Less than 12 days before checking in FW & a few questions on checking in

beavs4au

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
12
Hopefully after this first camping trip to FW we'll be like some of the pro's on here and not the new-be with all the questions.

I checked the forums for check-in advice, but some was old (2007) and wondered if it's basically the same. How early should we get there to check in? Is checking in on line any help? I noticed you have to put a time down of arrival and check out. Are you really held to those times or can those change? Is there still an over-flow lot to park to start enjoying DW before your lot is ready?

Sorry for so many questions ... but I'm use to planning our trips a year out not 13 days. So I'm afraid that we're going to miss something, but a trip to Disney is never a disappointment!

Thanks for any help and advice you can give us!
 
Hopefully after this first camping trip to FW we'll be like some of the pro's on here and not the new-be with all the questions.

I checked the forums for check-in advice, but some was old (2007) and wondered if it's basically the same. How early should we get there to check in? Is checking in on line any help? I noticed you have to put a time down of arrival and check out. Are you really held to those times or can those change? Is there still an over-flow lot to park to start enjoying DW before your lot is ready?

Sorry for so many questions ... but I'm use to planning our trips a year out not 13 days. So I'm afraid that we're going to miss something, but a trip to Disney is never a disappointment!

Thanks for any help and advice you can give us!

beavs,

Official checkin time is 1pm for campsites. You can arrive as early as about 7am. Everyone is pre-assigned a campsite. If your campsite is ready when you get there, you can get your paperwork (even that early) and set up. You don't have to wait. Or you can park and head straight to the parks. Your choice.

If your site isn't ready (maybe someone is leaving it the morning you arrive) you have the choice of waiting or taking another available site. Your choice. I usually request a certain loop and if my pre-assignment is in that loop, I'll wait (they won't tell you the specific site). The CM will take your cell number and you will receive a text with your campsite number you can drive right to when it's ready.

Early check-in online does speed the check-in process and also allows you to specify requests (a particular loop, close to the Comfort Station, close to a bus stop, etc). You can do this days before you arrive. It can only help - can't hurt. Even if early checking in, you can choose to park and go in the building to do the quick check-in and get your paperwork or pick a lane and wait in the car. It's like rolling the dice.

You aren't held to the times but do be considerate and leave your campsite by 11am so the Cast Members have time to prep it for someone else who may be arriving that day. You can always leave that last morning early and put it in the parking lot (since you have the parking pass) and get one more park day in. Or park it in the theme park lot - again your pass gets you in.

Have fun and relax - you're on vacation! :woohoo:

Bama Ed
 
Ed is correct on this one. They say checkin is 1pm, but I have heard of people getting in as early as 7am. We arrived around 9am and had no trouble, our site was ready at arrival and we were allowed to go right on in and set up.

We did our checkin online about three days before we got there, so the onsite checkin was really quick. We were directed to a particular line that was apparently designated to those who had done their checkin online.

If you get there and it is not ready, you can park in overflow and hit the parks or go for another site.
 
Thanks Bama Ed & Tiggerdad for your advice! Eases my mind about the check in process. We're coming in from McCalla, AL and heading down the day before (July 5th- trying to miss some of that holiday traffic) any places y'all would recommend to maybe stop for the night?

Hey Bama Ed I work for the city you show you live in & live not too far down the road from you either so I guess that makes us neighbors... we might have people in common.

Thanks again and we're pumped about this trip! Trying to talk my husband into making a Mickey lamp post since I've saw the instruction on here! I copied your sign Bama Ed, but don't think we're been members long enough to use one of those... but I have a feeling we'll be there one day! :)

Do either one of y'all know anything about the water parks? We've got a 6 & 3 year old going too....

Thanks again!
Patti
 

Thanks Bama Ed & Tiggerdad for your advice! Eases my mind about the check in process. We're coming in from McCalla, AL and heading down the day before (July 5th- trying to miss some of that holiday traffic) any places y'all would recommend to maybe stop for the night?

Hey Bama Ed I work for the city you show you live in & live not too far down the road from you either so I guess that makes us neighbors... we might have people in common.

Thanks again and we're pumped about this trip! Trying to talk my husband into making a Mickey lamp post since I've saw the instruction on here! I copied your sign Bama Ed, but don't think we're been members long enough to use one of those... but I have a feeling we'll be there one day! :)

Do either one of y'all know anything about the water parks? We've got a 6 & 3 year old going too....

Thanks again!
Patti

Hey Patti,

I don't have much to add to BamaEd, but wanted to tell you we sound like we have identical trips planned. We're heading down the day after you and also have a 6 & 3 year old. We're planning on giving Blizzard Beach a try as it sounds like it may be more little-kid friendly.

This is our 3rd trip this year and I've been dying to make the Mickey lamp post and finally got started last week. Lit the globe up for the first time last night, so now I just need to finish painting the milk can.

Hope you have a great trip!
 
Hey Patti,

I don't have much to add to BamaEd, but wanted to tell you we sound like we have identical trips planned. We're heading down the day after you and also have a 6 & 3 year old. We're planning on giving Blizzard Beach a try as it sounds like it may be more little-kid friendly.

This is our 3rd trip this year and I've been dying to make the Mickey lamp post and finally got started last week. Lit the globe up for the first time last night, so now I just need to finish painting the milk can.

Hope you have a great trip!
hey Rab1022,
It does sound like we are. What loop did y'all request? We requested 1400. We where just there in Dec 2012, so this is going to be a much more laid back trip, easy saying that when you book 13 days out! LOL Not sure if I'll get the lamp post made, but can't wait to get there. Hope y'all have a great trip too!
 
Thanks Bama Ed & Tiggerdad for your advice! Eases my mind about the check in process. We're coming in from McCalla, AL and heading down the day before (July 5th- trying to miss some of that holiday traffic) any places y'all would recommend to maybe stop for the night?

Hey Bama Ed I work for the city you show you live in & live not too far down the road from you either so I guess that makes us neighbors... we might have people in common.

Thanks again and we're pumped about this trip! Trying to talk my husband into making a Mickey lamp post since I've saw the instruction on here! I copied your sign Bama Ed, but don't think we're been members long enough to use one of those... but I have a feeling we'll be there one day! :)

Do either one of y'all know anything about the water parks? We've got a 6 & 3 year old going too....

Thanks again!
Patti

Patti,

Well McCalla is just right down the road. I'm just off I-459 exit 6 (the Morgan Road exit). :banana:

I would recommend places but you are travelling on the 4th weekend and since Independence Day is on a Friday lots of places will be full (or nearly so). Personally I like Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont, FL (to the west of WDW). Only leaves 30 minutes to the Fort. It's only $25 so if I was planning to get to the Fort late (suppertime for example ) and would have to pay $100+ at the Fort for the privilege of sleeping, I stay at Lake Louisa and cruise over to the Fort early the next morning where you can get in a full day (saves $75). I did this once.

There's also some KOAs. (I assume you are looking around the WDW area to overnight). I'm slowly becoming a KOA fan in my travels. Since it's summer I would want a place to plug up and run the AC overnight so that negates boondocking at a Walmart or Flying J (in Florida only the I-10 corridor allows those - can't do it below I-10). There are some campgrounds that are in view from I-10 between Lake City and Tallahassee that might have empty sites since that area is more rural. That would leave you a 2.5-4 hour ride to WDW.

I have no advice on the water parks - it's been a while since I was there. But I need to get back because I have a hankering for a lazy river tube float at Typhoon Lagoon. I just want to go around....and around....and around.... :lmao:

Bama Ed
 
Patti,

Well McCalla is just right down the road. I'm just off I-459 exit 6 (the Morgan Road exit). :banana:

I would recommend places but you are travelling on the 4th weekend and since Independence Day is on a Friday lots of places will be full (or nearly so). Personally I like Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont, FL (to the west of WDW). Only leaves 30 minutes to the Fort. It's only $25 so if I was planning to get to the Fort late (suppertime for example ) and would have to pay $100+ at the Fort for the privilege of sleeping, I stay at Lake Louisa and cruise over to the Fort early the next morning where you can get in a full day (saves $75). I did this once.

There's also some KOAs. (I assume you are looking around the WDW area to overnight). I'm slowly becoming a KOA fan in my travels. Since it's summer I would want a place to plug up and run the AC overnight so that negates boondocking at a Walmart or Flying J (in Florida only the I-10 corridor allows those - can't do it below I-10). There are some campgrounds that are in view from I-10 between Lake City and Tallahassee that might have empty sites since that area is more rural. That would leave you a 2.5-4 hour ride to WDW.

I have no advice on the water parks - it's been a while since I was there. But I need to get back because I have a hankering for a lazy river tube float at Typhoon Lagoon. I just want to go around....and around....and around.... :lmao:

Bama Ed
so we are neighbors.. just got off exit 6 tonight due to the wreck traffic this afternoon..
I really forgot about it being crowded because it being the 4th weekend even in the smaller parks. This gives me a great starting point. We were trying not to travel on the 4th or 6th due to holiday traffic. Oh how wonderful the lazy river sounds!!! Can't wait to get there! Thanks again!
 















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