-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Online Check In
- Thread starter daoust8
- Start date
disneyfan56
Active Member
I haven't noticed any benefit for doing it either way.
You may check in on line, but it doesn't mean the room they have assigned you is ready when you arrive.
I have had to change our room assignment several times when we arrived because I just didn't like where they put us.
You may check in on line, but it doesn't mean the room they have assigned you is ready when you arrive.
I have had to change our room assignment several times when we arrived because I just didn't like where they put us.
If this is your first visit, I recommend that you don't do online check in so that you hear everything the CM at the front desk has to tell you.
If you are a veteran of WDW trips, this can save you time when it comes to them preparing your KTTW cards/ticket media, setting up room charging, etc, as that can sometimes take a long time. If its done in advance, you walk to the counter and get your packet and that's it.
Either way, check your room location and you can change it then with the CM if you don't like it.
If you are a veteran of WDW trips, this can save you time when it comes to them preparing your KTTW cards/ticket media, setting up room charging, etc, as that can sometimes take a long time. If its done in advance, you walk to the counter and get your packet and that's it.
Either way, check your room location and you can change it then with the CM if you don't like it.
Depends on the time of year, and how patient you are, and how full the resort is...but I've had my room changed on a few trips because I didn't like the location. A few other times we had to wait a few hours; another time we had to wait a day. There have only been a few times when we couldn't change it at all.
It also depends on what you are asking for - and how you ask.
I'm asking because my last trip a few weeks ago I had asked for a room close to the elevator about 3 or 4 rooms away and we were the second to the last room in the hall. There was only one room father away. (I have issues walking). I asked the woman on checking in if it was close to the elevator and she said... well sort of. I have NO idea how she could think that when she knew it was at the complete end. I thought there was no recourse since I believe all the rooms were booked. Next time I'll ask for a change of rooms and see what happens.
DVCOwner
A Long Time DVC Member
I travel in large grops, this year there will be 16 people staying in our three DVC rooms (two two-bedroom and one villa). So Online Check In is a must for me. Putting that many people into the reservation system took a long time at the desk before Online Check in started.
If you ever get a cm that takes 20+ minutes just to make your kttw cards for a family of 4....that's what sold me.
jpittore1
Well-Known Member
saved us time
We've been to Disney many, many times and the Online check makes us skip the wait at arrival desk at AKL. The lines are long and there are people who ask sooooo many questions. We just want to drop our bags off at the bell hop's area and head to the parks! We've done the Online check in and it saves us 20- 30 minutes since our park tickets are ready for us.
We've been to Disney many, many times and the Online check makes us skip the wait at arrival desk at AKL. The lines are long and there are people who ask sooooo many questions. We just want to drop our bags off at the bell hop's area and head to the parks! We've done the Online check in and it saves us 20- 30 minutes since our park tickets are ready for us.
Everytime I use the online check in. Everytime they don't have it ther and I go through the process anyway. So, no... I don't see the benefit.
Odd. My packet is always ready and waiting.
mainstreetusa1
New Member
It always seems to be more of a hassle to change rooms if you've used online check-in (and yes, we've always been given a choice if we ask to move to be closer to a pool, etc), personally I'd agree with earlier posts that I can't see any real benefit, the process wasn't any quicker when we'd checked in online....but maybe it was early days and they were still earning their ears 
Raychul
Member
Oh my god, same here! I was reading this thread to see if I was doing Online Check-in wrong or something. Since using DVC, every time I check-in online and then arrive at my resort, they can never find my reservation. Then that CM has to call over someone, and then that person plays around with the computer and finally finds me. But even then, none of my online check-in stuff is prepared.
That's by design. The idea behind the online check-in is to handle all of the specifics ahead of time and make arrival a grab-and-go process.
If you want to dicker with CMs over room locations and views, please do NOT use the online check-in. My big complaint is that I usually end up waiting behind someone who wants to spend 15 minutes chatting-up the CM assigned to the online group.
When you check-in online you are asked to provide your estimated arrival time. Disney then makes a conscious effort to place you in a room which is ready for occupancy upon arrival. That immediate occupancy will trump all other considerations.
If you just want to get into a room--ANY room--upon arrival, use the online system and it will maximize your chances for success.
If you want to place greater emphasis on view or location requests or have a two-way discussion with the CMs regarding a desired villa, do NOT use the online system.
We have used the on-line check-in multiple times, and our packet has always been ready and accurate. We don't stress over room location or a specific building, so we are in and out in just a few minutes. Maybe we've just been lucky. We really like the option, and wish we could use it for our upcoming Grand Cali visit.
Spikerdink
Well-Known Member
Love the online checkin! I speeds things up for my party and me....
I always give my requests for rooms when I make the reservation (certain buildings at OKW, proximity to other people traveling with me...) and I have never had an issue.
I get to the resort, grab my paperwork and head out!
I always give my requests for rooms when I make the reservation (certain buildings at OKW, proximity to other people traveling with me...) and I have never had an issue.
I get to the resort, grab my paperwork and head out!
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
I have had issues with online check in.
Most of the time there is only one CM at the online desk, as it should be, because people are supposed to "grab and go"
However, I have been behind people who should NOT have been doing on line check in. They had a million questions and held the line up for quite some time, to the point the "regular" line was moving faster.
-dave
Most of the time there is only one CM at the online desk, as it should be, because people are supposed to "grab and go"
However, I have been behind people who should NOT have been doing on line check in. They had a million questions and held the line up for quite some time, to the point the "regular" line was moving faster.
-dave
Agree!
Last visit the one person handling on-line checkin seemed to be dealing with something completely unrelated to an arrival. She kept going into the back room and ended up coming out with tickets (MVMCP, perhaps) for the older couple waiting.
Meanwhile the check-in line backed up 5-6 groups deep. Manager ended up coming over get names and start the process. I'm sure he could tell folks were annoyed.
Once you've gone through it a couple times, it's pretty obvious the online check-in process was designed to be grab-and-go. But Disney has made zero effort to communicate that to guests. People love doing the check-in process because it makes them feel just a bit closer to their trip. But when they end up spending 15 minutes negotiating to change room assignments with the ONE CAST MEMBER assigned to help this group, everyone else suffers.