What is the purpose of checking in online 30 days?

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Is there any advantage to online checkin more than a couple days ahead?
I can see doing it a day or 2 before arrival, so your packet is ready.
Other than that, is there any advantage?

 

[DebbieB]

Is there any advantage to online checkin more than a couple days ahead?
I can see doing it a day or 2 before arrival, so your packet is ready.
Other than that, is there any advantage?

Actually it's 60 days, not 30. I don't think doing it at 60 days is any advantage. I haven't found any advantage to doing it at all. My room never seems to be ready at the time I enter (always afternoon).

 

[POTCfan]

They are starting to allow you to go straight to your room if you checked in online and have a magic band. We had a split stay last time. Our first resort (BLT), seems like checking in online did nothing. Still seemed to have to go to the front desk and check in like normal. Our second resort (BWV), we got a text around 3:15 PM giving us our room number and we could go straight to the room. Wouldn't have had to go to the front desk at all (except that I wanted a list of the resort activities, so I did). That said, I'm not sure if doing it 60 days before or 2 days before makes any difference.

 

[disneynutz]

The advantage is that it improves the odds that cash reservations won't cancel and it reduces front desk contact time which saves Disney money.

Bill

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Thanks everyone.
POTCfan, your mention of the resort activity list is a good point on direct-to-room. How far ahead did you find out you were chosen for direct-to-room? Did you just find out when you got the text?
disneynutz, your points about cash reservations won't (can't?) cancel and reducing front desk contact time are probably the main factors at play when online check in started.
It seems like they are pushing it more now than they used to.

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks everyone.
POTCfan, your mention of the resort activity list is a good point on direct-to-room. How far ahead did you find out you were chosen for direct-to-room? Did you just find out when you got the text?
disneynutz, your points about cash reservations won't (can't?) cancel and reducing front desk contact time are probably the main factors at play when online check in started.
It seems like they are pushing it more now than they used to.

IMO Disney has really emphasized increasing profit in the last couple of years. Anything to reduce costs, decrease the number of employees including more outsourcing and having resort guests bypass the front desk is a cost saver.

Bill

 

[DISNEYSC]

I don't know if checking in earlier than a couple of days makes much of a difference but since I'm doing FastPasses early anyway, I just do it.

For what it's worth...We recently had a stay at VWL and used the direct to room for the first time. IMO-it was awesome. When we came in the lobby, we skipped the long line completely and got to the room about 15-20 minutes earlier than going to the desk.

The only downside that I saw was since we got the text around 2 pm when we were still 3 hours from Orlando it seemed to make the last leg even longer knowing that we could be in the room if we weren't stuck on I-4!

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

The only downside that I saw was since we got the text around 2 pm when we were still 3 hours from Orlando it seemed to make the last leg even longer knowing that we could be in the room if we weren't stuck on I-4!

Ha Ha. Good story, and so true.

 

[POTCfan]

Thanks everyone.
POTCfan, your mention of the resort activity list is a good point on direct-to-room. How far ahead did you find out you were chosen for direct-to-room? Did you just find out when you got the text?
disneynutz, your points about cash reservations won't (can't?) cancel and reducing front desk contact time are probably the main factors at play when online check in started.
It seems like they are pushing it more now than they used to.

i gave them my cell phone when I did my online check-in. Since they asked on both online check-ins, I just assumed it was standard for everyone now. But like I said, it only actually happened for one of the two reservations. it never happened for BLT (and we arrived around 6:00 on DME). It could be that we arrived slightly before I said I would arrive. For BWV, I did say I would be arriving early (since we were transferring from BLT) and I got an earlier text (around 9:00 am) saying that my room was not ready. Then received the later one at 3:15pm giving us our room number.

 

[DebbieB]

I did online checkin last October. My requests were close to elevator, top floor. When I arrived at BWV around 12:30, I checked it at the front desk and the room was not ready. They confirmed my cellphone # and said they would text me. I asked if she could tell me if my requests were met, she said no, you are going to have a long walk (3 from the end near Jellyrolls). I headed to Epcot to get lunch and use my fastpasses. No text. Around 3:30 I left Epcot and headed back. Went to the front desk around 3:45 and asked if my room was ready. Oh yes, it is. Never did get a text. My luggage still was not delivered when I left for dinner around 5:30. It was there when I returned at 9:00.

 

[AllieV]

If you have a waitlist and you check into your currently booked room, what happens if the waitlist comes through?

 

[Simba's Mom]

They are starting to allow you to go straight to your room if you checked in online and have a magic band. We had a split stay last time. Our first resort (BLT), seems like checking in online did nothing. Still seemed to have to go to the front desk and check in like normal. Our second resort (BWV), we got a text around 3:15 PM giving us our room number and we could go straight to the room. Wouldn't have had to go to the front desk at all (except that I wanted a list of the resort activities, so I did). That said, I'm not sure if doing it 60 days before or 2 days before makes any difference.

I thought they'd leave a list of the resort activities in the room. Those are really important to me, too. If they're not in the room, I'm thinking I'll be going to the front desk also. Last time, I was met at the bus, brought over to the lobby to sit while they got me the check in packet. I was hoping all the info they usually give you at check in would be in a packet in the room. It's not?

 

[DebbieB]

If you have a waitlist and you check into your currently booked room, what happens if the waitlist comes through?

No difference. All online check-in does is pre-register your information, you are not really "checked in" until your arrival date.

 

[bakerworld]

The advantage that I see to early check-in is to make room requests = 50% success rate. We really enjoyed our last stay with the straight to the room feature. It was neat to get off the ME and walk straight to the room. We did get the rooms ready as we landed at MCO and unbelievably all our room requests were met. MB unlocked the door , BS brought up the grocery order. We put the beer in the fridge and left - no incentive to stay in a room with warm beer. BTW, the activity sheet was on the bedside table, which we didn't 'find' til the next day when I was looking for the little pad of paper to right down our FP+ times as the app doesn't work well on my phone.

 

[POTCfan]

I did not find the resort activity list or a resort map in our room. If it was there, it was hidden pretty well. But I'll also add that it wasn't a big deal to get it from the front desk. I told them I already had my room assigned and needed the resort activity sheet. They didn't ask for my name or room number, they just handed it to me.

 

[anna08]

Before the direct to room, we only received those room number texts about 50% of the time. Usually we have asked at the front desk about the room and been told it's ready long before the text comes through. For an example, at VGC we got the text at 6pm, about an hour after the front desk told us our room was available. I'm not holding my breath thinking these texts will come through with any better regularity. Hoping for some good experiences to be posted here.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Is there any advantage to online checkin more than a couple days ahead?
I can see doing it a day or 2 before arrival, so your packet is ready.
Other than that, is there any advantage?

I've been thinking about this since you posted it, and I've concluded that there really isn't any practical reason to do online checkin more than a couple days ahead. The only reason I can think of is for those Disney nuts who have this crazy idea that somehow once they checkin, their trip is really about to happen, their room is all set for them, and they're about to be there. And I'm just enough of a Disney geek that that's me!

 

[bakerworld]

I've been thinking about this since you posted it, and I've concluded that there really isn't any practical reason to do online checkin more than a couple days ahead. The only reason I can think of is for those Disney nuts who have this crazy idea that somehow once they checkin, their trip is really about to happen, their room is all set for them, and they're about to be there. And I'm just enough of a Disney geek that that's me!

Do you call if you don't check in online? How will they know your room preferences?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Yes, I always call and add my room preferences at some point during the months between reserving and going. Currently, we have 3 upcoming hotel reservations-October, November (at HHI, and January). At some point I'll just call and add our room requests.

 

[mort1331]

The only point and not a positive I will add is you will only get a text for straight to room if you have a US number. We are from Canada and gave our cell #s and they told us that they can only send to US #s. Oh well its only a couple more minutes for us to check in at front desk.