Strategy for Guaranteed Connecting Rooms

[crisi]

Because the word guarantee in the hotel business doesn't mean guarantee. Its strange, but they don't use the word the way we think it should be used.

I've had guaranteed rooms to discover no room at all. Guaranteed kings to end up with two fulls. Guaranteed non smoking to end up in a smoking room. All over the country, all sorts of hotel chains, and not a darn thing you can do about it. The small print allows them to make substitutions at their discretion and not give you a room at all if they overbooked.

 

[MouseOfCards]

Thanks for the replies. So Poly is the only DVC with connecting rooms? And the consensus seems to be that even with a promise and a printout, guaranteed does not mean guaranteed.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

It is easy to come up with scenarios where Poly could not be guaranteed.

For example, let's say Poly is full. 10 people have guaranteed adjoining rooms. 8 people are leaving where the rooms happen to be adjoining. 2 people will be out of luck.

Disney could manage this by putting people into adjacent rooms based on checkout date. But if they do this, this has to supersede time of checkin, room requests, etc.

 

[CMNJ]

Thanks for the replies. So Poly is the only DVC with connecting rooms? And the consensus seems to be that even with a promise and a printout, guaranteed does not mean guaranteed.

Again when you say "rooms" what do you mean? All WDW DVC accomodations are called "villas" and range from studios (which except for OKW has just 1 bed plus asofa bed and possible Murphy bed) to 3 BR grand villas. The Poly is all studios (except for those outrageously expensive over water bungalows). They are hotel rooms converted into studios (1 bed, sofa bed, and Murphy pull down bed). All connect to another studio except 2 (I think). In all other WDW DVC resorts you will NOT find any connecting studios. Studios in those resorts connect to a 1 BR (to make a 2BR lock off) or are dedicated (do not connect to anything). While it is theoretically possible that you could book a 1 BR and a studio in the same category at the same resort and get connecting rooms you should absolutely book a 2 BR to ensure that you are together. If the DVC resort is not showing availability for a 2 BR for your dates then it does not seem likely your request would be able to be accommodated. To give you a specific example of why this may not be possible-BWV has dedicated 1 BR and studios plus 2 BR lockoffs. If you see availability for 1 BRs and studios but not 2BR that would mean all the connecting 1BR and studios have been booked and only dedicated ones are left.
Also are you booking a cash reservation directly through Disney? I do not think member services would even guarantee anything like connecting rooms-DVD/DVC was very clear when they opened the Poly that connecting rooms were only a request.

 

[MouseOfCards]

It's just very surprising because based on the linked article, the writer was essentially stating (and seemed to confirm this with multiple CMs) that guests could be guaranteed connecting hotel rooms, and I was wondering if this was also doable for DVC rooms. However, it sounds like even the writer was wrong or given wrong information.

I guess the issue for me is that Disney CMs could be making these promises, and some guests even received the promises in writing, when they have no way of guaranteeing fulfillment of the promises.

 

[Dean]

It's just very surprising because based on the linked article, the writer was essentially stating (and seemed to confirm this with multiple CMs) that guests could be guaranteed connecting hotel rooms, and I was wondering if this was also doable for DVC rooms. However, it sounds like even the writer was wrong or given wrong information.

I guess the issue for me is that Disney CMs could be making these promises, and some guests even received the promises in writing, when they have no way of guaranteeing fulfillment of the promises.

As Crisi points out, guaranteed does not necessarily mean truly guaranteed just like the airlines. Realistically for Poly it shouldn't be a problem. VB & HH also have connecting rooms, I'm not sure about the HI options.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

And the other reality is that basically, DVC doesn't have connecting rooms at all to even fake-guarantee, save at Poly, HH and VB; maybe also Aulani?

 

[Lynne M]

It's just very surprising because based on the linked article, the writer was essentially stating (and seemed to confirm this with multiple CMs) that guests could be guaranteed connecting hotel rooms, and I was wondering if this was also doable for DVC rooms. However, it sounds like even the writer was wrong or given wrong information.

I guess the issue for me is that Disney CMs could be making these promises, and some guests even received the promises in writing, when they have no way of guaranteeing fulfillment of the promises.

It depends on which CMs you talk to. Reservation CMs will tell you that connecting rooms can be guaranteed, resort CMs will not. Apparently, Disney does not consider it enough of an issue to get their CMs on the same page.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

And the other reality is that basically, DVC doesn't have connecting rooms at all to even fake-guarantee, save at Poly, HH and VB; maybe also Aulani?

Not at Aulani.

It depends on which CMs you talk to. Reservation CMs will tell you that connecting rooms can be guaranteed, resort CMs will not. Apparently, Disney does not consider it enough of an issue to get their CMs on the same page.

I've never had a MS CM say that. They go above and beyond to indicate requests are not guaranteed in my experience.

 

[Lynne M]

I've never had a MS CM say that. They go above and beyond to indicate requests are not guaranteed in my experience.

Thanks, that's a good point. What I've said only applies to the general reservation line, not Member Services.