Do I have to physically check in/out? And a dining plan question.

[Aflyingbuttress]

We’re staying one night at a Disney Resort and currently have the dining plan. Our plane lands ar 11 and we want to go right to the park. I just recently read that we have to check-in to activate the dining plan. I know there is online check-in but does that start at a certain time? Are we going to have trouble using our dining plan before check-in time the day we arrive?

Also, check-out day, we want to get up early and go to the parks. Do we have to physically check-out or can we do it online like check-in?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We’re staying one night at a Disney Resort and currently have the dining plan. Our plane lands ar 11 and we want to go right to the park. I just recently read that we have to check-in to activate the dining plan. I know there is online check-in but does that start at a certain time? Are we going to have trouble using our dining plan before check-in time the day we arrive?

Also, check-out day, we want to get up early and go to the parks. Do we have to physically check-out or can we do it online like check-in?

I can't help with the first part, but as to checking out... I have not "checked out" of a hotel - Disney or otherwise - in many years. You can just get up and leave, no need to stop anywhere (unless you have some unusual billing/credit card/gift card situation).

I usually get an e-mail sometime overnight on that last day with a PDF of my charges. Unless something looks off (which has rarely happened), I don't spend more than 30 seconds thinking about it and just go about whatever my plans are for that day.

You can stop and tell the front desk you're leaving as a courtesy (so they can turnover the room quicker), but that's not all that critical in my opinion, especially if you're trying to quickly get out of there and off to the parks.

Hope that helps!

 

[ColoradoMom12]

If you do online check-in, you should be fine to use the dining plan. At least this has been our experience, even at the times when we have not received the "room ready" text from Disney.

For check-out, if you have a credit card on file, you are good to go. You can just leave; no need to physically go to the desk and check out. You will receive an email with your charges. If you don't, you should go to the desk and request a print out. Make sure you review the charges. 99% of the time it will be accurate. However, once I found a charge for a meal that should have been dining plan credits (I was wondering how we ended up with extra credits!).

 

[pens4821]

When we were there last year we had the dining plan and two rooms. My parents got the room ready text, we did not. We went to DS for lunch. Our plan wasn't showing up, my parents did. The manager had to come over, get our info, called the resort, then it worked. If we're in that situation again, we'll stop by the front desk just to be safe. It did work out, but felt a little bad making the manger do the extra work. She was so nice about it and doubt she really cared, but I'm sure she had more than enough going on.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'd recommend having a back-up payment method in case the DDP doesn't activate as it should, and/or if readers are down anyway. Get the receipt and the hotel desk can work it out later if needed.

 

[bumbershoot]

For check-out, if you have a credit card on file, you are good to go. You can just leave; no need to physically go to the desk and check out.

Even if you don’t have a CC on file (this is different than a card paying the remainder of a room-only stay) you don’t have to check out. If you didn’t put one down for room charging, you can’t charge to the room, so there wouldn’t be anything to check.

 

[annemce118]

I would check in to make sure. This summer I headed sstraight to the park since my room wasn’t ready and my magic band wdidnt work. It was a pain to go to Guest services, so this trip I checked in to make sure everything was ready to go! I didn’t get the text that my room was ready until hours later.

 

[alyssa_leanna]

I would check in to make sure. This summer I headed sstraight to the park since my room wasn’t ready and my magic band wdidnt work. It was a pain to go to Guest services, so this trip I checked in to make sure everything was ready to go! I didn’t get the text that my room was ready until hours later.

 

[Dug720]

I would check in to make sure. This summer I headed sstraight to the park since my room wasn’t ready and my magic band wdidnt work. It was a pain to go to Guest services, so this trip I checked in to make sure everything was ready to go! I didn’t get the text that my room was ready until hours later.

I am a weird one who actually doesn't mind going to the front desk, so I still go. Not that I've ever gotten a text anyway - even when I had done the front desk visit and told my room wasn't ready but I'd be texted when it was. Just took a second visit to find out if it was ready later. My last visit (marathon weekend 2015) I happened to look at the app and saw that I'd been "upgraded" to a Pirate Room, so that was 100% a visit the front desk to see if I could please be "downgraded" and leave the pirate pixie dust for a family with a kid who would love it - doing Goofy is not the time to deal with weird bed frames!