Online Checkin???

[Sphinx610]

Hi! My online checkin is in 4 days!!!! I have always checked in at the hotel, but I may do online this time. How does it work?
When I do "check in online" does it assign you a room right there?
What if you sent in a special request; does it let you know if it can accommodate your request?
Just wondering if I should try something new this time ...lol...
Thanks!

 

[Dug720]

Requests are ALWAYS just requests - they are never confirmed in advance, and they are never guaranteed.

And no, you are not assigned your room then. It's not Hilton's select-a-room system. Your room will be assigned on the day of your arrival just like always.

Online check-in basically just gets everything set up and allows you to put requests in (note that though there is an "edit requests" button, as of now you really can't edit them, so just be aware of that). I believe they will text you your room number when it is ready (didn't happen for me in January...but I don't get the appeal in skipping the desk anyway...it just takes less time when you've already done the preliminary stuff), and if your MagicBand is activated you can avoid all human contact and go to your room.

 

[Sphinx610]

I know its not a select a room! That made me lol... I was just wondering how it did work.
So they are supposed to text you your room #... I see...
Yeah I think I may just go to the desk when we get there. I like the personal greeting from the CM's. They are always so kind and happy for you.
We will be there bf the room is ready so we will have to drop our stuff off at the bell station anyway.
OK TY!

 

[nkereina]

The main purpose of online check-in is to expedite the actual check-in process when you arrive. When you get to the resort, you can proceed to the seperate line designated as online check-in, which is generally shorter. Your interaction with the CM will be quick and easy and they will already have the paperwork and folder together for you. This expedited process is beneficial if you're arriving on a busy day of the week (like a weekend), prime check-in time, and/or on a bus full of DME folks. Otherwise, you may spend some time waiting in the regular line.

Aside from that, nothing different as far as getting or not getting your requests. Still the same crap shoot. But if you may ask for a different room if it doesn't meet your request, you're better off doing regular check-in since nothing is prepared in advance for you.

 

[MADnNOLA]

Aside from that, nothing different as far as getting or not getting your requests. Still the same crap shoot. But if you may ask for a different room if it doesn't meet your request, you're better off doing regular check-in since nothing is prepared in advance for you.

As long as you go to the separate online check-in line, you will be able to have face to face with the CM. If your room assignment is not what you like, you can have them change it if another room is available. I have done this each time of my trips and I always do online check-in.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I LOVE online check-in!! The last two times we went, they texted us our room number and we simply went to our room when we arrived. No lines! If they don't text the room number, you still go to the front desk and work with a CM. Online check-in simply expedites your wait (or completely eliminates it) by getting things done (linking a credit card, choosing a PIN, etc.) before you arrive.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

online check-in has been the thing to do when landing at MCO after midnight...after the long DME ride to the resort, go straight to the room.

 

[nkereina]

As long as you go to the separate online check-in line, you will be able to have face to face with the CM. If your room assignment is not what you like, you can have them change it if another room is available. I have done this each time of my trips and I always do online check-in.

True, but it defeats the purpose of online check-in if you're going to have them change everything they have pre-arranged for you. It also holds up the line for the folks behind you who just want to grab their docs and go, which is the essence of online check-in.

 

[Dug720]

True, but it defeats the purpose of online check-in if you're going to have them change everything they have pre-arranged for you. It also holds up the line for the folks behind you who just want to grab their docs and go, which is the essence of online check-in.

However, sometimes what they decide to pre-arrange has ZERO to do with what you booked. One time they randomly decided to "upgrade" me to a Pirate Room at CBR when I'd only paid for a standard and honestly consider a Pirate Room a downgrade as it holds no appeal and climbinb around those bedframes is NOT my idea of fun. They hadn't texted me a room number, so I didn't know until I got up to the online check-in counter. It took all of two minutes if that for the CM to contact the room assigner and get me switched to a non-Pirate room - really no longer than they take explaining things to everyone anyway. It's not just "grab and go" - that's what the bypass human interaction option is.

That said, if you know in advance you are going to intentionally take up a lot of time, you can still go to the regular line even if you've done online check-in.

 

[nkereina]

However, sometimes what they decide to pre-arrange has ZERO to do with what you booked. One time they randomly decided to "upgrade" me to a Pirate Room at CBR when I'd only paid for a standard and honestly consider a Pirate Room a downgrade as it holds no appeal and climbinb around those bedframes is NOT my idea of fun. They hadn't texted me a room number, so I didn't know until I got up to the online check-in counter. It took all of two minutes if that for the CM to contact the room assigner and get me switched to a non-Pirate room - really no longer than they take explaining things to everyone anyway. It's not just "grab and go" - that's what the bypass human interaction option is.

That said, if you know in advance you are going to intentionally take up a lot of time, you can still go to the regular line even if you've done online check-in.

The scenario you describe is a bit different. What I was referring to is if you're the type of person who has very particular requests that you are going to speak up about if you're not assigned a room that meets it, you really shouldn't be doing online check-in. The first time I did online check-in, I was at POR and had requested a room in Magnolia Bend. I was assigned a room in Alligator Bayou, so I asked to be changed. A supervisor had to come over and search through inventory, call housekeeping, etc etc. Long story short, I stood at the counter for no less than 20 minutes and held up the line. From then on, I have just done regular check-in when I'm staying at a resort where there are certain areas I reallllly want to avoid.

So, it's very possible that it could throw a wrench into the check-in process if you ask for a change when you're in the line meant for minimal wait time. And if you're taking up the same amount of time as it would to have a CM explain everything, why not just go to regular check-in where that wait is to be expected? This is also why the online check-in line has fewer CMs than the regular one. Because it's meant to be a brief interaction.

The direct-to-room program is different as well. In that scenario, you don't even visit the front desk. Online check-in IS grab and go essentially. Everything is pre-printed and ready for you so you literally grab your packet and go. Your credit card is already linked (done during online check-in) and you can decline the map instructions if you already know where you're going. What am I missing?

 

[BillyBuff]

It was hit or miss for us. When we did the online check-in for CSR, we walked to the online check-in line and there was a long line while the regular line had a few people. I guess we went around the time that everyone had a online check-in.

 

[Spliter]

Last two trips we went straight to room and magic bands didn't let us in either time. Nov. we'll be going to front desk prior to going to room just so we don't have to backtrack again. Just lucky I guess. lol

 

[bluezy]

We did the direct-to-room online check-in when we were there in June. I had never done online check-in before because I always liked that face-to-face interaction at check-in. However, since we were staying at AoA again and I already knew we were booked in a LK suite The actual location of our room in those buildings wasn't critical to us so I decided to save us some time and do the direct-to-room check-in. I had requested "upper floor" and "close to transportation" during online check-in. I had indicated we'd arrive at 11:30 a.m. At 10:10 that morning I got a text that our room was ready and indicating the room number. I also got an e-mail about 20 minutes later. Both of our requests were met. We really liked being able to drive straight to the appropriate parking lot and I didn't miss that whole check-in procedure as much as I thought I would. We've been fortunate and have never had to wait in a very long line at check-in so while the direct-to-room didn't save us a ton of time, it did save us the hassle of parking at the main building, unloading the kids, going through the check-in process (while the kids and DH are impatiently waiting nearby), then loading everyone back in the car and moving to the appropriate parking lot. All in all, it probably saved us 20-30 minutes of time. If we were staying at a resort we had never been at before, I probably would not do the direct-to-room check-in -- especially if it was a sprawling resort and it would be a long treck to the front desk if we didn't like our room location or had a problem with our magic bands. I knew that if either of those things happened at AoA, it would just be a short walk to the front desk.

 

[soniam]

We never had to go to the desk at POR in March. We got in early, before 10am. Parked the car and dropped the bags at bell services. We went to DTD in the boat and had lunch. While we were gone, DH got an email with our room number. We chose the email option, because we didn't have texting. We went to our room and the MBs worked fine. We called bell services, and they delivered our luggage. No muss, no fuss.

 

[Disnsyncey]

The main purpose of online check-in is to expedite the actual check-in process when you arrive. When you get to the resort, you can proceed to the seperate line designated as online check-in, which is generally shorter. Your interaction with the CM will be quick and easy and they will already have the paperwork and folder together for you. This expedited process is beneficial if you're arriving on a busy day of the week (like a weekend), prime check-in time, and/or on a bus full of DME folks. Otherwise, you may spend some time waiting in the regular line.

Aside from that, nothing different as far as getting or not getting your requests. Still the same crap shoot. But if you may ask for a different room if it doesn't meet your request, you're better off doing regular check-in since nothing is prepared in advance for you.

My line was shorter when I arrived, it did make the check-in process quicker, but since I was on the first DME bus of the day, I doubt many people even got off on my stop....we got what we requested......I feel like if you are arriving early and have specific requests, and they know when you are arriving, it makes it easier on them, and hence more likely that your room will be available earlier, because they know what type of room you are hoping for.....compared to just showing up whenever and them having to hunt around to find something that may be available for you at the time...

 

[Seabean]

I posted this another thread, but I'll put it here instead, and link to here.

How precise do we have to be with our check in/out times on the MyDisneyExperience website? We're doing a split stay so that means....

1. First hotel check-in : For instance if our flight gets in at 8am and with the DME we might hypothetically arrive at about 9:15am ...is it better to put 9am (which might be before we arrive) or 9:30am which would be slightly after? What do the CM's prefer? Or what works in the favor of the guests?

2. First hotel check out: does check out time essentially mean what time the bellhop is supposed to show up for the bags? Or do we still have to call for bellhop? (the bags will only be going to hotel #2 while we go to the parks)

3. Second hotel check in: I know last year we arrived at the second hotel at about 2pm and we had to wait in the CL for about an hour for our room. Again is it better to put down a time and arrive sooner or later?

4. Second hotel check-out: Our flight is way late at night so our bags will be in storage all day while we're at parks/CL. Again, checkout time = bellhop arrives time?

 

[CJLove79]

I have a question about the Online Check In, I plan on using the Direct To Room Service big time, hopefully me and my girl's room will be available. Anyway, its more about the fingerprint scanning, when you do the Online Check In, will you be instructed to do a fingerprint scan setup for your MagicBands at the Check In Desk or when you use the MB at your first Theme Park?

 

[dansdad]

I have a question about the Online Check In, I plan on using the Direct To Room Service big time, hopefully me and my girl's room will be available. Anyway, its more about the fingerprint scanning, when you do the Online Check In, will you be instructed to do a fingerprint scan setup for your MagicBands at the Check In Desk or when you use the MB at your first Theme Park?

Theme Park.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

I posted this another thread, but I'll put it here instead, and link to here.

How precise do we have to be with our check in/out times on the MyDisneyExperience website? We're doing a split stay so that means....

1. First hotel check-in : For instance if our flight gets in at 8am and with the DME we might hypothetically arrive at about 9:15am ...is it better to put 9am (which might be before we arrive) or 9:30am which would be slightly after? What do the CM's prefer? Or what works in the favor of the guests?

2. First hotel check out: does check out time essentially mean what time the bellhop is supposed to show up for the bags? Or do we still have to call for bellhop? (the bags will only be going to hotel #2 while we go to the parks)

3. Second hotel check in: I know last year we arrived at the second hotel at about 2pm and we had to wait in the CL for about an hour for our room. Again is it better to put down a time and arrive sooner or later?

4. Second hotel check-out: Our flight is way late at night so our bags will be in storage all day while we're at parks/CL. Again, checkout time = bellhop arrives time?

Your check out time is not a request for a bellman you will still have to call and request one. It's just a way for the room assigner to see "oh this person is planning to leave at 7am and I have someone who's saying they will arrive at 9am, I can assign them this room and it should be ready for their arrival "