What time is best to check in?

[HappyPanda]

As our departure date looms, I am trying to plan all the smaller details of the trip! I am trying to work out when would be best to check in.

We arrive on the Direct Eurostar so could take advantage of the Disney Express and then head straight to the parks. But I'm worried if we do that we will have A) Less choice of breakfast slots and B) A Mahoooosive queue for check-in later in the day!

What would you do? Do all members of the party have to be there for check-in? If not, I could send the men of the party to check-in while the girls head to the park!

 

[DLPdaft]

the lead name/s on the booking have to be there to check in, with their passports.

If you want early breakfast slots, its really not going to matter what time you arrive to check in - because the hotel restaurants are at their quietest between 7am and 7.45am, so if you want to eat then it doesn't matter what breakfast slot you get, you can just go early anyway and you'll be seated no problem.

 

[HappyPanda]

the lead name/s on the booking have to be there to check in, with their passports.

How convenient, the two lead names on the bookings are DH and my Dad!!

I think for our room, we'd be happy with an early breakfast slot as we are planning to do EMH. But my Dad has a lot of medication to take in the morning so won't be able to have breakfast until after 9am, do you think if I email the reservation team to advise of this, they'd save us a slot.

Just worried as when I went in Feb last year, the Santa Fe had 7.30am as their latest slow when we checked in!

 

[DLPdaft]

it really doesn't matter, at the Cheyenne, what breakfast slot you get, you can go anytime. Be aware though, at the Santa Fe and Cheyenne hotels you aren't seated by a waiter, you have to find your own table in the restaurant, and 9am will be busy in the restaurant. You might want to warn your Dad. He may well have to queue to get into the restaurant at that time of the morning as well.

 

[DLPdaft]

just had a thought - if you're going for breakfast early you could always take some breakfast back to your mum and dad's room for them before you go to the parks?

 

[torsie24]

the lead name/s on the booking have to be there to check in, with their passports.

Sorry to hijack...

But....

Will my drivers licence and credit card do?

As my passport is still in my maiden name, and I booked in my married name.

 

[DLPdaft]

Sorry to hijack...

But....

Will my drivers licence and credit card do?

As my passport is still in my maiden name, and I booked in my married name.

yes, I would guess so (I've only ever been asked for my passport number to be honest). actually, your passport will be fine I think, as I've never actually handed over my passport at DLP, just filled in the registration form at check-in with the information from the passport.

 

[torsie24]

Thanks Elaine,

In any case I'll have both with me, and my photo's on both of them, so it'll be obvious that it's me. And as I'm with Jack who has my new surname that'll make it even more obvious, lol.

I'm just not willing to pay the £80 name change fee on my passport! So my Eurostar is booked in my maiden name, but I did the hotel in my married one.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

I'm just not willing to pay the £80 name change fee on my passport! So my Eurostar is booked in my maiden name, but I did the hotel in my married one.

I know where you are coming from as to change mine it would be 160€ via the consulate here so it can stay that way until 2015

 

[HappyPanda]

it really doesn't matter, at the Cheyenne, what breakfast slot you get, you can go anytime.

Is this something Cheyenne specific? As when I was at the Santa Fe last year they were turning people away who arrived more than 10 minutes after their allocated slot.

 

[DLPdaft]

Is this something Cheyenne specific? As when I was at the Santa Fe last year they were turning people away who arrived more than 10 minutes after their allocated slot.

that really surprises me about the Santa Fe - I've never been turned away there, regardless of what breakfast timeslot we've had. Maybe other have had similar experiences to you though?

 

[ROBEAR84]

I think you'd be fine to use Disney Express and check in later and still get early slots.

After all, people arriving a day after you will still be able to get them! Even if they only give out so many a day you could always try to swap them the following day (we've done it in the past to swap for a later time)

We go for 7am and it's usually pretty quiet until after 7:30 and even then we've usually been the only ones in the 2nd room.

I wouldn't worry about huge queues either, if you're going on the direct eurostar then the queue for check in will be huge anyway if you straight there.

Go straight to the parks and have an awesome time!!

 

[Hipster Meg]

I'm just not willing to pay the £80 name change fee on my passport!

Same here, although my MiL had a fit last year when we all went to DLRP. My brother in law works for Eurostar so we booked the tickets through him and he booked mine in my married name not realising that I hadn't changed it on my passport! MiL was frantic thinking that I wouldn't be allowed on the train as they didn't match and we ended up having to take our marriage licence with us to proof we were married. Not one person asked to see it!

 

[ShimmerTinks]

Im in the same postiton! I too have the Express, So obviously planning to go straight into the parks! But then i was advised that doing that would mean i wouldnt have the best of time slots left! either would be really early or late! So i was debating to what to do!

But after reading posts, seems you can go anythime know matter what time is on your card?! Which is fab!! I just woory that knowing my luck i would be the pne they say "sorry come back at your time) (Im staying at the Cheyenne too)
Will i think we will just hit the parks as orignally planned!

 

[HappyPanda]

I think we will just hit the parks straight away. I know that after months of planning I'm not going to be able to wait any longer than I have to to see Olivia's face the first moment she walks down Main Street towards the castle! (must remember to add Tissues to my packing list! )

Thank you all for your advice - I shall report back to let you know how we get in with Breakfast!