Need advice on timing my arrival

[jerbroni]

OK, this is kinda tricky, so I hope one of you experts can help me out. First, a little background info - I have a room reserved at an AP rate and do not currently have an AP, so I have to keep that in mind. Our plane arrives in Orlando at 10:30 AM and we are being picked up by FLTours (they rock). Obviously, we're going to be there way too early to check-in at WL, so ideally we'll be able to have the car drop us at a park and take the bags to our resort. But as I'm typing that I'm realizing that I'm not sure if that's a real good idea. Has anybody done anything like this in the past? Second, I need to determine the best way to get and activate an AP before check-in. I've read that you can buy activated APs at the Disney store in the airport, so that would be my preferred approach if that option is still available. So I guess the scenerio I've been picturing would go something like this: get off the plane, go buy APs, go get our bags, meet up with FLTours, go to a park, have the driver take the bags to WL to be held until we return, come back to WL and check in. Is that even possible or do any of you have any better or alternative ideas?

Anyway, sorry that was so long, and thanks in advance for the advice

Matt

 

[lllovell]

Actually, if the car company will take your bags to the resort, then I would let them. Go to the park and enjoy the early afternoon, then all or some of you go back to the hotel to check in (when it is time appropriate). Maybe swim a bit or grab dinner before heading back out to the parks for the evening festivities. It is usually a very short wait for a bus to and from the parks and be just fine I am sure.

There is a service where they will hold your bags for you until check in time and also the day you are checking OUT if you want to go to the parks that morning, so they are quite experienced with this. So if your concern is about your luggage, I would not worry about it at all.

If you have special room requests, I would get there at a reasonable time and not waiting until you have spent the entire day at the parks to check in. I have had to check in late before and ended up having to take a smoking room because at 11 pm (when I arrived in Orlando) nothing else was left.

Have fun!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

We did this at the Poly. We too had the room reserved with an ap. We had the ap voucher but not the actual ap. We did a check in, but not formal. We went over with the cm what room/longhouse we wanted. Bell services held our luggage, we too got there before noon. We went to the MK, activated all 5 paps and then we sent just dh back to the Poly for the official check in. Good luck.

 

[arizonacolbys]

We got our first AP's at the Disney Store at MCO a couple years ago. It was pretty easy - a little more time consuming than I had anticipated, and the driver was waiting for us with our luggage. Everyone else had already come & gone with their luggage from our flight by the time we got down there.

If you're going to get to the WL with your luggage, I say go ahead & check-in. Chances are you won't get a room, but they will give you your keys & a # to call that afternoon to get your room #. Then when you all return from the parks & are tired, you won't have to wait in-line again to check-in. You can go straight to your room & your luggage will be there waiting for you.

 

[wdwrich]

If they even ask for the AP at check-in, you'll be given a 24-hour grace period to obtain and show the pass. So don't fret over it- check in, get your resort IDs and have fun!