Has anyone heard of a direct checkin where you bypass the front desk?

[gamomof2]

On a Port Orleans site an article mentions a trial at 3 WDW resorts (POR being one of the 3) where you get your room number by text message and your magic band is activated remotely to let you in.

http://www.portorleans.org/news.php

Has anyone heard of this? Does anyone know if any of the DVC resorts will be included?

 

[dwelty]

No, but it's about time. It will be nice to bypass the front desk

 

[jliehr]

While not with a Magic Band or at WDW, checking in last Friday at Aulani was similar, they have a desk to the side with water and Lei's\Necklaces. They ask if you checked in online, handed me my room keys and told me they'd text us the room number when it was ready. Never had to visit the front desk.

 

[gamomof2]

that's been around for a while. this would be where you go straight to the room. eliminating even having to park and walk anywhere else.

 

[owensamo]

Interesting idea - I kinda like it! But then where do you pick up your parking pass? Or celebration buttons? Or DVC portable perks?

 

[gamomof2]

for a while at SSR we were being given our parking pass at the gate. but not lately. any literature could be already in the room. i just would like to know what the other two resorts are.

 

[disneynutz]

It's called online check in. This was how it was suppose to work, now with MB's they can push the original idea forward.

Their goal is to save money by reducing CM's.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I've wondered why they haven't been doing that when you do online check in. It's about time although our MB's often haven't worked for the room doors so I suspect we'd still be visiting the front desk.

 

[momof2minnies]

No and wouldnt want to. I want to know where they put us before we get to the room. Dont want to drag luggage to find out we are miles from anything.

Linda

 

[zavandor]

I would love this. The idea of arriving and going straight to the room would be great. It would make the trip even more hassle free from the beginning. However they do not ship MB to international visitors, so it will never happen for me.
Unless I could reuse MB for multiple visits. Can I?

 

[disneynutz]

I would love this. The idea of arriving and going straight to the room would be great. It would make the trip even more hassle free from the beginning. However they do not ship MB to international visitors, so it will never happen for me.
Unless I could reuse MB for multiple visits. Can I?

Yes you can but one of the MB features uses a battery that only has a 2 to 3 year life. It's not clear on what stops working when the battery goes dead.

Bill

 

[DebbieB]

I would love this. The idea of arriving and going straight to the room would be great. It would make the trip even more hassle free from the beginning. However they do not ship MB to international visitors, so it will never happen for me.
Unless I could reuse MB for multiple visits. Can I?

Yes you can. I used the MB last month from my trip in November. It was pink, the one I ordered for this trip was green, I am collecting all the colors. I preferred to wear the pink one. I have all the colors now except orange and grey, which I don't want.

There is no guarantee the room will be ready when you arrive, that is written at the very bottom.

 

[LaurenT]

when we stayed at AKL last August, we did online check in. When we got to the resort we were met by a CM with a tablet who sat down at a couch with us and checked us in. Never went to the counter...

 

[lawgator]

We stayed at a standard studio at VGF for just one night on this past May 25. I did not do online check in (and never do) because when we showed up we just wanted to request the first available room and not a preassigned one. I also do not like to put my credit card on the room account. I did not make any other room requests. The security gate person gave us a parking pass as we drove up and we parked in the close by VGF lot and walked in. They checked us in with a hand held device as we walked up and called the room assigners to see if anything was available. Then they texted us within 10 minutes with a room that was ready (about 11:30am) which was really great as this allowed us to go ahead and put our luggage and cooler in the room before we went over to the MK. The room we got (I think it was 1415) was on the end and we could see the Poly, the wedding pavillion and the water...very nice. We felt very lucky.

 

[gamomof2]

I received an email today offering this type of checkin. Streamlined checkin is what they are calling it. It was offered for the second half of our split stay (BLT).

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/reso...disney-updates+(Disney+Updates+-+wdwinfo.com)

These hotels seem to be participating: Contemporary Resort, Bay Lake Tower, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Pop Century, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas - Jambo House and Kidani Village.

 

[wendybeth75]

We are booked at POR starting Friday and haven't received an email about this so I don't know if we will get chosen to do this. I had read the detailing it and I don't know how I feel about it. I really kind of like the check in process, it's part of the excitement for me. Either way I will be at Disney and will be a happy camper.

 

[OKW Lover]

Yes you can but one of the MB features uses a battery that only has a 2 to 3 year life. It's not clear on what stops working when the battery goes dead.

Bill

Actually it is clear what stops working when the battery goes dead. The MB will still function quite well to open your resort door, enter the parks, charge food or souvenirs, and anything else that requires touching the MB to the sensor.

The only feature that won't work any longer is the "long range" stuff that is just now being introduced. That's the technology that automatically tags your ride photo's with your MM account.

 

[disneynutz]

Actually it is clear what stops working when the battery goes dead. The MB will still function quite well to open your resort door, enter the parks, charge food or souvenirs, and anything else that requires touching the MB to the sensor.

The only feature that won't work any longer is the "long range" stuff that is just now being introduced. That's the technology that automatically tags your ride photo's with your MM account.

My understanding is that there is a touch and short range RFID and a long range either blue tooth or Wi-Fi battery driven circuit depending who you talk to or what you read. I don't know if pictures need the battery or if just crowd sampling does.

Bill

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

Thought is share..

We had this option last dec. When staying at port orleans.. Before buying into DVC.
Had our bands, got our text early that morning.. When we got there found it was not what we paid for.. We paid for a garden view and got a standard. We had requested a king size bed. No king. And on top of it the room was sooo dirty.

Had to go back to the front desk and get a different room. No kings available. :-( Was told the computer assigns the rooms as the open.. And it maybe glitchy..
Was also told the computer has no way to see notes/requests on rooms.. Has I said this was last dec., I hope they a fixed issues we had.
Just some food for thought, but we will not be using this system again. (If we have a choice)

 

[OKW Lover]

My understanding is that there is a touch and short range RFID and a long range either blue tooth or Wi-Fi battery driven circuit depending who you talk to or what you read. I don't know if pictures need the battery or if just crowd sampling does.

Bill

There is no bluetooth in the MB's. The "touch" and "short range" RFID are actually just two different terms for the same thing.