Online or in person check in?

[fieldfam4]

Hi. We will be arriving at Beach Club in 48 days (woo hoo!) for a 5 night visit. Any opinions regarding if we have a better chance of getting our room requests if we check-in online or in person? Are there any other plusses or minuses to checking in one way or another? I know there is a slim chance of this, but is one way more likely to be given a room upgrade? When I made my reservation, the cm suggested that I check-in in person but I didn't ask why at the time.
Thanks!

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I have been doing the online check in since it began and I have always (knock on wood) been very pleased with our room. I have had our requests met every single time.

The main reason that I do it is for a speedy check in. I remember looking over at the regular check in line and thinking how long it's going to take that bus load of people from the airport to check in. There were maybe 5 family's in line with us and it went very quickly.

We are going again this Nov. and I plan to use online check in again.

 

[Missytara]

Hi. We will be arriving at Beach Club in 48 days (woo hoo!) for a 5 night visit. Any opinions regarding if we have a better chance of getting our room requests if we check-in online or in person? Are there any other plusses or minuses to checking in one way or another? I know there is a slim chance of this, but is one way more likely to be given a room upgrade? When I made my reservation, the cm suggested that I check-in in person but I didn't ask why at the time.
Thanks!

CM's have been saying lately that if you do online check-in, it will trump requests you have made because the online system chooses the first room available when you check-in because you have given a time of arrival.

It is best to wait and check-in in person if you have requests.

Free room upgrades have nothing to do with doing online or regular check-in; they have to do with issues with the resort that are beyond your control and also done at the convenience of the resort.

If you ask for one, you will most likely be quoted the price to upgrade to that category and you will have to decide if it is worth it to you. You could also lose any discounts you may have had, and may essentially be paying full rack rate for the room, if the resort decides it is a new reservation. Some will quote you the difference, some will quote you full rack rate. All depends what is available and how busy they are.

A word of advice. Best not to get your hopes up regarding some sort-of upgrade, since ultimately you may be disappointed and it is not a good a way to start your vacation.

 

[darkwing818]

Hi. We will be arriving at Beach Club in 48 days (woo hoo!) for a 5 night visit. Any opinions regarding if we have a better chance of getting our room requests if we check-in online or in person? Are there any other plusses or minuses to checking in one way or another? I know there is a slim chance of this, but is one way more likely to be given a room upgrade? When I made my reservation, the cm suggested that I check-in in person but I didn't ask why at the time.
Thanks!

We agree with PPs regarding online check-in. We just got back from the Beach Club 4 weeks ago. We didn't have any problems, got the room we requested, did online check-in for the BC last year as well, again no issues.

 

[GoofyKidd]

We've been doing on-line check in since it began & our room is always ready. Typically we arrive early, before check-in & yet our room is available. On our last trip in May we got upgraded to the a club level suite in the Contemporary without even asking. Best pixie dust ever!!!!!!

 

[foxfamily8198]

I have never done online check in, is there a place to put in requests online?

 

[nadira36]

We always do online check in - except our last trip. Normally if we make a request, it's been accommodated. BUt last trip checking in once we arrived, we had no requested and were upgraded big time. Not sure if the 2 are related (or if it's the fact that our vacations are normally 8-12 days compared to the 6 last trip) but It certainly was nice to arrive and be informed instead of a standard view, we had arusha view

 

[Missytara]

I have never done online check in, is there a place to put in requests online?

No, requests are to be attached to your reservation.

 

[fieldfam4]

Thanks for all your replies thus far. I really don't expect to, or really care about being upgraded. I am just trying to maximize our chances to get the requests I made in my room reservation (I am requesting a room with 2 beds and a day bed as well as a balcony). So far it seems like most but not all are recommending online check-in. It certainly makes sense that it would be a quicker process once we arrive. I would still like to hear any others' experience with getting their requests met through either method. Thank you all you kind and knowledgeable people!

 

[VADizneeFan]

I can say that I don't normally make room requests but I always do online check-in. There have been several times when our room wasn't ready when we got there (which is fine) but sometimes it has been past the check-in time when it was finally ready.

So I guess you shouldn't expect online check-in to help you get in the room faster.

 

[cinderella521]

We've always done online check-in and have thankfully always gotten al of our requests. We have only not had our room ready once, at beach club, but we do usually arrive by 10am so it's pretty early.

 

[luvmy3]

Thanks for all your replies thus far. I really don't expect to, or really care about being upgraded. I am just trying to maximize our chances to get the requests I made in my room reservation (I am requesting a room with 2 beds and a day bed as well as a balcony). So far it seems like most but not all are recommending online check-in. It certainly makes sense that it would be a quicker process once we arrive. I would still like to hear any others' experience with getting their requests met through either method. Thank you all you kind and knowledgeable people!

I am wondering about online check in as well. We will be at BC in 49 days and I definitely want a daybed instead of a rollaway. Online check in does not have the daybed option so I worry that if I do online check in it will erase my daybed request.