Pros and Cons of Online Check-in?

[DisNikki]

It's our first time staying onsite. Should we do online check in or wait to check in when we get there? We booked through a TA and she made a building request for us, if that matters. Also, we're arriving right around noon on Friday, May 24th, if that matters.

I guess I'm just wondering if we'll miss out on something by doing online check-in, if there's a big difference in the info you receive or the time it takes to check in, etc.

Thanks!

 

[cthompson476]

I did online check in during my last trip and didn't have ANY problems. It actually made our check in process much quicker and easier especially if your wanting to avoid the lines. I always make sure to print the confirmation page just for my own records. I highly encourage you to do it!

 

[FiggieFan]

I have done on-line check-in for our last 2 visits. I was able to avoid the regular line both times (sometimes 10-12 people deep), as the on-line check-in did not have a line. Your paperwork is ready and it saves quite a bit of time. The only issue that I have had was that the on-line system did not let me enter my room request. What I did in this situation was that I completed the on-line check-in, then called and they added my request over the phone. I also take a copy of the confirmation just in case, but have not needed it.

 

[dancin Disney style]

If getting that building request is important to you then DO NOT use the online checkin. I always make a very general request when I book, usually just a building and the 2 times that I have used online checkin I was assigned the complete and total opposite of what I requested. Having it changed then becomes a very big process as a manager has to make the change. I at have also had the experience of the checkin package not being ready and that holds up the line.

As far as the information that you receive at checkin the paperwork in the folder is exactly the same whether you use the regular line or the online. However, when you use the regular line you will be able to chat with the CM. You can ask questions and they usually offer some little bits of extra info or advise.

 

[TSM]

We have used online check in the last 2 times and it has worked out great! Requests were granted and room was ready both times when we arrived at 10 am. Also used garden grocer both times for water and snacks and the food was actually in The room when we got there!!! Nice!!

 

[cjsm&d]

I haven't decided whether to do it this trip or not.

I have done it the past 4 trips and we have always gotten our requests.

This time we have 3 rooms on the ressie and if we wait until we get there (early evening) I'm thinking we may not get it, so I probably will do it again.

Used to only be able to do it 10 days out, but I can do it now this time 5+ weeks out. I don't like the new process on the site now though. They want CC info to do the check-in.

 

[JeannieKY]

I did online check-in for the ASSp in January on the new system and it let me check which section I wanted, touchdown, plus put in a ground floor request. We got both requests and had a great room location steps from the food court for a standard rate. I did not have as good of luck with online check in at the Pop last July on the old system.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I thought online check-in was pretty easy when I used it for my last trip. We only spent a few minutes picking up our folder from the front desk and were quickly on our way. I didn't hesitiate using online check-in last time as I wasn't too picky about our room location, but our requests were honored anyway. I may not do online check-in this time as I may be more particular about our room choice.

On a side note, it appears we'll be staying at the same resort at the same time! Please feel free to say "hi" if you see us!

 

[VelvetGloves]

Last October, my mother did online check-in for her stay. Shortly before her stay, I decided to join my parents for their vacation. (They said they were ok with it. I don't think I ruined any romantic plans.) Anyway, they were just going to add me at check-in. They decided to wait in case something came up. I had not done a long solo drive before, and there was some doubt as to whether or not I would be going.

Luckily, I was able to make the drive, but I left pretty early to make sure it was all done in daylight. As such, I arrived before them. By the time they arrived, it was pretty late. When my mother went to the desk for online check in, there was a problem. While she had booked a room with two beds, they had upgraded her to a king room. It was a nice gesture, but it wasn't going to work in this instance. They ended up having to move us to a different resort. Disney was doing something nice for my parents, and I went and ruined it.

Anyway, it is now a running joke to mention my mother doing the online check-in. She had told my dad how quick and easy check-in would be because of it, which turned out to not be the case at all. Once again, I was the root of that problem.

 

[nkereina]

We've spoken to CMs at POR about online check-in and were able to surmise this: the primary goal of online check-in is for the resort to get you into a room when you arrive (based on the arrival time you list on the online check in screen). Requests are looked at a secondary to this, if at all. I have done online check-in twice, and did not get my request either time. I had to ask for my room to be changed which resulted in a 25 minute wait while a manager made some changes on the computer. Defeated the purpose of the "speediness" of online check-in, while also holding up the online check-in line.

IMO, online check-in is only good for people arriving at a busy time for check outs/check ins (ie: 11am on a Saturday), arriving at a busy time of year (ie: Presidents Week, Christmas Week, etc), don't have any requests and don't care what room they are in, or want a room to be ready when they arrive.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

We've spoken to CMs at POR about online check-in and were able to surmise this: the primary goal of online check-in is for the resort to get you into a room when you arrive (based on the arrival time you list on the online check in screen). Requests are looked at a secondary to this, if at all. I have done online check-in twice, and did not get my request either time. I had to ask for my room to be changed which resulted in a 25 minute wait while a manager made some changes on the computer. Defeated the purpose of the "speediness" of online check-in, while also holding up the online check-in line.

IMO, online check-in is only good for people arriving at a busy time for check outs/check ins (ie: 11am on a Saturday), arriving at a busy time of year (ie: Presidents Week, Christmas Week, etc), don't have any requests and don't care what room they are in, or want a room to be ready when they arrive.

I normally don't use online check in & after using it in December I can see why. Paid for preferred Pool View room at POP and what we got assigned to was nothing in that category which meant walking allllllllll the way back to the lobby & going through a horrible experience at the front desk to get the room changed. Don't plan on using it in April to check in to POR. JMHO.

 

[UsualNoise]

I used online check-in for our current stay at POR and I'm glad I did. I arrived late (about 10 PM) and there was a line of 5+ people at the regular check-in desk. Being tired from travelling I was pleased to see ZERO people in the online check-in line. We didn't have any special requests so it worked out great for us.

 

[melanie1877]

Does the issue with not getting your room choice still apply if you paid for a preferred room? I paid extra to get a preferred location, and I would hate to think that I would not get that type of room if I did online check-in. Since this is our first time at WDW, I probably wouldn't even know if I was not in a preferred room! I would hate to think that I paid for the upgrade, but did not receive it! Do you think since it is our first time that we should do regular check-in? Was only considering in because we will be arriving on a Saturday at about noon, and will have an anxious 6yo with us. Would like to avoid a long line if possible!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I did online check-in for our trip this past weekend and was very pleased with the room we were assigned. We stayed at CSR and had a water-view room reserved. When I did the online check-in, I requested Cabanas section and 1st floor. We got exactly what I'd requested and had an awesome location.

I've done online check-in almost every trip since it has been available. The only time I didn't was when we were traveling with my cousin's family and I wanted to be sure we had connecting rooms. We were assigned them, so there were no changes to make at check-in anyway.

 

[maxiesmom]

Does the issue with not getting your room choice still apply if you paid for a preferred room? I paid extra to get a preferred location, and I would hate to think that I would not get that type of room if I did online check-in. Since this is our first time at WDW, I probably wouldn't even know if I was not in a preferred room! I would hate to think that I paid for the upgrade, but did not receive it! Do you think since it is our first time that we should do regular check-in? Was only considering in because we will be arriving on a Saturday at about noon, and will have an anxious 6yo with us. Would like to avoid a long line if possible!

It did for me once at the All Star Music. I had booked a preferred room, had it paid for long before we were down in Florida, did OLCI and still was bumped back to a standard room.

As it is your very first trip I would skip On Line Check In. You really want the whole experience, not the abbreviated version.

I haven't used On Line Check In since that experience. And I've gone over Spring Break and the week before Christmas, and not had to wait in a long check in line. I think you should skip it.

 

[PictureJumpr]

I don't like the new process on the site now though. They want CC info to do the check-in.

Just fyi, they do not require a CC to do online checkin.
You can leave those blanks, blank and "continue" without one.

 

[chrisc88]

We have done online check-in the last couple of stays and never had a problem. Last visit we paid for a preferred room at POP and did online check-in and request was met.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[melanie1877]

It did for me once at the All Star Music. I had booked a preferred room, had it paid for long before we were down in Florida, did OLCI and still was bumped back to a standard room.

As it is your very first trip I would skip On Line Check In. You really want the whole experience, not the abbreviated version.

I haven't used On Line Check In since that experience. And I've gone over Spring Break and the week before Christmas, and not had to wait in a long check in line. I think you should skip it.

Thank you so much! I think you are right....I think I will do regular check-in for our first time. We will be there in May, so hopefully the line won't be too long!

 

[bumbershoot]

IMO anyone who has not used online checkin in the last month or so cannot really answer this with certainty, because it has changed. They now have building choices and other choices specific to your actual resort. They also have a box to check that helps to indicate if getting ANY room at your time is important, or if getting your requests trumps all.

Those are very recent additions.


I've done online checkin since our first WDW visit in late '10 (and it did not distract from anything...it's still the checkin experience, only without the paper-gathering...this is not a loss), and I did it for our recent stay (and the times in between), and apart from glitches caused by all the new stuff being SO new (twice the system lost our CC info, said we didn't put it in there, even though it is required for online checkin (or at least it was in late Jan when I was doing it! maybe that has since changed, too!*) and there would have been no way for me to do the process without that CC info being in there), it has been really good.

As for talking to CMs, you can talk to CMs in the online checkin line. I've had an CM offer, nay, insist upon, changing my room that had been assigned, because "my" room wasn't available yet and he wanted to give me a room that was available. Of course, especially right now, with the new stuff being so new, they have to make sure it's all correct. So there is some extra time happening right now that might not be in play for May.

YOu are checking in at the start of Mem Day weekend, yes? I'd do the checkin online.



*Looks like PictureJumpr has seen that you don't have to do it. Just a month ago it was an absolute, you had to put in that CC info. So even that part of my experience from our Feb stay is outdated.

 

[AshleeH]

We've done both and never noticed a difference either way. Same amount of time spent at the desk.