Showing Up a Day Early

[slappy magoo]

If you were driving to WDW and it looked like you could arrive a day earlier than intended, what do you think would be a better way of trying to book a single room onsite for that night? Would you call Disney direct or try your luck with an online service like travelocity or priceline or orbitz? And would you opt for a Value since it's one night, or maybe a standard room in a moderate?

The drive usually takes 20 hours for us and in the past, leaving one night, checking into WDW the next afternoon and being too psyched to care about the exhaustion was the norm. Now that we're older, and we have kids, we're not counting on that surge of adrenaline. The plan is to leave Friday night, affording plenty of time for bursting baby bladders, soothing the kids' nightmares from not being cozy in their beds but in their car seats, and extra stretching time because no kids like to be harnessed for long, even with a Sofia the First marathon playing on the monitors in front of them. Checking into a Hyatt in Jacksonville Saturday morning, and then this way, we're only a few hours away Sunday, and can arrive refreshed and rarin' to go no later than noon Sunday.

But if the kids sleep through the night, if we make good time, if they're content to keep driving, then heck, we'll be blowing through Jacksonville by 10:30-11 in the morning, and can get to WDW by 2ish. If that looks likely, we'll nix the Jacksonville room (we have a no-penalty cancellation up to 4pm check in day), and look for a place onsite so we have the entire day Sunday to hit the parks, and WDW's Bell Services can move our bags for us. We will NOT go to a park Saturday night, just hit the pool, an early dinner (maybe even just pizza in the room) lights out so we're good to go Sunday.

So what do you think is the better way to go about getting a room and, assuming you can get a room anywhere on property (which I know is a dangerous assumption for a Saturday night) where would you opt to stay? And if there are no rooms at the inn, where would you choose to stay off-property for a night? Or if there were no rooms on-property do you think keeping the Jacksonville room is better?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Under those circumstances, I'd see what was available at the Value resorts, and failing that, one of the Downtown Disney hotels. Assuming you're not traveling during a peak time (e.g., holiday), you shouldn't have trouble finding a room. Just make sure you have a list of the pertinent phone numbers ready, so you can make the arrangements easily.

 

[Master Yoda]

The ideal thing to do would be to get a room at the same resort you are staying that. Baring that I would just go with whatever is cheaper.

If it looks like you will be skipping the Jacksonville stop, I would start checking online via Disney and the other travel sites before you cross the Florida/Georgia border. You don't want to end up in Orlando and not be able to find a room.

I have a hard time making a recommendation when it comes to what where to go off property. A hotel that was great 2 years ago could be utter crap today. That being said, you are typically safe with the places on Hotel Plaza Blvd.

 

[slappy magoo]

If it looks like you will be skipping the Jacksonville stop, I would start checking online via Disney and the other travel sites before you cross the Florida/Georgia border. You don't want to end up in Orlando and not be able to find a room.

The plan is, the nanosecond we know we're going to keep going, one of us will either call ahead or use a mobile app for one of the online travel companies to book a room. We'll either do it during breakfast (if we know that early), or I'll do it while she drives...and then probably fall asleep.

 

[Master Yoda]

The plan is, the nanosecond we know we're going to keep going, one of us will either call ahead or use a mobile app for one of the online travel companies to book a room. We'll either do it during breakfast (if we know that early), or I'll do it while she drives...and then probably fall asleep.

I figured as much, but had to throw it out there. I have been in Orlando with no room at the inn and it was not pleasant.

 

[lazyboy97o]

In terms of offsite value, I have found some good rates for the Rosen Inn in the past on relatively short notice. There are two on I-Drive. The Courtyard Lake Buena Vista is right next to Walt Disney World and has been my siblings' go-to place for last minute trips.

I have also had success with the secret deals where you pay first and then learn the hotel later, but would say to only do it for a four star or better. Three stars is too wide of a category.

 

[slappy magoo]

I figured as much, but had to throw it out there. I have been in Orlando with no room at the inn and it was not pleasant.

I can only imagine. It's one of the reasons why I'm leaning more towards trying travelocity or the like. This way, I can check out Downtown Disney hotels and others in the area as well as onsite, but if onsite is sold out, we might just keep our original plans intact and stay in Jacksonville, we'll feel it out at the time.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Whatever you decide, I commend your upscale approach -- and by upscale, I mean actually staying in a hotel with air conditioning and hot running water. This happened to my family a few times when I was a kid: we'd wind up arriving at WDW early, and my parents' "solution" was to spend the night parked in our van, at a highway "scenic overlook" or 24-hour diner parking lot. In hindsight it was a fairly "redneck" way to do things, but we were really on a shoestring budget in those days, and for my sister and me, it was actually kind of fun.

 

[slappy magoo]

Whatever you decide, I commend your upscale approach -- and by upscale, I mean actually staying in a hotel with air conditioning and hot running water. This happened to my family a few times when I was a kid: we'd wind up arriving at WDW early, and my parents' "solution" was to spend the night parked in our van, at a highway "scenic overlook" or 24-hour diner parking lot. In hindsight it was a fairly "redneck" way to do things, but we were really on a shoestring budget in those days, and for my sister and me, it was actually kind of fun.

Sounds like nice memories, but I think in 2014 making your kids spend a night in a car in the Orlando metro area unless you are literally homeless would get you a visit from Protective Services.

 

[Rob562]

In addition to the sites like Travelocity, look into the "Hotel Tonight" app. It lists same-day hotel listings at decent-to-deluxe hotels (not official Disney hotels, though) starting at 2pm local time.

I haven't had need to use it (though I keep the app on my phone), but I have friends that have gotten rooms in Boston and NYC and have loved it. By default it'll show you listings for the city you're in (or the closest major city), but you can change to other cities to see what they have listed.

As with all Orlando area hotels though, make sure to read the details to check for resort and parking fees.

-Rob

 

[stevehousse]

Our last trip we changed plans and decided to arrive a day early so we could check in early the next day and get to the parks right away. We stayed at some place just 5 minutes from Disney and was real cheap like $80 bucks or something we grabbed off of travelocity the day we left...

 

[HollyAD]

We did a last minute booking at the dolphin Saturday with no problem. It was actually about the same price as a value because it was peak pricing for the values. Loved being on the boardwalk but watch for fees there. I also considered using my hotels tonight app. They post the hotel deals at 9am and Whyndham bonnet creek is usually on there every morning, along with several other choices. Since Bonnet creek is pretty much on Disney property I almost booked it. It was a pretty good deal too. I have also done the LBV area for a pre Disney night. It wasn't bad and we were able to drive to DTD for our earl of sandwich fix!

 

[slappy magoo]

We did a last minute booking at the dolphin Saturday with no problem. It was actually about the same price as a value because it was peak pricing for the values. Loved being on the boardwalk but watch for fees there. I also considered using my hotels tonight app. They post the hotel deals at 9am and Whyndham bonnet creek is usually on there every morning, along with several other choices. Since Bonnet creek is pretty much on Disney property I almost booked it. It was a pretty good deal too. I have also done the LBV area for a pre Disney night. It wasn't bad and we were able to drive to DTD for our earl of sandwich fix!

The Swan or Dolphin is a possibility mainly because my wife is an educator and they tend to retain pretty good rates for teachers (as well as military and nurses) subject to availability of course. And yes, it's good to be reminded but I've definitely noticed the room fee (as well as the parking fee).

Having written all that, if we go this route, our first option will probably be a Value if only for the convenience of them transfer our bags for us the next day so we can just be up and at 'em.

 

[HollyAD]

The Swan or Dolphin is a possibility mainly because my wife is an educator and they tend to retain pretty good rates for teachers (as well as military and nurses) subject to availability of course. And yes, it's good to be reminded but I've definitely noticed the room fee (as well as the parking fee).

Having written all that, if we go this route, our first option will probably be a Value if only for the convenience of them transfer our bags for us the next day so we can just be up and at 'em.

Didn't think about the bag transfer part. Good idea!

 

[flynnibus]

If you aren't going to the parks.. don't waste the money on Disney hotels for a 'arrival night'. You have the entire greater Orlando area at your disposal. I'd big a property with the best price with the best onsite amenities (hot tub, pool, local dining/etc) and stay there.. regardless of how close it is to Disney. You have the world at your finger tips.. don't pay 2x the rate to be close to someone you won't use.

 

[NYwdwfan]

You can always call Disney as you are nearing Jacksonville and see if anything is available - if not just stop in Jacksonville and proceed as originally planned.

 

[slappy magoo]

If you aren't going to the parks.. don't waste the money on Disney hotels for a 'arrival night'. You have the entire greater Orlando area at your disposal. I'd big a property with the best price with the best onsite amenities (hot tub, pool, local dining/etc) and stay there.. regardless of how close it is to Disney. You have the world at your finger tips.. don't pay 2x the rate to be close to someone you won't use.

The suggestion is not without merit and it's possible, if no onsite rooms are available, we may opt to do that. Ultimately, however, aside from a swim, we won't be using any amenities at the resorts anyway. We'd be getting there mid-afternoon exhausted from the drive, and we'd angle to go to sleep early so we can leave the room early and hit the parks. So it really would probably be an afternoon swim, a food court dinner or pizza in the room, and lights out before prime time no matter where we stayed.

To that end, being able to be onsite, leave the room early morning knowing Bell Services will handle the bags, go to a park for rope-drop and then check in to BLT in the afternoon (assuming we haven't done online check-in days beforehand) is preferable for us. The only thing I worry about is the legendary noise issues in the Values - it'll be Saturday night, things might get raucous and if some tour groups get out of hand that could ruin things for us. But of course, that sort of thing could happen in any resort on or offsite, it's just that the kiddie nature of the Values' designs seem to invite more juvenile behavior than a resort in the DtD area.

 

[flynnibus]

I wouldn't let the noise reputation at the value bother you.. if anything request a room far away and you'll double down on your chances of quiet.

If you look at a value... you're probably only saving about $50-$70 vs offsite. That's within the wiggle room IMO for most people. If you were saying lets stay at the Beach Club.. I'd say otherwise

 

[slappy magoo]

I wouldn't let the noise reputation at the value bother you.. if anything request a room far away and you'll double down on your chances of quiet.

If you look at a value... you're probably only saving about $50-$70 vs offsite. That's within the wiggle room IMO for most people. If you were saying lets stay at the Beach Club.. I'd say otherwise

Don't know if you've read the Unofficial Guide to WDW (which would be incredibly unlike a WDW fan on these message boards, I know), but apparently they've done research on various resort rooms' insulation, and the Values rank very high at being able to muffle outside noise. They posit that it's because the doors are more heavily insulated to keep in AC - if you're staying in a Deluxe resort with interior walkways there's less need to keep in AC because it's just recirculating in the walkway and then the lobby and everywhere else that's inside. Whereas the money they spend insulating the doors and walls to keep the coolness from seeping out is worth the money they save on AC expenses, but one of the byproducts of that insulation is muffling outside noises. Nonetheless, you always hear about large groups deciding on a drunken midnight game of touch football or freeze tag or something where other people sleeping isn't even given a first thought, let alone a second.

For this one night, we definitely won't be spending money in a Disney Deluxe unless they take some kind of unusual mercy on us and offer us an insane price. But again, we don't need the additional amenities of a deluxe for this night; if we're up by choice past 8 I'd be wildly surprised.

Meanwhile, as I'm just futzing around travelocity on the train ride home, it seems like the Values are about the same as a few of the Downtown Disney area resorts (or even less because so many of them have hidden fees of 13-30 bucks a night which Disney doesn't assess). Kissimmee area is significantly cheaper but some of the resort ratings in this area are significantly sketchier.

 

[smk]

Two years ago my DH and I decided at the last minute to leave two days early, stay one on the road and get a room at Disney added onto our reservation. I had had a very bad week, was over it all and felt like flying the coop, so to speak! It was fun to throw everything into bags, call the kids and say we were leaving early and get on the road. We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express on the road and were very happy with our choice. Then we checked into our resort a day early, thankfully they had the room but truthfully we did not call them until we were already on the road the second day, so we could have been out of luck. Chance you take when you make last minute choices. IF we could not have checked in a day early we would have found something in Orlando. So many hotels and so many choices, I had no fear we would be sleeping in the car.