Hello Carrie! Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question.
Yes! The day of your check-in, you have all of the benefits of being a
Walt Disney World Resort Guest. I love this because my family and I typically drive and arrive in the early morning to get a full first day out of our vacation. We often spend this time by the pool too. If your room isn't ready when you arrive, you can use the bathroom facilities by the pool to change into your swimwear and then feel free to cannonball right in! Something else you might want to keep in mind, on the day that you check-in, you are also able to take advantage of the
Extra Magic Hours at the Walt Disney World Theme Parks. Sometimes, if we aren't feeling the pool and arrive early enough, we like to use this time to experience some of our favorite attractions before heading to our resort to check-in. An even better idea might be to lounge by the pool all morning, have some lunch at your resorts food court, clean up for the day once your room is ready, and then head to the parks for the evening Extra Magic Hours that night.
Whatever you choose to do, I know you are going to have a great time. If you have any other questions, I'd love for you to come back and ask me. Happy planning!