What time do you usually check in? (inspired by room-ready policy)

[kpgclark]

I'm wondering what time most people try to check into their DVC room. Do you try to rush over there to get a good location? Do you stop at the grocery store before you check in or do you try to check in first?

 

[dianeschlicht]

We usually have a flight that arrives about noon, so we are at checkin early afternoon. This time, though, we don't get in until 2:30, so we will be arriving later.

 

[Lexxiefern]

I always try to get the 11 o'clock flight out of Boston/Providence so we arrive around 2pm. We are usually checking in around 3:30.

 

[Terry S]

You should use this as a what time did you check in previous to the room-ready policy and then do another poll that says what time are you planning on trying to check in with the new room ready policy. This might let DVC (if they happen to read the boards) know that everyone is going to try and check in first thing making the front desk a mad house in the morning.

 

[BEACHCLUBVILLAS]

Originally posted by Terry S
You should use this as a what time did you check in previous to the room-ready policy and then do another poll that says what time are you planning on trying to check in with the new room ready policy. This might let DVC (if they happen to read the boards) know that everyone is going to try and check in first thing making the front desk a mad house in the morning.

Theoretically, if I understand the "Room Ready" policy, it won't matter if you are first to check in or check in later in the day, you will be assigned a room based on what rooms are ready when you check in. What I can see happening is members will not like the room options available at the time they do check in and will go back to the end of the line and try again until a room is ready with their most important requests. Since check out is 11, the folks who check in the middle of the afternoon will have the most to choose from.

 

[luv2vacation]

We check in at all different times. It really depend on when we can get a CHEAP flight. Usually it is between 2 and 4. We don't stop at the store until we check in. Just in case the room is nnot ready.

 

[JulesMom]

We usually check in before noon--as early at 6:45am

 

[poj7]

"Room Ready" seems to be a great idea. As others have pointed out, if the rooms available are not satisfactory to the guest then they can wait until other rooms open up. For the most part the system should allow guests to check-in earlier than 4pm and start enjoying their vacation.

Having a Non-smoking and smoking category which is guaranteed as a room type, if available, at booking seems fair. That way those who book at the 11 month window will still get their request. In my opinion the smoking category is what most people are really concerned about.

 

[Granny]

I'm not a big "Room Ready" fan, but if those are the rules, then we'll adjust.

We've checked in late morning or early afternoon usually. With the new policy, I think we will actually check in later to have more choices.

 

[Doc and Family]

We like checking in early so we can start having fun. However, in the past, we would check in, leave our luggage, and hit the park and come back later and get our room. With this new policy, it appears that one will have to stand around all day waiting for a room to become available before checking in. I don't know what to make of it. One one hand, getting perks at your home resort makes you feel good about being "home". And a room request when you book seems like a reasonable perk. However, membership in the DVC only guarantees that you can book A room, not a specific room, at 11 months. I will try to reserve judgement until I see how it actually works (or doesn't).

I think I'll have another glass of lemonade now, please.

There's no place like home.
There's no place like home.

 

[Laurabearz]

The flight we take (almost always) lands at MCO around 130pm.... so we check in around 3 ish.....

 

[pgjam]

We always come in late in the evening usually 10 or 11 & get a good start in the morning. We have never been fussy about the room - we're there for WDW not the room EXCEPT for non-smoking. If there is a problem getting a non-smoking room because of late arrival my DH will be smoking mad!
pgjam

 

[Ralph&Pam]

We almost always take a flight scheduled to arrive at MCO about 10:30 am. Pick-up luggage and rental car by 11:15 or so, drive to BWV and hit the check-in line about 12 noon.

I too don't see any advantage to trying to check in first thing in the morning with the new "room ready" policy. Relatively few rooms will be ready until after noon or so, since few guests check out until near the 11 am time. In the old days (prior to the new room ready policy), we have routinely been assigned a room that was not ready, have left our luggage with bell services, and headed out to enjoy lunch and the attractions of WDW. We might stop back and make one call to see if the assigned room is ready after we've had lunch. If so, go to the room and unpack. If not, head to a park and return later. The new policy will actually increase the likelihood that we get into a room when we check in. Since we usually book SV at the BWV, it doesn't make too much difference which room we get. We usually request NS and close to the elevator. Only once have we ever really been close to the elevator, and that trip we were on the first floor so it only mattered if we were going up to the second floor to go to the lobby or the bus stop. I anticipate that we'll most likely get our NS request satisfied and the room might be ready under the new policy.
I do know that we will not abort the check-in procedure and wait around the lobby until a "better" room becomes available. We book at 11 months to get the SV so there's not much difference in any case. I might book PV at 11 months to get a BW view at some point when I want to spend the points, but right now we're more interested in getting the extra days of vacation that the SV points allow.

Ralph

 

[CK1]

We always USED to show up at 4 (because those were the rules, haha). THen we began showing up at 2, because we did have to drive a few hrs on the last leg of our trip, and we always stopped for groceries. So I checked the "2 to 4" category.


HOWEVER: to take the poll as to what time I will NOW check in... I'd say I will check into a resort or hotel somewhere in the vicinity at the same time (about 2-4)... but not check in to my DVC stay until the morning of the next day. Probably about 11 am -- I see no real benefit in getting there at 7 or 8 am because unless what you want is sitting open in inventory, they still have to clean it, and I have 3 kids that will be bouncing off the walls! Far better to show up at 11, and if it's not ready, we can eat lunch, check again, hit the pool, etc. without having been there since early that am.

 

[timC]

We drive in from Houston...with a stop-ver in Pensacola. That gets us into Orlanda late afternoon, between 4-6pm.

We don't normally make a big fuss about rooms. Non-smoking is the only thing I ask for... I've never been disappointed yet.

 

[JimC]

Usually take morning flight. Like to get out before the system starts to back up. So by noon we have checked in and are off having lunch.

 

[RealMickey]

I voted 4-6. We usually drive in and arrive between 4 and 6pm. We check-in, go out to eat, get a good nights sleep and the fun starts in the morning. Usually our only request is Non-Smoking. Works for us!

 

[Love Tigger]

Our flight usually lands around 10:30 am. Between picking up our luggage at baggage claim and a grocery stop, we usually get to BWV around noon. On our upcoming trip, we're going to US for a few days before heading over to BWV. Currently we're planning on arriving at BWV at about 9:00 so we can check in before heading over to the F&WF. We'll se how it works out.

 

[paults]

we voted before noon because we like the morning flights out of philly so we don't waste most of the day at the airport and check-in. We're done by noon and free to do whatever.

 

[WDWguru]

We always take the earliest flight we can get out of Salt Lake, but due to the distance and time change, we don't land until about 4 or 4:30. By the time we get the luggage and car, we're usually at the desk by 5:30. We wait until we know we have the room before making our grocery trip.