Conference koolit::disney

    There is no problem with early check-in at WDW, but unless you are
    extremely lucky you can bet your room won't be ready until 3:00. 
    That's no big deal, though.  You can leave your luggage in your car or
    check it with the bell captain and take off for the parks.

    When you check-in they will give you all your vacation plan documents,
    including your resort IDs, passports, meal coupons, etc.  About the
    only thing you (probably) won't get is your room key.

    What we usually do is plan to arrive in the Orlando area the night
    before our vacation plan starts and stay at some $30/night motel.  Then
    we can arrive at the front desk of our WDW resort to pick up our
    documentation first thing in the morning and have a whole day in the
    World.

    The only possible problem might be getting there when there is a long
    line of people waiting to check-OUT, but since most people use express
    check-out with a credit card, that's unlikely.

    You probably have a good chance of getting your room early if you
    check in between 10:00 and noon.  This will depend on how early
    people are checking out and when the their rooms are scheduled to
    be cleaned.  I think many people leave long before the 11:00 check
    out time due to travel arrangements.  We leave around 9:00 when we
    drive.  When we used to fly down our flights out of Orlando seemed
    to always be scheduled for 11:00 - noon so we'd have to check out
    early to get to the airport in time.
    
    I've heard you can pre-check in if your room isn't ready.  I've
    never done this so I don't know what the process is.  When I used
    a vacation package we had to go through two lines.  First we had to
    check in to get our room, then we had to go to the desk where they
    sell the dinner show tickets to get our admission media.  The last
    time we did this was in 1988 so the process may have changed.  I'm
    not sure if you have to go through both lines to pre-check in or if
    you only have to go to the ticket desk.
    
    Could someone detail the pre-check in process?  Do they assign you
    a room number at that time?  I know you get some choices at check in
    at the Polynesian (smoking or non-smoking) and at the Caribbean Beach
    Resort (first or second floor).  Would doing a pre-check in increase
    your chances of getting what you want?
    
    Oh, we've never had to wait until 3:00 for my room.  In May we were
    able to check in at the CBR at noon and had a choice of a first or
    second floor room.  The lines were short, 2 to 3 people each, and it
    took at most 10 minutes to check in.  In my experience, the slowest
    and longest lines have been at the Contemporary.

    We arrived at CBR about noon. We went to the check in window, 
    signed all our forms, got our hotel ID cards without room
    numbers on them, were told the room numbers, but couldn't 
    have  the key. The room was not cleaned up yet. Knowing the 
    number, we parked the car down by the room and 
    caught the bus over to MGM. We came back about 5:00, had to 
    go to the check in window again, and got our keys and new 
    ID cards with the room numbers on it. They couldn't give us the 
    ones with the room numbers before check in time because the 
    previous occupants still had charge privileges until
    check out time.  
    
    The cast member did tell us that the room we got, probably by
    arriving early and preregistering, was one of the best they had.
    
    It's really nice that WDW has this procedure. You don't have to
    lose the use of park features just because check in time is late.
    We didn't find it inconvenient at all. 
    
    We do not check out early also because of travel arrangements.
    Our flight didn't leave until 4:30pm, giving us another day
    in the parks. Others in the same situation might want to come back
    and freshen up before leaving for good. 
    
     

    In a lot of cases I believe that they pre-assign rooms.

    Last November when we checked in at Fort Wilderness at 9:30 AM, all our
    vacation package stuff was waiting for us including passports, etc.,
    and our resort IDs.  Our trailer was ready too, so we were able to
    unload the car before heading off to Epcot.  

    The process was all handled at the registration desk.  The stuff was
    all there under out name, with the serial numbers carefully noted.  The
    front desk cast member re-counted all the tickets and coupons and stuff
    in front of me, and I had to sign a receipt.

    Another time, checking in to the Disney Inn, our room wasn't ready, but
    they gave us resort IDs without the room number.  When we tried to use
    them to charge in a shop, the cast member had to call over to the
    Disney Inn to get the room number.  She was given the number, but told
    not to tell the guest.  However it was on the sales slip she handed us. 
    When we finally got our room, the just wrote it on the IDs. (In those
    days the were paper.)

    When we went last November, we had 2 back-to-back reservations at the
    CBR.  The first one was for only 1 night, we couldn't extend our original
    reservation and there were no rooms of the same class available.  When
    checking in for the first night, we asked if they knew which room we
    would have for our 2nd reservation.  The answer was, they hadn't
    assigned the rooms yet, they do that the evening before the reservation
    starts.  I'd recommend if you have any preferences for rooms, that you
    make the request when making the reservation, or ammend the reservation
    to include the request.  We had requested a second floor, non-smoking
    room and were accomodated.
    
    Also, when I would go over to the Custom's House, where check-in/out
    was done for CBR, early, around 7am, to cash some travelers checks,
    there was always a crowd of people checking in very early.  Get your
    passes for the transportation system, or for free parking with your own
    car, and have fun all day.  
    
    We checked in late for the 2nd reservation, around 10 pm.  The rooms is
    held for a day, which is what the deposit pays for.
    
    peter

    Just back a few days ago.....
    
    We used the World Vacation Package and stayed at the Poly !
    
    Arrived at the front desk around 9:05 AM.... Were issued all ID's and
    paperwork and having breakfast in the hotel rest. by 9:20.....Since the
    rooms weren't ready we didn't get keys or room numbers until after
    3:00. We visited Magic Kingdom until then.
    
    The package included VALET parking and bell service. The hotel clerk
    said "Use them if you feel you deserve it ! "   AND we certainly did
    deserve it. They parked the car and took all luggage to a locked area
    until we got a room key, then up to the rooms when were came back with
    keys. Checkout day ; Belhop picked up luggage, We ate breakfast, Valet
    brought car around and loaded it up for us.
    
    This was an unexpected little pleasure of the world vacation package.
    
    Pasco......trip report to follow in a few days
    
    

    Listed below is the latest information for Surprise Mornings. Please
    note that this information is subject to change.
    
    The Magic Kingdom       EPCOT '97                      MGM Studios
    -----------------       ---------                      -----------
    
    Mon, Thu, & Sat         Tue and Fri                    Sun and Wed
    
    Astro Orbiter           Honey I Shrunk the Audience    TZTOT
    Space Mountain          Spaceship Earth                Star Tours
    TTA                     The Living Seas                TGMR
    AE
    TL Speedway
    Arcade
    Mad Tea Party
    Small World
    Snow White
    Carrousel
    Dumbo
    Mr. Toad
    Peter Pan
    
    (Parks open one hour earlier than posted times...CMs have told me that
     you can probably get in 90 minutes before posted times.)
    
    Mike

    and from the newsgroup...
    
    
    	Hey guys!  I just got back from WDW, and they are opening ALL main
    	parks
    	at 7:30 AM from "now" until April 5!  (*for RESORT guests, of course*!)
    
    

re .7:

Mike,

Forgive my ignorance, but by "Surprise Mornings" do you mean the early opening
days for resort guests?  (Which would mean that we should stay away from those
parks on those mornings if we are staying off-site?)

Thanks!
...Lisa

    Sorry Lisa...yes these Surprise Mornings are available to resort guests
    only. 
    
    Mike