early check in to room

[waltfan42]

Hi! Do any of you know if they ever allow you to check into your room early--or if so, what the likelihood of that would be? I'm trying to decide what time to fly in. My mom is coming with us on this trip and she will need to be able to rest after travelling. This is only our second time renting points---so no idea. Thanks for any thoughts you have! Btw, we are staying at the VGF. (SO EXCITED!!!!)

 

[Noelle]

Basically, it depends on if there are rooms available. Being from California, we usually take the red eye and arrive at 6:00 am (or around there). I'd say 50% of the time we get a room by 10:30. Gives us time to grab a breakfast or whatever. But the other half of the time, no rooms have been available. Plus, the other factor in checking in early is it limits your selection of villas...views, etc.

 

[lovin'fl]

You can check in as soon as you get there but may not have a room available until close to 4pm...and that is most usually the case (room ready later rather than sooner).

 

[DevonsDisneyMom]

Check in as soon as you can, if the room is not ready they will send you a text message notifying you of your room number when it's ready.

 

[gdrj]

There really is no way to tell. At best I would say 50/50.

Depending on your Mom, if resting can be a lounge chair at the pool, bring a change of clothes in a carry-on. You can add request/note on resv (through owner of points) that you are arriving early and request first available room due to travelers age in party. It may have zero impact but it can't hurt. We've arrived at 10 in the morning and the room has been ready and other times not until 4 PM. With GFV being a smaller resort there will be less rooms available early just due to percentages.

 

[com_op_2000]

DW and I usually check-in @07:30 - 8:30 each trip. Our room is ready about 3 out 5 times. Alot depends on the time of year you are going, if the resort had any non-filled room the previous night, and your willingness to accept any room that is available.
Also, you can request at check-in to have the first room available in your category. If you inform the CM of your mother's condition at check-in, you just might get it.

 

[DenLo]

We too usually check in before 9:00 AM, but I say it only one third of the time is our DVC Villa available by 11:00 PM. Often it's between 2:00 and 4:30 PM.

 

[lovin'fl]

, but I say it only one third of the time is our DVC Villa available by 11:00 PM. Often it's between 2:00 and 4:30 PM.

I'd agree with this...maybe 1/4th the time it's available by noon...but mostly between 2-4:00.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Unfortunately it just isn't anything that can be counted on so if it's necessary to have the room available when you arrive or very shortly after you should just plan on a mid to late afternoon arrival. DVC will allow you into the room after check in when it's ready but there's zero way to predict when that might be.

 

[waltfan42]

Thanks you guys--I knew you would have the answers for me! She's going to be 80 on this trip and has some mobility issues. I know she'll need to rest after the flight. I think if I plan to get there in the afternoon it will be okay even if she has to wait on a couch for a bit. But now I know not to risk a morning arrival. Thanks again!!

 

[DebbieB]

I'm sure VGF is running 100% occupancy so it's going to be harder to get a room early. Rooms available first thing in the morning were usually unoccupied the night before.

 

[Firepath]

Our overnight flight from the west coast arrives at 6am. Since we are going during F&W it is doubtful we'd get our room early, so we decided to just reserve our room for the previous night. Since it's just a studio, no huge waste of points and we'll be able to get into our room as soon as we get there. With an 80 yr. old, you might want to consider that if you decide on an early flight.

 

[leeholmes1]

We arrived to BCV at 9a. I was expecting our room not to be ready but when I checked in online I told them I would be arriving early. When we got there our room was ready.

 

[Minniesgal]

As you are staying in a DVC room and not a hotel room it is much more likely that your room will not be ready until mid to late afternoon. especially at VGF which runs very close to full. I'd book the night before if possible.

 

[Julylady]

The villas at VGF have a lovely lobby with several comfortable chairs/couches. We checked in about 11am and our room wasn't ready. I was still attending a conference so I returned to Coronado and my Mom stayed in the lobby at VGC reading her Kindle. About 1pm, she went to the poolside cafe and had a chicken salad sandwich. When she returned to the lobby the attendant told our room was ready. I believe it was about 2pm. There is also a ladies room right off the lobby.