Going directly to parks on arrival

[Jays2013]

This may be a silly question. But this is our first time visiting since the advent of Magic Bands, and I want to be sure before I continue planning.

We're going to be staying at Art of Animation (with my parents at Pop). As I will do early online check-in and we will all have Magic Bands, is there any reason we can't go directly to a park on our arrival in Orlando rather than go to the hotel(s) first? Or do we need to check in there first? Or even if we don't have to, is there any reason we should?

Thanks for any insight.

(We will have a car because my husband has a thing about having his own transportation...we all have our quirks, right?)

 

[AllieBoo]

No, you don't have to, and I can't think of a reason you should. On our visit a few weeks ago, we were staying at the Contemporary and I had already done online check in. We got there about 8:00 am, parked at the resort and walked straight to MK. I got a text about 12:30 pm that our room was ready.

 

[broncobill]

Do you have bags you want to drop off? Taking DME? But no, you do not have to go to the resort first. We always have went to check in and drop off our carry on bags before going to a park.

 

[Tonberry]

Once, we just dropped our carry-on bags off at bell services and never even bothered to go to the desk to check in as it was only around 11:00am. We went to DS for lunch then over to MK for the rest of the day. We got back to the resort around 10:00pm before checking in at the desk. We claimed our carry-ons and had them bring the luggage up to our room.

You have it even easier in that you will have a car that you can just leave everything in.

 

[Alesia]

I would wants to drop off my luggage at the hotel first. If you decide to leave it in the car, make sure it is locked in the trunk - break ins do happen.

 

[dprincessmom]

You don't have to go to the resort BUT you don't say when you are going. If it's in the summer you risk melting things you never imagined (cosmetics and deoderant), a quick stop to unload might be to your advantage. Also your room might be ready, so you could haul your stuff to the room now instead of after a long travel/park day.

Finally, the last time we were there we had an issue with the magic band charging privileges - only 1 of the 4 bands had a pin that would work. Never had that problem before but as we were ordering lunch at Blizzard Beach we didn't have cash on hand.

I would rather do a quick check at the resort than get stuck if you are planning to mainly charge to the room.

 

[loves to dive]

As others have said, yes you can go directly to the park but it won't hurt anything to just do a quick check in at the resort. If you aren't picky about where your room is, there is a chance you could get one that is ready already, I find it's always nice to go ahead and drop my bags off in my room and freshen up if its ready. As others have also pointed out, it might be best to drop off your bags at the resort. I drive down and park my car at the resort and use Disney transportation, I just find it easier than driving to the parks. It's just according to where I'm staying as to whether I drop my bags off or leave them in the car. I've never had a problem with anything melting but I don't travel with food. I always have a blanket in my car and I just throw it over my bags if I leave them in the car. If I'm staying deluxe, I tend to drop them off at bell services, if I'm staying moderate I leave them in the car since you can park your car fairly close to the room. Now if I were driving to the park like you are going to do, I'd probably drop them off.

 

[Jays2013]

We're going in late October. We will have bags with us, but we were considering just locking them in the car. We very much want to go to Magic Kingdom that first day, but it's a Halloween party day (and not the party we're doing)--so to get any real park time in, we thought it might be best to go right there.

I have mixed feelings. I don't entirely like leaving the bags in the car, but I doubt our room will be ready (I'm figuring conservatively that we could make it to the parks or hotel by 1 p.m. if our flight is on time), and this would streamline things. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Alesia]

We're going in late October. We will have bags with us, but we were considering just locking them in the car. We very much want to go to Magic Kingdom that first day, but it's a Halloween party day (and not the party we're doing)--so to get any real park time in, we thought it might be best to go right there.

I have mixed feelings. I don't entirely like leaving the bags in the car, but I doubt our room will be ready (I'm figuring conservatively that we could make it to the parks or hotel by 1 p.m. if our flight is on time), and this would streamline things. Thanks for the feedback!

I would be very surprised if your room isn't ready. We generally arrive before 9:00 am and our room has always been ready.

Even if it isn't ready, it doesn't take long to leave your bags with bell services.

 

[danielocha30]

Go ahead! I'm rooting for ya! straight to the park

 

[fractalpotato]

We're going in late October. We will have bags with us, but we were considering just locking them in the car. We very much want to go to Magic Kingdom that first day, but it's a Halloween party day (and not the party we're doing)--so to get any real park time in, we thought it might be best to go right there.

I have mixed feelings. I don't entirely like leaving the bags in the car, but I doubt our room will be ready (I'm figuring conservatively that we could make it to the parks or hotel by 1 p.m. if our flight is on time), and this would streamline things. Thanks for the feedback!

The only concern I'd have with leaving the bags is the fact that they're going to get scorching hot probably, so make sure everything in them can take the heat. Otherwise I think that's a perfectly fine plan, we'll be doing something similar I think in September.

Matt

 

[rpcvpanama]

Yeah, even in October the temps can be quite warm, especially in a locked car. I would drop my bags at bell services before going to the park. You don't actually have to go to the front desk just drive up and drop your bags and then collect them when you return that evening.

 

[IvyWinter]

Even if a room isnt ready, they will still take your bags in the lobby and deliver it to the room if you like, or you can tell them you'll just swing by and get it yourself. Ive done it that way before, or have lucked out, room ready and ive done on line check in, so i go right to the room, drop off bags, and ready to go in 10 min.

 

[wrmiller13]

We normally drive straight to resort, drop off luggage with bell services, and then hop the bus to the park. This is really the plan if we are going to MK since the bus drops you off closer...I dislike driving to MK and taking boat or ferry there. Then we get a text saying room is ready, go back to resort when ready and then call front desk to have luggage delivered. Easy.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We're going in late October. We will have bags with us, but we were considering just locking them in the car. We very much want to go to Magic Kingdom that first day, but it's a Halloween party day (and not the party we're doing)--so to get any real park time in, we thought it might be best to go right there.

I have mixed feelings. I don't entirely like leaving the bags in the car, but I doubt our room will be ready (I'm figuring conservatively that we could make it to the parks or hotel by 1 p.m. if our flight is on time), and this would streamline things. Thanks for the feedback!

do not just lock bags in car make sure they are out of sight. break ins do happen

 

[Jays2013]

Right now, I'm thinking bell services and go. Once the kids are out in AoA and my folks wander over to PC, getting everyone back together could prove...difficult. Trust me.

I keep going back and forth!