Hoping to check in early! Whats your experience?

[michelleiada]

We check into Beach Club 2 bedroom 2 weeks from today and my aunt and uncle have a studio at Saratoga. We are hoping to check in around noon. What do you think our chances are of getting in that early?

 

[MouseMomx2]

You will have no trouble checking in that early but the odds are that your room will not be ready yet. You may get lucky and get a room right away but I wouldn't count on it.

If your room is not ready you can store your bags with Bell Services and go out and enjoy your day. You can set it up for them to text you when your room is ready.

 

[michelleiada]

You will have no trouble checking in that early but the odds are that your room will not be ready yet. You may get lucky and get a room right away but I wouldn't count on it.

If your room is not ready you can store your bags with Bell Services and go out and enjoy your day. You can set it up for them to text you when your room is ready.

I guess I should have asked what are the chances a room will be ready? We have checked in early in the past and stored our belongings with Bell Services. I am hoping we can get in early and unpack.

 

[ohtarabell]

You will have no trouble checking in that early but the odds are that your room will not be ready yet. You may get lucky and get a room right away but I wouldn't count on it.

If your room is not ready you can store your bags with Bell Services and go out and enjoy your day. You can set it up for them to text you when your room is ready.

I have had a text message set up for 5 stays. Not once have I ever received a text. In all 5 stays, the room was ready when I came back from the parks. I did confirm the request by sending a "yes" text back to the prompt. I don't think the procedure is being followed as this has happened at AKV (2x), BWV (2x), BCV (1x)

 

[DebbieB]

I have had a text message set up for 5 stays. Not once have I ever received a text. In all 5 stays, the room was ready when I came back from the parks. I did confirm the request by sending a "yes" text back to the prompt. I don't think the procedure is being followed as this has happened at AKV (2x), BWV (2x), BCV (1x)

I setup the text message when I did online check-in for BWV for my stay last week. When I checked in at the hotel, they sent another test to my phone (room wasn't ready). I finally got a text around 2:30, it said I had to come to the front desk for room assignment. Turns out they had to redo my something with my magic band and reissue my KTTW. I said did my room assignment change, they said no, just a technical issue. That ended up taking at least 20 minutes.

 

[Deb & Bill]

That's parade taping weekend. My guess is not good on getting in early.

 

[michelleiada]

That's parade taping weekend. My guess is not good on getting in early.

Why will parade taping have an impact on my checking in early? Just curios. I'm not seeing the connection. Does that bring more people in to the resorts?

 

[DebbieB]

Why will parade taping have an impact on my checking in early? Just curios. I'm not seeing the connection. Does that bring more people in to the resorts?

When hotels are full, there are no empty rooms first thing in the morning. That time of year is very popular with DVC.

 

[ludari]

I guess your luck depends on if they have sold out rooms in your category. Occasionally I will take the redeye from LAX and arrive at MCO around 5AM. In about five of my redeye trips only once was I able to check in early. I usually leave my luggage with the bellhop, go to breakfast and wait to be texted when my room is ready which is typically around the standard checkin time.

 

[Hopefully]

I have been told that BCV runs at 90% - 95% capacity.
Since checkout is not until 11 AM, in order to get into a room early it would need to be empty the night before. If the Villas are full the night before - which it usually is, it is not likely that you will get in early.
Your chances are better if you do not have any requests.
In all of our stays we have only gotten in early once.
Good Luck

 

[Donna M]

Slim to none


BCV is the one resort we have never gotten into our room before 4. Now we go with plans on what we'll do for the afternoon that doesn't require the use of the room. We aren't disappointed but could be pleasantly surprised.

My friend spent hours complaining by the pool because we weren't in the room and had checked in early (returning from a cruise) but I was just happy to be in the sun (except for her complaining.)

 

[shoes99]

Experience can vary. We checked out of POR-R at 11AM and went out for something to eat then checked into AKL-Kidani around 12:30PM. Room was not ready. We went to the Community Room and just hung out until we got a text at 2:30PM that our room was ready. I really was not expecting to get the room assignment until 4PM.

 

[lovin'fl]

Most of our stays the room was not ready until 2:30-4:00 time frame. I think maybe 2 times the room has been ready earlier than 2:30 (we've checked into DVC resorts 10 times...so that's a 20% chance of being able to get a room before 2:30). And I'd say that 20% chance is going to be at non-peak DVC times (Dec is a peak DVC month).

 

[disfanforlife]

We arrived 11/9 at AKV around 1 pm and our room was ready. Two days later we moved to BLT. We went to the park first and arrived at the resort at 4pm. Our room wasn't ready until 4:30.

 

[disneynutz]

We check into Beach Club 2 bedroom 2 weeks from today and my aunt and uncle have a studio at Saratoga. We are hoping to check in around noon. What do you think our chances are of getting in that early?

Our earliest DVC room ready looking at 20 or so check ins was 2:30, our latest 8:30.

Your 2 bedroom might be a lock-off which doubles the late factor.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Bill

 

[DenLo]

We've only gotten in early to a room for a large resort like BWV 10:30 and another time at 11:15 AM and OKW at 12:15 PM. Recently we got into AKV Jambo House at 11:30 AM (even the CM was surprised it was ready). But everywhere else it was 2:30 to 4:30 PM. I would think it would be purely accidental for you to get into BCV by noon.

 

[bookwormde]

I would say I have had about a 50/50 rate at getting rooms before noon, but I check in very early or set a very early arrival time on line check in. For BCV, It is a little less 1/3 with one time around 2 and the other after 4.

Looks like you are checking in on a Saturday so there is a better chance (although still very slight) of rooms being empty. There are lots of early flights, which are less expensive so rooms often empty before the standard check out time.

Room requests also can have a significant impact on the probability of getting in early

I check in to BCV on the day after you, and figure I have about a 50/50 chance of getting in before 2pm. We are moving form VGF so I will drive over to be their right at 7am.

 

[LadyLuck24]

I think you've gotten a good idea from PP's of what the chances are that you'll get into your room early. The only thing I have to add is: don't let your hopes for early check in ruin your day if you don't get in early.

The first time we stayed in a DVC, we had to get up at 3 am for our flight in the middle of winter with an 18 month old who was exhausted by the time we got to the hotel at 1. I too was exhausted and was SO hoping to get into the room early. We didn't get in til exactly 4 pm, and by then I was SO angry at DVC (as if they were late or as if I was entitled to early check in!) and it ruined 3 hours of my trip that I could have enjoyed checking out AKL or going to eat somewhere. I still wish I hadn't gone in with the expectation of getting into the room early, because I would have had that much better of a start to my vacation. Make a plan for what to do between your arrival time & room readiness time---you may end up pleasantly surprised, but you won't ruin your day like I did!

 

[Murron]

I don't know if there is any correlation to this or not... just a wandering mind thought -- however, every time we use Magical Express from the airport to WDW, our rooms are ready on arrival. We are usually on an early flight from NY and arrive between 10:00-11:00 a.m. Obviously with Magical Express you need to give your flight information etc. Just wondering if this advance information helps you to get into a room sooner. ???? Every time we rent a car at MCO and not use Magical Express, we have to roam the parks waiting for the room ready text message that never comes.

 

[DebbieB]

I don't know if there is any correlation to this or not... just a wandering mind thought -- however, every time we use Magical Express from the airport to WDW, our rooms are ready on arrival. We are usually on an early flight from NY and arrive between 10:00-11:00 a.m. Obviously with Magical Express you need to give your flight information etc. Just wondering if this advance information helps you to get into a room sooner. ???? Every time we rent a car at MCO and not use Magical Express, we have to roam the parks waiting for the room ready text message that never comes.

I believe the front desk is notified when you check in for DME at the airport.

Didn't work for me a couple of weeks ago - arrived at BWV around 1:30, room not ready. Got a text around 2:30 that I needed to see the front desk. They had to give me a new KTTW and rescan my magic band before giving me my room #. I asked why, did my room change, they said no, technical issue.