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How important is online checkin.
- Thread starter Jae99
- Start date
If you don't do online check in your luggage will be lost, your tires will wear unevenly, the earth will spin off its axis and sun will explode.
Actually none of that is true.
At best, online check in might save you a few minutes on average. If all the stars align and you get to your resort 5 minutes after a full tour buss drops off, it could save you more, but it is not a gigantic time saver 100% of the time. The only other advantage I have found to online check in is the chances of your room being ready early.
You can still use online check in if you are picking up your bands at the resort.
Online check in is really designed for the seasoned Disney traveler that knows what everything in their package is for and how everything in the parks and the resorts work. If you will have questions and/or are unsure about a few things use regular check in.
Actually none of that is true.
At best, online check in might save you a few minutes on average. If all the stars align and you get to your resort 5 minutes after a full tour buss drops off, it could save you more, but it is not a gigantic time saver 100% of the time. The only other advantage I have found to online check in is the chances of your room being ready early.
You can still use online check in if you are picking up your bands at the resort.
Online check in is really designed for the seasoned Disney traveler that knows what everything in their package is for and how everything in the parks and the resorts work. If you will have questions and/or are unsure about a few things use regular check in.
Thanks for the reply. We will probably use the regular checkin and get any questions we have out of the way.If you don't do online check in your luggage will be lost, your tires will wear unevenly, the earth will spin off its axis and sun will explode.
Actually none of that is true.
At best, online check in might save you a few minutes on average. If all the stars align and you get to your resort 5 minutes after a full tour buss drops off, it could save you more, but it is not a gigantic time saver 100% of the time. The only other advantage I have found to online check in is the chances of your room being ready early.
You can still use online check in if you are picking up your bands at the resort.
Online check in is really designed for the seasoned Disney traveler that knows what everything in their package is for and how everything in the parks and the resorts work. If you will have questions and/or are unsure about a few things use regular check in.
That sounds like a good plan.
officialtom
Well-Known Member
Online check-in lets you pick up to two predefined room requests (top floor, corner room, etc). We always do it because of that, and because it also speeds up the physical check-in process. Last year, at AoA, it only took 30 seconds with a CM carrying an iPad and we were on our way.
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Those requests as well any pretty much any other you can think of can be put on your reservation regardless of whether you do online check in or not.
officialtom
Well-Known Member
We find it useful just as yet another way to get our requests in (maybe it doesn't add it again if you already did with the reservation, but we can hope).
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
You must have been wearing your MagicBand.
pug
Well-Known Member
And I am that seasoned Disney travelerIf you don't do online check in your luggage will be lost, your tires will wear unevenly, the earth will spin off its axis and sun will explode.
Actually none of that is true.
At best, online check in might save you a few minutes on average. If all the stars align and you get to your resort 5 minutes after a full tour buss drops off, it could save you more, but it is not a gigantic time saver 100% of the time. The only other advantage I have found to online check in is the chances of your room being ready early.
You can still use online check in if you are picking up your bands at the resort.
Online check in is really designed for the seasoned Disney traveler that knows what everything in their package is for and how everything in the parks and the resorts work. If you will have questions and/or are unsure about a few things use regular check in.
stevehousse
Well-Known Member
I would say that if u have never been or only here and there, do regular check in as they tend to take a few extra minutes going over everything. Online check in just speeds the process a bit. If u have been numerous times and don't need the "spiel", do online...
Thank you to everybody who has replied to the thread. Good ideas for both sides of the debate. We will be leaving in a couple of hours to hit the road for our drive to WDW. We will be doing the regular check in so that we can get as much info as possible. In approximately 40 hrs we will be standing in the lobby at All Star Music absorbing all that Disney Magic.
FrostyNaples
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure why anyone thinks 'regular' check in means they will get more information.
The only thing online check-in does, is get the ball rolling on what time estimate your arrival (selected during online check-in) as well as trying to accommodate the two requests you can make during the online check-in process.
You still go to a counter, you still talk to a person, you still ask every question you can possibly think of or need to, you still take as much time as you want.
Online check-in helps Disney help you, you don't lose any opportunity a 'regular' check in provides.
Having said all of this, on our last two visits with online check-in, our room was ready upon arrival (Noon-1pm). Nice plus, and requests were also filled. We still chatted with the CM, asked all our questions
One last thing, Online check-in is not for seasoned Disney guests - EVERYONE should be taking advantage of this program, as its available to all.
Online check in is not really set up, and more importantly, staffed to answer questions. It is set up for you to grab your pre-printed package and go. If a guest has question, they will of course answer them, but this slows down the process as typically only one person staffs the online check in line.I'm not sure why anyone thinks 'regular' check in means they will get more information.
The only thing online check-in does, is get the ball rolling on what time estimate your arrival (selected during online check-in) as well as trying to accommodate the two requests you can make during the online check-in process.
You still go to a counter, you still talk to a person, you still ask every question you can possibly think of or need to, you still take as much time as you want.
Online check-in helps Disney help you, you don't lose any opportunity a 'regular' check in provides.
Having said all of this, on our last two visits with online check-in, our room was ready upon arrival (Noon-1pm). Nice plus, and requests were also filled. We still chatted with the CM, asked all our questions
One last thing, Online check-in is not for seasoned Disney guests - EVERYONE should be taking advantage of this program, as its available to all.
FrostyNaples
Well-Known Member
As having been through the process twice in the last 90 days, I can assure you, there are no issues to your mention.
You are simply directed to the next available CM, whether under the 'online check-in' sign, or not.
They are all equipment to handle your check-in process, other than a small sign, you are not segregated from the check-in process, no matter online or not.
Having been through the process more than 50 times and knowing a number of CM's that work the desk it can be a problem.
If the other CMs are busy taking care of guests using regular check in, all it takes is one person who has never so much as set foot in WDW before to use online check in and the line can back up quickly.
Bottom line, if you need the spiel and to ask questions use regular check in. That is what it is there for.
If you can grab or go with little or no interaction, use online check in.
Clamman73
Well-Known Member
I would say they're getting the online check-in process down to a science now...This past fall, is was in the doors of Pop lobby and out in about five minutes. Didn't even go to the counter, CM looked me up on the iPad, scanned my band, grabbed my packet and I was out the door.
HRHPrincessAriel
Well-Known Member
The last two times I used on line check in. I still felt I was in line for eternity both times and it was no quicker thAn the regular line