Hiya, Eric, and welcome to planDisney. Your
Walt Disney World Resort visit is coming soon, so let's look at some options for an early check-in at your magical
Disney Resort Hotel.
Check-in at most Disney Resort Hotels typically begins around 3:00 p.m. On a recent stay at
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, my room wasn't ready until close to 4:00 p.m., so room availability times often depend on how busy the resort is. I had prioritized a ground-floor location, so I was okay with waiting a bit longer.
If you've made any Room Requests, that might impact your check-in time. You can see the request options for your specific resort by going online and hovering over the My Disney Experience tab. Click My Plans and scroll to your resort reservation.
To the far right, you'll see a blue box to Start Check-in or Update Check-in, depending on what you've done so far. Tap "See All" for options, and scroll to "Room Requests." Most hotels offer a box to check that will prioritize an early check-in above all other room requests, so if that's important to you, please check that box.
Even with that request, there's no guarantee your room will be ready by 3:00, so please keep that in mind when setting your room priorities. You can also call
Disney Resort Hotel Reservations for help setting up your room requests.
When I arrive too early to check in, I often leave my luggage with
Bell Services and hop on the
complimentary resort transportation to spend some time at
Disney Springs or one of the
Theme Parks. You can pick up your bags anytime after you get a text notification that your room is ready. I like squeezing every second of magic while I'm on a Disney vacation!
Eric, I'm sending pixie dust and pocket watches so you can time your arrival perfectly. Please
stop by planDisney anytime!
Magic awaits,
Elaine