Learn from others! Here are 5 mistakes Guests make with their Disney resort room:
1. Not checking in online – You can complete online check-in up to 60 days before you arrive. When you go through the process, you will have the option of checking what is most important to you about your room. Would you like ground floor or to be near transportation? How important is an elevator to you? Each resort has its own options that you can choose. If you don’t complete this before you arrive, you are at the mercy of what remains available.
2. Not preparing your room for the park – Put all of the items you will need at the parks in one location. This includes MagicBands, pins and sunscreen. Make sure you prepare your park bag the night before so you aren’t scrambling in the morning to get things together.
3. Moving resorts – Before you decide to move resorts during your trip, carefully consider the 2-3 hours it will take you to pack up one room and unpack the next. While it is easy to have your packed luggage moved by Luggage Services between the two Disney resorts, the unpacking remains your responsibility.
4. Not taking pictures when you arrive – If you want to remember how beautiful your resort room was, make sure you take pictures before anyone comes in with their bags. It’s such a great memory to have!
5. Not studying the layout of the resort – Sometimes there are quicker paths that will get you to your room that veer off the main route. Take a couple minutes to study the layout of the resort to choose the best way to and from your room.
What mistakes have you made?
Learn more about the Walt Disney World Resorts and contact Destinations in Florida to help you book your perfect resort.
Shirley says
I always book third party and have never been able to check in online. Either way, I’ve never had an issue when i got to the hotel either.
Grandma in Minnesota says
I hove mobility issues and use a scooter. When I place my reservation I request the type of room and any special things that work best for me. If it is not available at that time, I check back in to see if one has opened up but I have also talked to Disney and in my case, they have told me not to check in online. My first trip I stayed at the Contemporary and thought I would like to stay on an upper floor. The person at the front desk advised against that because of the traffic on the elevators and maybe losing precious time trying to get my scooter on the elevator. I was placed in one of the side buildings on the first floor and was VERY happy I listen to him. On a couple occasions when I was trying to get to upper floors of the main building it took several attempts to get into the crowded elevators.
Sommer says
Can you check in online in advance if you are staying at a good neighbor hotel at wdw?
Debbie O says
we always left housekeeping tips at the end of our stay but this time gave somebody every day. It made a huge difference and we saw lots of extra care given in our room because of it. Also I recommend finding out where the first magic bus pick up is at your resort and go there. We were between the first and the last so of course we went to the first with our family of 16. It worked out great!
UR MUM says
So what Disney world Resort do you recommend for a Family of 4?
Peg P says
That really depends on budget and what you’re looking for. Want to be as close to the parks? Then you’ll need a Deluxe resort. Want to spend as little as possible? Then you’ll need a Value resort (Pop Century is, in my opinion, better than the All Star Resorts). If you want more space, then avoid the value resorts. Deluxe will offer the biggest rooms, with Moderate resorts having less room than the Deluxe, but more than the Values. If you want an exercise room, then you’ll need a Deluxe resort of Coronado Springs (moderate). There’s so many variables depending on what’s important to each individual that it’s not an easy question to answer.
Dean says
For a somewhat more cost option, Art of Animation gives you great space and can handle five to six guests easily.
Shell says
Did you all stay in one room? We have 5 adults 2 kids for art of animation
Bridgette says
I stayed at art of animation a few years ago it was 3 adults and 3 kids in the nemo room. The table converted to bed as well as couch and then there was a bedroom, 2 full bathrooms as well
Vicki says
Contemporary is great and the shuttle is right in the hotel. It is also close enough to the park to walk.
Lauren says
So what would be a good tip amount to leave each day?
Peg P says
The standard tip for Mousekeeping is $1 for each guest staying in the room for each day of your stay.
Tanya Bracht says
Do you really get better service or extras if you leave a tip? Have you seen the difference from leaving a tip and not leaving a tip? What are the extras you get by leaving a tip?
Lori says
I used to tip at the end, but now I do $5/ day for my family of 4. I found that they leave us animal towels, they do fun stuff with the kids stuffed animals and my daughters extra ears. It was always so fun to see what mousekeeping did when we got back from the parks!
Joan says
We tip every day – $5 for two people and we never received anything extra. Maybe because there were no kids in the room.
Karen says
Thank you for sharing
Darlene says
We left $3 a day for 2 adults plus little “gifts” from home. We are from NH so pure maple products are a New England favorite. We left maple/bacon lollipops, a small bottle of pure syrup, some different candies, as well as a NH state magnet, key chain, and drink cozie. All just trinkets really, but sharing our home with them. We had two rooms with two adults each (our grown daughters) and an infant. We were left some towel animals and cute placements of extra bows. Our favorite was all my granddaughters stuffies arranged on pillows on the end of the bed watching TV. My daughters thought they had accidentally left it on until they saw the rearranged animals. SO CUTE! Should be noted this was at All-Star Movie, a value resort.
tINKERBELL01 says
One of the comments on here says to leave a tip for mousekeeping on day 1 – this is incorrect, the people who come into your room daily expect a tip each and every day of your stay.
I didn’t leave a tip on day 1 because I was unhappy with the standard of cleaning – there was lots of dust everywhere, room hadn’t been properly cleaned for weeks or months. The fridge was also not working and full of black mould. I left a note complaining and explaining that was why no tip had been left.
We had the same maid every day – a very nasty woman, who took revenge on day 3 by taking one of my sons gameboys out of the bedside drawer and throwing it under one of the big beds, right far under – he had to scrabble on his tummy to get it back.
Now I had left this woman $10 the next day and did so every day – but I was furious when she’d done this and she walked into our room one morning, when we’d left a sign up saying not to disturb.
So be aware – my tip would be to complain directly to mousekeeping about anything that is not right in your room and don’t leave notes and not tip, because they take revenge on you!
extravelagent says
I draft a letter on the note pads with a letter to corporate with my complaints. I leave it on the desk. I have gotten free breakfast and a note of apology.
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Ang says
Actually you can make more specific requests with your travel agent or with Disney directly than you can with online check in. And checking in at the front desk gives you a much better chance of getting those requests. Just personal experience.
Sandra Minuth says
Leave a tip for mousekeeping services on day 1. This results in very friendly smiles and lots of nice goodies like extra soaps and animal surprises.
Kandyce Lewis says
You are saying Disney World does this count for Disneyland and being a DVC member as well?
Thanks
Melissa says
Yes you can check in online from the UK, but you must have your Disney reservation number. If you did not book your trip directly with Disney, you will need to contact them to obtain this information.
Melissa says
Online check-in is not available for Disneyland Resorts
Pat Bohr says
Consider what your transportation plans are for the trip if you’re using Disney buses etc being near the front is closer but tends to be farther away from parking if you rented a car. Except for the hotels restaurant and concierge desk I find distance to the parking lot most convenient!
Sue says
I agree!! Since you can drive the the main building it’s much more convenient to be closer to the parking area if you are driving yourself.
Cath Johnson says
Can you check-in in advance if you are from U.K.?
Melissa says
Yes you can check in online from the UK, but you must have your Disney reservation number. If you did not book your trip directly with Disney, you will need to contact them to obtain this information.
Thozama says
I’m in South Africa, going to Disney in August. The on-line check-in says you need the magic bands in order to avoid the normal check-in. The problem is that Disney does not ship the bands outside the USA. I have checked in online but i suspect that i’ll have to collect the bands still at the counter on arrival.
Will that take long?
Sharron says
It does not take long at all. We are from Canada so we couldn’t get our bands in advance either. They were ready at the front desk with our names on them when we checked in (after having checked in online). The website also said that you can use them at the airport to catch the Magic Express Bus. As long as you have your reservation number that’s all you need to get on the bus. Enjoy your trip!