Any luck getting into room early?

[StageTek]

We land tomorrow morning at 9:30 and are taking DME to PO Riverside, getting there around 11:30 (I assume?). Anyone have an luck actually having a room ready this early? I’m not counting on it, but my husband really wants to have a chance to rest. I am trying to set his (and my) expectations correctly!

It's always wise to not set your expectations too high. You may get a room that early. How disappointed will you be if you don't?

Dec 2015 - arrived ASMu 11:15AM. Room was ready
Aug 2016 - arrived CBR 7:30AM. Room was ready.
Sept 2017 - arrived POFQ 7AM. Room wasn't ready until 4PM
Jan 2018 - arrived FW Cabins 9:30AM. A cabin was ready but we chose to wait for a specific one. It was ready at 5PM
Sept 2017 - got the room ready text at 6:45AM while on the ME bus.

 

[kiford]

We arrived at BC on Dec 23 at about 12:30. Had made a request for King bed, ground floor and the room was ready when we arrived. I was a little surprised; given the time of year I was sure we'd be waiting a few hours.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I've gotten rooms early, but it doesn't always work out. Then we just hang around the pool.

 

[Dug720]

Grab some food, use the bathroom in the lobby, and sleep in a lounger by the pool? (ha!)

We are going to MK later in the day- but our early flight requires a 3:45AM wake up, so kicking our feet up on a bed would be ideal. But I am definitely not counting on being able to do that!

When you did online check-in, did you a) put in your expected arrival time and b) check the "early arrival is most important" box? Both of those should help - still no guarantee, but should help.

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

Make “room ready early” or something to that effect the only request you make and have it added to your reservation.

The options for requests during online checkin are way too inconsistent and wonky to depend on making the request there.

And as others have stated, make sure you have a backup if you do end up waiting. POR is the only resort we’ve not had our room available upon arrival. Not that it’s a POR “thing”, it was just luck of the draw that day.

 

[PSUGuy]

The last 5 or so trips we got our room at Board Walk on arrival, usually around 9:30 AM. Last Oct we did the check in online thing ahead of time, when we got to BW the lobby was jammed, wifey got in line, I went to the room, I was texted the number, my MB opened the door so I returned to the lobby, got her out of line (which hadn't moved) and we went to Epcot.

Bill From PA

 

[Jennasis]

On every single one of our trips over the last 19 years, we have never ever had a room ready early...with the exception of our trip to BLT last month. Typically we drive from NC and arrive at 3:30/4pm. On every trip we have had to wait an additional 30-60 minutes for our room. We never make any requests as we like to play room-roulette and se what we get.

On our trip to BLT last month we arrived earlier (around 12:30) because we had left town the night before, driven halfway and stopped over night. When we checked in a the desk they said they had a room ready right then but it was only 3rd floor. Again we had made no requests but had booked a Lake-view room. She said it was facing Marina and CR. We could have that room immediately or wait for a higher floor. We took the room that was ready and it was spectacular!

 

[AngiTN]

On every single one of our trips over the last 19 years, we have never ever had a room ready early...with the exception of our trip to BLT last month. Typically we drive from NC and arrive at 3:30/4pm. On every trip we have had to wait an additional 30-60 minutes for our room. We never make any requests as we like to play room-roulette and se what we get.

On our trip to BLT last month we arrived earlier (around 12:30) because we had left town the night before, driven halfway and stopped over night. When we checked in a the desk they said they had a room ready right then but it was only 3rd floor. Again we had made no requests but had booked a Lake-view room. She said it was facing Marina and CR. We could have that room immediately or wait for a higher floor. We took the room that was ready and it was spectacular!

Curious, are your stays always DVC? There should be a distinction, for those reading along, DVC is rarely ready early, no matter if you rent points or pay cash. It's always possible, one of our 5 DVC stays had a room ready before 4, but it's way less often than the regular resorts are.

 

[Jennasis]

Curious, are your stays always DVC? There should be a distinction, for those reading along, DVC is rarely ready early, no matter if you rent points or pay cash. It's always possible, one of our 5 DVC stays had a room ready before 4, but it's way less often than the regular resorts are.

The ones prior to 2015 were not DVC. The ones 2014 and beyond were all DVC.