WWYD regarding eating upon arriving at hotel

[AliceCullen]

I'm trying to figure out where we should have our first meal upon getting to our hotel and need opinions.

My boyfriend and I are landing at LAX at 11:20 am. We are taking supershuttle to the GCH. Is it realistic to think we will be at the hotel by 1 pm? Even if we don't get there until 2 pm, we won't be able to get into our room until 3:00, check in time. I know we are going to be starving by then and will need to eat before we do anything else. Should we leave our luggage with the front desk and head out to DL and have lunch at Cafe Orleans where I am dying to eat, or should we eat somewhere in the hotel and wait for our room to be ready so we can go upstairs and freshen up and change and then hit DL?

WWYD??

Thanks in advance.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I'm trying to figure out where we should have our first meal upon getting to our hotel and need opinions.

My boyfriend and I are landing at LAX at 11:20 am. We are taking supershuttle to the GCH. Is it realistic to think we will be at the hotel by 1 pm? Even if we don't get there until 2 pm, we won't be able to get into our room until 3:00, check in time. I know we are going to be starving by then and will need to eat before we do anything else. Should we leave our luggage with the front desk and head out to DL and have lunch at Cafe Orleans where I am dying to eat, or should we eat somewhere in the hotel and wait for our room to be ready so we can go upstairs and freshen up and change and then hit DL?

WWYD??

Thanks in advance.

Your room may very well be ready when you get there. We checked into the DLH just before Xmas at 11 am and got right into our room. If it's not ready, I'd personally grab something to eat at WWS in GCH while waiting for the room.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I'd personally grab something to eat at WWS in GCH while waiting for the room.

If you want a sit-down option, check out the offerings in Downtown Disney. Sometimes middle of the day is the best time to eat down there since you can take advantage of lunch menu prices and non-peak eating time crowds. And you still haven't wandered off too far from your hotel while you're waiting for your room to be ready. Like another poster mentioned though, you could get lucky and have your room be ready upon arrival and be able to head right out to the parks.

 

[nunzia]

We often get into our rooms by 1:00 (we arrive by 7:00am on the train..now we are staying DVC and I wonder how long the wait to get the room will be.OY)... we like to eat at Whitewater Snacks for a quick meal, especially upon arrival. Nice mellow place to gear up for the parks.

 

[AliceCullen]

Your room may very well be ready when you get there. We checked into the DLH just before Xmas at 11 am and got right into our room. If it's not ready, I'd personally grab something to eat at WWS in GCH while waiting for the room.

Thank you (and everyone else who responded). It would be so ideal for our room to be ready when we get there. I am crossing my fingers.

 

[Dobie]

You could always make a reservation at Cafe Orleans, and then if your room is not ready, La Brea Bakery is right outside the hotel and has outdoor seating and is positively lovely!

 

[AliceCullen]

You could always make a reservation at Cafe Orleans, and then if your room is not ready, La Brea Bakery is right outside the hotel and has outdoor seating and is positively lovely!

I wasn't even aware of La Brea Bakery until you mentioned it. I just looked it up and it looks great. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Dobie]

I wasn't even aware of La Brea Bakery until you mentioned it. I just looked it up and it looks great. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[bumbershoot]

11:20, walk to the luggage carousel, realize they told you the wrong number carousel (EVERY time at LAX, every time), find the right number, get your bags, get to the shuttle area, wait for shuttle....drive...

I would say 1 is the earliest, unless you've done carry-on only.

I would do the check-in you can do, which gives you the paperwork, keycards, everything but the room number. Put keycards in their paper envelope into a purse, put the folder thing they give you in one of your bags, check them with Bell Services. Oh by the way we haven't gotten into our room *before* 4...once after 5, at PPH, GCH, or DLH. Then head on out to wherever you want to go! There are bathrooms off the lobby, so you can always take a few moments to make yourselves sparkly, LOL, then head on out. Don't forget your camera!

 

[tholczer]

I'm with Bumbershoot. We've never gotten into our hotel room by 3:00. Dress for the parks that day so you'll be ready to go. Then go eat at Cafe Orleans and have fun until your room is ready!

Tracy

 

[Mister Toad]

I'm with Bumbershoot. We've never gotten into our hotel room by 3:00. Dress for the parks that day so you'll be ready to go. Then go eat at Cafe Orleans and have fun until your room is ready!

Tracy

I'm from Chicago, and every time I go to DL I make the obligatory stop at In N Out burger. My vote is go to In N Out, its the best.

If you have park tickets though, go there and eat if you want to get moving immediately.

 

[tholczer]

I'm from Chicago, and every time I go to DL I make the obligatory stop at In N Out burger. My vote is go to In N Out, its the best.

This is also a splendid idea! In N Out is the best.

Tracy

 

[pixiewings71]

We've been allowed in our room early, if it's ready you can get in early. In the GCH you've got Storytellers and White Water Snacks, both have great lunches if you don't want to go into the parks. I would check in, see if you can get into your room, if not check your gear with bell services and then grab a bite to eat, there are tons of choices in DTD and the hotel.

 

[nunzia]

I really like the Quiche at La Brea...Maybe we tend to get in our rooms early because we are the first, or close to it, to check in? Since the train arrives in Fullerton at 6:30 am, we're at the Grand by around 7:00 am.

 

[suzannen]

I'm from Chicago, and every time I go to DL I make the obligatory stop at In N Out burger. My vote is go to In N Out, its the best.

If you have park tickets though, go there and eat if you want to get moving immediately.

Ohhh, where exactly is the closest In N Out burger to DLR?

 

[Mister Toad]

Ohhh, where exactly is the closest In N Out burger to DLR?

Well there is one right by LAX, always packed but still good. The nearest one to DL (according to Google Maps that I have been to a few times) is at the corner of Orange and Brookhurst. Not really walking distance, but you can probably grab a cab and have them run you over there.

Here is the address

600 South Brookhurst Street, Anaheim, CA‎

 

[chrissiecutie]

Thank you (and everyone else who responded). It would be so ideal for our room to be ready when we get there. I am crossing my fingers.

As someone who's worked in hospitality and been a hotel front desk manager for years (now I'm a SAHM) I suggest you call the hotel and request and early check in. Yes! You CAN do this!

Keep in mind it's a request, not a guarantee.

Here's how the system works:

8am- rooms begin turnover process, ie. houskeepers arrive for the day and start "turning over" those rooms already vacated.
10am- avail rooms are assigned based upon special requests, ie. 3rd floor, suites, early check in's, etc
12pm- all guests scheduled to check out should have now completed check out process and rooms have been checked to verify. Guests scheduled to arrive for that day that have not been assigned a room, are then assigned based upon requests.

This is how it's "usually" done, at least at all the hotels/companies I've worked for. Times and such will vary but front desk agents always start pre assigning based upon special requests and then work their way down. So if you've requested an early check in and don't really care what floor, what side of the hotel, closest to pool (meaning the least amount of special requests you have) the more likely you are to get that one-early check in- special request. Does this make sense??

On the other hand, if you've made ALOT of special requests they may have to wait until more guests have checked out before that room that fits your requests becomes available. Then of course housekeeping will need to clean it, which is usually 20 mins max. But that all adds time- so keep it simple. If all you really care about is early check in, then call and request that! Also, call that morning and confirm your special request- this will just prompt the front desk agent and give them a friendly reminder that you'd like to check in early.

 

[suzannen]

Well there is one right by LAX, always packed but still good. The nearest one to DL (according to Google Maps that I have been to a few times) is at the corner of Orange and Brookhurst. Not really walking distance, but you can probably grab a cab and have them run you over there.

Here is the address

600 South Brookhurst Street, Anaheim, CA‎

Thanks for the info!

 

[Queenbillabong]

Thank you (and everyone else who responded). It would be so ideal for our room to be ready when we get there. I am crossing my fingers.

FWIW, I would call the hotel the day before or just before you leave for the airport that day and request an early check in. That's what we do and we have always been able to check in early, even at the GCH