Do You Care How Long You Wait at Check In?

[dairyou]

Hi!

Just read a post about someone waiting forever in line to check in. It got me thinking if I ever had to. Remembering back I have to say I did, but after a 7 hour flying trip to Orlando and waiting 1 hour at the car rental, I'm happy to be there at checkin. We're at WDW and soaking in the DVC resort we're staying in.

So, do you care if you have to wait to check in to your DVC resort?

Deb

 

[prez65]

After a 20 minute ride to the Airport.. waiting on line at security...waiting to board your plane...waiting to take off...A 2hr Plane ride...waiting for the plane to get to the terminal....waiting in line for ME....waiting for the ME bus...a 30 minute ride on the bus....and then wait in line at check in....all this with 2 little ones....I want to scream.

But whats worse is after all that and checking in after 4PM and having to wait for a room to be ready.......I want to more than scream.....especialy knowing you need to wait in more lines at the Parks.........I Love Disney!

 

[bobbiwoz]

This is our first trip with DVC and children, and they are the reason I would hate to wait a long time at check in. They will have already gone through many "first in their lives" experiences, and I don't know how they will handle a too long wait at check in.

However DSis/SO get there 4 hours before we do, and I'm hoping that one of their rooms is ready, and yes, I've asked them, if that were the case to be there when we're scheduled to arrive to help us out. It would be a place to unwind in, have diapers changed, change into swimsuits whatever. Just the fact that it's out of the public arena will be a blessing. "We" is a party of 4 adults, 3 children, ages 1 1/2, 2 1/2, and 3 1/2. DH and I only ever had 2 DSs so we may be experienced, we're not THAT experienced! Plus it's been a long time for us.

Bobbi

PS. Again, I didn't vote. For me, "hey, we're here" works fine, but with children, we're talking "yikes!!!"

 

[Tink10]

Luckily, we've never had a wait when we've checked in at any of the DVC resorts. We have waited to check in at the ASsp, ASmu & POFQ, but I don't think we'll ever encounter that again, because we have no intention of ever staying at a value or moderate resort again.

 

[Muushka]

I checked off that I hate to wait in line at check in, but that needs to be qualified. I do not mind waiting 10 to say 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, yes, I hate to wait in line.

 

[tmt martins]

I don't mind waiting but when you get up there and just see that they are all new and slow then yes it's a bit.

Now if I get all my request then thats another thing as well as when you wait 30 to 50 mins then just blow you off and won't even check for other availability .

So I didn't vote as you choices didn't really fit my opinion

 

[CarolA]

I am pretty sure no one has ever waited "forever" at check in so I don't consider this a big issue.

(And of course when YOU get up there then it's OK to ask 100 questions, fight for the view/room you requested etc... which makes others wait.....)

 

[Fitswimmer]

I voted "no", but there is one caveat to that-if I show up right at 4, I expect to have to wait. If I show up at 5-6, then I don't expect a 30 minute wait.

 

[goldilocks_63]

Now more than ever with the liquid flight resrtictions, and a long travel day, I wish they had juice (Orange Juice would be great - and for diabetics and children too) availalbe while you wait.

It would take the edge off.... Most of my concern with the check-in is getting family into the room so they can get a drink of something. If this were an option, then it would make the wait easier....

And yes, I know you can stand in line to buy stuff, but I want to get my room first before anything else.

Goldi

 

[m1ckeym0use1]

I'm ok with a reasonable wait, as long as the counter is staffed sufficiently and there is progress moving in the line.

If there's a long line, and all of the check-in stations are manned... to me it seem's they're doing their best and I don't mind so much. If however, there's a long line, and only 2 or 3 CM's doing check-in, then I may get frustrated or annoyed that they are under staffed. Also, as long as the line keeps moving every 5 or 10 minutes, I feel I'm making progress and don't mind so much.

Having said that, I've been staying at OKW since it opened, and can't remember waiting more than 15 minutes to check in (we usually go off season, which I'm sure helps).

Worst line I've ever had to deal with was at Alamo car rental for MCO, when they were off terminal, on a weekend. It was at least 2 hours, they obviously didn't have enough people working to cover their volume, and I was in no mood for any "up-sells" they tried to make when I finally got up to my turn.

 

[Karnak]

At all the resorts I've visited, there have been special waiting areas in, or near, the lobby. Usually with a TV, coloring books, etc. for the children to use. I really do not remember ever seeing children waiting in a check-in line at Disney.

 

[ACDSNY]

Hi!

Just read a post about someone waiting forever in line to check in. It got me thinking if I ever had to. Remembering back I have to say I did, but after a 7 hour flying trip to Orlando and waiting 1 hour at the car rental, I'm happy to be there at checkin. We're at WDW and soaking in the DVC resort we're staying in.

So, do you care if you have to wait to check in to your DVC resort?

Deb

As another one with a 7 hour or more flight I'm with you on this one. We've been lucky and never waited too long. We waited longer at DME than we did at check-in.

 

[JimMIA]

I voted "Yes" although I've been very fortunate in checking in.

Even trying to check in to OKW at 11 AM on Dec 4th (won't do that again!), we were pretty lucky. Although there were a lot of people in line, most of them were checking OUT, so a CM opened a new terminal and asked if anyone was checking IN. We were the second family in that line, which made our experience much better.

I have also learned it doesn't really matter when you arrive -- it matters when DME arrives! Last trip to OKW, we arrived just as the person at the counter finished and walked right up to register. No line at all! By the time I finished (MAYBE 5 minutes, probably less), the line was out the door. A DME bus had just pulled up.

I'm sure most of us here are well-prepared when we walk up to checkin and our checkins go easier than guests who don't know the drill. You can't blame newbies for not knowing, nor can you blame the CMs for taking extra time with them, but it does help everybody if WE are ready..

 

[doc hog]

We just don't let it get to us. We are just happy to be at WDW!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dairyou]

As another one with a 7 hour or more flight I'm with you on this one. We've been lucky and never waited too long. We waited longer at DME than we did at check-in.

Another Elk Grovian. We live there too That's a nice surprise that we're not the only West Coast WDW fans.

Deb

 

[Uncleromulus]

What happens, happens of course, but I'm not a fan of lines ANYWHERE!!!

 

[castleri]

Only time I remember waiting more than a few minutes at OKW was the day hurricane Jeanne was headed that way due to hit that night. The line was winding around and almost out the door as they were checking in everyone who had ressies there, people from FW campground and the people who should have been on their way home but whose flights had been cancelled. It was a long line but they had staffed every location and things moved quite smoothly. I am getting a little nervous about this check in with DME situation now. I have 2 car reservations and don't know which to keep. One is picking the car up at MCO and dropping it at the Dolphin several days later and the other is picking it up at the dophin and dropping it there at the end of the rental. Do I want the DME line or the alamo at the airport line? Of course the airport line may be just as bad and get me to OKW at the same time DME drops off - mmmmm- back to the drawing board.

 

[Granny]

This is our first trip with DVC and children, and they are the reason I would hate to wait a long time at check in. They will have already gone through many "first in their lives" experiences, and I don't know how they will handle a too long wait at check in.

However DSis/SO get there 4 hours before we do, and I'm hoping that one of their rooms is ready, and yes, I've asked them, if that were the case to be there when we're scheduled to arrive to help us out. It would be a place to unwind in, have diapers changed, change into swimsuits whatever. Just the fact that it's out of the public arena will be a blessing. "We" is a party of 4 adults, 3 children, ages 1 1/2, 2 1/2, and 3 1/2. DH and I only ever had 2 DSs so we may be experienced, we're not THAT experienced! Plus it's been a long time for us.

Bobbi

PS. Again, I didn't vote. For me, "hey, we're here" works fine, but with children, we're talking "yikes!!!"

Bobbi...I wanted to be sure that you saw Karnak's response, which is what came to mind for me. OKW and VWL both have a nice children's area with animated movies running on the televisions. I don't remember seeing this at BWV, and I haven't been to SSR or BCV's check-in area. But there is definitely no reason to keep little ones in a long line. At any resort, you can walk around and explore a bit. If it gets bad, pull out your ace in the hole....and walk them back to the pool!

 

[NMW]

I voted Yes, just because I hate to wait in any line. I never, ever complain though. We have never waited more than 5 mins checking into a deluxe resort or at BWV. Well, I guess that's the same thing as checking into a deluxe since they share the same counter. Dh and I a LONG time ago stayed at All Star music (1995) and I do remember ther being a really long wait with lots and lots of people. I vowed never to stay at a value again then and there!

 

[jarestel]

In today's world, waiting for things seems to be part of the package. Though I would never choose to wait in lines if offered "waiting" or "non-waiting", sometimes you just have to and one might as well make the best of it.