Need advice about reservation requests

[cindykelley]

We recently booked a bounceback visit for late Nov 2010. When we returned home we turned it over to our travel agent. We asked her to get a preferred room at CBR and we told her which buildings we would like to request and also to ask for first floor. She said she put in for preferred but could not request the rest until 10 days before our arrival. Is this right or can we call ourselves and ask?

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

That is correct. Except WL does not take room requests by fax any longer and the DVC procedure is a little different. Faxing requests to all other resorts is still accepted 10 days out.

Check out:
http://allears.net/acc/cro1.htm

fax numbers
http://allears.net/acc/res_phn.htm

 

[Canyon girl]

Actually, that is not 100% correct. Any room requests can and probably should be noted on the reservation when the ressie is made or as soon as possible afterward. There have been many mentions on these boards that the resorts don't necessarily honor or look at the faxed requests. The room assigners go by the requests on the ressie. The TA that I book through puts the requests on the ressie when she makes it and then faxes in a request. You might want to verify with your TA that your requests have been noted. Unfortunately, you can't call yourself now that a TA has it.

 

[safetymom]

We recently booked a bounceback visit for late Nov 2010. When we returned home we turned it over to our travel agent. We asked her to get a preferred room at CBR and we told her which buildings we would like to request and also to ask for first floor. She said she put in for preferred but could not request the rest until 10 days before our arrival. Is this right or can we call ourselves and ask?

I am not clear if you booked a preferred room costing extra? Merely requesting it may not get you the preferred room. You should have the TA make sure that the requests are noted in the reservation. Then there is no need to match up a fax with the reservation notes.

 

[cbg1027]

I make my room requests more than 10 days out, usually 6 weeks before my arrival. 3 out of 4 times this year I was given what I had requested. I just call the central reservation number and they note it.

 

[maxiesmom]

Please do not put too much stock in getting your requests met. I have never had a building number or room location request met.

Also, you TA should list your requests in the order of importance. If the building location is more important that being on the first floor, have her list building location as your first request. Or vica versa. That way if they cannot grant all of your requests at least you have a shot at your most important one being granted.

 

[LindyN]

Preferred Location at CBR is separate category and is extra charge. You are unlikely to get this unless you purchase that room category. What you booked is on your reservation confirmation.

Reservation requests should be noted on the actual reservation; faxes are just 'another piece of paper' and may not be noted. When the request is on the reservation they actually see them when they block the room.

I have an excellent track record with location requests and have never been disappointed. No faxes either--just on the actual resort res. If your request is not met you can ask nicely if you can be relocated. Sometimes they just can't do it because (1) what you are requesting is not in your room category and (2) there may already be a room block or group going where you wanted to be or (3) could be a maintenance issue and guests are not being assigned to that area. In the slower months some buildings/floors are not occupied and will not be assigned. This frequently occurs in the larger resorts.

FWIW.

 

[Lynne M]

LindyN has it exactly right, and I'll just add a couple of things...

There's no need to wait till 10 days out to add requests to a reservation. Requests can be added at the time the reservation is made, or any time after that.

The only way to be sure that the room assigner will see your requests is to have them on your reservation. Faxes are very hit-or-miss; some room assigners look at them, some don't, some never see them because they've been thrown out.

OP, since you've given ownership of the reservation to a TA, all changes, requests, etc., must be made by the TA. Disney won't allow you to do anything to the reservation; although your name is on it, the travel agent owns it.

 

[LindyN]

And to add some more.... The TA needs to put the requests on there, and then get the fax showing the requests. (They will print on the confirmation the TA receives.) Sometimes it takes several phone calls to put on the requests and it depends on the CM. Disney is limited to 28 characters and three lines. The TA should be making the request each call until it is on there--any TA who books a lot of Disney knows how to do this.

Another thing to consider is when you get too specific with your requests, you may not get anything extra from Disney. So if you requested a 3rd floor corner room in building 5 facing the courtyard, you might not get an upgrade. When you don't make requests, or are generic (such as upper level) then you are an "easy upgrade." Guests who are very specific regarding their location are usually given that location if it is avaialble, or perhaps something close, and not something better because it is not what the guest wants for their vacation. Disney wants you to be happy, and not standing at the front desk because you don't like your room. Generally in the hotel biz, "Standard" is run of house and can mean anything from the parking lot to a water view.

When I book a Deluxe resort I never make a room request. Ever. Been upgraded to a "better" view each time. But if I was not upgraded I wouldn't really care because I'm at Disney, and got what I purchased, and spend most of my time in the parks. If a certain thing is important to me then I would purchase it to ascertain that I had it when I got the room.

JMO...

 

[cindykelley]

Thanks for all the clarification. We did pay for the preferred so I know we will be in those areas. I just wasn't sure when we could request the other things.

I used the same TA for our last trip, did online check in myself, and did not get anything we requested during the check in. I figured if she did it, we might have a better shot.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[tinka-belle]

I AM a TA and go to WDW often. Request are hit or miss but Disney does try. I've gotten mine about 75% of the time, but half of those are by changing my assigned room at the check in desk even though I've confirmed the requests are noted on my reservation.

The other 25% of the time the resort is full or the building/floor/area I want is having maintenance/rehab work done. Even then Disney has offered me a room change to fulfill my requests a day or two into my trip, but since hubby hates changing rooms we usually stay put.