Online check in ?

[lomillerin]

I have not used this before.
Is it required?
What are benefits? Disadvantages?

 

[loves to dive]

If you do on line check in and you have your CC info. in your MDE account, it's possible you will get a text before you get there with your room number, thus allowing you to not have to go to the front desk. You can put your room preferences in when you do on line check in, they are not guaranteed. It is not required. I can't think of a single disadvantage, even if you do on line check in you can still go to the front desk when you get there to find out your room location and ask to change it if they have something else available.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

It's not required. The benefits are that you can make your requests and get a text when your room is ready. I don't really see any disadvantages...if you aren't happy with your room, or you want to speak to a cast member, you can still visit the front desk.

 

[lomillerin]

We are staying at GF. I want to request Boca Chica and no ground floor and no dormer. Can I do that online?

 

[annemce118]

I thought it was great to do online check in! I got my first preference choice, and it was so nice to be texted my room number and bypass the front desk! I stayed at Pop Century three weeks ago.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We are staying at GF. I want to request Boca Chica and no ground floor and no dormer. Can I do that online?

You will be able to request two options from a drop down list when you do online check in. If you have more than that you will have to call and have it added to your room request. I know that you can request a dormer room, but there isn't an option for no dormer on the online form.

We are staying at the GF and I had the request for no dormer added to my reservation. I plan to request my building and floor when I do online check in.

 

[JC Butterfly]

I did it at All Star Sports a couple of weeks ago. I received a text at noon that my room was ready (I had requested 4:00 so it was earlier than I needed). I paid for a preferred room which should have put me in the Surf's up building. When I got the text, I was put in the Touchdown section. I called customer service on my way to the resort and they assured me that the room was a preferred. They suggested I go directly to the room and check it out, if I didn't like it then to go to the front desk and change it. So, I did. While I hated the theme, I loved the location! It was minutes to the parking lot/busses/both pools and lobby so I got my two requests "high floor" and "landscape view" and I ended up happier with it then I expected. I was alone with my two boys so I was excited to not have to wait in a line at the front desk and just immediately get on with my vacation.

 

[dansdad]

I did it at All Star Sports a couple of weeks ago. I received a text at noon that my room was ready (I had requested 4:00 so it was earlier than I needed). I paid for a preferred room which should have put me in the Surf's up building. When I got the text, I was put in the Touchdown section. I called customer service on my way to the resort and they assured me that the room was a preferred. They suggested I go directly to the room and check it out, if I didn't like it then to go to the front desk and change it. So, I did. While I hated the theme, I loved the location! It was minutes to the parking lot/busses/both pools and lobby so I got my two requests "high floor" and "landscape view" and I ended up happier with it then I expected. I was alone with my two boys so I was excited to not have to wait in a line at the front desk and just immediately get on with my vacation.

Within the last couple months they have reclassified some of the rooms in Touchdown as Preferred.

 

[JC Butterfly]

Within the last couple months they have reclassified some of the rooms in Touchdown as Preferred.

I didn't mean to imply that I didn't get what I paid for . . simply that I would have requested Surf's Up if i had known that there were other possibilities. After walking the resort though, I realized I valued the location of my room more than the theme of it . . .so it's a case where what I thought I want and what I actually valued (and received) were different. I could have had them switch it if I'd wanted to . . . .

I think if you are particular about your room requests, it might make online check in less desirable. But it also depends on your comfort level with "complaining" if you don't like it versus just checking in the traditional way in the first place.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

No its not required.

To me the biggest benefit is the potential to have your room number texted/emailed to you just prior to arrival and then you can head directly to your room without stopping at the front desk.

I'd say the biggest disadvantages would be that its unlikely you'll be upgraded, if you're not a fan of your room location you'd have to go to the front desk anyways to see if it can be changed, and a credit card is required to be on file.

Personally I enjoy the potential of skipping the front desk so I do online check in every time now.

 

[lomillerin]

Thanks everyone.