Checking in and room "selection"

[SoonipiLady]

Our flight is scheduled to arrive in Orlando at 4:40pm. By the time we get our rental car, stop at the grocery store, eat dinner, etc we probably won't get to our resort until 7:30. (POFQ). We are wondering whether we should book an earlier flight. I can switch it to arrive at 9:00 am or 1:35pm. It's more $$$$,( about $160.00 total for the whole family).

What is your experience on checking in late, and what are your suggestions? Thanks!

 

[CleveRocks]

Especially at POFQ, there's NO WAY I'd pay more money to arrive earlier solely for the reason of room selection.

POFQ is a pleasantly compact resort. Nothing is far from anything. You can't fully appreciate this until you see it in-person.

But in case you've never seen a map, check this out: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/portorleans.jpg

Before my first time at POFQ, I was very much like you, very determined to do everything I could to plan for the best possible room location. Knowing that the easier the request is the more likely it will be granted, my only request on the reservation said something like "close to food court and bus." That's all I really wanted ... I wanted to have a conveniently-located room to minimize the walking, especially for our 6 and 4 year olds.

We booked a late flight, and didn't arrive until about 11:00 p.m. Near the end of the check-in process, I was disappointed to see the CM's markings on the map to show me where my room was. It was at the far end of Building 2, which, when you look at the map, looks pretty far from everything. I was disappointed but didn't ask if there was anything else, since I figured if it was really bad we could make a change in the morning after some people check out.

It was 11:15 p.m., I had 2 exhausted kids and an exhausted wife, and I resigned myself to a long trudge to the room in the dark.

I was very pleasantly surprised. From the front desk, the room was, and I timed it, a 2 minute walk. And that includes the elevator ride to the 3rd floor. I LOVED our location, even though it looks out of the way. It's because the resort is just so darn small!

Later in the trip, I timed the farthest walk I could figure, from the far corner of Building 1 (at the top and right of the map) to the food court: 3 minutes 20 seconds. The longest walk is 3 minutes 20 seconds, for the most "inconvenient" room. Outstanding!!!

I went to all this trouble to try to help you realize that it's truly not worth stressing over room location at POFQ, because there's just no such thing as an inconvenient room.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

When we arrived at 730pm I didn't like our room selection, but they were able to move us in the morning. So if you don't like it, talk to someone there and there is a good chance they can move you the next day. We left our luggage and went to the park, came back, got the new room number, and everything was there waiting for us. Nice and easy!

 

[septbaby]

By the time we get our rental car!

Why are you getting a car? You could use ME for free. You could also have groceries delivered to the room for a fee that is less than renting a car and filling it with gas. If you want to eat off site there are options at the airport and you'd still be at the resort before 7:30.

If you are free that day I would certainly arrive earlier. That would be like getting an extra day at Disney. If you skipped the car do you save the $160? Arriving at 1:35 you'd check in right around 3pm and could do a pool dip before dinner. Getting in at 9am you probably wouldn't get a room right away, but you'd have your full package (park tickets, mini golf voucher, Planet Hollywood voucher, etc.) and could take advantage of those before check in.

 

[SoonipiLady]

Why are you getting a car? You could use ME for free. You could also have groceries delivered to the room for a fee that is less than renting a car and filling it with gas. If you want to eat off site there are options at the airport and you'd still be at the resort before 7:30.

If you are free that day I would certainly arrive earlier. That would be like getting an extra day at Disney. If you skipped the car do you save the $160? Arriving at 1:35 you'd check in right around 3pm and could do a pool dip before dinner. Getting in at 9am you probably wouldn't get a room right away, but you'd have your full package (park tickets, mini golf voucher, Planet Hollywood voucher, etc.) and could take advantage of those before check in.

but we eat off site a bit during our stay to save some cash, (we cash in our rewards miles to for gift cards.) Some are for restaurants in DTD, but not all are. Plus my best friend lives in the Orlando area, so we often take an evening out and like to have our own car. I did manage to get the car for 149.00 for the entire week including the taxes and fees with a code on Mousesavers, so it just seemed to make sense to have the flexibility of our own car. I hadn't thought of the fact that we'd have our mini golf vouchers and the rest of the package. I had thought of the fact that we'd have an extra day at the parks, but DH is dead set against going to one of the parks on the day we arrive! He likes Disney and all, but he just doesn't understand my obsession with being in the parks all 6 days we are there!!!!

Well, I have a $30.00 credit with Southwest, which is the airline we have booked, so I think that I may just switch. Thanks for your input.

 

[SoonipiLady]

Especially at POFQ, there's NO WAY I'd pay more money to arrive earlier solely for the reason of room selection.

POFQ is a pleasantly compact resort. Nothing is far from anything. You can't fully appreciate this until you see it in-person.

But in case you've never seen a map, check this out: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/portorleans.jpg

Before my first time at POFQ, I was very much like you, very determined to do everything I could to plan for the best possible room location. Knowing that the easier the request is the more likely it will be granted, my only request on the reservation said something like "close to food court and bus." That's all I really wanted ... I wanted to have a conveniently-located room to minimize the walking, especially for our 6 and 4 year olds.

We booked a late flight, and didn't arrive until about 11:00 p.m. Near the end of the check-in process, I was disappointed to see the CM's markings on the map to show me where my room was. It was at the far end of Building 2, which, when you look at the map, looks pretty far from everything. I was disappointed but didn't ask if there was anything else, since I figured if it was really bad we could make a change in the morning after some people check out.

It was 11:15 p.m., I had 2 exhausted kids and an exhausted wife, and I resigned myself to a long trudge to the room in the dark.

I was very pleasantly surprised. From the front desk, the room was, and I timed it, a 2 minute walk. And that includes the elevator ride to the 3rd floor. I LOVED our location, even though it looks out of the way. It's because the resort is just so darn small!

Later in the trip, I timed the farthest walk I could figure, from the far corner of Building 1 (at the top and right of the map) to the food court: 3 minutes 20 seconds. The longest walk is 3 minutes 20 seconds, for the most "inconvenient" room. Outstanding!!!

I went to all this trouble to try to help you realize that it's truly not worth stressing over room location at POFQ, because there's just no such thing as an inconvenient room.

The only other resort on site I've stayed at is CBR, which is well to use my 11 year old's terms, Ginourmous! I just want to be sure that we get our waterview, and that we're not in the hinterlands! It sounds as if there are no hinterlands if we have paid for a waterview, I'm sure we'll get one. That was the other issue with CBR. We checked in really late, and none of our requests were honored. Our party (four rooms) were in 4 different buildings, and my sister, who had a 6 year old, was given a King room (where exactly was the kid supposed to sleep? The excuse was, you get either a waterview or a King bed when you request a preferred room

I do have a credit with Southwest for $30.00 that I won't be able to use before it expires, so if I can convince myself to get up in time to get the early flight out of Manchester, it would only be an extra $50.00 and that might be worth not arriving at dinner time. But I don't think I'll spend the extra on the midday flight!

 

[bookgirl2632]

Since we've only ever arrived early, I don't know how much of a difference it makes. All I know is that we've always gotten corner rooms with a decent view. We always stay standard, not wanting to pay extra for a view we won't really look at. But last time, we had a beautiful view of a courtyard at POR. We always arrive and check in by 11am or so. But like I said, I don't know if that makes any difference.

 

[magicaldisney]

Especially at POFQ, there's NO WAY I'd pay more money to arrive earlier solely for the reason of room selection.

POFQ is a pleasantly compact resort.

DITTO

 

[BamaFan121s]

If you would be willing to take your chances on them moving you to a room you prefer the following day, then I wouldn't worry about it.
As for myself, I don't like to take the chance. If your requests are that important to you (and I'm assuming they are or you wouldn't have made them in the first place) then I would definately try to arrive earlier. The earlier that you get there, the greater chance that they will be able to accomodate your requests. That has been my experience in that past.

 

[vanyel]

Have you considered staying off-site when you get there and checking in the next morning? I've done that before when I take an later flight. And, I also rent a car - call it a control problem

I do prefer coming in early but if money's an issue, I probably wouldn't worry too much about it. Checking in early doesn't guarantee you the room you want.

 

[SoonipiLady]

I found a 6:30 am flight that gets into MCO at 9:30am and was only 46.00 more for all 4 of us, using the 30.00 credit I had with the airline. I think that it is worth 11.00 per person to have the peace of mind of being at the resort early in the day and having a relazing evening at the resort and having the option of a sit down dinner. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

 

[septbaby]

Congrats! Have a Magical stay.