Arriving very late

[disneyfamiof4]

Our flight is not scheduled to land until 1 am. Is there anything specific we need to do so Disney doesn’t assume we are a no show? We have 1 night booked In Coronado Springs and our “package” starts the next night in a different Disney resort.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Put your arrival time in when you do online check in. I've checked in past midnight before. Are you taking Magical Express?

 

[kiford]

The last three times we've arrived after 1 am. One time at about 3 am. If you're taking DME, they'll know that you're scheduled to come in late.

 

[disneyfamiof4]

We are planning to use Magical Express, a little nervous about how long it will take to get to our resort. I believe we have to get our luggage ourselves because of the late arrival.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We are planning to use Magical Express, a little nervous about how long it will take to get to our resort. I believe we have to get our luggage ourselves because of the late arrival.

Yes you will need to get them.

 

[buzznina]

We regularly arrive around 1-2AM and never notified WDW, but we drive and do not use DME. Yes you are in charge of your own bags anytime after 10PM.

 

[LizGirl]

Are you on an international flight? If you are in the US, you can do online check in and will receive a room ready text. That would give me comfort and I wouldn't feel the need to call. If you are international, I'd call to note the late arrival just to be on the safe side.

 

[AngiTN]

We've arrived late before and as others said, Disney knows your arrival time so there's no worries.

We are planning to use Magical Express, a little nervous about how long it will take to get to our resort. I believe we have to get our luggage ourselves because of the late arrival.

Should still take approx 90 min.
We take Ride Share just because by this time, we are worn out and just want to get there with no (or very minimal) waiting. Using Ride Share puts me in control, rather than the bus

 

[kiford]

Yes, you have to pick up your own bags but there's very few flights coming in at that time so they come through pretty quickly. While we've always liked having our bags picked up for us and arriving in the early afternoon, the evening flights have worked out for us. Yes, we get to our room really late (really early?), but we sleep in the next day and get a full day in. If we come in the afternoon, I have to take an extra day off work and still only get a partial day in the parks. It was also really cool the one time arriving at WL with a totally empty lobby - got some really good photos then with nobody in them.

It depends on how many people are already on the bus when you arrive that late. One time we were basically the last people to get on and left immediately, other times we've had to wait 30 minutes or so before it leaves. I just nod off as soon as I get on and wake up at the hotel. The good thing is that you don't have to stand and wait. There's a bus waiting and it just takes whoever arrives and then goes to all of the relevant resorts. Last time the bus driver told us (take that for what it's worth) that he's supposed to wait for 45 minutes or until the bus is full, whichever comes first and then head out. Traffic is pretty light at that time so it's not likely to be more than 90 minutes which is pretty much the same as during the day. If you arrive on time, you'll be in your room probably by 2:30-3:00 am at the latest.

 

[disneyfamiof4]

Thank you all. We are not flying international. I’m considering ride share, we have 2 kids so they will probably be exhausted, but at 10 and 13 they’ll likely be better off than my husband and I We chose the late flight over the early flight the next morning because either way we will be wiped out, but I’m thinking getting to our room at 3am sleeping in and going to the parks is going to turn out much better that arriving at the airport at 3am landing in mco at 7 am and trying to fit in a half day.

 

[buzznina]

Yes, you have to pick up your own bags but there's very few flights coming in at that time so they come through pretty quickly. While we've always liked having our bags picked up for us and arriving in the early afternoon, the evening flights have worked out for us. Yes, we get to our room really late (really early?), but we sleep in the next day and get a full day in. If we come in the afternoon, I have to take an extra day off work and still only get a partial day in the parks. It was also really cool the one time arriving at WL with a totally empty lobby - got some really good photos then with nobody in them.

It depends on how many people are already on the bus when you arrive that late. One time we were basically the last people to get on and left immediately, other times we've had to wait 30 minutes or so before it leaves. I just nod off as soon as I get on and wake up at the hotel. The good thing is that you don't have to stand and wait. There's a bus waiting and it just takes whoever arrives and then goes to all of the relevant resorts. Last time the bus driver told us (take that for what it's worth) that he's supposed to wait for 45 minutes or until the bus is full, whichever comes first and then head out. Traffic is pretty light at that time so it's not likely to be more than 90 minutes which is pretty much the same as during the day. If you arrive on time, you'll be in your room probably by 2:30-3:00 am at the latest.

Could not agree more I also do not like using my vacation time just to do the 7 hour drive, so I will work my lunch so I can get off 1 hour early and rush home to load up the van and head out. I noticed that the CM at that late night always seem to be more happier than the CMs during the busy parts of the day, joking with us, giving our DDs stickers etc.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We arrived around 1 am on our last trip. We had carry-ons only and used a private car service, so didn't have to deal with a luggage carousel or DME. It was really efficient. I have also taken DME after a late flight and it did take quite some time to get to my resort. If a ride-share or private car service are within your budget, I would definitely consider it. Also, consider using online check-in as you may get a text that your room is ready and you can then go straight to your room when you arrive. If you don't get the text, you can also check the MDE app on your phone to see your room assignment. On our last trip, we got a text that our room wasn't ready yet and they never texted an update. Lo and behold, the room number was in MDE.

 

[Anthony1971]

Use online check in but either way there are no issues... We got to the resort around 4:30 last trip --a lot of plane delays-- walked in the resort and to our room.... Magic express was fine but as other have said pick up your own bags only... do not recall what time we landed and truly do not want to remember getting in that late unplanned was not ideal.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Disney doesn't turn over to the next day until about 6AM in the morning. So if you arrive around 1 or 2AM, you are still arriving for the day before. 2AM on Tuesday is still Monday.

 

[kandb]

I would stay at the hyatt regency? that is right in the airport and then get on the magical express in the morning. Win-win

 

[bumbershoot]

... you can do online check in and will receive a room ready text.

You might get a room ready text. It’s not guaranteed. I’ve gotten only one, and I’ve had many checking with this incarnation of online checkin. And that one was for the *second* checkin I had during a two-resort stay

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

We are planning to use Magical Express, a little nervous about how long it will take to get to our resort. I believe we have to get our luggage ourselves because of the late arrival.

You will have to pick up your luggage for arrivals after 10pm.

And just a heads up. We often land after midnight. A few times we have sat on the ME bus waiting for it to fill. Often 30-45 minutes which at that time of day and after a day’s travel is super frustrating.
One time a few passengers actually left the bus and asked the ME driver to get things moving. There were a LOT of cranky kids (and parents) on that one.

 

[AngiTN]

You will have to pick up your luggage for arrivals after 10pm.

And just a heads up. We often land after midnight. A few times we have sat on the ME bus waiting for it to fill. Often 30-45 minutes which at that time of day and after a day’s travel is super frustrating.
One time a few passengers actually left the bus and asked the ME driver to get things moving. There were a LOT of cranky kids (and parents) on that one.

FYI , That's policy no matter what time of day. If you are on at the start of the time, yeah, it's a long wait. If you are at the end of the window it's short.
While night can be fewer people we rarely have full buses no matter what time we land. It's almost always the time limit that gets us going, not full bus.
This is also why I often opt for Ride Share. It is frustrating to have no idea going in if you are getting on at minute 1 or minute 30