Experiences with late check-ins please

[MarcyMouse]

We got our flights settled, and since it's spring break time the best we could get would put us arriving in Orlando at 10 pm! I figure we'll get to Pop at 11:00, at the earliest. We requested connecting rooms (me, DH, two young children, and the inlaws). What are the chances at that time of night we'll get anything good, let alone connecting?

Please share your experiences with checking in late and what kind of room you got!

 

[klinlin]

We checked in to the BC at 11:15 last Friday night, and were upgraded from standard to concierge!

 

[mickey2minnie1]

Dsiney does try and accomodate. We checked in at 9:30 pm at the Poly and were given our requested longhouse, not the floor, but did get the side by side rooms. Make sure you check on that because connecting and adjoining mean two different things. You want to make sure you have the one you want and fax or call it in 5 days prior. Good luck. I found if you go without expectation, you tend to feel happier with the outcomes.

 

[stacy6552]

I made a reservation and requested a room nearby a specific room we'd had before. We arrived at midnight and they had the very room we'd asked to be near waiting for us. Don't sweat it.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

We were a day late due to weather conditions. We had made specific requests (handicapped room, adjoining and a different bldg then we had previously stayed in ) I called a few times and got things all worked out. I called when we found out we would be late things were ok. When we checked in things were not Ok. I know they tried their hardest when we did check in to get what we had set up with Special Services but our rooms had been given away I think they had not been "tagged" as priority for medical reasons or whatever they tag them. We were at POR.

 

[JennyDrake]

We had a really bad trip down to WDW and arrived at Pop at 3:30 a.m. instead of 10:00 p.m. I HAD called to say we were late at about 10:00 p.m. I think there is a difference in being LATE and arriving on a different day (which technically we did, but it still worked out OK.)

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I agree. The people who checked us in were sooo nice. They could see that we had specific requests put on my Special Services but they were not able to accomodate them. We were there at Christmas time which was very busy. I was hoping they would say something like we can't get you a room here that matches what you need so we are sending you to POLY ...hee hee, nope we had to make the best of the situation. Oh well.

 

[maxiesmom]

I was unhappy with out late check in at POR last month. We arrived at the resort at 9pm. The lobby was very noisey, which wouldn't have bothered me, except the CM checking us in was practically whispering. I had to keep asking her to repeat what she was saying.

My only request had been any room in Alligator Bayou, and we were placed in Mansions. According to the CM, all of the AB rooms were booked solid with families of 5, so with only 3 in our group, we were unable to be in the bayou. I was very disappointed, becasue I do not like the Mansion rooms. But as the resort was full, I took the room keys to our Mansion room. The CM circled the correct building on the map, and then pointed us to the door. Given that is was dark out, it ws very hard for us to figure out which way was the best way to get to our building. What ever happened to them taking you to your room in the cart? It took us a little while, and I know we ended up taking the long way around, but we finally made it to our building, and finally found our room.

I guess you could say I was not impressed with out late check in experience. It did feel like we were placed in a left over room, and that there was no consideration given to my only request. I still find it kind of hard to believe that they only had families of 5 in the Bayou section at that time.

 

[Tinkerbellmom33]

We've checked in late and didn't have a problem. It was quiet at check in and CM's were as helpful as always. We couldn't get our requested building because it was booked but we didn't mind.

As a side note though, if you are using Magical Express, DO NOT put the stickers on your luggage and bring them on the bus with you. We didn't get our bags until something like 3am. I was sleeping but Dh heard the knock. We had no Pj's to change into or any of our our necessities. That's the only thing that annoyed me.

 

[Cleokitty]

We checked in late on our last trip. Had a child in a wheelchair and needed a ground floor room. We had talked with special services also and the room assigner at CSR beforehand. When we arrived, we were given a top floor room at CSR on the opposite end of the building from the elevator. They said they could not move us because they were full. And, they didn't move us for the entire week. We were NOT happy.

 

[princessesrule4]

It really is a crap shoot and depends on how full the resort is , other people checking in late.etc. Try not to stress if you already have your flight booked!

 

[manhattan]

The few times I have checked in after 10:00 pm I had problems - at ASMusic we were sent to the last building with no bellhop available to help with luggage. Recently we arrived close to midnight at POR and were told the only room available was a smoking room - I said, I would rather sleep in my car than a smoking room - they said they would spray it down, I was adamant about not taking the smoking room - so they put us in at the FQ. The following week they announced that all rooms were smoking free.

 

[ducklite]

We've checked in early and late, and it's been a crapshoot all around.

The latest we ever checked in was 3:00 am, and we got the worst room at the BC. Had we been staying there for more than the one night, I would have refused it--it was about 65% the size of a regularl room, had a window and no balcony, and looked out at the back of the facade. It also only had one bed in it, a queen, and no split bathroom, but it wasn't a HA room.