question about room assignments

[mommytoe]

Do they assign rooms in the order that people check in? I mean if somebody does on line check in would their room get assigned before somebody that checks in at the resort the day of?

If they only have say 3 sets of connecting rooms become available the day the vacations start and 4 groups have requested them. If 3 of the groups check in online a few days in advance and the 4th group shows up the morning of their vacation who gets the connecting rooms?

 

[fall08CP]

Rooms are typically pre-assigned 3-10 days before you check-in. If there are no requests on the reservation and the resort is not busy, that room might not be assigned until check-in. They will book groups together first (magical gatherings) and then randomly go through requests. It's basically a big puzzle of putting someone into a room the same day that someone else is checking out... much harder than it sounds, especially with special requests. The online check-in probably doesn't have much bearing. It's just an easier way for them to get requests in. The rooms would likely still be assigned at the same time. It doesn't hurt to do online check-in.

 

[aubriee]

What concerns me is that I hardly ever wind up in the room I was originally assigned. I always check in early and if I am not happy with my room location, I ask very nicely to be moved. So far, they have always accommodated me. This means that someone was probably moved out of the room I round up in and were moved to my original room, just because I checked in before they did. This is the reason I am choosing not to do online check in. I'd rather talk to the CM when I check in and see if I can get the location I want. If it's at a resort where I don't care about the location, then I would chance the online check in.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

aubriee, we must have been future Disney Resort guests separated at birth b/c I almost always have the same experience! The only time it's been different is when I had a "connection" at the resort and knew a manager - she would block a room so it could not be changed and it was perfect all 4 times.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I have asked to be put on an upper floor at GF I don't want to be on the ground floor and would feel safer higher up.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Regardless of the order the rooms are assigned in, it's never locked in until you physically arrive at the resort. In the example you gave, even if you do online check-in and they "pre"-assign you a connecting room, if I arrive at the resort first and decide I need a connecting room, they can go in and give me yours because you haven't shown up yet. It's the reason why you can't have things waiting in your room prior to arrival. Those assignments can definitely be altered and the only department that's allowed to lock specific rooms is special services for medical needs. It really does pay to get there as early as possible.

 

[metroliner]

I can can confirm from experience that it does definately help to get to the resort early to get room preferences.

In fact, my family goes down to disney a day before our official vacation begins. We stay at a value resort and just relax, swim, etc.

Then, early the next morning (around 8 a.m.) we drive over to where we will be staying with our package for the next week or so. We check-in, let baggage hold our stuff, and head for the park.

We always get our preferred room location. Some people might say it was luck but I've been going to WDW and dealing with the resort check-in stuff long enough to figure stuff out. You just have to arrive early, be very polite, and tell them the area of the resort you want.

I definately believe that the later you arrive, the less likely you get your room preference.

 

[miraged]

Oh, dear, oh, dear. This will be our third trip to CBR and we generally arrive from the airport around 1:24 or 2:00 p.m., which is fine, but our dear friend who has been very good to us since my mom passed away last May, shall not arrive till 11:30 p.m. We have requested that he have a room close to us as it is his first trip there and CBR is big. I wonder if it shall be a great difficulty for them to hold a room close to us. My travel agent did tell me that; although, I paid for the trip for him, I may not check him in when I arrive as he would be the "lead adult" in his room. Any suggestions?
and thank you,
d

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Ask to see a guest services manager at check-in and ask him/her to please help and hold a room next to yours for your friend. A manager can put a block on a room so it cannot be given out to another guest.

Or if you happen to have a room only reservation - have your TA make your husband lead on your reservation and add your name to your friend's reservation, then you can check in and try to get rooms together. Be sure your TA has the reservations linked in Disney's system. Later, after your friend arrives, he can stop by the front desk, give them his ID and have his credit card added to his room, pick up his key. They can even remove your name and add it back to your room.

Even if you are not the lead, you can check in as long as your name is on the reservation. We do this all the time when friends arrive several hours apart. We asked a guest services manager (friend) if it was allowed and she told us it was fine, so we've done it that way ever since 2005.

Good luck and hopefully, it will all work out fine.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

What concerns me is that I hardly ever wind up in the room I was originally assigned. I always check in early and if I am not happy with my room location, I ask very nicely to be moved. So far, they have always accommodated me. This means that someone was probably moved out of the room I round up in and were moved to my original room, just because I checked in before they did. This is the reason I am choosing not to do online check in. I'd rather talk to the CM when I check in and see if I can get the location I want. If it's at a resort where I don't care about the location, then I would chance the online check in.

My thoughts exactly

 

[fall08CP]

Oh, dear, oh, dear. This will be our third trip to CBR and we generally arrive from the airport around 1:24 or 2:00 p.m., which is fine, but our dear friend who has been very good to us since my mom passed away last May, shall not arrive till 11:30 p.m. We have requested that he have a room close to us as it is his first trip there and CBR is big. I wonder if it shall be a great difficulty for them to hold a room close to us. My travel agent did tell me that; although, I paid for the trip for him, I may not check him in when I arrive as he would be the "lead adult" in his room. Any suggestions?
and thank you,
d

As I wrote earlier, accomodating groups traveling together is the highest priority. Technically, however, all you are guaranteed is a room. It could be anywhere in the resort and they are still holding up their end of the deal.

Yes, they do occasionally move rooms around of people who have not yet arrived. However, they will not split up groups that were blocked together and they usually only move people who do not have any room requests.

 

[MariaEllerºoº]

Oh, dear, oh, dear. This will be our third trip to CBR and we generally arrive from the airport around 1:24 or 2:00 p.m., which is fine, but our dear friend who has been very good to us since my mom passed away last May, shall not arrive till 11:30 p.m. We have requested that he have a room close to us as it is his first trip there and CBR is big. I wonder if it shall be a great difficulty for them to hold a room close to us. My travel agent did tell me that; although, I paid for the trip for him, I may not check him in when I arrive as he would be the "lead adult" in his room. Any suggestions?
and thank you,
d

Make sure your reservation and your friends reservation is "linked" together. This will help when they make room assignments to have them close together.

 

[dannysmommyval]

If I do on-line check in and have my grandma and mom in another room but would like connecting or adjoining rooms would that cause an issue?

I have never been to CBR before and have no idea how it works. Do you bypass a CM at a desk or no?

Can anyone who has done this help me understand what the difference is?
We are leaving Friday and I was going to do it in the morning before leaving NJ.

thanks for any info you can share.

 

[sirJeffrey90]

FAX THE RESORT A PREFERENCE/REQUEST FORM!!!!

Make it out to the Room Assigner and include your confirmation number, dates and whatever needs you need accomodated. Keep it short and sweet! I'd recommend sending it 4 days in advanced, so get going, lol. You can find a resort's fax number on google.

Have fun!

 

[traylorc]

What concerns me is that I hardly ever wind up in the room I was originally assigned. I always check in early and if I am not happy with my room location, I ask very nicely to be moved. So far, they have always accommodated me. This means that someone was probably moved out of the room I round up in and were moved to my original room, just because I checked in before they did. This is the reason I am choosing not to do online check in. I'd rather talk to the CM when I check in and see if I can get the location I want. If it's at a resort where I don't care about the location, then I would chance the online check in.

I have seen numerous posts from folks who have utilized on line check in and all of their requests were honored. Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but I have the feeling the Disney knows that if they really want on line check in to be successful they need to honor requests whenever possible. If not, folks will elect to engage in the "normal" check in process which defeats the purpose of on-line check in.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Fax the resort a preference/request form!!!!

NO!!! Call Disney NOW and ADD any requests to your reservation!!! Why wait? What if you forget? What if your fax machine crashes? What if, the day you plan to send the fax, Disney announces an official (vs. practiced by many resorts) policy of ignoring faxes? What if the electricity goes out?

Plus, there's no such thing as a fax form

 

[flipflopmom]

What is the fax number? I booked through AAA, can I still fax my request personally?

 

[goofy4tink]

NO!!! Call Disney NOW and ADD any requests to your reservation!!! Why wait? What if you forget? What if your fax machine crashes? What if, the day you plan to send the fax, Disney announces an official (vs. practiced by many resorts) policy of ignoring faxes? What if the electricity goes out?

Plus, there's no such thing as a fax form

Always best to call whomever you booked your room with and have any and all requests noted on your reservation. Then, if you wish, fax the resort about3-4 days before arrival, and restate your requests. But, there are some resorts that don't look at faxes. But, it will make you feel better.
And yes, usually, the earlier you checkin the better your chances of getting your room requests met. But...that doesn't mean you will be able to get into that room right away.
I arrived at POR about 10am, from BCV. I was spending our last two nights there, at POR. I had already stayed in AB, way in the back, in the Mansion section, which was just okay. So, when we arrived at the checkin counter, and I was told that our room was already, and we could go there right then, I was thrilled, but it was in AB, in one of the more remote bldgs. I quietly (I thought) said to my dd that they must have heard about our bad behaviour that last time and decided to put us way out back where we couldn't cause much ruckus. Well, the CM overheard me (I was mortified!!!) and asked if I would prefer a room in bldg 14. Ahhh, yeah, of course I would. But, that room hadn't been cleaned yet, and housekeeping was really crazed that day because a huge convention was departing from the resort. No problem I said. But, it took until almost 4:30 for that room to come up.
So, be prepared to wait if you want a different location.

 

[DisneyDreamer2]

I made sure all my requests were noted on my reservation. but our fli8ght does't even land until 1130pm! I have been debating the online check in, hoping it would lock in a room with my preferences. but as stated, I usually get a location I don't like at check in and they nicely move me to where I requested in the first place. If i do online check in, am I locked into that room, or will they change it for me if needed at the desk? I havent read many reports about online check in and I hate that we are arriving so late.

 

[gottagodisney]

I have not experienced the online check-in yet. I hope it was put in place to eliminate the need for faxes and hopefully honor some of the requests.

My experiences have been as follows-

1. Never made any requests whatsoever (2003) WL check in around 7pm- got a good room.

2. 2006 Free Dining-Pop_ Check-in around 9:30 am- Requested to be back by the lake in person with the check in person- got it.

3. 2008, Free Dining -POR-Check in around 4pm. I made room requests when making reservations and mentioned our special occasion, which were noted with CM in following Dining reservation calls. Upon check-in the request was completely ignored and turned down when inquired about. In fact, was given pretty much the exact opposite of request and not offered any options of waiting for room ,ect. (which I would have glady done.) Too bad I was to naive to question the location. I thought..."How far away could that really be?" Probably last experience with a moderate unless I have a car- FAR!

I think one of the other responders was right.....Check in time matters. I think the early bird gets the worm!