Checkin/check Out

[Dyanna]

As this will be out 1st trip to Disney World all/any information would be helpful. About how long does it take to check into/out of the All Star Movies Resort. We will be going in October. We will also be taking advantage of the Magical Express from Delta Air. Our flight arrives in on a Sat at 2:10 pm. Do you think that after taking the shuttle, checking in & dropping of some items at our room will we have enought time to goto Epcot for dinner & maybe catch a ride or 2 before they close for the evening.

[offwego]

It can take up to about an hour from your plane landing to get to your resort.

Check in of course can vary depending on how many others are checking in at the same time. Most times we've only waited in line for maybe 5 minutes once I think for maybe 10?

The actual checkin process (depending on how many questions you may have of course) takes aprox 10 minutes. (printing keys to the world, explaining hours, giving you a map etc...)

If you leave a credit card number check out can be done by express without going to the front desk.

You should have time for dinner (don't make it for 4 or anything though!) and to catch illuminations the fireworks show at Epcot. Which rides you can get in will depend on what time of year your going and crowd levels. Universe of energy and journey into your imagination typically have very short waits and would be no problem. Or you could just explore some of the world showcase options! Happy planning!

[BelleBeauty]

If you arrive ontime at 2:10, you should be off the plane at at DME around 2:30. I would estimate you'd be at your hotel between 3:30 and 4:00pm. This really depends on how long you have to wait for the bus to fill up before it leaves.

If there is no line, check-in can be as short as 5 minutes. I recommend sitting at the front of the bus, so that you are the first in line among others that might be checking into your resort as well.

At that point your room should be ready and if you dropped off your stuff quickly, you could jump right on a bus and have a late dinner at Epcot, ride some rides and catch Illuminations. It would be even better if it was EMH at Epcot that night. Usually, Future World closes around 7pm, so you want to make sure to ride first and plan on eating later (unless it is EMH).

[Speedy1998]

I would think you have time to do things at EPCOT. Even during the slow time of the year it closes pretty late. Arriving as late as you are though, I would only plan on eating at a CS (counter service) restaurant the first night there. You can never tell how long check in will take. I have walked right up to the counter at the All Star resorts, and I have also had to wait in line for a 1/2 hour one night when everyone seemed to arrive at the same time.

[CleveRocks]

The average reported time from plane landing to resort drop-off (via DME) is 70 minutes. But let's assume 90 just in case. So it's now 3:40 p.m. Even with only 1 person in line ahead of me, I've had check-in take 30 minutes (from getting in line to walking away from the front desk). But let's call it 20 minutes. It's now 4:00 p.m. If you want, you can have Luggage Assistance store your carry-ons for you and just head right out to Epcot. But let's say you go to your room first. Let's say it takes 5 minutes to get to your room, 10 minutes to freshen up, 5 minutes back to the bus stop, so it's 4:20 p.m. now.

Let's say the Epcot bus just pulled away as you were walking up, and you have to wait 20 minutes for the next one, so it's 4:40 p.m. Then you board the bus and arrive at Epcot 15 minutes later, so it's 4:55 p.m., then you have to walk to the front gate, so you're inside the Epcot turnstiles at 5:00 p.m. And then of course you have to hoof it from there to wherever you have your ADR.

Personally, I'd keep Murphy's Law in mind and not make an ADR earlier than 6:00 p.m., and I'd still probably do it more like 7:00 p.m., to allow for delays such as late flight, slow buses, slow check-in, etc. I'd grab a Mickey Bar or some other quick snack at the food court (something I could walk with) on the way to the bus stop at the resort.

And by the way, to comment on something BelleBeauty said ....

You don't have to wait until the DME bus "fills up." That's not the procedure. By written procedure, once the first guest boards a DME bus it must leave no within no more than 15 minutes, regardless of the number of passengers. Has this procedure been bent or broken before? I'm sure it has. But that would be the exception to the rule. This is just one of the aspects that makes DME much much superior to the former Mears shuttles.

[battle beast]

LAst October, my plane arrived in at 3:31 PM. I was in the MK park before 5:30 PM. So don't worry, be happy mon!

[Dyanna]

Thanks for the many replies. This will help in my planning for our arrival day.

[BelleBeauty]

I didn't mean to suggest that you have to wait for the entire bus to fill up - never!

I only meant that every time we have used DME, we sit there for about 15-20 minutes until a few more people get on. But this is just my experience, and we always arrive much later in the evening. It is a very quick process regardless, especially when you compare it to the Mears shuttles!