Checking in Online

[johnnyr]

Can someone tell me what the benefit is of checking into your resort 60 days before you arrive?

 

[scrapquitler]

You get to take care of it all up to 60 days before you arrive on site, and in many (but not all) cases, you don't even have to go to the lobby upon your arrival. They text your room number to you and you can go straight to your room.

 

[johnnyr]

You get to take care of it all up to 60 days before you arrive on site, and in many (but not all) cases, you don't even have to go to the lobby upon your arrival. They text your room number to you and you can go straight to your room.

Please forgive my ignorance but I have traveled many places throughout the world and many times to Disney World. I have always checked in the day I arrived at the resort. When you say you get to "take care of it all", what do you mean? I just don't get the whole 60 day check-in thing. Will I be missing out on something? Why do I need to check-in so far in advice at a Disney hotel?

 

[Shanti]

Please forgive my ignorance but I have traveled many places throughout the world and many times to Disney World. I have always checked in the day I arrived at the resort. When you say you get to "take care of it all", what do you mean? I just don't get the whole 60 day check-in thing. Will I be missing out on something? Why do I need to check-in so far in advice at a Disney hotel?

You don't have to check-in in advance- nothing bad will happen if you don't. Like scrapquilter said, doing so often allows people to skip checking in at the lobby upon their arrival at the resort. Also, you can state your room amenity requests via online check-in: there are options like "upper floor" or "close to lobby" to choose from. These requests aren't guaranteed, but having your wishes on record helps when they're allocating rooms.

 

[Sue M]

Also on line check in has a spot to let them know your arrival time. If you have an early arrival you may have your room ready.

 

[rwdavis2]

You can also set up room charging by attaching a credit card to the reservation. You don't have to do it at 60 days. You can do it 50, 20, or whenever you want. To me skipping the front desk is a huge plus. In some cases the desk takes forever.

 

[loves to dive]

To answer the original question, the only real advantage to checking in that early is it's out of the way, otherwise no advantage at all. Rooms are not assigned until 2 or 3 days in advance. Any room requests are just requests and not guaranteed. While there is a chance you will be able to by pass the front desk it does not happen every time, I've never been able to and I've been going for over 30 years, the last 3 years twice a year. The only request I ever make is early check in and have only gotten that maybe 20% of the time.

 

[Shanti]

While there is a chance you will be able to by pass the front desk it does not happen every time, I've never been able to and I've been going for over 30 years, the last 3 years twice a year.

Do you buy resort packages or room-only? I've found that I can bypass check-in when booking a package (still not worth it to me), but have to go to the front desk when doing room-only, even though I've paid-in-full in advance.

 

[loves to dive]

Do you buy resort packages or room-only? I've found that I can bypass check-in when booking a package (still not worth it to me), but have to go to the front desk when doing room-only, ev
en though I've paid-in-full in advance.

Room only, I have an AP so no need of a package.

 

[Shanti]

Room only, I have an AP so no need of a package.

That's probably why you can't bypass check-in. I prefer room-only, too, but they've always made me check-in at the lobby when doing room-only. The one time I bought a package, I got to bypass lobby check-in.

 

[loves to dive]

That's probably why you can't bypass check-in. I prefer room-only, too, but they've always made me check-in at the lobby when doing room-only. The one time I bought a package, I got to bypass lobby check-in.

Not really a problem for me anyway, I'm never in such a hurry that stopping by the front desk bothers me. It wasn't meant as a complaint, just letting the OP know it's not a guarantee and there is no way to know if you are going to be able to do so.

 

[scrapquitler]

That's probably why you can't bypass check-in. I prefer room-only, too, but they've always made me check-in at the lobby when doing room-only. The one time I bought a package, I got to bypass lobby check-in.

Five trips this year, four of them room only, three different resorts, and we've never had to go to the front desk.

 

[Shanti]

Five trips this year, four of them room only, three different resorts, and we've never had to go to the front desk.

Darn- I really thought I was on to something...

 

[AngiTN]

To answer the original question, the only real advantage to checking in that early is it's out of the way, otherwise no advantage at all. Rooms are not assigned until 2 or 3 days in advance. Any room requests are just requests and not guaranteed. While there is a chance you will be able to by pass the front desk it does not happen every time, I've never been able to and I've been going for over 30 years, the last 3 years twice a year. The only request I ever make is early check in and have only gotten that maybe 20% of the time.

And this is exactly why online check in is very beneficial if you have any room requests (that are part of the online list). If you don't do online check in and you don't call they have no idea what room type/location you want and they assign just randomly. Because they will assign your room before arrival, no matter what. So may as well let them know if you want ground floor, near elevator, etc. Otherwise, who knows what you'll get. And no, it's not guaranteed but I can guarantee they won't have a clue to even try if you don't do online check in

That's probably why you can't bypass check-in. I prefer room-only, too, but they've always made me check-in at the lobby when doing room-only. The one time I bought a package, I got to bypass lobby check-in.

As for who gets it and who doesn't, who knows. We have stayed in 10 Resorts so far this year, with an AP, always room only. We got straight to the room texts 9 times. The one time we didn't is the one stay we had where they downgraded our room and the CM was supposed to give us some instructions at check in regarding access to the CL area. They didn't but that does explain why we didn't get straight to our room texts. In ever other stay, we got the text at about the same time I entered as our arrival time during online check in.

So no, what you book has nothing to do with it. I'm not sure why someone would never get it. Maybe there is an issue with their MDE account and the system somehow doesn't see the credit card info? I know without that you won't get a room text

 

[AngiTN]

Oh and I should mention that while you can get a straight to your room text, you don't have to skip the front desk if you don't want to. Even though we get is almost every trip I usually go by the front desk anyway. I like that part of checking in. But, if I go and they are super busy I love that I can skip it and go on to the room without waiting in line.

Anyway, just wanted to mention that just because you get a straight to the room text it doesn't mean you can't go to the front desk. Or even ask for a room change if you don't like what you get.

So to me, there is not one single disadvantage to online check in and several advantages to it.

 

[scrapquitler]

As for who gets it and who doesn't, who knows. We have stayed in 10 Resorts so far this year, with an AP, always room only. We got straight to the room texts 9 times. The one time we didn't is the one stay we had where they downgraded our room and the CM was supposed to give us some instructions at check in regarding access to the CL area. They didn't but that does explain why we didn't get straight to our room texts. In ever other stay, we got the text at about the same time I entered as our arrival time during online check in.

So no, what you book has nothing to do with it. I'm not sure why someone would never get it. Maybe there is an issue with their MDE account and the system somehow doesn't see the credit card info? I know without that you won't get a room text

I think anyone coming from outside the US probably isn't going to get to bypass the front desk, because they hold your MBs at the front desk (and you need those to get into your room). Anyone with a problem with the credit card info on file, and maybe if you don't have room charge set up, they need to verify that info, you'll need to get to the front desk.

Bottom line: I think if there's any kind of special issue that you have that requires a conversation with a CM, you probably can't bypass.

 

[AngiTN]

I think anyone coming from outside the US probably isn't going to get to bypass the front desk, because they hold your MBs at the front desk (and you need those to get into your room). Anyone with a problem with the credit card info on file, and maybe if you don't have room charge set up, they need to verify that info, you'll need to get to the front desk.

Bottom line: I think if there's any kind of special issue that you have that requires a conversation with a CM, you probably can't bypass.

No, that is positively correctly
I was more thinking about those who get it some trips but not others. That is when it's sort of confusing to get it sometimes but not others.
Provided it's the same MDE account and same credit card.

 

[loves to dive]

And this is exactly why online check in is very beneficial if you have any room requests (that are part of the online list). If you don't do online check in and you don't call they have no idea what room type/location you want and they assign just randomly. Because they will assign your room before arrival, no matter what. So may as well let them know if you want ground floor, near elevator, etc. Otherwise, who knows what you'll get. And no, it's not guaranteed but I can guarantee they won't have a clue to even try if you don't do online check in

The original question was about checking in on line 60 days in advance, so no there is no advantage or reason to check in that early. Check in on line 2 or 3 days in advance is all that is necessary, doing it earlier is not going to help or hinder.


So no, what you book has nothing to do with it. I'm not sure why someone would never get it. Maybe there is an issue with their MDE account and the system somehow doesn't see the credit card info? I know without that you won't get a room text

This might have something to do with it as, while I do have my cc info. in my account I sometimes take it off because I'm never sure if I want to use the card I have on the account or pay cash usually until I'm there. In some cases I do book through Orbitz and those are completely paid up front. Sometimes I do leave it on my MDE account and they verify it when I check in so I know there is nothing wrong with my MDE account. I'm convinced Disney is playing with me since I've been going at least every other year for over 30 years and for the past 3 years twice a year and have never received a pin code, via e-mail/ snail mail/ special courier/ mickey mouse or any other method in all that time.

 

[johnnyr]

To answer the original question, the only real advantage to checking in that early is it's out of the way, otherwise no advantage at all. Rooms are not assigned until 2 or 3 days in advance. Any room requests are just requests and not guaranteed. While there is a chance you will be able to by pass the front desk it does not happen every time, I've never been able to and I've been going for over 30 years, the last 3 years twice a year. The only request I ever make is early check in and have only gotten that maybe 20% of the time.

Looks like there a many varying opinions with online check-in but this one makes the most sense to me. I tried online check-in back in December at CSR but bypass the front desk didn't work for me. It wouldn't let me do it and we all ended up going to the front desk anyway which only took a few minutes. No big deal. I called 3 weeks before we arrived to make a building request which was honored. So my experience with online check-in just didn't make any sense. I have another trip coming up so maybe I will try again and hopefully have a different experience but unless the bypass the front desk thing works I will most likely just call in my room request and check-in when I get there.

 

[adamlatham smith]

what about people coming over sea like united kingdom