What WILL they tell you before your room is ready?

[disneyfan2kids]

Whenever I check-in my room is never ready (no prob - don't expect it until 4pm). However, I always try to ask them "Can you at least tell me what section I am in (ie. Congress Park vs. Grandstand/etc.)" They usually respond by saying they can't do that either.

My reason for asking is that if I'm checking in at 7am - and I find out I am in Carousel...I'd rather ask them right then and there to please move my section and I'll wait as long as necessary.

Now - I'm not picky... its' not as if I'm asking what floor, what room, what view, etc.... I just want to know a general "section" if that makes sense. (Yes, I put in requests but I'd really rather know right then and there if my requests weren't met)...then I can ask if its possible to meet my requests...then if I'm still told "NO, not possible." I am OK with that...but then at least I KNOW that I am in a section I don't want and can take the next 7 hours before room check-in to get used to the fact that I'm not where I asked to be.

It seems like its silly to not have the room discussion with front desk right then and there....rather than delay it for 7 hours when they already know what section I'm in. Also - with a place as big as SSR or OKW. At around 4pm I'm going to linger nearby whatever section I was told I'm in...so I can be ready for room. I'm not stalking...I don't know room number. BUT I wouldn't be hanging at DTD at 4pm if I know my room was in the Carousel... then maybe I'd hang by the paddocks pool or grandstand pool. KWIM?

Has anyone ever gotten them to tell you a Section you're in before check-in? How about a building #, have they told you that? If so - how did you ask so they knew you weren't stalking...just preparing

 

[Belle & Ariel]

At Boardwalk they circled a section on the map they give. It probably only covered 15 rooms so we had a good general idea.
At Old Key West they told us we would be in Turtle Pond. I don't know why they wouldn't tell you. Tell them you want to park and hang out at the pool in the area you will be in and maybe they will advise.

 

[Brian Noble]

Could just be that one CM. I've always been able to get a "general sense" for where the room is, though that's been at VWL, OKW, or BWV, not SSR.

 

[SusieBea]

Two years ago (at band camp), we were checking in to a GV at OKW. Our unit wasn't ready - no problem, we were early. So I asked the CM, who was a trainee, if she could at least tell me which building our unit was in. She said no, but her trainer corrected her to say she could tell us which building, but not which unit.

 

[GOOFY D]

Two years ago (at band camp), we were checking in to a GV at OKW. Our unit wasn't ready - no problem, we were early. So I asked the CM, who was a trainee, if she could at least tell me which building our unit was in. She said no, but her trainer corrected her to say she could tell us which building, but not which unit.

What's the secret? Are they just not sure which will be cleaned?

 

[DisneyRegulars]

What's the secret? Are they just not sure which will be cleaned?

I would guess they don't want you banging on the current occupant's door asking to drop your stuff off, or asking them to leave earlier so you can get in.

 

[Disney Dreams]

What's the secret? Are they just not sure which will be cleaned?

They probably don't know 100% for sure. Unless they are at 100% capacity, things can always change. If they tell you, they are committed and have eliminated an operational option for themselves. If they don't tell you, they still have options, should they need them. It's smart business from a hotel perspective.

- Dreams

 

[Brian Noble]

What's the secret? Are they just not sure which will be cleaned?

As I understand it, the key is encoded with the room as soon as you get it. If you actually knew which room was yours, you'd be able to enter it at that point. They don't want you to do that until the prior occupants are gone (obviously) and it is clean.

 

[rentayenta]

The furthest I've ever got was that they let me know I will be the area I requested. Because it was at the GCV, I knew I'd scored as I had three different room number requests. We'll see what happens this year at the THV and AKV.

 

[iluveeyore]

We just stayed at SSR last month, and I had requested Grandstand, and I asked which buildings were available - she circled one we could have had that was ready (it was 11 a.m), but it was too far from the pool, so she circled a building closer and said it would be on the third floor, like we wanted, just had to wait for it to be ready. Said no problem and went to the pool. So we knew which building and which floor, just no room number until mousekeeping was done with it. No big secrets for us, and we had our room by 2pm!

 

[GOOFY D]

I would guess they don't want you banging on the current occupant's door asking to drop your stuff off, or asking them to leave earlier so you can get in.

Check out and check in are not that close that this would occur. I did not realize that they gave you coded keys before your room was ready (seems odd that they would do that).

 

[disneynutz]

Check out and check in are not that close that this would occur. I did not realize that they gave you coded keys before your room was ready (seems odd that they would do that).

Saves an extra trip to the Front Desk. You don't know the room number until they text you.

Bill

 

[dizzneebabe]

We just stayed at SSR last month, and I had requested Grandstand, and I asked which buildings were available - she circled one we could have had that was ready (it was 11 a.m), but it was too far from the pool, so she circled a building closer and said it would be on the third floor, like we wanted, just had to wait for it to be ready. Said no problem and went to the pool. So we knew which building and which floor, just no room number until mousekeeping was done with it. No big secrets for us, and we had our room by 2pm!

This is how our check in at SSR went in June. I was perfectly happy with that amount of info!

 

[Dean]

As I understand it, the key is encoded with the room as soon as you get it. If you actually knew which room was yours, you'd be able to enter it at that point. They don't want you to do that until the prior occupants are gone (obviously) and it is clean.

Correct. We've been given buildings and general areas mostly but actual room numbers a couple of times.

My reason for asking is that if I'm checking in at 7am - and I find out I am in Carousel...I'd rather ask them right then and there to please move my section and I'll wait as long as necessary.

Now - I'm not picky... its' not as if I'm asking what floor, what room, what view, etc.... I just want to know a general "section" if that makes sense. (Yes, I put in requests but I'd really rather know right then and there if my requests weren't met)...then I can ask if its possible to meet my requests...then if I'm still told "NO, not possible."

I think this is a large part of why they often don't tell you, because they don't want you to negotiate for a different location.

 

[mch04049]

As I understand it, the key is encoded with the room as soon as you get it. If you actually knew which room was yours, you'd be able to enter it at that point. They don't want you to do that until the prior occupants are gone (obviously) and it is clean.

I believe with RFID you can have a start time and expiration on the card. So you probably would not be able to do what you are implying. But there would definitely people who would consistently try until the time kicked in. That is the great technology of the cards to begin with. Oh by the way they can see every move you make with them,and it is all recorded for your protection and theirs of course.You can walk by a post or any other object that has a reader on it usually hidden and they can tell where you have been.This is the best marketing tool going and it will get even larger as the years go on.

 

[WDWLVR]

When we checked in for a treehouse in March they were able to circle the section we'd be in and it contained only 4 treehouses. We were very happy with the selection and went to gas up the car (we had driven down). We only went over to the Hess by Boardwalk and while there got the text with our room number.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I believe with RFID you can have a start time and expiration on the card. So you probably would not be able to do what you are implying. But there would definitely people who would consistently try until the time kicked in. That is the great technology of the cards to begin with. Oh by the way they can see every move you make with them,and it is all recorded for your protection and theirs of course.You can walk by a post or any other object that has a reader on it usually hidden and they can tell where you have been.This is the best marketing tool going and it will get even larger as the years go on.

I understand the "big brother" aspect of the RFID chips, but it's not all negative in my mind. If they see that I attend some of the more obscure activities, perhaps they will start gearing some special perks for me to encourage me to use them more. ie...I dine at Sanaa often enough to get a special discount on my next visit.

 

[Chuck S]

Marketing has been gathering info for years, everytime you use a credit card or room charge. If you really don't want them to garner such info, use a separate park ticket, pay with cash for all purchases. I doubt RFID is currently being used for much more tracking than the room charge card/room key they replaced, but the potential is there for location and time tracking.

 

[wbl2745]

Perhaps this only applies to the VGC at DLR, but when you check-in, you have to sign a form. On that form your room number is at the top. Just be slow about signing so that you can scan quickly for the room number. I always know what my room number is and if it was not what we needed, I'd ask to have it changed at that time.

They text us with the room number later when we can occupy the room and I've always been right. By the way, I've never gotten in prior to 4:00 PM.

 

[Lost in Neverland]

On our stay at BLT we were given our actual room number at checkin. At OKW and AKL we were given a section or general idea of our location. Not sure why it was different at BLT.