DVC temporary policy rooms now between 4pm and 6pm?

[Peach026]

3 trips within the last year and all three our room was ready before NOON! I shouldn’t say that out loud though since we go home next week - watch this be the trip it’s not ready until 6 HA!

 

[skshain1020]

Over the last year we've stayed several times including a three-way split over the summer last year and a two-way split over Christmas. We've always had our room ready before the 4pm timeframe, but we also go to the front desk when we get there early and always stop by the front desk when checking out from a split stay to make sure that checkout process has taken place. Additionally, when we're looking for an earlier room we also make sure to be accommodating and not have major stipulations on what we're asking for. Yesterday, we drove over to Saratoga early around 6am and there were no rooms available (we didn't expect them to be but wanted to let them know we were there), they noted we were there and then we made plans to head to the park and kill a few hours, once we were done and had enough our park time and needed a break, we headed back to the resort and again headed to the front desk around noonish. The lady helping us this time called and checked availability for studios and offered us one in carousel and we were thrilled, we just wanted to crash for a few hours so we knew that even though carousel was not what most people like it worked for our current needs. But I know from other people asking for early check-in they still have a list of 2-10 requests (be near other family/guests, near pools, certain areas/views etc.) so I think that being less picky helps us get into our rooms earlier a lot of times. And since we've never known what rooms we would have been assigned otherwise, we don't know what we're missing out on.

 

[kc51570]

Over the years I have had at least a half dozen check-in's that were well beyond just a few minutes to way more than a 1/2 hour past 4pm. I've also benefitted numerous times of actually being able to get in a room fairly early which to me is always welcome.
I hate online check-in because the choices offered for requests do not cover my choices such as no handicap accessible room and upper floors so I rarely use it.
I also once had major issues with the mold & mildew in a room @ BWV that took several days and multiple hours of lost park time to be somewhat rectified with absolutely no compensation, fp or anything more than a grudging apology from hotel management. The only time I have ever received any type of compensation for a sub-par experience was when PVV credited us the cash equivalent amount of a one night stay when we had to vacate the building in the middle of the night due to a fire alarm evacuation.
I'm with those who think that those with split stays should have room assignments expedited when switching rooms and/or resorts. For me there's nothing worse than having to rush to get out of one, arrange to have luggage moved, checking in to the next and then not being given a room until well after 5pm.
And don't get me started on the housekeeping knocking on the door early on check out day and the multiple phone call hang ups on check out day starting super early.

We had the mold and mildew problem at BWV too over the summer after our room was not available on time when doing a split stay. They had no idea when it would be available when I checked around 4:25 pm. Then I magically got a text 5-10 minutes later. I swear they just put us in a room that should have been out of commission. They tried to rectify with a couple of maintenance fixes, but nothing worked. I will never stay there again which is too bad because of the location and lower points. They did not offer any sort of compensation even though I told them the room was making me sick. I sent a complaint to guest services after I got home and was compensated then. I would have preferred not to have been sick the entire 3 days we stayed in that room though.

I don’t usually have special room requests other than the category I have booked, but we have not had a room ready for us early in years. The last one I remember was 7-8 years ago when our OKW text came before we even left home for the airport. That same year we moved to a GF hotel room and that room was available early too. So maybe I am on the losing side all the years because of 1 lucky trip and Disney catering to others‘ special room requests and sticking to their preassigned room list.

 

[kc51570]

I've stayed in timeshares that cost substantially less than Disney and recently the service has been substantially better.

Disney markets it as a hotel. Their problem, not mine. Disney intentionally chooses to say it's different than a time share.

What data do you have that shows DVC even gets a substantial number of requests? We've never made one.

Touring plans offers very specific room requests as a service they provide. You can see their maps online. You could choose something like 4th floor facing SW, etc, etc.. Disney has very non specific requests like upper vs lower floor, close to elevator, close to lobby. I don’t think generic room requests are the problem. It’s the very specific ones faxed in by a 3rd party that could be potentially complicating this issue more than it needs to be If Disney is choosing to honor those requests.

 

[CarolynFH]

Touring plans offers very specific room requests as a service they provide. You can see their maps online. You could choose something like 4th floor facing SW, etc, etc.. Disney has very non specific requests like upper vs lower floor, close to elevator, close to lobby. I don’t think generic room requests are the problem. It’s the very specific ones faxed in by a 3rd party that could be potentially complicating this issue more than it needs to be If Disney is choosing to honor those requests.

Disney offers those non-specific requests as part of online checkin. DVC owners can contact MS and submit requests that are just as specific as the ones submitted via TP, and having read these boards for years, I know some owners do just that. So it's not an issue related solely to a 3rd party submitting requests, although I do agree that DVC accepting and honoring requests submitted by a 3rd party complicates the issue. If MS is officially the only conduit for submitting requests, then that's how it should be.

 

[kc51570]

Disney offers those non-specific requests as part of online checkin. DVC owners can contact MS and submit requests that are just as specific as the ones submitted via TP, and having read these boards for years, I know some owners do just that. So it's not an issue related solely to a 3rd party submitting requests, although I do agree that DVC accepting and honoring requests submitted by a 3rd party complicates the issue. If MS is officially the only conduit for submitting requests, then that's how it should be.

Yes, I understand that DVC offers that for members who are in the know as well. I’m sure there are plenty of people renting points using that advertised third part service and they should not be prioritized over owners. Either way it complicates things if they are going to be rigid in their process for the way they assign rooms when going above and beyond the more generic requests. I have not expected my room to be ready early but I do expect it at 4PM. It’s a non issue if I have a later flight. Our last trip I didn’t get the room ready text until after we had landed which was 9:30pm or later due to flight delays. I don’t know if it was ready earlier or not, but I would have been furious if I couldn’t get into my room until 9/10pm after a long travel day. I had a split stay after 5 days and my second room wasn’t ready on time either. And we couldn’t get into either room with our magic bands. It was a very long walk back to the check in desk at Boardwalk when they wouldn’t work even though we had them scan all of our bands in the lobby beforehand.

 

[CarolynFH]

I’m sure there are plenty of people renting points using that advertised third part service and they should not be prioritized over owners.

I agree. However many owners use the same service for their personal requests instead of contacting MS directly, so DVC can’t necessarily tell which are owners’ requests and which are renters’ requests. I think DVC needs to clarify whether they’ll accept that third party’s requests (which I understand are submitted via email now) or not.

 

[CraigInPA]

Here now. I had a room request in via chat the same day I made the reservation at 11 months. When I made another reservation for a renter a month later, I took a moment for the CM to verify (asked her if it was there) that it was in place. Request was South side, even room number, preferably floor 10 or higher. When I got the room ready text (at 12:05, ya!), it had me in an odd number room on the fifth floor with a view of the pool and trees blocking the lake. I was about to get on my 3 hour delayed flight, but called and asked them to move me, because I knew this room was called a lake view, but it really wasn't, and wasn't even close to what I requested. I got a call when I landed. I was stuck with the low odd numbered room without any lake view until the next day, when they moved me to an xx06 room on a high floor. I got the room ready text on that room around 2pm. xx06 is actually on the North side, which gives a view of Tomorrowland, unlike the requested South side, which gives a view of the electrical water pageant.

Requests aren't guaranteed, but if you're staying for 10-11 nights, you'd think that the room assigner would try to get you something close to your original request. In my case high<>low, odd<>even, center<>south, so the assigner didn't get even one aspect matching.

 

[New Mouse]

So how In the world are they gonna keep up when adding things like vgf2 and poly2?

Even if it doesn't add a ton of rooms, it is additional Cleaning and higher guaranteed occupancy.

It kills me that on one end they are doing things to "help" curb the issues across wdw such as overcrowding but then the next day they talk about expansion to accommodate more guests lol.

 

[lowlight]

So how In the world are they gonna keep up when adding things like vgf2 and poly2?

Even if it doesn't add a ton of rooms, it is additional Cleaning and higher guaranteed occupancy.

It kills me that on one end they are doing things to help curb the issues across wdw such as overcrowding but then the next day they talk about expansion to accommodate more guests lol.

Take the last 12 major changes Disney has done, and separate them into buckets of "money money money" and "guest experience and satisfaction". When you're done, you'll have an extra empty bucket to do with what you please.

 

[mort1331]

So being members for over 10yrs now with multiple trips per year, and many split stays. We are from Canada, so we can not get room texts, so no need for online check in. We check in when we get there. Most times driving, some flying. I can not remember having a late check in. We do make some room requests, but when we check in depending on when and how we arrive and how tired from the drive, we normally just ask for the 1st available room. We one time asked for a specific area at OKW when we drove down,,,but it was a rough drive, so when we arrived at 10am and they mentioned the room was not available because of where we wanted, just asked for the next available room anywhere. They were great, and we were in a room within 30mins of adjusting. We would have had no issues waiting, found something to do, but asked, not demanded, and pixie dust came.

 

[amk43]

Just as another data point, we were there for six nights starting February 19. I did online checkin, no special requests (this was BCV and the only request available was “near elevator”), and put in that we’d be arriving at 7:00 PM. We arrived at 7:45, left our stuff in the car, and went straight to Epcot. We didn’t get the room ready text until 9:08 PM!

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Just as another data point, we were there for six nights starting February 19. I did online checkin, no special requests (this was BCV and the only request available was “near elevator”), and put in that we’d be arriving at 7:00 PM. We arrived at 7:45, left our stuff in the car, and went straight to Epcot. We didn’t get the room ready text until 9:08 PM!

SOMETIMES I have had the room ready, but never got the text. Just sayin. Their text system is not perfect (or even great).

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

SOMETIMES I have had the room ready, but never got the text. Just sayin. Their text system is not perfect (or even great).

But have you gotten a text well after the room was ready and you were in it? We've had instances of not getting a text but I don't think we've ever gotten a text after the room had been ready for hours.

 

[Chuck S]

Here now. I had a room request in via chat the same day I made the reservation at 11 months. When I made another reservation for a renter a month later, I took a moment for the CM to verify (asked her if it was there) that it was in place. Request was South side, even room number, preferably floor 10 or higher. When I got the room ready text (at 12:05, ya!), it had me in an odd number room on the fifth floor with a view of the pool and trees blocking the lake. I was about to get on my 3 hour delayed flight, but called and asked them to move me, because I knew this room was called a lake view, but it really wasn't, and wasn't even close to what I requested. I got a call when I landed. I was stuck with the low odd numbered room without any lake view until the next day, when they moved me to an xx06 room on a high floor. I got the room ready text on that room around 2pm. xx06 is actually on the North side, which gives a view of Tomorrowland, unlike the requested South side, which gives a view of the electrical water pageant.

Requests aren't guaranteed, but if you're staying for 10-11 nights, you'd think that the room assigner would try to get you something close to your original request. In my case high<>low, odd<>even, center<>south, so the assigner didn't get even one aspect matching.

That would entirely depend on room availability and prior assignments, as rooms aren't assigned weeks in advance. It's not like a cruise ship where everyone arrives and leaves at the same time, and rooms are preassigned upon booking. Resort room assignments is more like a game of Tetris.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

Arrived the other day @ SSR around 2PM. Asked if our room request for Grandstand was able to be granted. CM said "yes and btw the room is ready".

 

[TiggerBouncy]

But have you gotten a text well after the room was ready and you were in it? We've had instances of not getting a text but I don't think we've ever gotten a text after the room had been ready for hours.

Not from Disney... But texts are also not under their control. I remember getting a text once from my employee that she was running late to work that morning... I got the text about 4 hours after she sent it, while we were at lunch together.

Just this week, my real estate agent got my text that we were at the house for the showing... 30 minutes after we were done showing the house.

The blame here could very clearly lie in the cell phone network which is far outside of Disney's control.

 

[kes601]

Looks like they are finally testing a checkout feature in the MDE. Sure would make it easier to know when a room was vacated.

https://allears.net/2022/03/22/theres-a-new-way-to-check-out-at-select-disney-world-resort-hotels/

 

[Sandisw]

Looks like they are finally testing a checkout feature in the MDE. Sure would make it easier to know when a room was vacated.

https://allears.net/2022/03/22/theres-a-new-way-to-check-out-at-select-disney-world-resort-hotels/

This is great! At least it means they are trying to gather information when guests actually leave the room!

 

[kes601]

This is great! At least it means they are trying to gather information when guests actually leave the room!

Yes, hopefully it will expand to more resorts soon. Last weekend we left at 3:00 a.m. but we didn't let anybody know because it didn't seem worth the effort at that time of day. If we could have checked out via MDE we would have and they would have known they could clean the room as soon as mousekeeping started working.