long flight, young child, no early check in...what to do????

[daffidyll]

We will be flying inernational, so a pretty looooooooong flight and arriving at LAX 7.00am. It looks like most hotels have check-in around 3.00 or 4.00 pm which is a long time away. We will have our 4 year old with us and although from what I've read, sometimes a hotel can get you early check-in and if not they will hold your luggage for you....BUT....still wondering what to do. I know we could do Disneyland but just not sure how long DD or any of us will last and should we just book the room for the night before our arrival just so we CAN check-in early. What have most people done in this situation with young kids???????? Thanks to anyone who has any advice!

 

[OurMsBrooks]

I can think of two possibilities. First, if you're renting a car maybe your child will sleep while you drive around, and maybe get enough refreshment from that to make it until you can check in. (Doesn't do much for your tiredness, though!) Second, you could just plan to go straight to the park and do what you can, and hope that the excitement will be enough to keep the child going until you head to your hotel in the afternoon.

I'm a cheapskate, so I wouldn't book a room for the night before, but that does sound like an option if you don't mind spending the money.

That's a tough one!

 

[abby]

My suggestion is to call the hotel and let them know you would be interested in an early check in if possible. They won't guarantee it, but if they know, maybe they will make it happen. You didn't say when you are going and where you are staying. My experience is if you are arriving on a week day after summer is over it is most likley not going to be a problem to check in . If you are arriving on a weekend in the summer, when the hotel is full the night before, you will have a problem.

 

[kiwitravel]

From experience coming in to LAX International, you should be getting to your hotel around 10am. A lot will depend on your hotel and whether they have a day room where you can relax. I would let the Hotel know what time you are going to be arriving and if you could have as early a checkin as possible. Email or (better) phone them just before you leave home. Which hotel will you be staying at?

 

[blackjackdelta]

From experience coming in to LAX International, you should be getting to your hotel around 10am. A lot will depend on your hotel and whether they have a day room where you can relax. I would let the Hotel know what time you are going to be arriving and if you could have as early a checkin as possible. Email or (better) phone them just before you leave home. Which hotel will you be staying at?

I agree with this, call them and give them the details and that you are traveling international and I bet for the most part they will try to help you as mush as they can. Where are you staying.

Jack

 

[dizzyami]

Granted it has been a very long time since I have done an international flight (and I was pretty young), but my recommendation would actually be to hit DL and do it until you drop. At this point you should be able to check into the hotel - and sleep! Then hopefully come the next morning you should be refreshed, and a bit more accustomed to the time change.

 

[darph nader]

kiwi and blackjack are right,call. If you do,have a pen and paper handy so you can right down the 'date' ,'time' when you called and WHO you talked to. That way you have a little back-up in case of a snafu.

 

[daffidyll]

Hi, Thanks so much! We won't have a car but have our flights booked, still haven't booked a hotel but at the moment leaning towards the Carousel Inn....I've read good and bad reveiws but mostly good....still thinking of howard Johnsons too though it's more of a walk isn't it? ....We'll be arriving on Wednesday March 12th and I'm not sure if it will be crowded then as it's possibly around either spring break time or cheerleading competitions???? Sounds like a good idea though to phone ahead and HOPE! and maybe we will be ready for a good walk around anyway after sitting so long!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

If you are getting hopper passes it is really cheap to add on an extra day. I would do that just in case you do need something to do and your child is in a good mood. I think it is around $10-$20 per person, per day.

 

[kiwitravel]

still haven't booked a hotel but at the moment leaning towards the Carousel Inn....I've read good and bad reveiws but mostly good....still thinking of howard Johnsons too though it's more of a walk isn't it? ....

We got an early check in at Carousel Inn and didn't even pre-arrange, we arrived about midday so were very happy after a 14hr flight....

Carousel has an excellent day room, on our last day we asked for a late check out the night before as we weren't due to head to the airport until 5pm. They let us check out at 1pm, they locked away our bags and we relaxed in what is normally the breakfast room, airconditioned, TV and a view over the park. Only negatives we had on the Carousel was the pool (which is small) and the room decor was tired. I understand they have since updated the rooms.

HoJos is very popular, it is however over half a mile from DL so about a 10-15 minute walk. Haven't heard of too many people having a bad stay there.

 

[joeysmommy]

I would do what other mentioned above, call the hotel and let them know you'd like an early check-in.
We arrived at DLH for our trip last year at 10AM and our room was ready.
We were prepared to leave our luggage and hit the park. Instead, we relaxed in our room for a bit, changed our clothes and then hit the park.
The kids were too excited for a nap..so was I!!

 

[daffidyll]

Yes, I'm planning to get the 2008 5 days for the price of 3 parkhoppers which will suit us perfectly. We were already planning to go the day we arrive, just probably not for the whole day and wanted to get refreshed and changed for a bit first if we could. Even with this we will still have an unused day up our sleeves which we can always use if we want to come back before we head home. Good to hear about the Carousel giving early check-in...another + for them though I've since been looking at a couple of others....ah well....that will be for another topic