Does online check in = room ready earlier?

[100acreHiker]

In your experience, does checking in online result in your room being ready for you earlier? I hear a lot about people cautioning against checking in online if they have any requests at all. When we went two years ago, we did it online and arrived at GF at 11:30 am and our room was ready, which was awesome so we could change and turn around before heading out for the day.

But I also hear about people checking in at the front desk and being told their room won't be ready until 3 or 4pm. Just curious what people's experience is and if doing it online gives them a heads up to have it available to you earlier.

When we go this fall, my only request will be a room not on the ground floor. Not sure if that's worth waiting to do in person?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

Everytime I have checked in online, my room has been ready. This is when I arrive at about 1 pm.

 

[MsThumper]

We always do online check-in and since we are only 1 1/2 hours from Disney we arrive around 11am to noon. We have always had a room ready and are always surprised by it. Two times in a row, we have had fabulous upgrades at the Yacht Club (both times our stay started on a Monday), but have been there several times since and not been upgraded.

Having said that, there are probably many factors that play into it. We always go to Disney during the "off" seasons, we always either check-in on a Sunday or Monday, and we don't make room requests. We only have week-day passes, so we never stay more than 4 or 5 nights and always check-out on Friday. I'm not saying that any of these factors will insure that you have a room ready, just saying that there are so many variables, that nobody can say for sure that online check-in will mean that your room will be ready.

 

[DebbieB]

There is a check box on the online check-in which you can check if you want a ready room vs getting your requests.

 

[cleophus12]

I used online check in for our stay at AKV in June. Room was ready when we arrived at 1 pm, but did not have my request honored. Don't know if it would have made any difference if I hadn't done online check in, but that was my experience.

 

[BelleKer]

Have gone once a month since last year, always stay at a resort. I never have many requests, high floor usually. I'm never really picky so I take what I can get. Only two times I had to wait until later to check-in. I usually arrive at about 9:30/10:00am, I always do online check-in. We waited until 10:30am when we checked into WL at 5:30am for the 24 hour event. The other was waiting until noon, when we checked in at 10:30! I love the early check-in, so I would take that over room requests.

 

[Clamesa]

I normally arrived at the resort before noon, never did on-line check in and my room has been always ready.

 

[karly05]

I normally arrived at the resort before noon, never did on-line check in and my room has been always ready.

Did you use Magical Express? I have a theory that ME has an impact on having a room ready early since they know from that roughly when you're coming.

 

[maxiesmom]

Room ready? Yes. Requests met? No.

 

[McKelly]

There is a check box on the online check-in which you can check if you want a ready room vs getting your requests.

Did you check one? And did it work?

 

[nkereina]

I've actually been told by a front desk CM (at POR) that they try to get those who check-in online into rooms that will be ready based on the arrival times they enter, and any room requests are looked at secondary to this (if at all). Her point was that if you want a room ready on arrival, do online check-in. If you want your room request met, don't do online check-in. Incidentally, every time I have done online check-in, my room has been ready (as early as 8am once) but my requests never met. One time, I was assigned a room the exact opposite of my request, which happened to be ready when I arrived. I asked to be switched to a different area, which they were able to do for me, but I had to wait about two extra hours for the room to be ready.

FWIW, this does depend on how busy they are the night before. If the resort is at capacity the night before and you arrive at 9am, chances are they have very few rooms turned over by then so you'll likely have to wait a while.

 

[tinkerbella16]

We have never done online check-in (and don't plan on it) and our room has always been ready when we arrived. We take the first flight out to MCO and are at the resort by 11am the latest and I cannot remember a time where our room was not ready. I guess we've just had great luck! I never thought that online check-in had anything to do with your room being ready early though.

 

[amber_cntrygrl]

Our first trip and this past trip I did online check in. Both trips were in the month of September. The first trip, we drove all night and arrived around 8am. I got the text that our room was ready around 3:15. This past trip, we left at lunch time and arrived at about 9:30pm, so our room was ready when we arrived. All of our requests were met during the last trip, unlike the first trip.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[DebbieB]

Did you check one? And did it work?

I did not check ready room priority, I wanted to wait for my requests. I did get my request (BWV - near elevator, top floor). I think the room was ready around 3:00.

 

[100acreHiker]

thanks for sharing all of your experiences and thoughts! Because we plan to spend some time swimming (if it's warm), and maybe napping off our 6 am flight faint, it would be nice to have access to our room, but it would also be nice to get the view/building we prefer. May be worth calling the front desk and asking their advice, too.

 

[nkereina]

We have never done online check-in (and don't plan on it) and our room has always been ready when we arrived. We take the first flight out to MCO and are at the resort by 11am the latest and I cannot remember a time where our room was not ready. I guess we've just had great luck! I never thought that online check-in had anything to do with your room being ready early though.

It just increases your chances because they assign rooms this way. What matters most is how busy the resort is the night before. Your chances are also increased if you travel during slow times and arrive on a weekday.

 

[fluffykalie]

We got our room request and got to go to our room when we got there on our last trip. I planned out our drive time to get there at 3pm which was checkin time. I did online checkin.

 

[Southern Bell]

We have checked in online once and really didn't see what the point of it was. We do usually arrive in the morning and before check out time for guest. I thought checking in online meant saving time and your packet was ready when you arrived, but when we arrived nothing was ready. We stood and waited as long as we ever had and the lady would not even talk about a room request. So... I'm not sure what the advantage for Disney or for us was! LOL! It may have been we were just overlooked or something! But... I definetly think who you get to help you upon check in can make a difference and the day you check in can make a difference , too.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

We have never checked in online. We always arrive at approximately 10:00 a.m. and our room has been ready 100% of the time.

Always nice to start the vacation off with a little pixie dust!!!!

 

[Southern Bell]

Well, I must need a new bottle of pixie dust! LOL!