Checking in after midnight??

[Sammy]

It looks like we will be flying into Orlando very late on Thanksgiving night....arriving at 11:40 pm. We'd probably get to the resort around 1:00 AM or so. We'll either be staying at the Dolphin or POR. What has been your experience checking in that late (?early) as far as getting your room requests. Am I resigned to getting whatever is "left-over" for rooms?

Sammy

 

[Susiesnowflake]

Sammy,
On our trip to the Poly last November, we didn't arrive until close to midnight. Our late arrival was noted on our reservation, and I also noted it in our fax. I didn't want them to think we weren't coming and give our room away! We got the longhouse that we requested but not the floor. They were quite willing to move us the following day, but we were happy with our room.

One plus of arriving late is that you won't have any lines to deal with when checking in. Our check in was very informal and relaxed.

Have fun on your trip! Hope you get the room requested!

Susie

 

[ducklite]

We've checked in late several times. Once at 2:00am!

Once we got everything we had requested, once we got some of the things we had requested, and once we got what had to be the worst room in the house.

I think a lot of it has to do with how full the hotel is during your stay, and how many others have had the same requests as you.

The time we got the really bad room it was peak summer season, and the hotel was sold out. (It was the BC)

Anne

 

[safetymom]

Also keep in mind that sometimes the hotel has to "walk" people if the hotel is really full.

You should have it noted in your reservation that you will be arriving late. That should help.

I have arrived late several times and decided to stay offsite cheaply until early that next day. I don't like paying for most of a day if I am not there to enjoy the resort.

We get up early for the parks, check into the new resort and all the times the room has been ready with all of our requests granted.

 

[Lewisc]

At that hour you might just get an airport hotel on PL and save the money. Checking in that late you really won't be using the resort.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

We've checked in after midnight twice, didn't get anything we asked for either time. Both experiences were at ASMu.

 

[Sammy]

Hmmmm....that's not a bad idea about checking in somwhere offsite for the first night. We weren't going to rent a car, but I bet we could just get one for one day to drive from the airport to the offsite hotel, then from there to onsite.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by Sammy
Hmmmm....that's not a bad idea about checking in somwhere offsite for the first night. We weren't going to rent a car, but I bet we could just get one for one day to drive from the airport to the offsite hotel, then from there to onsite.

Stay at an airport hotel, take the complimentary hotel shuttle and then have your town car service pick you up at your hotel. At the hour your getting in you probably won't do much more than sleep.

 

[LadyLt]

Originally posted by Sammy
It looks like we will be flying into Orlando very late on Thanksgiving night....arriving at 11:40 pm. We'd probably get to the resort around 1:00 AM or so. We'll either be staying at the Dolphin or POR. What has been your experience checking in that late (?early) as far as getting your room requests. Am I resigned to getting whatever is "left-over" for rooms?

Sammy

With you flying in on Thanksgiving Day, there is a very good chance that the resorts will be sold out. So the chances of you getting very specific requests after midnight are slim. If you and another guest requested the very same things and they arrive first, they will probably get the requests. So a lot of it depends on what you requests are. Remember that starting on Wednesday of that week, most resorts will be full every night.

You might have more luck checking in early on a Friday morning, if someone checks out of a room that meets your specific requests. Remember, requests are only that. They are never guaranteed and they will not hold a room empty for someone arriving later when a resort is full and other guests have the same requests.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Our plan is to stay off site the first night at an airport hotel, namely Embassy Suites. We're getting one room for the five of us and they have a complimentary shuttle. Just make sure that if you stay at an airport hotel that they can accomodate late pick ups. I've noticed that some of the hotels that offer shuttle service stop running at a certain time and can't accomodate early/late pick ups.

 

[Ziggie]

We've checked in at midnight and later countless times ~ it's never been a problem. Just make sure your reservation states "late arrival" and you'll be fine

 

[MLAinVA]

we checked in at about 1;30 AM our last trip earlier this month. We got about half of our requests. But the great thing was there was no check in line; also no bellpersons <

 

[CalGal]

Originally posted by Sammy
Hmmmm....that's not a bad idea about checking in somwhere offsite for the first night. We weren't going to rent a car, but I bet we could just get one for one day to drive from the airport to the offsite hotel, then from there to onsite.

Renting a car for one day and staying off-site is what I would do. National and some of the others don't charge you any extra for dropping off at WDW. National has a site at the Dolphin and the Car Care Center. A one-way rental is about the same as the limo (no tipping) and you have the car the next day to pick up groceries, etc.

 

[Sammy]

Thanks, CalGal.....I looked into a one-day rental and the price is about the same as for a towncar. Thanks for the info about National being right at the Dolphin...certainly makes it easy to drop off as we'll probably be staying there anyway.



Sammy