Is this possible with an early arrival?

[Mopedmom1]

I think what I'll do is book and do a late arrival online check in time. Then call before system turn over time, we'll be up well before that to catch our flight, and let them know we've been delayed and are still coming.

Are you using DME? It seems that just recently online check-in has no place to list your arrival time if you are on the magical bus. It already knows when you will arrive.

 

[Best Aunt]

Are you using DME? It seems that just recently online check-in has no place to list your arrival time if you are on the magical bus. It already knows when you will arrive.

Hey, I was just about to say this!

 

[AngiTN]

Are you using DME? It seems that just recently online check-in has no place to list your arrival time if you are on the magical bus. It already knows when you will arrive.

Only if you have provided DME with your info. If you haven't, it doesn't. I wait until after online check in to give DME my info

 

[AngiTN]

Online check-in is like physically checking in at the desk. If you reserve for the night before, and check-in online, your room will be available. Unfortunately, you may have to go to the front desk if your bands don't open the door after receiving a text of your room #!

When I called to apply the AP discount for our last trip in May/June, the CM made sure to tell me that online check-in was the same as at the desk. I'd be liable for the stay even if I wasn't able to go for some reason. I delayed it until right before we left, just in case. Though, I know that Disney is often understanding about issues.

I wish I could give you first-hand experience.

The only thing that makes no sense about the bold is you can still cancel a trip after online check in, both with a package and a room only stay. So I'm not sure exactly what they would have been trying to tell you.

I'm not sure this qualifies as first-hand experience or not. But, I used to work at the Disney Reservations Center (DRC) as a Reservations Sales Agent and a Facilitator (Disney-speak for Trainer). That was a number of years ago. Still, I can't imagine that anything related to this has changed.

Based on that experience, we always told guests that if they wanted to guarantee an early arrival, just pay for the room the night prior. The standard in the hotel industry is that the room is held for you up until the official check-out time. So, you should be fine until that time.

Regardless, if you don't arrive by the time the system resets (somewhere in the dead of night), you will get entered as a "no-show". But, as flortlebap notes, that's easily fixed.

This scenario isn't unusual. Any DRC Cast Member that's been working for a few months will have handled this issue before. I'd highly recommend calling to make this reservation instead of doing it online and then calling to have notes added. If I remember correctly, it's easier to enter notes while the reservation is first made than it is to add them afterward.

Thanks for your insight.
This is pretty much how I thought things would work. Actually, even better since I will be there before check out time, without question.
And yes, even though I hate calling the Disney reservation system, I did intend to call for no reason other than I have an existing reservation that I'm going to change and I can't change mine online, I have to call. Even if we don't end up adding on the day we are going to change resorts.

 

[scrapquitler]

I'm pretty sure that if you make a reservation for the night before, you'll be fine (you'll have to pay for the extra night, obviously). Just call ahead and tell them that you won't be arriving until about 6AM and they won't list you as a no-show.

 

[oceanmarina]

If you need the room ASAP and want to guarantee it then yes paying for a check in the day before is the proper procedure. You can just do online check in and put after midnight as your arrival time or whatever time you want.

Yep to that. I think its a good idea as you will have the whole day in your room as opposed to 3:00 (or later) check - in time.
We once got there as late at 2AM when we stayed at GF(due to our flight leaving late due to weather and bad thunderstorms ) I did not think to call the resort that we were going to be late - but it was fine when we checked in , our room was obviously ready!

I would just put "will arrive after midnight when you do your online checkin.

When are you guys leaving? We will be at WL next Wednesday, 8/23 for 5 nights.

 

[AngiTN]

We did make the change. I called and told them to add a night for us and told them that we won't arrive till 3 to 5 am, technically the 25th. We are at BW

 

[AngiTN]

Interesting update. To any that are following along and curious as to how it goes.
Just got our the notice that our room is ready! Even though we told them we won't arrive until after midnight and have no need for the room to be ready early today, we have a room already. I was hoping they'd put us on the list to get one of the last rooms for the day since they knew we wouldn't need it.
Now, I get to sit here all day knowing I have a room at Disney. Just my luck.
At least I know we can go in and have a room as soon as we get there in the morning.
And to follow along with the new update on the app, about 10:00 this morning I got a text that our room wasn't quite ready. I checked the app and they had processed the charge to my card. When I got up at 6:30 this morning I checked and they had not. I was curious to see if I could tell when they did and it seems you can.
I'm guessing, since they have charged me in full for the room, provided me with the room number, I am officially in this room and the fact that we won't enter the room until tomorrow morning probably won't matter a whole lot in the long run. It's not the same as back in the day when you had to check in at the desk

 

[scrapquitler]

Interesting update. To any that are following along and curious as to how it goes.
Just got our the notice that our room is ready! Even though we told them we won't arrive until after midnight and have no need for the room to be ready early today, we have a room already. I was hoping they'd put us on the list to get one of the last rooms for the day since they knew we wouldn't need it.
Now, I get to sit here all day knowing I have a room at Disney. Just my luck.
At least I know we can go in and have a room as soon as we get there in the morning.
And to follow along with the new update on the app, about 10:00 this morning I got a text that our room wasn't quite ready. I checked the app and they had processed the charge to my card. When I got up at 6:30 this morning I checked and they had not. I was curious to see if I could tell when they did and it seems you can.
I'm guessing, since they have charged me in full for the room, provided me with the room number, I am officially in this room and the fact that we won't enter the room until tomorrow morning probably won't matter a whole lot in the long run. It's not the same as back in the day when you had to check in at the desk

You are all set, nothing to worry about. Its no different than if you were at Disney in the park and getting to the room after a late night in the parks.