Checking in at 2:30 am to a Cabin without a car

[coronationday]

Hi, I'm doing a short trip (2 nights) to WDW in early september where I will be staying at Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins for the first time. I will be arriving through Mears at 2:30 am and I was wondering how I would get to my cabin at that hour. I won't be renting a golf cart, so does anybody know if there is a CM that can take me to my cabin at that hour?

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[Teamubr]

The Outpost check in is staffed 24/7 so they can arrange something. Do you have a reservation for that night? The reservation system doesn't update until 6am for that day. If your checkin day isn't the day before, you may have to wait or be charged the extra night.

j

 

[Narcoossee11]

C/i will have been at 3:00pm (almost 12 hours earlier ).
You will be already c/i so cabin number will be assigned. You should have gotten a text with info.
Just tab your phone/magic band at gate . Get mears to take you to your cabin if you're in a van or taxi.

 

[coronationday]

The Outpost check in is staffed 24/7 so they can arrange something. Do you have a reservation for that night? The reservation system doesn't update until 6am for that day. If your checkin day isn't the day before, you may have to wait or be charged the extra night.

j

I'm paying for the night before so I can have a place to sleep when I arrive. Should I call the hotel before hand to let them know of my plans?

 

[coronationday]

C/i will have been at 3:00pm (almost 12 hours earlier ).
You will be already c/i so cabin number will be assigned. You should have gotten a text with info.
Just tab your phone/magic band at gate . Get mears to take you to your cabin if you're in a van or taxi.

That's a good idea but I reserved the normal mears shuttle and I don't know if they can do that. I think it will be too expensive to pay for private van or taxi just for me.

 

[bama_ed]

I'm paying for the night before so I can have a place to sleep when I arrive. Should I call the hotel before hand to let them know of my plans?

You can use the "Start Checkin" option in My Disney Experience where it lists your reservation in the "My Plans" section. There is a place to list your estimated arrival time.

That way they will not be surprised when you walk into the lobby in the early AM and should have a ride for you to your cabin. (that is after the bus service time).

Sleep in once you get into your cabin and then wake up and enjoy the Fort. If you didn't know, the cabins are being replaced with a DVC (similar-but-new) cabin option for 2024 so you won't have the opportunity to do this visit again. The cabins you're going to stay in will be gone.

Good luck with your plans.

Bama Ed

 

[coronationday]

You can use the "Start Checkin" option in My Disney Experience where it lists your reservation in the "My Plans" section. There is a place to list your estimated arrival time.

That way they will not be surprised when you walk into the lobby in the early AM and should have a ride for you to your cabin. (that is after the bus service time).

Sleep in once you get into your cabin and then wake up and enjoy the Fort. If you didn't know, the cabins are being replaced with a DVC (similar-but-new) cabin option for 2024 so you won't have the opportunity to do this visit again. The cabins you're going to stay in will be gone.

Good luck with your plans.

Bama Ed

Thank you for the information and advice! I have dream of staying at the fort and in the cabins for a long time, it was the news of the DVC change that made me accelerate my plans so I could experience the cabins before they are gone.

 

[mum2four]

A few years ago we arrived at FW via ME around 1am. We took a wonderful moonlit stroll to our cabin, passing several deer and armadillos. We pack light, so it was fine, but that may not work for everyone. My kids are a little bummed that we aren’t arriving in the middle of the night again this year.

 

[coronationday]

A few years ago we arrived at FW via ME around 1am. We took a wonderful moonlit stroll to our cabin, passing several deer and armadillos. We pack light, so it was fine, but that may not work for everyone. My kids are a little bummed that we aren’t arriving in the middle of the night again this year.

That sounds lovely. I thought of walking but as it's my first time I don't know where everything is located and in the dead of night I could get lost very easily.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Either a front desk cm or bell service will get you to your cabin.
It is VERY quiet at that time if night.
Alert FD when you do your c/i online of late arrival time and that you need help getting to your cabin.

 

[Mle8308]

I'm paying for the night before so I can have a place to sleep when I arrive. Should I call the hotel before hand to let them know of my plans?

Yes, have them make a note on your reservation.

 

[coronationday]

Either a front desk cm or bell service will get you to your cabin.
It is VERY quiet at that time if night.
Alert FD when you do your c/i online of late arrival time and that you need help getting to your cabin.

Thank you for the advice!

 

[bluezy]

Yes, have them make a note on your reservation.

Definitely have it noted on your reservation. I believe they have changed the "arrival time" options in the online check-in process. I think you can now list a specific 1-hour window for arrival times before 3:00 p.m. but if you're arriving after 3:00 you can only choose "after 3:00" (when the change first happened it was only "before 3:00" or "after 3:00" but there are now 1-hour windows to choose for the "before 3:00" option). At least that's what I've been reading over the last several weeks. I don't have a current reservation to be able to check that. The recommendation is to indicate your arrival time window during online check-in (which can be done weeks in advance) but also have your specific arrival time added as a note on the reservation.

 

[Mle8308]

Definitely have it noted on your reservation. I believe they have changed the "arrival time" options in the online check-in process. I think you can now list a specific 1-hour window for arrival times before 3:00 p.m. but if you're arriving after 3:00 you can only choose "after 3:00" (when the change first happened it was only "before 3:00" or "after 3:00" but there are now 1-hour windows to choose for the "before 3:00" option). At least that's what I've been reading over the last several weeks. I don't have a current reservation to be able to check that. The recommendation is to indicate your arrival time window during online check-in (which can be done weeks in advance) but also have your specific arrival time added as a note on the reservation.

You are correct! You can no longer select a wait time if it is before 3pm, all you can choose is "before 3pm", and then I think you can be a little more specific after that. I don't remember exactly. I did the online check in about 10 days ago and I noticed that change. If you call the reservation number or do an online chat, you can let them know the specific time and that it will be a very late arrival.