On-Line Check in -- The Positives

[JulieWent]

Just returned from a week in Orlando (four nights at BWV, our home, and three at Royal Pacific in Universal). We loved the refurb on BoardWalk and really enjoyed our time there.

I just wanted to add to the conversation that has been on-going regarding on-line check in. This is the third time we have used it. (Once at BCV and twice at BWV.) When we walked into BWV this time, there was a lonnngggg line for check in -- probably 30 minutes or more. But there was not one person at the on-line check in stand. I walked over, got my packet, talked with the CM there for a few minutes about someone we knew in common in my home town, and we were on our way. (Our room was not ready, but the CM told me where it would be and confirmed our cell phone number. I received a call at 2:00 p.m. to give me the actual room number and tell me that it was ready.)

On-line check in was, once again, completely smooth and completely carefree. I wanted to encourage more people to use it. (That said, we don't make a lot of requests. We book BW views, which are all spectacular, and the long hallways at BW don't bother us much. We use the stairs when we can. When we were at BCV last summer, I had several specific requests about which part of the building I wanted to be in. I emailed those to member services, and MS emailed them to BCV. They were met without hesitation.)

I know that some of us (members) have had problems with on-line check in, but I wanted to let people know that it does seem to work most of the time -- at least for me. And it was really nice not to have to stand in line to check in.

Julie

 

[DenLo]

Thanks for your post. What time did you check in?

We too like the online check in. Anything to make our time at the check in counter shorter. We're always anxious to get going to the parks or have a dining reservation somewhere.

 

[JulieWent]

Around 11:30? We got excited about the trip and decided to drive half way the day before. (We live about 8 hours away and usually drive it in one day. We drove to Lake City the night before and just cruised in the next morning.)

Julie

 

[n2mm]

We always use online checkin when staying at our DVC resort. Since there is no chance of an upgrade with DVC, there's no reason not to do the online checkin. However, whenever we stay on cash at Disney in a regular resort, we don't do the online checkin. IMHO I believe it hurts my chances for an upgrade -- though I have no proof of this, just a feeling I have, based on whenever we stay at a regular resort I make no requests and most of the time I'm given a room much better than I booked.

 

[JBx3]

That's great news. We are trying online check in for the first time in a couple weeks.
We almost have never received our requests and it will be interesting to see if for the first time trying online check in, if our request for AKL zebra trail, near main lobby is filled.

We are taking 6 guests with us and non have ever stayed in a deluxe resort and 1 guest, 10 yrs old, this is his first trip to WDW so we are trying hard for a great Savanna view for them more than for us!

 

[DenLo]

Around 11:30? We got excited about the trip and decided to drive half way the day before. (We live about 8 hours away and usually drive it in one day. We drove to Lake City the night before and just cruised in the next morning.)

Julie

I could see us doing the same thing. In fact we live 16 hours away and find ourselves driving further the first day so that we can arrive before lunch on day two. I know, some would say we could drive it all in one day but we want to do something besides sleep on arrival at WDW.

So that looks like the time we'll arrive at WDW in late September. However we're spending a night at Pop Century and then the next day checking into BLT and then splitting our stay a few days later at BWV's. I don't think we'll do online check-in as we will have my DBIL with us and don't want his KTTW to have charging privileges and I can't figure out how to do that on the online check-in.

Does anyone know how much trouble it is to have it changed upon arrival. Can you still use the online check-in line? Or am I just defeating the purpose of the online check-in?

 

[n2mm]

I could see us doing the same thing. In fact we live 16 hours away and find ourselves driving further the first day so that we can arrive before lunch on day two. I know, some would say we could drive it all in one day but we want to do something besides sleep on arrival at WDW.

So that looks like the time we'll arrive at WDW in late September. However we're spending a night at Pop Century and then the next day checking into BLT and then splitting our stay a few days later at BWV's. I don't think we'll do online check-in as we will have my DBIL with us and don't want his KTTW to have charging privileges and I can't figure out how to do that on the online check-in.

Does anyone know how much trouble it is to have it changed upon arrival. Can you still use the online check-in line? Or am I just defeating the purpose of the online check-in?

This is not a problem. We always do the charging on our card, but when you do online checkin, they will put charging on all ADULT cards. It's easy to fix. When you get to the counter, just tell them that you only want charging on certain cards and they will reprint the other cards without the charging option.

 

[JBx3]

This is not a problem. We always do the charging on our card, but when you do online checkin, they will put charging on all ADULT cards. It's easy to fix. When you get to the counter, just tell them that you only want charging on certain cards and they will reprint the other cards without the charging option.

We are in the same boat and it is great to know that it is an easy fix! Thanks for that info

 

[JulieWent]

It took about 15 seconds for the CM to take my DS (who is 15 and doesn't get charging privileges yet) off of our credit card. No problem.

Julie

 

[jblrn2b]

Just did the online checkin a few days ago - Leave in 7 days 21 hours - but who's counting. It was very easy online- Hope check in is just as easy.

For the PP who asked about room requests - I did not see it in my online checkin.

 

[JBx3]

I have heard of people getting room requests fulfilled with online check in when they never or rarely got them requested with lobby check in.

My guess is after registering online, the resort CM's must pull something from the MS reservation and maybe that is where they can see any request?

 

[JulieWent]

I have heard of people getting room requests fulfilled with online check in when they never or rarely got them requested with lobby check in.

My guess is after registering online, the resort CM's must pull something from the MS reservation and maybe that is where they can see any request?

When I have had my requests fulfilled, I have NOT made them on the on-line check-in form. I went to the DVC member website, clicked on the "contact us" link, and emailed my requests, explaining when I would be arriving, where I would be staying, and what I needed. I received an email back saying the MS would forward my request(s) to the resort and that requests were not guaranteed, etc. I got exactly what I asked for.

Julie

 

[Nancy]

This is good to know. This coming trip is our first as DVC owners and we are staying at BWV.

Can anyone tell me about this view, are all the locations good or should I be asking for something in particular?

 

[JBx3]

OK, thank you. We will try this as well. Usually we do a request and if we get it that is great, if not we really don't worry since they state no guarantee. However, on this trip we invited 6 guest that never stayed in Deluxe and 1 of them is my 10 yr. old nephew, and this is his very first Disney trip and he has cerebral palsy and he would just have a ball looking at the animals out of a balcony at Jambo. Our fingers are crossed, he has talked about this trip for months!

Thanks again

 

[Sammie]

I am sure if you email your requests they use the same system MS does when you tell them the requests over the phone. They add them to your reservation and the resort gets them when they download into the computer system.

 

[JBx3]

Thanks makes sense to me. TY

 

[Cee]

We have used on-line check-in the past 3 times and it has been wonderful. We will always use it.

 

[sleeping beauty 1]

Since there is no chance of an upgrade with DVC, there's no reason not to do the online checkin.

That is what I thought until this summer. We DID get an upgrade with DVC at AKL-Jambo house and we had done on-line check-in. We almost got upgraded from a 1-BR to a 2-BR -- almost. There was a lady that jeopardized the on-line for at least 30 min while I was in the lobby. She decided to keep the 2-BR she had been given. We were still upgraded from value room to pool-view regular room. I never thought it could happen, but it did. It was all due to a lady complaining about her rooms. I am sure she was the culprit -- and caused all kinds of issues. It did seem like there were plenty of available rooms though.

I have always had issues with AKL check-in, but never BWV. Last year for online at BWV we picked up the package and it was complete and were done in just a couple of minutes. This year -- after waiting for 45 min or so we did get our package, but it didn't even have our name on the paperwork and things were missing. AKL-Jambo seems very unorganized any time I have checked-in. Could have just been those days, but this last time our room had been ready for a while he said, but it all depended on what this lady decided to do.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

We have used on-line check-in the past 3 times and it has been wonderful. We will always use it.

Same here. Online check in has always worked out perfectly for us!

 

[wildernessDad]

This is not a problem. We always do the charging on our card, but when you do online checkin, they will put charging on all ADULT cards. It's easy to fix. When you get to the counter, just tell them that you only want charging on certain cards and they will reprint the other cards without the charging option.

That's what I'll do then. Let them fix the cards upon checkin.