Success of loop request: Online check in vs in-person check in?

[Jennybird61]

Does anyone know if there is a better chance at getting your requested loop if you do online check in a day or two ahead of time? We are meeting our daughter and her husband there at the Fort and have reserved two campsites, letting Disney know when we made our rezzie that we are "traveling with" them and requesting Loop 1500 for both parties. We are also renting two separate tent-site sized RV's from Escape RV Rentals, who we have rented from before. I was told by a cast member NOT to request "first available site" if I do go through online check in, since that would over ride our Loop 1500 request, so that's good to know! Really hoping for 1500.... Loop 2000 is nice too, but we prefer being closer to the Meadows area (even with the upcoming construction........ I think?)
Thanks!!

 

[skyp4WDW]

It's really a matter of what is available on your Check-in day. They will normally try to honor your request but if the Loop is full when you get there, there's not much they can do about that. Have fun in whichever Loop you land in.

 

[bama_ed]

It's really a matter of what is available on your Check-in day. They will normally try to honor your request but if the Loop is full when you get there, there's not much they can do about that.

This is true.

I too like 1500 loop but there are MANY like us who like 1500 loop when reserving a campsite. You can only have a shot on what is open on the day you check in.

I'm not sure what a "tent-sized" RV is. 1500/2000 loops are for tents, pop-ups, and Class B rv's (converted vans). I don't know you you reserved a camping van but just because Tent sites are the cheapest doesn't mean RV folks should book them up and squeeze out tent/pup,B guests. So that's a side issue.

But to answer your general question, whenever I put a loop request (regardless of site type) on my reservation, if it's available I've usually gotten it. And when it was not available, I was told at check-in "I see you requested 1500 but there is nothing available there now". And sure enough, I've even circled through my requested loop on the way to my assigned loop and yes my requested loop was indeed fully occupied - no empty sites. So they really do try to meet requests.

Bama Ed

PS - oh and have I seen campers, 5th wheels, and rv's in 1500/2000? Oh SURE! (2000) but it's at Disney's discretion to place them there. Maybe an existing guest chose to extend their stay a few days which has a cascading effect on future arrivals. Tent loops have vacancies while the (take your pick: ) Full loops were full. But not sure if your RV's should be in that category. The word RV conveys a different mind image than the word Pop-Up.

PPS - and just because the vendor (Escape RV) may say their travel trailer fits on a Tent site doesn't mean that it SHOULD be on a Tent site. Caveat Emptor. The description of a Tent site which you booked is pretty straight-forward.

 

[Jennybird61]

This is true.

I too like 1500 loop but there are MANY like us who like 1500 loop when reserving a campsite. You can only have a shot on what is open on the day you check in.

I'm not sure what a "tent-sized" RV is. 1500/2000 loops are for tents, pop-ups, and Class B rv's (converted vans). I don't know you you reserved a camping van but just because Tent sites are the cheapest doesn't mean RV folks should book them up and squeeze out tent/pup,B guests. So that's a side issue.

But to answer your general question, whenever I put a loop request (regardless of site type) on my reservation, if it's available I've usually gotten it. And when it was not available, I was told at check-in "I see you requested 1500 but there is nothing available there now". And sure enough, I've even circled through my requested loop on the way to my assigned loop and yes my requested loop was indeed fully occupied - no empty sites. So they really do try to meet requests.

Bama Ed

PS - oh and have I seen campers, 5th wheels, and rv's in 1500/2000? Oh SURE! (2000) but it's at Disney's discretion to place them there. Maybe an existing guest chose to extend their stay a few days which has a cascading effect on future arrivals. Tent loops have vacancies while the (take your pick: ) Full loops were full. But not sure if your RV's should be in that category. The word RV conveys a different mind image than the word Pop-Up.

PPS - and just because the vendor (Escape RV) may say their travel trailer fits on a Tent site doesn't mean that it SHOULD be on a Tent site. Caveat Emptor. The description of a Tent site which you booked is pretty straight-forward.

View attachment 962911

Thanks for your reply, Ed. You've definitely given me some things to think about! I probably called the camper by the wrong name...I just called it that because they say on their website that it fits in the tent sites. RV does conjure up a different image! We've rented it two other times before...it's a hybrid and just a little bit bigger than our pup; I think about two feet longer. Both times we rented it, we have requested the 1500 loop but got the 2000 loop instead. In the past when we would bring our pop up down and request 1500, we always got it. So I had been wondering if the fact that we were renting was what put us in 2000. Now you've got me wondering if it's the camper itself, not the fact that it's a rental. I feel like I have seen plenty of campers that are similar in 1500, but maybe I'm remembering wrong, and they've been in 2000, since you mentioned in your reply that that's where you've seen campers other than pop ups/tents etc. We prefer the tent/pop up loops because they are more peaceful than the others. Disney did put us with our pup in a big rig loop one time, about twenty years ago. Didn't like that at all! Felt crowded and their engines were so loud as they'd arrive and back into their sites late at night. We really love tent/pop up camping there and the peace that comes with it, but we no longer have a vehicle that will pull the pup... so we've gone the easier route and rented. We're gonna have to get that straightened out for future trips! I do miss having our own pop up there! Thanks for bringing this up! I really hadn't thought about it!

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks for the clarification, @Jennybird61 .

Hybrids are confusing animals. My thought is if the hybrid portion has canvas (a fold down end, for example) than that's okay since the original pop-ups had canvas (we started in a canvas pop-up Jayco). Of course I have no clue about what the vendor has.

I have camped in 1500 loop a couple times (2000 once) and it can be tough to get into. First, it only has about 20 sites versus 60+ in 2000. Both loops are popular with weekend warriors (locals) who book early to enjoy the spring/fall weather. Yes, it is close to the Meadow area.

Put your request on your reservation and then arrive as early in the day as you can to negotiate politely with the CM. As an example: if Ed and Jenny both request 1500 loop arriving on the same day but only ONE site is available, they have randomly assigned it to Ed (Jenny to 2000). But if Jenny checks in BEFORE Ed and asks for 1500 again (the request is on your reservation), they will bump Ed off 1500 and give it to you, Jenny, and move Ed to 2000. That will make you happy and Ed will never know he ever was initially assigned 1500. Later, Ed will arrive and be given 2000. And like I said, Ed will drive thru 1500 which will have every site occupied (including Jenny) so he'll understand getting 2000 and he'll roll on to 2000.

I've been the beneficiary of this strategy a couple times. I get to the Fort before breakfast. The early bird gets the worm, @Jennybird61 . Of course you have to wait for the current guest to depart that morning and for it to be cleaned and prepped but then it's ready for the trailer delivery. I believe on-line check-in only shows generic "blocks" of arrival time now and not specific hours as it used to. But a guest standing in front of a Cast Member takes precedence over an unseen, un-arrived guest.

I don't know how it would work for two sites (both guests need to arrive in person?) but the general approach is the same. Ask, bump, swap, go.

Have a good stay! Bama Ed

PS - DW and I are going to try a rental trailer for the 1st time on our 2026 visit. Big 5th wheel to split with DD and DSiL on a Premium. So we will be joining you in the rent-a-trailer club (hey, I looked at DVC and the DVC cabins and said to myself "I like the camping loop vibe better").

 

[4077]

S - DW and I are going to try a rental trailer for the 1st time on our 2026 visit. Big 5th wheel to split with DD and DSiL on a Premium.

Wow

 

[bama_ed]

Wow

Jimmy, you might be old enough to remember the radio host Paul Harvey who's tag line was that here is "the rest of the story". There IS a story there - just not ready to tell it yet.

Ed

 

[4077]

you might be old enough to remember the radio host Paul Harvey who's tag line was that here is "the rest of the story"

YEP! (Waiting is SO hard sometimes.. like this time)

 

[Jennybird61]

Thanks for the clarification, @Jennybird61 .

Hybrids are confusing animals. My thought is if the hybrid portion has canvas (a fold down end, for example) than that's okay since the original pop-ups had canvas (we started in a canvas pop-up Jayco). Of course I have no clue about what the vendor has.

I have camped in 1500 loop a couple times (2000 once) and it can be tough to get into. First, it only has about 20 sites versus 60+ in 2000. Both loops are popular with weekend warriors (locals) who book early to enjoy the spring/fall weather. Yes, it is close to the Meadow area.

Put your request on your reservation and then arrive as early in the day as you can to negotiate politely with the CM. As an example: if Ed and Jenny both request 1500 loop arriving on the same day but only ONE site is available, they have randomly assigned it to Ed (Jenny to 2000). But if Jenny checks in BEFORE Ed and asks for 1500 again (the request is on your reservation), they will bump Ed off 1500 and give it to you, Jenny, and move Ed to 2000. That will make you happy and Ed will never know he ever was initially assigned 1500. Later, Ed will arrive and be given 2000. And like I said, Ed will drive thru 1500 which will have every site occupied (including Jenny) so he'll understand getting 2000 and he'll roll on to 2000.

I've been the beneficiary of this strategy a couple times. I get to the Fort before breakfast. The early bird gets the worm, @Jennybird61 . Of course you have to wait for the current guest to depart that morning and for it to be cleaned and prepped but then it's ready for the trailer delivery. I believe on-line check-in only shows generic "blocks" of arrival time now and not specific hours as it used to. But a guest standing in front of a Cast Member takes precedence over an unseen, un-arrived guest.

I don't know how it would work for two sites (both guests need to arrive in person?) but the general approach is the same. Ask, bump, swap, go.

Have a good stay! Bama Ed

PS - DW and I are going to try a rental trailer for the 1st time on our 2026 visit. Big 5th wheel to split with DD and DSiL on a Premium. So we will be joining you in the rent-a-trailer club (hey, I looked at DVC and the DVC cabins and said to myself "I like the camping loop vibe better").

Thanks for your suggestions, Ed! At this point in our prepping to leave (we are at the crazy, chaotic, way-too-much-to-do-and-not-enough-time-to-do-it point) I think I'll just be happy to have a site to fall into, no matter where it is! Lol! We def won't get there early and our adult kids won't arrive until probably 4:30 or so. But it's all good....we'll be happy Fort campers whatever loop we're in!

I hope you enjoy your rental experience next year! Gotta admit, it's pretty nice just showing up and having your home away from home all set up and waiting for you there! Quite the luxury!