Here now, waiting for our room...

[Buttrcp16]

We are at AKL and have been waiting over an hour for our room to be ready. I know check in isn't technically until 4 but seeing as they had our arrival information, I completed online check in a week ago, and they even said we had an assigned room number when we arrived, I have to admit I am a little surprised it isnt ready yet. Has anyone else experienced this? I have 2 little kids who are VERY restless and it makes us all on edge. Should I really expect to have to wait until 4 to get our room? We arrived a little before 1pm.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

The resorts have reportedly been at full capacity this time of year and it is a Saturday which could have a lot of rooms turning over with people that take Saturday-Saturday vacations. Sounds like they're just running a little behind getting rooms ready today.

One thing that can complicate this is if you have specific room requests (not sure if you did) but if you wanted to be in a specific area of the resort or depending even on your room category they may have just not gotten to that spot yet.

 

[momto4obkids]

Yep, we arrived at 2:30 at CBR and our rooms weren't ready until 3:30. We just went to the food court and looked around the resort until it was time. They had the rooms assigned, but they hadn't been cleaned yet.

 

[Nohal]

I would go back to the front desk just to check again. We checked in (even though we did on line check in) our room was ready. Dropped off our carry ons and headed to the parks. As I was getting off the bus at MK I got a text saying our room was ready.

 

[Buttrcp16]

I would go back to the front desk just to check again. We checked in (even though we did on line check in) our room was ready. Dropped off our carry ons and headed to the parks. As I was getting off the bus at MK I got a text saying our room was ready.

We did check in at the desk when we arrived, which is how I found out we had an assigned room already. I tried to get an answer from reception about how long it would be but all they would say was "usually by 4" meaning it could be later than that??? Yikes!!

My only request was near an elevator. I wish I could have said I don't need to be RIGHT next to one. Just not a super far walk.

 

[tcherjen]

I hate when that happens... I hope you get your room soon.

 

[Nohal]

We did check in at the desk when we arrived, which is how I found out we had an assigned room already. I tried to get an answer from reception about how long it would be but all they would say was "usually by 4" meaning it could be later than that??? Yikes!!

My only request was near an elevator. I wish I could have said I don't need to be RIGHT next to one. Just not a super far walk.

What I meant was to check back in with the front desk to make sure you didn't "miss" the text. As I got my text so much later than the room. Hope you get your room soon.

 

[maxiesmom]

Why not do something fun instead of sitting around waiting for your room? Or are you trying to get your kids down for a nap? Why not go look walk around and look at the animals? Or even go to Downtown Disney or mini golfing? I guess I'm trying to understand why you are in such desperate need of your room.

And yes, it could be later than 4, if you have not yet received your room. That is when room check in officially starts. They can't turn over all of the rooms right at 4. Hopefully it won't be much longer than that.

 

[Minniesgal]

Check in is after 4pm not at 4pm. It isn't unheard off for it to be after 4pm.

We always go play mini golf while waiting

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We check the carryon with bell services and rock down to DTD or hit the waterparks with WPM. Never sweated out a room on arrival day. Not worth the stress in my opinion to hope the rules or pixie Dust would change for me.

 

[daisyduck123]

4pm I think is typical.
We've gotten our DVC room as late as 5:30pm (that was at SSR).

We always make check-in day a pool day. We pack our suits in our carry-ons & spend the day at the pool while we wait for our room.

And years ago....I learned my lesson...we never make THAT NIGHT'S dinner ADR at anywhere but our resort.

 

[Disneylover99]

Only once in about 11 stays has our room ever been ready before 4pm. and we always arrive late morning. It's not unusual for your room to not be ready, IMO.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Only once in about 11 stays has our room ever been ready before 4pm. and we always arrive late morning. It's not unusual for your room to not be ready, IMO.

That just goes to show how much this can vary because in all of our stays, we've only had 1 time that it WASNT ready, and we usually always arrive before noon.

 

[Disneylover99]

That just goes to show how much this can vary because in all of our stays, we've only had 1 time that it WASNT ready, and we usually always arrive before noon.

I'm checking in with you next time.

 

[lovin'fl]

Things I've learned about getting room before 4pm at WDW:
1- better if you don't do room request
2- room ready text system doesn't always work
3- checking in on a Sat or Sun is worse

Had triple split stay in August and the things above were true.

 

[melana]

I've only been twice but both times have been very different with checkin. We always get to the resorts at about 8am the first morning. The first time our room wasn't ready until almost 5pm. The second time we arrived at 8am and they had a room that was ready and we were able to go and drop our stuff off before going to the park. I know the second time was just pure luck.

 

[ellie05]

You probably will have to wait until 4pm that is check in time. I am a little confused why you thought you won't have to wait until 4? Think about mousekeeping having to clean all the rooms in just 5 hours. They probably put a priority in the room when you check in, but that doesn't mean mousekeeping will drop everything they are in the middle of and go do your room or that there isn't other rooms in priority in front of yours. I will say more often than not our rooms at Disney have been ready when we arrive sometimes as early as 6am, but yet again we try to go when there is not a huge crowd. Assigned room number and the room being ready had nothing to do. They probably assigned you a room number to meet your request and in a busy time for inventory control.

 

[Disneylover99]

Things I've learned about getting room before 4pm at WDW:
1- better if you don't do room request
2- room ready text system doesn't always work
3- checking in on a Sat or Sun is worse

Had triple split stay in August and the things above were true.

1. True - I like to think they're working on getting my room requests met when my room is not ready til later. That makes me feel better, even if that's not the case.

2. True - in fact it never works for us.

3. Saturday was the only day I ever checked in when my room was ready early, and it was the week of Christmas. Crazy, I know.

 

[goofy4tink]

My worst waits have been at AKL-Kidani!! We arrived around 9:30ish (am). Had moved from a different resort. We were told our room wasn't ready quite yet. Okay...I didn't expect it to be. So, we went off to a park, returned about 4ish. Still wasn't ready!!! My phone was dying so went off in search of an outlet. At about 4:30, the text came thru. Okay, so off we went. Got to the room about 4:45ish. There was a tag on the door, saying our room was being serviced? WTH??? So, dh knocked, and opened the door. There was our housekeeper, sitting on the couch, watching TV!!! She jumped up, grabbed her broom (it was a one bedroom villa), saying 'thanks for knocking....I was just killing time until my shift ends'. Seriously?? Off she went. I went into the master bedroom...there were dirty tissues on the floor, the toilet didn't flush, and there was a used disposable coffee cup stashed behind the table lamp in the living room!!! I was mortified...we had another couple with us. I did mention it at the front desk that night, but they didn't seem too concerned. My email to WDW did get a response though...a phone call.
So, even if they say your room is ready, it may not be!!!!!

 

[lovin'fl]

1. True - I like to think they're working on getting my room requests met when my room is not ready til later. That makes me feel better, even if that's not the case.

2. True - in fact it never works for us.

3. Saturday was the only day I ever checked in when my room was ready early, and it was the week of Christmas. Crazy, I know.

2- they have never worked for us either. Odd.