choosing resort arrival time

[Tooth Fairy]

We are doing a split stay and checking into the POLY the Tuesday after Labor Day. Really doesn't matter when we get in the room. Wondering what's the best strategy for getting your room request honored. Tell them early check in or after 3 check in? Thanks!

 

[IrishNYC]

I'd say it depends on your plans. We're also doing a split stay with Poly as our second stay. We'll be at DHS that day, but anticipate a trip back to the resort after our 11am lunch reservation, so I requested an early check-in. If we planned to be out all day then I wouldn't care.

 

[Babsy]

I'm not sure to what degree it matters. Getting room requests granted depends largely upon what is available when rooms are assigned, IMO. Disney CM's try to accommodate requests but it isn't always possible. We try to book something where, even if we get the worst possible room (which has happened to us) in that category, we would still be happy enough to stay there.
That said:
Early check in is a room request, I believe. If you have other requests that are important to you and an early check in is not important to you, then I wouldn't request an early check in. (JMHO, of course and may not matter at all)
We usually have some requests (like room location or balcony type) that we care more about about than when the room is ready. So we almost never ask for early check in. WE prefer to go to the parks or the pool and just wait for a suitable room to be available. We do like to arrive at the resort as early as possible in order to have the best chance of changing the room assigned to another one that might come available later that day, if necessary.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I usually dont state I will be earlier than 4 and I have gotten what I wanted both times.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Thanks for the replies. We are mostly interested in getting what we requested! although an upgrade would be nice

 

[gap2368]

I almost always to before 7 am I get to the resort about 6; 30 am and half the time my room is not ready I ask were my room is ( what building) if I do not like where I ask if I can change and let them know where I want just about all of the time they can accommodate me. I find the earlier you ask before other get there and get checked in the better you have of getting the room you want

 

[Mika02]

I will say it really depends on what's most important. Out of the 5 or so resorts we have stayed with 2 split stays I have gotten my requests on MDE (when it was working I've never faxed) and also gotten an early check in 4 times only once did I not get an early check in and that was when we moved to Pop from our POR room stay. But I got exactly what I requested which was a top floor Lakeview room in the 50s. So I think that's a pretty good average. This trip an AOA/AKL split I didn't make any requests because MDE is not working but I did call and request a Queen with Bunk Beds on my AKL reservation but for me this trip getting in early is most important. I am thinking of call to request a pool view for our AOA reservation though.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

I’ve alwags just given the time I expect to be there on the magical express after our flight lands. I may or may not go to a park, and it’s fine if my room isn’t ready. Our room request usually ends at “near elevator” and “upper floor” so I’m not sure if my answer to check-in time has had any impact on whether or not I’ve had the room I wanted.

 

[buzznina]

If you have requests then I would not give an arrival time.