9:00 Evening Checkin = Loser Room?

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by MarkLem
If I call a therefore a few days early will they tell me the room number and configuration?
They absolutely will not tell you the room number. If you get the right CM they may tell you what kind of room (waterview, Casita, etc) you will have but that's not a given.

Would you suggest at that time calling CRO or the resort directly?
If you are referring to your first question, you'd call the resort directly. CRO has no information at any time as to what room you actually end up in at the resort.

Is it possible that they could still give your room away and reassign you if you don't check in until late evening?
Yes it is. They won't hold rooms for someone who hasn't checked in yet if they have someone there asking for the same thing and there are no other rooms left in inventory that meet the requests. That's why you are more likely to get what you request during slower times than during busy weeks.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by dznyntnh
The rooms are not assigned until you actually get there ...

Not true. Rooms with requests other than the generic non-smoking or "near the food court" are assigned three days prior to check-in. Reservations with the generic requests as above are not preassigned. They are dispensed out of a general pool of rooms that the front desk CM can choose from when you show up for check-in. You want a good room? Be reeeeeeeaaaaal nice to the front desk CM.

Some rooms are held back from that pool by the room assigner in case of things like a single parent with 4 kids shows up that needs connecting rooms and didn't request them in advance. The CM has to go out back and get the room assigner to release those rooms before they can be assigned.

You think check-in takes a long time now? It would be an absolute horror show at the front desk if none of the rooms were preassigned.

 

[B3LM]

They are assigned prior to arrival - this is why requests being on the reservation are important. I didn't say that they would give out the information to guests prior to arrival

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

[Hayley]

Originally posted by GoldenOldie
Not true. Rooms with requests other than the generic non-smoking or "near the food court" are assigned three days prior to check-in.

If that's true, why do I tend not to get my request if we've checked in late?

One year we asked for adjoining rooms and didn't get them -- they told us they'd already given them out by the time we got there. If it had been assigned 3 days early, where did it go? Also, once we requested water view -- that even costs more, but they were all gone when we checked in at 9:00.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by Hayley
If that's true, why do I tend not to get my request if we've checked in late?

One year we asked for adjoining rooms and didn't get them -- they told us they'd already given them out by the time we got there. If it had been assigned 3 days early, where did it go? Also, once we requested water view -- that even costs more, but they were all gone when we checked in at 9:00.

Since I wasn't there when it happened I can't give you a definitive answer about your situation. But I can tell you two things with certainty.

First, there's no guarantee that you would have gotten your requests even if you checked in at 7:00 AM.

Second, there is only a finite number of rooms in any category that open on any given day. Once those rooms are gone, they are gone. You may have been willing to pay more for a water view but if there isn't one available you can't get one.

A resort may have 1000 rooms but only 100 may turn over on Monday, 150 on Tuesday, etc. So that means if you are arriving on that Monday, the room assigner only has 100 rooms where they can put you because the rest are already occupied. If there are no adjoining rooms among that 100, then you don't get one.

And if someone who is standing at the front desk needs adjoining rooms and you haven't checked in yet, it is very possible that the room assigner took the rooms that you were assigned and gave them to the people standing there. You then got shuffled to two other available rooms. Front desk CM's cannot give away blocked rooms themselves. They must get the room assigner on duty to release them.

I don't expect that explanation will make you feel better but I hope you will better understand that it really isn't anything personal against you or your reservation.

 

[MarkLem]

Thanks for your patience and time in answering these questions. I understand what you are saying.

One last question:

If I check in late evening, and my room has been released earlier by the room assigner to another, then I may not get my request fulfilled. I understand this.

So the next morning at 7:00 AM I ask to be switched. Because I already have "a room", will my request be a lower priority to the room assigner than the group that walks in first thing at 7:00 AM checking in for a room? In other words, would I have a better chance getting my requested room walking in at 7:00 AM instead of trying to switch a room I already have from the night before, or is it a toss up?

 

[Grumpy37]

When we checked in early at the AKL and found our savannah room wasn't anything like the savannah room everyone raves about, we were moved to another room. So far so good.

But we had to vacate the existing room immediately and store our stuff with bell svcs until after 3pm when the replacement room was ready. The old room had to be re-done by mousekeeping, even though we had barely sat on the beds.

A word to the wise, don't necessarily plan on just moving your stuff from room to room if they are anywhere near full.

 

[PartyOf5]

Originally posted by MarkLem
So the next morning at 7:00 AM I ask to be switched. Because I already have "a room", will my request be a lower priority to the room assigner than the group that walks in first thing at 7:00 AM checking in for a room? In other words, would I have a better chance getting my requested room walking in at 7:00 AM instead of trying to switch a room I already have from the night before, or is it a toss up?

I was once in your situation. I did not like the "leftover" room I was assigned. I immediately went to the front desk and said the room would be fine for the night but would it be at all possible to reassign me in the morning when others check out. After a few clicks of the keyboard, I was all set. A little polite negotiating goes a long way. Good luck!

 

[smfnj]

Originally posted by MarkLem
I'm flying into Orlando the night before our 4 day pass begins. Rather than stay outside WDW for that night (original plan) and check into my in-park resort early the next morning, I'm considering booking an additional night inside WDW.

Have you even called to check if a room is available for your first night, they may be booked?

steve

 

[MarkLem]

Yes there are rooms available.

I am already booked in for 12/30-1/3 at Coronado (2 separate reservations since straddling holiday and value season).

If you ask for a separate ressie for just 12/29 then there are no rooms, but asking to add a night on to my existing reservation, then there is a room (the CRO person explained that they reserve rooms for 2,3,4, etc., night stays that aren't available for just single night requests).

Curiously, I can't get a 2 night ressie at AKL for just 12/30, 12/31, but if I ask for a 3 night ressie (12/29, 30, 31) then there IS a room available!

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by MarkLem
...So the next morning at 7:00 AM I ask to be switched. Because I already have "a room", will my request be a lower priority to the room assigner than the group that walks in first thing at 7:00 AM checking in for a room? In other words, would I have a better chance getting my requested room walking in at 7:00 AM instead of trying to switch a room I already have from the night before, or is it a toss up?

Most times the front desk CM can handle this for you during your original check-in. They can tell you what will open up the next day and they can even block it for you. In the event you get one that says they can't (more likely won't) help you, go back down in the morning. The chances are extremely good that they can then accommodate you with a room that meets your needs.