Checking into resort after Midnight Question

[stan30k]

My wife and I are arriving in Orlando at 10:58 pm on Oct 7 and I am guessing that we will arrive at POP around 12:30-1am ish. We have a reservation there starting on the 7th. Will there be someone there at the desk to check us in and give us our room key, passes, etc...? I have heard somewhere that the front desks shut down at a certain time. If that is true, what time?
Thanks for any help!

 

[slappy magoo]

Check in time is in the pm, not am. I believe it's 3pm, it may even be 4pm. Checkout time is 11am

If your check in day is October 7, and you arrive in the wee hours of 10/7, I'd dare say your room will not be ready. They'll check you in IF a room is available, but it will be considered a check in on the 6th, NOT the 7th. You m) get lucky and not get charged, but I wouldn't count on it.

My suggestion would be to either change your check-in day, or plan on spending that first night in a non-WDW hotel. And if you're planning on using Magical Express, that really limits you to staying on-site. If your resort isn't available on the 6th, consider getting a room in ANY OTHER WDW RESORT ON THE 6TH (save money and think all-stars or Pop). The next morning, whatever resort you stayed at can help you arrange to get your bags to your other resort, as well as hook you up with your park tix.

 

[mickey7879]

If your reservation starts on the 7th and you "technically" won't arrive until extremely early on the 8th, you'll have no problems. Not sure what slappy is thinking about......

We've done what you're talking about and have had no problems. Actually, the lobby was packed with people checking in. Just remember that there won't be anything open to get something to eat, so pack something if you can. You'll be able to get your room, keys, etc when you check in. You may want it noted on your ressie too that you'll be checking in late so they'll know to be expecting you later. If you are using ME, you'll just need to pick up your luggage from baggage claim yourself and bring it to ME to board the bus with you. Relax and have a great time!

 

[slappy magoo]

didn't notice in my prior post, you're already staying at Pop. Really, trying to book an extra day there is your best bet. If you plan on using Magical Express but not getting an extra day at Pop (or Pop is booked solid), your other lesser options would be:
*staying the night at the airport
*getting a room at a hotal near the airport that offers complimentary transportation to and from the airport, and see if they'd drop you off wherever Magical Express arranges transportation
*taking alternate transportation to a Hotel NEAR WDW that offers transportation to the parks. The next day, use their transportation to get to WDW, use Disney transportation to get to your resort and check in.

Seriously, try to change your check in day to the 6th. It happens to be my & Slappette's anniversary so I'll think good thoughts.

 

[stan30k]

If your reservation starts on the 7th and you "technically" won't arrive until extremely early on the 8th, you'll have no problems. Not sure what slappy is thinking about......

We've done what you're talking about and have had no problems. Actually, the lobby was packed with people checking in. Just remember that there won't be anything open to get something to eat, so pack something if you can. You'll be able to get your room, keys, etc when you check in. You may want it noted on your ressie too that you'll be checking in late so they'll know to be expecting you later. If you are using ME, you'll just need to pick up your luggage from baggage claim yourself and bring it to ME to board the bus with you. Relax and have a great time!

Thanks! Our reservations do start on the 7th and we won't be arriving until really early on the 8th. That's just the way that the flight worked out without having to take a day off of work and being able to take advantage of a full day ini the parks on the 8th. I was just getting worried that no one would be able to check us in at that time and we would end up sleeping in the lobby or outside, if the night was nice. That eases my mind!

 

[rsoxguy]

If your reservation starts on the 7th and you "technically" won't arrive until extremely early on the 8th, you'll have no problems. Not sure what slappy is thinking about......

We've done what you're talking about and have had no problems. Actually, the lobby was packed with people checking in. Just remember that there won't be anything open to get something to eat, so pack something if you can. You'll be able to get your room, keys, etc when you check in. You may want it noted on your ressie too that you'll be checking in late so they'll know to be expecting you later. If you are using ME, you'll just need to pick up your luggage from baggage claim yourself and bring it to ME to board the bus with you. Relax and have a great time!

Ditto. I have arrived past midnight and checked in without any problems. Have a nice trip!

 

[slappy magoo]

OK, forget all I said, I thought you were arriving post-midnight on the 7th. I realize now you're arriving in Orlando late night on the 7th, and at WDW in thw wee hours of the 8th.

The staff won't be enormous at that time, but someone will/should be able to hook you up with your room & tix, so don't worry.

 

[stan30k]

OK, forget all I said, I thought you were arriving post-midnight on the 7th. I realize now you're arriving in Orlando late night on the 7th, and at WDW in thw wee hours of the 8th.

The staff won't be enormous at that time, but someone will/should be able to hook you up with your room & tix, so don't worry.

Thanks Slappy! I already forgot all you said, LOL!! Must be all the rain that we are having in NJ. Watch out for those tornadoes! Hope that you and Slappette have a great anniversary on the 6th, ours is the first of October. So this is kind of a belated anniversary trip.

 

[stan30k]

Ditto. I have arrived past midnight and checked in without any problems. Have a nice trip!

Thanks for the help and well wishes! Sorry about those Sox!! Well not really!

 

[C&B Young]

Between an already late arrival time, and then flight delays, we checked in last year at Port Orleans FQ around 2 am. There were people at the desk to check us in, but the Magical Express ride took FOREVER as they run very infrequently at that time of night. Plus the 10 or so groups on the bus were staying at 10 different hotels... and of course POFQ was the LAST stop! It sucked having to pay for a whole day on a hotel room that we only got a few hours use out of, but at least we got an early 1st day start at the parks!

 

[Lucky]

At the stroke of midnight Magical Express turns into a pumpkin and the resort CMs turn into mice.

 

[stan30k]

It sucked having to pay for a whole day on a hotel room that we only got a few hours use out of, but at least we got an early 1st day start at the parks!

We planned it this way so we would get a whole first day at the parks instead of only a half day or so. At least we would get some sleep, maybe. Well worth the extra money.

 

[slappy magoo]

We planned it this way so we would get a whole first day at the parks instead of only a half day or so. At least we would get some sleep, maybe. Well worth the extra money.

I understand the logic, though between flight delays, Magical Express delays and the possibility of a skeleton staff, I worry that things will take longer than you think they will. Don't get me wrong, as its been said, someone will be around to check you in whenever you show up. Because epopel can show up at any time. But BECAUSE people can show up at any time, there could, conceivably, be a few people ahead of you trying to check in, even at that time of night.

My way of thinking: Since check-in is in the late afternoon, if you're not the type of person who wants to hit the ground running (get a super-early-morning flight, drop your stuff off at the resort before most people even wake up and start park-hopping), your best bet is to take a flight that would get you to WDW around dinner time. Even if you just eat at the food court or get a pizza delivered to your room, then you're more sure of getting some rest for the next morning. And if there are some delays, there should still be food available at the airport so you don't go the night without eating.

I'm aware, in your situation, without wanting to miss a day's work, that wasn't feasible; it's more of a general thing. But I really hope you have a great trip, and encounter none of my worst-case-scenarios. Let us know how things work out when you can.

 

[javs4evas1298]

I don't think you will have any problems checking in so late. My husband and I have done the same thing you are doing many times. We like to fly out the night before because to is travels days are a wash. After flying for a few hours we are just tired and don't feel like doing much. As another poster said, we found that there were lines waiting to check in at 1-2 in the morning. Pop is a popular resort. The check in process was always quick for us and so was the bus service. I don't think you will have any issues. Good Luck!

 

[swimmom]

Due to a weather related flight delay, we once arrived at Orlando airport at 2:00 a.m. By 3:00 a.m. we were in our room at WL. In that hour, we got our luggage, checked in at ME, boarded the bus with a number of other late arriving families, waited for one last family to check in at ME & board the bus, made two stops at other resorts and checked in at WL. There is hardly any traffic on the roads at that time of day, so the travel time from the airport and to resorts was very quick.

 

[Kamikaze]

Thanks! Our reservations do start on the 7th and we won't be arriving until really early on the 8th. That's just the way that the flight worked out without having to take a day off of work and being able to take advantage of a full day ini the parks on the 8th. I was just getting worried that no one would be able to check us in at that time and we would end up sleeping in the lobby or outside, if the night was nice. That eases my mind!

This is what I always do, every trip.
Only piece of advice I can give you is to opt for the 'preferred' room location. If you don't, you might end up with a bit of a hike to get to the bus/food court.

 

[disneygirl1]

We are checking into POP on the 22nd and our flight arrives around 945p... Hoping to arrive at the resort by 1130ish. Do you all advise calling earlier in the day on the 22nd to let the resort know that we won't be arriving till late??? Also if I do call, what do you think the chances of them being able to tell me what my room assignment is??

 

[dopeylover]

Last time we were there, we didn't arrive until 1am, and didn't get into POR until 2:30...There was actually 2 people at check-in, and it was not a problem at all...Our room was ready and waiting for us...I would make them aware of your late arrival though, just to be safe.

I see no reason why you should change your day or schedule...The only thing that stinks is that you are charged a full day for a room even though you're technically in it after 12am...You know what I mean?

 

[mastif]

My wife and I are arriving in Orlando at 10:58 pm on Oct 7 and I am guessing that we will arrive at POP around 12:30-1am ish. We have a reservation there starting on the 7th. Will there be someone there at the desk to check us in and give us our room key, passes, etc...? I have heard somewhere that the front desks shut down at a certain time. If that is true, what time?
Thanks for any help!

no front deck at any hotel ever closes. If you are going to stay somewhere where it does close, i would advise choosing a different hotel.

 

[KaliSplash]

no front deck at any hotel ever closes. If you are going to stay somewhere where it does close, i would advise choosing a different hotel.

I was wondering if someone was going to get around to that part of the original poster's question. Yes, the front desk is ALWAYS staffed.