Very Early Check-in

[miche73ak]

Our flight gets into MCO at 6:30am. I'm thinking we should get to BC around 9am after getting our luggage, transportation, and grocery stop. What are the chances of getting a room that early? We will have been traveling for 10hrs with 3 kids and just dread having to wait till 3 for checkin. We have reserved a water view and don't have any other requests. I just don't want to get the crappy left over rooms from the night before. What are the chances of getting a decent room that early? I've thought of paying for the previous night stay so we can have one once we get there but its alot of $$$ just for several hrs. Any suggestions?

 

[safetymom]

We have checked in as early as 6:30 AM and gotten our room. There is a good chance you will get into a room early if the resort isn't real crowded.

 

[kdibattista]

We have always been able to get a room when we check in, which is as early as 10:00am. I would think you would have a pretty good shot.... maybe give them a call or fax a request to let them know that you will be arriving early???

 

[trola2]

can you travel dressed to go to the park...check in and drop your luggage? Even if the room isn't ready, they will issue you your keys and when you return from the park it will be ready.

At least that is how it has worked for us when we arrive early!
~~Beth

 

[webray]

We have been able to get great rooms, very early in the morning. We have checked in as early as 6am.

When you make your reservation, they usually ask what time you will be arriving, did you let them know it would be in the early am?

 

[KathyFP]

I guess it would really depend on the crowds. It the resort is really busy and the former guest have not checked out, you will have to wait.

I would have a back up plan, go to the park, Downtown disney, relax at the pool. There are a lot of options.

 

[SB in KY]

I think a lot depends on when you are going...if you arrive on a weekend chances are not great that a room would be ready early (or during a really busy week)...we arrived early (8AM or so) at the Beach Club once several years ago and they gave us a room, but it was definately a left over from the night before...and we were in it all week.
I agree with the other posters that you would want to call the hotel directly or fax them and let them know you will be arriving very early...and then hope for the best.
Another thing we tried once when the kids were really little was getting a 3* room thru Priceline at a hotel near the airport (under $40 including tax etc). They have free airport shuttles, we just went there for a few hours, let everyone get a nap and had the towncar pick us up there after lunch and take us to WDW hotel. Everyone was rested, showered, fed and much happier and ready for a couple hours in the park (after leaving the luggage because the room wasn't ready until after 3PM that time).
It was worth the $40 and made the day fun for everyone instead of torture (the kids were tired and crabby after a night on the plane and DH and I weren't much better)

 

[whozit]

When we went in 2002, we checked in at POR at about noon. The only rooms available were in a building that was farther away from the bus stops, pool and food court than we would have liked, but I wanted to get settled in to a room, so I took that room. I regretted it....we had a long walk to get to everything, but I had no interest in repacking to move to another room. This year, we checked in (again at POR) at about the same time, but I had learned my lesson. Our preferred room location was not available yet, but we got completely checked in, and they issued room keys. They will not tell you what your room number is, but they give you a phone number that you call to find out if your room is ready (and they tell you your room number at that time). You do not have to go back to the check-in desk, just straight to your room. We had a car, so we just left our bags there, but we could have checked our things with Luggage Services (and people report on these boards that the resort will also store your perishable groceries until your room is ready). There are changing rooms available by the swimming pool, so you can change clothes and use the pool, or just explore for a couple of hours. We spent the time doing some resort hopping, then when we called and found out the room was ready, we stopped off at the grocery store and then went straight to our room. Our room location was so much more convenient and I was glad that we waited for a couple of hours to get a better room location.

 

[LadyLt]

The original poster did not give dates, so we have no way of knowing whether it will be a busy time or not. But if you check in at 9:00 am and get a room, it will definitely be a room that was not sold the night before. By that time of morning, most guests have not checked out. And for the few that have checked out, housekeeping has not got around to doing those rooms. I don't know your definition of "crappy, left over" rooms. But if you get a room that time of day, I can bet you that is is "left over" from the day before.

So in a quiet time of the year, it might be a room you love. In a busier time of year, it might be one that you don't like the location of. But in the busiest time of the year, there likely will not be an open, clean room at that time of day. Calling or faxing is not going to help. Because they are not going to leave a room vacant the day before when it could be rented to someone else.

 

[eeyore0062]

It is really luck of the draw. We have checked in at 7 am and gotten our room right away, and then we have checked in at the same time and the room wasn't available until after 3:30 in the afternoon. Also, sometimes they will have a room available, but maybe not in the location you requested, and if you are willing to take that, you can get in earlier.

We always go and get our room passes, etc, and if the room isn't available, we check our luggage, have breakfast and head to a park. The will give you a number to call to see if your room is ready.

 

[disneydill]

If it isn't a busy time...we have always checked in early and gotten great rooms.
I would call/fax and let them know your situation and see what they can do for you.

Good luck and safe travels.

 

[miche73ak]

Thank you for all the replies. We are checking-in on Wed. Nov.19th-22. From what I have read on the boards the week before Thanksgiving is a pretty good week as far as crowds.

 

[magsmom]

We took a chance our last trip and checked in to CBR at 9:30 in the morning in August and it was a pleasant check in - and we got a great room. We got our room right away.
In my opinion, if you have the chance to check-in early DO IT. Unfortunately on our next trip we will not have this opportunity as we will not be at POR until 4:00.