early morning check in?

[WeCampDisney]

We have a site reserved but its hard to tell when we will be arriving. Our son-in-law's work schedule will dictate when we will leave home. We have had 5 wonderfull vacations at the Fort from 2000 to 2006. Each time I timed our arrival to be about noon, ready for the 1:00 check-in. Say we could arrive at 7:00 am. Couldn't we check in and go to our site right then if our reservation actually started on the previous day? I know I would be paying for that previous day, but it would be worth it to me. We couldn't make the trip last year and we can only stay one week this year so every minute is , well, priceless. With my new son-in-law helping me with the driving, we drive straight through from east Texas. We will probably be arriving sometime on sunday Dec. 7th. , or possibly on sat. night. Thanks ya'll.

Benton

 

[CaptKen]

Good question. To reserve the site, you pay one nights rental and that holds the site until a certain time. Now if you don't show up by that time, do they cancel the reservations? Maybe if you called ahead while on the road and say something like, we're running late so don't lock the door, maybe they would have the site ready for you when you arrived the next morning. I'm sure they would work something out.

 

[lisa8200]

There was a big thing here one time about check in. Most of it came down to what you consider check in. If you consider check in the act of saying 'I'm here " and getting your info, you can check in at anytime, if you cansider it actually going to your site, It would depend on when your site is rewady but, no later than 1:00 on your arrival date. I would think that worst case scenario, if you called Fort Wilderness on your original arrival date and told them you would not be in until the next morning but did not want to change your reservation you could check in and go to your site when you arrived. Kinda like a courtesy call to let them know your running late so they don't think your a no-show. I have read where people showed up VERY early but, I don't think I have seen where someone has shown up that late.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem. However, depending on the time of year, you may be able to to check in early without reserving the previous night. Also, if you do get in earlier, you can park in the overflow lot and still enjoy WDW and the Fort despite not having a site to call your own yet. Will you be travelling during a busy time or will it be more of an off season?

 

[lisa8200]

I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem. However, depending on the time of year, you may be able to to check in early without reserving the previous night. Also, if you do get in earlier, you can park in the overflow lot and still enjoy WDW and the Fort despite not having a site to call your own yet. Will you be travelling during a busy time or will it be more of an off season?

I knew I forgot to mention something in that book of a post I wrote.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

I knew I forgot to mention something in that book of a post I wrote.

That's why forums are so wonderful! You said things I wouldn't have thought of and I'm sure someone else will swoop in with a point completely new to us! Many minds are better than one! Usually more fun, too!

 

[2goofycampers]

disclosure... all of the opinions here may be worth what you paid for them. they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Fort rules and regulations.... LOL.... I would call and check personally so you don't get there and your ressie be gone. we can help you pick a loop tho.... .Denise

 

[kc5grw]

Our first trip to Ft. Wilderness we arrived at 4:30am the day our reservation started. We "checked-in" at the Outpost, but our site was not ready. We were told to check back in about 10-11am. We did and were able to get to our site. I am planning very much the same kind of trip this Christmas and have considered adding the extra day on the front end of the ressie just so we can get to the site when we arrive (and wake everyone around us early). I'm not sure what time they would declare you to be a non-arrival, but if you noted on your reservation that you expect to be a late arrival I don't think there would be a problem.

 

[WeCampDisney]

thanks for the resposes ya'll. We will be arriving on sat dec 6 or sun dec 7. Good idea Lisa, I will call the fort on sat. and let them know about when we will get there and to hold my site so we can go to it as soon as we get there. We have been there in early dec twice in recent years and it was not crowded at all, just like the books say. I have requested the 1800 loop. We had it twice before and we loved it, so quiet. I think its not that popular with most folks, kind of secluded, away from the activitiy areas. My point is, I think there should be plenty of site left in that loop late sat night-early sun morning. Boy oh boy, I get excited just thinking about it!

 

[mdoc]

We've done that. I reserve the night before when I make my reservation, and then call ahead and tell them we're going to be arriving in the early morning but still want the night before so we don't have to wait until 1 pm to check in. The last thing DH wants to do after driving 20 hours is sit in the overflow parking lot waiting for check-in. The first time I worried about getting a bad site because we'd be the last ones in for that night's reservation, but it was an unfounded worry.

 

[chief19spixi]

I never thought to reserve the night before we arrive so we could check in early!! Sounds like a good idea for our next trip!