How many has gotten their room request with online check in ?

[maryj11]

Im still debating on if I should do online check in or not. I have put a request on my reservations when I booked and Im going to fax my request also. I know there a few choices to request with online check in but not like what building and near the pool, like we want. Do you think online check in will hinder our chances of getting our room request for a certain building and near the main pool ?

 

[JennyG]

I came on disboards today looking for this information, woohoo! Thanks for asking this question... as we are too concerned with the online check-in.

Good luck and have a blast on your trip!
~Jen

 

[eecteacher82]

My personal opinion is to not do online check in. I did it last year when we stayed at Saratoga Springs and the location we were assigned wasn't what we wanted so I asked if we could be moved into our desired location if it was available. It was available, but it was quite a hassle to switch since when you do online check in, everything is already assigned and your KTTW cards are printed...etc. Our last few stay I have made our requests and not done online check in. Two of the times when we arrived I asked our location and it was not the perfect one so I asked if they had anything available in the area we wanted. They did, and it was much easier and quicker for them to change since nothing was printed out and they were able to give me a few options in my choice area and I was able to select what I wanted. Again, just my opinion!

 

[maryj11]

LOL Jenny I know I need to make a decision but Im having trouble doing that.

 

[tami82]

Yes i did online checkin. I got close to what i wanted. We went during free dining when resorts were booked. I had requested to have a pool view (now i booked a standard at WL which doesnt have pool views but figured i'd take my chances and see what would happen and ask anyway). They gave us a woods view (with a view of fireworks through a few trees), on the 2nd floor room right next to stairway so all we had to do was walk down the steps and there was the pool & boat docks for boat transportation. This was as close as we could possibly be to the pool but without the pool view so i was very happy with the location, very easy access for us. I didnt have any hopes of getting an upgrade due to many hotels being booked so i was surprised.

 

[creativeamanda]

I have always gotten my room request with online checkin. Rooms are assigned about 7 days beforehand, whether you do online checkin or not. The only reason I can think not to do online checkin is if you have a split stay or a continuing stay and need to stay in the same room.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I won't be doing online check in again. I did it last year and it was the first time that I did not get my request. All I wanted was a certain building and had made only that request on my reservation. When I arrived at the online counter....1) my package was not pre-printed and 2) they put me as far away from what I had requested as possible. So I asked if there was availability in my requested building...which there was and we were moved but it did take a bit of work for the CM to make the change. I did have the feeling she was new so that might have had something to do with the delay. Anyway, in future I won't use it unless I have no requests. Plus, if you arrive by ME and a bunch of people get off the bus there can be a longer line at the online counter than the regular check in. Last year I was first off the bus and within seconds there were 6-8 people lined up behind me with only 1 CM working that counter. The regular counter had no one in line and 5 CM's working.

 

[JennyG]

I think we are not going to do the online checkin. It's always nice to visit with the front desk when checking in and getting useful tips from the castmember working that day. We aren't in any hurry to get through a long line, which has never been an issue at SSR anyway.

Online checkin is probably a great idea for some people, but it's not necessary for us at this time.

It was nice to see the different opinions though... that's what disboards is all about!

 

[nellyru]

Some good info to think about.

Not sure if I will do online check in now or not???

 

[Music City Mama]

I did online check-in and got both of my requests (bldg # and corner room).

I should point out that I initially made my reservations by phone and my requests were noted on my email confirmation.

Room requests aren't guaranteed, so knowing that my requests had been noted on my reservation, I wasn't too worried that online check-in would have any effect on that. I figured I was going to get the requests or not get the requests regardless of how I checked in.

Also, since you do go to an actual line/reception desk and speak with an actual person even with online check-in, if I hadn't gotten my requests, I could have always seen what they could have done at that time. Wasn't necessary, though, as both requests were met.

 

[maryj11]

Hmmm now Im wondering because my request is not on my email confirmation . Anyway Im still undecided lol Thanks for all the information it helps to hear what everyone thinks about it.

 

[Millie12591]

I posed the same question here before we went and had the same responses....mixed.
I honestly think it depends on who's doing the checking in and assigning for online check in and that it's a total crapshoot, it looks like for some places it's run the way we would like for it to be and others it's not.

As for our check in when we got there, it was a total breeze.
You still check in at the front desk and you still get the wonderful service with the CM about where to go and what you need to know about the resort. I honestly thought it was a good thing to do, I did however take advantage of checking in online the first day available (it was my hope it would help with getting the requests we wanted) to us and when we got there (CSR) everything went as smoothly as possible.
All our things were printed out of course and it turned out we got all our requests. (Closest to the pool and ground floor)
I'm wondering if the time of the year your going might have something to do with it, as well as human involvement.
In other words the busier the time of year the harder to fulfill the requests, and that fact that people are running things and not all people are going to do things the way they should/could, so therefore the crapshoot as I mentioned before.
My thinking is, since CSR is a convention center things have to be ran a bit smoother than maybe some other resorts. They should all be ran the same way, but the demand maybe isn't there as much for some resorts over others by management.
Who knows, that's just my thoughts on it.

 

[Mommytwotwins]

We just got back on Wed and I did do online check in. I reguested 1st floor and a certain bld and got both! You are not "locked" in the the room they give you unless they are totally booked then it realy would not matter if you did online or when you arrive. For us it was fast and easy, this is our second time checking in online. The first time we stayed at POR and they gave as the Mansions which we could not have with 5 people and it only took a few minutes to change the room and fix our cards. I will continue to use online checkin as it works for us!

 

[of the seas]

I did online check in and got my requests. I don't really understand why so many people are against it.

 

[debsays]

We've been lucky and have gotten our requested area. However, I will say when I call to make our reservations that is when I state where we'd like to stay,etc.

 

[jenga1030]

I did online checkin last September for the first time and did not get the building I requested (my only request). But I just asked if they had a different room available in my requested building and they quickly changed us to the room we wanted. It was easy and fast. I did online checkin again for our trip next week!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I posed the same question here before we went and had the same responses....mixed.
I honestly think it depends on who's doing the checking in and assigning for online check in

No. Guests aren't separated by whether they checked in online, then assigned rooms.

All Guests are assigned rooms, then the paperwork for the Guests who checked in online is printed.

Whether a Guest checks in online or waits until they're standing at the Front Desk has NO effect on how requests are met or rooms are assigned.

 

[LoveKermit]

I would also say it does not matter at what point you add your request. At BWV I added it after the reservation was made. At SSR I made one at the point when I called. Three days before we left I called to add another village to the list. That's the one we got. It at least made us feel like they tried to grant the request. Online check-in for both.

Theoretically, even if the line is long at online checkin, it should go faster than the regular. But when people want to make changes or add DDP or the credit card, that all takes time. If you get all that done when checking in online, it should be efficient.

And surprised no one's said it....They are only requests. They have no obligation to fulfill them. You have all been fortunate to be accomodated. We managed to be accomodated at the Poly a few years ago as well. Now with DVC, I feel like we are not supposed to make waves.

 

[Greta]

I tried to do online check in today but was unable to type anything into the section for special requests. My TA did do the special request with the reservation so I am crossing my fingers. I don't even know if the online check in worked. I didn't get an email confirmation, although I am a bit reluctant to try it again. We shall see... either way we'll be there in 3 sleeps so life is good!

 

[cvrapclark]

I've heard of people faxing their request in closer to arrival. How would we go about doing that? Is there a certain number?

I've usually gotten my request except this last short trip to AKV. I had requested 2nd or 3rd floor close to lobby and received a room at the farthest point from the lobby on the left side which is the farthest from Jambo!!

thanks!!