Have you ever checked in LATE? Experiences? Advice?

[AmyBeth68]

We have never checked in late to a WDW hotel OR DVC unit. However, for our upcoming trip we will be arriving after 10 pm to check in at OKW. I have to admit that this makes me nervous.

I've requested non-smoking studio (top priority) and non HA (wouldn't be the end of the world if we got it but prefer a tub).

Have any of you experienced late check-in problems? Does it help to call ahead to let them know we'll be checking in late? If so...do we call the resort directly? Thanks in advance!

 

[CarolA]

I checked in VERY late once. So late they had already printed up all my stuff and had it waiting on me. (Well after midnight!) Got the best room I have ever gotten at OKW!

 

[MnParrothead]

I checked in at 10:30 p.m. on spring break 2003 at VB and got the worst unit on the property. I got nothing that I requested, and I booked 11 months out. This year at spring break we arrived at 10 a.m. and got everything that we requested. In the future, if I arrive in town in the evening or at night, I will stay at another hotel and arrive the next morning at VB.

 

[laceemouse]

We usually drive down, but we flew to WDW last October for a quick weekend trip. The plane was SUPPOSED to leave at 5:30 but was delayed for about 3 hours, then we had to de-board and change planes! Then, when we got to Orlando they were out of vans at the car rental place (can't remember which one.) we got to OKW WAAAAY past midnight, car rental place gave us a ride. We got a GREAT room and all of our requests granted. I think I had called to say we were going to be late, but I had no idea how late. We usually drive and check in pretty late then too. We generally have good luck as far as room assignments. I HATE staying someplace else and moving, too much hassle with 6 people!

 

[lisareniff]

Our first trip home (BCV) we had a late flight and got in at midnight with 2 sleepy kid. I was so worried about getting the bottom of the barrel that no one wanted room. That was also around the time BCV was getting slammed with bad reviews. I got so concerned that I call that day to let them know we would be arriving so late and my concerns about the room. (nicely, of course, not expecting anything other then a reassuring comment) I'm not sure if letting them know in advance helped or not but I think they may have pre-assigned our room right then ....but who knows what really happens at the front desk.

 

[KLR-wlv]

I checked into BCV at 3 am...my requests were ns and non-HA - and both requests were honored. I've checked in early other times and only had ns request honored - so go figure!

 

[OneMoreTry]

We get into town late sometimes. We stay offsite and check in the next day. At OKW we usually get the room early and then we have a whole day without using the points for a late arrival.

Checking in late would make me nervous after some of the things I've read here.

 

[Granny]

Have any of you experienced late check-in problems? Does it help to call ahead to let them know we'll be checking in late? If so...do we call the resort directly? Thanks in advance!

Amy...many people have checked in late and experienced no problems at all.

Others have checked in late and found that they are getting whatever is "left over" after all the check ins that day.

I think that if the DVC resort is sold out for that day, and you are checking in on a Sunday like so many DVCers, you MIGHT not get your requests. I emphasize might because it's hit or miss. I don't want to make you nervous, but I don't want you disappointed at check-in either.

For us, non-smoking is not a request, it's a requirement. So we stay the night before at an off-site hotel so we can check in early. If it is just DW & I at some point, we probably wouldn't worry about it and take what they give us at a late check-in time.

To my knowledge, there is no benefit in notifying the resort that you are coming in late.

 

[Bruce in PA]

Last time we visited, we arrived after midnight on a Saturday. We always stay at OKW and our request is usually simple: 2nd or 3rd floor, non-smoking, golf course view.

I was plenty worried that we'd end up with a problem location at that time of night, and I did fax my request a few days before we arrived (a practice that was legit at the time, but is not now) as well as giving it to MS when I made the reservation.

I was happy with the room that we were assigned (Bldg. 18 at the far end of one of the "U" wings). It wasn't really a golf course view -- if you stuck your head out over the balcony and looked through the trees, you could just about make out a small part of the fairway -- but the balcony was shaded, the surrounding trees were in bloom and we were at Disney. What's not to like?

Maybe we're easy to please. Or maybe once you're there, things that seemed like a big deal before the trip simply aren't that important...

 

[DVC-Don]

The lastest we checked in was August of 2003 at OKW at about 9:30 PM. Got in late due to T-storm activity back home. Anyway we got 2 of 3 requests, Non-smoking & top floor. Did not get near the HH.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Thanks so much for all the quick replies . We're checking in on a Wednesday night...not sure if that helps or not but hopefully being that it's not Sunday it will. Sure sounds like a roll of the dice at this point...but I figure a call can't hurt even if it doesn't help LOL!

I think the best is that we know going in that we may not get our requests or the best room location...but in the end of the day it's all good since we'll be in WDW .

 

[CharlesTD]

We checked in late in May but called ahead to let them know we would be arriving late but not to assure our requests were met just to let them know we were actually coming. We called a couple weeks in advance to let them know about it. we were lucky they had a non smoking room we got bumped up to a 1 bedroom the studio we were supposed to get had to have something fixed it was a smoking and HA and we would have had that not that we would have really cared all we asked for was NS but it isn't life or death we get it even with having athsma.

 

[Granny]

I think the best is that we know going in that we may not get our requests or the best room location...but in the end of the day it's all good since we'll be in WDW .

Perfect attitude! There'd be a lot less angst at check-in on the part of both DVC owners and CM's if more people had this attitude.

Have a great trip!

 

[bongo59]

we usually get in real late........around 1AM............just call ahead and let them know............it is uusally smooth sailing...............but waiting on a valet is usually a long wait................

 

[lenshanem]

We checked in late once at OKW, shortly after midnight. The front desk already had our info waiting for us at the desk. None of our requests were met. I asked for non-smoking and non-handicap, in Turtle Pond. (Although, they told me at the desk the studio did indeed have a tub. It did not.) It was in the back somewhere and our patio faced an outside road and we could hear cars whizzing by. Funny, rinkwide had the same room on a latter trip he had. It was probably the worst room we've ever had at WDW. We called, but they couldn't move us. We try to arrive EARLY and will try more so after that experience. I would call the resort early the day you are supposed to arrive to go over your requests and tell them you're going to be late. Luckily, the kids weren't with us on that trip otherwise we would have had to have a non-smoking room for my oldest. I usually ask for a studio with a tub cause my kids still only take baths, too. Taught us a lesson to arrive early. Good luck!

 

[hbg4]

I've checked in as late at 12 MN into SSR and as early as 9am into BCV.

The only problem with checking in late is that if you don't like your villa and the resort is full, there isn't much you can do to change rooms that night.
Also by checking in early it is possible to request and confirm that your villa has the specifications that you want as there is a choice.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

We arrived late once at BWV (1 am) and once at VB (11 pm). In each case, we were being delayed by bad winter weather (January in Chicago is predictably unpredictable), so we called the resort during the departure delay. Both resorts had assigned rooms and printed out key cards in advance. Our usual request is non-smoking and this was met both times.

Ralph

 

[tinkerbell of winter]

We checked in late at BWV during our trip in April and we got a great room. We checked in at about 10PM and got our non smoking boardwalk view non handicapped accessible room without any difficulty.