Do I need to online check in?

[DCWarrior]

So, I was going to follow the suggestions and arrive early to the Fort for check in and try to get site hopes in person. Should I avoid doing the online check in beforehand then or go ahead with it?

 

[2goofycampers]

I'd go ahead. It couldn't hurt and it might help that they have a "heads up" of what you'd like to have. Also if for some reason you get there later then expected you're checked in.

 

[John VN]

+1 for " It couldn't hurt"

DW said it didn't much help when we arrived for her 46th Anniversary stay this month but we're typically at the Outpost by 7:30AM anyway

 

[bama_ed]

One advantage of On-line check-in is you can by pass the waiting in line of campers or going through the lobby to check in. You can't get your campsite number until: A) You pay in full in advance/at arrival, and B) you're campsite is ready (previous guest left, it's been cleaned and prepped)..

For a room only reservation, you pay the deposit but then you pay the balance at check-in. So you have to sit in line of trailers (6 welcome stations IIRC) or park in the lot and walk in and stand in line. Using early check-in means you load your credit card number which allows Disney to take care of A) above ahead of time (morning of). You also enter an estimated arrival time so when B) also occurs, you will receive a text welcoming you with your campsite number that you can go directly to bypassing the check-in building process. Your Magic Bands will work once you've received the text to open the "returning guest" automatic gate at the resort entrance.

Like me, even if you still use early check-in, I often still park and go in to inquire about a specific site or loop. I usually arrive before lunch so the lobby is less busy. If I still have to end up waiting, I bus to the Meadow Trading Post or hit the Trails End porch till the text arrives.

So no down side but no need to do it until you're probably within a week of arrival.

Bama Ed

 

[North of Mouse]

We never do online check in and except for a couple times in many years have gotten where we wanted. We never check in on week ends, near holidays or late in the day, so that may have been a factor. We almost never have anyone before us in line either, or at most 1 or 2. We prefer to get a site in person, but it is whatever your preference would be. Happy Camping!!

 

[team bradfield]

I always online check in, then a couple days in advance call and say I'm checking on my reservation, once i get a cast member I ask if they can put a specific site on the reservation, they say they will but no promises, they usually ask if we are celebrating anything, well with 6 of us, its usually somebody's birthday or anniversary. We have always get our loop request and all but 2 times we got the site we requested. this year we were assigned our requested site, but it wasn't ready yet, we arrived early. We travel 4 days to get to FW, so we couldn't wait, we took the next available and got 718 right away. Its still FW, no bad sites!

 

[Breezy2]

On-line check in makes it sooooo easy. Just contact them prior to your visit with your site/loop request. Better than 98% of the time they text us while we are driving in from the interstate with our site number and we drive directly to our site. Maybe we're just lucky but it works for us. However, we also visit during the week not on weekends or holidays. Once you get set up just head over to the reception area and pick up your welcome package for the current event schedule. Doesn't get any easier than that and much less stressful. Have a joyous vacation!

 

[WeLovePluto]

I was under impression that check in time for the fort was 1 pm. It seems like lots of folks arrive in the early morning. Is that ok?

 

[team bradfield]

if a site is available you can get right in. Disney wants you spending $$ as soon as possible, we have always been in around 11am.

 

[bama_ed]

I was under impression that check in time for the fort was 1 pm. It seems like lots of folks arrive in the early morning. Is that ok?

That's a general expectation (1pm) of when sites become available if another guest left that morning.

But as team bradfield says, if you arrive sooner you can choose to go to a site immediately if one is available.

The Fort pre-assigns everyone a campsite number a few days before arrival based on what's available and who is leaving the morning you arrive. If you get in at 11am and your pre-assigned campsite hasn't been given the "ready" signal (guest hasn't left yet and/or it hasn't been cleaned and prepped yet), you have the option to take one that is "ready" (it's been pre-assigned to someone else but they can swap campsites if that other guest hasn't checked in yet). So you have the option to take one that's ready or wait for your pre-assigned.

Some of us like to be in specific loops (I like loop 100 for example) so I don't want to take a site in 300 even if it's available right away. I'll wait (they will tell you your pre-assigned loop number generally but not the specific site number until it's ready).

Plus, you have the option to park your trailer/rv in the over-flow lot and head to a park or Disney Springs on the bus or roam around the Fort and get in an entire Disney Day.

Bama Ed

PS - it always bugged me to arrive at 4-6pm, set up, and go to sleep and pay an exorbitant rate for the privilege. Now I usually stay at a state park for less than $30 a night, drive 30 minutes to the Fort at 630am, and put in an entire Disney Day.

 

[WeLovePluto]

Disney wants you spending $$ as soon as possible,

Wait, Disney isn’t all inclusive?!?!

it always bugged me to arrive at 4-6pm, set up, and go to sleep and pay an exorbitant rate for the privilege. Now I usually stay at a state park for less than $30 a night, drive 30 minutes to the Fort at 630am, and put in an entire Disney Day.

Ideally, we’d arrive at the fort the day before early afternoon to set up camp and let the kids play at the fort. So far, there’s no availability that day. We’re looking at either the state park option or Cracker Barrel the night before and going to the park when we arrive that morning.

More concerning is that we don’t have a spot for our last night either. I presume there isn’t a better way to solve that than check the website repeatedly.