Just back from BLT 2/25-3/4 Housekeeping Horror

[briternik]

My family has been going every year for the past 6 years. We usually stay at the Poly and this was our first stay at BLT. You can't beat the location. We had a 1 BDRM standard view. I used the room finder on touring plans and requested 7512 based on their suggestions. We ended up in 7304. Wasn't the worst but if I couldn't be on 5th floor, I wanted ground. The CM I spoke with said that standard views are floors 1-3 and 5 wasn't an option.
The only problem I had was with housekeeping. As has been previously stated, housekeeping comes every day to get the trash and does a thorough clean on day 4 when you are staying in a DVC. The problem was that I had a baby that naps from 2-4 every day and that is the time they ALWAYS came. I put out the sign when I laid the baby down. They knocked anyway. I went to the door and told her my baby was asleep. She said she needed to get the trash. I told her to come back later. She said she would come in an hour. I told her to come at 4. She said she was off at 4. I said "sorry" so she said she would get it the next day.
SO- the next day same routine- except I was in the bathroom, doing my personal business and my baby was asleep. Not only did I have the sign out, but had the door stop on. They knock again. I ignore. They knock again. I ignore again. Finally, they use their key and BAM the door against the door stop. I YELL "I'm in the bathroom"!! They BAM again. "I'M IN THE BATHROOM"!!! My baby starts crying, then they leave. I am LIVID!!! I immediately call housekeeping and can't get an answer. I call the front desk and complain. She asks if I had the sign out and I told her I did. She said she will take care of it.
The next day I didn't take the baby back to the room for a nap as we went to Animal Kingdom and stayed there the entire day.
However, the following day- back at it again. 3:00. BAM!!!! UGGGGHHHHH!!! I didn't even bother to call.
The following day was a full clean day, so they serviced the room before nap time.
We had a great vaca at a great location. I hope never to repeat this housekeeping horror.
One last thing that was different than our stays at the Poly was there was no bell services. If you wanted it, you had to drive over to the Contemporary entrance to get it. Upon leaving, you had to call Contemporary bell services to come help you again. No carts available for public use.
Also, I had rented a stroller from Kingdom Strollers and had to go over to Contemp to pick it up.

 

[DizneyMommy]

I would be frustrated too, but I wonder if it was because of the new policy of entering the room every day? Although they certainly should not be beating down your door at the same time every day if they know you have a napping baby.

 

[Ninja Mom]

Please consider copy pasting your post here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/guest-experiences-with-daily-room-checks.3660888/

The link takes you to a thread where people are sharing their experiences concerning this behavior. I'd bet that Disney is also following along on that thread, although they would never admit it.

The most effective way to share your concerns about your experience is with Guest Services. Send them an email regarding your experience and they will get back to you for a follow up. You can even just copy paste what you wrote above and send it to them.

email wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

or send a letter to:

Walt Disney World Guest Communications
Executive Offices
Post Office Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-0040

Disney definitely needs to know about this horrendous customer service. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences. That will help other guests to know what they can expect if they stay at a Disney resort and perhaps together we can get Disney to understand that this type of behavior is NOT acceptable.

~NM

 

[robinb]

Wow. That does sound like a PITB. The knocking through the Do Not Disturb sign does sound like WDW's new "security" measures. With that in place, you really don't have any expectation of privacy in your room during the day. Disney housekeeping and/or security can and will enter your room on their schedule and not yours. I've heard of some people asking for service at a certain timeframe but success at that has been spotty. I know that housekeeping needs to enter your room, but the BAM! of the door repeatedly hitting the door latch would make me lose my stuff. That is just plain rude. I hope that you share your frustration with DVC.

Next time you may want to consider putting the baby down for a nap in the bedroom with a closed door to muffle the sound of normal knocking and allowing them in to quietly remove the garage. Also, be aware that it will also happen at the Poly as they are also part of the same "security" program.

 

[Deb & Bill]

My family has been going every year for the past 6 years. We usually stay at the Poly and this was our first stay at BLT. You can't beat the location. We had a 1 BDRM standard view. I used the room finder on touring plans and requested 7512 based on their suggestions. We ended up in 7304. Wasn't the worst but if I couldn't be on 5th floor, I wanted ground. The CM I spoke with said that standard views are floors 1-3 and 5 wasn't an option.
The only problem I had was with housekeeping. As has been previously stated, housekeeping comes every day to get the trash and does a thorough clean on day 4 when you are staying in a DVC. The problem was that I had a baby that naps from 2-4 every day and that is the time they ALWAYS came. I put out the sign when I laid the baby down. They knocked anyway. I went to the door and told her my baby was asleep. She said she needed to get the trash. I told her to come back later. She said she would come in an hour. I told her to come at 4. She said she was off at 4. I said "sorry" so she said she would get it the next day.
SO- the next day same routine- except I was in the bathroom, doing my personal business and my baby was asleep. Not only did I have the sign out, but had the door stop on. They knock again. I ignore. They knock again. I ignore again. Finally, they use their key and BAM the door against the door stop. I YELL "I'm in the bathroom"!! They BAM again. "I'M IN THE BATHROOM"!!! My baby starts crying, then they leave. I am LIVID!!! I immediately call housekeeping and can't get an answer. I call the front desk and complain. She asks if I had the sign out and I told her I did. She said she will take care of it.
The next day I didn't take the baby back to the room for a nap as we went to Animal Kingdom and stayed there the entire day.
However, the following day- back at it again. 3:00. BAM!!!! UGGGGHHHHH!!! I didn't even bother to call.
The following day was a full clean day, so they serviced the room before nap time.
We had a great vaca at a great location. I hope never to repeat this housekeeping horror.
One last thing that was different than our stays at the Poly was there was no bell services. If you wanted it, you had to drive over to the Contemporary entrance to get it. Upon leaving, you had to call Contemporary bell services to come help you again. No carts available for public use.
Also, I had rented a stroller from Kingdom Strollers and had to go over to Contemp to pick it up.

They have Bell Services at BLT. But guests do not have any access to luggage carts, only Bell Services. You should have just been able to call Bell Services on your villa phone to deliver and pick up your luggage. And you drive your car to the front of BLT to have it loaded or unloaded. Plus, if you were there for seven nights, you should not have gotten a full cleaning unless you paid extra for that. Just Trash and Towel Service. You don't get a full cleaning until you are there eight nights. Unless I misunderstood the number of nights you were there.

As for the daily security check, the point is to check when the guest isn't expecting it so you can't hide your arsenal or meth lab.

 

[mom2rtk]

It's pretty clear after reading a number of these reports that the new signs do not mean "come back later". They just mean "knock before entering".

I'd be livid too OP. I hope you follow up with a letter to Disney.

 

[bumbershoot]

So...I'm not a fan of this new CYA (or so they think) room check business, but before you send this off to anyone, you need to understand some misunderstandings.

I used the room finder on touring plans and requested 7512 based on their suggestions. We ended up in 7304. Wasn't the worst but if I couldn't be on 5th floor, I wanted ground.

That's why you don't request a certain room. You request the basics of what you want so that they can understand WHY you want what you want.

As has been previously stated, housekeeping comes every day to get the trash and does a thorough clean on day 4 when you are staying in a DVC.

No, they do NOT do any cleaning on day 4. They take the trash and switch out the towels. That is IT.

I call the front desk and complain.

As a repeat guest you should know that calling the "front desk" gets you to an offsite often out of state call center. If you want to talk to the front desk you have to go to the front desk.

One last thing that was different than our stays at the Poly was there was no bell services.

Only during certain hours in our experience.

 

[bumbershoot]

It's pretty clear after reading a number of these reports that the new signs do not mean "come back later". They just mean "knock before entering".

Given that that's pretty much what the new signs say, yes that's what they mean.

 

[pattyw]

OP, so sorry to hear about this. I've been reading the recent posts on the other thread on experiences with daily room checks, and it seems as though it's been either- no problem at all- or a big mess. I'm not willing to take a gamble and flip the coin right now to stay at a Disney resort. it's not worth it.

 

[Disneylover99]

Wow. That does sound like a PITB. The knocking through the Do Not Disturb sign does sound like WDW's new "security" measures. With that in place, you really don't have any expectation of privacy in your room during the day. Disney housekeeping and/or security can and will enter your room on their schedule and not yours. I've heard of some people asking for service at a certain timeframe but success at that has been spotty. I know that housekeeping needs to enter your room, but the BAM! of the door repeatedly hitting the door latch would make me lose my stuff. That is just plain rude. I hope that you share your frustration with DVC.

Next time you may want to consider putting the baby down for a nap in the bedroom with a closed door to muffle the sound of normal knocking and allowing them in to quietly remove the garage. Also, be aware that it will also happen at the Poly as they are also part of the same "security" program.

The "Do Not Disturb" sign no longer exists. It says, "Room Occupied" now.

 

[mom2rtk]

Given that that's pretty much what the new signs say, yes that's what they mean.

Actually, that's not what the sign says. I'd venture to say that a fair number of people unfamiliar with the new room check policy just assume they were rethemed and phrased in a more polite fashion.

Many would expect housekeeping or security to check back later if a "room occupied" sign was out.

 

[pattyw]

Actually, that's not what the sign says. I'd venture to say that a fair number of people unfamiliar with the new room check policy just assume they were rethemed and phrased in a more polite fashion.

Many would expect housekeeping or security to check back later if a "room occupied" sign was out.

Yes- and from what I've read, the guests are not being informed of the change. And even those who have read about it and ask about it for clarification are being met with a less than positive reaction from CM's.

 

[Shanti]

I recommend not using the sign at all. From the reports I've read, the people who get hassled most are those with the signs up. It's as if housekeeping has been trained to see them as red flags. They do no good, regardless, so I'd just leave them off & hope for the best.

This policy is not making me want to spend $300+ per night on a Disney resort. I'm glad we're more interested in Disney cruises at the moment.

Of course we'll go back to WDW in a while, but their no-privacy policy bites, & who wants to pay that much to be treated like a criminal?

 

[mousehockey37]

When you say you called the front desk, you didn't call the front desk (unless they confirmed it). You called a call center somewhere off-site, hence why nothing was done. You more than likely should've gone down TO the front desk when you had time.

 

[Ninja Mom]

@briternik Please excuse the tone of some of the people trying to "school" you. Sometimes people posting replies forget that not everyone knows as much as they do about a subject.

~NM

 

[DizneyMommy]

Hm, we’ll likely be in the room with a napping 2 year old at least once or twice during the afternoon. I wonder if I tape a note to the door that says Baby napping and leave the trash outside just while she’s asleep if that will help

 

[loves to dive]

Op so sorry this happened to you, I would definitely write a letter to Disney and politely let them know what happened. I think part of the problem is that this policy is so new they are trying to feel their way through it and possibly there wasn't enough (or any) training to the levels of the people who actually have to implement it. I'm hoping they will hit their stride eventually and iron out the problems. That doesn't help your experience and is certainly no excuse for not at least being polite about trying to follow the new rules.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Sorry that happened to you OP.

This whole thing is just insane

 

[maxiesmom]

Hm, we’ll likely be in the room with a napping 2 year old at least once or twice during the afternoon. I wonder if I tape a note to the door that says Baby napping and leave the trash outside just while she’s asleep if that will help

Probably not, but I guess it is worth a shot. They have to look around your room, the trash pickup is just and excuse to do that.

Honestly, as of now the best thing to do is to tell them you have a sleeping child, hope they will be quiet, and hope they will be quick. If you put the latch on the door it seems as if they will keep pushing against it, as the OP found out. Ignoring them knocking is about the worst thing to do. Better to let them in and get it over with.

 

[robinb]

Probably not, but I guess it is worth a shot. They have to look around your room, the trash pickup is just and excuse to do that.

Honestly, as of now the best thing to do is to tell them you have a sleeping child, hope they will be quiet, and hope they will be quick. If you put the latch on the door it seems as if they will keep pushing against it, as the OP found out. Ignoring them knocking is about the worst thing to do. Better to let them in and get it over with.

I agree. It's not about the trash, it's about "security" and inspecting your room every day.