Checking in Early or Not for Best Room?

[buzznina]

I don't agree at all with many posters, in my experience when you check in has a huge effect on getting your requests or not. Typically the earlier I check in the better my room location.

Not quite sure how you can disagree or even agree, when they are stating "their actual" experience. I went back and looked at our last 6 trips and we got most of our requests and on 3 of the trips even better.

 

[Disneylover99]

I would say the earlier you check in on arrival day, the better.
Simply because if you need to make a room switch, there is more inventory to do so.
If I don't receive my requests when I check in late, there is no way to know if the room I received was my assigned room to begin with, or if my room was reassigned to someone else who checked in earlier.

It's easy to say arrival time doesn't matter if you always get a room text earlier in the day well before you arrive. If you do online check in but never receive a text, I think earlier is better.

 

[grannyminnie]

I've always wondered if the time of check-in had anything to do with room assignment. It's interesting to note people's experiences. As of right now, I have not even made any requests, because I don't want to be disappointed like some are when their requests are not granted. Just to get another Disney trip is a plus!

 

[AngiTN]

I would say the earlier you check in on arrival day, the better.
Simply because if you need to make a room switch, there is more inventory to do so.
If I don't receive my requests when I check in late, there is no way to know if the room I received was my assigned room to begin with, or if my room was reassigned to someone else who checked in earlier.

It's easy to say arrival time doesn't matter if you always get a room text earlier in the day well before you arrive. If you do online check in but never receive a text, I think earlier is better.

I still maintain it makes little difference. The one time we got the worse end of the deal, a downgrade, we arrived early. They can't always change you, even with early arrival.
There is obviously no harm in arriving early but there is also no harm in arriving late. Your chance of getting your request is still just random.

 

[buzznina]

I would say the earlier you check in on arrival day, the better.
Simply because if you need to make a room switch, there is more inventory to do so.
If I don't receive my requests when I check in late, there is no way to know if the room I received was my assigned room to begin with, or if my room was reassigned to someone else who checked in earlier.

It's easy to say arrival time doesn't matter if you always get a room text earlier in the day well before you arrive. If you do online check in but never receive a text, I think earlier is better.

I totally agree with this statement, but I think the number of people that ask for a room switch is very minimal. I also think being on the DIS forum and seeing everyone here talking about room requests, we get this sense that most WDW guests do that, and I believe it's quite the opposite. So, unless something is really wrong with a room, the majority of the people checking in keep the room they were assigned. Most of the friends/people I talk with about WDW did not even know you can put in room requests and barely used MDE.

 

[Dug720]

Just to throw my random experiences in... Both of these were at CBR.

Marathon weekend 2014 - Early arrival as my flight left NYC at around 5am. I had made no requests. Looked on the MDE app once I was on the bus and discovered they had "upgraded" me to a Pirate Room. Any other visit when I wasn't running a marathon I would have taken it, but with running I did NOT want to deal with the bed frames. Went to the desk and asked to be "downgraded" and after a few minutes on the phone with the room assigner the desk CM was able to move me into a room in... Martinique I believe.

Marathon Weekend 2015 - Late arrival as I left right after school got out. So probably around 11pm. Had requested Barbados - which is usually one of the least requested areas. No text. Nothing showed up on MDE. Went to the desk and discovered I had been put in Jamaica 46 - one of the more requested sections. It was late so I took it, but that really surprised me.

 

[maxiesmom]

Not quite sure how you can disagree or even agree, when they are stating "their actual" experience. I went back and looked at our last 6 trips and we got most of our requests and on 3 of the trips even better.

I disagree because I think when you check in does matter.

 

[Disneylover99]

I still maintain it makes little difference. The one time we got the worse end of the deal, a downgrade, we arrived early. They can't always change you, even with early arrival.
There is obviously no harm in arriving early but there is also no harm in arriving late. Your chance of getting your request is still just random.

The point is, it can make a difference. Easier to make a change sooner, rather then later.

 

[Disneylover99]

I totally agree with this statement, but I think the number of people that ask for a room switch is very minimal. I also think being on the DIS forum and seeing everyone here talking about room requests, we get this sense that most WDW guests do that, and I believe it's quite the opposite. So, unless something is really wrong with a room, the majority of the people checking in keep the room they were assigned. Most of the friends/people I talk with about WDW did not even know you can put in room requests and barely used MDE.

I often wonder about this. I agree that many people probably do not make room requests. Although with more people doing online check in, the number may have increased. However I often notice people checking in, (particularly at Pop where you are often quite close enough to hear the conversations of the people checking in beside you) finding out their room location, looking at the map, and asking to be closer to the main building or transportation, etc... The response is always the same from the CM......."Let's take a look." So while they have not made any requests ahead of time, people do ask at check in, and the CM's do their best to accommodate.

It just takes a couple of reassigned rooms earlier in the day, and you might not get your request, and you'd never even know it.

 

[schalliol]

I don't think the "random" comment is accurate. It seems they try to accommodate requests if they can, so if you have a request, when a human looks at it and is in a reasonably good mood, they'll try to work through it. Checking in early would give you more of a chance in case they pre-assigned a room to you and you happened not to like it and others hadn't checked in. I guess the main question is, is there any way to have your request evaluated for room assignment before others? Is there a day on which the rooms are assigned, and if so, is there any way to have them manually evaluate and make assignments even the day before that?

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't think the "random" comment is accurate. It seems they try to accommodate requests if they can, so if you have a request, when a human looks at it and is in a reasonably good mood, they'll try to work through it. Checking in early would give you more of a chance in case they pre-assigned a room to you and you happened not to like it and others hadn't checked in. I guess the main question is, is there any way to have your request evaluated for room assignment before others? Is there a day on which the rooms are assigned, and if so, is there any way to have them manually evaluate and make assignments even the day before that?

Not really. The thing is, they pre-assign rooms ahead of time. Up until you check in they can still take that room away from you and give it to someone else. The earlier you arrive the more rooms they typically have to pick from, so if a room doesn't suit you have a better chance of getting a different one that does.

 

[Dug720]

Not really. The thing is, they pre-assign rooms ahead of time. Up until you check in they can still take that room away from you and give it to someone else. The earlier you arrive the more rooms they typically have to pick from, so if a room doesn't suit you have a better chance of getting a different one that does.

Except if the text has already gone out with the room number. It's my understanding that once a test has gone out, that room cannot be reassigned.

 

[schalliol]

All makes sense. Thanks! I'll be happy putting in my comment over the phone that is somewhat specific but not overly so. i.e. for Theme Park View, "Tuvalu please. If possible, third floor, or if that is not possible, first floor." Once done I'll do online check-in without making any changes to requests.

 

[Leelo]

I guess anything is possible but that has not been our experience. Most recently we didn't arrive till 10:00 PM last week. Got exactly what we requested. Always can be a coincidence to just happen to get your request but I tend to think they try to fill them if they can
But bottom line is anything can affect your room request and little you can do to ensure otherwise.

AngiTN, did you go with the wording TP generates or do you modify it?

 

[AngiTN]

AngiTN, did you go with the wording TP generates or do you modify it?

I go with the wording it generates.

 

[Dug720]

I go with the wording it generates.

In the subject field I'm going with its wording. But in the "additional information" I'm putting the priorities for the request - sort of something like "I am so excited to stay at Art of Animation for my birthday trip this year! I would like to please request any room that meets 1) 4th floor, 2) lake view, 3) building 7. I would love a room with a King bed as it is only me in the room, but more important are my three requests."

I have those three requests on my reservation by phone already, and when I do online check-in, I'll make sure that nothing I select contradicts any of those. AND be sure to NOT check the "early arrival is most important" even though my flight lands at 10am. I'd rather wait on a room that meets my requests as much as possible than just get in a room.

I'll report back in August how it works out.

 

[schalliol]

When I put my request in, I had them read it back to me. There's a certain number of characters, and if you call they can tell you what fits.

 

[Leelo]

Would it benefit me to add that it is our 10 year wedding anniversary?

Also, we booked Lake View so do I even need it to say which direction I want the view to be? Someone said they ended up with a downgrade once, how does that happen?

 

[AngiTN]

1. Would it benefit me to add that it is our 10 year wedding anniversary?
2. Also, we booked Lake View so do I even need it to say which direction I want the view to be?
3. Someone said they ended up with a downgrade once, how does that happen?

1. Benefit you how?
2. A Lake View will be just that so unlikely you need to include direction too.
3. Same way upgrades happen, need.

 

[AngiTN]

When I put my request in, I had them read it back to me. There's a certain number of characters, and if you call they can tell you what fits.

Which Touring Plans has already figured out, and yet another reason to use their service vs. calling. Calling Disney is a huge PITA. At least the fax skips that part and accomplishes the same things