What are the chances of getting an early check in time?

karamac

Mouseketeer
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
We expect to be arriving in the area around 11-12 the day of our check in. Anyone able to get in early? should I call them ahead of time? thanks
 
They will check you in any time. (I don't know the earliest time maybe 5:00 AM?) After they check you, in if your site is ready they will just send you to it or they will text you when it's ready.
 
We expect to be arriving in the area around 11-12 the day of our check in. Anyone able to get in early? should I call them ahead of time? thanks

We're here now - checked in at 10AM Wed. and right to our sight #114. All depends on a site being ready!
 
It depends on when you come in. What I mean is, busy times of year means less chance of your site being ready. If the place is full you'll have to wait.

I've gotten lucky and first 3 times I came in around 8am and went straight to site. This last time was spring break and I spent near 6 hours in overflow.

Also, if you ask, even if your site isn't ready. If you ask about other open sites you might grab one that already is open.
 


If you are stuck in the overflow waiting for your site to be ready, can you still go to the pool?
 
Yes, you can utilize any of the facilities once you have checked in. You can go on to the parks if you like, shower, swim, walk around. You can even ride around on your cart or bikes.
 
we have always been lucky, at our site before noon the last 3 times, but as tiggerdad said, if its a busy time of year, you may have to wait in overflow.
 


Yes, you can utilize any of the facilities once you have checked in. You can go on to the parks if you like, shower, swim, walk around. You can even ride around on your cart or bikes.

Yep! I pulled in at 6:30a our last trip - checked in, dropped the trailer in the overflow lot, and headed to a session at the golf course. Proceeded to use Disney facilities all day and didn't bother going to set-up until about 4p.
 
We got REAL LUCKY pixiedust: a few years ago. Normally we are out the driveway at 5:00AM and at The Outpost by 7:30AM requiring a visit inside to check-in. Sometimes it's right to site and other times it's hello overflow. A few years ago we were being told that we might have to evacuate due to an approaching hurricane. Having FW reservations the following morning I called The Outpost around midnight and told them about our situation and asked if we could check-in early. They told me to hit the road which we did shortly after I said THANK YOU AND SEE YOU SOON. Checked-in at 4:00AM and quietly drove to site, backed in, hooked up electric, didn't even put out the slides and off to sleep.
 
Yep! I pulled in at 6:30a our last trip - checked in, dropped the trailer in the overflow lot, and headed to a session at the golf course. Proceeded to use Disney facilities all day and didn't bother going to set-up until about 4p.

Whoa, wut?

Which course and what did you shoot?

Bama Ed
 
Whoa, wut?

Which course and what did you shoot?

Bama Ed

I had two 'set-up' days (for the Halloween decor) before the wife and kids flew down. On day 1 I did a DVC golf clinic that ended up being an hour-long one on one lesson at Lake Buena Vista. The next morning I played Magnolia. I'm not a great golfer, but I held up to the group and kept my score in the 90's, so I was happy.

I was also able to squeeze in the Segway Tour of the Fort on Day one - which was a blast!
 
Thanks all. We are arriving next Thursday so hoping its not too busy.
Since you are arriving on an "off day" your chances are better as there are more empty sites during the week that you don't have to wait for them to be cleaned. If you were coming on Sunday morning I'd say it's not likely your site will be ready early. Have fun!
 
I've found that if you don't do pre-check-in, they will just let you go onto any ready unassigned site at the time of your arrival. Otherwise, if your pre-assigned site is not ready when you arrive, they'll direct you to overflow. We never do pre-check-in, and have never had to wait for a site (arriving around noon on most visits).
Maybe we've just been lucky.
 
I've found that if you don't do pre-check-in, they will just let you go onto any ready unassigned site at the time of your arrival. Otherwise, if your pre-assigned site is not ready when you arrive, they'll direct you to overflow. We never do pre-check-in, and have never had to wait for a site (arriving around noon on most visits).
Maybe we've just been lucky.

It's luck.

Everyone is assigned a site at about 5 days prior to arrival. Pre check-in helps them decide where to put you focusing on requests first and fitting everyone else in where it's left.

I've always done pre check-in and only the once did I end up in overflow, but it was spring break crowds too.
 
Ed I thought you were his friend and there you go making fun of his personal best high score

I am his friend and I'm sure he's a wizard with the flat stick. And I added the emoji to indicate an attempt at humor.

However, I was interested in mickeyfan0805's golf story because although I've been to WDW a lot, I've never played golf there and would like to do so. The Magnolia is a classic course and with a lesson/refresher on the day before, it sounds like it was a good round.

To keep this thread off-shoot relevant, at least mickeyfan0805 had a little extra time to spare when he checked in early before the rest of his party arrived. I might want to copy his strategy and tell me wife I'm going down a few days early to get things set up before they arrive - that I'm going early "for them".

Ah the sacrifices I'm willing to make. :rolleyes1

Bama Ed

PS - and us Alabama and Mississippi folks like to poke fun at each other.
 
To keep this thread off-shoot relevant, at least mickeyfan0805 had a little extra time to spare when he checked in early before the rest of his party arrived. I might want to copy his strategy and tell me wife I'm going down a few days early to get things set up before they arrive - that I'm going early "for them".

It was a good one! With it being Halloween, I genuinely had a lot of set-up to do to get the decor up, pick up the golf cart, etc... But squeezing in a day early to get some of the extras in was a great bonus!

If/when we cross over again, we'll hit the Magnolia together - it was a blast!
 

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