Delayed Check-In Times

[cubanor]

We waited until 5:00pm to check-in at the BCV. When we asked CM, they said some people refuse to leave by 11:00am, and will leave much later. We are always out by 11:00am, regardless of flying or driving, and call the front desk when we leave. We had rented a two bedroom and had my son family's including (2) 4 yrs., and a 1 yr. old. Is this a trend? We were not the only family waiting until 5pm for check-in. We were at AKL and checked in early to use pool until kids flew in at 10am. We had planned to stay at SAB, eat poolside, etc.

 

[Chuck S]

Never "plan" on being in your villa prior to 4pm. We've had to wait about 50% of the time and we've been "lucky" and they had a room ready about 50% of the time.

Officially DVC resorts do not have a late check-out option, so apparently those folks that stayed late were simply being rude and inconveniencing you. Even if everyone observed the 11 am check-out policy, that is a lot of rooms to make ready, especially on the "busy" check-in/out days. What day of the week were you arriving? Sunday is the busiest check-in day...all the cash ressie people are leaving and the DVC members are checking in to take advantage of the weekday point schedule.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We ran into a similar problem one of our first DVC stays. They gave us our villa assignment, and when we got up there, there were suitcases on the bed and a used hand towel on the little shelf by the door (OKW). We went back to check-in, and they were unaware that the previous occupant had not vacated. The room had been cleaned, but the previous occupant had gone back in and obviously packed AFTER the room was cleaned. The front desk seemed to be somewhat aware of it, because they said something about the previous occupant being told he could NOT stay the day without being charged.

I think it is very rude of folks to not check out on time, and I think they should be charged for an extra day if they don't get out by check out time.

 

[Alexander]

We ran into a similar problem one of our first DVC stays. They gave us our villa assignment, and when we got up there, there were suitcases on the bed and a used hand towel on the little shelf by the door (OKW). We went back to check-in, and they were unaware that the previous occupant had not vacated. The room had been cleaned, but the previous occupant had gone back in and obviously packed AFTER the room was cleaned. The front desk seemed to be somewhat aware of it, because they said something about the previous occupant being told he could NOT stay the day without being charged.

I think it is very rude of folks to not check out on time, and I think they should be charged for an extra day if they don't get out by check out time.

I can't believe that they hadn't changed the key code for the room after they cleaned it. This would be Disney's responsibility then for not changing the room. The previous occupant's key should NOT have worked. I think it is a great idea to charge if guests do not leave the room on time. Do you have any idea what day care centers charge parents for picking up their kids late! Disney could really learn a lot from this!

 

[MdmMim]

Also some people may leave on time, but the room is in such condition that extra time is needed to ready it for the next guest.

For our first DVC stay, our 1-bedroom (OKW) had been trashed. When we arrived at our room, it was still being cleaned--and what a mess! It looked like chocolate frosting had been smeared everywhere--floors, walls, even on the porch! There were bags and bags of garbage. I just couldn't believe it! I felt bad for the maids!

 

[disney4me4ever]

I don't know if this is unique to BCV, but virtually every stay we seem to have this issue. We always look at it as "it would be nice" but we don't plan on being able to check in any earlier than 4:00 pm, because that has never been our experience. We are usually up at 3:00 am our morning of travel, so by 4:00 pm we are exhausted and tired. To be then told that there is no room ready (usually housekeeping issues) is disappointing and irritating. To have to wait for another hour at that point does not make me a happy camper.

Nancy

 

[JimMIA]

I can't believe that they hadn't changed the key code for the room after they cleaned it. This would be Disney's responsibility then for not changing the room. The previous occupant's key should NOT have worked. I think it is a great idea to charge if guests do not leave the room on time. Do you have any idea what day care centers charge parents for picking up their kids late! Disney could really learn a lot from this!

I travel quite a bit, and a lot of the hotels I visit have an automatic reprogramming of the locks at checkout time on the day of departure. (You can do anything you want, but you ain't getting back in the room after 11 AM without going back to the front desk.)

Of course, you also have to wonder what housekeeping was thinking to clean a room which the occupant obviously had not left. Did they think it would only be a little dirty for the next guest?

 

[jnrrt]

I travel quite a bit, and a lot of the hotels I visit have an automatic reprogramming of the locks at checkout time on the day of departure. (You can do anything you want, but you ain't getting back in the room after 11 AM without going back to the front desk.)

Of course, you also have to wonder what housekeeping was thinking to clean a room which the occupant obviously had not left. Did they think it would only be a little dirty for the next guest?

I agree, that's a little weird. And gross. I wouldn't want to count on someone who was not considerate enough to check out on time to also be very careful of the cleaning on their way out. That can't be up to code.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I always wondered if perhaps they had left just their luggage there and could have gotten in when the maids leave the security bar flipped open so the door doesn't lock. You still would have thought the maid would have said something when the luggage was there.

We too have had to wait for a room that had been trashed to be cleaned. Usually if you get into a room late at OKW, you will find the carpets are still damp from cleaning if that was the case. I just can not imagine how anyone could get a place so dirty on vacation to require that kind of cleaning, but then I guess some folks are slobs.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Talk about some rude people! "Oh, what can they do if we just don't leave?they can't pick us up and bodily throw us out!" Well, Disney, get some backbone with these rude people! The maids should just enter the room and start cleaning. Put the luggage outside, and if there 's any problem with the guests, call Disney security. Sorry, but I can't believe Disney is allowing respectfull guests to be inconvenienced by rude guests! Right now, rudeness is getting their way.

 

[yesdisneyfool]

I travel quite a bit, and a lot of the hotels I visit have an automatic reprogramming of the locks at checkout time on the day of departure. (You can do anything you want, but you ain't getting back in the room after 11 AM without going back to the front desk.)

A wonderful idea.
We always drive, so we start packing (the majority of the stuff) the night before so that we are out before 11am.

 

[JimMIA]

Talk about some rude people! "Oh, what can they do if we just don't leave?they can't pick us up and bodily throw us out!" Well, Disney, get some backbone with these rude people! The maids should just enter the room and start cleaning. Put the luggage outside, and if there 's any problem with the guests, call Disney security. Sorry, but I can't believe Disney is allowing respectfull guests to be inconvenienced by rude guests! Right now, rudeness is getting their way.

In their defense, from what I've seen in my road warrior life, I think rude guests are just part of the landscape in the hospitality industry. We miight encounter one, but the hospitality industry folks get one after another after another! 90% of the folks are fine, but often it's better to just let the other 10% act out than to deal with them. Or at least it's less stressful for the staff -- might not necessarily be the best thing for the property.

 

[cubanor]

We were checking in on Friday......the one plus for us is the quiet room with TV and little people chairs....and the additional solarium. Another family waiting with us were told the floor their room was on and they went around and tried their keys in all the doors until they found their room. I thought that was a bit much....and had I been in my room and heard someone trying the door I would have called security. We were tired and the kids were antsy. We had been at Pop Century, 2 nights at AKL with the 4 yr. twins and my son, wife and 1 yr. old got up at 4 to fly out of O'Hare. We spent 7 nights at BCV, then on to HH for seven nights.

 

[cubanor]

We were checking in on Friday......the one plus for us is the quiet room with TV and little people chairs....and the additional solarium. The addition of the Marketplace helped. We go to BCV and HH every summer for two weeks. Another family waiting with us were told the floor their room was on and they went around and tried their keys in all the doors until they found their room. I thought that was a bit much....and had I been in my room and heard someone trying the door I would have called security. We were tired and the kids were antsy. We had been at Pop Century, 2 nights at AKL with the 4 yr. twins and my son, wife and 1 yr. old got up at 4am to fly out of O'Hare. We spent 7 nights at BCV, then on to HH for seven nights.

 

[beccasmom]

I'd say it is half-n-half with us. In February, we got in our one-bedroom at OKW right away; last week, it took until after 5:00 p.m.

I'm curious - what do they do to the folks who don't vacate by 11:00 a.m.? (I think I know the answer - nothing.) Charge them extra points or $$$$ if they are paying? This really steams me.....we go crazy getting ourselves out in time - and cleaning up!!!! - before we leave.

OKW did offer late check-outs in the "early years". We stayed once until 1:00 p.m. But they were limited and had to be requested pretty early on - like, you knew your flight was later, etc. Obviously, it got out of hand and ended, probably due to abuse.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I asked that very question (what happens to them), and I was told they were supposed to be charged an extra night, especially if they went past 1:00. The time we found that problem, we actually had not gone up to the room until 4:00, so they were WELL past even the grace limit.

I really wish DVC would have a "get tough" policy on rule breaking. ie, You smoke in a non-smoking villa, you pay a cleaning fee. If you damage anything beyond normal wear and tear (like the time we saw a new dishwasher with the front kicked in), you are billed for the damage. If you stay past checkout time, you pay rack rate for another night in that size villa (I wouldn't make it a points charge). I'm quite sure it would all stop rather quickly. I do understand that the hospitality industry deals with these things all the time and consider them a part of doing business, but with timeshares, it is usually different, and I think DVC needs to step up to that standard. (sorry for that last horible run-on sentence)

 

[Beca]

Granted, I have only owned DVC for about 18 months, and have only taken 3 trips on points....but, we did move once so that makes for 4 check-ins all between the months of Dec '04 and May '05. EVERYTIME we have gone to check in, we have had to wait until at least 4:30 to get in.

DVC has GOT to have the latest check-in times of any place on the planet!! I understand that the rooms are bigger, and take more time to clean. But, that is just MORE reason to enforce the check-out times. People travel great distances to come to WDW, and most people are tired and/or frazzled when they arrive. Having to wait until 5:00pm or later to get into your room can sometimes, be asking a little too much.

I think this is exacerbated when you are NOT told your room number upon check-in. If you check in at 3:00, told that your requests have been met, only to get into your room at 5:00 and find that NONE of them have been met...you don't know whether you have been lied to, or whether your room was "switched" for the benefit of someone else. This leads to major discontentment. Then, when you go down to the front desk and ask for a room that actually meets your requests (as initially told by the cm), you are told that since your room was pre-assigned, they cannot switch you. What happened to room ready?? Oh...that's only when it is convenient for DVC!!

Sorry to be so negative....but, DVC really needs to figure out what they are doing, find policy and stick to it. Now, they have thrown ME into the picture, and that is making things even worse.

I know people are rude, but there are many people in this world that will "push" until someone pushes back. WDW/DVC does not push back when THEY have the power to do so, and then MEMBERS (not WDW) suffer from this. That is irresponsible, and they are encouraging members to behave this way by taking no action against them.

The doors should be re-keyed at 11:00 am, and if a hotel employee has to let you back in to remove/retrieve anything more than a lost item, you are charged for the day, but are not allowed to stay there...period!! It would only take a little while for people to learn, and DVC's problems to be remedied.

I think there also should be some sort of "guideline" for what is "normal" wear and tear in a room. Anything above normal wear and tear should be charged for. Certainly, if a member does not take the time to load the dishwasher and start the dishes...well, while not being the BEST behavior, it is not bad. But, chocolate frosting all over the walls??? Seriously??!!! That "time" spent cleaning should be charged to the DVC member that left damage "above and beyond" normal wear and tear.

Members do not deserve to have the first day (usually a very long one) made anymore stressful because DVC cannot seem to handle the normal "woes" of running a resort...they ARE the only ones with the power.

Sorry to be so negative...this issue really "gets" me, especially when DVC "throws up its hands" and says there is nothing we can do. There ARE things you can do...just DO them. And, stop inconveniencing guests who follow the rules because you are afraid/don't want to address the ones who do not....unless you want a WHOLE lot more people refusing to follow the rules.

Sorry you got in so late!!!



Beca

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

I agree that people that overstay without permission should be charged either points, or money. While it would be nice to charge people that break stuff or really mess up a room, I don't know how you could do that. First, they would have to do a VERY GOOD inspection of everything in the room and sign off on it prior to everyone getting their new room. How can they charge you for something that wasn't working when you got there? Then as far as what is normal wear and tear on a room, are you willing to let Disney send you a bill in the mail for something Mousekeeping says is beyond normal wear and tear that you can't even dispute because you're home by that time. All of these things are just going to make it longer to get our rooms.

 

[Beca]

I agree that people that overstay without permission should be charged either points, or money. While it would be nice to charge people that break stuff or really mess up a room, I don't know how you could do that. First, they would have to do a VERY GOOD inspection of everything in the room and sign off on it prior to everyone getting their new room. How can they charge you for something that wasn't working when you got there? Then as far as what is normal wear and tear on a room, are you willing to let Disney send you a bill in the mail for something Mousekeeping says is beyond normal wear and tear that you can't even dispute because you're home by that time. All of hese things are just going to make it longer to get our rooms.

I agree on most things, but when something is particulary egregious....such as chocolate frosting smeared all over the walls???!! If I left the room like that, and DVC wanted to charge me....seriously, how could I "deny" that the room was like that when I got there?



Beca

 

[dianeschlicht]

DVC has GOT to have the latest check-in times of any place on the planet!!

Actually, DVC check in times are pretty standard for the timeshare industry as a whole. I have not seen any earlier than 4:00 and most are 4:30 or 5:00. One of the reasons is that most timeshare units are 1-2 bedrooms, and they take longer to clean. The other is that people staying in a timeshare usually are there for a week or longer, so there is additional cleaning for that reason too.

you check in at 3:00, told that your requests have been met, only to get into your room at 5:00 and find that NONE of them have been met...you don't know whether you have been lied to, or whether your room was "switched" for the benefit of someone else.

If I had that happen, I would be pretty upset too. I must say though, that in 20 check-ins at OKW, we have always been told the area or building, and it has never been switched when we actually came to get in the room. I suspect that is a rare occurance.