Arriving a day early

[unlimitedfun01]

We have reservations at Port Orleans French Quarter for September 2 and 3rd. We may be arriving earlier then we originally planned. Would it be possible to just arrive at the hotel and get a room (if available)? Would my magic bands be there early?

[Strmchsr]

It's better to call ahead and see if a room is available early. That being a weekend, and Labor Day weekend at that, availability might be limited. There are certainly off-property locations but it's best to make your plans ahead. Also usually cheaper that way as if you arrived for 1 night you'd be paying full rack rate. As for the Magic Bands, usually they mail them to you ahead of time. But if they're waiting on you, then, yes, you'll be able to get them at check-in even a day early.

[SurferStitch]

We've actually seen people just show up and try to get a room for a night or two, and were told they had to call WDW reservations, get the room, then come back to the check-in desk and check-in. That was a few years ago, so I don't know if that changed, but the CM's at the desk couldn't issue rooms. I would try to add it now, or just stay off site. We've often stayed in the DTD (Disney Springs) area the day before our official WDW check-in day so we could hit Epcot the night before and not be rushing around on our check-in day. It's always worked out very nicely for us.

[1DisneyNut]

We have tried this a couple of times and it has not worked out. Their system makes it extremely aggravating to add days whether it be on the front or back end of a reservation. You basically have to make an entirely new reservation and it is possible you might would have to change rooms and you will have to pay whatever the absurd rack rate is at that particular time. It was going to be such a hassle, I just got on my hilton app while sitting in the lobby of the WDW resort and had a room in about two minutes offsite.