After a long flight and bus ride (a magical bus ride, though a bus ride nonetheless), the last
thing you want to do is have a lengthy check in full of problems. Most problems can be avoided ahead of time. As a former front desk cast member, here are some tips on how to have an easy check in:
- 1. Online check in
- Being able to check in online is a great tool. You can check in to your resort up to 60
days prior to your arrival date. If everything is completed properly, you should
receive a text message or email welcoming you and providing you with your resort room
number. There is a map attached to those messages to help you find your way
around. Most resorts don’t have welcome packets (or even parking passes) any more
since all information can be found on My Disney Experience, so you’re not missing out
on anything by skipping the front desk.
- Being able to check in online is a great tool. You can check in to your resort up to 60
- 2. Don’t over complicate the process
- One of the biggest mistakes that I would see while working at the front desk was a guest
setting up multiple PINs for charging. The PIN is simply just a security feature if your
Magicband ever gets lost. The PIN does not differentiate the card that the charge is
going to. Most of the time, if a guest needs to reset a PIN the cast member resets the
entire room, not just the one band, which is another reason why it’s easier just to have
one PIN.
- One of the biggest mistakes that I would see while working at the front desk was a guest
- 3. Don’t be upset if your room isn’t ready when you arrive
- There are so many things you can do while waiting for room to be ready; why waste
time being upset? You’re in the most magical place on Earth. Leave your luggage with
bell services and start enjoying your vacation!
- There are so many things you can do while waiting for room to be ready; why waste
- 4. Put in room requests ahead of time
- Rooms get blocked about five days in advance so make sure to get your room requests
in around that time! By the time you’re at the desk there may be less wiggle room to be
moved to a specific area or floor.
- Rooms get blocked about five days in advance so make sure to get your room requests
- 5. Don’t sweat the small stuff
- If for whatever reason, your check in experience isn’t what you wanted it to be, that’s
okay! Disney will make up for it another magical way. In the grand scheme of things,
being able to check into a Disney resort is very special, don’t take that for granted. You
will still have an amazing vacation.
- If for whatever reason, your check in experience isn’t what you wanted it to be, that’s
I’ll definitely vouch for staying calm and letting them do what they do best: Making your experience magical. We got married at WDW and you have to stay on property. When we checked in, they split our party up (3 rooms) and we were way in the back of the resort. The rooms were supposed to be preferred and closer to transportation where the limo would pick us up the next day. The cast member checking us in noticed this before anyone else and took charge. She got us near each other, but all that was left for our room was the handicap room (this did not bother us). For the inconvenience she loaded money on our magic bands and gave us Mickey and Minnie stuffed animals. My wife cried as it was a stressful time getting everyone down there and she went out of the way to make us feel special. We made sure to get her name and give her a shout out on the twitter feed. We’ll never forget.