Should we stay elsewhere first night

jdkdorn

Disneyholic and SSR/BCV DVC Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
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We are flying in on Oct 16th, landing at 6:10 pm, we were thinking that we should stay at SSR the first night for one night and then check in at BCV the next day for the rest of our 10 day stay. We have had problems before coming in too early or too late you get nothing that you ask for in your requests. I thought if we went there the next day we may get a better room. We really like Dunes pool view and the last 2 times were unable to get it. I know we can't alway get near what we want but I want to maximize our chances

thanks
Judy:)
 
We are flying in on Oct 16th, landing at 6:10 pm, we were thinking that we should stay at SSR the first night for one night and then check in at BCV the next day for the rest of our 10 day stay. We have had problems before coming in too early or too late you get nothing that you ask for in your requests. I thought if we went there the next day we may get a better room. We really like Dunes pool view and the last 2 times were unable to get it. I know we can't alway get near what we want but I want to maximize our chances

thanks
Judy:)

Absolutely. I am a true believer of this practice. Especially, since you are staying 10 days.
 
Why not just have an "unlinked" res at BCV for the first night? Then if you like the room you get, you can ask not to move...
 
When we arrive in the evening, we typically stay at the Hyatt in the airport, then get up early and hit the parks as they open. Travelling with little ones, it breaks the trip into more disgestible pieces and gives you some cushion should something happen with your luggage. It's great to be able to get off the plane and in the hotel room in 10 minutes. But most importantly, it saves my points to be spent on whole days at Disney.
 

We do the same thing. Coming in from the West Coast it is hard to get in before 6pm. So we usually get a DtD area hotel for the first night, rent a car at the airport. Then on our first full day we check into SSR, then go out to the parks or DtD, and then do some grocery shopping before getting into the room. I don't know if it really helps with the room requests, but we've yet to be dissapointed. Plus- I just don't like checking in late on a Saturday when that is a premium point day. Just feel I'm not getting the best value for my points that way. Moving early in the trip is not that inconvenient, we just put all of the day 1 clothes change into a carry on and leave everything else in the trunk of the rental car.
 
We have had problems before coming in too early or too late you get nothing that you ask for in your requests...I want to maximize our chances

My experience is different with the "early" element of the above.

Think of it this way - on any given day, "X" number of villas at a given resort are opening up. A handful are great, many are O.K., some are so-so and a few are lemons. The earlier you "get in line," re-stating your preferences, the more likely you are not only to not get a lemon but have a real chance at winning a cherry.

So, how does one make that happen?

Like others here have mentioned, we always fly in the day before checking in and spend the night at an airport hotel (for years the MCO Hyatt back when it was available for a steal on Hotwire, but now the Marriott. The latter isn't in the terminal but is only five minutes away, has a 24/7 shuttle and is much nicer, almost a resort in itself. I also can book it for nothing since I'm drowning in Marriott points).

We go to bed early so we can get up early on check in day. We then get to the DME welcome center around 6:45. At that hour, it's very quiet and the staff literally put us on a bus immediately and send it out with just us (or at best 2-3 other people) on it.

That means we get an express ride to our DVC resort, arriving by about 7:15-7:20 at the latest.

The key benefit here is "getting into the room assignment queue at sunrise." Ergo, we are the or one of the first parties arriving that day at the resort, and my schpeil with the check-in CM always politely emphasizes:

  • We aren't looking to get into a villa immediately, since we are going off to a park for opening and will be there for the better part of the day.
  • That stated, while we are aware that our villa may already been assigned, we're hoping that since we don't need a villa right away but have already arrived that we can kept in mind for whichever villa is opening up today that meets or comes as close as possible to meeting our requests. Or stated differently, please don't just shove us into the first available thing - instead, keep us in mind for the cherry picks that may open up later - which (hee hee) given the early hour includes includes pretty much all the inventory that will be opening up that day.

Bottom line: this has always resulted in us getting exactly what we wanted.

My interprepation is "early bird does gets the worm," ergo, the "better" villas opening up on any given day will often be "held" for those in the queue earliest. No, DVC won't admit that (the "room ready" line being the stated policy), but I've seen too much evidence to the contrary to buy that.
 
So we usually get a DtD area hotel for the first night, rent a car at the airport. Then on our first full day we check into SSR, then go out to the parks or DtD, and then do some grocery shopping before getting into the room. I don't know if it really helps with the room requests, but we've yet to be dissapointed. Plus- I just don't like checking in late on a Saturday when that is a premium point day.

We will also be coming from the left coast and plan to do this--what hotel(s) do you usually stay at?
 
/
What exactly would be a "cherry" room at BCV? I have always just gone with whatever they have assigned. We are also staying at the DTD Hilton the night before. Haven't figured out how to get there w/o ME.:sad2:
 
Me? I would go to BCV asap and enjoy my stay!!!

Bobbi:goodvibes
 
We always stay in a moderate the night before b/c it's so much cheaper. It's usually just us and then our East Coast relatives meet us at the DVC resort the next day.
 
Since Oct 16 is a Thursday, I think you are more likely to get your room request if you can check in to the BCV on Friday. There will be lots more people checking out on Friday than there will be on Thursday. Stands to reason that your chances of getting a room request are better with a Friday check in. Be sure to tell them when you check in that you are willing to wait to get your request.

Assuming you want to use points for your stay and also want to use ME, I think staying at SSR that first night is a great idea - you can have fun in Downtown Disney / Pleasure Island after you check in.
 
When we are getting in late, we hate to waste our points and stay at our DVC resort. We usually find something nice, but not too pricey, off-property that first half-day.
 
Well we decided to move our first night to SSR. There are so many rooms there that we had no problem getting one for one night. We also added on another day to our trip because airfare was so cheap this year. (178 RT from Milwaukee on Midwest). My husband and I will go over early on Friday to the : BCV with to check in then we can all go to the parks for the day and come back later for the room. We have to pick up our car at the Dolphin on Friday anyway so we will do both at on

Thanks for all the great advice

Judy:banana:
 
Since Oct 16 is a Thursday, I think you are more likely to get your room request if you can check in to the BCV on Friday. There will be lots more people checking out on Friday than there will be on Thursday. Stands to reason that your chances of getting a room request are better with a Friday check in.

It likely varies by season and exact resort, but in my experience the "low water mark" of check ins (and the related liklehood of getting requests is you are checking in) is Saturday. Why? - It's mid weekend when many people don't travel. Also, a lot of guests have the generic "work week" mindset and start vacations on Monday and end them on the following Sunday.
 
It likely varies by season and exact resort, but in my experience the "low water mark" of check ins (and the related liklehood of getting requests is you are checking in) is Saturday. Why? - It's mid weekend when many people don't travel. Also, a lot of guests have the generic "work week" mindset and start vacations on Monday and end them on the following Sunday.
That may be true for the non DVC resorts. But many DVC members (IMHO a majority of them) check in on Sunday and out on Friday (to avoid paying the high weekend points). I think you will find that the busiest check in day for DVC resorts is Sunday and the busiest check out day is Friday, followed by Saturday.
 
That may be true for the non DVC resorts. But many DVC members (IMHO a majority of them) check in on Sunday and out on Friday (to avoid paying the high weekend points). I think you will find that the busiest check in day for DVC resorts is Sunday and the busiest check out day is Friday, followed by Saturday.

Absolutely. Unless one has mega-points.
 
Reading the other OP's, this all seems like way too much work, staying off site, getting in a day ahead, etc. We just pay the points for a Saturday, just include it in the total ressie, or sometimes get a studio for Sat. for less pts.,then re-checkin for Sunday, but always for the same resort! Never move the bags further than bell services. :thumbsup2
 
We will also be coming from the left coast and plan to do this--what hotel(s) do you usually stay at?

We have a bunc of Hilton Points. Last trip we stayed at the Doubletree in Dowtown Disney. Not that great. Ground floor unit infested with ants, construction everywhere.

Other trips we've stayed at the Embassy Suites just outside the DtD WDW entrance. That was great for a 1 night stay.
 











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