[Cheryl]

Our flight gets in early - 9:30 a.m. so I was wondering how to go about trying to get an early check in - is it better to call ahead and let them know I'll be needing that or just ask when we arrive?

Thanks :)

[SnazzyCMB]

When I went last September, we stayed at Coronado Springs, and had a flight that arrived around 9:30 am also. We didn't bother to call about an early check-in however. After getting our luggage and waiting for Mears shuttle, which dropped people off at Boardwalk, B&Yclub, and CBR, we didn't get to our hotel until about 12:30. We went up to the front desk, and our room was ready, so we got our keys, tickets, room #, etc. Ran to the room, unpacked and was on Space Mountain by 1:30. :D I think we may have just happend to be lucky that our room was ready, but even if your room isn't ready, luggage services will hold your stuff and you can still take your park tickets and go enjoy your day. I'm not sure, but I think that once your room is ready, they bring your luggage to your room without you there. Maybe you have to call for it though. Someone else will probably come along and know better than me;) hope that helps!

[justval00]

Our last trip we got there early too, I'm thinking 10:30 or 11:00. We checked in but our room wasn't ready so we headed off to MGM. When we got back our luggage was waiting on us in our room and we were ready to unpack! I'm thinking you would have a better chance for early check in if you were going in the off season. You might offer to take a different room (i.e. different view, building, etc.) if they have something available for "immediate occupation". ;)

[llama]

Whether you get your room or not is a role of the dice. We've checked in at 8 a.m. and gotten a room right away, however, we've also checked in at 4 p.m. and have had to wait. You could call the hotel from the airport and enquire as to whether your room is ready. Even if it's not ready, they'll store your luggage for you, so that you can hit the parks. If you want, take an easily accessible change of clothes and change and freshen up in the washroom.

[tinkerbell]

you can check in ..have your luggage stored and head for the parks or what ever. like llama said it really depends ... we have checked in as early as 7:00 am and had a room ready, back when we use to fly and didnt arrive till 4 in the afternoon we never had a room ready. I also agree with llama about how you can change and freshen up in the restroom.

[goofygal1975]

Most of the time I am able to check in by 10 or 11am and have a room ready!! This past trip in December, when I checked in around 1130am, she told me to call back to a certain # to see what room we would have at about 3pm. I hesitated to ask, but my ds and I had sinus headaches, so I asked if there was anything ready since we weren't feeling well and had tickets to MVMCP that night. The CM called mousekeeping and found one ready for us!!

It wouldn't hurt to call when you get to the airport and are waiting for you luggage, to call and ask them if anything will be available to you when you get there! Good luck!

[mickaholic4077]

I was really surprised when our room was ready for us when we checked in around 10 in the morning on New Year's Eve,because we had gotten a last-minute cancellation and I thought that meant the resort would be full-up. It made me wonder if the resort was really full to capacity or not.

[Dana]

I have to echo Llama and Tink. It's a crap shoot...maybe/maybe not. Like llama said put a change of clothes in your carry-on bag, check-in and if no dice on the room, change clothes and store your bags AND your carry-on with bell services. You room will be ready when you are done playing for the day. No one wants to sit in the room when you first get there anyway...places to go parks to run around in... Do your thing and stop back after lunch and get yourself settled before you night plans. It'll be great!

The year I went on Easter Sunday, I arrived in Orlando at 8ish...They had no room ready and we just dropped our stuff and went to MK. It worked out great. We were beat after dinner becasue of the early flight and went back to the resort and unpacked and called it an early night.

[geeman]

Cheryl, I too echo the above. It probably just depends either on the resort or on how busy things are. When we first went to AKL, we dropped our bags off and came back later that night when our room was ready. At the ALL-Stars I checked in about 3 hours early, no problem. Only problem at Coronado and CBR were the lines. As they say, ask and see. The worst they could say is no, and hold your bags for you.

[Cheryl]

With three kids under 6, including a baby who will all have been up since 3:30 or so a.m., we will really be needing a room and a nap so that's why I'm hoping we can check in early. Nothing like dragging a screaming exhausted 3 year old around a park first thing! LOL

[Amneris]

Fax and/or call the hotel ahead of time if it really won't work out having to go to the parks first thing. Explain your reasons -- it seems when you give them reasons that sound good, Disney does try to accomodate you.

As for the bags delivered after you drop them off -- The first times we did this, they automatically brought them to our rooms. Lately, we've had to push the button for bell services when we got back to our rooms later in the day and they brought the luggage right up. This may just be a thing at the Contemporary though. As when you drop off the luggage! :)

[mickey]

Originally posted by Cheryl
With three kids under 6, including a baby who will all have been up since 3:30 or so a.m., we will really be needing a room and a nap so that's why I'm hoping we can check in early. Nothing like dragging a screaming exhausted 3 year old around a park first thing! LOL

Cheryl

When you check in, make sure you set that screaming baby up on the counter with you to emphasise your need for a room. Can't hurt.

[tinkerbell]

Originally posted by mickey
Cheryl

When you check in, make sure you set that screaming baby up on the counter with you to emphasise your need for a room. Can't hurt.

:laugh :laugh :laugh Mickey you might have a little bit of a mean streak in you !! :devil

[iluvwdw]

Originally posted by mickey
Cheryl

When you check in, make sure you set that screaming baby up on the counter with you to emphasise your need for a room. Can't hurt.

HAHAHA...I'm SURE there's bound to be ONE room that has been cleaned already....that should work wonders! LOL :laugh