9:00 Evening Checkin = Loser Room?

[MarkLem]

I'm flying into Orlando the night before our 4 day pass begins. Rather than stay outside WDW for that night (original plan) and check into my in-park resort early the next morning, I'm considering booking an additional night inside WDW. This way I don't have to limo it to two different hotels from the airport

But if I check in at 9:00 PM, do I get whatever room is left for that day? If I request a specific area or room, will I be less likely to get it?

Will I have a better chance of getting a requested room at 8:00 am the next morning?

 

[Alice42]

I guess it just depends on what is available when you check in. We checked into the BC around 1 am and we had a wonderful room!
My brother in law checked into AKL once around 10 pm and they upgraded him for no additional charge to a 2-room suite because they did not have any more "savannah view" rooms available. Talk about LUCKY!

 

[D&R love Disney]

2 different friends of mine got the opposite treatment. They checked in to ASM late, after midnight, and both were given smoking rooms, and one room had a king bed, not 2 fulls. Both were moved the next morning but one friend who has a major problem with smoke had to strip the bed and crank the AC to help with the smell.

 

[GoldenOldie]

The time of year you are going has a tremendous bearing on it. Since the OP is going near the end of Christmas week, I believe that he would have had problems getting his requests no matter what time he checked in. If he was travelling during a quiet time at WDW, the odds are he would not have as difficult a time in getting his requests met.

Having said that, this quote from Deb's Faxing Room Requests page explains pretty well what happens upon late check in:

the resorts will not hold rooms empty to meet the requests of a guest who has not yet arrived if another guest arrives first and requests the same things

 

[MarkLem]

That's what I was afraid would happen. I'd hit the roof if I ended up with a smoking room or a room without two doubles. We are a family of 5, youngest is 2 so crib works for him, but we have to have the 2 doubles or some people will be on the floor - totally unacceptable at a Disney Resort.

Do you think I would get an honest answer if I call CRO and ask them about the late evening vs. early morning check-in?

 

[safetymom]

I am pretty sure if you call you will get the answer, It Depends. It all depends on what time of the year and what resort you are staying at. I would just check in late, take what they have available and mention that if it isn't up to your liking that they move you the next day.

 

[sjc]

I would make sure that the Reservation itself notes any requests you might have along with a notation of a late check in. We checked into the Wilderness Lodge last June at 10:30 pm and received my request for a King Bed and was upgraded to a Courtyard View. Based on my experience and some of the posts below, I think the late check in adds a certain wild card element that increases both the odds of an upgrade as well as a downgrade.......steve c

 

[antmaril]

We checked into the Beach Club at about 9:00 p.m. and were disappointed with our room. I had requested (on our reservation and via fax) two queens and a full balcony. We got neither. My husband went to the desk and complained. He told them we were celebrating my 50th birthday and were disappointed with our room. They eventually upgraded us to concierge. I do think checking in late had a bearing on the room.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by MarkLem
...Do you think I would get an honest answer if I call CRO and ask them about the late evening vs. early morning check-in?

CRO couldn't give you an honest answer if you asked them the time of day. Go right to the source. Call CSR and ask to speak to the front desk manager on duty.

 

[Grumpy37]

When we have a late arrival or early departure via MCO (Orlando Int'l) we stay at the Hyatt *in* the airport.

http://orlandoairport.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml

Remarkably convienient, well insulated (i.e. not noisy from the airport like you'd expect), and we think it's reasonable (usual rate is around $124 to $144 w/ AAA, etc.) for what you get.

 

[dznyntnh]

Originally posted by GoldenOldie
CRO couldn't give you an honest answer if you asked them the time of day. Go right to the source. Call CSR and ask to speak to the front desk manager on duty.

Calling the front desk manager two months before you get there will not help, they won't even have your reservation. Calling CRO is only going to result in them noting your requests and letting you know it's first come first served.

All you can do is accept that checking in that late your room will be the luck of the draw, based on what's still available.

If you get a (in your opinion) bad room, then go down first thing the next morning and politely request a change, more than likely they will do what they can accomodate you.

Most of the CM's at check in will do their best to accomodate your requests.

 

[TammyC]

If you spend your first night at the airport hotel as Grumpy37 suggests or another hotel near the airport they may have complimentary transportation, which would eliminate the double limo fees.

Tammy

 

[justhat]

We checked into AKL around midnight on 10/15 and we did not like the room we had and told them when they assigned it and the CM looked up all the savannah view rooms that would be available the next morning, told us the rooms numbers and asked if we would want to switch and if so, she'd put it in the computer then and that way all we'd have to do the next morning was call for a porter and pick up our new keys on our way to the parks. We ended up not wanting to switch since we just wanted to unpack stuff and get to bed, but in your case since you'd have to switch if you stay offsite the first night anyway, it would be a good option if you're not happy with your room. Also, we stayed at AKL 12/27-12/31/02, the busiest time of the year, and we checked-in around 6:30pm and we got 2 wonderful rooms, much better than the rooms we had this October, so don't think that just because it's Christmas time you'll end up with a bad room since we did much better then than we did in mid-October.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by dznyntnh
Calling the front desk manager two months before you get there will not help, they won't even have your reservation...

It seems you missed the point of my advice. The OP asked "Do you think I would get an honest answer if I call CRO and ask them about the late evening vs. early morning check-in?". I suggested that he call the resort front desk to ask them that very question. I said nothing about having his reservation taken care of in that phone call. Please do not read anything into it that I did not write. I stand by my original statement that the best way to get that question answered about CSR where he will be staying is to call CSR. And he can certainly do that now.

 

[MarkLem]

Thanks for the info. I uunderstand Golden, your post. Anyone at the front desk that has worked there at least last holiday season ought to know enough to give me a straight answer about the late night check-in, and the likelihood of being able to change rooms the next morning if I need to.

Thanks everyone.

 

[SB in KY]

We have not had great luck with late checkins and room assignments at WDW so now we always do a 3* room in the MCO area on Priceline if we arrive late. All the 3* hotels in the airport area provide complimentary shuttle service to the hotel 24/7 and are less than $50/night including taxes and fees. We usually rent a car so I just hop the shuttle back to the airport the next AM and pick up the car, but you could certainly have your limo pick you up at the hotel near the airport and take you to WDW at your convienence the next AM. When you arrive early for check in you can always reiterate your room request to the CM at the desk and they can tell you if the room you have been assigned (even if it is not ready then) meets your requests and if not they can reassign you at that time (since no one else has checked in yet anyways).

I have heard of lots of people that got better rooms with late check ins, but we were never among them, and then we always had the dilemma of "is it worth it to complain and move rooms after the first night or just stay put in a less than perfect room for the entire week...."

 

[Tonyspad]

We checked into the GF last year at 9pm and got exactly what we asked for!!! Maybe we were just lucky....

 

[B3LM]

Be sure to have your room requests listed on your reservation. They cannot be guaranteed, but Disney does try to honor them if at all possible.

Room assignments are actually done a few days prior to your arrival at the resorts.

 

[MarkLem]

If I call a therefore a few days early will they tell me the room number and configuration?

Would you suggest at that time calling CRO or the resort directly?

Is it possible that they could still give your room away and reassign you if you don't check in until late evening?

 

[dznyntnh]

The rooms are not assigned until you actually get there and they will not give a room number until that room is ready to occupy.

I believe its for security reasons.

If you check in first thing in the morning and the rooms are not ready, they will give you a key, but you have to call (or return to the desk) later for your room number when it's ready.