stayed at the MCO Hyatt when we had a late arrival in December, but for various reasons are going to trudge on to Disney when we arrive this time.

So, with such a late arrival, are we doomed to a craptastic room? Anyone with experience?

Our daughter had a late flight when staying at the WL last October. Her room was fine, very nice indeed, but the main problem was finding something to eat that late at night. They were taking the Magical Express and didn't have any options except what they could get at the airport.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Our flight doesn't leave MSP until after dinner (7:30 p.m.) so we'll eat before we're on the plane and won't have to worry about food in Orlando, fortunately.

 

[nkereina]

I have to say, I disagree with you. When I have arrived later on in the day, my room requests have rarely been met. And I've been downgraded from a paid for preferred room to standard. If the CM has a guest in front of them unhappy with their room location, they can certainly move you out of your pre-assigned room and give it to someone else. The first time it happened the CM checking me in stated that if guests decide to extend their stay, they will not move them, but move the guest that was going to get that room.

OP--Make what requests you want, hope for the best, but don't depend on getting your requests. Keep in mind you can always ask to switch rooms the next day if you end up in a room you really don't like.

100% agree here. I worked front desk at a resort (not Disney) all through college. As the day wore on, if we had people requesting different rooms, we took whatever we could find out of inventory and dealt with what we changed later. Just wanted the guest that was in front of us out of our hair, and satisfied. So that often including bumping people, downgrading people, upgrading people, etc. Sometimes late arrival can be to your benefit, but many times you can expect your room request to not be met. But if you are not traveling during a busy time then your chances are better.

 

[Felipe4]

Sometimes late arrival can be to your benefit, but many times you can expect your room request to not be met. But if you are not traveling during a busy time then your chances are better.

Well, now I'm nervous about getting in late to POR. (I wanted an earlier flight, but BF wanted to leave after work and we took the cheapest at 7:30PM). I know there's the fax requests but it sounds like if they accommodate those requests, they might just end up giving it to another person who gets in earlier. I know you can check in super early though online - if you check in online and are given your room number, will they not reassign?

 

[dansdad]

Well, now I'm nervous about getting in late to POR. (I wanted an earlier flight, but BF wanted to leave after work and we took the cheapest at 7:30PM). I know there's the fax requests but it sounds like if they accommodate those requests, they might just end up giving it to another person who gets in earlier. I know you can check in super early though online - if you check in online and are given your room number, will they not reassign?

You can check in online at 60 days out. You won't get your room number until you room is ready on arrival day.

 

[yooperfan]

Thanks!

 

[mickeynut1]

But OP, as you can see people have different experiences. But I can say with some confidence that just because you are checking in very late you are not automatically going to get a crappy room.

I totally agree in that I don't think that checking in late will automatically get you a crappy room. Yes, you can end up with a room that is not favorable, but that doesn't mean it was due to the time you checked in. That "less desirable" room could have been assigned to you a few days prior to arrival, not because someone who checked in earlier in the day/evening complained and got their room changed and you got what was left over. With that said, we have checked in as late as 1-1:30 am many times and have not only received great rooms, but have had our requests met.

 

[Ambear]

We checked in late one time, sometime after 11pm to French Quarter. When we got to our room it was nasty dirty for some reason... and worse still the cute main pool there was closed. I never knew they were refurbishing it or I wouldn't have stayed there (now I know there's websites that tell you this haha)... So I went to the main desk and complained cause they never warned us about this and they said "blah blah you can use riversides." I must have still looked mad cause then she started checking for rooms at other resorts and we ended up getting to stay at a 1bedroom in Saratoga Springs. This was also during some kind of cheer competition, so the value and moderate rooms were almost all full.

So I agree with what people have said that it's probably not too dependent on what time you check in. Just moreso luck of what's available for them to upgrade you to and how adamant you seem about wanting it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Two opposing experiences.

Checked in to OKW (after doing online checkin), our room wasn't ready. This irritated the CM, who went over to the rolling tray of made-up portfolios, and she chose one for another guest. Took his already-ready room and gave it to us because we were there and they were not. So they could easily snag another room in that way.

But once they included the option to give the approximate time we would be there, during a POR stay, we let them know we would be in around 1am, and our perfect room was there, waiting for us. Doing online checkin I gave NO requests because I had sent in my fax (something unique to POR and POFQ) with requests beforehand. (if you make requests online it can erase the faxed/called-in requests) And it was sitting there, just waiting for me.

 

[mitchwebb]

We came in Late to POR and had asked for a room as close as possible and first floor. Are roomswas at the very back corner on the second floor.
I have found when we have a small res before we move to somewhere else we get the smallest room out of the way. Doesn't really bother me to much. We do a one night stay in a less expensive resort when we get in after 11pm.

 

[buzznina]

I can definitely speak from experience, since we rarely ever arrive before 1AM I can honestly say we have gotten our request or close to it all the time. Take the trip that we are currently on. We are at POFQ and we paid for a GV room, our request was for Bldg 6, corner room, 3rd floor and maybe a little pixie dust for view of river. Well, we arrived at 3AM and was given every one of our request As a matter of fact, I am sitting here typing and I can look out the corner window and see the river, as well as people running because a little storm just moved in to the area For people that put in requests I think Disney does everything they can to accommodate them.

 

[buzznina]

Well, now I'm nervous about getting in late to POR. (I wanted an earlier flight, but BF wanted to leave after work and we took the cheapest at 7:30PM). I know there's the fax requests but it sounds like if they accommodate those requests, they might just end up giving it to another person who gets in earlier. I know you can check in super early though online - if you check in online and are given your room number, will they not reassign?

POR is one of the resorts that still takes faxes and I think that makes a big difference. There is a POR/POFQ fax thread on here that will help you.

 

[thisismyusername]

We had a really nice room at BLT just a few weeks ago when we got in at 2:30 a.m.--even though it didn't meet my requests. We had gotten the room assignment at 4 p.m. via text, which was before we had even left the airport. I'd just deal with any dissatisfaction the following day--it's likely you won't be fully unpacking anyway if you get in that late, so it would be an easy move.

I really don't put a lot of weight on my room requests being met. We do multiple split stays and short stays, so you would think that it would be easy to meet our requests since we're not hogging a room for weeks at a time, but more often than not, our requests are not met. Just sort of seems to be the way it goes.

 

[maxiesmom]

If you think about it, it makes sense that those arriving late get the not so desirable rooms. Everyone arriving before you has had a chance to say Yay or Nay to their room. As the day goes on the pool of available (including those rooms pre-assigned and not yet claimed) becomes smaller and smaller.

 

[mommyrosa2]

Another here who didn't have any luck when we arrived late on our trip last month. By the time we arrived at CSR, it was after 11:30p and not only did we not get our requests met, but we also got a very rude CM who checked us in and kept telling us there was nothing else available even though she clearly wasn't even checking.

We did take the rooms because it was so late by the time we finished checking in but decided to go right back to the front desk first thing in the morning and spoke to a mgr. She was wonderful and after a quick phone call found us rooms that met our requests.