on line check in?

[martymarty]

is it worth while at the fort?

 

[becky1960]

Last year when we checked in there was no On-line check-in line, we had to wait in line just like everybody else (about 20 min ). When we got there they couldnt find any of our stuff, CM had to go to another booth to talk to a supervisor and then they found it. Overall, it was about a 30 min checkin. I dont know if they changed that or not.

 

[Teamubr]

I'm interested too. I haven't been to the fort since 2008. They didn't have it then. I have had mixed experiences getting checked in. Last trip was fine. several lanes open. I was the 2nd rig back and it took 15 minutes. 2 years prior to that, all lanes were packed. I was 3 or 4 back and clearly picked the "problem" lane. After 30 minutes and not moving any, I went inside to check in. That was also packed and took 20-25 minutes. When I came out, my line had moved up 1 spot, my DW left the gap so I could get the rig out of line. Whole process took over an hour.

I'm hoping arriving earlier and doing online checkin will avoid the wait.

j

 

[martymarty]

I'm hoping arriving earlier and doing online checkin will avoid the wait.

j

thiss too was my plan

 

[kkwis2]

I'm hoping arriving earlier and doing online checkin will avoid the wait.

j

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but how early can one arrive to check in?

 

[martymarty]

from what I understand, if your site is ready, you can check in. IF not I plan on [parking in the overflow and go looping or to the pool, and just call back every hr and check

 

[suevr]

The first time we camped at the Fort we didn't do the online check-in. When we arrived (a little late on a Friday evening) we had been upgraded from a full hookup to a premium site for the full 10 days! I don't know why and didn't dare ask! My thinking is that had we checked in a couple of days early, maybe that upgrade wouldn't have happened. Now when we go to the Fort we just wait in line to check in. I find that it takes so much longer if we actually walk in to do it too. There always seems to be someone in there who has a problem or 8,000 questions holding the line up!

 

[DisCamper]

If you go inside they have a line just for online check in. You can starting check-in at 6am but you have to go inside I think they open the outside lanes around 10 or 11am

 

[ynottony99]

The first part of April when we checked in we had done on line check in. There was no lane marked for it outside,(as is sometimes the case), nor was there a window for it inside. The line inside was long and slow moving. Every window was full, but a manager came from the back and offered to help, we seized the opportunity and told him we had done online check in. He has us step up between windows. He had to go to the drive up booths to get our packet, but the packet was all ready with our keys and site assigned.

So, I say yes online check in will probably help you get through quicker. But there is no guarantee. One thing we were told is if you are checking into a camp site, use the drive up. If you are in a cabin, go inside. Unless the guard sees a camper, he will send you inside, assuming you are in a cabin.

 

[FloridaTeacher]

Having camped at Fort Wilderness many times, we've checked in both ways. We found on-line check in did make our check in process quicker, however since (obviously) not everyone ahead of us used on-line check in, we did have to wait in line for about 30 minutes.

Happy Camping!

 

[KimIce]

We have checked in both ways, and we did not see any difference in doing the on-line check-in. Normally there is a lane outside for just on-line check-in, but every time we have used it took us longer to get checked in then it did our friends who also did the on-line check in and went to another line to get checked in, and this happened to us several times.

 

[bama_ed]

IMO it doesnt hurt to do early checkin. It can only help.

I checked into the fort 3x in the last 2 months on a friday, saturday, and tuesday. On the 2 weekend days the furthest left checkin lane had a folding sign near it saying it was for those who had done early checkin. Both times the line moved fast and we spent about 3 minutes checking in. on tuesday no sign so I picked a lanee. No problem.

I have parked and gone in before when the lanes were all stacked and racked. So I believe it cant hurt.

Bama ed

 

[retired and happy]

Slightly off topic...Where do you park when you go in to register? We have gone in the regular lines, while i waited, DW went in and was out in a few minutes, before I reached the booth. The CM was somewhat confused, but smiled and waved us through when I told her we were already registered.

 

[BayLake Campers]

Just remember that what ever credit card you used to make your reservation with will be the one that is charged if you do online check in. It kinda messes things up if you had planed on paying with cash when you get there.

 

[bama_ed]

On a room only ressie when you do the online checkin it only asks if the credit card you charged the one night deposit to is the same card to allow charges to via your disney key card.

I always say NO to charges while at the fort. But I still check in and pay cash for the room balance due. I've done it that way the last several times to the fort.

It may be different for a package which I have no clue about but for a room only the balance due is a seperate issue from charging priveleges.

I like coming home from the fort and having NO extra credit card charges.

Bama ed

 

[ynottony99]

On a room only ressie when you do the online checkin it only asks if the credit card you charged the one night deposit to is the same card to allow charges to via your disney key card.

I always say NO to charges while at the fort. But I still check in and pay cash for the room balance due. I've done it that way the last several times to the fort.

It may be different for a package which I have no clue about but for a room only the balance due is a seperate issue from charging priveleges.

I like coming home from the fort and having NO extra credit card charges.

Bama ed

I'm with you on that!

 

[choppee]

so here's another question; what if your campsite isn't ready? can you still check in? i'm asking because we are trying to be able to avoid paying for parking the morning we arrive (wanna hit mk as soon as we get there). if we do online check-in, we'll still have to wait until 11 to get our check-in packet with the pkg pass, kttw, etc????

would rather not hang around until 11 to hit the parks.

 

[bama_ed]

so here's another question; what if your campsite isn't ready? can you still check in? i'm asking because we are trying to be able to avoid paying for parking the morning we arrive (wanna hit mk as soon as we get there). if we do online check-in, we'll still have to wait until 11 to get our check-in packet with the pkg pass, kttw, etc????

would rather not hang around until 11 to hit the parks.

If you are assigned site 1103 (as an example) and you check in before the check out time and 1103 is not ready yet, you can ask at check in to be assigned another site that it ready of the same level.

Of course, if you are headed to the MK anyway, I'd say it doesn't matter because you could park at the Fort lot if your site isn't ready, bus down to the Fort marina, and boat over to the MK. Sounds like you want to drive over to the MK lot (which you can already do for free because you had to get past it to get to the Fort anyway). Then you want to catch the ferry or monorail to the MK.

If you come in on World Drive (the main drag going down to the MK, Poly, GF, CR, and FW) when you get to the toll booth they will wave you through without paying once you tell them you are headed to FW to check in. If you come in from the DTD side you can try the Fort then if not successful, drive in toward the MK lot, circle around the Poly and head out toward the Hess then circle back around for the MK lot.

Whether you park in the Fort lot and bus/boat or drive/mono from the MK lot is 6 one way / half dozen the other.

It will work for you either way.

Bama ED

 

[CCIntrigue]

Just arrived home this afternoon from the fort ... arrived last Friday at about 3:30. Online check-in line was moving as slowly as we were. Didn't see any advantage.

 

[DisCamper]

If you On-line check-in or not you can check-in at 6am on the day of your reservation. If your site is ready you can go straight to your site if it’s not you will be given your KTTW card and parking pass but they will not tell you your site number until your site is opens up. You can park in the over flow parking lot and go to the parks. They will give you a phone number to call to get your site number later that day. All you have to do then is go straight to you site and set up. You don’t have to go back to the front desk anymore after to check –in the first time.