Idea for new check-in procedure

[nuts]

Ok, I have a wild thought. Why not allow people to get on-line within 24 hours of checkin to pre-checkin...selecting room you want, enter credit card number, etc? I know this would require on-line sw changes, etc...but then it gets us away from late check in folks getting the bottom of the barrel picks. Just a thought for discussion.

 

[cdmickey]

So who does get the bottom of the barrel. (Not that there are any bad rooms)

 

[cslittle999]

Disney is the only place I've ever been where people obsess over room location. I think it is because of the tremendous pressure people put on themselves for a Disney trip to be perfect.

 

[bicker]

Absolutely, Chris. That affects -- adversely affects -- every aspect of many guests' vacations. There was a thread this morning bemoaning the fact that the Dining Plan is so stressful. What some (many?) folks seem to not realize is that you can just go to each meal, order what you want, use the credits for what you order, and if you happen to run out of credits, you just pay OOP. Simple, straight-forward, uncomplicated. No stress.

With regard to the room location issue, cdmickey made a good point: All that this would do is shift the good rooms from one set of members to another. That doesn't actually improve anything for the membership, overall, so I think it would be a bad idea to spend any money on that unless it will end up saving a substantial amount of money -- at least enough to pay back the initial investment in the new system and its on-going maintainance. Just to shift the advantage around, it isn't worth doing.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Disney is the only place I've ever been where people obsess over room location. I think it is because of the tremendous pressure people put on themselves for a Disney trip to be perfect.

I couldn't agree more.

When we check in, we ask for any room that's ready. Where it is located is no big deal, we just want to get in a room and relax.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Disney is the only place I've ever been where people obsess over room location. I think it is because of the tremendous pressure people put on themselves for a Disney trip to be perfect.

True, I have never seen this at any other vacation destination. However, one of the reasons is that views are drastically different....from a fireworks display to a parking lot....from water to trees to pools, etc. And DVC owners tend to spend more time in the resort, I would imagine, than those staying elsewhere, and thus the view/atmosphere becomes more important. If you are a park commando, then you probably don't care about room location b/c you are only in your room to sleep. JMO

 

[Chuck S]

Actually, they used to do exactly what the OP suggests by phone, it was Member Express Check-in. While the owner could not select a specific room, you could call and give them your credit card number. When you arrived at the resort, you simply had to pick-up your room key/resort packet. It was only available for a couple years.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Actually, they used to do exectly what the OP suggests by phone, i was Membe Express Check-in. While the owner could not select a specific room, you could call and give them your credit card number. When you arrived at the resort, you simply had to pick-up your room key/resort packet. It was only available for a couple years.

That kind of sounds nice. Not because you could select a specific room, but that way, when you arrive at the resort, you can just head straight for your room, or at least just have to make a quick stop. On our last trip, the check-in line was so long, it took us about 1/2 hour to check in. And that was after being "in transit" for almost 24 hours (thanks to the wonderful Houston weather). We weren't too anxious! And to have to endure that wait was agonizing. Just out of curiousity, what reason did DVC give for discontinuing the express check-in?

 

[Chuck S]

Just out of curiousity, what reason did DVC give for discontinuing the express check-in?

They really didn't give a specific reason that I know of...but I assume that it was much easier to offer that service when owners were the minority of guests at OKW. Plus I think guests have gotten "pickier" about selecting room views, etc.

 

[Sammie]

They really didn't give a specific reason that I know of...but I assume that it was much easier to offer that service when owners were the minority of guests at OKW. Plus I think guests have gotten "pickier" about selecting room views, etc.

How did they put tickets, room charge, and now the DDP on the cards?

 

[Chuck S]

How did they put tickets, room charge, and now the DDP on the cards?

They didn't, room keys were not mag stripe at that time at OKW, they were a plastic key with a series of puched holes. Resort ID was a seperate card, tickets were seperate from that, and there was no "dining plan" except for the 'Food N Fun" card, which was also seperate.

 

[Sammie]

They didn't, room keys were not mag stripe at that time at OKW, they were a plastic key with a series of puched holes. Resort ID was a seperate card, tickets were seperate from that, and there was no "dining plan" except for the 'Food N Fun" card, which was also seperate.

Then there is your answer to why they stopped it.

 

[Chuck S]

It was discontinued long before the dining plan. Actually, there is no reason that would have an impact. If you told the CM when you called what type of tickets you wanted, and the dining plan being pre-linked by MS, once they had you CC number they could still process it.

 

[rigsby25]

I hate long lines at check in myself. It seems to me to always take longer than it should, but maybe its because I'm so anxious. I once switched on a Friday morning from a grand villa to a 1 br once my family left. It was about 8 or 9 in the morning, and they told me all they had available was a smoking room or a handicapped room. We took the handicapped room, although I felt bad that if a handicapped person came, they would not get the room.