Online check in really online

[chefpapi34]

So with online check in now can you completely skip going to the front desk and the online check in line. If so how does it work?

 

[Boopuff]

Yep. If you get the text with "room ready" you can go straight to your room. Sometimes we don't get the text and go to the lobby usually I try to find the CM with the Ipad and usually get my room info and hit the parks!

 

[sqpcsqpc]

If you have your Magic Bands and have completed on-line check in correctly you can get a text with your room # and go straight to your room when it is ready.

 

[Ensusieasm]

So with online check in now can you completely skip going to the front desk and the online check in line. If so how does it work?

That's how it worked for me last year. I completed the online check in, and received a text that my room was ready on a layover while enroute to Orlando. I got off the Magical Express Bus and walked straight to my room without going to the front desk or even speaking to any cast member. My Magic Band opened the door to my room. That's how it works when it works, but I have read that it does not work for everyone who checks in online. So, if you don't receive your room number, you will just have to go to the desk.

 

[dansdad]

So with online check in now can you completely skip going to the front desk and the online check in line. If so how does it work?

Maybe, maybe not. Not everyone that completes Online Check In gets to Bypass The Front Desk. There's a couple of possibilities.

1. Once your room is ready you will get a text with your room number. You can go directly to your room and your Magic Bands will open the door.
2. When you arrive on Site and your room is not ready, you will get a text stating your room is not ready yet. Once your room is ready you can go to your room and your Magic Bands will open the door.
3. You won't receive any texts and you will need to go to the Online Check In Desk when you arrive at your resort.

Nobody knows how they decide who gets to Bypass The Front Desk and who doesn't.

 

[SpaceMtnGirl]

Maybe, maybe not. Not everyone that completes Online Check In gets to Bypass The Front Desk. There's a couple of possibilities.

1. Once your room is ready you will get a text with your room number. You can go directly to your room and your Magic Bands will open the door.
2. When you arrive on Site and your room is not ready, you will get a text stating your room is not ready yet. Once your room is ready you can go to your room and your Magic Bands will open the door.
3. You won't receive any texts and you will need to go to the Online Check In Desk when you arrive at your resort.

Nobody knows how they decide who gets to Bypass The Front Desk and who doesn't.

To add to this, if you don't receive a room ready text, you can call the resort to try to get your room number. We had spent the day at AK and by 3:00 had not gotten our text. I googled "Pop Century phone number" and, although I knew this went to a call center, not Pop directly, gave it a try. Surprisingly, they gave me my room number and we were able to bypass the front desk-- and we were happy to as the lines were long!

 

[Grumpier]

For anyone driving, the problem with on-line check-in and skipping the front desk is that you still have to go to the front desk and stand in line to get a parking pass. When/if Disney switches to magic band parking lot access this issue will be fixed, but until then, at least be aware that it's not exactly as easy as it sounds.

Now that I think about it, even though I didn't try it in October, if you arrive at a park entrance now without a pass, they may just scan your band like they currently do at the resorts' manual lanes and let you in without the paper pass.

So I guess it's probably not that big of a deal after all.

 

[BridgetR3]

For our last two recent trips we were given our parking pass at the resort "gate" when we showed our id. Also, for online checkin, I think you get to bypass the desk if you put in your credit card for incidentals. Otherwise, you still have to go to the front desk, I think.

 

[diesel]

For anyone driving, the problem with on-line check-in and skipping the front desk is that you still have to go to the front desk and stand in line to get a parking pass. When/if Disney switches to magic band parking lot access this issue will be fixed, but until then, at least be aware that it's not exactly as easy as it sounds.

Now that I think about it, even though I didn't try it in October, if you arrive at a park entrance now without a pass, they may just scan your band like they currently do at the resorts' manual lanes and let you in without the paper pass.

So I guess it's probably not that big of a deal after all.

Just got back from a trip to Disney. We stayed at the Boardwalk. We had a rental car and when we drove on the property the security guard at the gate to Board Walk Resort gave us our parking pass right then. Never had to go to the front desk for it. I think it depends on the resort on whether or not the security guard at the gate can give you the parking pass or if you have to go to the front desk.

 

[KrazeeK120]

To add to this, if you don't receive a room ready text, you can call the resort to try to get your room number. We had spent the day at AK and by 3:00 had not gotten our text. I googled "Pop Century phone number" and, although I knew this went to a call center, not Pop directly, gave it a try. Surprisingly, they gave me my room number and we were able to bypass the front desk-- and we were happy to as the lines were long!

That isn't true. We stayed at CBR last year (May 2015) and got a room ready text. We talked to the guard at the entrance when we drove in, and he said they were no longer giving out parking passes. When we went to the parks, they scanned our Magic Bands to confirm we were staying on-site.

 

[SpaceMtnGirl]

That isn't true. We stayed at CBR last year (May 2015) and got a room ready text. We talked to the guard at the entrance when we drove in, and he said they were no longer giving out parking passes. When we went to the parks, they scanned our Magic Bands to confirm we were staying on-site.

Hoping you are quoting the wrong post because what I said was true and happened last month. But the rest of your post doesn't match what I said at all.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Hoping you are quoting the wrong post because what I said was true and happened last month. But the rest of your post doesn't match what I said at all.

Yeah...I meant to quote Grumpier. I have no idea what happened...probably user error on my part! Sorry about that!!!

 

[bcinohio]

We will at at the ASMu Dec 10-17 and I was going to do online check in (worked well for our trip last year) but we have 2 rooms this time and I asked that they be connecting rooms (door in room) and ground floor. I know they will not guarantee any request but have always gotten them in the past. When I went online to start the check in the request came up ground floor first and then it said adjoining (no connect) on the second request. I didn't do it and called again to say the connecting is the most important and then ground. The cast member said that is what it said. I said no it said adjoining. He said that is what we call it. I know it isn't. I've had to be very specific in the past. He said he would word it like I said but when I look again about online check in it still says the same thing. I don't really want to stand in line but don't want to chance the rooms being wrong. Really disapointed that you had to pick from a drop down box when you made request rather than type in what you were asking for.

 

[dansdad]

We will at at the ASMu Dec 10-17 and I was going to do online check in (worked well for our trip last year) but we have 2 rooms this time and I asked that they be connecting rooms (door in room) and ground floor. I know they will not guarantee any request but have always gotten them in the past. When I went online to start the check in the request came up ground floor first and then it said adjoining (no connect) on the second request. I didn't do it and called again to say the connecting is the most important and then ground. The cast member said that is what it said. I said no it said adjoining. He said that is what we call it. I know it isn't. I've had to be very specific in the past. He said he would word it like I said but when I look again about online check in it still says the same thing. I don't really want to stand in line but don't want to chance the rooms being wrong. Really disapointed that you had to pick from a drop down box when you made request rather than type in what you were asking for.

I wouldn't worry yet. The Online System doesn't recognize connecting rooms. To ease your mind call back, give the CM your reservation # and ask them to read back to you any requests that are noted on your reservation. If they say connecting, you have nothing to worry about. If they say adjoining, tell them to change it to connecting.

 

[bumbershoot]

Some resorts still use paper parking passes. Others don't.

Since 2010 I've been handed my paper parking glass bt the gate guard almost every single time.

Since then I've forgotten to put that pass up several times overnight and I've never been towed or ticketed.

"IF" is the keyword with room ready texts. If you do xyz and if they decide to do the text for you then you get it. But not everyone who does xyz will get the room ready text.