Online check-in

[KSquared]

Hello,
I couldn't decide on the best place to post this so feel free to suggest a better location!

I stayed up last night to get my FP+ (which was very successful and not as scary as I thought it was going to be!) and now am looking into online check-in.

I have read a few reports for and against online check-in but I thought I would get everyone's opinion here.

We are arriving at the airport at 11:30pm so obviously won't actually arrive at WLV until very late (or rather very early in the morning). We have both been to Disney World many times but the Magic Bands are new to us.

Would you suggest online check-in for our circumstances?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Tuvalu]

Online check in is helpful when there is a long line of people at the registration desk, as there is a separate (shorter) line for those who did online check in.

Since you will be arriving in the wee hours of the morning, this will not be an issue for you.

 

[Master Yoda]

Since Magic Bands are new to you, I would go with regular check in.

On line check in is really set up for seasoned Disney travelers that don't need to have the information in the welcome packet explained to them. Basically you give them your name, they hand you a folder and you are free to go on your merry way.

Using online check in when you will have questions is kind of like going through the 10 items or fewer lane when you have a full cart. They will still take you and answer all your questions, but it is not exactly polite to those waiting behind you that just need to grab and go.

The only real advantages to online check in is can save you time checking in (half the time it is a wash especially if you are arriving at at odd hour) and the chances of your room being ready before 3:00 PM seem to go up considerably.

That is pretty much it.

This article is a couple of years old, but everything in it is still fairly accurate.

http://www.kingdomkonsultantblog.com/2012/06/online-check-in-survival-guide.html

 

[Livelovedisney]

Since Magic Bands are new to you, I would go with regular check in.

On line check in is really set up for seasoned Disney travelers that don't need to have the information in the welcome packet explained to them. Basically you give them your name, they hand you a folder and you are free to go on your merry way.

Using online check in when you will have questions is kind of like going through the 10 items or fewer lane when you have a full cart. They will still take you and answer all your questions, but it is not exactly polite to those waiting behind you that just need to grab and go.

The only real advantages to online check in is can save you time checking in (half the time it is a wash especially if you are arriving at at odd hour) and the chances of your room being ready before 3:00 PM seem to go up considerably.

That is pretty much it.

This article is a couple of years old, but everything in it is still fairly accurate.

http://www.kingdomkonsultantblog.com/2012/06/online-check-in-survival-guide.html

I feel like I did a lot of research enough not to really have any questions (we're novice), and this might sound like a dumb question but after checkin online and picking up all the necessary paper work, where does our luggage go if the room is not ready?

 

[Kingoglow]

If you arrive and check in but your room is not ready yet, then they will hold on to your luggage for you and place it inside your room once it is ready.

If you are using the Magical Express bus service, this will all happen behind the scenes. If you are not using the service, then simply hand over your luggage at check in (take out whatever you will need) and head out to start your vacation.

 

[Minthorne]

I'm going to buck the trend and suggest online check in. Really, the bands are not hard to understand and arriving so late you might want to avail yourself of the new option to skip the front desk completely and go directly to your room. They will text or email you when your room is ready and what number it is. Your magic band acts as the room key. Get some sleep that night and get onto the parks in the AM early!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm going to buck the trend and suggest online check in. Really, the bands are not hard to understand and arriving so late you might want to avail yourself of the new option to skip the front desk completely and go directly to your room. They will text or email you when your room is ready and what number it is. Your magic band acts as the room key. Get some sleep that night and get onto the parks in the AM early!

Right and just because you did online check-in doesn't mean you CAN'T still go to the front desk and chat to your heart's delight.

 

[LWB]

I would definitely check-in online! As said before, you can always go to the front desk and ask any questions you have. When we were at WDW earlier this month, since I had already set a PIN code for my Magic Band and done everything else online, I received an email that my room was ready and it provided our room number and I was able to park our car and head straight to the room with our luggage. Never went to the front desk at all! Great time-saver.

 

[Tuvalu]

If you arrive and check in but your room is not ready yet, then they will hold on to your luggage for you and place it inside your room once it is ready.

Not exactly. Bell Services will stow your luggage for you, but they will not place your luggage in your room when it is ready. You need to be present in the room and call to have it delivered. Or you can retrieve your bags from Bell Services upon returning to your resort and haul your luggage to your room yourself.

 

[Tuvalu]

I'm going to buck the trend and suggest online check in. Really, the bands are not hard to understand and arriving so late you might want to avail yourself of the new option to skip the front desk completely and go directly to your room!

Since the OP lives in Canada, she will have to stop at the front desk to get her MagicBands.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Not exactly. Bell Services will stow your luggage for you, but they will not place your luggage in your room when it is ready. You need to be present in the room and call to have it delivered. Or you can retrieve your bags from Bell Services upon returning to your resort and haul your luggage to your room yourself.

Unless you're using DME.

 

[Tuvalu]

Unless you're using DME.

Agree. But @Kingoglow was referring to dropping off luggage at Bell Services and heading to a park.

 

[Minthorne]

Since the OP lives in Canada, she will have to stop at the front desk to get her MagicBands.

Blame Canada!

 

[FrostyNaples]

I'm going to buck the trend and suggest online check in. Really, the bands are not hard to understand and arriving so late you might want to avail yourself of the new option to skip the front desk completely and go directly to your room. They will text or email you when your room is ready and what number it is. Your magic band acts as the room key. Get some sleep that night and get onto the parks in the AM early!

2nd, 3rd, 4th this.

The only thing online check in does, is get Disney ready for YOU.

Helps them determine in a few simple questions, what time you think you'll arrive, and if you have any generic room requests that the system can handle. Doesn't seem like much, but logistically unloads and automates a lot for these resorts.

There are two counters, yes. No your not holding anything up. There are CM's behind the counters, there are CM's around with iPads. Everyone will be checked in as fast as they can possibly be, and now with 'Direct to Room' opening up more and more, there simply no reason to argue 'no' for online check-in.

 

[Master Yoda]

2nd, 3rd, 4th this.

The only thing online check in does, is get Disney ready for YOU.

Helps them determine in a few simple questions, what time you think you'll arrive, and if you have any generic room requests that the system can handle. Doesn't seem like much, but logistically unloads and automates a lot for these resorts.

There are two counters, yes. No your not holding anything up. There are CM's behind the counters, there are CM's around with iPads. Everyone will be checked in as fast as they can possibly be, and now with 'Direct to Room' opening up more and more, there simply no reason to argue 'no' for online check-in.

I then to disagree with this from my own personal experiences as well as feed back from clients when I was a TA.

I have had more than one occasion when the online check in line came to an abrupt halt because a guest had never so much as set foot on WDW property before and was 100% clueless as to what they were being handed and needed the entire spiel.

I also received a number of mid trip calls from clients that did online check in, thought they new everything and then found out that they did not.

Most of us around here can use online check in without issue one. The reality is that the vast majority of people traveling to WDW on a daily basis WDW knowledge peaked at "It is the one in Florida right?" prior to traveling.

 

[FrostyNaples]

I then to disagree with this from my own personal experiences as well as feed back from clients when I was a TA.

I have had more than one occasion when the online check in line came to an abrupt halt because a guest had never so much as set foot on WDW property before and was 100% clueless as to what they were being handed and needed the entire spiel.

I also received a number of mid trip calls from clients that did online check in, thought they new everything and then found out that they did not.

Most of us around here can use online check in without issue one. The reality is that the vast majority of people traveling to WDW on a daily basis WDW knowledge peaked at "It is the one in Florida right?" prior to traveling.

Your missing my point.

Taken from my online login while checking in:

"Why Check-In Online?
When you start the check-in process in advance, it helps us prepare for your stay. Upon arrival at the Online Check-In location in your Resort’s lobby, simply show your photo ID to receive your welcome folder."

No where does it mention, please, no questions for online check in guests....

You know what happens when you go out in public, your going to wait in lines.

The 'abrupt halt' you mention, sounds like CM's were not adequately moving guests. The online check-in counter is not some one person hole in a corner.

We did online-checkin on all three trips in 2014, one time we didn't even hit the counters since there where CM's equipped with iPad's and such to get guests going. They only had to get our welcome packet, answer our questions, and we were on our way - outside of a counter line.

Again, this segregation argument doesn't work. The CM's can appropriately handle the traffic.

Just as the grocery store opens another checkout when the lines get long - OR THEY DON'T, because that happens too!! WDW is no exception, things do come to abrupt halts for one reason or another.

Just to blatantly tell people to not use online-check in if they have to ask questions doesn't fly - why not tell them to call Disney weeks in advance of their trip, and ask questions over the phone?? Gosh forbid they keep somone behind them waiting longer than 2 minutes extra.

Most of the time hold ups are due to technology, computers, magic band issues, reservation issues, etc.

You can't just blanket the 'no' is all i'm saying. It's a tool, it shows up for everyone seasoned or not. Use it

Have a magical day!

 

[Master Yoda]

Your missing my point.

Taken from my online login while checking in:

"Why Check-In Online?
When you start the check-in process in advance, it helps us prepare for your stay. Upon arrival at the Online Check-In location in your Resort’s lobby, simply show your photo ID to receive your welcome folder."

No where does it mention, please, no questions for online check in guests....

You know what happens when you go out in public, your going to wait in lines.

The 'abrupt halt' you mention, sounds like CM's were not adequately moving guests. The online check-in counter is not some one person hole in a corner.

We did online-checkin on all three trips in 2014, one time we didn't even hit the counters since there where CM's equipped with iPad's and such to get guests going. They only had to get our welcome packet, answer our questions, and we were on our way - outside of a counter line.

Again, this segregation argument doesn't work. The CM's can appropriately handle the traffic.

Just as the grocery store opens another checkout when the lines get long - OR THEN DON'T, because that happens too!! WDW is no exception, things do come to abrupt halts for one reason or another.

Just to blatantly tell people to not use online-check in if they have to ask questions doesn't fly - why not tell them to call Disney weeks in advance of their trip, and ask questions over the phone?? Gosh forbid they keep somone behind them waiting longer than 2 minutes extra.

Most of the time hold ups are due to technology, computers, magic band issues, reservation issues, etc.

You can't just blanket the 'no' is all i'm saying. It's a tool, it shows up for everyone seasoned or not. Use it

Have a magical day!

I disagree completely and let us just leave it at that.

 

[KSquared]

Thank you everyone for all of your comments and suggestions! I appreciate everything!