This thread is making me wonder if the after 4pm problem was as bad as we thought.
When things go wrong, people post about it and people read those posts!
When things go right, we write it in our trip reports, which are read by only the people interested in our particular trips, and almost no one notices that something nice happened.
Last December, checked into OKW 2 bedroom fairly early, got in. Did online checkin, only request was First Floor because of my aunt's knee (ONLY put in request online), and got that request.
A 4 nights' stay later, checked into OKW 1 bedroom, had to wait a couple hours. Did online checkin, NO request (as aunt would not be with us), got first floor, LOL.
After that stay and Universal, checked into Jambo after 6pm after NOT doing online checkin (I will always regret that), got into a room, but it was a room that was unacceptable, long story, next day got into another room well before 4.
This September 13th, checked into OKW 2 bedroom around noon, got in. Did online checkin, only request was for First Floor because of my aunt's knee (ONLY put in request online), and got that request.
A 4 nights' stay later (is there a pattern?) on the 17th, checked into BWV studio with no request around noon, had done online checkin, got into a room right then.
Next day (the 18th) checked into OKW 1 bedroom, had done online checkin with no requests, got mixed up with someone else. My last name can be used as a first name as well, and the CM just looked for the name and pulled that man's file. Finally realized it, pulled OUR file, gave us...the other guy's room because it was ready (so so so sorry, we TRIED to get the CM to not do this!). It was handicap accessible (to which I stated "absolutely NOT") but also had the jacuzzi tub (and then I quizzed him about what the rest of the room was like), and I accepted the room. Dude whose first name is my last name, oh man I hope you did not need that room. I asked the CM several times if you had requested an HA room, and he said no no no, so I do hope that was true!
Anyway, online checkin, mixup at counter, would NOT have gotten into a room at 11:30, but we did anyway. And it was a fine room right next to the quiet pool.
Apart from an inappropriate room and a name mixup, we haven't had any problems with checkin.
And only the one where we did have the problem with the room went anywhere but my trip reports!