Is online check in faster?

[chezdion]

We are staying at BLT in 3 days(yippie). We will be ariving aound 8 or 830pm, and would like to try to see the fireworks that night. Would it make more sense to do online check in? We are only there for 2 nights before we move to AKV, so we would love to get our lake view room to have a partial MK view, so I would request an even # room (with crossed fingers).... Any help/thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[DisneyRegulars]

We are staying at BLT in 3 days(yippie). We will be ariving aound 8 or 830pm, and would like to try to see the fireworks that night. Would it make more sense to do online check in? We are only there for 2 nights before we move to AKV, so we would love to get our lake view room to have a partial MK view, so I would request an even # room (with crossed fingers).... Any help/thoughts would be appreciated!

I haven't done online check-in for BLT, but I have done it for OKW, BWV, and AKL. Our last trip to Kidani, I was walking in holding my sick 3 year old. The greeter from outside the lodge went in, got my room keys and I was in my room within maybe 2 minutes. It was instant. I never even had to wait in a line or go to the front desk. I just sat on a lobby chair for a few seconds before the outside greeter returned with my packet. Totally worth it. All other trips it has maybe taken 5 minutes to speak with people at the front desk to check in.

 

[disneynutz]

We are staying at BLT in 3 days(yippie). We will be ariving aound 8 or 830pm, and would like to try to see the fireworks that night. Would it make more sense to do online check in? We are only there for 2 nights before we move to AKV, so we would love to get our lake view room to have a partial MK view, so I would request an even # room (with crossed fingers).... Any help/thoughts would be appreciated!

I wouldn't expect a line checking in at night but online check in may save a couple of minutes. Depending on how you are arriving, you check in at the Contemporary or BLT.

Room requests should be made via MS 10 days in advance of arrival. Some resorts start the room assignment process several days before you check in.

DVC members can now access the BLT fireworks viewing area when staying at any DVC resort not just BLT.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, who knows. I did online checkin for this whole trip we are still on. It hasn't been quick for ANY if it.

For POR they didn't have two of our three names and didn't get the CC info even though you can't do online checkin without CC info.

For Kidani our keys didn't work, meaning we got to walk the three miles, ha ha, back to get them checked out. They reprinted then ran them on the scanner thing and they weren't active. Reprinted, the staff ran them up to check at the door and they worked. After a few inroom issues (the washer hot/cold issue is still happening, fwiw) when closing the door one day the RFID reader on the door fell off.

At SSR again they didn't have a CC on file, even though our packet SAID CC on file. . We went off to AK then got a phone call that we had to get all new cards. When we were done with the park and went back, they made us all new cards (8 people by the way) and we went to the room. The room had a SERIOUS mildew smell* that instantly affected me but for some reason I said we would wait to change until the next day. DH got a manager involved so we had notes on account that we could move. Next day (yesterday) we moved, got new cards. DH went to front desk to add charging and it caused such a huge problem that he was there for nearly two hours. They had at least three people involved in figuring it all out. I mention this because they said that the first problem is a glitch they've seen with online checkin recently, where you get stuck in checkin "status" and the cards won't work. Except that we had just used a card to get back through the gate but whatever. The second day problem could also happen on the first day, if the CC didn't come through and you wanted to add it.

I'm afraid for tomorrow's arrival at VWL. Wonder if the CC info will be there, if the cards will work, if we will glitch again (starting to feel like Vanellope here ha ha), etc.


I was one of the first that I noticed here to be able to do online checkin before ten days out with DVC reservations, and while we have gotten really good rooms in the exact spots requested (though we had to move areas in SSR from the requested spot), I'm not sure that all this wasted time along with the annoyance is worth it!


Best if luck to YOU, and I hope it all goes perfectly.




*the housekeeping manager came by as we were packing up to move, asked what the problem was, so I invited him to step in and take a sniff of the air. After that he practically put up a crime scene tape it was SO bad. We were in 1135, which is supposedly out of inventory now until they get it figured out. It was awful, even DH was bothered by it and he NEVER notices that kind of thing.

 

[disneynutz]

Well, who knows. I did online checkin for this whole trip we are still on. It hasn't been quick for ANY if it.

For POR they didn't have two of our three names and didn't get the CC info even though you can't do online checkin without CC info.

For Kidani our keys didn't work, meaning we got to walk the three miles, ha ha, back to get them checked out. They reprinted then ran them on the scanner thing and they weren't active. Reprinted, the staff ran them up to check at the door and they worked. After a few inroom issues (the washer hot/cold issue is still happening, fwiw) when closing the door one day the RFID reader on the door fell off.

At SSR again they didn't have a CC on file, even though our packet SAID CC on file. . We went off to AK then got a phone call that we had to get all new cards. When we were done with the park and went back, they made us all new cards (8 people by the way) and we went to the room. The room had a SERIOUS mildew smell* that instantly affected me but for some reason I said we would wait to change until the next day. DH got a manager involved so we had notes on account that we could move. Next day (yesterday) we moved, got new cards. DH went to front desk to add charging and it caused such a huge problem that he was there for nearly two hours. They had at least three people involved in figuring it all out. I mention this because they said that the first problem is a glitch they've seen with online checkin recently, where you get stuck in checkin "status" and the cards won't work. Except that we had just used a card to get back through the gate but whatever. The second day problem could also happen on the first day, if the CC didn't come through and you wanted to add it.

I'm afraid for tomorrow's arrival at VWL. Wonder if the CC info will be there, if the cards will work, if we will glitch again (starting to feel like Vanellope here ha ha), etc.


I was one of the first that I noticed here to be able to do online checkin before ten days out with DVC reservations, and while we have gotten really good rooms in the exact spots requested (though we had to move areas in SSR from the requested spot), I'm not sure that all this wasted time along with the annoyance is worth it!


Best if luck to YOU, and I hope it all goes perfectly.




*the housekeeping manager came by as we were packing up to move, asked what the problem was, so I invited him to step in and take a sniff of the air. After that he practically put up a crime scene tape it was SO bad. We were in 1135, which is supposedly out of inventory now until they get it figured out. It was awful, even DH was bothered by it and he NEVER notices that kind of thing.

You will read many posts where people report never having any problems with their rooms. I have always attributed it to the fact that many only vacation at Disney once a year and stay at one resort so the odds are in their favor of having a stress free vacation.

In our case we have found that the more you are exposed to the Disney experience, the greater the chance of having issues. We vacation at WDW a couple of times per year and until last year we would take lengthy vacations and resort hop, sometimes 3 or 4 resorts during our 20 day stay. Sadly our experiences have mirrored your own and I feel your pain.

We now stay a one resort during our stay which has improved our results greatly. I still have my list of resort and front of stage managers just in case but we do miss the billing credits, free meals, and gift baskets.

Bill

 

[nfceagles]

Well, who knows. I did online checkin for this whole trip we are still on. It hasn't been quick for ANY if it.

For POR they didn't have two of our three names and didn't get the CC info even though you can't do online checkin without CC info.

For Kidani our keys didn't work, meaning we got to walk the three miles, ha ha, back to get them checked out. They reprinted then ran them on the scanner thing and they weren't active. Reprinted, the staff ran them up to check at the door and they worked. After a few inroom issues (the washer hot/cold issue is still happening, fwiw) when closing the door one day the RFID reader on the door fell off.

At SSR again they didn't have a CC on file, even though our packet SAID CC on file. . We went off to AK then got a phone call that we had to get all new cards. When we were done with the park and went back, they made us all new cards (8 people by the way) and we went to the room. The room had a SERIOUS mildew smell* that instantly affected me but for some reason I said we would wait to change until the next day. DH got a manager involved so we had notes on account that we could move. Next day (yesterday) we moved, got new cards. DH went to front desk to add charging and it caused such a huge problem that he was there for nearly two hours. They had at least three people involved in figuring it all out. I mention this because they said that the first problem is a glitch they've seen with online checkin recently, where you get stuck in checkin "status" and the cards won't work. Except that we had just used a card to get back through the gate but whatever. The second day problem could also happen on the first day, if the CC didn't come through and you wanted to add it.

I'm afraid for tomorrow's arrival at VWL. Wonder if the CC info will be there, if the cards will work, if we will glitch again (starting to feel like Vanellope here ha ha), etc.


I was one of the first that I noticed here to be able to do online checkin before ten days out with DVC reservations, and while we have gotten really good rooms in the exact spots requested (though we had to move areas in SSR from the requested spot), I'm not sure that all this wasted time along with the annoyance is worth it!


Best if luck to YOU, and I hope it all goes perfectly.




*the housekeeping manager came by as we were packing up to move, asked what the problem was, so I invited him to step in and take a sniff of the air. After that he practically put up a crime scene tape it was SO bad. We were in 1135, which is supposedly out of inventory now until they get it figured out. It was awful, even DH was bothered by it and he NEVER notices that kind of thing.

Sounds a lot like the experience we had at BLT a few weeks ago. I did online checkin, but it was a full 2 hours after we arrived before we had KTTW cards in our hands. And that was just the start of our problems, all related to the computers and cards. Room was fine but we did lose the RFID cover too. By 11:30pm on our first day I was on the phone with a very apologetic back office manager who was determined to get everything straightened out. I never got beligerent or asked for any compensation, but when she called for the last time that night she told us they had decided to comp us for our first night, but since they couldn't refund DVC points they would put a credit on the account equal to the rack rate of our grand villa. The whole thing was a mess, but I do felt like they made it right in the end.