Arriving Super Early @ Resort

[WEDWDW]

You’re a guest until midnight on the day you leave, is the same true on arrival day? If so, since you’d be there after midnight they’d probably have no problem letting you into the lot and I doubt anyone would say anything about you napping. It’s a little unusual but I don’t see the harm in it personally

Good question.

My guess is you are not considered a Guest until the 6:00 AM turnover.

 

[Anthony1971]

For the record many years ago I do know if a person who had a camper - old terms for old ways- that slept in that in the parking lot of CR... Fast forward 30+ years and I would say a security guard will be knocking on your window as they do patrol the lots 24/7 if you get past the security guard. I would love to give suggestions, but I would think in 2025 your best choices are to stop at the closest rest stop before Disney or rent a room off site. 5am wake up have breakfast drive to Disney you should be fine at 6am and find a nice quiet spot..... after stopping at the front desk and asking for the first available room as you may get one at 9 or 10 or maybe before if the resort has availability.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I have a friend who does room assignments at Disney. The turnover happens at 6 am. If you arrive at 1 am the security guard will not know you are guest. It is possible they take pity on you and let you in and it’s possible they will turn tou away. I would get a cheap room offsite and get a few hours of real sleep or change your hotel reservation to start a day early and you will be a guest and will have room.

I had a vague memory of 6am being the earliest you could check in but I couldn’t find where I read that. Always nice to know it is a thing and not something I made up in my head

 

[gottalovepluto]

… He goes out to the car frequently in the wee hours to sleep. Ususally within a couple hours he gets a wrap on the window, checking to make sure he is ok and letting him know sleeping in the lot is not permitted…

And there you have it OP, not allowed. (Wow the Disney knowledge bench around runs deep.)

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

Arrive later.
Or arrive earlier and get a cheap room offsite.
Or add a night onto your reservation and leave earlier.
Even if you could arrive at 1am (and I see you cannot) you'd likely be very hot and wasting your gas to keep the car on so you could have cool air.

 

[Dave006]

Even if you could arrive at 1am (and I see you cannot) you'd likely be very hot and wasting your gas to keep the car on so you could have cool air.

Perfect challenge for the live bloggers looking for views. How is each resort going to handle a 1 AM Guest arrival?

Dave

 

[Dug720]

How is each resort going to handle a 1 AM Guest arrival?

I've arrived at 1am or later following a late flight and Magical Express trip. Granted, I had the room reserved for that night - like my reservation started on the 23rd and I got there between 1 and 2 am on the 24th. No issues. I had my room number, checked that my Magic Band was linked, and headed to my room.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I've arrived at 1am or later following a late flight and Magical Express trip. Granted, I had the room reserved for that night - like my reservation started on the 23rd and I got there between 1 and 2 am on the 24th. No issues. I had my room number, checked that my Magic Band was linked, and headed to my room.

Then you weren’t a 1am arrival in the sense of this thread (and Disney had darn well had better have had your room ready!). OP is looking to arrive at 1am on their check-in day.

 

[Dug720]

Then you weren’t a 1am arrival in the sense of this thread (and Disney had darn well had better have had your room ready!). OP is looking to arrive at 1am on their check-in day.

I know - which is why I specified. I was responding to @Dave006 's query of how would a hotel handle a 1am arrival without specifying.

 

[Robber Baron]

When they started the free water park on check in day, the first thing I thought of is they are tired of people camping out and sleeping in their lobbies all day waiting to check in.

(This has NOTHING to do with the OP, it's just my personal anecdote)

 

[brockash]

Just wanted to provide an update as we're here now.

We arrived this morning a little after 1am. I was prepared (thanks to posters here) to be turned away and hang at the McDonald's or gas station if need be, however it wasn't needed. I arrived; the guard asked if I was returning and I said actually checking in today. He asked my name, took a few mins. repeated the number of guests on my reservation (not the same number as in my car) and said I was all set and to have a good morning.

I pulled into a parking spot and put our sun shade up for a little extra privacy and we were not disturbed at all. At one point I woke up and noticed someone was sitting in their car running a few spots from mine, but as far as I know they were not disturbed either.

Obviously anything could be different on any day, but wanted to report back the experience.

I'm glad we did it this way (even if we would've had to stay 4-5 hrs in the mcdonalds parking lot). I was way more awake, traffic was pretty much non-existent, and in my opinion definitely beats taking our chances at staying at some cheap roadside motel. I think someone had mentioned earlier about a 2nd driver...my DH didn't come; it was just my daughter and I so I was the only driver.

Certainly not the most comfortable sleep we've ever had, but doable. I did get up once to turn the car on for a few mins to get some air. - It wasn't terrible, but I didn't want to crack the windows as I know someone above mentioned bugs.

All in all it worked out well for us on thos particular trip. I would not do it if we had an additional person (at least not in this car). I'd only do it if each person had a "row" so to speak for themselves.

 

[leebee]

I've read Walmart parking lots are a good place to crash.

[OK, posted this before reading the entire thread...]

Actually, I was going to mention this. DD and I did a van-camping trip once where we stayed in Walmart lots on several nights. There are often quite a few campers in the far reaches of the lots, so you wouldn't be "alone." I wasn't 100% comfortable doing this unless we hung our privacy-curtain, just because it freaks me out to think of possibly waking up with someone staring in at me, but it was a free overnight, and if the store is open 24 hours you can use the restrooms, too. However, I am not sure all Walmarts allow overnight parking.
Personally? I'd look for a cheapo-cheapo hotel within an hour of Disney, stay there for several hours, and THEN finish the trip in the morning. Might not be the best (3 stars maybe) but it'd be cheaper than Disney, and a guaranteed place to stay for one night. These two were pulled up on TripAdvisor for a Thursday night in June.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Just wanted to provide an update as we're here now.

We arrived this morning a little after 1am. I was prepared (thanks to posters here) to be turned away and hang at the McDonald's or gas station if need be, however it wasn't needed. I arrived; the guard asked if I was returning and I said actually checking in today. He asked my name, took a few mins. repeated the number of guests on my reservation (not the same number as in my car) and said I was all set and to have a good morning.

I pulled into a parking spot and put our sun shade up for a little extra privacy and we were not disturbed at all. At one point I woke up and noticed someone was sitting in their car running a few spots from mine, but as far as I know they were not disturbed either.

Obviously anything could be different on any day, but wanted to report back the experience.

I'm glad we did it this way (even if we would've had to stay 4-5 hrs in the mcdonalds parking lot). I was way more awake, traffic was pretty much non-existent, and in my opinion definitely beats taking our chances at staying at some cheap roadside motel. I think someone had mentioned earlier about a 2nd driver...my DH didn't come; it was just my daughter and I so I was the only driver.

Certainly not the most comfortable sleep we've ever had, but doable. I did get up once to turn the car on for a few mins to get some air. - It wasn't terrible, but I didn't want to crack the windows as I know someone above mentioned bugs.

All in all it worked out well for us on thos particular trip. I would not do it if we had an additional person (at least not in this car). I'd only do it if each person had a "row" so to speak for themselves.

Great to hear. I figured that would be the case. They have people arriving at all hours and as long as you are within 24 hours of checking in you will be okay.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Just wanted to provide an update as we're here now.

We arrived this morning a little after 1am. I was prepared (thanks to posters here) to be turned away and hang at the McDonald's or gas station if need be, however it wasn't needed. I arrived; the guard asked if I was returning and I said actually checking in today. He asked my name, took a few mins. repeated the number of guests on my reservation (not the same number as in my car) and said I was all set and to have a good morning.

I pulled into a parking spot and put our sun shade up for a little extra privacy and we were not disturbed at all. At one point I woke up and noticed someone was sitting in their car running a few spots from mine, but as far as I know they were not disturbed either.

Obviously anything could be different on any day, but wanted to report back the experience.

I'm glad we did it this way (even if we would've had to stay 4-5 hrs in the mcdonalds parking lot). I was way more awake, traffic was pretty much non-existent, and in my opinion definitely beats taking our chances at staying at some cheap roadside motel. I think someone had mentioned earlier about a 2nd driver...my DH didn't come; it was just my daughter and I so I was the only driver.

Certainly not the most comfortable sleep we've ever had, but doable. I did get up once to turn the car on for a few mins to get some air. - It wasn't terrible, but I didn't want to crack the windows as I know someone above mentioned bugs.

All in all it worked out well for us on thos particular trip. I would not do it if we had an additional person (at least not in this car). I'd only do it if each person had a "row" so to speak for themselves.

Thank you for reporting back to us!!