Online Check in vs. Front Desk Check in....

[Mr Organizer]

Heading back to WDW this fall. BUT, the $64,000 question is in regard to check in at the resorts. What does everyone think is the best way to check in ? Is it better to use the convenience and speed of online check in? Or, do you have a chance of getting a better room location and/or some Disney Magic by checking in at the desk with a cast member ? I've done both, but would like to hear your experiences.

 

[erionm]

Rooms are pre-assigned several days prior to your arrival. I prefer direct to room and I'm not picky about where my room is located.

 

[merdie]

I don’t think it makes one bit of difference really.

 

[Heather07438]

We’ve used online checkin for as long as I can remember. The bonus is sometimes getting a room ready notification before noon. Last trip we had split stay and received notifications at 10am and 8am at Poly and Beach Club respectively. It was especially nice to already have our room at BC ready before we even left Poly.

This doesn’t always happen. Sometimes they have been late past checkin time where we needed to go to the desk anyway. You’re always free to go to the desk at any time regardless if you used online checkin or not.

 

[loves to dive]

I always do on-line check in, but like others, I'm not picky about room location. If I don't get my room ready text by the time I get there, I go ahead and go to the front desk just to let them know I'm there. I always put early check in over room location since I usually get there between 1 and 2.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

I am in the online check-in group but I have a question for those that continue to use the desk check-in. Have you had success requesting a room closer to your preference at the desk. I know the online check-in does not care about your requests but maybe a CM was able to get you closer to where you wanted in the resort? I only ask because I would prefer a room (staying at Pop) on the top floor closer to the elevator and I doubt the online check-in system cares what I want.

 

[quoo]

Am I weird for enjoying the experience of checking in at a hotel? I really should skip it as it's more convenient...

 

[CarolynFH]

I am in the online check-in group but I have a question for those that continue to use the desk check-in. Have you had success requesting a room closer to your preference at the desk. I know the online check-in does not care about your requests but maybe a CM was able to get you closer to where you wanted in the resort? I only ask because I would prefer a room (staying at Pop) on the top floor closer to the elevator and I doubt the online check-in system cares what I want.

We usually send in our room location requests when we book or shortly after (as soon as we know what we want ). If it’s a DVC reservation we email or chat with MS; if a cash reservation, we contact the reservations folks to have the request added to our reservation. Then we leave the request section blank at online checkin.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

We usually send in our room location requests when we book or shortly after (as soon as we know what we want ). If it’s a DVC reservation we email or chat with MS; if a cash reservation, we contact the reservations folks to have the request added to our reservation. Then we leave the request section blank at online checkin.

I have put the room requests in at booking as well and it has always been soundly ignored. LOL I have had success way back in the past at the desk but I have been using online check-in since its start and it has always given us rooms as far from what I requested as possible. My best success was back in the days when you could fax in the request within 5- 10 days of arrival.

 

[Heather07438]

We’ve had good luck w/ requests and using online checkin. I think they do their best to match with what’s available day of arrival. We usually don’t prioritize early checkin. Could always hit front desk to discuss if anything’s available that better suits us than the assigned room, but we’ve never needed.

We rent a car so use that in our favor, trying to pick rooms away from common requests like near food/lobby. Then use both WDW and Touring Plans room request systems making sure not to have any conflicting info and give 3 room number examples. We try to keep notes simple like: top floor near river, Building _____ near parking, or 1st FL preferred for ECV. This way between the room numbers and notes they get an idea of what’s important to us.

From our most recent requests:
BC DVC studio requested Room 431 - got it (humongous balcony)
Poly DVC requested room 3928 - got it (Awesome - balcony had castle view right & front view pool, very close to elevator)
^ these were Jan ‘21 during less demand so may have been easier to accommodate us
OKW 1br cash - requested 1st floor Bldg 30 or higher - got it
PO Riverside requested room 8916- got it (better view than the more expensive ‘River View’ next door )
AoA twice - got room next to room requested
PO Riverside Royal Room - got top floor request in different building
Pop/Allstars - sometimes we add 1 night pre-trip. Request ground floor near parking and they have accommodated.
AKL - asked for 5th FL, got 4th right below room we requested. Close enough!

 

[vcb]

We did on-line in Dec. and our room notification came in at 11 as we were walking into the lobby.

I do a room request when we make our final payment, with a cast member. I leave the room request blank when I do the on-line check-in. I got exactly what I asked for in Dec.

 

[Cheburashka]

Heading back to WDW this fall. BUT, the $64,000 question is in regard to check in at the resorts. What does everyone think is the best way to check in ? Is it better to use the convenience and speed of online check in? Or, do you have a chance of getting a better room location and/or some Disney Magic by checking in at the desk with a cast member ? I've done both, but would like to hear your experiences.

I prefer in-person check-in if it's my first time at a resort, as they'll usually give you a little info about staying there that you wouldn't know otherwise. I stayed at Kidani the first time a few months ago, and learned at check-in that you can order Sanaa to take out to your room, for example. If I'm already very familiar with the resort, I tend to prefer online check-in because it's a bit faster.

Your room is pre-chosen before check-in. If you aren't happy with the room location, regardless of what kind of check-in you used, you can go to or call the front desk and ask for a change. They'll accommodate you if they can. I've requested and received room changes at WDW several times.

 

[Miffy]

I've done online check-in only once and it didn't work out. Ended up having to go to the front desk twice in order to straighten things out--like the fact that we were booked at that resort and not another one!

I don't know if a person has a better chance of getting the room/location/etc. they want if they check in at the front desk, but when we checked in at the GF front desk a couple of weeks ago--a complicated situation with payment had to be addressed in person--the CM said our room wasn't ready. I guess that, after hearing this, my sister and I looked both disappointed and exhausted, which we were, and the CM took pity on us, made a phone call, and gave us a room that was immediately ready.

I want to make it clear that we didn't ask for anything and we certainly didn't ask for an upgrade and in fact had zero idea that we'd gotten a room that was in fact an upgrade. But we did.

I think it all depends on the CM at the front desk and how close to capacity the resort is. And a lot of other factors. So my answer to the question about checking in in person and getting one's room request honored is that yeah, it could possibly help.

 

[MrKnight]

It really depends on your personal preference and the scenario, as a general rule of thumb I would strongly recommend in-person check-in at the Front Desk if any of the following scenarios apply to you:

• Its your first time at the resort
• You have a special room request (location, view, accessibility, etc.)
• Need assistance with billing, changing method of payment, etc.
• Have multiple rooms/reservations/families/etc.
• Need assistance with linking park tickets to your MB/Room Key/etc.
• You have any lingering questions or need information about the resort/amenities/transportation, etc.

In addition, IMHO, I always prefer to check-in in-person at the Front Desk with a CM, I feel it is a part of the arrival experience to WDW and I also always enjoy chatting with friendly CMs

 

[MomOTwins]

I think it depends when you are checking in. If you are arriving early in the morning, in-person may be better as they will have more options as they won’t have sent out many room assignments yet. If arriving i. The afternoon or evening, online is better because that way you can get a text with your room # before you arrive, look it up, and if you aren’t happy call the desk and see if they have a better room before you get there.

 

[HashberryOTG]

We love online checkin. Our last 2 stays it's like they're tracking us. Our room noticed popped up RIGHT as we got near our resort. Twice. I'm sure it's actually coincidence, but crazy nonetheless!

We usually call in the week before and make our requests. We've also only gotten these requests while using mobile checkin. However, the last few of these stays were during reduced capacities, so I don't credit mobile checkin for that. Just fewer reservations with which to compete. Was really exciting to finally get a request regardless!

 

[Heather07438]

This explanation was given by a travel agent as to why guests might want to stop at desk to make sure they’re request is granted when possible instead of overlooked by mistake even when something was possible:

“Disney’s Reservation System has a special notes section to leave any special requests. This section gets transferred to the Room Assignments at the Disney Resort. When the guest does Online Check-in, they can add those requests again by checking the boxes. Those checked boxes go to that same notes section of the reservation.

The reason we remind the guest to mention it at check in, is because all these are “requests” and not guaranteed…and sometimes get lost in the process….

We call Room Assignments about 3 days prior to arrival to remind the resort of the guest requests. Then we call again on the arrival day and talk with the Front Desk about the requests for our guests. However, rooms still get moved around and sometimes the Front Desk moves the rooms without looking at the requests in the reservation.

If our guest requests a specific room location, floor, or view; we ask them to re-confirm with the Front Desk (at check in) to make sure that request is granted if at all possible. It is just to make sure the guest does not get to the room and find out Disney did not give them the request, but could have!

Many of our guests do not know all of the extra steps we go through with every reservation to make sure our guests have the best chance possible to get their requests. We add the notes, call Room Assignments 3 days prior, and then the Front Desk on arrival day, all to make sure Disney has our guest requests; and then we want our guests to ask again at check-in too.”

Looks like travel agents see calling 3 days ahead is a good time frame to catch Room Assignments while they’re in the process of assigning upcoming arrival dates. Touring Plans sends the fax 5 days ahead.

Much has already been decided by the time we arrive. I think if you want to visit the desk to discuss options, it’s best doing that earlier in the day. If you’re not arriving until checkin time or later there’s going to be less options left for the CM to choose from.

 

[kanerf]

Depends on how long you want to wait around in the check-in area. With on-line check-in you are free to do whatever you want until you get the text that your room is ready. I always do on-line check-in.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

I think I will continue to use online check-in since this next trip will be our first with boarding groups for RotR. We will land sometime around 10am and if I use online check-in then I can check into the resort when we land at MCO before we go get our car. Then we can head straight to DHS to get in the gate before 12pm so I can VQ for the RotR ride. Then We can go to the resort after riding a few things.

 

[Robbydj13]

Rooms are pre-assigned several days prior to your arrival. I prefer direct to room and I'm not picky about where my room is located.

I agree with this. I am not picky and love the ease of online check-in. Unless you really care about your room or really think youre gonna get an amazing upgrade, then online is so much quicker. Most resorts I will check in online, maybe request something in advance and then let things play out. But its just me and my better half, so less people to keep though.