Checking in- online or in person?

[Jenntx]

Sorry if this has been answered before (if it has pls point me in the right direction for the answer). Wanting to know opinions about which is preferred - online check in (which I can do now) or checking in once we are there? What are the pros & cons? Thx for your help!

 

[noahdove]

I love the online check in as I have done it the past 2 trips...it was great, go in, stand for a moment at the online checkin and someone comes along and asks if you have been taken care of and if not, we were rushed to an open CM and poof!!! We were in and out and our way to our room within a matter of a few minutesI will do it again in August...good luck...

 

[BuddyThomas]

But with online checkIn, don't you then eliminate any chance for an upgrade if they are not full? Or do they not really do the whole upgrade thing that much anyway?

 

[PA Disneymania]

The only time I had an upgrade (at CSR - a suite!) we did online check-in.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Ha ha. Goes to show how much I know.

 

[Jenntx]

I love the online check in as I have done it the past 2 trips...it was great, go in, stand for a moment at the online checkin and someone comes along and asks if you have been taken care of and if not, we were rushed to an open CM and poof!!! We were in and out and our way to our room within a matter of a few minutesI will do it again in August...good luck...

Thanks so much for your help. We did online check in last year but wanted to make sure that was the best way. Thx!

 

[FigmentFan1975]

When you did online check-in, when did you do it?
A few days before? A few weeks before?
Looking for some personal experiences, not looking for when you are officially allowed to check-in online... Tried to ask this before but didnt get what I was looking for, hope someone sees this, thanks!

 

[GaBelle]

When you did online check-in, when did you do it?
A few days before? A few weeks before?
Looking for some personal experiences, not looking for when you are officially allowed to check-in online... Tried to ask this before but didnt get what I was looking for, hope someone sees this, thanks!

I've done online check in twice, both times about a week to ten days before we arrived. We haven't been since 2011, so the new online check in procedure of 60 days prior to arrival (correct me if I'm wrong) was not available to me.
It has always gone smoothly, our room ready at noon once, and our room preferences met.

 

[noahdove]

I did my online check in the day before...

 

[dansdad]

When you did online check-in, when did you do it?
A few days before? A few weeks before?
Looking for some personal experiences, not looking for when you are officially allowed to check-in online... Tried to ask this before but didnt get what I was looking for, hope someone sees this, thanks!

Not sure what you're looking for. When, or if, you do online check in makes no difference. There's no difference between doing it at 60 days out or 1 day out. To answer your question, I've always done it as soon as it was available. Which for us was always 10 days out. Our next trip, I'm sure I'll do it at 60 days out. I'm usually so excited to do "something" for our trip I have to do it right away.

 

[RobDugan]

I didn't online check in on my last trip and it was a hassle. We didn't get our preferred room and had a King size bed for me my wife and son. They moved us the next day but it was really inconvenient. I don't know if online check in would have made it better.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We have always done on-line check in. Love being able to grab and go.
We just got back from a trip to YC. We had booked a SV CL room and did on-line check in. Well, we were upgraded to Lagoon/Pool view CL room (and chosen as Family of the Day), so obviously our checking in on line had no affect on our ability to be upgraded! Pixie Dust doesn't discriminate according to how you checked in.

 

[tmbacon]

We did online check in this past March at WL, it was so easy. It was during the height of Spring Break crowds, and amazingly the room was ready at 9:30 AM when we got there. The CM did everything via her iPad as soon as we drove up to the resort - no lines, and off we went!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

But with online checkIn, don't you then eliminate any chance for an upgrade if they are not full? Or do they not really do the whole upgrade thing that much anyway?

nope. I did online check in back in February and asked for an area around a specific room. When I got to the desk, I was in another area. When I mentioned this, she went to the back and came back with the exact room I requested. She did tell me that I had checked the "have my room ready despite requests" and that was why they didn't honor it. So I went from a Standard to Interior Courtyard view at WL

 

[MADnNOLA]

I did on line check-in at the 60 day mark for last week's trip. It was a breeze and I received all of my room requests (top floor, away from elevator). I had a standard room at CSR and Loved it! I walked in and was on my way to my room with in a couple of minutes!

I had read on a previous thread a CM recommended doing on line check-in ASAP if you have requests. That way they will do their best to meet those requests, as opposed to someone who does on line check-in at the last minute.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm not a fan of on-line check in. The only time I would use it is if I didn't care where my room was, or what type of room I ended up in.

I've been downgraded after using on-line check in. And I've ended up in rooms that were as far away from the main building as you could get using on-line check in. Doing standard check in I have ended up upgraded from standard to water view, and also received my request for connecting rooms.

 

[Sandi]

I've always done on-line check in about a week or so before our trips and it has worked very well. For our upcoming trip, we have a "continuing" reservation -- we check in for one night using a summer discount code and then the next day starts our BB offer rate. The CM suggested that we not do on-line check in because we'd have two to do and so we can be sure to discuss with the CM giving us our stuff that we have a continuing reservation and would prefer to not have to move.

So, unless there is something a little out of the ordinary with your ressie, I think on-line works great. The last time I had a continuing reservation was before they allowed on-line check in, so we'll see how this goes!

 

[Jenntx]

Wow - great information! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!