How early should I check into my resort?

[irene6118]

I got the impression that some people check into their resorts long before they arrive (sometimes a day before). Is there any advantage to this or would a couple of hours before arrival suffice?

 

[BK2014]

You can do online check-in 60 days in advance. If a room request like near lobby or whatever options they have for your resort in the app are important to you, you should do the online check-in at least 5 days before your arrival date as it is believed that rooms are assigned several days in advance. You can also call or email your room preference requests if you do not want to do the online check-in, but you should still do it several days in advance.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

One advantage to early check-in would be if you were driving and staying at a Disney resort, but you want to park at and visit a theme park before you actually arrive at your resort. Show an early morning arrival time for your room reservation and this should also entitle you to free theme park parking. A guest who has parking for their resort stay doesn't have to pay for regular parking at the theme parks. I've personally not tried this yet but it was mentioned on another thread.

 

[Timandalicia]

I got the impression that some people check into their resorts long before they arrive (sometimes a day before). Is there any advantage to this or would a couple of hours before arrival suffice?

A day? I check in 60 days before my trip.

 

[hou2009]

I have this question, too. I don't understand the pros/come of early or late.

 

[StarrySkye21]

It let me do online checkin when I bought my hotel package 90 days prior…

 

[Robo]

I have this question, too. I don't understand the pros/come of early or late.

There are virtually NO "cons" to checking in early on line.
(And, as mentioned, there can be some advantages.)
So, no reason to not check in early.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

If you check in earlier , dont you get a better chance of getting what you want? It's got to be better than getting the room right next to the elevator. Some people say they dont check in untill last moment hoping for a little pixi dust.

 

[Robo]

I have this question, too. I don't understand the pros/come of early or late.

And, if you mean “early or late” in the time of DAY that you choose as arrival time…
If you choose to set your ARRIVAL TIME EARLY IN THE DAY (say, 7AM, or so) you would be certain that if you wanted to get into an early park event or park meal and/or early entry to a parking lot (when allowed) your status as “officially checked-in resort guest” would be active in your MyDisneyExperience account.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you check in at the front desk, you can do it as early as 6AM the day your reservation starts. Then you can leave any luggage with Bell Services since your room probably won't be ready then.

 

[Dug720]

It let me do online checkin when I bought my hotel package 90 days prior…

This. I do online check-in as soon as I am booked.

The 60-day thing is the ADR start date.

 

[_19disnA]

Disney seems to define 'check-in' differently from other places we have stayed. Our hotel in LasVegas lets you 'check-in' when you arrive on the property or anytime on your arrival day. They don't let you do that prior to the arrival day and that is true at other places we have stayed. Being able to check-in months ahead of time @ Disney doesn't really seem to serve any purpose.

Disney apparently makes room assignments a few days ahead of time, so you would want to complete their check-in process prior to that. Other then that, it doesn't seem to make any difference when you check-in and is unrelated to getting/not getting the room you requested.

 

[loves to dive]

I do it about 3 days before I arrive just because they send me an email reminding me to. If I haven't received a room ready text, I still go into the lobby and let them know I'm there. I don't do any special room requests, just early arrival since we tend to arrive between 1 and 3. We've had pretty good luck with that, if the room isn't ready, sometimes going to the front desk and letting them know we are there tends to speed up the process (again we just ask for first available since I don't care about view or location). It certainly won't hurt anything and if you get your room ready text and look up where the room is and are not happy, you can always go to the front desk and ask to be changed. Depending on how busy they are, you may or may not have luck with that.

 

[shawthorne44]

Does it make changing your reservation, or canceling it any different?

 

[PrincessJazmin]

If we arrive before the room is ready, can we use the pool? Not super early, planning to arrive at the hotel around 1pm.

 

[Dug720]

Does it make changing your reservation, or canceling it any different?

Nope to cancelling.

Only for changing if you want to change your requests for your new resort.

 

[Robo]

1. If we arrive before the room is ready, can we use the pool?
2. Not super early, planning to arrive at the hotel around 1pm.

1. Yes.
2. Doesn't matter. Guests can use their resort's pool(s) any time it's open from beginning of check-in day through end of check-out day.

 

[Tigger's ally]

If you check in at the front desk, you can do it as early as 6AM the day your reservation starts. Then you can leave any luggage with Bell Services since your room probably won't be ready then.

The one time we got Pixie Dusted, we checked in at 6 a.m. at BWI only to be given Club level room as an upgrade. We were planning to rope drop Studios that day. Instead we ate breakfast in the club level lounge. Was a great start to the day. We always check in early in the day because we leave our luggage and go to the park.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I typically do online check in now but need the pass for parking so swing by the desk.
In the past I used to Always wait in line at the resort to check in snd was Pixie dusted several times with upgrades… Savannah view, garden view etc.
with the current cost of rooms now, I’m choosing lower level rooms and “ perhaps” I’ll luck out. I just can’t rationalize the cost difference so is what it is.

 

[kappyfamily]

I typically do online check in now but need the pass for parking so swing by the desk.
In the past I used to Always wait in line at the resort to check in snd was Pixie dusted several times with upgrades… Savannah view, garden view etc.
with the current cost of rooms now, I’m choosing lower level rooms and “ perhaps” I’ll luck out. I just can’t rationalize the cost difference so is what it is.

Same with us! I was in Disneyland a couple weeks ago staying in a standard room at the Grand Californian and I did online check in and opted for the mobile key. When I went to check out at the front desk when our stay was finished, I actually had the manager helping me and he said "Mrs___ how did you enjoy your upgrade to concierge level? Did you enjoy the lounge?". My jaw dropped and I said I did online check in with a mobile key and was never told I got upgraded. He dropped his head and said "OH NO! I'm so sorry! You most definitely had an upgrade". SOOOOOO long story short I will never do mobile check in again, or if I do, I will always stop by the front desk first and not do mobile key and straight to my room. UGH, still makes my heart hurt......