Check in at DLR resort hotels is now after 4pm and amenities only available until 6pm on departure day...

[Malcon10t]

It used to be midnight...

This is a downgrade, honestly.

Although the pools being crowded is a problem during the summer months.

I'm curious how they are going to enforce this. You are in the pool after 530, keys don't have dates printed on them any longer, and they going to make everyone get out of the pool at 6 and show the key still works?

 

[gottalovepluto]

What?! They let people stay until 6pm to use the gym and pool on check-out day? That is very generous...I'm actually shocked they allow that since it would seem the pool would be overly crowded with current guests and past guests. I would never have guessed.

Eh. Very few people take advantage on check out day. (Disney World allows hotel amenity access until midnight so 6pm isn’t super generous as far as Disney corporate goes.)

Locking out of amenities seems like a waste of IT time to me. Odds are pretty big if you’ve checked out and are still chilling at the pool after 6pm someone from your party can let you in. As far as club level they lose club access at 11am and have for years at Disneyland so that’s not it (Disney World allows CL access until 10pm on check out day). This seems just so pointless.

I get the 4pm check in. In our 2018-19 trips we definitely had a couple times where the room wasn’t ready until like 4pm. I think it’s a policy they should have changed a while back.

ETA: oh! Well now I wanna know if CL access has been extended until 6pm

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm curious how they are going to enforce this. You are in the pool after 530, keys don't have dates printed on them any longer, and they going to make everyone get out of the pool at 6 and show the key still works?

Ok. Now all I want to know is what triggered this policy change? Like did someone throw a rave at the pool after check-out?

 

[DLgal]

That is crazy! The way I see it check-out day is a freebie and wasn't paid for, so anything past check-out seems generous.

We noticed the pool was fairly crowded last weekend, at least in regards to the pool chairs. I was so glad we did the cabana because I'm not sure if we could have found 4 chairs, never mind finding them near each other. Now I wonder how many people were actually current guests lol

I don't know. Even Great Wolf Lodge gives you waterpark access until closing time on checkout day.

 

[DLgal]

Are the pools typically that busy at 6pm and later that they really need to claw back this long standing perk?

Maybe? I mean, SOMETHING had to trigger it. I don't know how they will realistically enforce it. The pools don't stay open that late anyway, certainly not until midnight. They close around 8 or 9 pm most nights.

 

[PirateBrigade]

I think the main/enforceable concern is parking (unless I misread something). I’ve, at times, checked out, loaded the car in self-park, and headed back to the parks for the day. I can plan around 6pm, but that’s a bit of a bummer because that probably means starting to leave park proper around 5pm to account for delays.

Or will they just start charging hourly at 6?

Incentive for me to leave at 6pm and spend my dinner $$ elsewhere!

ETA: I realize DLGal’s call only mentioned on-site amenities, I just extended that to parking.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Ok. Now all I want to know is what triggered this policy change? Like did someone throw a rave at the pool after check-out?

Yes! How strange! We love to use the pool on checkout day. We also eat poolside and order drinks so we’re not just freeloading. I don’t think a lot of people actually know you can use the pool on checkout day. Seems odd that they would suddenly change the rule.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I think the main/enforceable concern is parking (unless I misread something). I’ve, at times, checked out, loaded the car in self-park, and headed back to the parks for the day. I can plan around 6pm, but that’s a bit of a bummer because that probably means starting to leave park proper around 5pm to account for delays.

Or will they just start charging hourly at 6?

Incentive for me to leave at 6pm and spend my dinner $$ elsewhere!

ETA: I realize DLGal’s call only mentioned on-site amenities, I just extended that to parking.

It better not be parking! That would be a huge bummer. We have gone to DTD for dinner after swimming on checkout day.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

I'm curious how they are going to enforce this. You are in the pool after 530, keys don't have dates printed on them any longer, and they going to make everyone get out of the pool at 6 and show the key still works?

With the concierge lounge, I’ve always been told if you’re in when check out time passes, they won’t kick you out. But once you leave, you can’t come back. Maybe it will be the same for the pool…

Yes! How strange! We love to use the pool on checkout day. We also eat poolside and order drinks so we’re not just freeloading. I don’t think a lot of people actually know you can use the pool on checkout day. Seems odd that they would suddenly change the rule.

It feels like making rules to have rules. The pools aren’t that busy after 6pm. If it’s a staffing issue, they’d cut off access to the pool at checkout. We were at the pool on Sunday and it was PACKED from 12-4:30/5. No open chairs and tons of people sitting on towels on the ground. I was very happy to have a cabana.

 

[DLgal]

It better not be parking! That would be a huge bummer. We have gone to DTD for dinner after swimming on checkout day.

Yeah, that would stink. I mean, I'd just move my car to the parking garage in the morning but I'd not necessary want to have all my bags in there all day.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Yeah, that would stink. I mean, I'd just move my car to the parking garage in the morning but I'd not necessary want to have all my bags in there all day.

Same but it’s also a waste of time! Hopefully that’s not the case. Don’t they want people in the parks spending money?

 

[gottalovepluto]

It better not be parking! That would be a huge bummer. We have gone to DTD for dinner after swimming on checkout day.

I get it now!

Soon, Disney will debut the Park Your Car Service. For $40 you drop your car at valet in the morning and the valet team will move your car from your Disney Hotel to Mickey and Friends while you play in the parks or party at the pool* For only $10 more they’ll leave it the Preferred Parking area!

*please note guests cannot party at the pool after 6pm

 

[Astylla]

I actually learned something new today and had no idea the eprks lasted until midnight previously. Now I regret not taking advantage more during my previous DLH and GCH stays.

Now my opinion is probably controversial but I feel that 6pm on checkout day is more than reasonable , but am not defending any company including Disney of cutting back on things , I just can't imagine that 95% or more actually knew anyway as it isn't really advertised.

 

[PaladinButters]

I fly in. I'm not going to waste an entire day of my trip waiting until 4PM to show up.

Your whole day and most of your $100+ park ticket while we're all wandering around waiting anywhere but the hotel.

 

[DLgal]

So, I haven't yet made the deposit on this reservation so once I do, I'll be interested to see what it says about check in time.

I have another reservation for GCH in July and that confirmation still says 3pm check in, but it ALSO says "all of the above information is subject to change at any time."

I guess we will find out soon enough if this is a real change or if that CM was wrong. However, she seemed on top of things. She was very efficient and got my reservation automatically linked to my Disneyland account and let me know I could pay the deposit online now (didn't used to be the case with the military discount bookings). I had to manually link my July reservation which I made a couple weeks ago. At that time, I had to give my credit card over the phone to book, and the guy I spoke to never even mentioned check in time or how long we could use the amenities on check out day.

Also, I just found out the Paradise Pier hotel pool is under construction and they are allowing those guests to use DLH pool until May 7, so *maybe* the 6pm thing is a temporary situation just at DLH while this pool sharing is happening?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Also, I just found out the Paradise Pier hotel pool is under construction and they are allowing those guests to use DLH pool until May 7, so *maybe* the 6pm thing is a temporary situation just at DLH while this pool sharing is happening?

I feel like if it was a pool capacity issue they would cut off access at check-out to prevent over crowding during primary pool time- the afternoon. 6pm and later is not prime pool time anytime of year.

 

[blabbermouth]

I actually had assumed check in time was 4 anyway, I think that's a pretty common check in time!

 

[DLgal]

I actually had assumed check in time was 4 anyway, I think that's a pretty common check in time!

It is a common time. But Disney has always been 3pm, 4pm for DVC villas.

 

[blabbermouth]

It is a common time. But Disney has always been 3pm, 4pm for DVC villas.

I actually was curious since I didn't read the fine print on my reservation when I got the email, but I booked GCH back in January for a trip in May and it says 4pm check in, so maybe it changed for 2022.

 

[DLgal]

I actually was curious since I didn't read the fine print on my reservation when I got the email, but I booked GCH back in January for a trip in May and it says 4pm check in, so maybe it changed for 2022.

LOL. My July reservation for the Grand says this:

RESORT CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT
Check-in time is after 3 p.m. and check-out time is before 11 a.m. During peak periods, check-in may be delayed.

That's a new one..."during peak periods, check in may be delayed."