Day 1 help (early check-in for rope drop)

curry767

curry767

Active Member
G'day guys,

We arrive MCO around 5pm on Thursday the 25th April and we are planning on renting a car to get some shopping (groceries, stroller etc etc) then staying outside the park for the first night.

The plan is to be up early and drive to Disney where we have a 2 Bedroom Villa at Baylake Tower reservation (hence skimping on the first night).

My questions revolve around timings so we can be at the MK for rope drop (9am). What time do you think we need to be walking from the Contemporary to the MK? Planning on walking rather than Monorail.

On top of this I have to return the rental car to the National office at the Transportation office some time before 5pm. My initial planning was to get it over and done with first thing in the morning and utilise their free shuttle back to the Contemporary. I just need suggestions in allowing enough time to get back for rope drop.

I'm guessing our room won't be ready. Any info on leaving our bags at the check in desk would also be greatly appreciated.

One final question about delivery of perishable items (milk, cheese etc etc) from the likes of Goodings or Garden Grocery. Could this be done before we were actually in our room? I was hoping to get this sorted on our first day too and I've read reviews where the hotels keep perishable items cold until your return.

For the record I plan to do online check-in before arriving to help this process along.

Any suggestions and input would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Dave
 
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HouCuseChickie

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
We did something very similar a few years ago. We stayed offsite the first nt because of our late arrival. We had an 8:25a at CP the next morning. We checked into the Contemporary just after 7am and were walking to Mk around 7:30a. We had done online check in and were helped right away, but we did have a few silly glitches that made things take a bit longer. Oddly enough our room was ready!

Now this was doing it about an hour before the rope drop show. We did catch rd once that trip. I recall walking over around 8:15a and while we felt quite early we had a nice spot. I think you'll be good if you check in (after online check in) between 7:30-7:45a.... ie arrive to chk in around then.
 
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Lucyred

Lucyred

Well-Known Member
I wish I could offer some advise or tips for you. We are planning the same thing since we will be in Orlando with family before we head to WDW. Our plans are to be at the resort for check in at 7. I have already completed the online check in and stated that we will be checking in before 8 am on 4/22. I hope our room is ready but I am not counting on it.

I had planned on using Garden Grocery but we now have a rental car (got it cheap) so I won't be using them. DH will just go out for whatever we need that I may have forgotten to pick up prior to our check-in.

As for dropping of the rental car, I would play that by ear. If check-in goes smooth and you have time I would try to get it done before going to the park. If not and your running late at least you have until 5 to get it there.
 
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dreamfinder

dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
curry767 said:
I'm guessing our room won't be ready. Any info on leaving our bags at the check in desk would also be greatly appreciated.

One final question about delivery of perishable items (milk, cheese etc etc) from the likes of Goodings or Garden Grocery. Could this be done before we were actually in our room? I was hoping to get this sorted on our first day too and I've read reviews where the hotels keep perishable items cold until your return.
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If you have a rental, just do the shopping yourself. Keep everything in the grocery bags, separate the perishable and frozen stuff into separate bags. Bell services will keep them cold/frozen for you. If you did do grocery delivery, most likely they would just drop it off at bell services to be stored in the same fridge. Doing it yourself will save a fair amount of money. Garden Grocer and Goodings both have big markups on the food, and WeGoShop will charge you a service fee based on the total bill price (while charging you the actual food costs). Bell Services will also hold onto your bags for you as well. When you check in, if the room isn't ready the CM will normally ask if you have bags you want held, and then direct you to/or call someone from bell services over to assist you.
 
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docdebbi

docdebbi

Well-Known Member
unless you plan to be up before God, i am not seeing you do all that you have planned and still make rope drop at 9 AM. you plan to get up and get ready, drive to the National Car rental return site ( i am assuming you are going to the car care center on property? if not, it will be even further away), then wait while they do paperwork and check out the returned car (and hope that there is no one else there in line in front of you), then wait for the driver who will take you to the contemporary, then drive to the contemporary, do check in to get your tickets and keys, drop off and do paperwork for your luggage, then walk over from contemporary! I'm exhausted just thinking about it.
do you plan to make a trip to contemporary before dropping the car off also? or do you plan to transfer all of your luggage to the shuttle back to the contemporary? either will take time, but a stop at the contemporary first will really set you back. i assume however, that for a prolonged stay, you will have a decent amount of luggage.
if you are like most folks and take a breather in the afternoon, that is when i would suggest dropping off the car. if you are determined to be superwoman....i would plan to walk away from the Contemporary at 8:30 to allow walking time and getting through security and entrance. that means arrive at Contemporary no later than 7:45 if you have luggage to drop off. that process is easy, simply go to the bell stand and tell them you want them to hold your luggage. they will careful count each piece, and give you a receipt. on your return, you just call and they bring it to you. they are usually very prompt and efficient
as far as groceries, yes, they can be dropped off as early on your day of arrival to Contemporary as you want, bell services keeps them cold for you. i agree with dreamfinder that it is cheaper to do it yourself, it seems like you are getting in early enough on arrival night to do some then, but if it's just not worth it to you (and i usually say, what's a $12 delivery fee compared to a $5000 disney vacation?) then i recommend having them delivered the morning you arrive
 
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luv

luv

Well-Known Member
That is waaaay more work than I'd want to do. I would stay at BLT the first night. If that isn't possible, I'd stay one night in the airport hotel and hire a car service to drive me from there to BLT the next morning, where i would check in first thing. If I couldn't get a service that early (which I know you can, having done it, lol) I'd take a cab.

I would not run around shopping arrival night. I'd order the stuff I needed from Garden Grocer and have it delivered to BLT the day I was arriving at BLT.

I think you could pick up a stroller at the airport. If not, get it at the hotel.

After checking in, I'd go to rope drop first thing in the morning. When I was done with my morning, I'd get the groceries.

I think that if you do all the work you've planned to do, you'll find that it takes more time and is much more hassle than you'd thought it would be at home.

Hope it all goes swimmingly!
 
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curry767

curry767

Active Member
Original Poster
Awesome input guys, it is very much appreciated.

I'll still go with the Rental Car as there is a few things I want to get that can't be delivered, however I do like the idea of taking a time out in the afternoon from the MK and returning the car then. Give the family time to have a combat nap before coming out to play again.

What is day parking like at the Contemporary?

That's great CM's will hold the perishable items. We will just get them the night before with the rest of the gear and therefore won't need to get a grocery drop.

Google map says we are staying 8 miles away which is a 15 minute drive. So we are pretty close.

What time does the rope drop show start?

How good is the forum? You guys rock! :)
 
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HouCuseChickie

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
curry767 said:
Awesome input guys, it is very much appreciated.

I'll still go with the Rental Car as there is a few things I want to get that can't be delivered, however I do like the idea of taking a time out in the afternoon from the MK and returning the car then. Give the family time to have a combat nap before coming out to play again.

What is day parking like at the Contemporary?

That's great CM's will hold the perishable items. We will just get them the night before with the rest of the gear and therefore won't need to get a grocery drop.

Google map says we are staying 8 miles away which is a 15 minute drive. So we are pretty close.

What time does the rope drop show start?

How good is the forum? You guys rock! :)
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The morning we did our super early arrival, we found parking about 4 rows back from the tower entrance. Spaces are definitely easier to find early in the am. You should at least be able to pull up to the tower and unload your bags for bell services to help some. If there is no parking right up by the tower, there is a secondary lot right behind it...had to park there for our Cali Grill adr last trip. If parking in that area is still really packed...there is also parking in front of the garden wing. While it is more of a walk than the tower, I still don't think it's a horribly far walk from there and you can always try to move the car later.

As for the welcome show before rope drop...you're looking at about 7 or 8 min before rope drop for it to start. So, if the park opens at 9am...I'd probably want to be through bag check, etc. before 8:50am.
 
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curry767

curry767

Active Member
Original Poster
HouCuseChickie said:
You should at least be able to pull up to the tower and unload your bags for bell services to help some.
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Thanks for that.

Forgive my lack of knowledge, it's my first time to BLT, is the bell services for minding bags including cold items at the Contemporary or BLT? If I understand correctly, check-in for BLT is at the contemporary.
 
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HouCuseChickie

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
curry767 said:
Thanks for that.

Forgive my lack of knowledge, it's my first time to BLT, is the bell services for minding bags including cold items at the Contemporary or BLT? If I understand correctly, check-in for BLT is at the contemporary.
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You're welcome! It's my understanding that front desk, concierge, valet, bell services and transportation are all shared...so it would be covered at the tower.
 
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M

McDiane

New Member
We don't normally plan on being able to make "rope drop" on the first day (if it happens then great, but don't plan your day around it just in case) - We also stay off property the 1st night and check in early the next am - Our first day this trip will be used primarily to get in all of the "stuff" that seems to take up so much time and are very "time specific" (autographs, magic shots, shows and parades) - We will utilize any fast-passes we are able to get, but won't be a big "ride" day. That frees up our MK "ride" day for whatever we can ride between fast passes, and we can take advantage of the shorter lines at rides during the shows and parades - We do usually plan on making "rope drop" for our ride day
 
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curry767

curry767

Active Member
Original Poster
I reckon that's some pretty good advice. However

As this will be our first visit for our 3 year old daughter and we are traveling all the way from Sydney, Australia (20 hours on planes alone) - I just want to maximize time, so we will aim for rope drop on day 1.
 
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PREMiERdrum

PREMiERdrum

Well-Known Member
curry767 said:
I reckon that's some pretty good advice. However

As this will be our first visit for our 3 year old daughter and we are traveling all the way from Sydney, Australia (20 hours on planes alone) - I just want to maximize time, so we will aim for rope drop on day 1.
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God be with you... 3 year old on an airplane for 20 hours! Perhaps I'll stop worrying about my 3 year old and 8 month old on the 2 hour CMH to MCO flight.
 
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curry767

curry767

Active Member
Original Poster
PREMiERdrum said:
God be with you... 3 year old on an airplane for 20 hours! Perhaps I'll stop worrying about my 3 year old and 8 month old on the 2 hour CMH to MCO flight.
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That's what you get when you live in Australia, we are a long way from anywhere!

Breaking the journey up in LA for a couple of days, but its still a 14hr flight just to get to LA
 
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PREMiERdrum

PREMiERdrum

Well-Known Member
curry767 said:
That's what you get when you live in Australia, we are a long way from anywhere!

Breaking the journey up in LA for a couple of days, but its still a 14hr flight just to get to LA
Click to expand...

Hey, it's not all bad...

You guys get cooler cars.
Ford-FPV-Falcon-5th-Annv.jpg
 
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