SUPER Early arrival for Hotel - Can I request it?

[rodserling27]

So as you can tell from my signature, I'm a super seasoned WDW vet. I almost always fly down to WDW from Philly, and I always stay on property. However, I'm taking a bit of a last-minute trip with a buddy of mine over Labor Day weekend. This time, we are driving through the night (with a little bit of napping), arriving at All-Star Sports in the very early hours of the morning, likely before 7am. I have noted this on my "online check-in" page of MDE.

My question to you guys is: has anyone had luck asking the folks at the resorts if they can make sure a room is ready? I have no room requests noted, as it doesn't matter where they stuck us. We are just going to sleep for a few hours, then go off to the parks and such. I suppose my friend and I could sleep in the car or maybe out at the at the pool if a room isn't ready. Any advice would be appreciated - I feel kinda silly asking such a question when I have been so many darn times! Haha!

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

You can always make a request. It will never be an guarantee.

 

[Tuvalu]

I have read that the official "earliest" check in time is 7 a.m. (for computer system purposes, I believe) so you likely won't be accommodated any earlier. Just a head's up.

 

[Rob562]

I have read that the official "earliest" check in time is 7 a.m. (for computer system purposes, I believe) so you likely won't be accommodated any earlier. Just a head's up.

That is correct. They *may* be accommodated earlier than 7, but Disney won't guarantee it. (There's also no guarantee of a room being ready, but since the OP isn't choosey, I'm sure there will be a room open somewhere in the hotel)

-Rob

 

[AndrewsJ]

7 am is what I've always heard but it won't hurt to ask.

 

[rodserling27]

Thanks for the replies, friends! I'll call the resort today and put in the request, and hope for the best.

 

[wdwfan22]

They will not guarantee anything as check-in is at 3:00 pm. If you want the room available for sure before 7am you will need to book the night before especially with it being a holiday weekend.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

As @wdwfan22 pointed out, your odds are remarkably slim on a holiday weekend.

 

[rodserling27]

Good call - maybe I will drive down early Friday instead, and add another night, move our Friday plans to Sunday.

 

[Polydweller]

From a hotelier's point of view, we sell nights not days and the night runs until rollover in the morning. So, if you are trying to checkin before the rollover in essence you would be asking for a free night. If you are very close to the rollover time goodwill might mean that you'd could get this. If it's not close then you would not be given the early checkin.

But, even if you got the early checkin there has to be room availability. You can be checked in but awaiting for your room to be ready for several hours. At that hour and given its a holiday weekend it's not very likely that a room will be ready. Also, with Disney you are never calling the hotel, it's always the call center so they may not be able to help you at all.

Your final thoughts of going earlier and booking an extra night, if possible (again availability issues) would be the best idea.

 

[rodserling27]

Couldn't get an affordable hotel anywhere on property for the Sunday night of Labor Day weekend - wow!! Going to leave home later than planned so we get there around check in time. Actually will work out better! And I got a cheapo motel off property to crash at for the night after our 2 full days in the parks. Thanks for the advice folks, I would have been in some serious trouble had you not chimed in!

 

[Weather_Lady]

As others indicated, it's possible, but the odds are not in your favor.

If it were I and my room wasn't ready when I arrived, I would leave my bags with Bell Services (or locked in the trunk of the car), find a nice comfy lounge chair by the pool, and catch a nap there.

 

[MagicalMaci]

I think you made the right choice! Have a wonderful trip

 

[Tar Baby]

roughy tough sitchu. glad you got off prop

 

[RRDallas]

Even though you've already decided to leave later I thought I would still chime in. I have stayed at Sports for the last 9 years when we attend the World Cheerleading Championships (which from what I have read we are some of yalls absolute favorite WDW guest haha!) and I have had arrival times from 2 am and on! Sports is usually very accommodating with finding you and open room to check you into from my experience even at 2 am. Only once did we have an issue but it was resolved within 45 minutes. If you need and specific help as for Mr. Bob, he is one of the managers and one of the best CM I have ever encountered when dealing with rooms and request! Hope this helps and have a blast!

 

[rodserling27]

Just wanted to share somer good news here - I got SUPER lucky and was able to rebook the whole trip at a lower rate with the passholder discount (that for some reason JUST opened up). Got a preferred room for about 2/3 the cost of what I was paying before. PLUS I got my extra day on property. Thanks for the advice everyone, I am looking forward to this trip - Taking a friend who has NEVER been before!!!

 

[Seanual757]

Earliest we have checked in was 8am and our room was ready over a POFQ back in 2015. We normally get a text around 9am telling us our rooms are ready our past 5 stays.

 

[Horizons '83]

I am curious to know, if you are staying at the Swan or Dolphin and won't officially check-in until 3PM that day, but you want to utilize the EMH that morning, what would one need to do. Get a hotel key early in the morning? I know they won't have a room ready but I figure that is all you would need to make use of the EMH,

 

[patch553]

sorry to piggy back, what do you think the chances of getting early checking when we get off our cruise on the dream in may? the cast member spoke to seemed to think we'd be on a bus around 9.30 so id say we'll be back at our resort by 10.30-11 obviously we will be requesting early check in and from what others have said on this thread i'm quite hopefull, what do you think?

 

[jrlbc06]

We have done online check in and put our expected arrival time for 7 or 8 am a few times. The room has always been ready for us upon our arrival. We did not have any special requests, so I think that plays a big part in it. The key thing, I think, is to put a realistic arrival time in the online check in and also not be arriving on a heavy check-out day.