Disney's Online Check-in

G00fyDad · #1 (**permalink**) 05-22-2009, 11:36 AM

Has anyone had any experience with this service?
(http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw...ationIndexPage)
I have a couple of questions. First, do you still have to go to the resort you're staying at to use the service or can you set it up to have the package with your room keys and stuff at another location? If so, do they have a location for this service in Downtown Disney? And second, how easy (or hard) was it to get a room you wanted by using this service as opposed to speaking with someone face to face? I ask because we don't care about the "preferred rooms". We just want one on the first floor as close to the parking lot as possible.

Team Disney · #2 (**permalink**) 05-22-2009, 12:03 PM

From what I have read on other people's experience you still go to your resort and stand on a special line (virtually no line) for check in at this location you pick up all your items(KTTW) also at this time if you were not given a room to your liking you can speak face to face with a CM to discuss other options.

HTH

G00fyDad · #3 (**permalink**) 05-22-2009, 12:31 PM

Okay. Thanks.

We wouldn't benefit from this then. It would be nice if it was at a location other than your resort. We were trying to think of a way to keep from having to go to the resort before we go to DTD on our first day. We wanted to go straight from the airport to DTD.

Oh well.

Team Disney · #4 (**permalink**) 05-22-2009, 01:16 PM

That would be a great option! Maybe one we will see in the coming years??

G00fyDad · #5 (**permalink**) 05-22-2009, 02:16 PM

Yeah. Having the option to pick this stuff up at any resort or any theme park or at DTD would be nice. Now that would be streamlining it.

Dismom · #6 (**permalink**) 05-22-2009, 10:42 PM

Even tho I think it a great idea, I am not sure it would work for us as we are leaving over 24 hrs before we will arrive at WDW, I would think to much could happen in that length of time. Sort of like the idea of speaking to a real person when the time comes anyway.

I guess it sort of smaks of the same principle that stores are using with the self check out lanes, trying to hire less people so letting the customer do thier work for them. Now I keep telling them if there wera a financial payoff, well then I would consider it, but in the meantime I think I will keep someone employed long enough to help this customer.

Believe it or not, I am not having negative thoughts when writing this, in some instances I think customer self help will be a good thing, but I do enjoy talking to a real person from time to time.

Winkster · #7 (**permalink**) 05-23-2009, 03:23 AM

I agree with Dismom. The check in is all part of the experience for me - chatting to the CM for the first time and getting that great Disney welcome. It's only ever taken us 10 minutes max to check in (we've never been unlucky enough to get stuck behind a huge ME line) so it never eats into our vacation time.

I'd really miss the personal touch if I check in online.

G00fyDad · #8 (**permalink**) 05-23-2009, 03:27 PM

The speed of the check-in was never a problem for us since it only ever took about 10 - 15 minutes. We were just hoping to get to DTD faster.

Skipping going to the resort would have just made it quicker.

Dismom · #9 (**permalink**) 05-23-2009, 04:12 PM

I understand your eagerness to get to DTD. We are always just as eager to see our room and add a few defining touches, get some things unpacked etc, then explore the resort. We also like to lunch at the resort then head out to one of the parks for about a half day at the first parks which for us is usually MK. But having said all that, I certaily do understand that you might be eager to get to Disney of it all!

G00fyDad · #10 (**permalink**) 05-23-2009, 04:36 PM

Yeah. Sometimes I would like to go to the parks on our first day but my wife loves to do DTD first and she sees it as a Disney Tradition for us.

Besides, I learned long ago, don't argue with the wife. She's faster than a snide comment, more powerful than a rolling pin to the head, able to leap broken husbands in a single bound! She's....... Supermom!

me stitch · #11 (**permalink**) 05-25-2009, 01:51 AM

ah she has trained you well lol. i can see why you would want to get to the parks or DTD asap sometimes i feel like telling the bus driver to drive faster but you know im on vacation im going to enjoy that over crowded bus(im praying that this next trip wont have over crowded buses)
like mom said we like to get settled in our room and claim the bed lol and then head off to the parks

eyeofachild · #12 (**permalink**) 06-14-2009, 11:19 PM

I think I will like this check in. We have been so many times that yes we know about magical hours, yes we know how the busses work, yes we know that the room key is the key to the kingdom, yes we know .....

The way this sounds is that you have already put your info in the system. You show up show your ID to the CM, then if something is wrong you can fix it with the CM.

I just want to get there, and dump our stuff in the room. We have adventures waiting.

G00fyDad · #13 (**permalink**) 06-15-2009, 09:57 AM

I think the only reason we are not going to use this is because I like to ask for a specific room and the computer will have already assigned one to us. If I am dealing with a CM then she/he can maybe change it. I know, I'm neurotic when it comes to planning but I have the exact room in each building in each resort picked out that we want and if we cannot get that exact room then we'd like to get as close as possible to it. You can only do that with a CM handy.

Kylie'smom · #14 (**permalink**) 06-15-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G00fyDad

I think the only reason we are not going to use this is because I like to ask for a specific room and the computer will have already assigned one to us. If I am dealing with a CM then she/he can maybe change it. I know, I'm neurotic when it comes to planning but I have the exact room in each building in each resort picked out that we want and if we cannot get that exact room then we'd like to get as close as possible to it. You can only do that with a CM handy.

I agree with you GOOfyDad. I like to talk to a CM at check in and make sure I get the best room possible!

eyeofachild · #15 (**permalink**) 06-15-2009, 05:33 PM

The way I am reading the information on disney site is that what you are doing is putting all your info into the computer (like with cruises) Then when you get there all you have to do is show ID to CM. If things aren't correct CM will correct the problem.

We will definitely have to wait and get some reviews from WDW guest who use this. We will say that the jury is out until more info passes down the line.