couple quick ?'s be our guest

[mickeyfan1]

How early can you check in at the resort and have access to your park tickets and dining plan? We will be arriving to resort super early around 6:30-7:00 am. I realize our room won't yet be ready. Also with be our guest how early do they start handing out the lunch pass at the Magic Kingdom now that the outside line policy has changed? Thanks in advance!

 

[Disvillain63]

You can check in and get your tickets as soon as you arrive. They will text you when your room is ready.

 

[seafoodbuffet]

When we went just a few weeks ago, they let us arrive at the resort quite early and go straight to the park without actually checking into a room (we already had MB's and AP tickets attached). I'd imagine you could arrive quite early and just pick up park passes without waiting for a room to be ready.

Regarding lunch at BoG, again, just a few weeks ago, they didn't do the handing out of return tickets for lunch spots. Rather, it was just the old line up for lunch. We got in line around 10:15, they started letting people in at 10:30 and we were eating by 10:45 or so. By the time we left at 11:30, they already had the "BoG is at capacity for lunch" sign out. If you really want to eat there, I'd get there no later than 10:15 and just stand in line.

 

[Rob562]

The earliest Disney will guarantee that the front desk can check you in is 7am. You might get lucky earlier than that, but definitely by 7am.

-Rob

 

[cw1982]

The resorts will even let you leave your bags with bell services when you check in if your room isn't ready yet. They will send you a text when the room is ready so you can go ahead and head to the parks.

I read on another thread that bog starts handing out return times at 10:30 but that they are usually gone within 15 minutes. I'd get there by 10 and be one of the first ones in line if it's that important to you.

 

[DVCPluto]

@mickeyfan1 - Do you have your tickets linked to your MB? And have you made your ADRs? Your OP is sort of suggesting that you need to make your FP+ and ADR choices?? (Or I'm way off) You'll want to do those before your trip. When are you going?

 

[Rob562]

@mickeyfan1 - Do you have your tickets linked to your MB? And have you made your ADRs? Your OP is sort of suggesting that you need to make your FP+ and ADR choices?? (Or I'm way off) You'll want to do those before your trip. When are you going?

They mentioned having the Dining Plan, which means they have a package reservation. Park tickets associated with a package can't be used until you check in at your hotel, so if they wanted to head to the MK as early as possible that day they'd have to get to the hotel earlier than that to register.

As for ADR's, they were talking about the new standby procedure at Be Our Guest where once the line gets to the end of the bridge they start handing out paper tickets to return later (to get in line and wait).

-Rob

 

[DVCPluto]

They mentioned having the Dining Plan, which means they have a package reservation. Park tickets associated with a package can't be used until you check in at your hotel, so if they wanted to head to the MK as early as possible that day they'd have to get to the hotel earlier than that to register.

As for ADR's, they were talking about the new standby procedure at Be Our Guest where once the line gets to the end of the bridge they start handing out paper tickets to return later (to get in line and wait).

-Rob

Thanks for clarifying! I understood the question about BOG, but the part that threw me was "access to park tickets and dining plan." meaning they needed access to the DP to make ADRs or something, which makes no sense. Just wanted to make sure the OP knew to make ADRs prior to arriving.

 

[TXDisney]

Is there a way to link your magic band up with your debit card before checking in? We arrive at 9:30am and are sending our baggage to the resort. So we won't check in till late at night after the fireworks. But I'd like to link my band up with my debit account before checking in if possible.

 

[mouse_luv]

Is there a way to link your magic band up with your debit card before checking in? We arrive at 9:30am and are sending our baggage to the resort. So we won't check in till late at night after the fireworks. But I'd like to link my band up with my debit account before checking in if possible.

It should've asked you to do that on the MM+ part of you account on the Disney webpage. I'm pretty sure you don't have to be checked in physically to be able to use that function of your magic band. You can also do online check in if you wish and then check in physically whenever you wish.

 

[TXDisney]

It says I have to wait until checking to link it to my debit account. No buggy, will only be the 1st day I'll have to keep taking out my card or cash. But how do you do the online check in? Haven't seen that option anywhere.

 

[Rob562]

Online checkin should appear as an option on MDE at the 60-day mark. (On the website, it shows up in the right-hand edge of the main page next to the line with your hotel info)

As for room charging, while you can tell it to link the credit card saved on your account to use for room charging, it isn't active until you actually check in at the hotel and select a PIN.

-Rob

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Just a side note with check in time...we once checked in at 7am (made sure it was noted on our reservation before travel) and our room was ready. So, you may get lucky.

 

[TXDisney]

I should arrive to the Boardwalk at around 11:00, hopefully a little before. Is it worth it for me to see if I can check in? Or just go straight to Epcot and check in later in the day?

 

[seafoodbuffet]

I should arrive to the Boardwalk at around 11:00, hopefully a little before. Is it worth it for me to see if I can check in? Or just go straight to Epcot and check in later in the day?

By 11am, it's almost certainly worth it to check with the front desk to see if you can check into a room. In all of our trips with morning arrivals, across several different hotels, we've almost always immediately got a room upon arrival that late in the morning.

 

[TXDisney]

Awesome thanks. I'm new to staying on site and not sure of the time frames. Someone has told me that we'll get dropped off in front if the hotel regardkess, so if we're gonna have to walk through to get to Epcot, we might as well see if can check in while there I guess. I was under the assumption that my bags would go to the resort and me and her would go to epcot, but I hear the bus dies take us straight to the boardwalk.

 

[seafoodbuffet]

If you're using Disney's Magical Express Service from the airport (sounds like you are), then yes. The motor coach will only take you to the front of your resort hotel. If you're going to use Disney's luggage tags (which is convenient) then any bags you check at your departing airport will go straight to your hotel (you don't even have to pick them up at MCO). Once you arrive at the hotel, regardless of whether your room is ready, you can store any other bags with the front desk and proceed straight to the parks (you're park tickets will be linked to magic bands which the front desk gives you even if your room isn't ready).

Btw, since you're staying at Boardwalk, you'll want to take the boat to Epcot. The boat drops you off at the back of Epcot (The International Gateway) and you can stroll through the park. When you get back to the hotel, your room will be ready and your checked bags waiting for you.

 

[TXDisney]

Awesome thanks. So we plan on checking 2 bags and I'll have a backpack for stuff that day as a carry on. So we don't even have to grab our luggage once off the plane you're saying? We put the tags on the 2 bags before departure, fly, land, go to DME buses hop on one and get off at the boardwalk and the bags will get there somehow? That's awesome if true. I thought I had to get my bags with the tags and put them in the bus, then they took it from there,

 

[seafoodbuffet]

Awesome thanks. So we plan on checking 2 bags and I'll have a backpack for stuff that day as a carry on. So we don't even have to grab our luggage once off the plane you're saying? We put the tags on the 2 bags before departure, fly, land, go to DME buses hop on one and get off at the boardwalk and the bags will get there somehow? That's awesome if true. I thought I had to get my bags with the tags and put them in the bus, then they took it from there,

How DME service works is that you literally drop off your bags at your departure airport and they go straight to your resort hotel, you never have to deal with baggage claim at MCO.

From the magical express page: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/magical-express/

When you reserve Disney’s Magical Express, you can begin your vacation the moment you step off the plane. Bypass baggage claim and avoid the inconvenience and cost of driving or finding ground transportation. With this special benefit of staying at select Disney Resort hotels, get from the airport to your accommodations in comfort and have your bags delivered directly to your room.
...
Luggage Delivery Service
This feature of Disney’s Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 AM and 10:00 PM daily. Your luggage will travel separately, and it may take up to 3 hours after you arrive at your Disney Resort hotel for your luggage to be delivered to your room. Please pack any valuables, medications or anything you need immediately upon your arrival in Orlando in a carry-on bag

This is definitely the most magical part of the whole thing. That and watching the DME movie as anticipation builds on your way to the park.

 

[Nemo14]

Going back is even better with the Resort Airline Check-In service. You check your bags right at your hotel and don't see them again 'til your final destination airport.