Any way to increase our chances of a room being ready a little earlier?

[NorweJenNY]

We check-in to POR on Sunday. DH will have just worked a long overnight Saturday into early Sunday morning. We just have a 2-hour drive. DH can probably sleep in the car if we left right away from home when he got in at 6:30am, but 2 hours would not be enough sleep for him. If we arrived at 8:30am at POR, I doubt they'd have a room ready for us, and I don't know what to do with my dh who will desperately need more sleep... he can't just sleep in the car!

Is there any number I can call to increase the likelihood of a room being prepped for us if they knew in advance we'd be getting in at a specific hour with this special need/request?

Or are we better off letting DH get a few hours of sleep at home first, then let him pick up on his sleep in the car later and get in by mid-day? I'm just so not used to holding off on leaving for a vacation... and finding a way of keeping my kids quiet to let daddy sleep when they know we're supposed to be leaving for Disney - that would be a tough one!

 

[mouseketeermama]

I have arrived as early as 9am before (twice) and my room has always been ready. I do note it on my reservation though. I have done this at the Poly CL and CSR, even got upgraded at the Poly to a LV room.

 

[dansdad]

You may want to try online check-in. When you do online check-in you specify what time you will get there. If there is availabilty you will get a room. Our last 3 trips we did online check-in. All three times arrived around 10:30AM and each time our rooom was ready when we got there.

 

[Burnt Toast]

It all depends on your room requests, category that you booked, and hotel occupancy the night before.

However, you can do Online Check-In because in that process you state when you are estimated to arrive at the Resort. That gives them a heads up so they might assign a room to you that might be ready at that time.

 

[Missytara]

People do check out on Saturdays and if you arrive very early on Sunday, there is every chance a room will be available. Do online check-in for sure.

 

[*Fantasia*]

If you are open to anything and no room request (except preferred rooms) then they will probably put you in the very next available room.

The reason why we usually don't get our room early is because I usually have 2 or 3 request and they usually try to grant my wish. So far, they haven't failed me. I'd rather wait and get most of my request or all my request vs. get a room location that I don't want.

 

[NorweJenNY]

We don't have any requests. My mom is with us this trip, putting us on the reservation as a party of 5 (all over age 3), so we have to have one of the Alligator Bayou rooms that can have 5 people... but that should go without saying. (Though once, POR assigned our family of 4 a king bed room with no other beds but the one king... so maybe it's not as straight forward as one might be inclined to think...)

So does online check-in still seem like the best option? In all our trips, I never even bothered because we never check in during particularly busy times and I like when they sometimes give me options to pick from at check-in... so it just seemed unnecessary.

 

[mousefan1972]

Not to be Debbie Downer, but right now is peak Free Dining time and POR is a top choice for many people. It is the only mod that sleeps 5, as you know. (excluding the cabins at FW) There is absolutely no guarantee that a room will be ready for you at 8:30 a.m., and noting your arrival time on your reservation won't pull a ready room out of thin air if none are available. What will your DH do if you have to wait until 3 p.m. for a room? I would have him sleep for a couple of hours at home before you leave. Better be safe than have a grouchy DH.

 

[Sandi]

I think WDW resorts do a better job than most hotels of getting people in rooms as early as possible, but there is no guaranty. If your DH is game and understands there is a risk of no room, then do it. Personally, I'd let DH get some good sleep for a few hours at home and then take off.

On-line check in will give POR some notice that you'll be there early, but there is a limited number of the "sleeps 5" rooms.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Although it is free dining time, kids are back in school and this time of year will not be as busy as late August with FD. It was probably a fluke that they gave you a king room for 4 - with 5 the options are limited.

I like interacting with the CMs at check-in so do not use on line check-in - if there is a room available right away, they can find one for you when you check in...I would very sweetly explain why you are hoping for a room that is ready asap. Although, since on line does let you give an arrival time, that might be worth a try for this trip....and you can still chat with the CM.

Good luck and have a wonderful visit!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Can he sleep on a lounge chair? If there isn't a room ready, find him a shady spot by the pool.

 

[rentayenta]

Get a room for the night before. Call and say you won't be there until the next morning, that way they won't cancel your room. It might sound wasteful but it's a small price to have a happy and well rested man. You can arrive, take the kids to the parks, and he can sleep.

Another option and not sure if Disney will do it, but we've been able to rent half day room based on low occupancy like for soccer tournaments. Boys will have an 8 am game and then a 5 pm game. We've been able to rent the in between time for like $40 if they're not full. It's worth calling anyway. POR is very popular during free dining though.

Good luck.

 

[DebbieB]

The only way there will likely be a room ready is if it was empty the night before. Housekeeping usually doesn't start until 8:00-8:30.

 

[NorweJenNY]

Can he sleep on a lounge chair? If there isn't a room ready, find him a shady spot by the pool.

You know, that thought never even crossed my mind... it might actually be a decent back-up plan! We were intending to spend our first day at DTD or the resort pools anyway. It just might work! All I have to do is check the weather reports first. Thanks!

 

[mieuxmew]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think only a certain number of rooms were offered with free dining, not every room. My guess is there will be empty rooms available.

 

[mieuxmew]

duplicate