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

[DLgal]

Intersting new policies. I just called to book the DLH for a quick friends trip at the end of April. I was told that check in is now "after 4pm" and that room keys will only work to access the pool and gym until 6pm on checkout day. I asked "are these new policies" and she said "yes, it looks like they recently changed these two times." So, just know going forward.

This was a standard hotel reservation, not DVC, because I know someone will chime in with that.

 

[ADisneyFamilyof5]

I just checked in this moring and they said we had access to the pool "all day on checkout" and parking until midnight on checkout. She also didn't say anything about "after 4 pm" for check in. My kiddos have been going since 6 am, so hopefully it's not to long after 4!

 

[DLgal]

I just checked in this moring and they said we had access to the pool "all day on checkout" and parking until midnight on checkout. She also didn't say anything about "after 4 pm" for check in. My kiddos have been going since 6 am, so hopefully it's not to long after 4!

This reservation is for end of April. Maybe by then these policies will be in place.

 

[bwvBound]

I'm kinda glad to see the "4p check-in" put into place. I've often felt put-off by the long line of both cars and people streaming in for morning check-in as we are struggling to haul stuff out to our car for a timely check-out. It just seems "rude" to jam the resources for such early arrival.

 

[DLgal]

I'm kinda glad to see the "4p check-in" put into place. I've often felt put-off by the long line of both cars and people streaming in for morning check-in as we are struggling to haul stuff out to our car for a timely check-out. It just seems "rude" to jam the resources for such early arrival.

Huh?

All this means is that is the time you can expect to have your room ready. You can still check in anytime. We typically do so around 9am and hit the parks until our room is ready. What resources do you need at check out time?

 

[bwvBound]

What resources do you need at check out time?

In general: Access to walking paths, sidewalks, crosswalks (etc) between our room and the self-parking lot across the street. Additionally, we might need a visit to the front desk to verify charges.

Specifically: We needed to visit the front desk on check-out on Sunday, 3/13, and the line of people was crazy long. I was shocked to learn these were largely inbound folks checking in rather than out. Crazy.

While hauling our stuff to the car across the street, we had to weave around cars stopped across the pedestrian access. These drivers were trying to game the traffic lights and got caught in the intersection with no where to advance. Quite frustrating -- especially given the construction scrims that are also blocking the normal walking paths to self-parking.

 

[DLgal]

In general: Access to walking paths, sidewalks, crosswalks (etc) between our room and the self-parking lot across the street. Additionally, we might need a visit to the front desk to verify charges.

Specifically: We needed to visit the front desk on check-out on Sunday, 3/13, and the line of people was crazy long. I was shocked to learn these were largely inbound folks checking in rather than out. Crazy.

While hauling our stuff to the car across the street, we had to weave around cars stopped across the pedestrian access. These drivers were trying to game the traffic lights and got caught in the intersection with no where to advance. Quite frustrating -- especially given the construction scrims that are also blocking the normal walking paths to self-parking.

Okay. I guess. I've never had this experience staying at the GCH. We simply send my husband to go grab the car and he drives it up to the port cochere and we load it and go. Most people don't need to visit the front desk at checkout. It's automatic. I wish I could skip the front desk for check in as well, but they haven't yet set up a fully online check in. That's not my fault, and people can't help what time they arrive for the most part. If they didn't allow people to actually check in until a specific time, the line would be INSANE. There are some hotels like this (Great Wolf Lodge comes to mind). They won't let you even ARRIVE before 1pm and then when you get there, everyone else is there at the same time and the line takes like an hour to get through.

For the record, the reason cited by the cast member on the phone for the time change from 3 to 4 was due to housekeeping shortages and that they need more time to turn over rooms and have them ready. It has nothing to do with front desk issues.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm kinda glad to see the "4p check-in" put into place. I've often felt put-off by the long line of both cars and people streaming in for morning check-in as we are struggling to haul stuff out to our car for a timely check-out. It just seems "rude" to jam the resources for such early arrival.

Yeah… this will make 0 difference to that. This is just the time you can expect your room to be ready.

 

[PirateBrigade]

I'm kinda glad to see the "4p check-in" put into place. I've often felt put-off by the long line of both cars and people streaming in for morning check-in as we are struggling to haul stuff out to our car for a timely check-out. It just seems "rude" to jam the resources for such early arrival.

Yup I’m 100% still showing up in the morning to check-in/check bags. This isn’t rudeness, this is established strategy!

 

[DLgal]

Yup I’m 100% still showing up in the morning to check-in/check bags. This isn’t rudeness, this is established strategy!

 

[DizMe]

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

 

[CeCe0906]

Our plane arrives at SNA around 10 am. Plan to have our swim gear in an outside pocket of my suitcase, let them know we are here, drop our bags at bell services, and chill in our cabana, eat lunch, and swim until our room is ready.
Letting people use the amenities day of check in is pretty standard at most resorts. Some of them even take your bags to room for you, when ready.

 

[Pluto468]

Thanks for the update! We're going in May and I thought check-in was still at 3:00. When we went in at 2019 we checked in around 8am but our room wasn't even ready until close to 4:00 anyway. This time we'll drop our luggage around 1:00, then head to the parks until the room's ready.

 

[Disney0010]

Agree and we will as well. I have never witnessed or had any issues myself.

Yup I’m 100% still showing up in the morning to check-in/check bags. This isn’t rudeness, this is established strategy!

 

[kristensideaoffun]

I'm kinda glad to see the "4p check-in" put into place. I've often felt put-off by the long line of both cars and people streaming in for morning check-in as we are struggling to haul stuff out to our car for a timely check-out. It just seems "rude" to jam the resources for such early arrival.

So if my flight arrives at 10am, is your expectation that I wait at the airport to call a Lyft until 3:30 so I don’t arrive at the hotel until 4? Or call them when I arrive and then visit somewhere else all while dragging my luggage around? The check-in time indicates what time you can expect your room to be ready, but people check-in to hotels whenever they arrive. This is what 90% of hotels allow you to do wherever you visit. I’m sorry you were inconvenienced by this, but people arriving at the hotel before check-in time is something you should expect when you travel.

 

[CO2CA]

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.

 

[DLgal]

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.

It used to be midnight...

This is a downgrade, honestly.

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

 

[CO2CA]

It used to be midnight...

This is a downgrade, honestly.

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

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

 

[ParkHopper1]

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

 

[Malcon10t]

In general: Access to walking paths, sidewalks, crosswalks (etc) between our room and the self-parking lot across the street. Additionally, we might need a visit to the front desk to verify charges.

I have never experienced what you have described. That said, I am frequently checking in about 9pm, but on check out day, I usually call a bellman, who takes all the bags to the front drive, then either valet brings the car around, or my daughter goes and gets the car. You do realize a large number of people sharing the crosswalk with you are actually heading to the park?

If all this is such a problem for you, might I suggest using bell services and valet services? This will fix the majority of all your problems.