Few questions regarding early check in online

[Sith]

Hello. We will be making our first trip to WDW in mid June. We are staying at the Beach Club Villas, and I have a few questions regarding the early check in online.

1) What are the advantages of doing this as opposed to just checking in when we get there? Our red eye flight lands in Orlando at 5:15am, so I doubt there will be a long line in the lobby when we get there.

2) I assume the remaining balance due will be charged to credit card at time of online check in. Is this correct?

3) Is there any difference between doing online check in 1 month early vs. 1 day early? I'm guessing earlier could possibly be an advantage if there were any specific room requests. Anything else?

 

[Hopefully]

1) Correct. If your flight lands at 5:15 AM you will need to collect your luggage and you may need to wait a bit at MCO for an ME bus, if you are using that service. But in general it takes about 90 minutes from arriving at the gate to arriving at the resort..
2)The remaining balance is charged on your arrival date, not the date you actually check in on line, I believe
3) The major advantage of checking in early is the fact that your account is all set up and it expedites any time waiting in line. For room requests it is best to call the main reservation number and have them noted on your reservation. Those on the online checkin form are limited and not usually what folks want. I call and then leave those on online check in blank. But when you check in has no impact on whether you are granted your requests or not. Rooms are generally assigned about 5 days in advance.
It is highly unlikely that a room will be ready that early in the morning, but they do ask for expected arrival time on the online chechin form, and there is a check box to make early room availability your only request, so if you are hoping for a room early and you are willing to give up all other requests, that is a good reason for you to do online checkin.

 

[Sith]

1) Correct. If your flight lands at 5:15 AM you will need to collect your luggage and you may need to wait a bit at MCO for an ME bus, if you are using that service. But in general it takes about 90 minutes from arriving at the gate to arriving at the resort..
2)The remaining balance is charged on your arrival date, not the date you actually check in on line, I believe
3) The major advantage of checking in early is the fact that your account is all set up and it expedites any time waiting in line. For room requests it is best to call the main reservation number and have them noted on your reservation. Those on the online checkin form are limited and not usually what folks want. I call and then leave those on online check in blank. But when you check in has no impact on whether you are granted your requests or not. Rooms are generally assigned about 5 days in advance.
It is highly unlikely that a room will be ready that early in the morning, but they do ask for expected arrival time on the online chechin form, and there is a check box to make early room availability your only request, so if you are hoping for a room early and you are willing to give up all other requests, that is a good reason for you to do online checkin.

Thanks for the quick response!

Yes, we will be collecting our bags and bringing in the DME bus with us. I figured we would maybe get to Beach Club around 7-7:30. I don't think there is any chance at all that our room would be ready at that time, but I doubt there would be a long line to check in at the desk. But, you never know...

Yes, I think early check in would be our only request for now. I know it won't be that early, but earlier the better. Our schedule that day is fairly free: Pick up rental car from Alamo at Dolphin, go to Gatorland, get groceries for room, evening FP+ at Epcot.

 

[Hopefully]

Thanks for the quick response!

Yes, we will be collecting our bags and bringing in the DME bus with us. I figured we would maybe get to Beach Club around 7-7:30. I don't think there is any chance at all that our room would be ready at that time, but I doubt there would be a long line to check in at the desk. But, you never know...

Yes, I think early check in would be our only request for now. I know it won't be that early, but earlier the better. Our schedule that day is fairly free: Pick up rental car from Alamo at Dolphin, go to Gatorland, get groceries for room, evening FP+ at Epcot.

Yes I think you will get to the Beach Club around 7 - 7:30. There is a small chance that there was a room empty the night before that you could check into that early, but yes small. We have gotten a room as early as 9:30 when we arrived and as late as 4:30 in the afternoon.
The desk does get busy in the morning with folks checking out. Maybe not quite that early but it might surprise you.
Since you have an overnight flight, I wouldn't plan on a late day at Epcot your first day/night. You want to get a good sleep so you are rested and ready to go for your week
Have Fun

 

[ErinsMommy]

Thanks for the quick response!

Yes, we will be collecting our bags and bringing in the DME bus with us. I figured we would maybe get to Beach Club around 7-7:30. I don't think there is any chance at all that our room would be ready at that time, but I doubt there would be a long line to check in at the desk. But, you never know...

Yes, I think early check in would be our only request for now. I know it won't be that early, but earlier the better. Our schedule that day is fairly free: Pick up rental car from Alamo at Dolphin, go to Gatorland, get groceries for room, evening FP+ at Epcot.

I found at least at the Contemporary that the check-in desk and check-out desk are the same. So while you may not have a lot of people in line to check-in, you may find more that are in the same line to check-out.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Yes, @Hopefully is right about #2. If you enter your credit card for online check-in any remaining balance due is charged on your arrival date. The charge usually happens first thing that morning, like 6-7AMish, regardless of your actual arrival time. I know because I'm usually brushing my teeth and see a big charge pop up on my phone! (I have Applepay connected to my CC so I get a notification whenever something charges)

I assume you are staying in a Villa via cash, not DVC or rental? You didn't ask this, but I would recommend adding any room requests by calling and having them added to your reservation. I wouldn't mess with the room request options on online check-in (just my preference).

Have fun!

 

[Sith]

Yes I think you will get to the Beach Club around 7 - 7:30. There is a small chance that there was a room empty the night before that you could check into that early, but yes small. We have gotten a room as early as 9:30 when we arrived and as late as 4:30 in the afternoon.
The desk does get busy in the morning with folks checking out. Maybe not quite that early but it might surprise you.
Since you have an overnight flight, I wouldn't plan on a late day at Epcot your first day/night. You want to get a good sleep so you are rested and ready to go for your week
Have Fun

I totally agree about getting rest that first night. I meant we were just gonna go over to Epcot for a short while in early evening. Last FP+ is for I believe 6:30. Then back to room.

 

[Sith]

I found at least at the Contemporary that the check-in desk and check-out desk are the same. So while you may not have a lot of people in line to check-in, you may find more that are in the same line to check-out.

Thanks, I didn't think of that. If we get to Beach Club at 7:30 am that is really 4:30 am to us. Not really a fun time to be standing in a long line. Online check-in is starting to sound like a good idea.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I found at least at the Contemporary that the check-in desk and check-out desk are the same. So while you may not have a lot of people in line to check-in, you may find more that are in the same line to check-out.

Just out of curiosity, why did you have to physically check out? I've been to Disney 6 times as an adult (within the last 10 years), stayed at 6 different resorts, and never had to actually check out. I didn't even know there was such a thing!

 

[ErinsMommy]

Just out of curiosity, why did you have to physically check out? I've been to Disney 6 times as an adult (within the last 10 years), stayed at 6 different resorts, and never had to actually check out. I didn't even know there was such a thing!

We had gift cards to use up - plus we wanted a final printout of all charges during the trip which they usually give us with our check out package under the door . Note that was only our past trip - prior trips we didn't have to go to the front desk at all but rather I'm just talking about what I've seen in passing with more people checking out than in.

 

[AngiTN]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned, and the reason I always do online check in, if we are arriving before 3:00, it gives you a chance of informing them you want a room ready early above all other requests. If you do that is. We always do when we arrive early so I always complete the check in and mark that box. We don't always get a room early, they don't always have them but about half the time we do. But without marking that box they don't have any way of knowing. I hate calling them if I can help it, they wait times and phone system is just a PITA so if I can do it online, I do.

 

[AngiTN]

I found at least at the Contemporary that the check-in desk and check-out desk are the same. So while you may not have a lot of people in line to check-in, you may find more that are in the same line to check-out.

It's the same at all Disney resorts

 

[Mopedmom1]

We had gift cards to use up - plus we wanted a final printout of all charges during the trip which they usually give us with our check out package under the door . Note that was only our past trip - prior trips we didn't have to go to the front desk at all but rather I'm just talking about what I've seen in passing with more people checking out than in.

How does the process of using up gift cards work? I want to pay for our room in a June using gift cards but thought if I did online check in I would give a cc# and my room would automatically be charged to that each day.

This is a total budget trip and I want to use Target Red Card discounted gift cards BUT it's also such a quick trip (arriving from the West Coast late afternoon Wednesday and departing Sunday afternoon) that I don't want to spend unnecessary time at the front desk.

 

[AngiTN]

How does the process of using up gift cards work? I want to pay for our room in a June using gift cards but thought if I did online check in I would give a cc# and my room would automatically be charged to that each day.

This is a total budget trip and I want to use Target Red Card discounted gift cards BUT it's also such a quick trip (arriving from the West Coast late afternoon Wednesday and departing Sunday afternoon) that I don't want to spend unnecessary time at the front desk.

If you want to use gift cards to pay your room charge just call before you arrive and give them the card numbers so it's paid off before you get there.

 

[ErinsMommy]

If you want to use gift cards to pay your room charge just call before you arrive and give them the card numbers so it's paid off before you get there.

This doesn't work for room charges such as tips for meals, souvenirs and such. At check in we asked if we can use our gift cards and just have a "credit balance" charges would be used against and they said no, so we had to wait for end of trip to do so.

 

[AngiTN]

This doesn't work for room charges such as tips for meals, souvenirs and such. At check in we asked if we can use our gift cards and just have a "credit balance" charges would be used against and they said no, so we had to wait for end of trip to do so.

No, but PP didn't ask about that. They asked about room balance and on line check in. If you complete online check in they will charge to the card on file. They can reverse the charges but this takes time at the desk, something PP was asking to avoid. The way to use a gift card to pay on the room balance, use online check in and avoid a delay at check in you should call and apply the gift card prior to arrival.

Using gift cards to pay charges while on property is a different subject and not the one in discussion at this time, so I didn't bring up how that worked to keep from confusing things. At least that is how I took the discussion so far. Maybe I was wrong

 

[Mopedmom1]

If you want to use gift cards to pay your room charge just call before you arrive and give them the card numbers so it's paid off before you get there.

This doesn't work for room charges such as tips for meals, souvenirs and such. At check in we asked if we can use our gift cards and just have a "credit balance" charges would be used against and they said no, so we had to wait for end of trip to do so.

Thank you both! I appreciate any and all tips regarding how to use the cards. I usually just throw the ol' credit card out there,then dread the day the bill comes.

While I am not new to WDW vacations, this being our fifth trip in five years, this is the first time I have used the Target gc. It's kind of a game I am playing, seeing just how economical I can make this trip! Our big trip is this December to celebrate our 25th Anniversary where I have YC CL booked! Shh, don't tell my hubz, it's a surprise!

 

[ErinsMommy]

I would give a cc# and my room would automatically be charged to that each day.

No, but PP didn't ask about that. They asked about room balance and on line check in. If you complete online check in they will charge to the card on file. They can reverse the charges but this takes time at the desk, something PP was asking to avoid. The way to use a gift card to pay on the room balance, use online check in and avoid a delay at check in you should call and apply the gift card prior to arrival.

Using gift cards to pay charges while on property is a different subject and not the one in discussion at this time, so I didn't bring up how that worked to keep from confusing things. At least that is how I took the discussion so far. Maybe I was wrong

I didn't think you can pay for the room on a day to day basis as PP in bold appears to want to do - and once you checkin the full balance is due?

 

[Sith]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned, and the reason I always do online check in, if we are arriving before 3:00, it gives you a chance of informing them you want a room ready early above all other requests. If you do that is. We always do when we arrive early so I always complete the check in and mark that box. We don't always get a room early, they don't always have them but about half the time we do. But without marking that box they don't have any way of knowing. I hate calling them if I can help it, they wait times and phone system is just a PITA so if I can do it online, I do.

Yes, getting a room early is the main reason I have decided to do the online check in. Our arrival day schedule is pretty free. Just going to Gatorland and picking up some groceries for the room. Other than that, just killing time until the room is ready. So, while an early room isn't totally necessary, the earlier the better.

 

[Mopedmom1]

my room would automatically be charged to that each day.

I didn't think you can pay for the room on a day to day basis as PP in bold appears to want to do - and once you checkin the full balance is due?

Yeah, I guess I wasn't very clear there. It IS charged in a lump sum to my cc and each day is a line item debit for the days room and taxes. Sorry I wasn't more specific, however, it won't matter this upcoming trip cuz I'm going to be calling ahead with my gift cards. Yay, no dreaded cc bill in the mail upon returning home!

Again, thanks for the tips.