Direct Check-In At Walt Disney World Resorts Going Into Effect – Important Details

disney direct check-inTesting for direct check-in at the Walt Disney World Resort hotels began last year, and it’s been going through the works for months. Well, it’s now begun rolling out, and it will soon be made available all throughout property so here are the details.

Guests participating in the direct check-in service will be able to bypass the front desk and go straight to their room once it is ready. Their room number will be sent to them via text or email on the day of check-in.

NOTE: You do NOT need to meet with a Cast Member outside of your resort before going to your room as is being reported in numerous places elsewhere.

This has been confirmed via Disney.

It all began officially on February 10, 2015, and different resorts will have it go active over the course of the next few weeks. There are some stipulations though that you must have completed before taking part in the direct check-in process.

  • MagicBands must be shipped to your home and received
  • Online check-in must be completed in full complete with being paid in full, attaching a credit card to your account, and creating a PIN number
  • Provide an email address or phone number to receive Disney communication (room number) via email or text.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Check-in time is still 3 p.m. at Walt Disney World Resort hotels. Upon doing your online check-in, guests will be able to state what their expected time of arrival is. Resort reservation check-ins start being processed as early as 7 a.m. on the date of your arrival.

Your room number will be sent to you via text or email once it is ready.

Once your arrival has been processed, your park tickets will be activated. That means you can head to the parks without even going to your resort or having your room number.

But again…everything above must be completed for your park tickets to be activated. This comes directly from Disney on numerous levels and Doctor Disney confirmed it via a test at Port Orleans: Riverside – one of the first resorts to participate in direct check-in.

Here are the dates that direct check-in will roll out:

  • February 10 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort
  • February 25 – Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts
  • March 10 – Disney’s All Star Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Guests do still have the option of heading to the front desk if they so choose to do so.

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