Anyone ever been charged a "Room Change Fee"?

[Mickey Fliers]

I read this last night and was pretty surprised.

Directly from the DVC New Member Handbook..

"If you request a room change (for a different view, floor, etc.) after check-in, you'll be charged a room-change fee based upon Vacation Home size. Room requests (including location and/or smoking/non-smoking) should be made when making your reservation."

Does anyone have any experience with this? I read so many posts where people have switched rooms after check-in and I have never seen where anyone has been charged. Is this something new?

Thanks!

 

[Chuck S]

It is not new, it has been policy for several years. Evidently there were so many DVCers wanting to change rooms for basic non-guaranteed preferences (views, floors, etc) that it was becoming a problem. The change fees are approximately what a full cleaning costs, as the room they are leaving requires a full cleaning to make it ready for the next guest. The "moving" guest is only entitled to one full cleaning every 8 days under our dues structure, others must be paid for, and it is unfair that all members must absorb the housekeeping cost (through increased dues) because someone wants to change rooms for a minor reason.

While I have not changed rooms, there are reports of guests being advised of the fee when they wanted to change rooms for such reasons.

The fee does not apply if you change resorts or have a split stay (ie. a few days in a studio, then change to a one bedroom) as these are seperate reservations.

 

[mjmcca]

It is not new, it has been policy for several years. Evidently there were so many DVCers wanting to change rooms for basic non-guaranteed preferences (views, floors, etc) that it was becoming a problem. The change fees are approximately what a full cleaning costs, as the room they are leaving requires a full cleaning to make it ready for the next guest. The "moving" guest is only entitled to one full cleaning every 8 days under our dues structure, others must be paid for, and it is unfair that all members must absorb the housekeeping cost (through increased dues) because someone wants to change rooms for a minor reason.

While I have not changed rooms, there are reports of guests being advised of the fee when they wanted to change rooms for such reasons.

The fee does not apply if you change resorts or have a split stay (ie. a few days in a studio, then change to a one bedroom) as these are seperate reservations.

What if you change a room due to it being unacceptable either because it was not cleaned properly the first time or someone was smoking in a nonsmoking room prior to your arrival?

 

[Mickey Fliers]

What if you change a room due to it being unacceptable either because it was not cleaned properly the first time or someone was smoking in a nonsmoking room prior to your arrival?

This is exactly what I want to know! While I wouldn't consider a room to be "unacceptable" b/c of a bad view, I would find it unacceptable if it was dirty or reeked of smoke. KWIM?

 

[Chuck S]

Your first recourse would be to call housekeeping and have the room re-cleaned if there is a housekeeping problem. Remember that non-Smoking rooms are NOT guaranteed, they are a request. If you find a minor smoke smell in a non-smoking room, the problem is often taken care of to the satisfaction of most guests by the use of commercial ionizer that Disney will run in the room.

If there is a mechanical problem with the room that maintenace can not fix in a timely manner (leak, a/c problem, electrical problem, etc.) you will be relocated.

If you wish to continue the smoking/non-smoking discussion I invite you to this thread:

DVC Smoking Thread

 

[Simba's Mom]

We were told on our first trip home that if we changed rooms, "Of course, you'd have to pay the room change fee." This was when we got to our studio to discover it was HA, no tub, and we called within 5 minutes. This could have been avoided if the front desk had told us it didn't have a tub (silly us, assuming that we'd have a tub). Since it was our first trip as DVC members, we assumed this was standard procedure, to charge the fee so we told the front desk we'd stay there only because we felt it was wrong to pay the fee. "Sorry, but that's the policy" they said. BTW, we've gotten rooms with no tub twice since without being told, both times we called within 5 minutes, and were offered new rooms (and an apology) with no room change fee at different DVC resorts.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...This was when we got to our studio to discover it was HA, no tub, and we called within 5 minutes...

Did you ask when you checked in if it was H/A? Would they have told you? That might resolve the problem of getting there and finding no tub.

Just wondering.

 

[Chuck S]

Simba's Mom probably didn't think to ask, it was her first DVC trip. I have had them not tell me, though HA isn't a problem if we happen to get one. There are several non-HA first floor units at OKW, but there are NO 2nd/3rd floor units (except in the 60s bldgs with elevators)...so now if we get our choice, I always go for a 2nd floor unit.

 

[bicker]

Again, I think the point is that folks shouldn't be changing rooms for any reason other than mechanical failure. If the room isn't clean, then housekeeping should clean it. If it doesn't have a nice view, or if room requests aren't met: Well, we all cannot get our requests satisfied (which is why they're just requests). If the hotel is full, and there aren't enough guests needing HA, then some of the rest of us will have to occupy the HA rooms.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

Thanks so much for the info, everyone! Quick question, kind of OT, do the 2 bdrm HA units have a bathtub at all? I only ask b/c I have a young child who still only takes baths. I would have no problem with an HA unit, but would still like to have a bathtub (preferably the jacuzzi tub ). I guess it is just something I need to make sure of when I check in.

Thanks

 

[Chuck S]

Thanks so much for the info, everyone! Quick question, kind of OT, do the 2 bdrm HA units have a bathtub at all? I only ask b/c I have a young child who still only takes baths. I would have no problem with an HA unit, but would still like to have a bathtub (preferably the jacuzzi tub ). I guess it is just something I need to make sure of when I check in.

Thanks

All one bedroom and larger units have the jacuzzi tub as well as a shower. For the HA units, the shower is modified to a roll-in shower, but you still have the jacuzzi tub.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Did you ask when you checked in if it was H/A? Would they have told you? That might resolve the problem of getting there and finding no tub.

Just wondering.

ChuckS is right-we didn't think to ask, since it was our first trip. However, I later learned that asking isn't any guarantee-on one trip I did ask, was told it wasn't, but when we got there, it was. Boy, was I more than a little upset about being lied to! So I find the best way to avoid any problem is to know which rooms are HA or whatever you won't accept. Although the chance of a problem like that is very slim, I feel better knowing.

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

We almost ended up paying for a room change fee on the 2 bedroom we reserved and I think they told us it would have been about $40. We were there for our 5 year anniversary, our son's first trip, and a family vacation and I really wanted to wow them with DVC so I asked for a non-smoking vacation home with a view of downtown Disney. When we went to check-in we weren't even given an option of anything in Congress park. All our options were "garden views" in Springs or Paddock. The woman checking us in was not at all familiar with all things Disney (first tip-off: when she confirmed we had reservations at the Howdy Doody Revue) and luckily a manager stepped in after she asked him what the change fee would be and confirmed there was an "garden view" in Congress park that would come open later that day and that while it was classified "garden" that it actually had a view of DTD so we took it. I understand why the fee is there and we were willing to pay it but I guess I have a harder time understanding why they even list requests on your reservation since they don't assign rooms in advance anyway but that's another topic!

 

[rinkwide]

...folks shouldn't be changing rooms for any reason other than mechanical failure.

No other reason, huh?

Not sure if this has ever happened but let's say I'm unfortunate enough to get a room that just had a messy mob hit inside. Buck-up and tough it out?

 

[bicker]

Granted. Mechanical failure or strewn with blood and guts, then.

 

[Dean]

DVC should not allow changes for view or location or even for HC vs not as a preference (medical HC should be booked up front). I can see for smoking vs none or a true problem with the unit. But I'd also venture that walking up, opening the door and schlepping back to the front desk without invading the unit is not a true room change in the sense of what the fees is stated to be intended for.

 

[kidsister]

We had a room change the last trip to BWV...not cause of mechanical failure or mob hit. What happened was that our 'request' for our standard view room to be wayyyyyyy down the hall towards the tennis courts was over-ridden by the Grand Gathering policy of trying to get everyone in a GG close together. So our room was right over the front entry where the ME TRUCK (the one with all the bags in very clanking, noisy, metal wire cages)pulls in 15 times a day (until 1am and then startingup at 5am).

When we saw the location of the room on the map while at the front desk, we asked for a different location and we were told 'nothing else available'. I felt this was a lie and I told them I was upset. We checked in (and didn't yet know about the noise problem). That first night we returned to the room and found a message from the manager that he would move us in two nights if we wanted. We decided to take him up on the offer (only after we spent that first night not sleeping, due to the noise)....and there was no room charge on the bill at checkout.

So perhaps it depends on the circumstances. In our case, since there was our request and then the GG override, maybe they felt that we should have been given a 'choice' before the room was selected for us. Or maybe they felt bad that our CM (the one we spoke with after morning check-in, when we saw the location of our room) was pretty rude. Not sure...but the weird thing was that we moved a day before towel change to a new room and then we got a towel change only 1 day after checking into the new room??????
Don't know if it was cause we tipped the first room's maid well when we left or not.

 

[Sammie]

DVC should not allow changes for view or location or even for HC vs not as a preference (medical HC should be booked up front). I can see for smoking vs none or a true problem with the unit. But I'd also venture that walking up, opening the door and schlepping back to the front desk without invading the unit is not a true room change in the sense of what the fees is stated to be intended for.

It is there to cover the cost if they have to reclean it, to give to another guest. As stated if you open the door have a look around or smell, then request a change they are usually willing to reassign you without charge.

If you go in, take a nap, shower and then decide you want to move, then they charge to cover the cost of recleaning it.

 

[Dean]

It is there to cover the cost if they have to reclean it, to give to another guest. As stated if you open the door have a look around or smell, then request a change they are usually willing to reassign you without charge.

If you go in, take a nap, shower and then decide you want to move, then they charge to cover the cost of recleaning it.

Many have been threatened with the room change fee even if they just opened the door and called from the phone. They have not been good at delineating the difference you describe. IMO, it's there to discourage people from changing for ANY reason, even when appropriate.

 

[jarestel]

We've been moved twice because HA rooms didn't meet our needs and once for being assigned a smoking room when we had the grandkids with us. (We kept the balcony door open all night and blasted the AC to escape from the stale smoke odors) Though we did have to stay in the rooms for the night, we were moved the next day to more appropriate rooms ( for us ) with no charge. DVC did what they could, and I appreciate their efforts, but when there are no alternate rooms to move to, I guess we just have to suck it up and "endure" for one night. Of course, moving simply for "views" is ridiculous and DVC shouldn't waive the change fee for that reason. In my humblest of opinions, anyway.