Worth checking in months in advance??

[TheDailyMoo]

I have a split stay coming up in July and both hotels are available for check in now. Is there ANY advantage to checking in this early? Does that affect any magical upgrade opportunities? Do people check in on the app months in advance?

 

[dansdad]

I have a split stay coming up in July and both hotels are available for check in now. Is there ANY advantage to checking in this early?

Only advantage is it's one more thing to check off your to do list.

Does that affect any magical upgrade opportunities?

Not at all.

Do people check in on the app months in advance?

Yes.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

Only advantage is it's one more thing to check off your to do list.



Not at all.


Yes.

Have you or anyone that checks in early found that your room is ready earlier than the stated time or does it not make any noticeable difference.

 

[dansdad]

Have you or anyone that checks in early found that your room is ready earlier than the stated time or does it not make any noticeable difference.

It makes no difference.

 

[Marthasor]

I do not recommend online check-in at all. I learned the hard way, if something happens on the day of your trip and you are not able to travel, they will "soft" check you in and unraveling that will take hours on the phone with guest services. There is zero advantage to online check-in. If you really want to do it, I would wait until you are on the ground in Orlando heading to the resort. Or, just check in when you get to the hotel.

 

[SkyGuy]

I do not recommend online check-in at all. I learned the hard way, if something happens on the day of your trip and you are not able to travel, they will "soft" check you in and unraveling that will take hours on the phone with guest services. There is zero advantage to online check-in. If you really want to do it, I would wait until you are on the ground in Orlando heading to the resort. Or, just check in when you get to the hotel.

I only have one experience with this in Feb ‘23, but I had to cancel a trip on my travel day due to a really nasty case of the stomach flu, and my reservation had already been transferred to the hotel (Port Orleans: French Quarter) because I had done online check-in. I was transferred to a specialist who had to call the hotel to pull my reservation. I was completely refunded (room only - I’m AP), and this all took no longer than 15 minutes. It took way longer for me to call and cancel my dining reservation for HBD for lunch that day that I couldn’t cancel on MDE.

 

[Marthasor]

I only have one experience with this in Feb ‘23, but I had to cancel a trip on my travel day due to a really nasty case of the stomach flu, and my reservation had already been transferred to the hotel (Port Orleans: French Quarter) because I had done online check-in. I was transferred to a specialist who had to call the hotel to pull my reservation. I was completely refunded (room only - I’m AP), and this all took no longer than 15 minutes. It took way longer for me to call and cancel my dining reservation for HBD for lunch that day that I couldn’t cancel on MDE.

I had a very similar circumstance and had to go through the same process - it took me hours on hold with WDTC to unravel my reservation. It is all going to depend on the phone activity at WDTC on any given day. This was not a fun way to spend my day while I was battling an illness. After this experience, I have found it is just much easier to go to the hotel and check-in in person.

 

[Gabby01]

I wondered this, too, so on my last trip I checked in as soon as I could on the app, months in advance. It was the one time my room wasn’t ready by the time I reached the resort (usually I would check in on my way to the resort on arrival day). So, there goes that theory! I did get a room with a cool view, though, so it was worth waiting for!

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I wondered this, too, so on my last trip I checked in as soon as I could on the app, months in advance. It was the one time my room wasn’t ready by the time I reached the resort (usually I would check in on my way to the resort on arrival day). So, there goes that theory! I did get a room with a cool view, though, so it was worth waiting for!

I only have one experience with this in Feb ‘23, but I had to cancel a trip on my travel day due to a really nasty case of the stomach flu, and my reservation had already been transferred to the hotel (Port Orleans: French Quarter) because I had done online check-in. I was transferred to a specialist who had to call the hotel to pull my reservation. I was completely refunded (room only - I’m AP), and this all took no longer than 15 minutes. It took way longer for me to call and cancel my dining reservation for HBD for lunch that day that I couldn’t cancel on MDE.

Ok that settles it lol. I'll check in after landing or while waiting for the sunshine flyer!

 

[RoseGold]

Don't do this. If you need to change your dates or people, you will cause chaos.

 

[morganms22]

I agree with some of the other responses. We were suppose to check-in on New Years and my toddler daughter all of a sudden became ill that day. She had to be admitted to the hospital. I always check in weeks earlier, but for some reason I did not this time. When I called Disney they were elated that I had not yet checked in on the app. They said it would have been much harder to change last minute.

So, now I will not check in until we are already on the road or close by.