Checking in just after midnight

[MissyDVC]

Due to other commitments and such, we may be arriving to BWV sometime between midnight and 1 am. This would be Feb 20th. So would we be charged points for the 20th or also the 19th even though it is after midnight. Also would we be able to get into our room and get some sleep at that time in the night/morning? We have never done anything like this before so any info would be so helpful, including using ME ( and I have thought that maybe we should get our own bags from the plane so that we dont have to have them delivered by bell services). Thanks!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Be sure you have the room booked for the 19th, and be sure to mention that you will be arriving late. Also if you arrive after 9 or 10PM ( I forget which) you HAVE to get your own luggage if you are taking ME.

Bobbi

 

[LoveKermit]

Yes, you are charged for that night despite it being after midnight. I have heard that ME is dispatched through Mears after 10 PM and there could be a wait. But if you choose to do it, you will have to get your luggage (like PP said).

We arrived around 12:30 AM in January to BWV. I had done online check-in. I basically started to say my name as we walked up. The CMs were standing at the online check-in area anyway (maybe they were waiting for us), so she looked down and handed me my packet as I walked by. DH basically kept walking. I think we were asleep by 1 AM.

They forgot our parking pass, but we just had one printed in the morning.

 

[MissyDVC]

Thank you for the info! Could you tell me what the earliest time we could check in on the 20th and not have to use points for the 19th? Thanks again!

 

[Disneypubgal]

Thank you for the info! Could you tell me what the earliest time we could check in on the 20th and not have to use points for the 19th? Thanks again!

after 4pm on the 20th is when you would get a room..... unless your room is available earlier... I have checked in as early as 7 am but room was not ready till later in the day..

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thank you for the info! Could you tell me what the earliest time we could check in on the 20th and not have to use points for the 19th? Thanks again!

If you come in any time before check in time, you will need to use points for the 19th. In other words, if you want a room ready for you at 1 AM on the 20th, you'll need to have a reservation for the 19th.

 

[DebbieB]

Thank you for the info! Could you tell me what the earliest time we could check in on the 20th and not have to use points for the 19th? Thanks again!

You could check-in and get your room cards after 6:00am but you would not be guaranteed a room until after 4:00pm. If you want a room when you get there, book the 19th. Or if you want to save points, book an airport hotel and catch DME in the morning. You would have to pickup your luggage yourself (any flight that lands after 10:00pm).

 

[MissyDVC]

You could check-in and get your room cards after 6:00am but you would not be guaranteed a room until after 4:00pm. If you want a room when you get there, book the 19th. Or if you want to save points, book an airport hotel and catch DME in the morning. You would have to pickup your luggage yourself (any flight that lands after 10:00pm).

So if we didn't care about a room being ready until 4pm, we could check in after 6 am and would only need to have the 20th booked and not the 19th? Just looking at possibilities. Thanks!

 

[dianeschlicht]

So if we didn't care about a room being ready until 4pm, we could check in after 6 am and would only need to have the 20th booked and not the 19th? Just looking at possibilities. Thanks!

That's right. If you don't mind hanging out in the lobby until 6 AM and then heading to the parks until a room is ready for you after 4, it would save you points. I'd be hard pressed to do that if I was traveling with kids though. On the other hand, you might get lucky and a room might be ready when you check in at 6.

 

[DebbieB]

So if we didn't care about a room being ready until 4pm, we could check in after 6 am and would only need to have the 20th booked and not the 19th? Just looking at possibilities. Thanks!

Right

 

[Disneypubgal]

So if we didn't care about a room being ready until 4pm, we could check in after 6 am and would only need to have the 20th booked and not the 19th? Just looking at possibilities. Thanks!

You don't mention when you are traveling... is it a busy time of year???

 

[MissyDVC]

You don't mention when you are traveling... is it a busy time of year???

Yup busy time of year but we go at least once a year, most time twice a year so we are very flexible and I am just trying to figure out some options.

 

[Chuck S]

Honestly, I can't imagine just hanging out in a lobby from midnight until the resort computers reset for the 20th, especially with kids. I understand wanting to save points, but then I'd opt for a value resort room for that night, or stay at the airport hotel and take ME to Disney the next morning. You could even stay somewhere cheap offsite that first night, if they provide an airport shuttle, then shuttle back to the airport the next morning for ME. Time, comfort and sleep should be considered, it can be more valuable than points or cash.

 

[JimMIA]

Keep in mind that if your reservation is for the 19th and you don't check in, they will cancel the entire reservation and forfeit the points. Don't make a reservation for the 19th and not show up until the morning of the 20th!

 

[MissyDVC]

Honestly, I can't imagine just hanging out in a lobby from midnight until the resort computers reset for the 20th, especially with kids. I understand wanting to save points, but then I'd opt for a value resort room for that night, or stay at the airport hotel and take ME to Disney the next morning. You could even stay somewhere cheap offsite that first night, if they provide an airport shuttle, then shuttle back to the airport the next morning for ME. Time, comfort and sleep should be considered, it can be more valuable than points or cash.

Thanks ....I never even mentioned hanging out in a lobby or doing otherwise. I would never do that. That was mentioned by another poster. I only asked the earliest time we could check in so that I would know what time we would leave a hotel room that we would use the night before for a good night's sleep

 

[bobbiwoz]

Keep in mind that if your reservation is for the 19th and you don't check in, they will cancel the entire reservation and forfeit the points. Don't make a reservation for the 19th and not show up until the morning of the 20th!

You can mention that you're coming in the morning of the 20th and they will not cancel. I've asked and that's the answer I got when I wanted to be sure we had a room at check in. I was told that people do do this.

 

[simmons_m]

Hyatt at the airport is also a good option. The last time we came in late, we decided on a lower point room, then transferred rooms the following day. With a 3 and 6 year old at the time. Although the transfer was easy, the next time I would probably book the room we plan on staying in, or stay at the airport. We did not feel like we were really settled until we were in the two bedroom that we had booked for the week.
Just one person's opinion.

 

[jkfreeman33]

Once we couldn't get in the BWV until Sunday and we were coming in late Friday night. I called the Dolphin directly and told them our plane wasn't landing until 11:45PM and we wouldn't be there until after midnight. They made a note on the record and told me not to worry, our room would be ready. I thought I was going to get some crappy room checking in so late, but we had a wonderful corner room.
I would let MS know that you will be arriving late so they don't think you were a no show.

 

[cseca]

Keep in mind that if your reservation is for the 19th and you don't check in, they will cancel the entire reservation and forfeit the points. Don't make a reservation for the 19th and not show up until the morning of the 20th!

oh my... I never even heard of this. I'll have to remember to contact them prior to our trips from now on.

I've checked in many times after midnight to our rooms since our flight usually doesn't arrive until 11pm. And by the time we get to the resort it's 1am or 2am. Knock on wood, I've never had a problem.

The only thing I didn't like is the fact that front desk can't change rooms if you arrive that late at night. They preprinted your room keys and documents. If you don't like your room for whatever reason you'll have to wait until the next morning to change.
Although if there's a huge maintenance issue I'm sure they'll get a manager or something to get you squared away. But if you don't like the location or if you get an HA room and you want a non HA one you'll have to wait.

 

[JimMIA]

You can mention that you're coming in the morning of the 20th and they will not cancel. I've asked and that's the answer I got when I wanted to be sure we had a room at check in. I was told that people do do this.

Right, I'm sure if you call them and tell them you ARE coming, you're fine. It's just if you don't show up at all, or if you cancel on the "day of" that they cancel the whole thing and you forfeit the points.

And if they DID cancel and forfeit, I'm sure a sympathetic manager would do everything they could to make you whole if you showed up. Nobody at DVC wants you to forfeit your points. It's just that they might be very limited in what they could do.