Do you think on-line check in is the way to go?

[SamSam]

Just wondering if any of you think that checking in on-line helps in getting requests? I only have one request and, of course, I know it's not a guarantee which I'm okay with. Having said that, I would still like to do whatever I can to enhance the chance of getting the request.
Thanks everyone.

 

[spiceycat]

think online is still the first available room.

so have not even tried it

 

[disneynutz]

Depends on the resort and the room request.

Bill

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

think online is still the first available room.

so have not even tried it

Not always. Waited 7 hours for a 1 bedroom at BCV. At 6 pm I asked for a manager and asked him to convince me they had given no one a 1 bedroom in 7 hours. I had no requests.


Response "we assigned you a room and we do not change it once that is done. It is not ready". My complaint made him look. Prior guests had extended their stay. My room was NEVER going to be ready

 

[drusba]

Our record with on-line check-in: half the time we have gotten in before 4 and got our requests.

Our record without on-line check-in: half the time we have gotten in before 4 and got our requests.

On-line check-in gets you nothing more than a somewhat faster check-in and even that is not guaranteed (e.g., at Kidani they had no separate line for on-line check in and thus you waited in same line as everyone else).

 

[keishashadow]

We're used it since it became available and have thus far gotten our request

i do specifically ask when picking up the folder if we have been granted our request category.

 

[castleri]

Could not use online check in for stay at OKW because we had a split stay. when I mentioned it to the CM at check in she said the main thing about online is that they assign rooms ready for those guests. I guess this is based on when they they expect the people to show up. I have never had good luck getting into the room early at BCV but am hoping that that will change in Dec. Can do online check in then since I booked the second part of the trip using a different contract and that is not linked. Will see what happens.

 

[brdlyleon]

I've only stayed on property once, therefore only doing online check-in and only once.
My situation played out in which i waited in line to check in longer than regular check in did...While I waited about 4 other groups of people were checked in. This was at POP. I think this year I'm going to wait and check in when I get there to compare the too. Hopefully we get our requests! *fingers crossed*


For anyone out there, if you DON'T do online check in does that mean there is no chance of your room being ready a little earlier?

 

[disprincessatheart]

I don't think it has helped us but I do it because I feel like I'm starting my vacation. We rarely have room requests anyway.

 

[SamSam]

Thank you for all your responses. I think the conclusion is that it doesn't seem to make a difference. I don't make a lot of requests, but when we stay at Kidani, we love the Sunset Savannah. We spend quite a bit of time in our room (balcony) because we work till noon most days, so the view is really important to us.
At this point I'm thinking we'll just check-in early (knowing it won't be ready) and remind the cm of our request. We'll have a great time whatever we get, but a Sunset Savannah View would be lovely.

 

[vek239]

We've used online check-in for our 4 stays; rooms were ready before 4:00 twice. Most recently booked 2 studios at BWV and requested them close together and got them right next to each other; must have been 1/4 mile from the front desk though; whew! I'll continue to use online check-in just for the fun/anticipation factor.

 

[kevmag]

We've only been in DVC a few years (bought at BLT), but so far what I've done (and luckily been successful each time) is:

1. Reserved a BLT lake view room
2. Requested marina view, higher floor
3. No online check in...I've gone to the Contemporary check in around noon or so, and with the nicest smile I can manage I tell the CM that we don't mind waiting until later in the day, if that will help our request come through
4. Then we are off to MK until the room is ready

Granted, this won't work for people if they need to get into their rooms before heading over to MK, but its worked for us so far. Each time we've had to wait awhile, but we did get the room view we wanted.

 

[Granny]

On-line check-in gets you nothing more than a somewhat faster check-in and even that is not guaranteed (e.g., at Kidani they had no separate line for on-line check in and thus you waited in same line as everyone else).

I agree that on-line check-in doesn't buy much, if anything on requests. However, when we checked into Kidani in April, they definitely had a separate line for on-line check-in. Maybe it has gone away?

 

[disneynutz]

I agree that on-line check-in doesn't buy much, if anything on requests. However, when we checked into Kidani in April, they definitely had a separate line for on-line check-in. Maybe it has gone away?

We have found that sometimes it takes longer to check in using online check in than not using it. You need to understand that online check in exists to reduce Disney's time spent checking people in and thus saving them money. It also tends to keep Guests from making requests at check in which also saves time and money.

Bill

 

[stmize]

I have done on-line check 3-4 times the first 2 times were at POR before we became dvc memb's and the line at the desk was longer than the line for people who didn't. With that being said since we became memb's in Nov 2010 we have gone twice and done on line check in both times. At OKW in May our room was ready when we arrived and no one was at the desk waiting was in/out within 3-4 mins. At vwl last week before our cruise when we went thru the gate the guard gave us our parking slip we pulled up outside the door and was met by cm who escorted us in and went to get our packet. Our room was ready and we had arrived several hours earlier than we had listed. We were on the bus to MK within 30 mins of arrival which included time to unload the car and take to our room. I will def do online checkin again when we go in Nov of this year

 

[SamSam]

Wow, people's experiences are all over the place! I guess that keeps the surprise factor high!

 

[BobH]

I always make reservations by telephone and do online check in later. Noticing that there is only room for 1 or 2 requests online and being concerned that doing online check-in might erase my verbal requests made by phone, I have called up member services and my prior verbal requests has always been still on my reservation record. I don't think the online check-in option accomplishes anything for the guest - it simply may give Disney a better idea what time a guest is arriving - if that guest provides an actual time to Disney. I have always wondered if I stated that my arrival time was late in the day if I would run the risk of not getting my requests because I was the last to arrive at the resort.

 

[tjkraz]

When you check-in on-line they ask you to provide your arrival time. That listed arrival time is used to try and put you in a room upon arrival. But that accelerated room assignment typically comes at the expense of requests.

In other words, when you check-in on-line, your arrival time tends to trump requests. It doesn't mean that you won't get your requests...but if you are arriving at noon they will place a great emphasis on getting you into a room--ANY ROOM--at noon rather than having you wait until later to get into a villa which better meets requests.

That's the concept behind the on-line system. Obviously they cannot always get people into a room right at their arrival time. And the success level of having requests met is still a crap shoot no matter which method is used. Something as simple as a cranky Cast Member can have a dramatic impact on room assignments.

My advice is typically this:

* If you place a greater emphasis on getting into a room upon arrival, use the on-line system.

* If you place a greater emphasis on having your requests met, do the traditional front desk check-in. There you will have greater interaction with a CM who may be able to adjust things for you if possible.

 

[BobH]

I just wish DVC explained it as well.

 

[SamSam]

Tim, You explained it very well and it makes perfect sense to me, so because of the Sunset Savannah view is important to us, we will use the traditional check-iin so we can let the cm know (very nicely) that we are willing to wait to get our request.

Thanks everyone, in has been interesting reading about all the different experiences.