Early check-in?

[Jill Schwartz]

I've gathered from this forum that you can show up at HRH at 7:00am to check-in so you can get your Express pass to hit the parks.
But, aren't the Express passes also your room keys? So, if your room is not ready yet (which I can certainly understand if check-in is not supposed to be until late afternoon) how can you get your room key/Express pass?

Can anyone tell me a bit more about Express Check-in? I just signed us up for Loews First. Is Express check-in just a seperate line for those with a Loews First card? Or is it somehow a self-checkin....how would that work if your room is not ready?

Sorry if these are stupid questions!! We are new to Universal and don't travel all that much!
THanks! Jill

 

[Dixie Luvr 98]

If your room isn't ready when you check in, they give you your keys/passes at that time. You have to check back later to get your room assignment.

Loews first isn't self check-in. It's a seperate, usually shorter, line. I've never really encountered a long line at a Universal resort (knock wood!)

 

[Melisa1]

When we checked in at the HRH this past weekend, we arrived around 8am. Of course our room wasn't ready so we were given our room (key) cards to use as express passes and then they called our cell phone when the room was ready (around 3:30pm). The neat thing to me was that they gave us our room number over the phone and the key card was activated. No trip back to the front desk.

 

[Jill Schwartz]

Thanks for the info!

Thats a great idea, to have them leave a message on your cell phone with the room number and have the keys already activated so you don't have to go back to the front desk again. If our check-in person doesn't mention it, we will be sure to ask.

 

[robvia]

Checking in early is SOP at Universal, we tell everyone to show up at 7am. If a room is ready, you might get it early, then you can unpack your stuff and head to the parks. Otherwise you leave everything in the car, go to the parks, and come back later. On a recent visit, our room was not ready so we went to the parks, but then they called us at noon to let us know. We went to the room, the keys worked, and we unpacked.