Do you do early check-in?

[O-Jo]

We never have before, but are considering it. The pro seems to be less time at the desk when you arrive, but I see the con as no personal service with regard to room selection.

What else am I missing? Convince me, one way or the other!

 

[disneynutz]

Online check in was made for the large convention resorts, the benefit for DVC resorts is questionable. Often the online check in process can take longer that just checking in at the regular front desk line.

Bill

 

[CarolMN]

I do online check in for most visits. I do it so that I can enter my credit card info myself. That way I do not have to give a credit card to the CM at check-in. IMO, that lessens the chance of someone using a skimmer to steal my credit card.

I do NOT do online check-in when we are traveling with guests or children, so that I can set up which bands are allowed to charge when we check in.

I do not do online check-in for the second part of our stay if we are doing a split stay. I also skip any portions that deal with requests. I send MS an email with those shortly after I book.

In our experience, online check in has always taken less time when we arrive than does regular check-in. I know that is not true for everyone.

The success of getting requests seems about the same no matter which method is used. IMO, that mostly depends on what is available on the day we check in and the resort. For example, BWV seems to do more pre-assigning than do the other DVC resorts so it is more difficult to get a change at check-in. (I never ask for one unless it is offered, though). But that is just my impression and may not be correct. We stay mostly at BWV, but also have stayed at BLT & AKV.

Some have reported that they had to check -in online before making FP+ reservations, but I do not think that is true anymore.

HTH.

 

[com_op_2000]

Since online check-in started, I have gotten more of my requests met, than before. I find that if a room is ready when I check-in, the front desk is more likely to change me into that room, than before. Yes, I have found at times that the lines at the front desk for online check-in are longer than the regular lines.

 

[JWG]

We have not noticed any difference between online and live check-in. Neither in the wait time (whenever one line has been longer than the other and there was an available cast member at the other desk - people were always called over), duration of time to get our room package (on-line has even been longer), nor likelihood of getting our requests.

We'll see what happens in October. We leave on Saturday for a stay at Coronado Springs, first hotel visit not DVC since 1998, did online check-in. In October we're at AKL.

 

[DVC Jen]

Most of the time we check in between 7 and 8 am.. drop off luggage and hit a park. Rarely and I do mean rarely is our room every ready then. We don't expect it to be either.

 

[mdsd8700]

We haven't done it before, just prefer to do it in person. For the most part we have gotten our room requests, if not all at least part of it. Our rooms have been ready as early as 9 am and this last time 11:30. Don't expect that but happy when it happens. Never had had a wait to check in, maybe we are just lucky. Probably just boils down to personal preference.

 

[KateB]

We always do online check-in. This last trip we were told by a CM that they fill the online check-in room requests first. They also said that the earlier you do online check-in the more likely you are to get your requests. Just a thought! We still have interaction with CM at check-in just a little less waiting around. Plus, you can setup who has charging and pins online now.

 

[disneynutz]

We always do online check-in. This last trip we were told by a CM that they fill the online check-in room requests first. They also said that the earlier you do online check-in the more likely you are to get your requests. Just a thought! We still have interaction with CM at check-in just a little less waiting around. Plus, you can setup who has charging and pins online now.

In the past the different resorts and the different room assigners had different policies.

Disney's next push is to keep guests from going to the front desk, take the room assigned and not ask for any changes.

Bill

 

[mrsg00fy]

We just used the online check in for the first time. We were in a 2 bedroom 2 queen unit at the Beach Club Villas.

We checked in at 11 AM and the villa was ready. I was amazed as this was the first time that our unit was ready well ahead of the normal check in time.

I don't know if the on line check in had anything to do with this.

 

[Sandisw]

I always do online check in because I figure at least it is a way to let them know when we will be arriving on the off chance we get the room earlier.

I do like the fact that they know how the option to choose room ready over any requests.

My last trip, we were very lucky in most rooms being ready when we got to the resorts. The one that wasn't, BLT, was ready by 2:00 pm, so all in all, not bad.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

I love online check-in. They do a great job with it at animal kingdom. For 4 stays now I have never even had to go to the desk. I've just spoken to the greeter at the door, and they went and quickly grabbed my envelope. It's been wonderful!

 

[ILuvDVC]

I have been doing on-line check in since it was available. Sometimes I get the room early, sometimes not. But, the coolest thing with on-line check, this past trip, I got a text that the room was ready about 2:00 PM and the room number and never even had to go to the front desk to check in. We were on our way to the resort. We did have to go down to the front desk later to get a parking pass for the car. Our Magicbands opened the room. It was great!

 

[Cee]

I love it. Greeted at the door by a CM, they get my packet and off I go!

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