Early check-in options at WDW resort hotels?

[Piglet99645]

Hi, we are traveling a LONG way to get there, so flight options are tricky and at the moment we are arriving at MCO at 6am.

Does WDW resort do early check-ins if there is availability? Or are they strict about afternoon check-in times? Is there a paid option?

What resorts would be my best bet? (Willing to spend one night on a random resort if it will increase my chances of getting in early).

Thanks.

P.

 

[CynBeth]

We usually visit every few years around Thanksgiving and stay at either a moderate or deluxe and when we do the online check-in always put as our request early arrival as we usually take an early flight and land at MCO around 9 am or 10 am so by the time we get our rental car and drive to our resort it might be 11 am or 12 pm. Most of the time have not gotten the room is ready text so once we arrived went the front desk and most of the time were able to get us a room.

 

[CarolynFH]

The most sure-thing would be to book an extra night in a hotel (preferably the same one you're spending your trip at) so that when you arrive, your room will be ready. There are many guests who do just that. Otherwise, all you can do is hope that your room will be ready early - don't make any other requests! And go to the front desk when you arrive and let them know you're there and would like the first available room (of what you booked, of course). We've gotten our rooms (even DVC villas) as early as 9:30 AM, but everything depends on how many checkouts the hotel has that day.

 

[maltdizzy]

Does WDW resort do early check-ins if there is availability?

Yes, we list an early arrival time when we do the advanced check-in on the app and, since we travel at a slower time of year, we are usually assigned a room as soon as our check-in time. But I usually end up going to the front desk and asking for a room more in line with what I sent a request for (and since I'm there early, they usually have time to find one).

I assume you want to rest in the room, but if it's just a matter of luggage, bell services will store your luggage until your room is available (or after you check out on departure day).

 

[loves to dive]

Everyone has pretty much answered but I will tell you no there is no way to pay for it. I always put my only request on line check in is early arrival. I usually arrive around 1 pm but I often do split stays and go to resort #2 around 8 or 8:30. I think of all the times I've been, and some years that is 4 time a year, and staying at every level they have, I've had my room ready by 1 about 30% of the time. I do always go to the front desk to let them know I am on property and depending on where I'm staying to leave my luggage with bell services. I always tell them I don't care about location or view just want whatever room is ready. I'm guessing after I've gone to the front desk about 80% of the time they find a room. But, I'm arriving in the afternoon. The times I go to the 2nd resort about 8 or 8:30 I've never had a room ready or had one get ready before afternoon.

 

[Piglet99645]

Thanks all. I may just do a value resort the first night and get it for 2 nights. My experience varies from other hotel chains. Some bend over backwards to accommodate and some claim to have literally no room available until precisely 3 pm. (Ahem, Desert inn and suites in Anaheim). I try not to arrive places too early but sometimes a red eye is unavoidable from Alaska.

 

[sponica]

with a 6 AM arrival, if you did book the night before, I would make sure they knew you would be coming in late so they don't call you a no-show.

 

[GoingSince1990]

We’ve booked a hotel room for the night before we arrive to make sure it’s ready for a very early arrival, but never at WDW. I’m always paranoid about our room being given away so I always make sure to speak to someone at the hotel to make sure this doesn’t happen. For WDW I would definitely do online check-in AND call to speak to someone at the hotel the day before arrival to tell them our plans. Paying for an extra night is not cheap, of course, but it’s very nice to arrive tired at a hotel very early in the morning knowing that your room is ready and waiting.

 

[lanejudy]

You are a guest of the resort that whole day, regardless of whether your room is ready or not. You are allowed to check-in as soon as you arrive (though with online check-in a stop at the front desk isn't even necessary). So if you were just thinking of chilling by the pool, or stashing luggage with Bell Services and heading to DS or a park -- that's absolutely fine.

If you want the room ready for a rest, it really will depend on how many check-outs they have that morning (so how many rooms to turn-over). WDW resorts regularly function at a much higher occupancy rate than most other hotels. You can set your online check-in for an early arrival time and mark that you'd like a first available room -- if you have any room requests those will be ignored, so decide what's most important. We've had times we were in a room as early as 9:30am, and other times it wasn't until late afternoon. The largest resorts will provide the greatest chance of a room available early -- CBR almost always can accommodate, but we did have to wait once until about noon.

 

[kes601]

Yes, we list an early arrival time when we do the advanced check-in on the app

They've changed the online check-in option to now just say Before 3:00p (or 4:00p if DVC resort) rather than listing every time from 7a to 3p/4p. So, now you'll need to just select the Before 3:00p/4:00p option but then actually go to the front desk to let them know if you arrive super early.

 

[JodyK]

Of course not as ideal as your room being ready, but I believe all Disney hotels have at least one indoor shower that could be used for showering and freshening up to do a few things before checking in if you didn't want to book the night before. Found this article about it:

https://touringplans.com/blog/get-to-know-disney-world-resort-showers-at-the-pool/

 

[Minnie1222]

You can also look into a Day Use room at the Hyatt inside MCO. Typical hours are 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. but maybe they can tweak it for you.

 

[Robber Baron]

We have received our room early, (7:00 am - 10:00 am), many times.

We would never count on it though. I just know if I needed it I wouldn't get it.

 

[R&RsMom]

Just keep in mind if you “call the hotel”, it’s actually a call center elsewhere.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Lots of factors :

How tired Will you be, how sleepy, how excited ???
Was resort sold out the night before ?
House keepers don't start till 8:00.
Will you be happy with ANY clean room ?
Can you drop bags and 'sleep' at pool area till your room is ready?
Will your flight truly arrive at 6:00am
With travel time and getting check in and having a meal; that will be several hours 'eaten' up there.
Maybe drop bags, go to Disney springs.

 

[elvispursley]

We typically take a redeye from Seattle when we go to WDW and arrive at MCO anywhere from 6-8am. Last year, by the time we picked up luggage, got a ride share, traveled to YC, and checked in, in was about 8:30/9:00am. We stopped by the front desk and asked if they had anything available (no, but we were assured we could have one of the rooms ASAP--as soon as housekeeping was done). We hit DS for breakfast and when we got back, we were headed to the pool around noon when we got the text our room was ready.

 

[Magical2017]

Not sure if you want to incur an extra expense, but I would book the room for the night before. You can call to have them put a note in that you will be arriving at 6AM. They can check you in the evening before and have your room ready. If the hotel happens to be full, they have to wait for checkouts and cleaning to occur.

 

[Best Aunt]

6:00 am is the time the flight touches down at MCO, it's not the time that you will get to the hotel. Will you have to wait at baggage claim for luggage? How are you planning to get from the airport to the hotel?

If you plan to reserve a room for the night before but won't get there until after 7:00 am, you might want to call the Disney reservation number to tell them what you are doing. Then call back closer to your trip to see if the information was entered on your reservation.

As PP said, when you think you are calling the hotel, the person you are speaking to is not actually at the hotel. They might not even be a Disney cast member; it could be someone working as an independent contractor through an outside company who answers the phone as though they are at the hotel.

 

[Robber Baron]

Just keep in mind if you “call the hotel”, it’s actually a call center elsewhere.

We have always had great experiences with the 'call center.' They have the resources at their fingertips to direct your issues exactly where they need to go.

 

[SL6827]

If Disney could monitize this, boy they would. But they just aren't at that point with staff. Some hotels are able to do such now.