Very unlikely, but . . .

[KCMiller]

My husband and I are landing this Friday evening after 11pm, and will be renting a car. We have a room reservation that starts on Saturday. We don't have a reservation for Friday, because we had planned to stay at a hotel out by the airport, but now we're likely going to head to AK very, very early for the opening day of Pandora (like being in the parking lot by 3am). So now I'm wondering (and this is a REALLY long shot) if anyone has ever checked into their resort hotel super, super early - I mean, like at 1am that day (instead of the usual 3pm check in time). I realize that this is NOT likely, but technically, it IS the day we check in, so if there was an open room, do you think they'd let us have it?

At the very least, I'm hoping we can drop off our luggage - that would be OK, right?

thanks,

KC

 

[maxiesmom]

You would have to pay for that night. They won't allow you to check in for Saturday until 6 am. Why not book a room at a value, if cost is an issue?

Technically your reservation is paying to sleep starting Saturday night, not Friday. If you need a room you have to have a reservation for Friday night, no way around it.

 

[KCMiller]

You would have to pay for that night. They won't allow you to check in for Saturday until 6 am. Why not book a room at a value, if cost is an issue?

Technically your reservation is paying to sleep starting Saturday night, not Friday. If you need a room you have to have a reservation for Friday night, no way around it.

We are staying at Pop Century, and the cost isn't the issue - I was just curious. With the crowds expected Saturday morning at Pandora, and since we're landing so late, my DH thought it would be neat to go right to AK and get on line, if possible - and when your DH of 30+ years wants to do something adventurous, you say yes!

thanks!

KC

 

[maxiesmom]

We are staying at Pop Century, and the cost isn't the issue - I was just curious. With the crowds expected Saturday morning at Pandora, and since we're landing so late, my DH thought it would be neat to go right to AK and get on line, if possible - and when your DH of 30+ years wants to do something adventurous, you say yes!

thanks!

KC

Are you sure they will let you in the parking lot at 3 am?

 

[klacey1]

Are you sure they will let you in the parking lot at 3 am?

MTE. Highly highly unlikely the parking booths/lot itself will be open that early.

 

[Praying Colonel]

My husband and I are landing this Friday evening after 11pm, and will be renting a car. We have a room reservation that starts on Saturday. We don't have a reservation for Friday, because we had planned to stay at a hotel out by the airport, but now we're likely going to head to AK very, very early for the opening day of Pandora (like being in the parking lot by 3am). So now I'm wondering (and this is a REALLY long shot) if anyone has ever checked into their resort hotel super, super early - I mean, like at 1am that day (instead of the usual 3pm check in time). I realize that this is NOT likely, but technically, it IS the day we check in, so if there was an open room, do you think they'd let us have it?

At the very least, I'm hoping we can drop off our luggage - that would be OK, right?

thanks,

KC

The earliest I've checked in has been around 6:30 am. It's my understanding their system isn't set to allow people to check in before 6 am.

 

[jcvalenti]

Wow. I rarely even go into a park on a travel day. I'd probably lose my mind travelling all night, not sleeping, and then facing a crushing horde of people at the hottest park in the planet.

I can't imagine they would let you do an early check-in just after midnight. What they probably will do is hold your bags at the bell station, and perhaps arrange for them to be in your room when you get back.

I would definitely check to make sure you can even get into the AK parking lot that early.

 

[KCMiller]

Wow. I rarely even go into a park on a travel day. I'd probably lose my mind travelling all night, not sleeping, and then facing a crushing horde of people at the hottest park in the planet.

I can't imagine they would let you do an early check-in just after midnight. What they probably will do is hold your bags at the bell station, and perhaps arrange for them to be in your room when you get back.

I would definitely check to make sure you can even get into the AK parking lot that early.

It is very likely that we'll regret this - but how often does a brand new park open? The plan is to get in, get on line for FOP, then beat a retreat - we'll be at WDW for a week, so we can go back later for a more leisurely visit.

 

[Allison]

I realize that this is NOT likely, but technically, it IS the day we check in

Actually, not in the world of how hotel time works. That time of day would be for a reservation booked for the previous evening.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would highly suggest booking a room for Friday night either at Pop or an airport hotel so you at least have a place to hang out/take a nap until you want to leave for AK. No one will be manning the parking booths at AK at 3 am.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It is very likely that we'll regret this - but how often does a brand new park open? The plan is to get in, get on line for FOP, then beat a retreat - we'll be at WDW for a week, so we can go back later for a more leisurely visit.

Another argument for booking a room at PoP for Friday night. Where are you going to retreat to if you don't have a room until Saturday check-in time?

 

[Lynne M]

So now I'm wondering (and this is a REALLY long shot) if anyone has ever checked into their resort hotel super, super early - I mean, like at 1am that day (instead of the usual 3pm check in time). I realize that this is NOT likely, but technically, it IS the day we check in, so if there was an open room, do you think they'd let us have it?

The thing is, it's NOT the day you check in. For Disney resorts, the new day begins at 6AM, not midnight. So arriving at 1 AM is still a Friday stay, not a Saturday stay. If they have an open room, they'll sell it to you, but you'll have to pay for an extra day.

 

[maxiesmom]

It is very likely that we'll regret this - but how often does a brand new park open? The plan is to get in, get on line for FOP, then beat a retreat - we'll be at WDW for a week, so we can go back later for a more leisurely visit.

What will you do if you can't get into the parking lot when you want to? They won't allow you to sleep in the lobby of the hotel.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'd probably lose my mind travelling all night, not sleeping, and then facing a crushing horde of people at the hottest park in the planet.

So true.

Then again my husband's family happened to be at Disneyland when Space Mountain opened, and his brother was part of waiting all night in a line for it. Hubby is 9 years younger and wasn't allowed to go along as he would have been 5. So people do crazy things!




But the OP will only be able to check in that early if they have a reservation from the date before. When we landed at midnight and got to POR at 2 it would have been a long weird early morning in the lobby except that we had a room reserved from the date before and it had been sitting there waiting for us.

 

[gmboy95]

We are staying at Pop Century, and the cost isn't the issue - I was just curious. With the crowds expected Saturday morning at Pandora, and since we're landing so late, my DH thought it would be neat to go right to AK and get on line, if possible - and when your DH of 30+ years wants to do something adventurous, you say yes!

thanks!

KC

I am racking my brain for anything i would get in line at 3am for at this point in my life??....I got nothing....LOL

 

[patty57]

I am racking my brain for anything i would get in line at 3am for at this point in my life??....I got nothing....LOL

How about to see Tom Brady get his sixth ring?

 

[gmboy95]

How about to see Tom Brady get his sixth ring?

I think its an age thing....That would be close, but absolutely not!!....Im so so ridiculous I sell off the tickets to any night games, or any game under 30 degrees or rain LOL

 

[Praying Colonel]

Wow. I rarely even go into a park on a travel day. I'd probably lose my mind travelling all night, not sleeping, and then facing a crushing horde of people at the hottest park in the planet.

I can't imagine they would let you do an early check-in just after midnight. What they probably will do is hold your bags at the bell station, and perhaps arrange for them to be in your room when you get back.

I would definitely check to make sure you can even get into the AK parking lot that early.

We did it once, when we were younger and more park Commandos. We drove all night, checked in at CSR around 7:30 am, then changed clothes, checked our bags with bell services and went to AK for a full day.

I'm glad we did it once--once. Wouldn't do it again.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It is very likely that we'll regret this - but how often does a brand new park open? The plan is to get in, get on line for FOP, then beat a retreat - we'll be at WDW for a week, so we can go back later for a more leisurely visit.

I bolded the operative phrase. IMHO, I know it sounds fun and crazy, but I think you are setting yourself up for a very bad beginning of your stay. You will be operating on no sleep, the crowds will be humungous and you will probably be waiting in line for at least an hour, maybe more, even at RD - again, on no sleep and, it sounds like, without a room to go to once you are ready to collapse. You'll be there for a week and Pandora isn't going anywhere. Perhaps consider getting a room for Friday night, sleeping and then heading over to AK when you are rested? You will still be there on opening day and could at least walk around in the humungous crowd, but you would be rested. I've done stuff like this before and ended up getting sick. It wasn't worth it.

 

[Polydweller]

My husband and I are landing this Friday evening after 11pm, and will be renting a car. We have a room reservation that starts on Saturday. We don't have a reservation for Friday, because we had planned to stay at a hotel out by the airport, but now we're likely going to head to AK very, very early for the opening day of Pandora (like being in the parking lot by 3am). So now I'm wondering (and this is a REALLY long shot) if anyone has ever checked into their resort hotel super, super early - I mean, like at 1am that day (instead of the usual 3pm check in time). I realize that this is NOT likely, but technically, it IS the day we check in, so if there was an open room, do you think they'd let us have it?

At the very least, I'm hoping we can drop off our luggage - that would be OK, right?

thanks,

KC

It's not technically your checkin day at all. In the hotel business we sell nights not days. We are selling you a place to sleep. So hotel 'days' run from early morning to early morning, roughly 5 or 6 am to 5 or 6 am. That's not just Disney it's every lodging. So, you'd have to pay for the extra night.