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To Check-In online or not? That is my question.
- Thread starter tehSAC
- Start date
bethymouse
Well-Known Member
Face to face
I like to spend time talking w/ the CMs and getting "the best room". I pay for the standard room, and always ask for the closest room to the pools/food. My request has always been honored!
But, if you have no questions or concerns about your room, etc.., then by all means, do online check-in!
I like to spend time talking w/ the CMs and getting "the best room". I pay for the standard room, and always ask for the closest room to the pools/food. My request has always been honored!
But, if you have no questions or concerns about your room, etc.., then by all means, do online check-in!
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If this is your first time on your own do not do online check in. Online check in is intended for seasoned travelers that will know what every single thing in their packet is without it being explained to them.
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captainkidd
Well-Known Member
28 onsite stays - Not one free room upgrade.
I don't think Disney likes me.
I don't think Disney likes me.
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When are rooms assigned?
I did not see this thread until after I replied to another online check-in thread so I am copying the same question here. I apologize. We will be arriving June 2 early in the morning(~9am) and may not necessarily need to go to the room. I have requested a particular building. When do they assign the room when you check in online? Is it assigned when you go online or do they put the packets together the day of first thing in the morning? If so, doing online check in would get you ahead of the person checking in the normal way the day of arrival. Surely that is not the case. Because we don't need to go to our room I don't want them assigning me a room that is available because they assume we want to go to the room. Other post have stated they try to assign you to rooms that are ready. That's why most of the time with online check-in your room is ready even if it is early. I just don't want them to do that over giving me my bldg request.
I did not see this thread until after I replied to another online check-in thread so I am copying the same question here. I apologize. We will be arriving June 2 early in the morning(~9am) and may not necessarily need to go to the room. I have requested a particular building. When do they assign the room when you check in online? Is it assigned when you go online or do they put the packets together the day of first thing in the morning? If so, doing online check in would get you ahead of the person checking in the normal way the day of arrival. Surely that is not the case. Because we don't need to go to our room I don't want them assigning me a room that is available because they assume we want to go to the room. Other post have stated they try to assign you to rooms that are ready. That's why most of the time with online check-in your room is ready even if it is early. I just don't want them to do that over giving me my bldg request.
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Then have them note this on your reservation. Rooms are assigned at roughly the same time regardless of whether you do online or traditional check in.
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RonAnnArbor
Well-Known Member
Just so you know -- the rooms are assigned overnight for the following day -- If you have requested a particular room or building it makes no difference if you check in online or the regular resort, it will already be pre-assigned just like at the restaurants.
Upgrades make no difference either if you check in online or at the resort. You can ask for a room change just as easily at the Online Checkin as you can in the regular line. But it IS true that online checkin is designed for people who have already been to the World and understand what your packet includes and how everything works. There is nothing worse than getting someone ahead of you in the Online Checkin line who spends 20 minutes asking about how their tickets and dining plans work.
As to upgrades, that also DOES NOT MATTER if you check in online or at the resort -- those are determined by the room assigners and computer to spread out guests throughout the resorts, or to consolidate floors and buildings as necessary. You can also ask at the desk, either regular checkin OR online checkin to see if they have an upgrade available....something simple like "Hey, I was just wondering, I have been at this resort 15 times and I have never gotten an upgrade or anything....how does that work?"...The CM will help if they have something available. Just beware, upgrades sometimes ARE NOT -- you might end up with a "river view" at Riverside for example, but it will be twice as far away from your transportation than the resort room you were already assigned.
Early checkin doesn't matter either -- your room has already been preassigned -- it is either available, or it is not.
Finally -- I have gotten several upgrades at POFQ...almost always it was when I was traveling by myself without anyone else. They will also look at upgrades for adults traveling without children first, before they upgrade a family traveling with kids (although that DOES happen from time to time).
Upgrades make no difference either if you check in online or at the resort. You can ask for a room change just as easily at the Online Checkin as you can in the regular line. But it IS true that online checkin is designed for people who have already been to the World and understand what your packet includes and how everything works. There is nothing worse than getting someone ahead of you in the Online Checkin line who spends 20 minutes asking about how their tickets and dining plans work.
As to upgrades, that also DOES NOT MATTER if you check in online or at the resort -- those are determined by the room assigners and computer to spread out guests throughout the resorts, or to consolidate floors and buildings as necessary. You can also ask at the desk, either regular checkin OR online checkin to see if they have an upgrade available....something simple like "Hey, I was just wondering, I have been at this resort 15 times and I have never gotten an upgrade or anything....how does that work?"...The CM will help if they have something available. Just beware, upgrades sometimes ARE NOT -- you might end up with a "river view" at Riverside for example, but it will be twice as far away from your transportation than the resort room you were already assigned.
Early checkin doesn't matter either -- your room has already been preassigned -- it is either available, or it is not.
Finally -- I have gotten several upgrades at POFQ...almost always it was when I was traveling by myself without anyone else. They will also look at upgrades for adults traveling without children first, before they upgrade a family traveling with kids (although that DOES happen from time to time).
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Innkeeper's Club
Well-Known Member
I heard that if you have specifc requests which you need to be get or at least come close to getting, then it's best not to use online check-in because once you do that it will wipe them out.
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Innkeeper's Club
Well-Known Member
I thought rooms are assigned a few days before, unless that's only true for Club Level guests since the Club Level Cast Members at each of the Deluxe Resorts are the ones who do that for those guests.
I also heard that guests not staying Club Level have their rooms assigned at random by their new LILO computer system that was installed last year and maybe that's done the day before they arrive.
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RonAnnArbor
Well-Known Member
Your room requests DO NOT get wiped out by using Online Checkin -- that is the way these rumors get started....
Each resort has a slightly different way of assigning the rooms -- most are done the day (overnight hours) before checkin
Some deluxes might schedule a few days out. DVC uses a completely different system altogether.
Each resort has a slightly different way of assigning the rooms -- most are done the day (overnight hours) before checkin
Some deluxes might schedule a few days out. DVC uses a completely different system altogether.
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Mikester71
Well-Known Member
I like to check-in upon arrival myself. We have stayed at Pop for all four of our trips so far and love it, even though they have yet to get my room requests right once. :brick: We booked all four trips through CAA up here and I sat next to our travel agent each time as she made the reservation and heard her submit our request only to arrive at Pop and not have it honoured. It was never really a big deal to us, and I know they technically don't have to honour anything, but without getting into all the details, I am happy to report that they did make up for it each time. It might have taken us a bit longer at the check-in desk, but it was well worth it each time.
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pixiesteno
Well-Known Member
I think I would plan on doing regular check in if it was my first trip or my first stay at that particular resort. It just helps to get acquainted with the amenities of a new resort if you take that little bit of extra time. I think it is also a neat way of getting a feel for your resort and the CMs. If I have been to a resort several times I would probably do the on-line check-in.
There is one caveat to that - the campgrounds. From experience I would book on the phone for Fort Wilderness campsites so that you can give all the particulars on the "rig" you are driving, ie, length, number of awnings, number of slides, etc because there is no place to list this if you book on-line. I think the next trip I will also do the check-in upon arrival at the campgrounds.
There is one caveat to that - the campgrounds. From experience I would book on the phone for Fort Wilderness campsites so that you can give all the particulars on the "rig" you are driving, ie, length, number of awnings, number of slides, etc because there is no place to list this if you book on-line. I think the next trip I will also do the check-in upon arrival at the campgrounds.
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radev104
Member
We did online check in for the first time last summer. We heard that the online check in was faster than normal check in. We got there and the line was shorter but the check in was about the same as normal. The cast member was nice and went over the packet of info you always get. We requested rooms before we got there and also requested them again when we checked in. The cast member said they would do what they could. We did get the rooms we requested.
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