Online check-in confusion (normal or a weird glitch?)

[disneyvoice]

It's hit or miss with us. I would say about 50% of the time we get a room ready text.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We've never gotten a text. We land at 8:30 am and taking DME to POFQ. If I don't get a text by the time we arrive I'm going to the front desk. I know it's early, and I'm not expecting my room to be ready, but since I've never received a text I want to check in.

We are doing a split and heading over to BWV two days later. I will do the same then.

 

[Moliphino]

I think I've gotten a room ready text every trip since they started doing it. I also got texts earlier in the day saying my room isn't quite ready, but they'll message me when it is available. That said, if hadn't gotten a text by the time I got to the resort on DME I'd probably check with the front desk while I'm there to see if they had an ETA.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

Right. Something has changed without notice. The whole point of online check in was supposed to be that a party could skip the front desk and be notified of their room being ready. However, for the past 2 trips (August and March), we had to check in with the front desk anyway. So...like everyone else, I ask...what's the point?

Same. We never get the notification if we don't go to the front desk, which makes me wonder what on earth the point is.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

As others have said, it functions very inconsistently. I usually set my arrival an hour or so earlier than actual in the online checking process. My rule of thumb is that if I haven’t received a text by when I arrive (~ an hour after I told the tool I would), I go to the front desk to be sure they know I’m there. When all works as designed, you get a text around the time you said you’d arrive either with your room # or a “we’re still preparing your room and will text again when ready” message. I figure if I get the latter message I’m at least on the list somewhere and don’t bother with front desk (we usually arrive in the morning). I’d put it at 50/50 in terms of whether it works and I get a text.

 

[DWillowBay]

Actually the whole point of Online Check In is to speed up the time needed at the Front Desk when checking in. Being able to Bypass The Front Desk is just a bonus for some guests.

They actually used to say something to the effect of 'skip the front desk and go straight to your room'. I'm fine if it's changed. I don't mind stopping by the front desk, but then I won't do online check-in either. In August, believe me, it did NOT shorten the time of check-in at the front desk.

 

[supitscarrie]

I've been three times since March 2016. Two out of the three times I got the room-ready text by the time the plane had landed. One time I had to go to the front desk to check into the room situation. In each case, I had done the online check-in via the website and got our room requests.
I'm returning with my husband in November. The online check in won't function for me at all. But we're at Pop, and since it's just the two of us, I don't really care where they stick us... might not even bother fussing with it this go-round since so many people have had problems with it.

 

[dansdad]

They actually used to say something to the effect of 'skip the front desk and go straight to your room'. I'm fine if it's changed.

It didn't change. The actual wording has always been "With Online Check In, you may be able to Bypass The Front Desk".

I don't mind stopping by the front desk, but then I won't do online check-in either.

And unfortunately, nobody knows how they decide who gets to Bypass the Front Desk and who doesn't. Probably the same algorithm they use to determine who gets unique offer codes (PIN Codes).

In August, believe me, it did NOT shorten the time of check-in at the front desk.

The goal wasn't to shorten the overall time to check in, but the time you spend interacting with the CM. The registration stuff is done during Online Check In. Like verifying your info, providing credit card, etc. Which is why I always felt "Online Preregistration" was a better name for the process.

 

[NancyC1000]

It has been a hit or miss with me as well as far as getting a text. The most recent time I did on line check in, I arrived very early around 7:30 am. I did get a text and email indicating room not ready yet shortly before I arrived at the resort. Went to the front desk and she said I was all set and would get a text when room was ready. Around 9:30 am I checked my MDE and my room number was there so I went directly to my room. Never received a text.

 

[DWillowBay]

It didn't change. The actual wording has always been "With Online Check In, you may be able to Bypass The Front Desk".




And unfortunately, nobody knows how they decide who gets to Bypass the Front Desk and who doesn't. Probably the same algorithm they use to determine who gets unique offer codes (PIN Codes).



The goal wasn't to shorten the overall time to check in, but the time you spend interacting with the CM. The registration stuff is done during Online Check In. Like verifying your info, providing credit card, etc. Which is why I always felt "Online Preregistration" was a better name for the process.

oooh! I like that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I waited until after 4:30 and then called through MDE and they advised they were working on it. I think it was a big fluke honestly because within 5mins I got my room assigned.....I did not get a text nor e-mail but my room number showed up in my MDE app. We bypassed front desk and our MBs opened our room that was assigned to us but went to them later on to extend our trip due to Irma but that was a special circumstance.

 

[suemom2kay]

MagicBand Order

Opting out of your new MagicBand may allow you to go directly to your room upon arrival. Just remember to bring an active MagicBand with you.

Good ole Disney. Of course, you’ll never know if you may or may not be allowed to bypass the front desk. They should ask the major hotel brands how to run a hotel reservation system.

 

[DANAW]

We normally take an early flight, and arrive early and I would say we have received text messages 100% of the time since this all started (sometimes saying the room is not ready). About 2 years ago, we received a text saying room not ready at BW, so we went to the front desk and also dropped off our luggage. Front desk also advised room not ready. We walked over to the bathrooms off the lobby to change into shorts, and as we walked in, we received the text with our room number...probably 60 seconds after front desk said room was not ready!

 

[Trish0025]

Checked in in person at Grand Floridian 9/16. Spent the day at MK. Never got a room ready text. Had to return to main lobby, wait in line, then have bellhop bring up my bags. I was hoping to shower and change before my dinner reservation....that did not happen. In fact we almost missed our reservation and had to order a Minnie van in order to make it (hoop dee doo). The cast member just shrugged and said “sometimes the automatic text doesn’t go through, it has nothing to do with us.” Just sharing my horror story.

 

[buzznina]

Actually the whole point of Online Check In is to speed up the time needed at the Front Desk when checking in. Being able to Bypass The Front Desk is just a bonus for some guests.

This

 

[Wild4Walt]

We had the same problem last week. I had done online check in about 30 days prior to our arrival and we did not receive a text with the room number upon arrival. I did go into the App and was able to look up the room number from there.

On a side note, we checked out Wednesday and haven't received a final copy of our bill yet.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

We checked in at WL on Thursday, did not use online check-in, and they told us one of our two rooms wasn’t ready, they would text us with the number when it was. (She told us we were next door to our other room, so we knew where it was)

We never got a text. We just tried our band on the door about 30 min after checking in and it worked.

So the texting is hit and miss even if you do regular check in

 

[suemom2kay]

This

Not really. When it first started, yes definitely. When you book nowadays it asks you to do online checkin, the site specifically asks, “Want to skip the front desk?” It is the intent to skip the front desk but Disney IT is notoriously BAD.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Not really. When you book and it asks you to do online checkin, the site specifically asks, “Want to skip the front desk?” It is the intent to skip the front desk but Disney IT is notoriously BAD.

It's at least designed to speed things up with information being provided in advanced but according to WDW's website:



No one really knows the percentage of people who don't have to go to the front desk at all and the online check-in works smoothly so it's hard to say whether it doesn't work for the majority or does work for the majority based off of just the DIS.

 

[suemom2kay]

It's at least designed to speed things up with information being provided in advanced but according to WDW's website:

View attachment 353012

No one really knows the percentage of people who don't have to go to the front desk at all and the online check-in works smoothly so it's hard to say whether it doesn't work for the majority or does work for the majority based off of just the DIS.

Oh I agree what it is. I even quoted the same thing earlier in the thread. I’m just saying it definitely is marketed as “Want to skip the front desk?” But, it doesn’t work well. It is a mystery. I travel for work every week and the only time I go to the front desk is if I need my free water or have a question. I love Disney but...