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[Tiggergal]

We just decided last Sunday to go to WDW-whooopeee!!! We arrive on Sun Oct 13 at 8:50 AM, leave on Sat Oct 19 9:35 PM. I used a code and got great rates on PO-R, we've never stayed at a moderate resort. Only thing is we have to stay at ASM the day we get there and won't have passes until we check in at PO-R. I figured we can just play around the day we arrive (DTD, pool). But I'm nervous about transferring to the new resort, will check in take long? Can we pick up our passes the night before check in, so we wouldn't have to waste any park time the following morning? How easy is it to get from ASM to PO-R early in the morning using the buses if we can't get our passes until Monday morning? Sorry for so many questions....but Help!! [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Dave Marx]

Let's see if I can cover them all.

If you're getting Ultimate Park Hoppers you won't be able to buy them until you check in at Port Orleans. Call Port Orleans to learn the earilest time you can check-in (I think it's 8:00am). If you're getting regular Park Hoppers, then you can buy them at All-Stars.

If you plan to be at Port Orleans for an 8:00am check-in (or earlier) I suggest you take a taxi. There are no direct buses between those two resorts (as with most resorts), so you'll have to go to a park first and transfer. At that early hour, the earliest you can probably arrive at PO by bus (bus to Disney-MGM Studios or Animal Kingdom, then transfer to a PO bus) may be 8:45 or 9:00am, which will start cutting into your park time.

Most of the transfer is painless, especially if you're checking in at an early hour. You probably will be served immediately, and you'll be done in ten minutes (no difference between a transfer check-in and a "regular" check=in). Check-in lines can get long once the buses start arriving from the airport (typically after 10:00am).

I suggest in this case that you do the following:

Have nearly everything packed the night before, and (the night before) make an appointment with All-Stars Bell Services for an early luggage pick-up in the morning (tell them you want them to transfer the luggage to Port Orleans--it's free).

One member of your party takes a taxi directly to Port Orleans to take care of check-in, while everyone else waits for Bell Services to get your luggage, eats breakfast and heads to the park of your choice.

When check-in is done, the check-in person heads straight to the park to meet the rest of your group (choose a rendezvous spot outside the gates).

Your luggage will arrive later in the day--when you get back to your room, call Bell Services to have them deliver it (they won't deliver it unless you're there).

[Colo Dizfanatic]

Dave,

Let me make sure I'm understanding this correctly. If you are doing a "transfer" check-in, you can check-in earlier than the noted daily check-in time? Wow, that is kewl!!

I'm glad I read this because we are going to be resort hopping from the Animal Kingdom Lodge to the Polynesian on our upcoming trip. I would have just had the bags stored until we got to the Polynesian later in the day, and then gone thru the regular check-in process!!

Yet, one more reason to read the boards!!

[Dave Marx]

You can always do an early check-in, not just on a transfer. Generally they don't have a room ready for you (sometimes you get lucky), but they'll issue your room key (and passes), and you can come back later when the room is ready. So you check your bags, go play, and come back to the resort at your convenience.

[Colo Dizfanatic]

Duh.......sorry about the "blonde" question, Dave!! I have a tendency to do that at times. But of course, this makes so much sense!!

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