Arriving a day early - help needed please

[cc-atl]

I have a few questions but first some background info:

1. I recevied a PIN code offer last fall. I cannot fully remember but I think we were offered kids tickets for free and free QS Dining Plan for the fours of us. We used this PIN code to reserve a room at POP for 5/29 - 6/3.

2. My kids are not in school on Friday 5/28 and we would like to drive down form Atlanta after my DW gets out of work at around 2pm. So we would arrive in Orlando at around 10pm

I would love to hit the parks first thing in the morning on 5/29. Ideally Disney would allow me to add a night to our reservation for the cost of the room only. We will not be visiting the parks after we arrive around 10pm on Friday night. But I heard that may not be an option. Can anyone confirm?

If it is not an option, I would be ok making a separate reservation for the night of 5/28 at POP. We could pack a separate bag with just the stuff we would need that night and leave the rest in the van and then check in the next morning.

If we went that route, does anyone know how early we could check into for our second reservation the morning of 5/29 so we could get our park tickets. We would not need to get into our room. But we would probably want to get to a park at rope drop and maybe even rope drop for the park with am EMH.

Could I go check in for that second reservation at around 6:30 am to get our park tickets?

Does that make sense? Are there other ideas/options I have not thought of?

 

[Arielssister]

Check in is usually 3 or so but we have gotten there before noon and they have taken us. One time the room wasn't ready so they asked us to hang out at the gift shop or told us we could go to the parks while they got it ready. Are you pre-checked in online? If so, I bet they will give you your tickets and room keys and let you go to the parks. Hope it works out!

 

[clkelley]

You will have to make a separate reservation, so yes you will have to check in the next morning for your new room keys and park tickets. I'm not sure, but I'm thinking somewhere in the range of 6:30 - 7:00 am you could get your new room keys.

Also, if you made your one night reservation at Pop where you are currently staying, it is very possible to "connect" the reservations so you don't have to change rooms.

It is really easy to do. However, with getting the tickets and trying to make early EMH, you'll need to eat something really early in the room, OR postpone breakfast until after you've hit a few EMH rides.

 

[veraletta]

We had 4 separate reservation at pop for a 7 night stay because it was a last mintue thing, we were told to just keep trying to book a room for each day of our 7 day trip until we could get all 7 day.

Once we had all 7 nights they told me at check in to make sure I came down at 6-7 in morning to get new keys that way we could stay in the same room.

So if i was you I would just book another reservation for your first night stay then just get up in the morning and get new keys.

 

[a1tinkfans]

If your tix are on your 2nd reservation, you will not get them till you check in for that trip.

There is no guarantee you will keep the same room, we have had family get moved (try packing up three girls and two crazy adults,), and we have been lucky enough to stay in the same room. (IF checking in/unpacking/checking out/unpacking is an issue, consider that a factor for your decision. .

Personally I would just add a day to your reservation and check in and get rested...wake up fresh and new and Off You Go, on Your schedule!!

We were free dine one year had to check out and back in, did get to keep room, however lines were VERY long and I was there early and avoided it (they had computer issues so I had to wait till almost 7am from 6am, UGH!) ANyhoo, it worked out in the end...but I did not like all the hassle IMHO, I wanna go on vacation and just Go Go Go.........

(We have actually arrived in late evening, stayed at Hyatt MCO then got a real early start to resort and dropped luggage and went to park...SO relaxing as we were rested). Only way we'll do it when we have late arrivals...
well, hope this helped a drop.
Whatever you decide have a great trip!

 

[clkelley]

If your tix are on your 2nd reservation, you will not get them till you check in for that trip.

There is no guarantee you will keep the same room, we have had family get moved (try packing up three girls and two crazy adults,), and we have been lucky enough to stay in the same room. (IF checking in/unpacking/checking out/unpacking is an issue, consider that a factor for your decision. .

Personally I would just add a day to your reservation and check in and get rested...wake up fresh and new and Off You Go, on Your schedule!!

We were free dine one year had to check out and back in, did get to keep room, however lines were VERY long and I was there early and avoided it (they had computer issues so I had to wait till almost 7am from 6am, UGH!) ANyhoo, it worked out in the end...but I did not like all the hassle IMHO, I wanna go on vacation and just Go Go Go.........

(We have actually arrived in late evening, stayed at Hyatt MCO then got a real early start to resort and dropped luggage and went to park...SO relaxing as we were rested). Only way we'll do it when we have late arrivals...
well, hope this helped a drop.
Whatever you decide have a great trip!

I don't think any of the issues you mentioned apply to the previous poster. They are driving in, will arrive about 10pm and go to bed. They are planning on having a separate bag packed, so they just grab that one bag, go into the room and go to bed. The next morning, they can toss that bag into their car, go to the front desk and grab their new room keys with tickets, dining, etc and head for the parks. If they are in the same room great!! They then just unpack their car when they get back that afternoon, if they are not in the same room, still have to unpack the car for the rest of their stay.

 

[cc-atl]

Thanks for everyone's help. It turns out we will be able to leave Atlanta bright and early on that first day so we will likely arrive early afternoon.

As a result, I just went ahead and added on a day to the existing reservation so we can visit a park the day we arrive.

Thanks again.