Intro & check in question

[campertime]

First off I'd like to say I'm new here and I love the forum. Tons of great info.

We are headed on our very first trip to WDW this December. It will be my wife, my two daughters (8 & 10), and myself. We are staying at the Carribean Beach Resort and purchased 7 day hoppers as well as the dining plan. We are really looking forward to this trip.

My question, well we land in Orlando at 11am and I noticed that check in is 3pm. What do we do between 11 & 3? Right now our plan is to head to one of the parks and then go to the hotel and check in around three and head back out again after dinner.

I was also wondering about our last day. Check out is 11am and our flight leaves at 7:30pm. Can we check out and then hang around downtown disney for a while? I'm at a loss for what to do during this time.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[tink1978]

You can actually check in prior to 3pm, although your room may not be ready. They will give you keys to your room when you check in and will give you a number to call later for the room number. This way, you can return to the hotel at any time you want from the parks. The hotel will hold your luggage for you. We check in first thing in the mornings (around 8am) when we go, head to the parks for the day, and come back late to our room.

 

[Cool-Beans]

You can check in upon arrival. They'll store you luggage if you like (even cold groceries.) I usually land between 11:00 and 11:30 and there is a room available about half the time.

Even if a room isn't clean yet, they'll give you the key and check you in. They'll give you a map of the place with your room number written on it and the location circled. If you would like a map that isn't all marked up for keepsake purposes, just ask. They'll give you another one.

You'll get a little business card with a number to call to check and see when it is ready. That way, you don't have to make another trip to the desk.

I'm not the expert on check-out days. I only did a late one once. I don't like being stuck in the heat with no room to which I may escape. If I had to do it again, I'd leave at 11:00 and go have lunch somewhere air-conditioned. Then I'd go to Epcot and ride Ellen's Energy Adventure because it is a long, air-conditioned ride. Then I'd ride other air-conditioned stuff until it was time to leave.

DTD sounds okay, too. Shops are air-conditioned. So are restaurants.

Good luck!

 

[gatorfreud]

For check out, you can do whatever you like! Just check out and they will hold your luggage. If you still have tickets left, you can hit the parks (if not, look at the price to get an 8th day... I swear it is practically free at that point).

We always check in early... sometimes the room is ready, sometimes not. Then we just activate our tickets (since we usually get the package) and then we're off to the parks!

Have fun!!

 

[magicaldisney]

 

[cwt580]

you will need to check-in early to get your park passes. we usually check-in around 9am and wait for our room to be ready if it isnt.

 

[Katesdad]

Check in at the hotel when you arrive. Depending on your flight and your family's stamina, hit the parks, or just relax, check out some of the resorts, do some of the non-park activities like the water sprites or the miniture golf, do a dinner show, or just relax at the pool. On check out day with such a late flight, you won't leave the park until 4:30. If you have any extra days left, use it at the park. If not, you can easily kill 4 - 5 hours in downtown Disney shopping, walking and dining which what we usually do.

Congratulations on your first post. Welcome on-board.

 

[disnut8]

For check out, if you put a credit card on your account, your bill will be hanging on your door that morning. You don't even have to go to the front desk if everything is in order (you can also request a printed bill the night before just in case). Once 11:00 comes, you won't be able to get back into your room.

HOWEVER, you are still a Disney guest until 11:59 that night. You can stay at the Caribbean Beach and swim or walk around. You can go to Downtown Disney. You can do whatever you want to.

With Disney, you are a guest from the minute you check in (could be as early as 7:00 AM) until midnight the day you check out.

I noticed you said you were flying. Have you checked out the free Magical Express service so you really don't have to deal with your luggage? Just knocks out one more thing you have to think about and gets you free transportation to and from the airport.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I noticed you said you were flying. Have you checked out the free Magical Express service so you really don't have to deal with your luggage? Just knocks out one more thing you have to think about and gets you free transportation to and from the airport.

Even if you aren't using the Magical Express, you can check in for your flight at many Disney resorts and hand your luggage over to them. They want you luggage at least 3 hours before your flight, though. Probably wouldn't be a problem if you're leaving late!

I don't know if all the hotels do it or just the deluxe ones. But it is worth looking into. I really like checking in at the hotel and not having to haul the luggage from the rental car place to the airport counter.

 

[Mermaid_Ariel]

We checked in early to CBR and they gave us our welcome packet along with a phone number to call to see when our room was ready. We packed our swimsuits in our carry on and hung out by the pool and had lunch!! It was fabulous!

 

[joanng]

I usually pack bathing suits on my carry on and we hit the food court first then we go to the pool area and relax till the room is ready. Once its ready we get unpacked and head off to the parks for the evening.

Disney is great about checking in early and if your using Magical Express you don't have to worry about your luggage it will be in your room when its ready. The only thing is if your room is ready upon checking in you might have to wait about an hour or so for luggage to arrive, which is fine. Very organized .

This year our plane will leave at 4:40 so when we check out at 11, we plan on going to DTD for some last minute shopping and a bite to eat, then back in time for Magical Express to bring us to the airport.

Where are you staying? The first year we went my kids were same age as yours, its a great age, perfect for everything. We stayed at ASSports when kids were younger and last year CBR and this year POR for our 25th anniversary no kids!

Hope you have a wonderful time, I know you will, Disney is the most magical place on earth, if you plan and read all these forums you will have a great time.

 

[campertime]

Thanks for all the responses. It's great to get answers so fast. Really eases the mind.

We booked our trip through AAA and yes we have the transportation through Magical Express. I guess we're all set

Our plan is to land safely, check in, have lunch then head to MK. I guess our last day we'll hang around DTD

Is there a listing of the restaurants that require reservations?

 

[disnut8]

Is there a listing of the restaurants that require reservations?

All table service restaurants take reservations. Those are the ones where you are seated at a table and the server comes and takes your order (like a Chili's). You MIGHT be able to get in without a reservation but it's always a good idea to make one.

There are some exceptions - Beaches and Cream, ESPN Club, Big River Grille are the ones I can think off the top of my head that don't take reservations.

Counter service places where you walk up and order and then get your food on a tray and then sit down (like a McDonald's) do not take reservations.

Check allearsnet.com for all the menus you need. They've got one for every single place.

 

[madalex]

Even if a room isn't clean yet, they'll give you the key and check you in. They'll give you a map of the place with your room number written on it and the location circled.

On those occasions where we have checked in before the room is ready, it has not been our experience that we have been told the room number and where it is located. In fact, on our last trip last month, when we checked in, I was told our room was not ready. I asked what our room number was and was told a room had been assigned, but that they were not permitted to tell me the room number until it was ready for occupancy.