What is Online Check-In?

[jkl2000]

I've heard of online check-in for air travel, of course, but what is online check-in for a hotel? You're not there until you're there, so...? I wouldn't have access to anything beyond a smart phone once we leave home, do people check in before they leave home, or on a laptop at the Orlando airport, or what? I know it's just to save time and not have to wait on a long check-in line at the resort, but I feel like I'm not getting something here...

Not having been to WDW in 13 years, I might actually prefer to do the full check-in anyway so they tell me everything I need to know, but still curious.

 

[bsiev1977]

I've heard of online check-in for air travel, of course, but what is online check-in for a hotel? You're not there until you're there, so...? I wouldn't have access to anything beyond a smart phone once we leave home, do people check in before they leave home, or on a laptop at the Orlando airport, or what? I know it's just to save time and not have to wait on a long check-in line at the resort, but I feel like I'm not getting something here...

Not having been to WDW in 13 years, I might actually prefer to do the full check-in anyway so they tell me everything I need to know, but still curious.

Online check in you can do, I believe, 30 days before your arrival. It allows you to double check all info and enter in any room requests you might have. The biggest difference is when you arrive all your stuff is ready to be handed to you.

In your case, having not been in a while, you should probably do standard check in.

 

[draybook]

On-line check in has been set to 60 days out now, from the original 10 days. Just found that out recently.

 

[Master Yoda]

If you have not been to WDW in 13 years, do not use online check in. Online check in is designed for the experienced WDW traveler who can grab their welcome packet and go. There have been many changes to the way things work since your last trip and you will want them to go over your packet with you piece by piece.

 

[bsiev1977]

On-line check in has been set to 60 days out now, from the original 10 days. Just found that out recently.

You're right. Forgot about that. Have to make a note to do that at the proper date.

 

[bethymouse]

Been to WDW for 7 years now, and we never used on-line check-in. I like the interaction w/ the CMs and I request certain rooms. Sometimes, I even get an upgrade if I ask.

 

[jrab0616]

I like the online check in - I usually do it 5-10 days before the trip - because I can add my room requests before they make the room assignments. Also, you can add what time you expect to arrive at the resort, and while it doesn't always work, most of them time, our rooms have been ready when we arrived. When we went this time, the CM at the online check in desk still took the time to go through the welcome packet with us and talk to us about our birthday/anniversary we had this trip. I really don't find it's much different experience from the normal check in except that you wait in a separate line and can go straight to the welcome packet talk with the CM.

 

[RKSteel]

I used the on-line check-in for our Aug '12 stay at the Poly. It was our first trip back since Oct '10 and our first on-site since Jan '08. We arrived around 3pm, a CM greeted us at the entrance, checked off our name and brought us straight to the front desk. It was our first time at the Poly and the front desk did a great job explaining everything. Also, received longhouse I requested when I made the reservations.

Going back this Aug to the POR, will definately use on-line check-in again

 

[luv]

The make your keys and gather your stuff together so that each person's time at the desk is shortened (no waiting for them to make keys, etc.) and you will, theoretically, have a shorter wait in line.

It isn't always a shorter line, but is shorter more often than it isn't. You may actually wait longer in the online check-in line than the regular one, though.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Couple of misnomers here -- first, even with online checkin, they will explain everything about the resort for first time visitors -- there seems to be this thinking here that first time visitors shouldn't use Online checkin because you will somehow miss information -- YOU WILL NOT. The only difference is that they have prepared your room keys and your welcome packet in advance and already registered your credit card so you don't have to wait for them to do all of that.
Second, depending on the resort, the Online Check-in will almost always be faster and shorter, especially now that they are using curbside-checkin as well (look for the folks with iPads on your way into the lobby who can expedite your checkin without you even needing to get into ANY line - as long as you have already done online checkin).
Third, you can STILL request a different room or an upgrade at checkin, even if they have already prepared your keys. Again, its just a rumor that you can't do that. Usually you will find that any room requests you have made are almost always honored at Online Checkin -- last time I was there, they even had a special note attached to the packet that said "requested x for room, double-check inventory when he arrives" --
The MAIN reason they do this is twofold -- so they can assign the rooms overnight before your stay and have everything ready for you; and so they can have your credit card registered already since that takes them extra time to do that if you have not already done it online. That is basically the ONLY difference.

 

[WDW_Emily]

I like the online check in - I usually do it 5-10 days before the trip - because I can add my room requests before they make the room assignments. Also, you can add what time you expect to arrive at the resort, and while it doesn't always work, most of them time, our rooms have been ready when we arrived. When we went this time, the CM at the online check in desk still took the time to go through the welcome packet with us and talk to us about our birthday/anniversary we had this trip. I really don't find it's much different experience from the normal check in except that you wait in a separate line and can go straight to the welcome packet talk with the CM.

I second this. We did online check in for our trip 2 weeks ago at pop, got in a separate line when we arrived and the CM still went over where our room was, what building, asked us if we knew about extra magic hours, told us about the hussle happening at 6pm, all that jazz. It seemed to take a similar amount of time (but that could have been because we were paying with gift cards so it took awhile). We liked it because before hand we could make the room request. We requested to have our room in the 70s building and be ready when we arrived. We arrived at pop around 11am and had both of those request met. I highly recommend online check in if you will be arriving before 3pm that way you can ask for your room to be ready when you get there. Our first flight left boston at 5:30am, by 11am we needed a nap