Why online check in?

[Disneytwinsmom]

I really that it is a matter of preference. I prefer the online because everytime it has been super quick and I have always gotten all my requests.

 

[Mazz519]

Doing it for the first time this upcoming trip in July, we will see, When I made the ressie through DVC I made all my room requests then Pool view High Floor, we will see....

 

[Jennygt]

The dis pod cast team just did a 7 resorts in 7 days. They had quite a bit of problems with online check in. I think at 5 of the seven . Some computer issues with the new" my magic" system. They suggest skipping online for now. I have not had a. Issue with it in the past, but I did get some bad rooms and I had to stand there anyway. Either way I think you will be ok.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I've only had problems with OLCI. I"ve arrived to find that my package was not ready....I've arrived and found that they assigned me the complete and total opposite to what I requested, which is always very generic ie: just a building or non poolside. In my experiences with OLCI it has taken far longer than if I had used the regular checkin.

I find that OLCI usually only has one CM working it so the line can get backed up if a DME bus has just arrived. The regular checkin always has 4-6 CM's and it goes just as fast.

I seriously doubt that I will ever use OLCI again.

 

[ChiDisneyFan]

I was going to try Online Check-in for the first time but after seeing all the issues that Pete was having in his 7 in 7 series I decided to check in the old fashioned way, do not want to start my vacation with problems and Pete stated it happened at every resort, seems the system is not ready for this at this time.

 

[maxiesmom]

I've only had problems with OLCI. I"ve arrived to find that my package was not ready

You mean I'm not the only one that that has happened to???

Yep, on line check in is NOT for me either! I've ended up downgraded, or with rooms as far away from the main buildings as geographically possible.

On the other hand when I've done old fashioned check in I have gotten my requests met, and even been upgraded one time. I'm sticking with the old fashioned way.

 

[dancin Disney style]

You mean I'm not the only one that that has happened to???

Yep, on line check in is NOT for me either! I've ended up downgraded, or with rooms as far away from the main buildings as geographically possible.

On the other hand when I've done old fashioned check in I have gotten my requests met, and even been upgraded one time. I'm sticking with the old fashioned way.

We must have had the same CM's. I've had the same experiences. Once I requested to be as close as possible to Melody Hall due to a knee injury and they put me in the very furthest point in Country Fair. I had booked and paid for a preferred room. They did move my room but it was a huge deal to make it happen.


Any time (so far) that I've used the other check in I've received my requests without asking.

 

[McKelly]

I have used OLCI twice and it was not any faster than regular check-in. People in front of us were at the desk for a lllooonnnggg time.

 

[shell8558]

I have used online check in every year since it has started and never had any problems . ( guess I'm the exception ) One year at POR - I asked if I could get a room in the mansions and the cm checked to see if one was available and there was - took about 2 minutes to switch rooms for me. This year I picked up my packet from cm at sports resort and when I got to my room , realized I had been upgraded to surfs up section. I have also checked in at 7 am at POR on a separate trip and my room was already available and I was able to unload my car .

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

We did online check in for our last trip and it was great. We were on our way to our room in less than 5 minutes. We didn't have any requests though. Now I am trying to decide if I want to do it for our upcoming trip. We have a room only reservation for the first night and then we start our free dining package the next night for 9 nights. We are staying at POR and we know we will have to check out and back in no matter what but we really want to be able to stay in the same room. How do you think doing online check in would help or hurt this? The only real request other than staying in the same room for both reservations is we would like to be in the AB section.

 

[momofboyz3]

I had success w/ online. I was unsure what to do. But, 2 days before our vacation I said.... What the heck let me try this online check in thing. Well I was at PoR at 11am. A cast member came to me with a tablet and asked me and others (I was the only one) if we did online checkin. She took me out of line and brought me to the chairs. Soon after she told me our room was ready!!!! I also had been upgraded to a RR.

 

[bluejasmine]

Have had 3 successes with OLCI but I'm going to try it without as I'm planning on trying to upgrade when I check in.. Paying for it of course but I won't be able to come up with the funds for upgrade until right before we arrive..

ASMU/POR Dec 16-22, 2012 & BWI Sept 8-15, 2013

 

[Jennygt]

Have had 3 successes with OLCI but I'm going to try it without as I'm planning on trying to upgrade when I check in.. Paying for it of course but I won't be able to come up with the funds for upgrade until right before we arrive..

ASMU/POR Dec 16-22, 2012 & BWI Sept 8-15, 2013

I think I might try to upgrade at check in also, if I can save up the $$ and my upgrade is available.

 

[teentoddlermom]

I've avoided ONCI because I really want to talk to the CM checking me in because I thought it would start the magic off right! However, since my trip in 2/2011, I've been 4 times, and have received a tired and basically unfriendly greeting. I wonder if Disney is telling CMs to ramp down the regular check in process, in order to steer us over to taking care of it ourselves
Hoping to get my only request of a first floor room.

 

[dansdad]

I've avoided ONCI because I really want to talk to the CM checking me in because I thought it would start the magic off right! However, since my trip in 2/2011, I've been 4 times, and have received a tired and basically unfriendly greeting. I wonder if Disney is telling CMs to ramp down the regular check in process, in order to steer us over to taking care of it ourselves
Hoping to get my only request of a first floor room.

We have done online check in our last 4 trips and always chat up the CM. Other than our documents already being printed, I have found zero difference in the total experience. So I highly doubt that Disney is telling the CMs to ramp down the regular check in. And contrary to popular belief, if you are not happy with your room assignment you can still ask if there's something else available.

 

[dancin Disney style]

We have done online check in our last 4 trips and always chat up the CM. Other than our documents already being printed, I have found zero difference in the total experience. So I highly doubt that Disney is telling the CMs to ramp down the regular check in. And contrary to popular belief, if you are not happy with your room assignment you can still ask if there's something else available.

Yes you can have your room assignment changed but it's not a simple process at the OLCI counter. They have to get a manager to check the availability and then the manager has to come out front and change all the paperwork. I've had to go through this process and it took about 15 minutes. Had I gone to the regular check in line I would have been in my room already.

The time they didn't have my package ready at the OLCI counter it took about 20 minutes. It seems that the CM's at this counter can't do anything other than hand out the packages. In both experiences they required someone else to take over.

 

[dansdad]

Yes you can have your room assignment changed but it's not a simple process at the OLCI counter. They have to get a manager to check the availability and then the manager has to come out front and change all the paperwork. I've had to go through this process and it took about 15 minutes. Had I gone to the regular check in line I would have been in my room already.

The time they didn't have my package ready at the OLCI counter it took about 20 minutes. It seems that the CM's at this counter can't do anything other than hand out the packages. In both experiences they required someone else to take over.

Wow. I don't think that's normal. We asked for another room at the OLCI desk at CBR and the CM was able to give us a choice of 3 different rooms and cut us new KTTWs in 5 minutes. I asked if it was possible at first being we did online check in, and she said no problem. She said whether you check in online or not, you are assigned a room a day or 2 prior to your arrival so she would have to do the same process as if we were in the normal check in line.

We've also been at the OLCI desk right next to a family that asked for another room and the CM was able to switch it for them within a couple minutes too.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

We had no issues switching rooms at POR after doing online check in. Just a few minutes & everything was taken care of.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

After a check-in nightmare at SSR in 2011, I decided to do online checkin this time, and it was flawless.

I requested early arrival at 1:30 pm, and a room as close to the SSR Carriage House as possible. Both were accommodated - we arrived just a bit late, but our room was ready and perfect in the Springs, literally next door to the Carriage House. I can't state with certainty these things lined up solely because we opted for online check-in, but my trick knee tells me it sure didn't hurt any. At a minimum, it seems it would get me at least a chance for higher-up placement in the "rack and stack" process that must be undertaken at some level to organize and assign rooms.

About the only hiccup was that our info packet wasn't ready when we got there - the CM told me it was assigned to someone who, for whatever reason, started it, but didn't finish it. She whipped up the keycards and the folder in just a couple of minutes, apologized for the delay, and we were on our way. Staggering departure from the four hour disaster marathon that was our check-in experience in 2011. All happy faces this time around!

So, FWIW, here's a vote very much in favor of OLCI.

 

[maxiesmom]

We have done online check in our last 4 trips and always chat up the CM. Other than our documents already being printed, I have found zero difference in the total experience. So I highly doubt that Disney is telling the CMs to ramp down the regular check in. And contrary to popular belief, if you are not happy with your room assignment you can still ask if there's something else available.

You can still ask for a room change, but for the people behind you in line you have made their wait that much longer. On line check in is for those who want to grab their packet and go. I'm not sure why you would use it if you have a request or need that you must have met.