Online check-in for BLT

[amypetecar]

I check into BLT in 8 days. I have a MK view studio booked and was very specific about wanting the highest floor possible with the room number ending in 18.

Does anyone know if my chances of getting that request is better if I use online check-in before getting there, or a better chance if I wait until I arrive at the hotel, roughly around 11am?

Hearing others' thoughts or prior experiences would be awesome!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Any requests need to be noted on your reservation. You cannot add requests when you do online check in.

 

[amypetecar]

Any requests need to be noted on your reservation. You cannot add requests when you do online check in.

Thanks! Requests were made at the time of the reservation. Are the chances of them being fulfilled better with online check-in, or better in person the day of check-in?

 

[disneynutz]

I don't think anyone knows for sure. Usually assignments are made starting 10 days before check in. The last time we stayed at BLT they forgot to assign us a room and had it find us one. We got the opposite of our requests.

Bill

 

[Lynne M]

There's really no relationship between getting requests and online check-in. All that online check-in does is get your paperwork and key printed before you arrive, so you don't have to wait while you do that.

If you have a request that you're really concerned about, you might as well skip online check-in. When you're speaking with the CM at check-in, you can reiterate your request, and ask for a different room if the one you're assigned doesn't suit your needs. If you're changing rooms, that negates any benefit of online check-in anyway, since they have to reprint the paperwork and make a new key.

It's just a personal opinion, but I think that online check-in was designed for those repeat guests who don't need to hear the spiel at the front desk, don't have a lot of questions for the CM, don't need to make any changes to their reservation, and either don't have requests or don't particularly care whether they get them. The idea is that you go up to the desk, show your photo ID, get your packet and key, and go on your way.

 

[Snurk71]

I have no factual backing for this theory, but I will always do online check-in if we're checking in late to help keep our original room assignment. In past years (pre-DVC) it seemed like when we checked in late we always got a less desirable room. My theory is that all of the earlier check-ins that were originally assigned that room asked for a switch and it went down the line until the hot potato stopped with us checking in last.

But with the online check-in they code/print your tickets beforehand. So to have an earlier check-in ask to swap their bad room assignment for my good room assignment would require front desk work - and I'm putting my luck that the CMs won't want to re-do my keys and will leave my room assignment as is.

Again, I have no basis or proof of this - might just be wishful thinking. But I'm going with it because it can't hurt - it can only help.

 

[amypetecar]

I have no factual backing for this theory, but I will always do online check-in if we're checking in late to help keep our original room assignment. In past years (pre-DVC) it seemed like when we checked in late we always got a less desirable room. My theory is that all of the earlier check-ins that were originally assigned that room asked for a switch and it went down the line until the hot potato stopped with us checking in last.

But with the online check-in they code/print your tickets beforehand. So to have an earlier check-in ask to swap their bad room assignment for my good room assignment would require front desk work - and I'm putting my luck that the CMs won't want to re-do my keys and will leave my room assignment as is.

Again, I have no basis or proof of this - might just be wishful thinking. But I'm going with it because it can't hurt - it can only help.

What your saying makes sense. We checked in at OKW the Tuesday before Thanksgiving after spending the day at Sea World last year, and we pretty much got a bottom of the barrel view. When I asked if there were options to switch, they said we were getting the last 2BR available