Online Check-In Service Now Available!

[JPVonDrake]

Online Check-In Service enables Guests to simplify their arrival by allowing them to go online and provide information related to their upcoming stay. On a Guest’s scheduled arrival date, since information will have been provided previously online by the Guest, they may experience a streamlined check-in at Walt Disney World owned & operated Resort hotels.

A welcome folder with their Key to the World Card will be waiting at a designated Online Check-In Service area in the resort hotel lobby. Guests will need to present valid photo ID to pick up the folder and complete check-in.

Guests may begin accessing Online Check-In Service 10 days prior to arrival and up to and including their scheduled arrival date. Disney Cruise Vacations guests may begin using the service 45 days prior to arrival. Web site addresses for Online Check-In Service will vary based on the original method of booking.

When you use the Online Check-In Service you will be asked to provide a credit card for incidental charges, an estimated arrival & departure time, and an on-site (mobile) phone number. You will also be asked to provide or verify all Guest names, room requests (note: room requests are subject to availability), and you’re your home address.

Note, if you have already completed Online Check-In Service and then made any modification to your reservation, you will need to go back to Online Check-In Service website to update your information to ensure no delays upon arrival.

If you have questions related to booked travel dates, room categories, party mix, or resort specific questions, please contact your original booking agent. For example, if you booked through a travel agent, please contact your travel agent. If you booked directly through the Disney Reservation Center, please contact the Disney Reservation Center.

 

[courtfran]

Online check in is also working for DVC reservations. I just checked in for my trip starting on March 6th. (yay Disney's Princess Half Marathon) I'll do my best to explain on how to find it:

-Go to www.dvcmember.com and log in
-On Right hand side click on "My Vacation Points" under My membership
-Then scroll down until you find View Vacation Details, click that
-Once there, it will have upcoming vacations and if you are 10 days or less out you will see a button on that vacation that says "Enter/edit check-in information" click that
-Now on this next page if you scroll down a little there will be a button to click that says "Begin Check-In Now"

That's it! I hope this helps all those DVC Members out there.

 

[cabihler]

actually your room key will be in your packet

If online check-in really takes off they will still need those CMs...you still have to get your room key from one. It's only meant to cut down on the amount of time you spend in line. It isn't like those self checkout lines at the store.

when you do online checking, the whole packet that you receive at the counter is already prepared for you at another spot so you will bypass the regular checkin CMs altogether. i assume there will be one CM there because you will need to show your driver's license, passport, ID etc. to get the packet; i don;t think the system will be intuitive enough to have you just scan your ID and have a recognition system approve it for you.

but if you have not looked at the WDW jobboards lately you would be surprised to see how few if any at all IT jobs there are so i do not think the checkin application support will add any jobs that way. Disney has indicated that whatever layoff numbers they do will not affect resort/park guests... but indirectly it will in that numbers will be eliminated from checkin CMs through attrition if not direct layoff.

and yes your first point about jobs, which i did not include in the portion of your response within the quote, is right to the heart of the matter. like a slow vortex, jobs have been going down the drain for a good number of years... no need to go into my opinions as to why or who is to blame, there is enough of that to go around. i am not a PROTECTIONIST and in fact i have typically very LIBERAL views on issues (say liberal in your best Rush Limbaugh immitation :ROFLOL but during these economic times we band together and do whatever we can to help save and grow more jobs here in America. Continuing to go on vacations and purchasing goods is a great way to help accomplish that provided to do not allow jobs to be lost through automation of functions in our doing that..... so with that said YES please DO NOT use the online checkin process, or the self-checkout counter at food stores and whenever/whereever you can bypass automation in lieu of working directly with a human being even if it costs us a little more time standing in lines...

thank you for hearing me out on this

 

[Rob562]

Not that I want to dive into the "save the jobs" debate.....

But I at least thought I'd point out that those packets that the online check-in Guests pick up don't assemble themselves... *Someone* has to put them together beforehand for each party... Room locations still need to be assigned, key cards need to be created and put in the folder, maps, brochures, etc etc But rather than the CM doing it in-person for each Guest who checks in at the counter, it's all done before the Guest gets there. Either way, it still has to happen.

-Rob

 

[Lunamis]

I work at Hilton and we have had online check-ins for a while. In all honesty it does not really speed the process up too much. What I think it is best for is garunteeing the room you want. Normally we assign rooms that day and if we are overbooked on your room type there is a chance you will not get what you want. If you check-in online is automatically assigns a room earlier than we assign them so it is a safer bet you will have your exact room preference.

I am not sure if Disney's operating systems work the same way but it is interesting they have begun to do this too.

 

[wdwmagic]

Checking in with a human being is part of the resort experience for me. I dont want to take the time ahead of my arrival to do part of the resorts job for them. Being greeted and dealt with individually is part of what you are paying for in my opinion.

 

[fosse76]

Checking in with a human being is part of the resort experience for me. I dont want to take the time ahead of my arrival to do part of the resorts job for them. Being greeted and dealt with individually is part of what you are paying for in my opinion.

But you are STILL meeting with a CM. It just speeds up the process a little bit.

 

[mr_braver23]

I don't think this process will affect anyone's job, but will maybe make rooms available when you get there when they have advance notice of the time you will arrive.

 

[brent2124]

I used the online check-in for my 3 night stay this weekend at POR. When I walked up to the line for online reservation I was the only one there. I was asked my name and the hostess went over to a stack of welcome packets. It had a small label on the top with the name and some kind of booking code information. I signed my name and showed my ID, got a resort map with my room number and off I went. Absolutley no waiting at all!

I think this will definatley speed up the registration process and get guests on to there plans instead of waiting in line. So to anyone thinking about this option I would strongley recomend it.

And for those worried about someone loosing there jobs it seemed it was setup to have 1 host/hostess designated for the online check-in line who would help a regular guest if the on-line line was empty.

 

[reptar77]

When you checked in online did you leave a credit card number for room charges? If not is this done at the counter?
Were your room keys already done and with your packet?

 

[Computer Magic]

But you are STILL meeting with a CM. It just speeds up the process a little bit.

I wonder if it increases your chances of getting a good room or room of choice? I guess it depends on when the room is assigned. Is it assigned when you arrive or in the morning.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

When you checked in online did you leave a credit card number for room charges? If not is this done at the counter?
Were your room keys already done and with your packet?

You can leave your credit card number during the online check in process.

 

[brent2124]

When you checked in online did you leave a credit card number for room charges? If not is this done at the counter?
Were your room keys already done and with your packet?

You had to pay your remaining balance and choose what card you wanted for room charges.

As for getting a good room, I reguested to stay in one of 3 buildings near the front and got one way in the back. But as always they are only room requests:shrug:

 

[wdwmagic]

But you are STILL meeting with a CM. It just speeds up the process a little bit.

Yep, its going to be along the lines of

"Here is your checkin package, everything you need is in there. Have a great day!"

 

[Dwarful]

Yep, its going to be along the lines of

"Here is your checkin package, everything you need is in there. Have a great day!"

That's what I am afraid of. So we will stick to the 'old fashioned' way of checking in at the front desk. I'd rather wait a bit longer and get that true "I'm here!" feeling.

 

[cabihler]

i agree

That's what I am afraid of. So we will stick to the 'old fashioned' way of checking in at the front desk. I'd rather wait a bit longer and get that true "I'm here!" feeling.

its one of those magical insignificant moments when you are wished WELCOME HOME... we all know we will be waiting in lines at the WORLD and i can see and understand the sentiments voiced about WHY DO WE NEED TO WAIT IN ANOTHER LINE CHECKING IN.... but you know when i am waiting i always look around the lobby and look at the magic and there is a sense of relaxation taking over. so the online checkin might be faster, but i too will stick to taking the time to see and talk to those wonderful people who help me start my vacation and hopefully in the process help preserve a few jobs at the same time.:wave:

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I'm celebrating my birthday next week so I will not use the online check-in because I want to see if I can get an 'upgrade' - I may, however, use it when I go back in May once I see some reviews.

 

[devoy1701]

please help preserve jobs here in America. i have worked in the IT field for 40 years now and it has been a god send in many ways but here is an example of an employer using IT and the web to undercut american jobs.

EVERYONE PLEASE... resist using the online checking and other features that may eliminate jobs. you know as well as i the economic circumstances/realities of today and if each of us does just something small that will help preserve a job here then we have a civic duty to do so...

okay enough with the lecture.... i too was excited about the feature being offered, the online checkins and eventually the online dinning reservations, and i would love to use them but lets wait until things become stabized with the job situations.

when you do online checking, the whole packet that you receive at the counter is already prepared for you at another spot so you will bypass the regular checkin CMs altogether. i assume there will be one CM there because you will need to show your driver's license, passport, ID etc. to get the packet; i don;t think the system will be intuitive enough to have you just scan your ID and have a recognition system approve it for you.

but if you have not looked at the WDW jobboards lately you would be surprised to see how few if any at all IT jobs there are so i do not think the checkin application support will add any jobs that way. Disney has indicated that whatever layoff numbers they do will not affect resort/park guests... but indirectly it will in that numbers will be eliminated from checkin CMs through attrition if not direct layoff.

and yes your first point about jobs, which i did not include in the portion of your response within the quote, is right to the heart of the matter. like a slow vortex, jobs have been going down the drain for a good number of years... no need to go into my opinions as to why or who is to blame, there is enough of that to go around. i am not a PROTECTIONIST and in fact i have typically very LIBERAL views on issues (say liberal in your best Rush Limbaugh immitation :ROFLOL but during these economic times we band together and do whatever we can to help save and grow more jobs here in America. Continuing to go on vacations and purchasing goods is a great way to help accomplish that provided to do not allow jobs to be lost through automation of functions in our doing that..... so with that said YES please DO NOT use the online checkin process, or the self-checkout counter at food stores and whenever/whereever you can bypass automation in lieu of working directly with a human being even if it costs us a little more time standing in lines...

thank you for hearing me out on this

You are ridiculous. Guess I shouldn't use self checkout at the grocery store either?

Better that a company goes to automated services to stay competitive then drown in overhead costs and end up bankrupt because their competitor is adapted to new technologies and was able to offer their product at a substantially lower rate.

And Job Outsourcing is a necessary evil when federal taxes, minimum wages, and labor unions force unneccesary expenses onto companies that make it impossible for them to compete with companies in Japan, China, and India.

 

[courtfran]

I'm celebrating my birthday next week so I will not use the online check-in because I want to see if I can get an 'upgrade' - I may, however, use it when I go back in May once I see some reviews.

Just so you know, when you use online check in it has a part where you can add "Celebrations" which include birthdays.

 

[ToTBellHop]

You are ridiculous. Guess I shouldn't use self checkout at the grocery store either?

Better that a company goes to automated services to stay competitive then drown in overhead costs and end up bankrupt because their competitor is adapted to new technologies and was able to offer their product at a substantially lower rate.

And Job Outsourcing is a necessary evil when federal taxes, minimum wages, and labor unions force unneccesary expenses onto companies that make it impossible for them to compete with companies in Japan, China, and India.

It's not worth arguing. Some people just don't understand economics and will argue ad nauseum for keeping (unnecessary) jobs. Me? I'd rather have the system we seem to be moving toward where those extra CMs who were checking guests in under a dated system can now start rebuilding roads and schools in Central Florida (and probably make more money).

 

[DisneyJoe]

It's even possible that this new system is creating jobs - prior to this system, while you were standing there waiting, the CM had to gather and prepare all the materials that went into the folder that they handed you at check in, creating room keys, etc.

Now it sounds like that these packets are pre-prepared and waiting for those guests that have used the online check in.

Who is preparing those packets ahead of time?