Late check in = lousy room?

[Desnik]

We will be arriving in Orlando about 9:30pm on Sun Nov 12th. We are using DME and I expect to arrive at SSR around 10:30pm. I have never checked in so late. Will we get a lousy room location or not be able to have our requests made? The only request I made was non smoking and close to main bldg. We usually check in early and have our pick of at least 2 room locations.

[CarolA]

One of the best rooms I have ever had at OKW was for a midnight check in.....

[Dizma]

My experience has been late check in=room assignment suicide. We won't be doing that again. It was a holiday weekend @OKW.

[PrincessJasmine08]

It is my understanding that when you arrive they pull up the rooms that are ready at that time and give you one of them. Rooms are not pre-assigned. So that means all the people arriving all day may have snagged all the rooms close to the main building. On the flip side it seems just as likely that a great room might not come open until evening. I seems like you would have a 50/50 chance. Just remember, a bad room at Saratoga Springs is better than a great room at home!

[DisneyMomJen]

We checked in at 5:00 at the BCV this past August in a 2 bedroom. This was for a 10 night stay. We were assigned to what I considered a horrible road view. I asked to be switched, they contacted a manager who gave us the option of 3rd floor last room by the parking lot. That is what we took. I asked if we got such bad rooms since we checked in late. The answer was no, they are all booked. Based on this experience, I would definitely try to check in earlier.

[tmt martins]

We checked in on a SUN at 10:00am and got a bad location so I really don't think it matters.And our bad location was not that bad just a bit of a walk to the main building and pools.

[OKW Lover]

I've never found any really lousy rooms at DVC. But realistically, if you're not getting there until late there isn't anything you can do to change your odds. Just be sure your preferences are listed on your reservations.

[Sox_Fan]

Last week we checked into SSR at about 3:30. We were given a choice of the rooms available and ready at that time (there were three - one in The Springs and two in The Paddocks; I chose The Springs). My impression is that you are offered a bigger selection if you arrive at a time when a lot of rooms are ready and relatively few people have checked in yet. When this is probably varies daily, but I would guess early afternoon is usually best. What I don't know (and they don't tell you) is how many rooms are empty but not ready yet - again, this probably varies daily as well.

Assuming this to be true, keep in mind that the last room to be cleaned may be the best in the lot, and you could end up with it if others check in before it is ready - you just never know.

[BitsnBearsMom]

We just got back yesterday and were never offered our choice of rooms - stayed 5 nights at OKW, 4 at Boardwalk and 4 at Saratoga. Checked in at OKW at 2 and our room was ready, 1:30pm at Boardwalk and room was not ready but it was by 4pm and checked in at noon at SSR and no room until 7pm when they put us somewhere else b/c they didn't get the 'engineering' issues in the original room fixed - and we had been hanging around for hours waiting at this point. Had only 1 request for each also and that was for a no smoking 2 bedroom!

From our experience I assumed they assigned the rooms ahead of time?

[CarolA]

It is my understanding that when you arrive they pull up the rooms that are ready at that time and give you one of them. Rooms are not pre-assigned. So that means all the people arriving all day may have snagged all the rooms close to the main building. On the flip side it seems just as likely that a great room might not come open until evening. I seems like you would have a 50/50 chance. Just remember, a bad room at Saratoga Springs is better than a great room at home!

I am sorry, but I called a DVC Hotel manager on this last week when I checked in at 10:30 and my room was not ready at FIVE! It's not exactly true he finally admitted, but he would NOT tell me what they were doing back there. (He did find me a room since I wanted to know how on the "room ready" theory there had been NO non-smoking studios ready in that amount of time!!!! Nonsmoking was my only request. I was nice to him, but I pointed out that it was MY understanding that rooms were NOT preassigned and were assigned as we arrived... He indicated something like "well there is some adjustment as you arrive" ) There is apparently some "preassignment" with the ability to move. The manager was VERY vague on this whole mess!

(And my room at OKW at midnight was the CLOSEST I have ever been to the main pool and community building)

[doodlebugs]

I knew that we would be checking in to BWV around 7pm last Sunday and wondered how this might effect our room assignment being during the busy Food & Wine season. I had made three notes on my reservations in regards to room preference. Called BWV the day before check in and noted it would be 7 pm or later before we checked in. We did check in around 7pm and to my complete surprise, we got the perfect room---everything that I had noted. Was not given a choice of rooms at check-in. Nothing was even said, but boy did I get the room I wanted! It was wonderful and I can't wait to return! Hope the same works out for you. :tink:

[Simba's Mom]

One of the nicest rooms I got at BCV was when I checked in latest, almost 8:00 pm. It met all my requests. However, unlike when I've checked in early in the day, I wasn't given a choice of rooms, I was just told "Here's your room".

[Pinnie]

We have recieved the dreaded HANDICAPPED access studios when we arrive late at BCVs in December. I always can guess my room number.

This year, again, our flight isn't arriving at MCO until after 11:00 pm. and by the time we get our luggage, rental car, etc. I am sure we will be tubless this trip, too.

pinnie

[DisDaydreamer]

For us, arriving after 5 pm seems like a total waste of points. We think it is better to stay in a moderate hotel room and then hit DVC early the next morning with our preferences made clear. It is always a hit or miss situation, but I think in general if you have any preferences you need to get there early to give yourself the best chance of getting your preferences. I often see people posting the "we were not given a room choice at check-in" I have to believe it is because you didn't ask what all was available or state any preferences. When you check in the CM DOES have the vision of seeing what will BECOME available and we have on a number occasions opted to not take an available room and to wait for another room that better meets our preferences, but that opportunity comes with getting there early. Good luck to all... :thumbsup2

[LVSWL]

We have recieved the dreaded HANDICAPPED access studios when we arrive late at BCVs in December. I always can guess my room number.

This year, again, our flight isn't arriving at MCO until after 11:00 pm. and by the time we get our luggage, rental car, etc. I am sure we will be tubless this trip, too.

pinnie
We also received the HA room at VWL with a 11:30 check-in. Our only request was non-smoking. It was a nightmare for 2 days until we could move to our new reservation!

[princessesrule4]

For us - yes : :sad2:

[dvc guy]

Room assignments seem to be a mystery that no one at Disney will go on the record with.

We have checked in to OKW at various times of the day, never after 4 PM and I always request non smoking top floor. I always ask the Cm before they print out all the information if I am getting what I asked for. At that point and I have been given choices a few times.

Along with my request I tell the CM that I do NOT need to be near HH. I think this helps a lot in getting what I need.

If Disney confirmed room requests what would we talk about. :banana: :rotfl2:

[dumbo71]

With all due respect here and really treading lightly with this: When you arrive late, you will get, in most cases, the leftovers. I see nothing wrong with this either. What should they do hold a good room for you???? In any business you serve in the order they arrive.

The early bird always gets the worm and the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Add those together and you can see why the early arrivers get the better pick of rooms. :teacher: Someone arriving early that doesn't like there room choice will have far more options to be moved. Late arrivers simply have what is left. If you CHOOSE to arrive late then that is the chance you take.

Life is full of choices and you DO have a choice to arrive early. You could stay off site the first night and check in early the next day. If you don't like that idea I say hope for the best. What destination are you flying from that you cannot get in ealrier? California? WA?

Good luck and I hope you get the exact room you want. I just wouldn't bet on it. :thumbsup2

disclaimer: arriving early is not a guarantee of a "good" room. Quite frankly any room at WDW is just fine by me.

[twotoohappy]

We also received the HA room at VWL with a 11:30 check-in. Our only request was non-smoking. It was a nightmare for 2 days until we could move to our new reservation!

better than the dumpster view that I got :rotfl2:



When I'm at BWV (the last 3 trips I've made and all BW views) I've gotten my requests met each time. One check-in was 11pm, one 7am and one 2pm.

My requests.....
Near Jellyrolls
Next to Jellyrolls
As close as possible to Jellyrolls

The room assigner must know me by now :rotfl2:

[Rozzie]

Life is full of choices and you DO have a choice to arrive early. You could stay off site the first night and check in early the next day..

We have learned that this is the only way to possibly getting room requests. We stay offsite the first night, and check in waaaaaaay early. By 8am. :teeth:

This trip I am checking in super early, since it is a Sunday. I plan to be at SSR (we will be at GF for Fri/Sat night) by 6am to give myself a fighting chance for my Congress Park, 2nd floor, non-smoking, non-accessible, view of Fulton's. :crazy:

Sure I may not get it, but as long as I am in Congress Park, I'll live. I understand the circumstances may not always allow early check in, but we have made adjustments in our travel to accomodate my desire (DH calls obsession with) for a particular area.

Sending good vibes to the OP on her room selection. I do agree, anywhere in the world is better than at home! :thumbsup2

[Sammie]

I would not worry about it. At SSR in my opinion and I have stayed in all the sections open, there are no horrible locations. Every building is close to a bus stop and even if you don't want to walk to the main building there is an internal bus system.

The views are lovely in all areas and since your only request was NS you should have no problem with that. As to being close to the main building there are only 3 buildings in the Springs and even if you checked in early you might not get that.

They can only give you what is available when you check in.

[OHIOVACATIONER]

We have learned that this is the only way to possibly getting room requests. We stay offsite the first night, and check in waaaaaaay early. By 8am. :teeth:

This trip I am checking in super early, since it is a Sunday. I plan to be at SSR (we will be at GF for Fri/Sat night) by 6am to give myself a fighting chance for my Congress Park, 2nd floor, non-smoking, non-accessible, view of Fulton's. :crazy:

Sure I may not get it, but as long as I am in Congress Park, I'll live. I understand the circumstances may not always allow early check in, but we have made adjustments in our travel to accomodate my desire (DH calls obsession with) for a particular area.

Sending good vibes to the OP on her room selection. I do agree, anywhere in the world is better than at home! :thumbsup2

HI,
So if you arrive at the resort at 8:00am and a room is ready they would let you check in?

[Rozzie]

HI,
So if you arrive at the resort at 8:00am and a room is ready they would let you check in?

If the room is ready! ;) I remember once getting checked in BCV at 0800 and our room was ready, we went up to the room and took a nap, LOL.

If the room is ready, it's yours! I don't mean to sound so obsessive about Congress Park, the areas at SSR are all really nice. We just love being close to DTD, and this is a mom/daughter trip, and we plan to Christmas shop everyday! :thumbsup2

[canwegosoon]

From my experiences:
Only request was medical non-smoking
1st trip SSR(1pm)-Great room
BWV(4pm)-Great room(but is there a bad BWview?)
BCV(noon)-barely fair(no view/near road-end of long hall-smokers around us)
VWL(5:30)-Awful (dumpster view, end of hall)

So my upcoming trips I have listed 1 medical non-smoking and 2 preferences...waiting to see how this works for me. ;)

[LVSWL]

better than the dumpster view that I got :rotfl2:



When I'm at BWV (the last 3 trips I've made and all BW views) I've gotten my requests met each time. One check-in was 11pm, one 7am and one 2pm.

My requests.....
Near Jellyrolls
Next to Jellyrolls
As close as possible to Jellyrolls

The room assigner must know me by now :rotfl2:
Understand about the dumpster view, but that HA room was just quite a challenge with the shower flooding and no safe.
Hop you get your Wishes for your trip in December! :wizard:

[Slakk]

From my experiences:
Only request was medical non-smoking
1st trip SSR(1pm)-Great room
BWV(4pm)-Great room(but is there a bad BWview?)
BCV(noon)-barely fair(no view/near road-end of long hall-smokers around us)
VWL(5:30)-Awful (dumpster view, end of hall)

So my upcoming trips I have listed 1 medical non-smoking and 2 preferences...waiting to see how this works for me. ;)

Yeah there is a bad BWV room...the one right above the DVC samples where the drunks congregate and scream :rotfl2:

We had that one and no matter how diligent security was to move them out, they kept coming back.

[eliza61]

We will be arriving in Orlando about 9:30pm on Sun Nov 12th. We are using DME and I expect to arrive at SSR around 10:30pm. I have never checked in so late. Will we get a lousy room location or not be able to have our requests made? The only request I made was non smoking and close to main bldg. We usually check in early and have our pick of at least 2 room locations.

Not sure I've ever had any Lousy rooms. I've had some rooms with not so great views but the room was absolutely fabulous. I think your pretty safe with getting a non-smoking room no matter what time you check in. I wouldn't worry to much about it.

[DisDaydreamer]

HI,
So if you arrive at the resort at 8:00am and a room is ready they would let you check in?

Yep. And you feel like you've gotten a bonus day added to your vacation.

[Desnik]

Thanks for all the opinions!!
We are arriving late because when we bought our airfare, that was the time that was available for a reasonable rate. We are coming from NY on Jetblue. This trip is with friends of ours on their points. We are members but our friends just joined and had more points they they can use so they made our ressies using their points.(this is like a bonus, extra trip for us b/c we went in May this year) I have never checked in late because we usually stay at a mod or value the first night, then check in early the next day. Or, we just try to get an early flight. When we went in May we arrived at BWV at around 1pm and had a pick of rooms and got a great one! We have always been happy with our rooms. No I do not expect them to save a special room for me if I check in late. I do expect a room!!LOL :thumbsup2 I just don't want to be stuck in a smelly smoking room or too far from everything at the resort. We don't mind walking, just not too much! ;)
I am well aware that it is ideal to check in early, I was just asking to see what others have experienced with a late check in. I am staying at SSR starting Nov 12th, so I think I will have a good chance with at least getting a non smoking room.
Thanks!

[Inkmahm]

We also received the HA room at VWL with a 11:30 check-in. Our only request was non-smoking. It was a nightmare for 2 days until we could move to our new reservation!
I have to ask, what's the matter with handi-cap rooms?

I've never been in one at DCL, but I have had one at a hotel in Miami and that room was WONDERFUL. Bigger than the normal size rooms with a beautiful shower that you could walk into instead of a bathtub to crawl over.

[Towncrier]

If I recall, a handicap accessible Grand Villa at Old Key West does not have a jacuzzi tub. It was a long time ago when we stayed there, but I seem to remember being disappointed at the lack of the in-room jacuzzi.

[Pinnie]

I have to ask, what's the matter with handi-cap rooms?



I can speak to the HA rooms at BCVS. The bathroom has NO tub....it is a HUGE shower area and it floods the whole floor. Because the sink is a roll under, there is very limited storage space in the bathroom. Also, there was no closet, instead a hutch for the TV that held the pack-n-play.

I am one that likes to go to BASIN, pick up a bath bomb and relax in the tub. Kind of hard to do when there isn't one!

This year I am hoping for the best and that I don't get stuck in the HA room again. We normally come in earlier in the day, but because of our work schedules, we can't get a flight out until 6:30 p.m.

pinnie

[SueM in MN]

If I recall, a handicap accessible Grand Villa at Old Key West does not have a jacuzzi tub. It was a long time ago when we stayed there, but I seem to remember being disappointed at the lack of the in-room jacuzzi.
The handicapped Grand Villa at OKW does have the jacuzzi tub. The biggest difference in the bathroom is that the sink in the room with the toilet is a roll under sink and the shower is a roll in shower with a fold down seat and a shower curtain rather than a door.
The smaller hall bathroom and the upstairs are not handicapped accessible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Inkmahm
I have to ask, what's the matter with handi-cap rooms?

I can speak to the HA rooms at BCVS. The bathroom has NO tub....it is a HUGE shower area and it floods the whole floor. Because the sink is a roll under, there is very limited storage space in the bathroom. Also, there was no closet, instead a hutch for the TV that held the pack-n-play.

I am one that likes to go to BASIN, pick up a bath bomb and relax in the tub. Kind of hard to do when there isn't one!
The totally wheelchair accessible studios with roll in showers don't have a tub, but the one and 2 bedroom villas with roll in showers still have a jacuzzi tub the same as the non-handicapped rooms.

There are also several different kinds of handicapped studios - some have the roll in showers and some have a tub with lots of grab bars.

[crux]

We've just come back from BCV and checked in at 8pm (flying from the UK we didn't land until 6pm) and received a Handicap studio (room 225). This room did have a tub with hand rails, but the lack of closet and drawer space was a bit of an issue. There were only two of us, but with clothes for 14 days we used all the available space. For our next visit, in September 2007, I will include NOT a Handicap room in my list of requests after Non-Smoking and NOT first floor.

Ian

[MrsToad]

We've just come back from BCV and checked in at 8pm (flying from the UK we didn't land until 6pm) and received a Handicap studio (room 225). This room did have a tub with hand rails, but the lack of closet and drawer space was a bit of an issue. There were only two of us, but with clothes for 14 days we used all the available space. For our next visit, in September 2007, I will include NOT a Handicap room in my list of requests after Non-Smoking and NOT first floor.

Ian
We got a similar room when we checked into BCV at 11:00 AM this past Saturday. We had requested a smoking permitted room as DH still smokes. This was our only request. We were assured at check-in that, though not ready yet, the room they were giving us was smoking optional...I confirmed this 3 times because DH will not break the rules and smoke in a non-smoking room. Well, when we called later to confirm that the room was ready, we were told it was room 525. Of course, when we got to the room, we found that not only was this a non-smoking room, it was a "partial" handicap studio..it had a tub but no closet space except for that TV cabinet area and no countertop in the bathroom for our toiletries. I have to wonder if, between our check-in time and when we confirmed that our room was ready about 4:00pm, someone else complained about getting this room and then it was reassigned to us. (The resort was full that night; with the help of a manager, after speaking with 3 other CMs who tried to tell us there were only 2 smoking optional studios at BCV, we were able to move the next day.)

So, my point is, checking in early and being assigned a room that isn't ready may not be any better than checking in later in the afternoon.

[DisDaydreamer]

Along with my request I tell the CM that I do NOT need to be near HH. I think this helps a lot in getting what I need.

What is "HH" :confused3

[Simba's Mom]

If I remember correctly, she was refering to OKW. HH there is the Hospitality House, the main building area.

[karrit2000]

I have to ask, what's the matter with handi-cap rooms?

I've never been in one at DCL, but I have had one at a hotel in Miami and that room was WONDERFUL. Bigger than the normal size rooms with a beautiful shower that you could walk into instead of a bathtub to crawl over.

What you consider "wonderful" many of us consider to be a major problem especially when we are staying multiple nights. As another poster said: "
We've just come back from BCV and checked in at 8pm (flying from the UK we didn't land until 6pm) and received a Handicap studio (room 225). This room did have a tub with hand rails, but the lack of closet and drawer space was a bit of an issue. There were only two of us, but with clothes for 14 days we used all the available space." Also noted by another poster much of the cabinet space we are used to is not available in the HA units. I had a studio at OKW that had the refrigerator shoved up against one of the beds that patially blocked the access to the patio door. The closet was configured so the clothes bars were reachable for a wheelchair-bound individual. I was unable to hang the dresses I needed for some of the events I was attending. I have no problem with having HA units available to those who need them. That said, they should never be given to a person who doesn't request one without full disclosure at check-in. I always specify "No handicapped room" when I make my reservations. And I always verify that I haven't been given one when I check in. Despite this, I also was given an HA room at BWV despite having specificly stated at reservation time that I did not want one. That room had a pocket(sliding) door for the bathroom that I could barely open or close so I don't know how a physically challenged person could possibly find that to their advantage. Fotunately the manager researched & found the initial request & we were moved to a "Normal" room the next day. The excuse was that I had been waitlisted for BWV and the request wasn't transferred when the waitlist came through. But I had to demand to speak with a manager to have the issue resolved.

[emerymt]

The early bird always gets the worm and the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Add those together and you can see why the early arrivers get the better pick of rooms. :teacher: Someone arriving early that doesn't like there room choice will have far more options to be moved. Late arrivers simply have what is left. If you CHOOSE to arrive late then that is the chance you take.

Life is full of choices and you DO have a choice to arrive early. You could stay off site the first night and check in early the next day. If you don't like that idea I say hope for the best. What destination are you flying from that you cannot get in ealrier? California? WA?



Oh please. The absolute earliest flight we could ever take leaves our airport at 6 am and arrives in MCO at 4pm. Of course, it's also $100 more, but the only other flight option gets us to MCO at 10:30 or 11:30. P.M. It's actually easier to get to Florida from the west coast than it is from many points in between. So, I really think folks are justified in complaining a little bit about what one gets with a late check-in time considering the small fortune it might take to get there. Plus, something tells me Disney well understands that people who come a long way tend to stay longer, and therefore, spend more money :teacher: So I doubt that all the "best" rooms are given away to the first in line. Front desk people probably take a look at what's available and do their best. Sometimes it takes all day to get all the rooms cleaned up and ready to go- but I would agree that the "worst" rooms are going to be saved for the very last, in the hope that not everyone is going to show up. That's common sense. So, we're coughing up the extra $500 bucks to get there early.

But, here's something to think about- the very worst rooms might be clean in the morning if no one was in them the night before- and ready to go bright and early at 8 am! This happened to me when I flew to Europe and arrived at 6 am. I didn't care, though, since I was never in my room to see the great view of the construction scaffolding right outside my window!

[dumbo71]

Oh please. The absolute earliest flight we could ever take leaves our airport at 6 am and arrives in MCO at 4pm.


I'm just curious where you are flying from and on what airline? That seems like an extremely long day to get to one of the most popular destinations in the U.S. Some of the smallest airorts have non stop flights into Orlando.