Direct to Room Check-In coming?

[Minthorne]

Has anyone else seen this mentioned elsewhere? Seems like a great idea to me!

MyMagic+ brings 'Direct-to-Room' arrival for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests

 

[Rteetz]

Been in testing for some time at POR and POFQ I believe. Now they are rolling it out to all resorts.

 

[Eärendil]

Nice! This sounds great for our trip in October.

 

[Victor Kelly]

That was sorta ours last month. We did online check in a few days before arriving. When we got there, our room was ready upon going to the counter. SO I can see it happening very soon.

 

[Pluto15]

I've experienced this a number of hotels where you check in in your room and don't need to go near front desk unless you have an additional query. It has its pro and cons but certainly the way most places seem to be going.

 

[Unplugged]

Hotels do it to save money on staffing requirements, but it does take away from the overall welcoming experience, where you're addressed by smiling helpful faces.

I'm curious how this works with bell services as they want to grab your stuff on a cart and give you a tag so you can call from your room. However, I find that the delay and a bigger bottleneck than the front desk. Perhaps the bell services should have a portable device to check the bands that were mailed to you, your name, or other and know exactly where your going to walk you and the bags there. Just a thought to save everyone time.

I personally think there needs to be a median as I always found our arrival at Disney to be official when the people at the front desk welcomed us.

[Edit] I realize this service is optional, but if it's a success, I can see on-line check-in being a huge push for their cost savings.

 

[Pluto15]

I think Disney will always leave front desk check in as an option especially for return guests who prefer the meet and greet

 

[Slowjack]

As I've said for kiosk check-in, I see this as a bad thing. Disney at least still claims it provides great service and that service sets it apart from rivals. As such they should look for every opportunity to provide service. This sort of thing is an admission that they aren't able or willing to provide great service--the kind of service that is friendly, helpful, and timely enough that you feel better for having received it, as opposed to skipping it just because you can.

And I know many people will say, it's optional, and maybe some of us just want to get to our rooms, but to me that's like wanting to skip the stretching room at the Haunted mansion to get on the ride quicker. Plus, I'm expecting that if things like this take off, they will reduce desk staff. It's like how Fastpass is now effectively required at some attractions that didn't need it before they had it, because now the stand-by line is so long.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

As I've said for kiosk check-in, I see this as a bad thing. Disney at least still claims it provides great service and that service sets it apart from rivals. As such they should look for every opportunity to provide service. This sort of thing is an admission that they aren't able or willing to provide great service--the kind of service that is friendly, helpful, and timely enough that you feel better for having received it, as opposed to skipping it just because you can.

And I know many people will say, it's optional, and maybe some of us just want to get to our rooms, but to me that's like wanting to skip the stretching room at the Haunted mansion to get on the ride quicker. Plus, I'm expecting that if things like this take off, they will reduce desk staff. It's like how Fastpass is now effectively required at some attractions that didn't need it before they had it, because now the stand-by line is so long.

This. It also sums up my thoughts on self service kiosks (grocery stores, pharmacy, airport, etc.). As much as companies tout this as a convenience, anything "self service" is really just a way to cut costs.

 

[AndyS2992]

I assume this won't work for international guests as we usually have to go to the desk to check in in order to receive our Magic Bands/tickets and what not. Kinda annoying.

 

[ford91exploder]

Hotels do it to save money on staffing requirements, but it does take away from the overall welcoming experience, where you're addressed by smiling helpful faces.

I'm curious how this works with bell services as they want to grab your stuff on a cart and give you a tag so you can call from your room. However, I find that the delay and a bigger bottleneck than the front desk. Perhaps the bell services should have a portable device to check the bands that were mailed to you, your name, or other and know exactly where your going to walk you and the bags there. Just a thought to save everyone time.

I personally think there needs to be a median as I always found our arrival at Disney to be official when the people at the front desk welcomed us.

[Edit] I realize this service is optional, but if it's a success, I can see on-line check-in being a huge push for their cost savings.

Soon a in-person check in will be an upcharge item, just wait and see

 

[ford91exploder]

This. It also sums up my thoughts on self service kiosks (grocery stores, pharmacy, airport, etc.). As much as companies tout this as a convenience, anything "self service" is really just a way to cut costs.

I agressively REFUSE to use the 'self-service' checkouts.

 

[Unplugged]

Soon a in-person check in will be an upcharge item, just wait and see

There is no doubt you're correct. That's how everything works. The final item we place increased value on will be the item used to milk the final dollars from our cold dead cow. Is that not what the airlines did with luggage fees? "Oh you're traveling....and you expect to bring luggage? Well now, that's a different story. Up charge please!"

 

[Nubs70]

I agressively REFUSE to use the 'self-service' checkouts.

Nothing like doing an expense report and find somehow 12 hours of spanktravision have been erroneously billed to your room.

All ways check your bill.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Nothing like doing an expense report and find somehow 12 hours of spanktravision have been erroneously billed to your room.

All ways check your bill.

 

[PirateFrank]

The automated checkin also screws the customer out of a relaxed introduction to hotel staff. What happens when you get to the room and something isn't to your liking (like oh the last 4-5x I've been to bay lake)?? Would you rather contact the person who's job it was to welcome you and assure you that they will take care of your needs while you're there?? Or would you rather contact some faceless individual at the wdw resort call center 15 miles away, who has neither the incentive nor the desire to make your experience magical in light of your dissatisfaction??

The former is SO important to guest satisfaction when something goes wrong.

The more they automate the checkin process, the less these front desk people will have the ability to do anything to serve your needs.

 

[MinnieM123]

I realize that there are some people who may actually prefer to use a check-in machine, go directly to their room, and bypass the hotel's front desk completely. So, as long as that option is available for those guests, I'm o.k. with that, provided it does not become the primary method of check-in for many other guests, who don't want it.

Hotels are categorized under the "hospitality industry" and a major component of what they offer, is a welcoming environment, and a warm greeting to their "guests" upon arrival. The front desk employees provide a critical role in setting the tone for a positive first impression.

My preference is always to go directly to the front desk, and I look forward to meeting the people there. Over the years, I've many pleasant and helpful discussions with the front desk personnel, and many have gone out of their way to be accommodating, and even extended upgrades on occasion. (And for the record, I never asked for any upgrades.)

 

[draybook]

There's one self-serve kiosk that I absolutely love, that's the car rental kiosks at the airport.

 

[raven]

This was part of the original plan when creating the Magic Bands about 5 years ago. Once you arrive at MCO and prepare to board Magical Express, you swipe your band and it notifies your resort you have arrived and they assign you a room and text you back with the number.

 

[WedwayPM]

There's one self-serve kiosk that I absolutely love, that's the car rental kiosks at the airport.

+1 Absolutely!