Time to allow from hotel check-in to park arrival?

[cw1982]

Okay. I've seen on other threads, including one of my own, where people say that the hotels at WDW will often be able to accommodate early check-ins. As someone suggested, I even put an arrival time of much earlier than what I anticipate to be true on my online check-in, in hopes that this may up the odds of a room being ready when we finally do roll in. Having said that...

We'll be spending the night with friends the night before we go to WDW so that we can spend time with them before our trip and be refreshed and energized the next morning. We're just outside of Atlanta, so that's pretty much the only way we can get there at a decent time without flying (we'd rather have our car with us, just in case) or getting up ridiculously early to get down there (and then not having the energy to do anything after being stuck in the car all day).

So, the plan is to head to the Pop right after lunch, maybe around one? Our friends live minutes from WDW so lunch will probably be something within a half hour of the parks. Lunch would probably be around 11 or 12, so I figure the 1 pm arrival at the Pop is fairly safe of a guess. By the time we either get our stuff put in our room or leave it with bell services to store until we get back in for the evening, maybe take a stroll around to check out the hotel, etc, and catch a bus, what time would you think we could be in MK? Right now I have our first FP+ window as being 3:40-4:40... is that cutting things too close?

 

[Dads 2 Boys]

With strolling around the resort, yes, it would probably be cutting it close....depending on your version of "a stroll". LOL If check in is at 1:00, you could realistically be in MK by 2:00.

 

[cw1982]

With strolling around the resort, yes, it would probably be cutting it close....depending on your version of "a stroll". LOL If check in is at 1:00, you could realistically be in MK by 2:00.

Hah... good point

DH and I are both 31 and very quick on our feet, even without meaning to be... we're runners, so walking around the hotel to look at the pools, food court, etc probably wouldn't take us very long.

Thanks for the input!

 

[lazyboy97o]

There is not too much to see outside at POP Century!. The main pool is located directly behind the lobby building that includes the food court and gift shop. If you are interested in seeing the various sculptures that could take awhile just because the complex is somewhat large.

You'll probably be sick of driving, but you may be better off driving to the Transportation and Ticket Center since you cannot control when a bus will arrive. You'll also get to enjoy the "proper" classic entry into the Magic Kingdom across or around the Magic Kingdom.

 

[cw1982]

There is not too much to see outside at POP Century!. The main pool is located directly behind the lobby building that includes the food court and gift shop. If you are interested in seeing the various sculptures that could take awhile just because the complex is somewhat large.

You'll probably be sick of driving, but you may be better off driving to the Transportation and Ticket Center since you cannot control when a bus will arrive. You'll also get to enjoy the "proper" classic entry into the Magic Kingdom across or around the Magic Kingdom.

Oh, good point about the "proper" entry to the MK! Driving at that point may not be much of an issue, honestly, since we will have gotten to rest up the night before and will only have a 30-minute drive, at most, to get to WDW that day.

I'm not sure how interested we'll be in seeing the sculptures and stuff, but since we like to get out and walk around, and even go running, I imagine we'll find time elsewhere on the trip to check that stuff out if we really want to do so.

Thanks!

 

[pixiesteno]

As you are both runners there is a paved walkway around the perimeter of the resort and you can take the bridge over to AoA and get a run in while viewing a lot of the neat things around the resorts during your stay. You will get a resort map at check in and it shows all the walkways so you could plan your course

 

[cw1982]

As you are both runners there is a paved walkway around the perimeter of the resort and you can take the bridge over to AoA and get a run in while viewing a lot of the neat things around the resorts during your stay. You will get a resort map at check in and it shows all the walkways so you could plan your course

Very cool. I think we'll definitely take advantage of that. Thanks!

 

[JohnD]

I arrive 5/31. I did online check-in and said I would arrive at noon. I have BOG FP+ lunch reservations between 1:40 and 2:10 p.m. So, I hope to be in my room no later than 1:00 p.m. throwing everything into the middle of the room, then immediately hop on the bus to MK. BOG lunch, then FoF parade, then (hopefully), 7DMT FP+.

 

[cw1982]

I arrive 5/31. I did online check-in and said I would arrive at noon. I have BOG FP+ lunch reservations between 1:40 and 2:10 p.m. So, I hope to be in my room no later than 1:00 p.m. throwing everything into the middle of the room, then immediately hop on the bus to MK. BOG lunch, then FoF parade, then (hopefully), 7DMT FP+.

7DMT FP+? I haven't seen that as an option yet... I'm not holding my breath that it'll be on the FP+ lineup by the time we get down there (we check in on June 1, so the day after you!). If it's available by then, we may swap out one of our times later in the week for it, since I have two days' worth of MK FP+ booked. We'll just have to see how it goes.

I was a little more brutal with the check-in time I put on the online system LOL... I said ten am, even though we don't plan to be there before noon. I figured that gave us a nice cushion. It may not make a difference, but it made me feel better

 

[JohnD]

7DMT FP+? I haven't seen that as an option yet... I'm not holding my breath that it'll be on the FP+ lineup by the time we get down there (we check in on June 1, so the day after you!). If it's available by then, we may swap out one of our times later in the week for it, since I have two days' worth of MK FP+ booked. We'll just have to see how it goes.

I was a little more brutal with the check-in time I put on the online system LOL... I said ten am, even though we don't plan to be there before noon. I figured that gave us a nice cushion. It may not make a difference, but it made me feel better

It's supposed to open early May, so hopefully, FP+ will be available for it. My guess is that there won't be a 60 day advance FP+ but availability as soon as announced. So more like 30 days in advance or so.

 

[cw1982]

It's supposed to open early May, so hopefully, FP+ will be available for it. My guess is that there won't be a 60 day advance FP+ but availability as soon as announced. So more like 30 days in advance or so.

Might not be 60-days out for us, since we are both supposed to arrive weeks after it opens, but I doubt they would limit the FP+ window to 30 days across the board, given that the only thing they tend to release in less than 60-days for onsite guests now is fireworks and parades. But that's just a hunch.

I guess it also means that DH and I need to have a real discussion about whether or not we care enough about 7DMT to use a FP+ for it, or if we'd rather have that pass for something else. Given its location and the fact that it's not a big thrill, the wait times for it may be more manageable during night time EMH... or, everyone could be drawn to it, making the wait times for other attractions decrease significantly lol. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out.

 

[JohnD]

Might not be 60-days out for us, since we are both supposed to arrive weeks after it opens, but I doubt they would limit the FP+ window to 30 days across the board, given that the only thing they tend to release in less than 60-days for onsite guests now is fireworks and parades. But that's just a hunch.

I guess it also means that DH and I need to have a real discussion about whether or not we care enough about 7DMT to use a FP+ for it, or if we'd rather have that pass for something else. Given its location and the fact that it's not a big thrill, the wait times for it may be more manageable during night time EMH... or, everyone could be drawn to it, making the wait times for other attractions decrease significantly lol. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out.

I can't imagine FP+ for it not being available from the day when it is announced. Let's say, hypothetically, they announce it's open on May 1. Then I have a 31 day window to May 31. Anyone out to 60 days already could make FP+. Anyone 61 days or more will just have to wait for their window to open.

 

[cw1982]

I can't imagine FP+ for it not being available from the day when it is announced. Let's say, hypothetically, they announce it's open on May 1. Then I have a 31 day window to May 31. Anyone out to 60 days already could make FP+. Anyone 61 days or more will just have to wait for their window to open.

Sounds like we're saying the same thing, just backwards lol.

The only thing that we're saying differently is whether or not the FP+ will be available immediately from the day the ride opens. Since there's not really a precedence on this, it's really somewhat up in the air as to what Disney will do in terms of phasing in FP+ for that ride. You could be right and they could let it loose as soon as the ride is open to all, or they could give the ride's workers a few days of just working the normal queue before adding in the FP+ riders. I could see that going either way.