How does online check in work?

[honeybelle]

Sorry if this seems like a ridiculous question, but we haven't visited WDW since online check in was made available to international guests. It seems like you can check in months in advance? Does your room get assigned (but the number not sent to you) when you complete online check in or is it still not assigned until the actual date?
Basically trying to figure out if there's a reason to do online over in person check in - we still have to pickup MagicBands from the front desk plus we have first timers with us who might want to pick up badges/get more info etc. Also if you do online check in do you get the paper copy of resort map/activities in the room or do you still have to pick that up from the front desk too?
Thanks!

 

[Marionnette]

Sorry if this seems like a ridiculous question, but we haven't visited WDW since online check in was made available to international guests. It seems like you can check in months in advance? Does your room get assigned (but the number not sent to you) when you complete online check in or is it still not assigned until the actual date?
Basically trying to figure out if there's a reason to do online over in person check in - we still have to pickup MagicBands from the front desk plus we have first timers with us who might want to pick up badges/get more info etc. Also if you do online check in do you get the paper copy of resort map/activities in the room or do you still have to pick that up from the front desk too?
Thanks!

Room assignments are decided about a week in advance but are not communicated to the guest until the room has been cleaned and cleared for occupancy. Doing online check in provides Disney with a credit card for incidentals and allows the guest to bypass the front desk and go straight to their room. This benefits Disney because they don't need as many front desk CMs as they did before online check in existed.

For the guest, online check in allows you to choose from a limited menu of room preferences such as high floor, near elevator or close to bus stop. When it works right, you get a "room ready" text message with your assigned room. You can skip the front desk entirely. You can choose to set charging privileges and PIN numbers for everyone on the reservation during online check in as well.

I don't recall any maps for the resort or parks being in my rooms since the reopening. I do remember seeing some in the usual spot at the front desk.

 

[Marthasor]

Sorry if this seems like a ridiculous question, but we haven't visited WDW since online check in was made available to international guests. It seems like you can check in months in advance? Does your room get assigned (but the number not sent to you) when you complete online check in or is it still not assigned until the actual date?
Basically trying to figure out if there's a reason to do online over in person check in - we still have to pickup MagicBands from the front desk plus we have first timers with us who might want to pick up badges/get more info etc. Also if you do online check in do you get the paper copy of resort map/activities in the room or do you still have to pick that up from the front desk too?
Thanks!

If you have to stop at the front desk anyway, I see no reason to do online check-in.

 

[rwdavis2]

Checking in online can shorten the time spent at the desk.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Sorry if this seems like a ridiculous question, but we haven't visited WDW since online check in was made available to international guests. It seems like you can check in months in advance? Does your room get assigned (but the number not sent to you) when you complete online check in or is it still not assigned until the actual date?
Basically trying to figure out if there's a reason to do online over in person check in - we still have to pickup MagicBands from the front desk plus we have first timers with us who might want to pick up badges/get more info etc. Also if you do online check in do you get the paper copy of resort map/activities in the room or do you still have to pick that up from the front desk too?
Thanks!

Since you need to go to the front desk anyways, the only advantage of doing online check-in is that (if texted room) you will have an idea where your room is at before you get to the desk. So, if you do not like the location you will know ahead of time and be ready to ask for a different room/area. Other than that, it really does not save you much time. When we use online check-in, we always skip the generic room request section and I will call in my more specific requests.

 

[_19disnA]

Compared to other places we have stayed, Disney seems to define 'online check-in' differently. Typically at other places you can't 'check-in' until you are on the property or within a certain number of hours of your reservation time. Disney lets you 'check-in' months in advance so not really sure what that accomplishes. The basic idea of checking-in online is to avoid standing in a long line at the front desk.

You can still go to the front desk even if you have checked-in ahead of time online with Disney.

 

[Lewisc]

Online checkin lets Disney know your expected arrival time. It increases the chances of having a room available of you're arriving prior to checkin time

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

I always use online check-in and call the main line to place a room request 2-3 weeks prior to arrival. I believe rooms are assigned roughly 1 week prior to your check-in date.

I've also had luck with arriving early to the resort (e.g., 8 AM) and advising the front desk Cast Member that I have a room request on my reservation. Not sure if it helps any... but they tell me they will go the extra mile to secure the room I requested. Seems to have worked mostly at Poly.

 

[honeybelle]

Thanks everyone for the replies! I've already put in a room request through Touring Plans so based on what I've read before I shouldn't do another one through online check-in.
I think we will go ahead and do online check-in and then just quickly stop off and grab MagicBands (I know we still have to stop but hopefully should speed things up a bit) plus as someone said previously I can have a look at the rooms we've been assigned & can always ask at the front desk if I need to. We have got a very very long travel day (probably around 20 hours) so I think any time saved will be worth it.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

Thanks everyone for the replies! I've already put in a room request through Touring Plans so based on what I've read before I shouldn't do another one through online check-in.

Enjoy! And you are correct - using the Room Request feature in the My Disney Experience app/website overrides custom room request notes entered by the Cast Member. I made this mistake once and will never make it again.