brentalex said:
I have read some posts here that some people think that once you check in at the ME desk, that they inform the hotel that you have arrived in Orlando. Then they are sort of ready for you when you get to the hotel. Whether this affects your room assignment, I don't know.
I will sort of find out in 4 days though.
I have posted something like what you just said, based upon posts by a known actual WDW CM, who used to work in Disney Transport but presently works in resorts. I will not identify him by name or screen name, because just in case I've misinterpreted what he's said in the past, I don't want to be responsible for passing along incorrect information that he never said, if you know what I mean. if I'm wrong herre, I don't want it to reflect poorly on him.
As I understand it from his past posts, when you check in at the DME Welcome Center at MCO, the DME computer automatically sends a message to your resort's computer. This process puts a hold on a room for you, IF ONE IS AVAILABLE, in the category for which you have a reservation. I've interpreted this with an example. Let's say you booked a preferred location room at CBR. Let's say you check in at the DME desk at MCO at 10:00 a.m., and at that moment there is only one room available (i.e., clean and ready to be occupied) in that category. That room is set aside for you; it is no longer available to the general public. Okay, so let's say at 10:02 a.m. someone else with an identical room reservation type (preferred location) shows up at CBR via car or rental car or towncar or taxi or large passenger ostrich. Three minutes ago there was one room available, but at this moment there are none yet available in that category.
Let's say you get dropped off at CBR at 10:45 a.m. You go to the front desk and get checked into your room and off you go. The other party that arrived at 10:02 a.m. is still waiting for a room to open up, even though they arrived at the property about 45 minutes before you did. I would imagine they are in line ahead of someone who arrives at the DME desk at MCO at 11:00 a.m., etc.
This next part is purely conjecture with a large dose of common sense. I can't imagine that you are "stuck with" a room that is set aside for you by the DME-resort computer conspiracy. If the resort expects to have an upgraded room available later in the day (or even has one available when you arrive at the resort), I can't imagine they would tell you, "No, sorry, you can't have the better room because you got assigned this one by the DME system." Just can't see that happening. I think the DME-resort system, for lack of a better term, is a helpful perk rather than a constricting burden. I think of it like a room FastPass. By checking in at the DME desk you are placed in a virtual queue just like you are when you get a FastPass, but no one is making you ride Space Mountain -- you're free to wait longer to ride Splash Mountain if you want.
I hope this all makes sense.
I also hope that the CM I've alluded to PLEASE corrects me if I've misquoted him or if I've made incorrect assumptions.
