Early arrival but not going to a park question

[April Mayfield]

So… We have booked AKL for January 1 through January 6. I found a really good deal on an incoming flight but the problem is it’s a 5:30 AM flight.
Aaarrgghhh!
We’ll probably be at the hotel by 10:00 AM. We aren’t doing a park that day because we have two kids age nine and five and after getting up at 3 AM I just don’t see us going to a park after all that. Can we do an early check in? What do we do for 5 hours while waiting? This stresses me out but our airfare total went from $1415 to $927 by doing the early flight....

 

[2forMe]

Go to Disney Springs, have lunch etc.

 

[dansdad]

So… We have booked AKL for January 1 through January 6. I found a really good deal on an incoming flight but the problem is it’s a 5:30 AM flight.
Aaarrgghhh!
We’ll probably be at the hotel by 10:00 AM. We aren’t doing a park that day because we have two kids age nine and five and after getting up at 3 AM I just don’t see us going to a park after all that. Can we do an early check in?

You can check in as early as 6AM. However, your room won't be ready until possibly 3 or 4.

What do we do for 5 hours while waiting?

Eat, explore the resort, partake in some of the resort activities, maybe swim (I know, weather dependent), bus to MK and take a tour of the monorail resorts, go bowling, miniature golf, rent a sea raycer at one of the monorail resorts, take a fishing excursion, go to Disney Springs are just some possibilities. Time flies when you're at WDW.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would much rather go to a park rather than try to fill the day with shopping etc.

But since you feel the opposite... Make sure you have things packed in carryon that will get you through the first 24 hours. Swimsuits and sunscreen if it's normal weather and it very cold, and anything else you might need. That way you're prepared.

 

[Sue M]

Since it’s January it may be too cold to chill by the pool. And for 5 hrs, I don’t know if you’d find enough to do st resort. Book breakfast at Boma, see what children activities are available, go to savanna overlooks.
They have an area in lobby that has TVs and sofas that run children’s cartoons. Or just add a day on ticket and go to a park.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Do online check in and check the box that says your room being ready early is a priority.
Its very likely that by 10am you'll have a room.
Every time I've checked that box I've gotten my room at the time I arrive.
Even before online check in when I got there I had a room well before official check in time.

 

[2hapykdz]

So… We have booked AKL for January 1 through January 6. I found a really good deal on an incoming flight but the problem is it’s a 5:30 AM flight.
Aaarrgghhh!
We’ll probably be at the hotel by 10:00 AM. We aren’t doing a park that day because we have two kids age nine and five and after getting up at 3 AM I just don’t see us going to a park after all that. Can we do an early check in? What do we do for 5 hours while waiting? This stresses me out but our airfare total went from $1415 to $927 by doing the early flight....[/QUOTE It's Disney.....just tell him your situation.....being that it's January, they just might be able to get you in a room early. We go off times...and get in way before 3 and 90% of the time they get us in early.

 

[Sue M]

Do online check in and check the box that says your room being ready early is a priority.
Its very likely that by 10am you'll have a room.
Every time I've checked that box I've gotten my room at the time I arrive.
Even before online check in when I got there I had a room well before official check in time.

It depends how booked resort is. My last stay there I had early arrival and ticked box but my room wasn’t ready till 4:00.

 

[kcpinwdw]

You never know. Plan on dropping off your bags and going to have some fun until the afternoon.... but I showed up to the grand floridian at 8am and our room was ready, so you never know!

 

[Sue M]

You never know. Plan on dropping off your bags and going to have some fun until the afternoon.... but I showed up to the grand floridian at 8am and our room was ready, so you never know!

Yes, for some reason GF is better at early check in, 3 stays there and always got room early.

 

[April Mayfield]

Thanks for the suggestions! I’m just worried about how the 5 yr old will be that day (getting up at the literal crack of dawn), flying in and then trying to venture out. This is why we aren’t doing another day at the park. I’d hate to pay for it and have him melt down and make everyone miserable. He just turned 5 this week....

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Adding a day to park tickets is so cheap and so worth it now with FP+. I would add a day and go to MK. Even if it's just a leisurely stroll up Main Street, grabbing lunch and doing only the 3 FP+.

We always arrive by 10 am and always go to MK. We've done this since the kids were 2 and 3 years old. It's never been an issue. We just play it by ear and would leave if the kids had enough. Some trips we lasted through wishes. Some trips we left after dinner. But for $10ish per ticket it's so worth it to me.

 

[Meeko5]

We usually arrive by noon, and spend our first day exploring the resort, settling in, go for a swim and have a sit down dinner at Disney Springs or a resort. We are ripe drop - close park goers so that first day is usually the only day we swim!

Last year we had a non park day and went to the Winter Summerland mini golf course. The kids loved that too.

 

[disney144]

I remember shopping as a kid was so boring. It’s so cheap to add one more park day. I would add an extra day, book a few early afternoon fastpasses, and visit a park for a few hours. Get back to your resort by early dinner time and everyone gets to bed early.

 

[maxiesmom]

Thanks for the suggestions! I’m just worried about how the 5 yr old will be that day (getting up at the literal crack of dawn), flying in and then trying to venture out. This is why we aren’t doing another day at the park. I’d hate to pay for it and have him melt down and make everyone miserable. He just turned 5 this week....

I think if you keep him moving he will be less likely to melt down. Just my experience, but the travel day was never the problem. It is easy enough to keep them moving when they are excited. The day after is when you will need to be low-key.

It may be easier to go to a park and use a stroller for the 5 year old as a nap if needed spot.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We have gotten a room by 10 am before but unusual. We never go to parks first day. Try to go to pool or head over to Disney springs for dine in movie for lunch or go bowling.

 

[Marbel]

In your shoes, I would explore the resort for a while and if room still not ready, I'd go to Disney Springs. Then go back, get to the room, low key evening of unpacking and relaxing and hit the sack early.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The first full week of January includes the Disney Marathon with the Expo opening on Wednesday. Thurs is the 5K, Fri is the 10K, Sat is the Half marathon and Sun the Full marathon. Marathon guests will be arriving at the same time so there won't be tons of vacant rooms to get you into a room early. I'd plan on a full day of waiting. Sleep on the plane and hit a park when you get there.

 

[leebee]

I'd pack bathing suits and other swim stuff in a carry-on so you can go to the pool. You could also hang in the lobby at AKL for awhile- lots of comfy chairs and couches, and plenty of TVs with Disney movies and cartoons playing. You could go to Disney Springs, if the kids won't be too bored, or over to the Boardwalk for ice cream and maybe a surrey bike ride. I'd keep it low-key, too. The one time we had a 5am flight, we spent the day/afternoon in Epcot while waiting for our room to be ready. We were beat from getting up so early, and I really wish we'd just spent the day hanging out at our resort (BWV) and relaxing while we waited for our room to be ready.

 

[kniquy]

With your flight savings i would add on a day to your park tickets -- plan to hit the park until 4ish and then make it an early night. The benefit of this will give you some bonus park time, book 3 extra FP and just make it an easy relaxing day. Hit AK park so you are just a short bus ride when you get your room ready text. I honestly think the kids will be bored shopping at the springs.

I had one of those crazy early flights on a NYE trip and we (w/ twin 9 yo boys) made it at Epcot until 11:45pm before we crashed.