Online Check-in Advice

[cd&kids]

My wife and I land in Orlando next Saturday at 9:15 and were all set to take Magical Express to Boardwalk Villas where we're staying. Just got an email that if we do online check-in, we can go straight to parks from the airport. (We have the luggage tags so our bags will go right to room later in the day from what we've been told.) Getting a jump-start at the parks sounds good to us. Any downside to this? Would love to hear all advice. Thanks as always!

 

[KrazeeK120]

Well, you won't be able to go straight to the parks from the airport if you're taking Magical Express. DME only drops off at resorts. You could get off the DME bus and directly onto a park bus, if you want.

I've done online check-in and bypassed the front desk (we drove from the airport). It worked out fine. I got a text earlier in the day with my room number.

However, I've heard accounts of the texting feature not working for some people. If you haven't gotten a text with your room number by the time you get to the resort, it wouldn't be a bad idea to stop at the front desk and check things out, since you'll be there anyway.

I'm also assuming you won't have any carry-on luggage or personal items? Because if you do, you'll need to put those things someplace (either in your room or with bell services).

 

[AuroraRose22]

I would also mention that there have been a couple occasions when we arrived, and checked in at the front desk (not online checkin) and then went to our room, our magic bands didn't work to open the door. We had to go back down to the front desk and get it fixed. Which may not be a common occurrence, but on the off chance it does happen, it may be a bigger inconvenience to be unable to get in after you've been out in a park until late and just want to get into your room, as opposed to just dealing with it immediately.

 

[loves to dive]

There are no disadvantages to it. You may not get the text your room is ready but you certainly can drop your luggage and carryons off with BS and head to the park. I always stop at the front desk first but I drive down and I don't keep a credit card # in MDE which they need at check in so I have to stop by the front desk anyway. Rarely is my room ready, I just leave my bags either with BS or in my car and head to a park. Doesn't take any more than 1/2 to stop by the front desk, sometimes not more than 10 min.