Skip the front desk check in ?'s

[dansdad]

I did online checkin and have not received any message or email. Will I hear something before we leave?

If you are eligible for Bypass the Front Desk or Streamlined Check In, then yes you should. If you aren't, or don't hear anything, you will go to the Online Check In Desk.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

The bands don't track your every move. You must be checked in ahead of time to use the bypass the desk feature. If you didn't do online check-in you must check in at the resort. If you did online check-in but didn't get a text or e-mail about your room, then you need to stop by the resort. If you want to, you can still stop by the resort.

 

[splashmt]

I don't get it - How is streamlined" any different than what you always used to do with Online checkin?? I'm streamlined, according to them, and I want to be able to just get text for room directly, NOT have to go to streamlined desk. I am telling them that I arrive to the GF at around noon. Is this why they are making it streamlined, and not just telling me that they will text me the number when they have the room ready? thanks

 

[dansdad]

I don't get it - How is streamlined" any different than what you always used to do with Online checkin?? I'm streamlined, according to them, and I want to be able to just get text for room directly, NOT have to go to streamlined desk. I am telling them that I arrive to the GF at around noon. Is this why they are making it streamlined, and not just telling me that they will text me the number when they have the room ready? thanks

Nobody knows how they choose who does what. Our last trip we were traveling with family at the same resort, arriving at the same time, both did online check in at the same time, etc and we got to bypass the front desk and they had to stop by the Streamlined Check In kiosk.

 

[Accident]

I did online checkin and have not received any message or email. Will I hear something before we leave?

I didn't get any email but on the screen it told me I was doing the streamlined check in.

 

[sbeets]

If we're on MDE, can we get dropped off somewhere other than our resort? Can we just go to a park instead? My check in isn't until 4 pm at Kidani and my flight arrives at 1. Why bother taking the extra time to travel to Kidani?

 

[dansdad]

If we're on MDE, can we get dropped off somewhere other than our resort? Can we just go to a park instead? My check in isn't until 4 pm at Kidani and my flight arrives at 1. Why bother taking the extra time to travel to Kidani?

Magical Express will only drop you off at your resort. It doesn't go to any parks.

 

[Accident]

I don't get it - How is streamlined" any different than what you always used to do with Online checkin??

It's a faster process and different line, they just confirm the reservation (I assume any changes from first booking triggers streamlined), you show your id, tell them if you have a car, they ask if you have questions and give you the room number, a map for where it is and send you off. I'm not sure streamlined works if you have an outstanding balance but it is labeled online checkin when you get there. I've done the non-streamlined and they go into many more details and your generally in a slower moving line just to talk to someone while others have a lot more confusion happening in front of you.

We also happen to make sure the card is on for room charges and reset our pin numbers because I can't remember what I last used

 

[dolfingrl]

If you do online check in at the Poly and do not have to go to the front desk do you still get the leis? If so how?

 

[dansdad]

If you do online check in at the Poly and do not have to go to the front desk do you still get the leis? If so how?

You'll have to swing by the lobby at some point to get them.

 

[castle4us]

Our flight won't land until 10 PM, so our room would be ready. If I would happen to get the "Bypass the Front Desk" option and get the room number ahead of time and don't like the room I was given, would I still be able to check at the front desk to see if there are other room options? (Before online check in, we would often get a room very far away from transportation and when we asked for something closer they would always have it.)

 

[MrPTato]

My magic band was dead when I got to the park. Wife had used her card to get in the room to drop off our carry on and then I was stuck at the park entrance. CM said first time they had seen a dead battery and not even used yet. I find this odd. Ended up getting a new band back at the resort.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

I've always done onlne check in & have never gotten streamlined check in or bypassed the check in. And I've done about 10 stays since this started.

 

[Donald Duck888]

I was just on my MDE account and was going to try to link a CC to the account as I think I read on here that you need to have one linked in order to do "straight to room" check in. It would allow me to link one for making online reservations, like for dining etc. but the one for linking to my pin for the resort said contact your resort? It let me reset my pin but even after that the resort CC link was still not available. Does that one come active later or do i need to do online check in first? I was hoping to get straight to room but don't know if i will be able to if i cant link a CC before arrival?

 

[mwmom]

Our flight won't land until 10 PM, so our room would be ready. If I would happen to get the "Bypass the Front Desk" option and get the room number ahead of time and don't like the room I was given, would I still be able to check at the front desk to see if there are other room options? (Before online check in, we would often get a room very far away from transportation and when we asked for something closer they would always have it.)

I have the same question. Anyone know the answer?

 

[fterie4u]

I was just on my MDE account and was going to try to link a CC to the account as I think I read on here that you need to have one linked in order to do "straight to room" check in. It would allow me to link one for making online reservations, like for dining etc. but the one for linking to my pin for the resort said contact your resort? It let me reset my pin but even after that the resort CC link was still not available. Does that one come active later or do i need to do online check in first? I was hoping to get straight to room but don't know if i will be able to if i cant link a CC before arrival?

I was wondering the same thing! Does anyone know if you need to do this before being eligible for straight to room?

 

[DLBDS]

I did online check-in. The resort texted/emailed me with my room number when my room was ready at 7:39 am. (I said I would be arriving at 9:00 am) We stayed the night before at AoA and got up and hustled over there right away. AoA worked the same way. I think said I would be arriving at AoA around 7:00 pm. The text came in at 1:48 pm.

You get your parking pass at the guard shack when you drive up.

We never went to the front desk for anything...not even the 'welcome folder'. Never had a single MB issue. With that said, we did not use them to pay for stuff. I took Disney gift cards for that.

I was blown away with how simple and efficient it was! It really did feel like we were 'home'.

 

[Dug720]

Wait, so now you don't get a choice and they tell you how you're checking in? I LIKE talking to a CM when I get there (not to make any changes to my room...I just believe in human contact as part of the magic) and think the idea of completely bypassing the front desk is awful (eventually there go more jobs for live people - sad). I will NOT be happy if I get selected for that so-called privilege and don't have the in-person contact option.

 

[cincystamper]

Wait, so now you don't get a choice and they tell you how you're checking in? I LIKE talking to a CM when I get there (not to make any changes to my room...I just believe in human contact as part of the magic) and think the idea of completely bypassing the front desk is awful (eventually there go more jobs for live people - sad). I will NOT be happy if I get selected for that so-called privilege and don't have the in-person contact option.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you can still choose to check-in like usual. The other options are just another choice. If you're told you're eligible for one of the 'skip the front desk' options, you can still CHOOSE to check-in at the front desk. At least, that's how I understand it....

 

[dansdad]

Our flight won't land until 10 PM, so our room would be ready. If I would happen to get the "Bypass the Front Desk" option and get the room number ahead of time and don't like the room I was given, would I still be able to check at the front desk to see if there are other room options? (Before online check in, we would often get a room very far away from transportation and when we asked for something closer they would always have it.)

I have the same question. Anyone know the answer?

Yes, you can definitely go to the front desk to inquire about getting a different room/location.

I was just on my MDE account and was going to try to link a CC to the account as I think I read on here that you need to have one linked in order to do "straight to room" check in. It would allow me to link one for making online reservations, like for dining etc. but the one for linking to my pin for the resort said contact your resort? It let me reset my pin but even after that the resort CC link was still not available. Does that one come active later or do i need to do online check in first? I was hoping to get straight to room but don't know if i will be able to if i cant link a CC before arrival?

I was wondering the same thing! Does anyone know if you need to do this before being eligible for straight to room?

Yes you do. The following all have to be completed before you are eligible to possibly Bypass the Front Desk:

Complete Online Check In
Provide a Credit Card during Online Check In process
Set a PIN during Online Check In process
Be paid in full
Provide a US Cellular Phone Number or an email address
Provide an estimated Time of Arrival

Wait, so now you don't get a choice and they tell you how you're checking in? I LIKE talking to a CM when I get there (not to make any changes to my room...I just believe in human contact as part of the magic) and think the idea of completely bypassing the front desk is awful (eventually there go more jobs for live people - sad). I will NOT be happy if I get selected for that so-called privilege and don't have the in-person contact option.

You will ALWAYS be able to check in the old fashioned way.