Late check in: pros/cons

[Garretts92]

We will be checking in very late this year (after 10pm). I was wondering if that could be a bad thing. Will we be more likely to get a smoking room? Any other concerns?

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I have never checked in that late but only because I have the same line of thinking that you seem to have. One question I have for you is are you going during a busy time of year or is it a down time? If it is a busy time of year and the resort is full, I would tend to agree with you that you stand a much better chance of getting a "leftover" room.

We always go during busy times and if we end up arriving late always stay "off campus" for that night but get there bright and early the next morning. It saves points too.

HBC

 

[JimC]

Same for us. We usually take the first flight out and are checked-in by noon. If we take a late flight we usually stay near the airport that night.

 

[Garretts92]

We are going in early Oct and will be at BWV. My concern is Epcot's F&W fest which is starting 10/1 this year.

 

[living la vida mickey]

I think it may also depend on where you are staying. We have checked in as late as 1 am and haven't had problems at OKW. But our only request has been non-smoking and twice with my parents it was also first floor. We've done this often (6 or 7 times) since 1993 and have never had a problem. It's also been for an assortment of rooms: studio, 1BR and once a 2BR. I don't know if we've just been lucky, but that's what has happened. FYI: I always call OKW the day before and the day of and remind them that we have a late arrival. The one time that we checked in at 1 am we had been delayed and I called as soon as we landed to let them know we were on our way. They told me not to worry that our room was waiting for us. All of these check ins were after 10 pm.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Originally posted by Garretts92
We are going in early Oct and will be at BWV. My concern is Epcot's F&W fest which is starting 10/1 this year.

I agree with your concern. The BWV will probably be filled (or close to it) on the nights you are there. You really never know though. Hopefully someone who does late check in will give you their perspective.

HBC

 

[Pinnie]

If we are taking a late flight in, we will stay at ASMu OR we will stay with a friend who lets us crash in HIS DVC room and we check in early the next morning. Of course we let him do the same in our room if he has a late flight in.

pinnie

 

[DebbieB]

BWV was full when we checked in last Dec around 1:30pm. Our standard room wasn't ready so I asked in general where it was located. They said we got a room far from the elevator down near the pond (I had requested across from the bus stop), I asked if anything else was available and they told me all rooms had been preassigned. If we didn't like it, we could move the next day (and pay the change fee). Turned out we got a great room (the large corner room above the fountain), so we didn't switch.

 

[Ms. WDW]

I'll be checking in around 6PM this trip. This is the latest I've ever gotten to WDW. It should be interestering....the only "request" I always make is non-smoking for medical reasons. So far I've always gotten what I asked for.

 

[zulaya]

Add me to the worrying list. We will check in about 8:30pm on a Friday night. I am hoping that since points are higher on a Friday that I won't have a huge problem getting a room that works.

Basically I just want non-smoking and hope to be near my parents who are checking in the day before we are.

Since we are a registered Grand Gathering and like I said, Friday night, I am hoping that it won't be a major issue.

 

[DebbieB]

Zulaya,

Could your parents check you in earlier in the day? You would have to add one of their names to your reservation. Or when they check in they could mention it and they could note your reservation.

 

[zulaya]

I already have it requested on both mine and my parents reservations that we be close to each other. We each have a 2 BR.

I suppose I could have them check us in, but then what about room keys? I know that my parents will be at a dinner show when we are going to be arriving at BCV. Would the keys just be left at the front desk for us?

Haven't done something like this before so I am not sure how it would be done.

Can anyone else comment?

 

[momsully]

We had four rooms in March and one of the families was not going to be in until after midnight. I checked them in and left the keys at the front desk. They just had to show an ID when they arrived to pick them up. It was really very easy and all four rooms were on the same hall at BCV.

 

[zulaya]

momsully, thanks so much for that report.

Did you add your name to the reservation or because they were your points was that not necessary?

 

[momsully]

Because they were my points I did not add my name. Since you want your parents to check you in I would just add there name to the room you are in as well.

 

[zulaya]

Would MS have a problem having the same person on two rooms at the same time?

 

[pmcpmc]

and firmly believe that even with room ready policies a large majority of rooms are pre-allocated.
We have yet to get a bad room on late arrival.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Last year we checked in late and had the worst room Ihave ever had at Disney. I will never check into a resort for a week's stay late again, I would rather move - stay somewhere else the first night and then move to the preferred resort first thing in the morning. Just MHO