An open letter to Disney about mandatory room checks.

[Nancyg56]

yeah i did that and told them i better not receive one more knock on my door for the last day i was there, it worked but just for the day - i am in the midst of dealing with their customer service. started with a low level employee and working my way up to tell them that their policy made me feel more 'unsafe' than anything.

Are you still there? If so, insist on a general manager and detail everything. If not, stop trying to address this with cm's who are not empowered to address this. Call guest services and escalate this by explaining yo whoever takes your call that your experience needs a manager. Be sure to let the cm know that you are attempting to stop further incidents.

 

[Sue M]

This is just getting ridiculous with the intrusion. Vacays are supposed to be relaxing, not worrying that you can’t relax in your room because of hotel demanding BS security checks. I always get housekeeping, but if my room isn’t done by the time I’m back for my afternoon break I’ve always put out the Do Not Disturb sign and skip housekeeping that day. In August I’ll maybe be at pool then in room for a rest in my robe, and nap. Now we don’t have the right to be left alone in room for a rest
I thought by now they’d have it sorted out. And hopefully ended! I’m worried for my Aug trip.

For those of you who were walked in on while undressed I hope you escalate it to higher managers, and maybe social media. Trip Advisor. This really needs to stop.

 

[darrengs]

they pushed the door open after knocking every time whether i answered or not, i had the latch on so they couldn't open the door fully.

At least they didn’t defeat that latch. But that is ridiculous.

 

[amiskell28]

...For those of you who were walked in on while undressed I hope you escalate it to higher managers, and maybe social media. Trip Advisor. This really needs to stop.

...working my way up to tell them that their policy made me feel more 'unsafe' than anything.

This. I've been following quietly along, hoping Disney would figure out how to properly administer this policy by now. Hoping the early reports were just growing pains. Hoping Disney could find a way to provide the better security they are seeking without harassing innocent vacationers.

I don't care if you decline housekeeping or not, this is not ok.

When will Disney have gone too far? When will this blow up in their faces?

 

[cgattis]

they pushed the door open after knocking every time whether i answered or not, i had the latch on so they couldn't open the door fully.

Ugghhhhh....we had a butler on NCL that did that too. They need to confirm no answer--like knock and wait, twice even--before entering a room. If someone walks in on me undressed, it's gonna be ugly (and I mean that both literally AND figuratively LOL). That is NOT a safety check.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Are you saying they unlocked the latch to enter?

I think she means when she opened the door, he tried to walk through it.

 

[darrengs]

I think she means when she opened the door, he tried to walk through it.

Yes, she already answered me.

 

[Jennasis]

The only time we saw housekeeping this whole week was 10:30 this morning. We were showering before checking out and we heard the knock. She knocked and waited. Then knocked again. Then she opened the door. Latch was on so she didn't get in. DH went to the door and told them we'd be out of the room in 15 minutes. All was good.

 

[DisneyNYGalTraveler]

And that's the problem with this and all security theater Disney has imposed, from closing the pools when the life guards leave, to the metal detectors and increased bag checks, to the room invasions. it makes no one safer, but takes away from you feeling like you're on vacation. It's all about the perception of increased safety, when in reality it's just covering Disney's legal butt.

you are right on the money, i am doing battle with their corporate at the moment and told them this is a bad PR play that wasn't remotely thought out and the fact that they have to regurgitate this incredibly stupid policy to guests is pathetic. i heard the phrase 'I apologize that you feel that way' throughout my entire first call. condescension from a low level staffer. not having it! i have also thought that they do this more in the cheap resorts than the high end ones which speaks volumes as to what they think of their own clientele.

 

[DisneyNYGalTraveler]

Disneynygaltraveler, I am sorry you had this experience but thanks for posting. Please post also on the “Guest experiences with daily room checks” thread near the top of the resorts board. Since it’s a sticky more people might have an opportunity to read it.

Clearly the theory that Disney has this figured out judging by recent reports may be wrong. It’s especially troubling since your stay was split between 2 Disney resorts.

got it thanks, and glad to have this forum to discuss with other travelers. i am new so, sorry for posting in the wrong place : )

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

got it thanks, and glad to have this forum to discuss with other travelers. i am new so, sorry for posting in the wrong place : )

This is a good place to post too because here we are allowed to discuss things. The other thread is only for people to post their experiences (no discussion of the policy), but it is another place that people look for info on these room checks. So you didn't post in the wrong place, it's just a good idea to post in both.

 

[DisneyNYGalTraveler]

This is a good place to post too because here we are allowed to discuss things. The other thread is only for people to post their experiences (no discussion of the policy), but it is another place that people look for info on these room checks. So you didn't post in the wrong place, it's just a good idea to post in both.

cool thanks much and have a lovely weekend.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

cool thanks much and have a lovely weekend.

Aww thanks! I hope you have a wonderful weekend as well. And to the boards!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Thanks! I look back on it now and laugh, but I did feel terrible at the time for bugging the fire Dept so much. It does make me wonder though how people with landlines at home keep their little ones away from them. We only have cell phones so I think the temptation of playing with something new was just too much for him.

My 2 year old does the same thing in hotels! She immediately finds the phone! Luckily she hasn't called the FD, but, like you, I unplug the phones right away. However, I unplug the handset from the base. Maybe that would work next time.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

My 2 year old does the same thing in hotels! She immediately finds the phone! Luckily she hasn't called the FD, but, like you, I unplug the phones right away. However, I unplug the handset from the base. Maybe that would work next time.

This is probably a dumb question, but when you do that, can't they still press the buttons and dial out? You're meaning unplugging the receiver ear piece from the base, right?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

This is probably a dumb question, but when you do that, can't they still press the buttons and dial out? You're meaning unplugging the receiver ear piece from the base, right?

Hmmnn, good point! No telling who she has called.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Hmmnn, good point! No telling who she has called.

Ha, that's hilarious! I'm just glad everything hotel seems to have some sort of door latch higher up. At least we can keep the little monsters contained!

 

[snappy]

Sorry if you thought I was saying you posted in the wrong place. longliverafiki is absolutely right! The moderator of the resorts board is limiting the sticky thread to reporting experiences with the room checks. No discussion allowed. Posting here is great! Lots of people have visited this thread! Thanks!

 

[AngiTN]

I'm still amazed that experiences can be so vastly different. We've had 2 more stays since this policy started, 4 total now. The first being right when the policy began, as in, we were there while they were removing the old signs and putting in the new ones and the most recent was 3 weeks ago. We've stayed at all different resorts and resort levels. Not one single intrusion or interruption to our vacation. Well, twice we've had housekeeping knock to see if they could service the room yet and each time we told them not yet and each time they were fine to come back later. Not once did we have anyone come back for a check or insist they had to do it then.

We don't spend the full day at the parks, we aren't always out early. We depart at various times of the day. And return at various times of the day. We do always accept housekeeping.

Ahh, that makes sense. Our landline growing up was on an end table about 2 feet off the ground so I just assumed a lot of people have them lower. I've never asked my mom how she kept us away from it though.

We didn't take it away or keep it out of their reach at home, we just taught kids not to dial the phone. That way, when they encountered one away from home, they didn't treat it like a toy. I was given the advice when my DD was born (she's 33 now) to never take things way that you wouldn't have control over when away from home, to teach them to leave them alone at home. That way, when they saw these things away from home, they knew that to do.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I'm still amazed that experiences can be so vastly different. We've had 2 more stays since this policy started, 4 total now. The first being right when the policy began, as in, we were there while they were removing the old signs and putting in the new ones and the most recent was 3 weeks ago. We've stayed at all different resorts and resort levels. Not one single intrusion or interruption to our vacation. Well, twice we've had housekeeping knock to see if they could service the room yet and each time we told them not yet and each time they were fine to come back later. Not once did we have anyone come back for a check or insist they had to do it then.

We don't spend the full day at the parks, we aren't always out early. We depart at various times of the day. And return at various times of the day. We do always accept housekeeping.


We didn't take it away or keep it out of their reach at home, we just taught kids not to dial the phone. That way, when they encountered one away from home, they didn't treat it like a toy. I was given the advice when my DD was born (she's 33 now) to never take things way that you wouldn't have control over when away from home, to teach them to leave them alone at home. That way, when they saw these things away from home, they knew that to do.

That's a great point! I guess we do that too with some things and just hadn't quite realized it. We have a fireplace (doesnt work right, never used it) and have never put up any gate or barrier around it. We still don't want the kids playing in or around it though due to the jagged rocks, etc. We always told DS no when he'd go near it and now when we go to relatives houses with lit fires (and a little folding gate for safety), he has never even attempted to go near it.

That does give me food for thought for how we decide to handle other situations in the future though, so thanks for that!