Online Check In ??

[susanktz]

I read this on Touring Plans:

Check-in time at Pop Century is 3:00 PM, and check-out time is 11:00 AM. Pop Century participates in Disney's Online Check-In program, which allows you to you provide name, address, and credit card information up to 60 days before your arrival. If you've done this, look for an Online Check-In sign near the Registration Desk. You'll be routed to one of the Online Check-in staff and should be on the way to your room in a few minutes.

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Does this mean regardless of the time I show up at the resort (ie: 11:00 am) my room will be ready?

 

[Tink_83]

No it means that you have a reduced time at the desk to check in and get your room.

 

[Moliphino]

No, check in time of 3:00 still applies. It's just a shorter line (or no line at all, sometimes you can skip the front desk entirely with online check-in).

We have gotten into our room before 3 frequently, but it's never guaranteed.

 

[susanktz]

Last time I checked in online, we then went to the park and our magic bands were not activate. So, do we have to actually go to the resort to get them activated and just have the shorter wait time?

 

[bumbershoot]

Last time I checked in online, we then went to the park and our magic bands were not activate. So, do we have to actually go to the resort to get them activated and just have the shorter wait time?

No, that was either how they were doing it at that time (I don’t know when your last trip was) or it was a glitch.

 

[susanktz]

Trip was in 2016. We'll give it a try again. We went to MK that day and ended up at customer service. We did get 2 extra FP each for our "inconvenience".

 

[Disneypro1]

We never do online check in. It prevents the ability to ask for a free upgrade at check in. And honestly. I have never waited long to check in normally anyways. Yes. We go in May so it’s incredibly slow but I prefer to chat it up with the CM at the desk and we usually acquire thay upgrade.

 

[MelanieRI]

I read this on Touring Plans:

Check-in time at Pop Century is 3:00 PM, and check-out time is 11:00 AM. Pop Century participates in Disney's Online Check-In program, which allows you to you provide name, address, and credit card information up to 60 days before your arrival. If you've done this, look for an Online Check-In sign near the Registration Desk. You'll be routed to one of the Online Check-in staff and should be on the way to your room in a few minutes.

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Does this mean regardless of the time I show up at the resort (ie: 11:00 am) my room will be ready?

When you do online check-in, it will give you a place to enter a number or e-mail to notify you. Then, when your room is ready they will send you a text message or e-mail. So, your plane could come in at 0800 and you get a text/e-mail saying your room is ready or you could get there are 2:30 pm and it will say your room isn't quite ready yet. You never know. Sometimes, you won't get a text or e-mail at all despite having signed up online. lol I haven't gone to the front desk to "check in" in years. I usually get on DME bus, give my carry on's to to luggage hold at the hotel, and am off to the parks unless I get the rare message that my room is ready when I arrive. When your room is ready it will also show the room number in the My Disney Experience App. So, if you sign up and don't get the message, you can always check the app to see if it has a room number yet for you. You should be able to go right to your room and use the app to unlock your door (at certain resorts) or use your magic band. There's no reason to stop at the front desk. I've also received many an upgrade over the years even with using online check-in from change in resort views to moving from a studio to a 1 bedroom to getting upgraded to CL.

 

[AngiTN]

We never do online check in. It prevents the ability to ask for a free upgrade at check in. And honestly. I have never waited long to check in normally anyways. Yes. We go in May so it’s incredibly slow but I prefer to chat it up with the CM at the desk and we usually acquire thay upgrade.

No it does not
On line check in prevents nothing
They don't refuse you going to the desk to talk to them just because you did online check in
You are still free to go to the desk and allowed to ask for your free upgrade
Some of us even get them for free with out asking (that tends to be who gets them the most often at Disney, hint hint)
They don't even keep the check in separates

 

[susanktz]

We never do online check in. It prevents the ability to ask for a free upgrade at check in.

Yes, I wondered about this as well.

Speaking of upgrades.... how do you slip this request into the conversation?

 

[cruisin5]

Yes, I wondered about this as well.

Speaking of upgrades.... how do you slip this request into the conversation?

Just ask! "I was wondering if you have any upgrades available"? Worst case is they say "No"

 

[jaiminee krikit]

Yes, I wondered about this as well.

Speaking of upgrades.... how do you slip this request into the conversation?

Doing online check-in does not negatively affect your chances of getting an upgrade. In fact, we've been upgraded multiples times doing online check-in, and never even had to ask (the way it should be done IMHO). I didn't even realize we were upgraded until we got to our room. It wasn't a huge upgrade (typically standard to pool view, we were upgraded to river view once at POFQ, though).

 

[Disneypro1]

Yes, I wondered about this as well.

Speaking of upgrades.... how do you slip this request into the conversation?

I just ask. During the check in. I highly suggest not doing online check in for this reason. It literally almost always works for us. It’s just easier to get the room you want where you want it. Not always, but most of the time. Untill I stop getting the location we want with the upgrades. And NOT paying for the upgrades. I’ll do regular check in.

 

[sachilles]

I've been wondering myself if the online check in does any real benefit other than getting your allocated room earlier.
I feel like I always have to go to the desk to get my pin reset, and typically pick up groceries from bell services. So that advantage is getting room requests in earlier.
For our upcoming stay, we rented DVC points at AKL Jambo in a standard Studio. I don't know that there are any preferences to even ask for, as I think the rooms are confined to 2 floors, and relatively all in the same area, with similar views. We arrive at MCO at 2pm, so likely we'll be at the resort at 3pm or later. Other than saving about 60 seconds at the desk, I'm not sure I see the benefit in this situation. We used it several times before and it's been fine, and I've gone without doing it a few times. Haven't seen any real benefit either way.

 

[Jennasis]

We do online check in and always stop at the desk to check in as we've never gotten a room-ready text.

 

[rdaky]

No it does not
On line check in prevents nothing
They don't refuse you going to the desk to talk to them just because you did online check in
You are still free to go to the desk and allowed to ask for your free upgrade
Some of us even get them for free with out asking (that tends to be who gets them the most often at Disney, hint hint)
They don't even keep the check in separates

Yes to all of this. We have been upgraded (nothing magical but just minor upgrades) and we always do online check in and we never ask for an upgrade. We have also used touring plans fax with success in getting a room that we want. We even did online check in one time and realized we were placed in a horrible location and walked to the counter and gently and nicely asked if we could stay in a different room. No problem at all and they gave us a great location. Everyone can have a different opinion on this, but let's not suggest that online check in will prevent any of this because it's simply not true.

 

[Disneypro1]

No it does not
On line check in prevents nothing
They don't refuse you going to the desk to talk to them just because you did online check in
You are still free to go to the desk and allowed to ask for your free upgrade
Some of us even get them for free with out asking (that tends to be who gets them the most often at Disney, hint hint)
They don't even keep the check in separates

With our success rate. It’s not worth the chance. And with no wait anyways. Why not just do regular check in. If we were going in July. I would probably do online due to the crowds.

 

[Disneypro1]

Yes, I wondered about this as well.

Speaking of upgrades.... how do you slip this request into the conversation?

Just ask! Worse can happen is a no. But for us, that hardly ever happens. I highly suggest avoiding online check in. Others may disagree. But it is what it is. Do what most people don’t do anymore. Be personable and TALK face to face. Whether it be rooms or anything else at Disney.

 

[AngiTN]

With our success rate. It’s not worth the chance. And with no wait anyways. Why not just do regular check in. If we were going in July. I would probably do online due to the crowds.

You are still incorrect to say that online check in removes your chance at getting an upgrade

Rooms are assigned 5 days prior to arrival no matter if you do online check in or not

 

[siren0119]

With our success rate. It’s not worth the chance. And with no wait anyways. Why not just do regular check in. If we were going in July. I would probably do online due to the crowds.

We're going at the very end of August, but will probably do online check in because we are hitting the parks on arrival day - I'd rather just stow our luggage and hop a bus than waste time in line at the desk!