Hello there, Sharon!
From one Marylander to another, welcome to planDisney! Your question is music to my ears because I think the
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel is one of the best-kept secrets on the Walt Disney World Resort property. The hotel is conveniently located along
Disney’s BoardWalk, and you can take a short walk or
Friendship boat ride to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Now, you can certainly request early check-in at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel or any of the
Disney Resorts Collection hotels, but there is no guarantee of an early check-in time. To request an early check-in at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, you’ll need to use the Marriott Bonvoy app. You can call the Hotel to make your early check-in request or request it on the app on the day of your stay.
As for any of the Disney Resorts hotels, once your Disney Resort hotel reservation is linked to your My Disney Experience account, you can use the
Direct-to-Room service on the My Disney Experience app to do
Online Check-In before your arrival. Once you are in the Online Check-In window, open the My Disney Experience app, scroll down to your Resort reservation, and select “Start Check-In Now.” A new window will open up, and you can note your arrival window in the app, but selecting a time before official resort check-in does not guarantee room access before check-in. Make sure to enter your phone number and email in the Direct-to-Room service window to get texts whenever your room is ready. Did you know you can even
unlock your hotel room door with your My Disney Experience app? You don’t need to stop at the front desk with Direct-to-Room service.
Any of the Resort hotels on the Walt Disney World Resort property will allow you to check your luggage with bell services on arrival, even if your room isn’t ready. This is a great perk when you want to hit the theme parks or take advantage of the luxurious pools.
Let me know if you’re looking for any other vacation planning tips because you’ve got a friend in me.
May the magic be with you!Melanie