Online check in , yes or no?

[richmo]

Overall, I thought the process was pretty good. We had an evening arrival last September and I think we were notified of the room assignment before leaving Philadelphia. I did wind up having to go to the checkin desk after arrival because, for some reason, the credit card I had assigned to the reservation and MDE didn't show up. If I recall, the problem showed itself when we tried to buy something at the POR gift shop. Anyway, the CM at Reception wasn't able to handle it, but one of the managers found it and hooked everything back up. Not perfect, but it was really nice going directly to the room upon arrival.

 

[SaintsManiac]

It did absolutely nothing for us on our last trip, but I would do it again to hope for better results

 

[bumbershoot]

I've done whatever form of online checking they've had since our first trip in 2010, for all but ONE resort stay. And while we generally don't request anything or much, the worst room we ever got was with a later arrival when we did NOT do online checkin.

In 2014 I was very glad I did online Check in. I accidentally forgot my credit card and bank card at home. I realized it when I was in the plane. Luckily I had done online check in and my credit card was linked to my account as I'm from Canada so wouldn't have even been able to find a bank to help.

I was able to spend 2 weeks at wilderness lodge with only $200 cash on me thanks to online check in.

As someone who has done it all but once, I gotta say you were very lucky. At least half of the time that I enter in a CC number (and I don't always enter one b/c it doesn't require you to do so even though it looks like it) they lose the CC info by the time I get there. I am so glad for you that it worked, but if it hadn't (if, like in so many of our experiences including last month, they had lost the CC info you had entered) it wouldn't have been pretty.

I think the part I can't ever wrap my head around, when this subject comes up, why do folks think if they do online check in they can't also go to the front desk when they get to their hotel?

Same head-shaking. : )

 

[Marlyn]

I've done whatever form of online checking they've had since our first trip in 2010, for all but ONE resort stay. And while we generally don't request anything or much, the worst room we ever got was with a later arrival when we did NOT do online checkin.




As someone who has done it all but once, I gotta say you were very lucky. At least half of the time that I enter in a CC number (and I don't always enter one b/c it doesn't require you to do so even though it looks like it) they lose the CC info by the time I get there. I am so glad for you that it worked, but if it hadn't (if, like in so many of our experiences including last month, they had lost the CC info you had entered) it wouldn't have been pretty.



Same head-shaking. : )

Yes, I was very lucky. I was quite concerned about it. I was worried they would ask for my visa when I got to the desk. But luckily nothing. I had enough cash for Mousekeeping tips etc. We charged everything to our room. Came from airport and back on DME. We were there 2 weeks so our bill was very long when we left, but at no point did I need to show my CC. The only pain was that I couldn't purchase food on the plane (that's how I realized I forgot cards when on the way to MCO). We made sure to save enough cash to tip DME driver and buy snacks for flight home. This summer I will double check before I go to airport!

 

[Mousemommy1]

We've done on line check in forever. I see zero reasons not to.

 

[MaryannF]

We were at Pop Century in November 2015. We had a CC on file and used it to charge things to the room while we were there. This past February I checked in online prior to arrival and made my room requests. My CC was on file. I think I was asked if I wanted to leave that CC on file or change it. I left it. Because of the weak Canadian dollar we decided to use U.S. cash that we had in a U.S. bank account to pay for the room. When we went to the front desk at check in we were told that the room had already been paid as they had charged my card at midnight, 12 hours before we got to the resort because we had checked in online. I asked for it to be reversed as I didn't want to spend 10 days walking around with all that cash. I just got our CC bill and I lost $40.00 in the exchange.

 

[AngiTN]

We were at Pop Century in November 2015. We had a CC on file and used it to charge things to the room while we were there. This past February I checked in online prior to arrival and made my room requests. My CC was on file. I think I was asked if I wanted to leave that CC on file or change it. I left it. Because of the weak Canadian dollar we decided to use U.S. cash that we had in a U.S. bank account to pay for the room. When we went to the front desk at check in we were told that the room had already been paid as they had charged my card at midnight, 12 hours before we got to the resort because we had checked in online. I asked for it to be reversed as I didn't want to spend 10 days walking around with all that cash. I just got our CC bill and I lost $40.00 in the exchange.

No Idea of its different for Canadian customers out what but my rooms are always paid in full prior to check in. Usually a full day before, to the card that I use when I booked, which is not the card I leave on file for purchases on site. I thought that was the way it worked period

 

[dansdad]

No Idea of its different for Canadian customers out what but my rooms are always paid in full prior to check in. Usually a full day before, to the card that I use when I booked, which is not the card I leave on file for purchases on site. I thought that was the way it worked period

No, it's not different for Canadians. If there is a balance on a Room Only reservation they will charge the Credit Card on file in your MDE account prior to you actually arriving On Site. It is their standard procedure.

 

[MaryannF]

No, it's not different for Canadians. If there is a balance on a Room Only reservation they will charge the Credit Card on file in your MDE account prior to you actually arriving On Site. It is their standard procedure.

The cast member at check in told us that if we hadn't checked in online that our room only reservation wouldn't have been charged to our credit card until we had checked in at the front desk on arrival to the resort. According to the CM if you check in online any CC on file is charged for the full stay at 12:01am on the day you are arriving.

 

[dansdad]

The cast member at check in told us that if we hadn't checked in online that our room only reservation wouldn't have been charged to our credit card until we had checked in at the front desk on arrival to the resort. According to the CM if you check in online any CC on file is charged for the full stay at 12:01am on the day you are arriving.

Yup.

 

[bumbershoot]

The only pain was that I couldn't purchase food on the plane (that's how I realized I forgot cards when on the way to MCO).

Ugh.

 

[DisneyWorldBabe]

Some good points from the Touring Plans Blog:

ONLINE CHECK-IN PROS

• You don’t have to waste time during your vacation doing “chores” like waiting at the hotel front desk – leaving you more time for relaxation/touring.
• You don’t have to wonder about whether your room is ready yet.
• You don’t have to speak with extraneous people (possibly important for introverts).
• You don’t have to do extra walking by making two stops at the resort (main building and your room).
• Overall, you’re getting to your room much faster.

ONLINE CHECK-IN CONS

• There’s a lack of warmth. No welcome greeting or smile at your “home away from home” means that a component of the Disney personal touch is missing.
• Guests unfamiliar with the resort layout may become lost.
• Guests unfamiliar with the resort may miss out on amenities like poolside activities or recreation because these have not been mentioned by staff during check in.
• Guests new to Disney travel may be unaware of benefits like Extra Magic Hours or confused by package components such as the Disney Dining Plan.
• You may miss out on unique resort touches like receiving a welcome lei at the Polynesian Village or watching the cast have a Hustle party at All Star Music.

 

[dansdad]

ONLINE CHECK-IN CONS

• There’s a lack of warmth. No welcome greeting or smile at your “home away from home” means that a component of the Disney personal touch is missing.
• Guests unfamiliar with the resort layout may become lost.
• Guests unfamiliar with the resort may miss out on amenities like poolside activities or recreation because these have not been mentioned by staff during check in.
• Guests new to Disney travel may be unaware of benefits like Extra Magic Hours or confused by package components such as the Disney Dining Plan.
• You may miss out on unique resort touches like receiving a welcome lei at the Polynesian Village or watching the cast have a Hustle party at All Star Music.

Not all of these are valid Cons. Not everyone who completes Online Check In gets to Bypass The Front Desk. And even if you do get to Bypass The Front Desk, you don't HAVE to. You can still stop there and get all of the above. I think one of the biggest misconceptions of Online Check In is that if you do it you get shorted on the Check In experience. Totally not true.