Disney To Launch Online Check In Service [Archive]

DizneyFreak2002

11-21-2008, 11:52 PM

Disney will be launching a new online check in service that will allow guests to check into their resort online, 10 days prior to arrival. The guest will have to put in all their information relating to the reservation for their stay. Once the guest arrives at the resort, they will need to present a photo ID. However, the welcome package and room key will already be waiting for the guest at the designated line. The web address will vary depending on which resort the geust will be staying at. This service will be available at select WDW resorts and all Disney Vacation Club resorts. The guest will also have the opportunity to apply for a Disney Rewards Visa Card during online check in. This service will be rolled out January 2009....

I like this idea, especially since I am a Disney Vacation Club member...

lockedoutlogic

11-22-2008, 12:02 AM

Destination Disney

more automation...less jobs. A fairly logical move that has been in the hopper for over 10 years....

The real question is one of logistics at the sight. People constantly whine and complain about their room location.....do they now ignore that?

Are the rooms pre-assigned? is there somekind of selection system that allows the person online to pick a spot? How about travel withs?

anyway....we'll see....but as i said, this has been in the works for long time

I too look forward to it....as a repeat offender, DVC member, and former Operations Room Assigner at a busy WDW location (yeah....one of those firemen who get yelled at alot)...this is one of the first changes in years to have a real upside for me....

I don't need the spiel.....i don't need the resort map or the ticket sale sheet.....just show me the bar and the pool:thedolls:

Now if online Dining and online DVC booking could come to pass....i may not have anything left to complain about....

Well.....there is Saratoga:ack:

mouseketeer mom

11-22-2008, 08:59 AM

I like this. But since room location is such a strong point..how do they work that? Will it be like the cruise line? Where you know your room ahead of time?

Ian

11-22-2008, 09:21 AM

I agree that room assignment is the one thing I need to understand before I know whether I like this or not.

Also, it really doesn't seem like all that much of a time saver. I mean you still have to wait in line.

Now what would be really cool for repeat guests or DVC members is a permanent room key that you keep with you at all times. When you're ready to check-in online, the computer automatically assigns your room key code to that room on your check-in day. BAM! Bypass the front desk completely.

Zone Stop

11-22-2008, 09:57 AM

... and former Operations Room Assigner at a busy WDW location ...

Which/When, if you don't mind...
I've been fairly recently trained Back Office.

:number1: Uberblock

lockedoutlogic

11-22-2008, 11:09 AM

Caribbean and GF....I also subbed in a pinch at Yacht a couple of times

It was an easy job....but I had the unfortunate experience of being at the two worst managed at the time....

Caribbean also had the highest annual occupancy rate and we had to walk people and dish out bad rooms to people on the second shift at all times...almost daily

I'll tell you what's going to happen if you haven't figured it out yet:

If you're good....you will end up running the entire operation from your desk and will render the managers useless (there is a more than average chance they won't understand the operation to begin with...they're hired based on looks, years of service, and sometimes the perception of diversity...not competence).

Enjoy the pit, hole, slopsink, backstop.....whatever they call it at your hotel :thumbsup:

DizneyFreak2002

11-22-2008, 12:43 PM

Now what would be really cool for repeat guests or DVC members is a permanent room key that you keep with you at all times. When you're ready to check-in online, the computer automatically assigns your room key code to that room on your check-in day. BAM! Bypass the front desk completely.

I like that idea, but, it makes too much sense for Disney to do this LOL...

Ian

11-22-2008, 05:15 PM

I like that idea, but, it makes too much sense for Disney to do this LOL...I kinda like the idea of a universal card, period. It's your AP, your DVC membership card, your charge card (maybe even your Disney Visa?), your room key, your loyalty card, it holds your rewards dollars ...

Do you know how much nicer it would be not to have to carry like 5 different cards with you at all times??

Crow

11-22-2008, 10:41 PM

lockedoutlogic

11-23-2008, 09:40 AM

please elaborate.
and I also wonder how the rooms will be assigned

i think i pretty much covered it....

Did you see the post above my response? it was kinda an insider thing

lockedoutlogic

11-23-2008, 09:45 AM

I kinda like the idea of a universal card, period. It's your AP, your DVC membership card, your charge card (maybe even your Disney Visa?), your room key, your loyalty card, it holds your rewards dollars ...

Do you know how much nicer it would be not to have to carry like 5 different cards with you at all times??

I disagree on the universal card....

There's just too much stuff on there for it not to become a problem....

Say....assumming...that they manage to intergrate all those systems enough where you could access them without being open to hacking...which is not even close to a reality today.,..

They what if your ticket function doesn't work? you decide to swap credit cards? or you make modifications to any of the components?

That's not even touching the surface of if you lose the thing.....what a nightmare....all of those items operate on different systems...and none of those systems are that hi-tech....

In fact....i don't even think Ving Vision (the room key subroutine) can be used effectively enough to handle alot of play.....

In theory....it's a good idea....but in practice at WDW knowing their computer systems and the general LACK of knowledge by the staff....

...bad idea...i think the problems would outweigh the benefits....

I am really interested to see if they can make this pre-check in work.....very interested indeed

DizneyFreak2002

11-23-2008, 12:21 PM

Ian

11-23-2008, 12:41 PM

In theory....it's a good idea....but in practice at WDW knowing their computer systems and the general LACK of knowledge by the staff....I agree, but you know ... it's sad that this is the state of Disney. They used to be innovators on the cutting edge, way out in front. Now they're content to just lag behind everyone, with aging, inadequate technology and poor customer service experiences.

Very disappointing. Iger is supposed to be a techy. He needs to get on upgrading their systems into one, fully integrated platform. For a company of Disney's size, it's not even that much of a capital expenditure anymore.

Polynesian Dweller

11-23-2008, 01:08 PM

Its always so interesting to hear people who don't have to make these management decisions be so sure that they know better. How can any of us know what all the factors and complications are if we aren't there assessing them. I don't think we should just so blithely bad mouth Disney management all the time unless we are in their shoes.

Some obvious issues. First, how do you put the amount of information from so many sources on one card. There is only so much room on a magnetic strip and how do you do your encoding if a person has only two of them. How do you code that on the card? Having done some of this it isn't as easy as it sounds given the number of potential card reading errors.

Second, how do you keep all of that secure. That's a big issue because lose one card and you've lost a lot of personal info. That's a big risk for identity theft.

Third, this sound great to Americans but Disney deals with people from all over the world who come with credit cards etc. from all over. To start with. Disney Visa is only available in the US. So with so many possibilities to deal with how does Disney reliably encode all that on a single card. Again, sounds easy but it isn't.

The big issues are 1. space on the magnetic strip, 2. reliability in reading the card (the more info. the fewer times it can be duplicated on the card which is the way reliablility is built in. The data may be lost on the first inch of the card but a recording on the second inch is good. That's how its done (though inch is obviously not the unit). 3. Security, the more info that can be stolen the greater the security concern and the greater the security mechanisms that have to be employed. And, if you blow your security you open yourself up to people suing you for not properly ensuring the security of their info. Not that anybody sues of course.

So it isn't that easy folks. And lets stop with the maligning comments whenh we can't possible know all the issues that Disney may be working with.

TheRustyScupper

11-23-2008, 01:35 PM

Its always so interesting to hear people who don't have to make these management decisions be so sure that they know better . . . First, how do you put the amount of information from so many sources on one card.

1) If you embed a chip on the a card
. . . you could out the Encyclopedia Britannica on a chip
. . . you reload/edit info in seconds at a walk-up station
. . . just wave in front of a reader (open room, admission, purchases)
. . . their is no magnetic strip
. . . to use the card, it doesn't even touch a device
. . . beign a computer chip, it lasts almost forever
. . . current examples include MasterCard and building security cards
2) As to why doesn't WDW do such
. . . ideas are stymied
. . . if not thought of by your boss, you don't bring it up
. . . unfortunately, the bosses are not that smart or creative
. . . it is known that "if you don't go along, you go [bye-bye]"
. . . you end up with mindless people going through the motions

So it isn't that easy folks. And lets stop with the maligning comments whenh we can't possible know all the issues that Disney may be working with.
. . . I know several upper level managers and tech-types
. . . they complain all the time about new ideas being shot-down without investigation
. . . such a pity

NOTE: As for the card, I had one for my previous job's corporate headquarters. We waved the card in the air in front of a reader for unlocking offices, opening building doors, charging in the cafeteria, accessing computers.

Ian

11-23-2008, 06:08 PM

Some obvious issues. First, how do you put the amount of information from so many sources on one card.Just curious, but do you work for Disney? Your roadblocking sounds exactly like what I would expect from them.

Honestly, I won't bother commenting on most of your issues except the one quoted above. You can put whatever amount of information on one card you want. It just depends on how you do it. I've worked in the technology field for over 15 years and it can be done for certain.

As far as the overseas credit card comment ... I said Disney Visa. Period. I didn't say "any card any schmo walks up to the front door with."

And the point of my post was that Disney used to innovate. They didn't roadblock and find excuses for not doing new things. They just found ways to do them.

Now they all sound like you ... making excuses as to why things are too hard or too complicated to get done.

DizneyFreak2002

11-23-2008, 07:02 PM

And Disney is going to be making the Disney Visa card available for application in Japan.. So, that takes care of some of the foreign market...

We need to stop making excuses as to why Disney can't... We have to start looking at why they WON'T... it is simple.. It is all about the money... Imagination takes a back seat to the bean counters.. I am a huge Disney fan, but, seriously, they have gotten extremely CHEAP...

Polynesian Dweller

11-23-2008, 10:31 PM

Just curious, but do you work for Disney? Your roadblocking sounds exactly like what I would expect from them.

Honestly, I won't bother commenting on most of your issues except the one quoted above. You can put whatever amount of information on one card you want. It just depends on how you do it. I've worked in the technology field for over 15 years and it can be done for certain.

As far as the overseas credit card comment ... I said Disney Visa. Period. I didn't say "any card any schmo walks up to the front door with."

And the point of my post was that Disney used to innovate. They didn't roadblock and find excuses for not doing new things. They just found ways to do them.

Now they all sound like you ... making excuses as to why things are too hard or too complicated to get done.

I wasn't being personal and I don't think personal comments back are appropriate. Discussions can include disagreements without personalizations. For the record, I do not nor never have worked for Disney, and I have worked in the various occupations over the years. My years in the IT industry date back to 1972 and I was the Head of an IT Department for 17 years. I do not make excuses for Disney or anyone else but rather point out the issues and I would point out that there is a finite amount of info that can be put on any card.

My point was only that none of us in this discussion no all the details that are involved in doing this and none of us should assume. It may be any, all, or many things that are unknown to us that go into Disney's decisions. But we should refrain from prejudging people, implying incompetence, indifference, or anything else disparaging until factual proven.

I will leave it at that but ask that you don't continue attacking me on a personal level anymore than attacking managers at Disney or elsewhere on a personal level. You have prejudged who I am, implied incompetence (you have IT experience and assumed I didn't) and assume what my intentions were and then made disparaging remarks based on those errors.

Now, lets see if we can get this back as a discussion which includes disagreements and remove the personal attacks. Thank you.

GrumpyFan

11-24-2008, 10:34 AM

Weren't we talking about Disney's new online check in service? Seems the conversation has gotten a bit off track, and a little mean-spirited too.

If I may comment on the original topic, I think this sounds like it may be a real plus. Will there be issues and problems, certainly, but if it helps to reduce check-in time and the line that can sometimes take 30 minutes or more to go thru, then it will be a huge improvement.

dmosher

11-24-2008, 02:22 PM

Yes this can be a blessing or a curse, however I assure you that your typical card can hold more than enough data. It doesn't actually have to keep all of your data just a computer's reference to it. Will this limit our room choices ahead of time, we shall see. I can tell you that for those of us coming from overseas (New Zealand here) and arriving very early in the morning; the prospect of having a room ready (not likely but more possible with this system) when we arrive is a great one. It certainly beats sleeping in the DVC entryway at the WL despite how comfy those couches are. hehe

I like that Disney is implementing this technology. It may add to the experience but for those that are worrying, I am positive they will not be doing away with the reception desks all together, so if there is an issue there will be an actual HUMAN BEING to fix it in that magical way that only a real life cast member can.
:pipes:
D

Polynesian Dweller

11-24-2008, 04:47 PM

Yes this can be a blessing or a curse, however I assure you that your typical card can hold more than enough data. It doesn't actually have to keep all of your data just a computer's reference to it.
To make sure this gets back on track, lets drop the card talk. That wasn't actually the issue. It was about not knowing everything that could go into the decision. Ok, enough of that.

I like the idea of a pre-checking from a customer point of view and it will be interesting to see what they will add into this. A big advantage could be for the hotel to be able to plan room readiness. If the system asks when you are coming they could then schedule cleaning of rooms to increase the chances your assigned room is ready at the time you are coming. That could be a great benefit for those of us whose flights tend to arrive well before check-in time.

CU Tiger

11-24-2008, 04:58 PM

Disney will be launching a new online check in service that will allow guests to check into their resort online, 10 days prior to arrival.

Why is this not done automatically? What other information do they need that they did not already receive from you when you made your reservations? It seems like they have to ask for information that should already be in the system. What am I missing here? As for the room, maybe they could ask for three preferences during the reservation process and they would try to give you what you prefer.:mickey:

Ian

11-24-2008, 05:12 PM

To make sure this gets back on track, lets drop the card talk. That wasn't actually the issue. It was about not knowing everything that could go into the decision. Ok, enough of that.Right ... I agree. Sorry for the back-and-forth on that. And you're right that, in reality, none of us really knows all the ins and outs of what Disney has to deal with.

Why is this not done automatically? What other information do they need that they did not already receive from you when you made your reservations? It seems like they have to ask for information that should already be in the system. What am I missing here? As for the room, maybe they could ask for three preferences during the reservation process and they would try to give you what you prefer.:mickey:They know your information, they just don't know if you're going to show up. That's what checking in is all about.

BMan62

11-24-2008, 05:18 PM

Stupid question time...

Didn't I read, on Intercot, a while back that WDW was going to have room check in kiosks in Orlando International Airport (MCO)? Wouldn't this have been the precursor to what this thread is all about?

I never heard if this idea had come to fruition, so I may just be full of hot air.

On a side note, couldn't the do some of the check in at the same time they are processing people through DME? I know, this would only affect those who fly, but it would be a start.

DizneyFreak2002

11-24-2008, 07:11 PM

TheRustyScupper

11-24-2008, 07:34 PM

1) I think the system has good and bad points.
2) All-in-all, I would like to see the implementation.

Good:
. . . speeds up check-in at the resort, A LOT
. . . the lines will move a gobs faster
. . . experienced WDW travels can get whisked through check-in

Bad:
. . . could cause frustration when checking-in remotely with knowing room numbers
. . . some people might be displeased with their room selection
. . . room changes could cause a bottleneck
. . . reduction in Front Desk personnel required

Polynesian Dweller

11-24-2008, 08:19 PM

Bad:
. . . could cause frustration when checking-in remotely with knowing room numbers
. . . some people might be displeased with their room selection
. . . room changes could cause a bottleneck
. . . reduction in Front Desk personnel required

Interesting points you raise and wonder if you could expand a bit about the bottleneck due to room changes and why this would lead to FD personnel. The last point would not be desirable. There aren't that many at the Poly now to answer questions when you need them.

lockedoutlogic

11-24-2008, 09:01 PM

Interesting points you raise and wonder if you could expand a bit about the bottleneck due to room changes and why this would lead to FD personnel. The last point would not be desirable. There aren't that many at the Poly now to answer questions when you need them.

at a typical hotel....room changes are few and far between....especially now that smoking rooms have more or less been eliminated.

room changes are reserved primarily for mechanical problems (showers and toilets mostly) and some....ummm..."quirks"

Not so at Disney...
Where room changing is off the charts.

Room changes...from inquiries, to execution, to maintenance issues, to resort switches...probably take somewhere around 20% of the entire front desk staffs time on a given day. Obviously its higher or lower depending on where you're at and the type of clientele you have (by "type"...i mean floods from certain geographic areas...those that flock to a particular theme.....business and/or childrens groups....foreign travelers)...

But room changes are high....and it can be boiled down to two things:

1. View
2. Not met expectations (which is usually due to a lack of research by the consumer or difficult situations for the employees that can't end in everyone getting their way)

Disney encourages both.....they charge and arm and a leg for a view.....so EVERYBODY wants a view...

they also push sensationalized photography and video images in all ads in all forms....as do most travel hosts....
difference here is that the average guest's skepticsm is low...too low...because they do trust the Disney name not to disappoint them

A credit to what Disney has built...and an albatross around their neck in some situations

But alot of people just don't bother to get it before hand.....they don't understand exterior lodges or centralized facilites.....or multiple bus stops.....or how big 100-300 acres actually is....or how long the paths are....or that there are no elevators in some resorts....or that it is impossible to hide all the service areas...or that price does matter when it comes to how the overall theming is going to "look" (Does anyone think that POP or All Stars is Neo-tacky because a bunch of suits thought it would look cool and greenlight it? No...obviously it is to let you know exactly what you're NOT spending on your room).

And as far as less GSO employees being a good thing?

oh brother...if you think it's hard to get waited on now at the Poly...just wait.

The average skill of the front desker has diminished consistently since the late 1980's to the mid 1990's when Disney's payrates fell from middle class-ish into sub middle class....

YEs....i'm saying that brains typically don't stick around to work bad hours at a place that doesn't pay them enough to have much of a life of their own....no big shock

So you know that overall talent has shrunk.....but that's bad enough without compounding it with attrition.

Turnover at a front desk is probably the highest on the property other than maybe housekeeping.....
Almost an entire staff can roll over in a year or two.....even worse in bad economic times where the management talks about "sacrifice"

As if working on Christmas and doing 50,000 per shift in credit receipts for $5.80 an hour isn't "sacrifice"....

But the attritions takes the better ones that survive for awhile with it as well.....who are then typically replaced by a steady stream of average, novice, or completely in the wrong place employees.

Disney has to lower their labor.....we all know it....or should know it at this point.

But what disney hotel service has sunk too is a terrible reflection on how to go about this....
I'd rather they have marriot run the hotels with their employees.....rather than insist that all workers are created equal, everything can be hidden if you try hard enough, and that $6.00 and hour is "competitive pay" and that park admission is a "great benefit" when it only serves to dump your pay back into the company coffers

But i haven't really thought too much about this issue:thedolls:

Polynesian Dweller

11-24-2008, 09:26 PM

Didn't want to quote that muck LockedOut so if I misstate something put it down to my editing. You make some good points in all that. At the hotel lI was an owner of, our front desk was always a high turnover area. Its the first spot of abuse by patrons which just exacerbates the issue. Its also true that we had a very low room change issue so my experience there isn't at the same level as someone at Disney. Thanks for the insights you've given.

I guess I come away from you post with additional questions. What is is about the proposed plan that would increase this room change issue? Wouldn't that tend to be the same, because I'm sure you're right that customers often don't inform themselves but I don't know why a checkin system would change or increase that. And, if these problems remained at the same level wouldn't the staffing have to stay the same? Interested in your thoughts.

I guess from a purely customer end, and one who really works at informing myself so I don't encounter these sorts of issues I look forward to a system, if it improves the process of checking in and having your room ready on time.

Also, has anyone out there heard of this kind of checkin system for a hotel (I haven't) and if so what how well did it work?

Marker

11-25-2008, 07:31 AM

...this issue:thedolls:

Well, thanks for that. You know, when I read the title of this thread, and the original post, my first thought was, I wonder what direction this discussion will take, and what complaints people will come up with.

So if I may step away from the bandwagon of complaining for a moment...

I like the idea of spending less time in lines waiting to check in. I hope they're able to adjust the lines so that the "pre-checkin" line does not end up being longer than the "check-in on sight" line.

I would think that the more customers take advantage of advance check in, the more they could potentially accomodate room requests. However, it will likely reduce the opportunitiy for last minute changes.

I don't believe I have ever asked for a room change, specific request at check-in. If I have a specific request, I also make sure to have it noted on my reservation as far in advance as possible. To expect them to be able to honor all request, much less those not voiced until check-in is to me unreasonable.

I wonder if it will limit the potential for a surprise upgrade. We've had a time or two where they offered us a better room, better view etc, as a total surprise. I remember being moved to a corner room, with a king bed and a water view when we checked in on our anniversary. That was a special memory.

Ian

11-25-2008, 09:04 AM

I was thinking about this last night and my thought was ... this sort of (not exactly, but sort of) equates to airlines offering online check-in for flights.

It has some of the same complexities and problems ... airlines have short-staffed, overworked, and underpaid employees manning check-in desks. They have to deal with seat assignments, and upgrades, and tons of complaints.

And having traveled in both the pre-and-post online check-in eras, I would definitively say that things have gotten much faster and easier when flying (new security concerns aside, obviously).

What if Disney ran it just like airlines run theirs? You go online as soon as your check-in window opens, you're presented with a map of your resort with all available rooms meeting your criteria highlighted for you. Then you get to select whatever room you want from the available inventory.

They could even use it as an upsell opportunity ... "Hey, as a special offer just for you you could upgrade to a water view/club level/suite for only an additional $x ... " Or even better, they could run algorithms to determine if someone is a valuable enough guest to award them a free upgrade ... with appropriate online fanfare, of course.

Now not having ever worked in the hotel industry, I'm sure there's some logistical challenges that would have to be worked out, but it seems at least reasonable to me.

GrumpyFan

11-25-2008, 10:30 AM

Ian, I was thinking something similar, that it would operate much like the airline check in does. For the most part, I could see it being pretty straightforward.

It makes me wonder if they will not actually be assigning rooms at the online check-in. In fact, I could see problems with doing so, especially if the room is still (unexpectedly) occupied by guests at the time you arrive. I'm thinking that they will (hopefully) allow you to specify and choose your room preferences such as view, floor, proximity to main bldg or bus stop, etc. Then, they would assign the room at time of your arrival based on the preferences specified earlier at the online check-in.

lockedoutlogic

11-25-2008, 10:44 AM

Ian, I was thinking something similar, that it would operate much like the airline check in does. For the most part, I could see it being pretty straightforward.

However, I wonder what happens if they assign you a room 10 days in advance, but then the people in the room decide to extend their vacation another day or more? It makes me wonder if they will actually be assigning rooms at the time you do the online check-in, or if they just allow you to choose what area of the resort you would like by selecting/choosing certain preferences such as view, floor, proximity to main bldg or bus stop. Then, they would actually assign the room at time of your arrival.

this sounds closer to feasible.....
pre-checking into a select zone....not a specific room.
Or perhaps you put in requests at checkin and then still proceed to the lobby for an info packet with your room assignment when you get there.....shortening the process by 90%.

For them to do Ian's suggestion to pick a specific room....which would be great....you would have two main problems:

1. there would be tons and tons of small one or two night "holes" or "lockouts" in the system that they won't be able to fill. This can't be done at full capacity in peak scenarios.
2. The disney internet blog subculture...ummm....yeah.....would start to use feedback on specific rooms to create a ridiculous preference for specific rooms in resorts....as opposed to some of the general area stuff that goes on now...
You want to talk about a nightmare scenario for Disney? See the room change comments above....

And one more thing....it takes alot (probably a gunshot wound) to offend me....
But it gets a little old when there is constant complaining about expanded thoughts on a thread....

nothing on this thread has deviated from the topic: a discussion of ideas about a remote checkin and the good AND bad feedback.

It gets tiring when thoughts are squelched....both here and in the real, big boy and girl, adult world.

Sure the complaining gets out of hand.....as does the blind, unreasonable defense of Disney as something other than what they are: an international company looking to make profit.

So I guess what i'm saying is: The quips about where the thread goes - as long as the topic is still relevant - should stop.

As much as we hate whining and complaining...ignoring the FACTS about the downsides of things that go on in Orlando is just as bad. (and make no mistake: many people that post here have a deeper understanding of how and why decisions are made.....and because they don't use "magic" as the reason......don't act as though their posts are not valid)

exit soapbox stage left.....

Ian

11-25-2008, 10:52 AM

Yeah, like I said I figured there were some intricacies that would make that plan unworkable to a degree.

But I like the block of rooms idea ... I think that could work.

And I also agree about having respect for differing opinions. I will say, though, that I got a little off-track with my one post and I do apologize for that. It's the personal back and forth that should be avoided as that frequently results in bad blood. I should know that better than anyone, but sometimes I let my fingers get the best of my brain. ;)

thumperbug

11-25-2008, 05:52 PM

I would love on line check in prior to arrival....would also like to pick room just like you pick your airline seats. I'm a DVC member...we aren't that big on having a great view since we spend little time in the room. For us, convenience to elevators/buses is more important.

brownie

11-26-2008, 12:47 PM

It seems like it will reduce your check-in time some by having you take the time prior to the trip. If they really wanted to wow me with this, they'd eliminate my waiting in any line for check-in.

GrumpyFan

11-26-2008, 12:54 PM

It seems like it will reduce your check-in time some by having you take the time prior to the trip. If they really wanted to wow me with this, they'd eliminate my waiting in any line for check-in.

No line, at Disney World? Dream on! Never gonna happen.

TheRustyScupper

11-26-2008, 01:33 PM

Interesting points you raise and wonder if you could expand a bit about the bottleneck due to room changes and why this would lead to FD personnel. The last point would not be desirable.

1) The bottleneck issue has been well discussed.
2) As for people-reduction - if you don't need check-in, you don't need check-in people.
3) Reduced Front Desk staff would
. . . resolve room changes issues
. . . answer questions
. . . do check-ins for newbie guests

11-26-2008, 03:30 PM

Didn't I read, on Intercot, a while back that WDW was going to have room check in kiosks in Orlando International Airport (MCO)?

Just an FYI; I can tell you that such kiosks do NOT currently exist at MCO.

I can see some obstacles to doing that. If the airport authority allows it for Disney, they'd have to allow it for all the hotels in town (think "several hundred" ) leading to even more clutter and chaos in an already hectic environment.

Then again, considering that Orlando is "The City That The Mouse Built", it still might come about.

Jasper

11-26-2008, 04:29 PM

Maybe I missed in the earlier posts, but do we know yet which resorts they are starting this with? I know DVC was specifically mentioned and some general statement about "various" resorts or something along those lines.

I ask because we check in on Jan 3, 2009 and am just wondering if this will be in place in time for us to use it then or will it first become available in January for check-in later?

disneyers

11-26-2008, 09:54 PM

a

Not so at Disney...
Where room changing is off the charts.

Room changes...from inquiries, to execution, to maintenance issues, to resort switches...probably take somewhere around 20% of the entire front desk staffs time on a given day.

But room changes are high....and it can be boiled down to two things:

Disney encourages both.....they charge and arm and a leg for a view.....so EVERYBODY wants a view...

they also push sensationalized photography and video images in all ads in all forms....as do most travel hosts....
difference here is that the average guest's skepticsm is low...too low...because they do trust the Disney name not to disappoint them

A credit to what Disney has built...and an albatross around their neck in some situations

But alot of people just don't bother to get it before hand.....they don't understand exterior lodges or centralized facilites.....or multiple bus stops.....or how big 100-300 acres actually is....or how long the paths are....or that there are no elevators in some resorts....or that it is impossible to hide all the service areas...or that price does matter when it comes to how the overall theming is going to "look" (Does anyone think that POP or All Stars is Neo-tacky because a bunch of suits thought it would look cool and greenlight it? No...obviously it is to let you know exactly what you're NOT spending on your room).

As if working on Christmas and doing 50,000 per shift in credit receipts for $5.80 an hour isn't "sacrifice"....

But the attritions takes the better ones that survive for awhile with it as well.....who are then typically replaced by a steady stream of average, novice, or completely in the wrong place employees.

I have to say, I've thought a lot about what makes people push Disney to be so "perfect" all the time.

After much thought and deliberation, DH and I have decided that it mostly boils down to this:
what got us into this whole "bad economy" thing in the first place. --- TONS of people think of Disney as the "be all, end all" family vacation. But instead of saving up and planning ahead, they overextend themselves, put it all on the credit card and then completely stress out over the whole trip.

As a result, they arrive at their resort, already agitated and stressed out and when the tiniest thing doesn't meet their expectations (which, granted, as you said, have been pumped up by Disney itself) they go haywire. Demanding better rooms, better service, beating down the nearest CM, and posting terrible reviews on every online message board they can find.

It's sad really.

That is terrible that Disney only pays the front desk people less than $6 an hour. It is sometimes a stinky job for sure.

And to end my post -
I would LOVE it if we could check into our room early!

Polynesian Dweller

11-26-2008, 10:11 PM

2) As for people-reduction - if you don't need check-in, you don't need check-in people.
3) Reduced Front Desk staff would
. . . resolve room changes issues
. . . answer questions
. . . do check-ins for newbie guests

Except, if I understand this, you still must stand in line on arrival to get your package with keys so you still need the staff to do that.

Disney must have some sales pitch in mind to get people to use this so it will be interesting to see what 'benefits' they'll say they are offering.

TheRustyScupper

11-27-2008, 10:21 AM

Except, if I understand this, you still must stand in line on arrival to get your package with keys so you still need the staff to do that.

1) Yes, but .......
2) A normal check-in takes 15-20 minutes, so, 6 people need 2-hrs of labor.
4) The express check-in takes 5-7 minutes, so, about 40-minutes of labor
5) Now, multiply by 400-800 check-ins per day.
6) The need for labor is now really decreased.

NOTE: Disney does not invest in technology, rides, or other expenses without a payback. If it costs money and doesn't pay-back, they don't do it. Sure, this will aid guests, but the bottom line is more important. If they did not do this, there would be no uproar from guests, so profit margin is the main driver.

GrumpyFan

11-29-2008, 04:51 PM

Except, if I understand this, you still must stand in line on arrival to get your package with keys so you still need the staff to do that.

Disney must have some sales pitch in mind to get people to use this so it will be interesting to see what 'benefits' they'll say they are offering.

If I had to guess, I would say they use the faster check in time to sell it. And, if they do it like I proposed earlier where you will be able to choose some general preferences within the resort of where you want your room, I think it will sell quite well.

gsimpson

11-30-2008, 02:22 AM

Having spent many years working on the tech used by hotels (including Disney) for hotel room locks there are some misconceptions.

First, the actual door locks ARE NOT connected to a central server. The essentially have a list of "key codes" that they work from. They are always looking for the "current" key and the "next" key. When a "next" key shows up they move one down the list and make it the "current" key and invalidate the most recent "current" key so that it cannot be used anymore. The key printers at the front desk know that the "next key" for each room is and encode that number whenever someone checks in. The systems are set up so that the key list is a function of the serial number of the lock so that if you somehow find the list of keys for one lock it will not be valid for other locks in the property. That is why when you lose a key they have to "recode" everyone's keys. there is only one major player in the industry (Marlock) that actually has the locks on line to a real time database and they are VERY EXPENSIVE to install (and hence the reason they are mostly relegated to very high end properties). For anyone who is getting ready to argue with me there are two more bits of information, each property has a "reset" key which when run through a lock resets it to the beginning of its list, and each lock has multiple lists, one for guests, one for house keeping, one for maintenance, and so on. In addition, each key is encoded with the "dead date" for the key so that even if it is a code that is currently valid if it is past that date it won't work (i.e. you stay an extra couple days you have to get your key "re-encoded"). At the risk of sounding extremely arrogant, anyone who argues with me is simply wrong. Think about it, the current room locks (which are mostly Ving) where installed well before wireless inet was in the hotels so how do they communicate with the front desk computer (answer: they don't). The computer simply knows what the "next" valid key is going to be and once that key is used the "last" key is no longer valid. If you have ever had your room broken into at WDW you would have found that the first thing they do is bring a "reader" to the room and download a list of all of the keys that have been used in the last X days. If they were connected in real time why would they EVER need to do that.

On the original topic, I am happy they are moving to the new system, having been at WDW 75+ times I really don't need someone who has been working there a fewer number of days that I have visited wasting my time telling me what to do.

Zone Stop

11-30-2008, 11:38 PM

gsimpson: Yes. Except that Contemporary is on some new system.

Aggie97

12-02-2008, 04:05 PM

It makes me wonder if they will not actually be assigning rooms at the online check-in. In fact, I could see problems with doing so, especially if the room is still (unexpectedly) occupied by guests at the time you arrive. I'm thinking that they will (hopefully) allow you to specify and choose your room preferences such as view, floor, proximity to main bldg or bus stop, etc. Then, they would assign the room at time of your arrival based on the preferences specified earlier at the online check-in.

This is how it worked when I participated in a pre-arrival check-in pilot at the Polynesian a couple years ago. I called a specified phone number [x] days prior to our arrival. The phone representative inquired about room requests, special celebrations, etc. When we arrived at the Polynesian, there was a separate queue set up for guests who had pre-checked in, and the entire process was quick and efficient. I would welcome a similar online check-in process. :mickey:

Granny Jill A

12-04-2008, 03:59 PM

If I may comment on the original topic, I think this sounds like it may be a real plus. Will there be issues and problems, certainly, but if it helps to reduce check-in time and the line that can sometimes take 30 minutes or more to go thru, then it will be a huge improvement.

I'm for that. Check-in is excruciating every single time. I would rather have my shins kicked than wait while the poor CM tap-tap-taps on the keys and waits for an eternity while a vacant room appears.

If I can have an assigned room ready for me when I arrive at the desk, I would jump for joy.

Question to those who might know: Why DOES it take so long to find a room at check-in? :confused:

MPoppins

12-07-2008, 12:30 AM

I think that this is another cut that will damage the guest's experience upon arrival at a Disney resort. I noticed a tremendous difference when Disney switched to goons to assist you with your baggage when arriving at a resort. The very first person you make contact with at the resort - and they hired non-Disneyesque employees - not true Cast Members to fill the bill. One guy asked my husband as we were getting out of the car with our luggage - obviously arriving - what our room number was... :confused: Ummm... we just got here... Great first contact! I digress... The front desk cast is another layer of Disney magic laid upon guests and I think it's important to keep that part of arriving at a resort special. Checking in at a kiosk isn't going to cut it for me! That's my :twocents:

Tink#64

12-10-2008, 12:41 AM

I think that the pre-arrival check in would be great & could be a good time saver. Who wants to stand in lines? I had one thought in mind reading thrugh all of these posts & finally Ian addressed exactly what I was thinking! Yeah! Having a list of available rooms to choose from, along with a a resort map should be sufficient for most people. I guess those who don't utilize this time saver would check in as usual, but I think there should be seperate lines for those that have checked on line & need only the basic, room keys. etc.! I'm sure there would be a big divide in those that would take advantage of the pre-checkin & those that don't! :confused:

We camp alot at the State Parks in Kentucky & the campgrounds take ressies. I always pull up their website, see what's available, choose the site I want (referring to the map if need be) & then I know exactly where I'll be "parked" when I get there! This can be done online or via a phone call with the campgrounds. There was a question posed in one of the posts about the issue of travel with's, we've done this when camping & called & let them know this & had them "lock in" the adjoining sites so no one else could reserve during our ressie process. I'm sure it could be done! I think anything that I can do prior to trip to make things go smoother would be a great benefit! With Disney's technology & imagineers, I'm sure they can do most anything!:thumbsup:

Not2Loud

12-29-2008, 10:50 AM

just think of the hours we would all spend looking for the "perfect" room!

harlowandthemermaid

12-29-2008, 01:26 PM

I definitely like the idea of quicker check in but I also would like some control over room location. WE always travel by car so being close to parking is always good for us, of course this sometimes means giving up the view. I like the idea of being able to look at a resort map and select an "area" prior to check in. Noise is an issue for us so I tend to request rooms in quieter areas not facing the pool etc. Of course it all depends on how noisy your neighbors are......

DisneyBabies

01-01-2009, 05:17 PM

Does anyone know if this is up and running yet?

lockedoutlogic

01-02-2009, 05:50 PM

Does anyone know if this is up and running yet?

it's being phased in to "selected locations" this month...according to what has been said at this point....

My guess: it is probably slated for 2 DVC locations (I would guess Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom lodge...or possible Beach Club due to their small inventories).....i would assume a couple of deluxes (the DVC list above are prime targets....perhaps the polynesian as well)...a moderate (like port or dixie....definitely not caribbean or coronado)...and a value - pop being the most logical choice.

One thing's for sure: there are alot of computer support guys with mickeymouse nametags scratching their heads working on this thing....as i type this.....
And will be doing so around the clock until things get ironed out.