Hi Emilie,
It sounds like you are making the long trek over from the West Coast to enjoy the magic of Disney World. After a long flight in, I normally can not wait to settle into my room and get some rest so I can enjoy a full day soaking in the magic of Disney World.
Check-in at a
Disney Resort hotel will begin at 4 PM on the day you arrive. This means if you get in around midnight, you will be waiting a long time before you have access to your room. Most of the shops and restaurants do not open until around 7 AM so there will not be anything to do during the early hours of the morning and you will not be permitted to sleep or rest in the lobby while you wait. If it were me, I would go ahead and add a night at the beginning of my reservation so I can head straight to my room when I arrive. For arrivals this late in the evening, I always make sure they note I will be arriving late so they do not assume we are a no-show for our reservation and a room is waiting for us. With
Direct-to-Room Service, you can arrive and go straight to your room to crash after your long flight without stopping to check in!
If there are no rooms available at the Disney Resort hotel you already have booked, you could always grab a room wherever it is available and transfer over to your resort in the morning. They will hold your luggage at
Bell Services until your room is ready. You can run out for a day at the theme parks and then give them a call when you arrive back at your room. They will bring your luggage to your room so you don't have to worry about anything. If you are not quite ready to hit the theme parks, you can start using your Disney Resort hotel amenities on your official arrival date even if your room is not yet ready.
Happy Travels,
Jenna