online check in help

[tomjul811]

Is there anyway to check in early with online check in or am I better off checking in at the front desk. Will they attempt to honor my original requests or do i have to reenter them online.

thanks in advance

 

[disneynutz]

You can check in online 10 days prior to your reservation date. When first implemented for the DVC, requests made to MS were not being pass on to the resort staff. I think that the problem has been fixed.

Based upon our experience with online check in, around 7 uses, we don't see the advantage.

Bill

 

[Safari Queen]

We liked on-line check-in. Our whole package, with keys, was ready when we arrived, so the time at the front desk was dramatically reduced. It might not have gotten us a room faster but it did save vacation time.

 

[Liljam]

I was also looking for info on this. I can't even find the Online Check-in area at DVCmember.com and I haven't decided if this is best for us or not. I'd like to do it, and I have a few requests in (we're staying at THV) and I thought about doing OC and also calling the resort but that seems like a hassle. I DID call the resort for our Grandstand area request with the GV because I heard GVs are assigned a little bit early and they came through for us. It was also ready when we arrived around 10:30am. I would be interested to hear what others had to say on it as well. I was in the process of searching for older threads on the topic when I found this one. Sorry to hijack, but it's always a good ongoing question and you guys/gals have the best knowledge!

 

[disneynutz]

Online check in saves you a few minutes because the room folders are prepared the night before your check in.

Online check in saves Disney because there is less chance that you will take up the Cast Members time haggling for a room location.

Weather your requests are met is dependent upon the resort and the Cast Member who does the room assigning, and it seems that some seem to do a better job fulling requests.

When we place a phone call to the resort, the call is answered by a call center, not the resort. Their job is to make you think that they are the resort and not take up the resorts time with phone calls. When I pinned a manager down I was told that "Disney does not want you calling the resort". Even calls placed from your room go to the call centers.

The reason that I point this out is that we have found that calling anyone other than MS hasn't done us much good.

Bill

 

[Liljam]

Thanks for the clarification on calling the resort, Bill! I almost hate to do so anyway. I like the idea of trying the online check in. So, where is this located on the DVCmember website? I can't seem to locate it? I know we have to wait until the 10 day mark which should be Thursday for me. I may just give it a go to see if I like it or not. I'm pretty easy going so I'll be happy with whatever I get, and since requests are just requests, why not try the online once....

Thanks for the help!

 

[Chuck S]

Here are some things I likeabout online check-in:

1) Your credit card info is entered directly into the Disney resort system, no need to present it at the front desk. That kind of adds an extra layer of security in this economy, as the front desk staff can not access the number directly.

2) If you enter a phone number where you can be reached, an automated system will notify you that your room is ready and the number, even before you arrive at the resort. I was at a toll booth on the turnpike when my OnStar rang, it was a computer voice letting my know that my room was waiting for me, and the room number.

3) You do save a little time, as the keys are printed and waiting, you just have to sign the Credit Card slip and get your car pass.

What I don't particularly like about online check-in:

1) Again, the room is pre-assigned, so if I don't like the location, I need to inform the desk when we arrive to be reassigned, if anything is available. When we didn;t do online check-in, we were normally given our choice of several general locations under "room ready" at OKW. This is a give and take, as locations are subjective, and most of the time the pre-asigned room will be fine.

2) With online check-in there, so far, no way to designate which cards have charging privledges. If you are traveling in a mixed group, you need to have the room card re-printed.

Overall, for us, online check-in works well. For others, it may not be the best option.

 

[disneynutz]

At Kidani last month we were assigned a Savanna room with a view of the rear of the pool. When we asked if we could have a different room, were were told no since we used online check in the room was pre-assigned.

At BLT, same trip, we used online check in and no one was manning the online check in line. We stood in the regular que. When we got our turn, our room wasn't assigned. The Cast Member had to go into the back room to get us a room. I asked where the room was and she told me that the room we got was all that was available.

Seems to me that Disney doesn't want to allow us to request a different room and I see online check in helping them to make this happen.

Bill

 

[headgorilla]

Well I did online check in and had a few "issues" The first was when I clicked on "view details" It stated a pirate - waterview ( this is at the Caribbean Beach). Problem was I am staying at BLT MK view. I called DVC right away and she was puzzled as well and spoke wiht her supervisor who advised me that all was OK because I was in the system with BLT MK view and to proceed anyway. So I did and when I came to #6, room request, I could not enter anything. So I called DVC again. Thye told me not to worrry about it because they had it on file for a room on the upper floor. He then told me that everyone requests an upper floor anyway. Basically not to get my hopes up. So here I am 7 days until I get there, hoping against hope that there won't be any problems and that I will get a room on an upper floor. I will post when I return...

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks for the clarification on calling the resort, Bill! I almost hate to do so anyway. I like the idea of trying the online check in. So, where is this located on the DVCmember website? I can't seem to locate it? I know we have to wait until the 10 day mark which should be Thursday for me. I may just give it a go to see if I like it or not. I'm pretty easy going so I'll be happy with whatever I get, and since requests are just requests, why not try the online once....

Thanks for the help!

The online check in link will appear in the "view vacation" section on the website 10 days before your reservation start date.

Bill

 

[Liljam]

The online check in link will appear in the "view vacation" section on the website 10 days before your reservation start date.

Bill

Thanks! I was thinking it might automatically appear at ten days because I have searched EVERY inch of that site to see what the form field options were.

I thought I read somewhere (I think bobbiwoz posted it) that if you put a low age in on the guests that you DON'T want to have charging rights for, then they won't have them on their cards. I think they have to be listed as 1 or something - can anyone confirm this? I was hoping to just have charging on mine and my DH's but if I can't, then it's not a huge ordeal because everyone that will be there is totally responsible and trustworthy.

 

[disneynutz]

Well I did online check in and had a few "issues" The first was when I clicked on "view details" It stated a pirate - waterview ( this is at the Caribbean Beach). Problem was I am staying at BLT MK view. I called DVC right away and she was puzzled as well and spoke wiht her supervisor who advised me that all was OK because I was in the system with BLT MK view and to proceed anyway. So I did and when I came to #6, room request, I could not enter anything. So I called DVC again. Thye told me not to worrry about it because they had it on file for a room on the upper floor. He then told me that everyone requests an upper floor anyway. Basically not to get my hopes up. So here I am 7 days until I get there, hoping against hope that there won't be any problems and that I will get a room on an upper floor. I will post when I return...

Unless things have changed, I was told by DVC that online requests DO NOT pass through to the reservation. They told me to make our request with Member Services.

The Online check-in program is designed for Disney Cash Guests, thus the Pirate View mistake. DVC in an effort to provide us with technology at little cost is using the software but it doesn't fully talk to the DVC reservation system.

Bill

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks! I was thinking it might automatically appear at ten days because I have searched EVERY inch of that site to see what the form field options were.

I thought I read somewhere (I think bobbiwoz posted it) that if you put a low age in on the guests that you DON'T want to have charging rights for, then they won't have them on their cards. I think they have to be listed as 1 or something - can anyone confirm this? I was hoping to just have charging on mine and my DH's but if I can't, then it's not a huge ordeal because everyone that will be there is totally responsible and trustworthy.

Just tell the Cast Member when you pick up your keys. It only takes a couple of minutes to change the code in the computer.

Bill

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

I didn't check in online and wish I did as almost all of the rooms were preassigned. The one they gave me at the front desk was in one of the worst locations. I had a guy at the front desk of the BC would was quite rude( even though i was quite nice).

 

[disneynutz]

I didn't check in online and wish I did as almost all of the rooms were preassigned. The one they gave me at the front desk was in one of the worst locations. I had a guy at the front desk of the BC would was quite rude( even though i was quite nice).

(See post #8 above). There doesn't seem to be a consistent room assignment policy. We have used online check-in since its inception at least 9 times and every time the experience is different.

Sometimes we get our request, sometimes we don't. Sometimes the packet is ready, other times it isn't. Sometimes our room is pre-assigned and other times it isn't. Sometimes the resort is using the online check-in line, other times that aren't.

The only consistent thing that I can see is that there isn't any consistency.

Bill