Pros and Cons of Online Check-in

Twitterpaited said:

Are there any disadvantages to online check-in?

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WildernessMickey said:

I did not use online check in on my last visit to the Wilderness Lodge Copper Creek Villas, and instead went to the counter. The CM asked if I was going to hang around the resort or go to a park. I said hang around the resort, so he said he would assign me a room that was already being cleaned. It was about 10:00 am when I checked in, and the room was ready at 10:30 am. So I am guessing that if I used online check in I might have been assigned a room that was not going to be ready so early. Also, at the Polynesian we received some leis when we checked in at the counter which I guess you could still wait in line to get if it was important to you. But online check in and skipping the line is a great idea if you are going to the parks or arriving later in the day. The MDE app worked well and we could see our room assignment and go straight to the room when it was ready.

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DisArmyWife215 said:

Last time we stayed at Pop did check in at the desk they were doing the gift card deal if you didn't get housekeeping services. We wouldn't have gotten this deal with the online check in.

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Searc said:

You can get the housekeeping deal no matter how you check in. Call from your room or go to the front desk to inquire if there isn't a message on your room phone when you arrive.

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WildernessMickey said:

I did not use online check in on my last visit to the Wilderness Lodge Copper Creek Villas, and instead went to the counter. The CM asked if I was going to hang around the resort or go to a park. I said hang around the resort, so he said he would assign me a room that was already being cleaned. It was about 10:00 am when I checked in, and the room was ready at 10:30 am. So I am guessing that if I used online check in I might have been assigned a room that was not going to be ready so early. Also, at the Polynesian we received some leis when we checked in at the counter which I guess you could still wait in line to get if it was important to you. But online check in and skipping the line is a great idea if you are going to the parks or arriving later in the day. The MDE app worked well and we could see our room assignment and go straight to the room when it was ready.

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DisArmyWife215 said:

Last time we stayed at Pop did check in at the desk they were doing the gift card deal if you didn't get housekeeping services. We wouldn't have gotten this deal with the online check in.

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Disneypro1 said:

We get a lot of upgrades.

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nkereina said:

FWIW, upgrades at a hotel happen when the room type you booked is unavailable or oversold. You could always politely ask about one, but how you check in has no bearing on whether you'd receive an upgrade or not.

The only true disadvantage to online check-in is that you are required to link a credit card for room charging. This means you'd be subject to the $100 hold, as a PP mentions. So if you will not be charging back to your room, you likely won't want to complete online check-in.

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Disneypro1 said:

Not totally correct. When we have checked in at the desk. I got room assigned. I then ask about being upgraded to a preferred location. This is a complete different location than originally assigned room. After a couple minutes. We get it. It happens almost every visit. We go in May. Less busy I know. But I also know folks on here through private messages that also get the upgrades. I won’t stop doing it our way. It works. I mean we get the upgrades that weren’t there waiting for us when I got to the counter.

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nkereina said:

I used to work in the hotel industry - it is correct that upgrades are only given when the room you book is unavailable. But as I said in my post you quoted, you can always politely ask for one too.... which is exactly what you did. And to your luck, it has worked for you. This is subjective and will vary for every person every time. But no harm in asking. Either way, my point still stands that how you check-in - online or in person - has no bearing on this. If a person who has completed online check-in is unhappy with their assigned room, they still have the ability to go to the front desk and ask for a different room or inquire about an upgrade. In that instance, they stand the same chance of getting an upgrade as you do.

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buzznina said:

Here are the only cons (for us) that we have personally ran into. If wanting to payoff the RO balance with GCs, you will need to do it before check-in day, because they will charge the balance to the CC on file once the system opens up for that day. The only 2 times that we used it, it seemed that the online check-in room requests (which are just basic) overruled the requests we made over the phone.

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Disneypro1 said:

Not totally correct. When we have checked in at the desk. I got room assigned. (Which was done before I got there) I then ask about being upgraded to a preferred location. This is a complete different location than originally assigned room. After a couple minutes. We get it. It happens almost every visit. We go in May. Less busy I know. But I also know folks on here through private messages that also get the upgrades. I won’t stop doing it our way. It works. I mean we get the upgrades that weren’t there waiting for us when I got to the counter. If I didn’t ask. We would have the standard room already assigned. It completely changes the room we get. If they say no. That’s fine. But I’ll always ask. And so far. Have received.

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