Convince me DTD check-in is worthwhile!

[mark&sue]

I must be the only person to really hate DTD check in and was really pleased that BA don't do it as we have BA flights this year.

I find standing in the heat for hours in DTD awful. DH always wants to go to Disney Quest the last day as it is handy because of the DTD check in and I just can't tell you how much I hate that place.

We were with our friends last year and my best friend hated it too. We had checked in our cases and decided to go to the chocolate shop when a massive downpour got us all absolutely soaked. We had no clothes to change into and flew back 9 hours on the plane in our wet jeans. I had a cardigan with a furry collar that was soaked. I put it in a plastic bag in the overhead compartment. Just before we landed I noticed dripping water coming from the place I had my bag onto the little boy in the seat in front of me. I thought it was the water coming off the manky fur collar and really hoped he wouldn't start crying.

I must be the only one not a fan of this check-in. I am a very nervous flyer and the day I fly anywhere I just want to get on the plane and go.



Susan

 

[Hilary]

Thanks again for the response DH and I have had a chat and decided we'll see what the weather's like when we're there. If it's hot and sticky we'll probably stick with our usual plan of showering and changing before going to the airport and give DTD a miss. If it's cooler, we'll try DTD, and wear something that will be okay for the day and for travelling.

I don't think Virgin deliberately "ignore" your requests. Your seat requests are just that -- requests. Virgin will try their utmost to allocate you the seats you requested - they don't gain anything by giving the seats you requested to someone else.

I read somewhere a while ago that "success rate" for people receiving their pre-requested seats on VA was in the order of 70%. That is pretty good going. We have been lucky and always had the seats we requested, but then we arrive at check-in early.

Well I must be a statistical oddity as I've hit the 'unsuccessful' 30% a lot more often than the 'successful 70%!! In fact, I've been allocated our requested seats only twice in ten Virgin flights to/from Orlando. If that's Virgin "doing their utmost", it doesn't do a lot for me! And, yes, I do smile at the check-in staff and am always polite and friendly - to start with, at least!

I really do understand that these seats are only requested, but I have witnessed at first hand (by overhearing the check-in taking place ahead of us) how a persistent customer can persuade the check-in staff to give away someone else's requested seat.

Maybe they should call them requested 'but-don't-be-surprised-if-you-don't-get-them-if-you-can't-do-early-check-in' seats

 

[UKDEB]

For the longest time, I couldn't understand the point of DTD check-in, especially as we'd never experienced a queue at all at the airport. Having said that, we did always arrive at least 4 hours before our flight. We'd then take a look around the airport, settle ourselves into the lobby bar of the Hyatt for a few hours, and finally mooch on over to Duty Free.

We've used the DTD check-in 3 times now and we'll be doing so again tomorrow. We have an 8pm flight and we won't turn up at the airport until 7pm. The Duty Free shop closes at about that time, so if you have the late flight you either need to get there earlier, or accept that you won't be doing any duty free shopping. It's not the greatest facility IMHO.

We've actually got our villa all day tomorrow, so we'll check-in at DTD early (we've never seen more than a couple of other people there, but friends and family have reported huge lines - an advantage of PE as there is a separate desk) then head to AK for the EE preview . We'll come back to the villa in the afternoon for a swim, then shower, change and leave shortly before 6.30pm.

Normally (i.e. when we don't have the luxury of being able to return to the villa on the last day), we'll check-in at DTD between 10am and 11am, get some last minute souvenirs at Marketplace and then head to a park. We get to the airport around 2 hours before the flight and change in the restrooms of the Hyatt before chilling in their lounge with a pre-flight drink. We leave it until the last minute to go airside. A pair of shorts and a t-shirt each (and maybe a pair of flip-flops) to add to our hand-luggage is no big deal.

On a completely separate topic, I've just checked out all the new smilies - the Disney ones are especially cute!

 

[Goofyish]

Deb, make sure you keep an eye on the lines for the security check at the airport, they were huge in December and it took us 30-40 minutes to get thought to airside

 

[Hilary]

change in the restrooms of the Hyatt before chilling in their lounge with a pre-flight drink.

Now I like the sound of that! ... ... ...

 

[wilma-bride]

Deb, make sure you keep an eye on the lines for the security check at the airport, they were huge in December and it took us 30-40 minutes to get thought to airside

Will second that - took us nearly an hour in September.

 

[UKDEB]

Deb, make sure you keep an eye on the lines for the security check at the airport, they were huge in December and it took us 30-40 minutes to get thought to airside

Were you on the later flight (i.e. the VS27 7.55pm)? Same question to you Joh? I'm wondering because, as I said in my previous post, we always used to arrive hours before our flight and we've noticed on many occasions that the lines at security are horrendous for the earlier flights, but by the time we need to go airside, the airport's dead. In fact, if security was a ride, it'd be a walk-on!

 

[Tron[ADS]]

We love the DTD checkin, we normaly offload everything there and head off to a theme park and have basicaly a normal day (except I spend the day worrying if the bags have gone to the correct flight). Usualy its to a park thats on the flex-ticket, we tend to make the last day be the day we fly home so we can do this, rather than waste a "day" of a disney ticket for only a half days use.

 

[homerdog]

It took us about ten minutes to get through security on Monday evening. The line was quite long, but they just opened more scanners. Arrived at the airport at 7, on the plane at 7.15, champagne at 7.16

The duty free shop had just shut though, so no Grey Goose for us!

BTW Deb, I would leave the villa by 6.15 - even with a big V8 under my right foot it took about 35-40 minutes

 

[Sue & Co.]

We have done both ways and for us DD check in is definitely the way to go. We can get rid of our bags (we have to check out of the villa so otherwise would have them in the car limiting our options). We can have a good day either in a park or shopping followed by a leisurely meal getting to the airport about 2 hours before our flight to see all the people still in a long queue. Also as I have special needs we can ensure that I get a suitable seat before they are 'accidentally' allocated to someone else (I must have an aisle seat with the aisle on my left).For us it is wonderful and I am already concerned about our upcoming trip to California where we won't have this option.

Sue

 

[UKDEB]

BTW Deb, I would leave the villa by 6.15 - even with a big V8 under my right foot it took about 35-40 minutes

Okeley dokeley. Got back from riding Expedition Everest a couple of hours ago and have spent the last hour and a half in the pool/spa . We've had a great last day, albeit a bit strange without you.

There was a bit of a queue at DTD check-in at 9.45 this morning, but we went straight to the front (felt a bit guilty, but that's partly what we've paid extra for, so soon got over it).

 

[MazdaUK]

have to say, don't go airside before you need - I forgot to read the guidebook section about the homeward leg once we were out there, then couldn't face going back through security to look at real shops - and its not that comfy airside!

 

[jtlover]

convince me that it is worth it then. We fly out on the 7.55 p.m. flight and have to drop the car off at 5.00 p.m. and we are staying at the Grand Floridan and want to spend the day at Magic Kingdom before we drive back to the airport at 4.00 p.m.

 

[homerdog]

convince me that it is worth it then.

I can't do that, it's up to you

With a 3 hour wait for the flight after you have dropped the car off, you may as well lug your cases across to the terminal from the parking lot and join the line at check-in...

Alternatively, check in at Downtown Disney, arrive at MK for opening, leave at 4, saunter into the airport sans luggage, enjoy a relaxing meal/drink in McCoy's Bar and Grill, then browse around the shops before heading through security at 7.

I know which I would do