When to check in to DLH

[DizMe]

I can check into my hotel room now, 4 days before arrival, but is that advisable? I booked a deluxe room and requested Adventure Tower (which I know is just a request).

I would like not to be right next to the construction.

If I check in now, does it tell me what room/location I will have? If it's not what I wanted, can I ask about changing it when I get to the hotel?

I've always just checked in at the desk in the past and made sure I'm good with the location.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[wonderfuller]

I'm arriving Friday (yay!) and checked in today. It did not tell me anything about my room/location. It basically just asked for my credit card and arrival time and told me I'd get a text when my room is ready....

 

[tink89]

I had a deluxe room and requested Adventure tower last time because it was the only tower we had never been in. I had previously requested it but always put in Frontier and Fantasy. I asked the same question since the whole check-in thing was new and most said to wait until you arrive and that is what I did. We ended up with the room in Adventure tower.

 

[DLgal]

Checking in online doesn't change your room assignment. All it does is take care of the administrative stuff: putting a card on file, paying for parking, setting up a PIN for room charges, and telling them what time you will be arriving. Rooms are assigned about 3 days out from arrival. It isn't done at the front desk when you arrive, and they won't tell you where the room is until it's ready (you'll get a text). You can use the app to unlock doors and when your room is ready, you will see the room number in the app as well.

If you want a room ready early, you stand a better chance of that by doing the online check in and choosing an early arrival time.

None of the rooms are "right next" to the construction. Deluxe rooms are on high floors, facing away from the construction, so regardless of what tower you are in, you shouldn't be affected in your room.

I recommend you do the mobile checkin. It saves a LOT of time.

 

[DizMe]

Checking in online doesn't change your room assignment. All it does is take care of the administrative stuff: putting a card on file, paying for parking, setting up a PIN for room charges, and telling them what time you will be arriving. Rooms are assigned about 3 days out from arrival. It isn't done at the front desk when you arrive, and they won't tell you where the room is until it's ready (you'll get a text). You can use the app to unlock doors and when your room is ready, you will see the room number in the app as well.

If you want a room ready early, you stand a better chance of that by doing the online check in and choosing an early arrival time.

None of the rooms are "right next" to the construction. Deluxe rooms are on high floors, facing away from the construction, so regardless of what tower you are in, you shouldn't be affected in your room.

I recommend you do the mobile checkin. It saves a LOT of time.

Thank you! I remember you discussing this, but I didn't pay a lot of attention at the time. You know how you think you've been so many times you know the scoop? Well...I've been humbled in that regard. I seem to be relearning how to do all kinds of things these days.

 

[DLgal]

Thank you! I remember you discussing this, but I didn't pay a lot of attention at the time. You know how you think you've been so many times you know the scoop? Well...I've been humbled in that regard. I seem to be relearning how to do all kinds of things these days.

So much has changed lately. I only feel like I've got this down because I had 2 DLR stays in a 3 month window at 2 different hotels, and my experience was the same with both when using mobile check in (and I did end up still stopping by the front desk for physical keys). The thing to know is, the check in lines are LONG, so anything you can do to speed up the process helps. If you just want some physical keys, you can stop by later in the evening after the check in chaos is over. The phone works well to unlock doors...actually, it worked better than the key cards for us. If you don't like your assigned room, you can always go back to the front desk and try to get it switched.

 

[DizMe]

Another question: a friend will be joining us the second day and will stay 1 or 2 nights (she's not sure yet), can we add parking for her once we know how many nights and if she'll have a car? She is already on the reservation. She isn't sure whether she'll drive over or get a ride.

 

[DizMe]

So much has changed lately. I only feel like I've got this down because I had 2 DLR stays in a 3 month window at 2 different hotels, and my experience was the same with both when using mobile check in (and I did end up still stopping by the front desk for physical keys). The thing to know is, the check in lines are LONG, so anything you can do to speed up the process helps. If you just want some physical keys, you can stop by later in the evening after the check in chaos is over. The phone works well to unlock doors...actually, it worked better than the key cards for us. If you don't like your assigned room, you can always go back to the front desk and try to get it switched.

What time do you tell them you're arriving? Did you say 7AM? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm doing the online check-in and not sure how to answer about parking or arrival time.

 

[DLgal]

Another question: a friend will be joining us the second day and will stay 1 or 2 nights (she's not sure yet), can we add parking for her once we know how many nights and if she'll have a car? She is already on the reservation. She isn't sure whether she'll drive over or get a ride.

I think there are 2 ways you can handle this. You can stop by the front desk at some point and tell them to add parking for however many nights your friend will be there.

OR

Your friend can simply show her ticket upon exiting the parking lot at the manned booth and then show proof that she was on the reservation (or show her room key), and she will be charged the resort guest daily rate to pay right there, based on the timestamp of her ticket entry.

Everyone who comes in has to take a ticket. When parking has been prepaid, and you hand them the ticket when you exit, they wave you off.

 

[DizMe]

I think there are 2 ways you can handle this. You can stop by the front desk at some point and tell them to add parking for however many nights your friend will be there.

OR

Your friend can simply show her ticket upon exiting the parking lot at the manned booth and then show proof that she was on the reservation (or show her room key), and she will be charged the resort guest daily rate to pay right there, based on the timestamp of her ticket entry.

Everyone who comes in has to take a ticket. When parking has been prepaid, and you hand them the ticket when you exit, they wave you off.

Thank you!!! So helpful and quick

 

[mouschievous]

We just got back from staying DVC at GCH. The phone did not work to unlock the room most of the time, so we really had to have he physical keys. Also, when we landed (6 pm) I checked the app and saw our room number, but the text didn't come through until 3 am! So if you don't see the text, check the app.

 

[DizMe]

Thanks, everyone! I decided to go ahead and check in. I appreciate all of the input. I'll report back when I return and let you know how it went.

 

[Pluto468]

Your trip is so soon! How exciting

I checked in online for my last 3 stays. The first time I got a text that my room was ready at 11:30am, the second time it was ready at 1:00. The texts told me my room, floor & tower. The last time I asked at 2:00 when I might be able to check in and they said "Soon", so I went to the park and came back around 4:30 and the room was ready even though I didn't get the text.


If you don't want to be facing construction I'd call and ask a day or so ahead of time and request that, and also when you get to the hotel.

 

[BSMyers]

I can check into my hotel room now, 4 days before arrival, but is that advisable? I booked a deluxe room and requested Adventure Tower (which I know is just a request).

I would like not to be right next to the construction.

If I check in now, does it tell me what room/location I will have? If it's not what I wanted, can I ask about changing it when I get to the hotel?

I've always just checked in at the desk in the past and made sure I'm good with the location.

Thanks for any insight!

We were just there and in the frontier tower right by construction and it was no big deal; I never noticed it.
The lines at the front desk were always long for the 4 days we were there.
The phone app was amazing and worked like a charm; never needed a key.