Staying in the lobby?

[Alesia]

First of all yes this was my first post and I am new but it wasn't a joke I was just looking for advice and opinions. Isn't that what this website is for?

Secondly thank you all for your ideas and suggestions, I'm not saying we are going to do this I was just wondering what other would do. My husband booked this as a surprise and we were lucky that he could get two days off of work, he is a police officer and his post is in a large school district so during the school year he can't take time off ( I had a baby in June and they let him have 2 days off).
I actually called Disney myself and explained to them my idea and the representative said to me that that is perfectly ok and I would be surprised how many people actually do this. That being said I am going to look into staying at the airport or adding an extra day once the discounts come out.

Phone CMs are notorious for giving out incorrect information. This is one of those times.

 

[kapoof]

First of all yes this was my first post and I am new but it wasn't a joke I was just looking for advice and opinions. Isn't that what this website is for?

Secondly thank you all for your ideas and suggestions, I'm not saying we are going to do this I was just wondering what other would do. My husband booked this as a surprise and we were lucky that he could get two days off of work, he is a police officer and his post is in a large school district so during the school year he can't take time off ( I had a baby in June and they let him have 2 days off).
I actually called Disney myself and explained to them my idea and the representative said to me that that is perfectly ok and I would be surprised how many people actually do this. That being said I am going to look into staying at the airport or adding an extra day once the discounts come out.

I can tell you disney doesn't want you to sleep/doze in the lobbys. I would book at the airport then head over to wdw via the ME first in the a.m. Remember this is disney world, not a bus station. Good heavens...: .

 

[MsThumper]

First of all yes this was my first post and I am new but it wasn't a joke I was just looking for advice and opinions. Isn't that what this website is for?

Secondly thank you all for your ideas and suggestions, I'm not saying we are going to do this I was just wondering what other would do. My husband booked this as a surprise and we were lucky that he could get two days off of work, he is a police officer and his post is in a large school district so during the school year he can't take time off ( I had a baby in June and they let him have 2 days off).
I actually called Disney myself and explained to them my idea and the representative said to me that that is perfectly ok and I would be surprised how many people actually do this. That being said I am going to look into staying at the airport or adding an extra day once the discounts come out.

Hope you are able to get a discount or find a room that is within your budget.

I couldn't do it myself. For me, travel is stressful enough that I don't sleep much the night before we travel. I would have to get at least a few hours of sleep and take a shower before considering heading out to the parks. It isn't the way I would want to start out, what sounds like is meant to be, an extra special trip.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would stay overnight in a hotel at MCO. Then catch ME around 6 am, check in and then head to MK.

 

[IsThatYouTigger]

You would probably benefit more from staying at another hotel and at least trying to get some 'quality' rest. Haha I feel like you should always try and start a Disney trip as refreshed as possible .

I do feel like I have seen people sleeping in the lobbies of Disney resorts (in rocking chairs and on couches) while waiting for their rooms to be ready though...I guess the only difference is that it was between the hours of say 8am and check-in time. I'm sure what the OP was asking about does happen...everybody else is usually just asleep and unable to see if it does.

 

[kaytieeldr]

First of all yes this was my first post and I am new but it wasn't a joke I was just looking for advice and opinions. Isn't that what this website is for?

Secondly thank you all for your ideas and suggestions, I'm not saying we are going to do this I was just wondering what other would do. My husband booked this as a surprise and we were lucky that he could get two days off of work, he is a police officer and his post is in a large school district so during the school year he can't take time off ( I had a baby in June and they let him have 2 days off).
I actually called Disney myself and explained to them my idea and the representative said to me that that is perfectly ok and I would be surprised how many people actually do this. That being said I am going to look into staying at the airport or adding an extra day once the discounts come out.

Odds are that Cast Member hasn't ever stayed in a WDW hotel and may not even be in Florida.

No, you can't spend the night hanging out in the lobby. What would be the point of renting out the rooms if this were possible? People think WDW hotels are special or unique regarding policies. They're not. Call ANY hotel in your (poor any other) area. Tell them you're arriving about 12:30 AM but don't want to pay for a room that night, and ask if you can wait in the lobby overnight. Call a few.

 

[lauradis]

You will not be allowed to camp in the lobby. You will be asked to either pay for a room or leave the premises.

op I work at a hotel and the unwritten rule is to only allow guest to hang out in the lobby for about 1 hr before we politely get them to buy a room or leave after midnight.

Please don't do this to yourself or the poor cast member that will feel bad for you when they have to roost you from their lobby.

Sleeping in your car isn't an option either.

Simply pack your things in am give them to bell services and sleep in the cheapest value room on property you can get.

 

[bumbershoot]

First of all yes this was my first post and I am new but it wasn't a joke I was just looking for advice and opinions. Isn't that what this website is for? Secondly thank you all for your ideas and suggestions, I'm not saying we are going to do this I was just wondering what other would do. My husband booked this as a surprise and we were lucky that he could get two days off of work, he is a police officer and his post is in a large school district so during the school year he can't take time off ( I had a baby in June and they let him have 2 days off). I actually called Disney myself and explained to them my idea and the representative said to me that that is perfectly ok and I would be surprised how many people actually do this. That being said I am going to look into staying at the airport or adding an extra day once the discounts come out.

With him being a police officer and especially working with/near children, I bet if he thought about this from the viewpoint of other guests or of the hotel, he wouldn't want to do this.

And shouldn't he have a union rep to talk to about taking time off? Something has gone wrong if he's not even getting time to spend with a brand new baby, and doesn't have proper vacation time to use.

As other have said, the phone CMs don't know how things are run at the parks and resorts. And there's no way to call into an onsite resort.

Changing resorts will be MUCH less hassle than sleeping in a lobby.

 

[Polydweller]

op I work at a hotel and the unwritten rule is to only allow guest to hang out in the lobby for about 1 hr before we politely get them to buy a room or leave after midnight.

Please don't do this to yourself or the poor cast member that will feel bad for you when they have to roost you from their lobby.

Sleeping in your car isn't an option either.

Simply pack your things in am give them to bell services and sleep in the cheapest value room on property you can get.

I am a hotelier and that is the rule in our hotel. Hotels sell nights not days so trying to stay in the lobby is like trying to not pay for what we sell, a night in a room. So it's either pay for a room or move on. It's definitely not ok to sleep in the lobby.

 

[lustergirl]

First of all yes this was my first post and I am new but it wasn't a joke I was just looking for advice and opinions. Isn't that what this website is for?

Secondly thank you all for your ideas and suggestions, I'm not saying we are going to do this I was just wondering what other would do. My husband booked this as a surprise and we were lucky that he could get two days off of work, he is a police officer and his post is in a large school district so during the school year he can't take time off ( I had a baby in June and they let him have 2 days off).
I actually called Disney myself and explained to them my idea and the representative said to me that that is perfectly ok and I would be surprised how many people actually do this. That being said I am going to look into staying at the airport or adding an extra day once the discounts come out.

Wow Plenty of people have shared their opinions and I agree with them. Stay somewhere else for the first night.

 

[jcjen519]

You are talking about actually spending the night in the lobby. I don't know if they will stop you or not. I doubt they will just let you lay down on a sofa and sleep for 5 hours. I would pay for that extra night when discounts come out or switch resorts or stay at the airport hotel that first night.

Even if the resort lets you do this I can't imagine how miserable you will be. Especially for a short trip I would not want to be exhausted on day 1 of my trip

 

[mommycrawford]

First of all yes this was my first post and I am new but it wasn't a joke I was just looking for advice and opinions. Isn't that what this website is for?

Secondly thank you all for your ideas and suggestions, I'm not saying we are going to do this I was just wondering what other would do. My husband booked this as a surprise and we were lucky that he could get two days off of work, he is a police officer and his post is in a large school district so during the school year he can't take time off ( I had a baby in June and they let him have 2 days off).
I actually called Disney myself and explained to them my idea and the representative said to me that that is perfectly ok and I would be surprised how many people actually do this. That being said I am going to look into staying at the airport or adding an extra day once the discounts come out.

First, I want to say welcome to the DIS!!

You are correct: you can come here and ask questions, and many people will give you great, solid information, and some will give you their opinions...not always kind!

As you can see, you need to put your thick skin on for some of it...think of it as riding the NYC subway: sometimes you'll get a smile, sometimes a scowl, sometimes a spitter. That said, keep asking questions, because that is how you will gain information.

Enjoy your well deserved trip, thank your husband for doing the work he does, and don't rely on phone CMs to have the best info! I would be too tired to hit the parks at 8am if I did not get restful sleep, but it just occurred to me that you could sleep in the airport when you arrive, perhaps?...I don't know: I ride Amtrak and arrive in the afternoon.

Best of luck!

BTW...just thought of it, but did you tell the reservationist that your husband was a police officer?...I believe that would entitle you to a discount!

 

[maxiesmom]

There is no way I would fly in, and then hit the parks after attempting to sleep in the lobby. No way. Not for one minute do I think you will be allowed to, anyway.

Do yourself a favor. Add a night. Get some decent rest (which does NOT include sleeping in the lobby, which is brightly lit and noisy, even at night) and hit the parks when you are bright eyed and bushy tailed.

And think about it this way: What will you do if they don't let you use the DME bus? What will you do if you get to the resort, and they tell you to get a room or leave? Just book a room.

 

[JennyDrake]

No matter what the person on the phone said, I would be very, very surprised if your resort actually allows this to happen. As a PPer said, what is there to prevent everyone from just camping out n the lobbies?

Here is a "legal" issue that WDW security explained to me (VERY different circumstances!): WDW is PRIVATE PROPERTY and without a current reservation in effect, you may/will ultimately be asked to leave the grounds.

 

[ToddyLu]

We have stayed at Pop overnight after arriving around 10:30. Bell services moved our bags to AKV the next day and held them while we went on to the parks. We later got the text that our room was ready. Went to AKV and they brought the luggage up. Easy.

 

[wdwfan1]

If you don't want to (or can't) find a room for that night, why not just take the first flight of the next morning. We usually arrive around 9am, drop off our luggage and head for the parks.

Not ideal in your situation but better than having no where to go in the middle of the night.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

 

[minnie mum]

I would be too tired to hit the parks at 8am if I did not get restful sleep, but it just occurred to me that you could sleep in the airport when you arrive, perhaps?...I don't know: I ride Amtrak and arrive in the afternoon.

Best of luck!

BTW...just thought of it, but did you tell the reservationist that your husband was a police officer?...I believe that would entitle you to a discount!

Sleeping in the airport outside the security zone is frowned upon by airport security. If you have no business being at the airport, but are just killing time or trying for a free place to sleep, security would consider it vagrancy and probably usher you out the door.

I'm not aware of any Disney resort that offers discounts for police officers. They did have something for police and firefighters for a year or so after 9/11 but not recently, AFAIK. Some DTD hotels may offer something.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I actually called Disney myself and explained to them my idea and the representative said to me that that is perfectly ok and I would be surprised how many people actually do this.

The rep you talked to is in a call center somewhere, not at the hotel. The call center reps are notorious for not knowing policies and giving out false info. They don't deal with the consequences once you are there, so they will tell you just about anything to keep you happy, short of offering you extras or stuff for free.

 

[Micca]

A room at MCO is really a great idea. The hotel isn't shabby at all, and you can get your bags & get into your room quickly, and the transfer via DME the next morning should be pretty painless.

 

[maxiesmom]

A room at MCO is really a great idea. The hotel isn't shabby at all, and you can get your bags & get into your room quickly, and the transfer via DME the next morning should be pretty painless.

I've always wanted to do that! But the truth is, a value room is cheaper than a room at the airport. But I still think it would be fun to do at least once!