Anyone else have this problem with POP?

[staci]

Our flight landed at 12:15 and a very efficient ME bus got us to our resort at 1:15. Got helped right away, the cm told us that our rooms were not available, but that they were guaranteed by 3, and we should go have fun in the parks. I informed him that we would be waiting, as ds needed a nap, and he suggested we sit in the food court and check back every 20 minutes or so. He said he could not switch us to a different room.

I checked back, and checked back and checked back. At 3:15 I told them again that I would like ANY available room, as check in was guaranteed at 3 pm. A rather rude supervisor informed me that 'check-in' was at 3 but that rooms were not required to be available until 5. At which point I got irritated, because at least 3 other cm's had told me 3 pm, the thing I SIGNED upon checking in said 3,but he insisted that GETTING a room and checking in are two separate events and how could I possibly expect them to have all their rooms cleaned by 3 when they were the biggest resort? I basically told him that arranging maid service was NOT my problem, and that maybe that should have been mentioned to me at 1:15 and not 3:30.

He eventually moved us to different rooms, but I am considering writing about this whole 'checkin at 3 but no rooms till 5' policy. Am I overreacting? At the time I had a very tired 23 month old who really needed to lay down before we went to any parks. Had I known upon making ressies that POP's checkin policy was apparently different than every other resort, I would have NOT stayed there.

 

[Luv4Disney]

Our flight landed at 12:15 and a very efficient ME bus got us to our resort at 1:15. Got helped right away, the cm told us that our rooms were not available, but that they were guaranteed by 3, and we should go have fun in the parks. I informed him that we would be waiting, as ds needed a nap, and he suggested we sit in the food court and check back every 20 minutes or so. He said he could not switch us to a different room.

I checked back, and checked back and checked back. At 3:15 I told them again that I would like ANY available room, as check in was guaranteed at 3 pm. A rather rude supervisor informed me that 'check-in' was at 3 but that rooms were not required to be available until 5. At which point I got irritated, because at least 3 other cm's had told me 3 pm, the thing I SIGNED upon checking in said 3,but he insisted that GETTING a room and checking in are two separate events and how could I possibly expect them to have all their rooms cleaned by 3 when they were the biggest resort? I basically told him that arranging maid service was NOT my problem, and that maybe that should have been mentioned to me at 1:15 and not 3:30.

He eventually moved us to different rooms, but I am considering writing about this whole 'checkin at 3 but no rooms till 5' policy. Am I overreacting? At the time I had a very tired 23 month old who really needed to lay down before we went to any parks. Had I known upon making ressies that POP's checkin policy was apparently different than every other resort, I would have NOT stayed there.

I'm sorry that that happened. You should definitely bring it to the attention of a higher power. We received a card in the mail asking us to do an online survey about the Pop and bit after we returned home. I'm sure you'll get the same. I can't understand why that happened. We got to the Pop at 10:30am, checked in, and went straight to our room. Did you go during the heaviest crowd times?

 

[staci]

well, we went during this week, which is the last of free dining. so they were busy. but the front desk was DEAD when I checked in, so the misinformation from teh first few cm's was not due to them rushing. I do understand that the maids were probably working their butts off (we had excellent mousekeepers for our stay). I was just irritated that I got told two different things, and that he seemed to take NO responsibility on the part of the resort for the situation. it was as if he assumed that I should have KNOWN that I couldnt get a room until evening just because it was a larger resort. I just assumed that they would hire more mousekeepers?

 

[Luv4Disney]

well, we went during this week, which is the last of free dining. so they were busy. but the front desk was DEAD when I checked in, so the misinformation from teh first few cm's was not due to them rushing. I do understand that the maids were probably working their butts off (we had excellent mousekeepers for our stay). I was just irritated that I got told two different things, and that he seemed to take NO responsibility on the part of the resort for the situation. it was as if he assumed that I should have KNOWN that I couldnt get a room until evening just because it was a larger resort. I just assumed that they would hire more mousekeepers?

That does not sound like the "Disney way." YOU are not wrong, THEY were wrong, and they should have taken the responsibility. PoP is a VERY large resort (and soon to be even bigger), but that's no excuse for the way you were treated.

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

Pop's check in isn't any different then any other hotel. I am sorry to hear that the CM that checked you in said your room would definately be ready by 3. Even though check in is at 3 the room may take up to 5 to be ready. I have read many a thread of people that had to wait past 3 to get there room. Not just at POP.

 

[staci]

Pop's check in isn't any different then any other hotel. I am sorry to hear that the CM that checked you in said your room would definately be ready by 3. Even though check in is at 3 the room may take up to 5 to be ready. I have read many a thread of people that had to wait past 3 to get there room. Not just at POP.

Thats funny, cuz that was one way the supervisor tried to justify the apparent misinformation i recieved. He said that I must have talked to cm's that were there assisting from all the other resorts that DO have a 3 pm guarantee.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

Yes I had it happen in July to me too. It wasn't at POP though, it was at GF. I was told my room would be ready no later than 3pm and it did not become available until almost 4pm. However, we found out the next day from mousekeeping that the previous occupants of the room did not leave the room until 2:30pm. I have since read on these boards that the rooms do not have to be released to you until 5pm.

 

[staci]

Yes I had it happen in July to me too. It wasn't at POP though, it was at GF. I was told my room would be ready no later than 3pm and it did not become available until almost 4pm. However, we found out the next day from mousekeeping that the previous occupants of the room did not leave the room until 2:30pm. I have since read on these boards that the rooms do not have to be released to you until 5pm.

Thanks. I dont know if that makes me feel better (because Im not alone on this one) or worse (because others had this trouble).

On any other trip I wouldnt have cared at all, but with the baby it was different. Especially since Pop's food court is so quiet to wait in But my main concern is still the fact that the cm's I talked to and the supervisor all told me TOTALLY different things. Had I known it could take until 5, I would have taken ds on a good long monorail ride instead of sitting around in the food court. I still would have not been a happy camper but it would have been better.

 

[foxtrotter]

We've stayed at Pop three times. Twice we checked in the morning and were given our room immediately. This last time we checked in late at night and were given our room immediately. So, no, we have not had this problem. (Thank goodness.)

 

[Ilovestitch]

I think they mean that you are ASSIGNED a room # no later than 3 but it might not be ready til 5.

When we've checked into a Disney resort they say to call back at 3 and they would let us know if the room is ready. Sometimes they don't give us our room # til we call.

 

[safetymom]

I don't think they handled it well but with little ones maybe you need to think about your flights. Maybe arrange them so you arrive after check in.

So many people post about how they got their rooms early so you almost expect it.

 

[bicker]

And that's probably the problem: We get a false sense of what to expect from all the superior experiences people have. If something is important to you, get the guarantee in writing, with an explicit description of the parameters that are important to you. If you cannot get the vendor to put it in writing for you, then it is best not to expect it.

 

[jtdl]

Gosh, what a way to start your Disney vacation! We checked in about 11 am at the Pop (it was full to capacity) and the CM said our room wasn't ready. I asked if I could get a lake view added to the rest of the requests I had noted on the ressie and she said that yes we could and that room is available now. I personally think that 5 pm is way to late for a room guarantee. I have never heard of that at any hotel, resort or plain old Holiday Inn! Knowing that, I'll be sure to pack our swimsuits in an overnight bag next time.

 

[disnut8]

That is the Disney policy of a 3:00 check in but rooms are not guaranteed to be available until 5:00.

And it is the policy of alot of the offsite hotels too. I've "checked in" at various places only to be told I couldn't get my room key until after 4:00. And it wasn't because the room wasn't ready - none of these places would release any room until that time. So we had to go back to the front desk when we got back to get the room key. One time I was very sick and it was a long three hours until I could get in my room. Talk about not being a happy camper.

 

[melagan]

i am sorry that happened to you. I know how tired kids can be. That is exactly why I made sure our flight was later so that I wouldn't have to wait.

 

[Olallamom]

We had the same problem at POR in June but we really wanted the room that they assigned us. We arrived at noon and got into our room at 4:55.

 

[eclectics]

I have read in numerous threads that 5pm is correct for actually getting into your room. Check-in is 3pm. While there is no excuse for rudeness, I think the check-in CM's at all the resorts are probably up to their eyeballs with "Requests" that a lot of folk seem to expect now, instead of hope for. If they seem a bit exasperated at times, I say give them a bit of slack. They're only human.

 

[disneysnowflake]

When we checked in around 7pm on Sept 30th the girl at check in told my I was lucky. My room was ready. I just assumed that by 7pm it would have been ready.

Almost 1/2 of the time rooms in our building in the 50s weren't even touched until after 4pm.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

We had something like this happen to us at the Yacht Club once. We were transferring over from another resort (the Wilderness Lodge) and I called before we left to go to the YC to see if our room was ready (it was about noon). They said it was so we went right over to check-in. Well, for some reason, when we arrived at about one pm, the room was not ready anymore. At least, the CM didn't know why we'd been originally told it was ready. He did say that it would be ready shortly, and to wait there in the lobby while the bell staff would hold our stuff. We were also told to check back in about 20 minutes. Well, I checked several times after many 20 minute intervals which turned into four hours. I, too, had a young child and kept being told the room would be ready anytime, and they didn't understand what the hold up was. We finally got in around 5 pm when we were upgraded to another room at that time (to a superior view) because our original room STILL was not ready. I appreciated the upgrade, but I didn't know why we weren't just given it earlier rather than wait for all those hours...or why they had us hang around like that...or why someone thought our room was ready to begin with when we called from the WL...but it was not a big deal. We got an upgrade and had a wonderful vacation!

 

[NCombs]

He eventually moved us to different rooms, but I am considering writing about this whole 'checkin at 3 but no rooms till 5' policy. Am I overreacting? At the time I had a very tired 23 month old who really needed to lay down before we went to any parks. Had I known upon making ressies that POP's checkin policy was apparently different than every other resort, I would have NOT stayed there.

I don't think it is worth writing anyone about. It is just one of those things that happens and although extremely inconvenient at the time is minor in the whole scheme of things on a vacation. I am sorry it got things off to a rocky start for you and hope that the rest of your vacation was everything you wanted it to be.