Very late arrival

[Barringer75]

What would you do?

Got our ressies for Spring Break 2004 (our 2nd trip home!) Then I checked airfares. If we come down night before our current first day of ressies (after kids get out of school), we can save about $400 in airfare. However, flight leaves at 8:30 pm getting into MCO at 11:15pm. My kids are 5 yrs old, so late flight is really pushing them.

Would you go for it and stay at a "cheaper" hotel near MCO airport? Or use points (would be Sun-Thurs lower points) and just check into DVC after midnight? I would need to borrow points to cover this night, but that's OK. If you've checked in very late at DVC, have you ever gotten your room request? Your experience and comments are much appreciated!

 

[Jhogan]

I would save the $400.00 and go ahead and check-in at DVC. Sure you'll have to use a few extra points, but it will be far more convenient for you and your family. You'll still get a great room at a great resort and have extra cash to spend on top of that.
We have checked in around 1:00 am before at our Home Resort. The only draw back was the lack of open eateries at that time of night at the resort. Never had a problem getting a room we enjoyed. Good Luck !!!

 

[DeeDeeDis]

My last trip home, I took the 8:15 PM flight out, night before(which I may continue to do since the flight is not crowded with a lot of seat choices). I rented a car at the airport, (approx. $65), and reserved a 3 star hotel from Priceline for $35 a night. The hotel was Hyatt Orlando just outside the gates on 192. I was able to keep the car for 2 days which allowed a quick trip to the grocery store to stock up, and was able to return the car to the Dolphin, (which was very convienient since I was at BCV). National lets you use the Dolphin for car drop-off and pickup, (which I did for the return to the airport). All-in-all I spent $100 for the car to get to the offsite hotel, get to BCV, go shopping and a night for an off-property dinner, and return trip to airport. Spent another $35 for 1st night stay, (which was perfect for a quick night's sleep to be at the parks early in the AM).

 

[CaptainMidnight]

The only draw back was the lack of open eateries at that time of night at the resort.

The Dolphin has an eatery open 24hrs. if that helps.

 

[lampy]

This is usually our MO as well.

First time we arrived late 11:30 reserved a car at Alamo and used priceline for a nearby hotel. NEVER AGAIN. 1 1/2 hour wait at Alamo and finally checked-in to Hotel around 1:00 AM. Hard to find it at night and we were very hungry, so we ate vending machine food and went to bed.

Now we still arrive late around 11:00 PM and stay at the MCO Hyatt. AAA price around $100-120, get our bags, take the elevator to the hotel lobby and check-in, grab a bite to eat in the Airport. Either get breakfast in the airport or spluge on room servive, Get a National EA rental car the next day and check-in in the morning for DVC. It is GREAT. We arrive well rested and begin our vacation at DVC ready to go, no jet lag.

I am all for saving money and eliminating hassle at the same time.

 

[cherylp3]

I disagree. I checked in at 10pm at OKW once and Due to my late checkin - less was available.

I think you should choose a MCO hotel and then go to DVC the next morning.

Cheryl

 

[living la vida mickey]

Have checked in at late at OKW many times. I'm talking between 11 pm and 1 am. I've always gotten a decent room. My requests - non-smoking and a couple of times first floor because my folks were with us have always been honored. I have on occasion called and let the front desk know that we would be arriving late and then called from the airport after landing. Even when I didn't call, we've never had a problem. We've been doing this since 93.

 

[BriarRose59]

I don't like to move around alot. I have not stayed as a DVCer yet, my first stay officially will be in Dec., but I have stayed in the DVC resorts as a cash guest. We usually fly out after my children get out of school which puts us in about 10 p.m. or later. We have a towncar already reserved. They whisk us to our room and we can sleep in in the morning without having to worry about getting up and changing hotels. With 5 year olds, I think the least amount of change is the best. I would definitely use the points for the extra night and I would arrange transportation before I got there to be sure there was someone waiting to take you directly to your resort. Its only costing $85 roundtrip for a towncar in December. You will still be saving your $400 on air, but I don't know what you had planned for transportation, so I don't know if that will mess with your budget or not.

Have a great time!

 

[wdwstar]

this past feb. our flight was a late flight 9:30 . we arrived in mco about midnight went down to national car rental(one person working 5 people renting, very slow moving line) best part was you get to choose your car from the parking garage. arrived at the all star movie resort about 1 am , left all our luggage except for a small bag with a change of clothes. the next morning ate breakfast and went over the wlv to check in for our 10 day vacation. great room, perfect view of the quite pool. we were traveling with our 4 yr(turned 5 while we were there, celebrated at chef mickeys)and 13yr . the kids were great, they were more excited because we didnt tell them we were going, we told them we had to give grandpa a ride to the airport and when we got there grandpa had my oldest a suite case and said have a great vacation, we still didnt tell them until we were at the gate and the airport worker changed the sign for the flight going to mco.
it was great, they loved the surprise.

i would just book at the all star resorts and then move the next day, your only there a half of night, but you still have that feeling of the magic.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Two years ago we had an early morning flight that through equipment failures etc, didn't get in to MCO until 10:30 PM! We had AKL ressies for that night, and our guests were staying at All Stars. We settled into our room at AKL and they took the car to check in at AS, and were to pick us up the next morning when we were doing the breakfast buffet at AKL before heading to the parks and check in at OKW. When they got to AS, their room was no longer available. The front desk told them the two bedroom we had at OKW was open that night, so they go put in the studio portion of our 2 bedroom right away that night!