Anyone have this happen to them?

[Scrufsmom]

We have come back from our New Years trip to WDw. We stayed at the VWL (our homebase). We checked in on Dec. 30 around 3pm, knowing that check in is required at 4pm. Knowing perfectly well that you can check in really at anytime and they can clean, hold or prepare your room for you if not ready. Anyway, upon check in we were told that there were no rooms available til the next day. We had our ressie with us to confirm that sure enough we had one, we even realized that we had booked this room way back in February so we should be able to have our room confirmed. Nothing available! Starting to huff,puff and blow down the WL; they started to search for a room. The only room they could come up with was a Smoking room, but I had clearly requested a Non because I am an asthamtic. Explained to the CM that we had this ressie, could not come back the next day cause were would we go, will they refund us back our points for the night? etc! She couldn't give me an answer, just to say that the villas were sold out. After about 30 minutes of complaining they were able to come up with a room. We were told next time come earlier. This I find very interesting because of the above....check in 4pm?!

So has anyone ever encounter this situation before?
Just curious because traveling with a child and being told no rooms avail is not fun.

 

[Nanajo1]

Being told a confirmed room is not available at anytime is not fun. I do hope you are writing to EVERYONE at DVC offices. This is unacceptable and to be told to come earlier is insulting. So they knew someone was going to be without a room that night, they should have had some plan in place. How many DVCers are no shows? Please update with any results you get if you write.

 

[Geyser Gazer]

Once checking into the BCV we were told that our reservation had been canceled so I understand how your heart must have dropped to your feet when you heard this. Fortunately for us there was a room available and they rebooked us through MS then and there. Hope this never happens to anyone again.

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by Scrufsmom
We were told next time come earlier. This I find very interesting because of the above....check in 4pm?!

So has anyone ever encounter this situation before?
Just curious because traveling with a child and being told no rooms avail is not fun.

Very strange, and uncceptable

I called on Thursday to ask if someone not staying in my room could check me in. When asked why I explained our flight didn't land until 9:20pm and we are traveling with an 8,7 nd 2 yo. It would be much easier if the realitve (who is driving down with all our luggge except a small carryon) checked us in and got us settled. Then when we arrived lte with the kids, we could go to the room and put them straight to bed.

She said, "we won't give your room away, even if it is 11pm, you are confirmed" you can just do it yourself."

Bottom line, she said marked my ressie so they can do it for me but what you re told is unacceptable!

Sorry for the trouble
Sandy

 

[zulaya]

This seriously worries me now! We generally take the first flight out in the morning, but this next trip we are coming in on the last flight the night before just so we can start our vacation at WDW when we wake up.

I am finishing my Dec ressie on Monday and I plan to have them add to my ressie that we will be a late arrival.

 

[Dean]

This has happened before in various ways. I remember an OKW owner going to BCV and being told BCV was full, they'd have to go back over to OKW since they were not a member at BCV. I recall it worked out though. There are times when a room may not be available for some reason and still get booked, or similar circumstances like a room goes out of service. So I'm sure it happen from time to time when the resort it totally booked. What I'm wondering is why it happened. Did they have you down as having a reservation or did they not have you down at all. They should have offered you other options including another resort or room type (regular toom, suite, BCV, OKW, etc) AND refunded part or all your points.

It really sounds like they didn't have you down as having a reservation at all. I wonder if it had been cancelled by MS for some reason. Let us know what you find out please. This is just one of the reasons I'd recommend not gettingin late, it takes away so many options if things don'e work right.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

That is really awful, Scrufsmom! Please tell us if when they 'came up with a room' if it was the same as your reservation. Did they seem apologetic or more like 'tough luck.'

Did you write any letters to the powers that be?

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Did you end up having to take the smoking room? If not, did you end up with the size room, etc. you had reserved? Did Front Desk Management come talk to you or did a regular CM help you the whole time?

I would have been furious. Not sure what I would have done except let them know that about 60,000 of my closest friends on the DVC Boards would be hearing about this incident and that WLV's reputation would be tarnished once more.

I do totally understand how a room can become unavailable due to maintenance, etc., but good gracious, they better put you up in accomodations that will more than make up for not having a room that night and for possibly having to change rooms the following day.

What a stressful situation for you and a rotten way to start your vacation.

 

[living la vida mickey]

zulaya,
We've come in often on very late flights (over a ten year period) sometimes arriving as late as 1 am. I always have them put late arrival on my reservation and then I call either that morning or the day before to confirm that they understand how late we are coming in. When we land at the airport and are waiting for our rental car I call again and tell the front desk that we have arrived and give them an approximate time of arrival at OKW. They have been wonderful and have thanked me for keeping them updated. They have always told me that my room is waiting for me.
Scrufsmom,
I agree with Dean, I wonder if it was just some glitch or the room was out of service or something. They should have been much more accomodating to you especially with a confirmed reservation.

 

[jaysue]

Sounds like you encountered a bad CM - I would have asked to speak to the Manager or Designated Manager

I do not get good vibes about VWL - it seems to attract it's larger then proportional share of check-in/room issues

thanks
jaysue

 

[mom2rb]

I think there is a difference between calling to let them know about a late check-in at 11:00 p.m. and checking-in at 3:00 p.m.

 

[lenshanem]

Afer my experience with check in for VWL last month reading thsi concerns me. Are they developing an attitude at that desk?!?

Thsi is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. I hope your wrtie a letter ASAP and please post back with the response. I woudl have called MS and asked for a manager that very day.

We have paid a nice sum to join, in addition to hefty dues. When I make my ressie no matter what time I get there I except a room that evening. If it is going to be after midnight when we arrive I woudl call, but I still except that room to be there for me to sleep in that night. There is just NO EXCUSE for that. Arriving at three and being told you shoudl ahev arrived earlier is absoluetly riduculus!!!

I understand thinsg happen, but they shoudl have had a plan in place to offer you something else with apologies and compensation with your points for the inconvience. Not an attitude liek it is your fault!!!

I woudl ahev asked for a manager and insisted on a room, even if it means they have to move me to another resort you agree upon AND refund ALL my points for that trip. Whne you make a ressie you except to stay there for that trip and it woudl be a huge disappoitment to be told otherwise, especially if your kids are excited about the place.

Unfortunately, my hubby just goes with the flow, never speaks up. I wodul ahve had to been the one hnadling this situation. And I can get wound up!

Regardless of the fact they found you a room, it still took more effort on your part than it should and perosnally I find thsi insulting as a member. I imagine since they magically foudn you a room soemoen else later experienced the same situation as they then got bumped. I would definetly contact someone.

 

[lenshanem]

We checked in on Dec. 30 around 3pm, knowing that check in is required at 4pm.

I just realized what you said. We ahve to check in by 4?!? I thought it was rooms are just guaranetted to be ready by 4, not that we have to check in by 4. I wodul think many peopel arrive after that if they are traveling.

I'm sure my hubby and his Dad will get there after 4 for their trip in March. Is thsi something I'm not understanding correctly?

Thansk!

 

[DebbieB]

Check-in is after 4:00pm. You don't have to bet there by 4:00pm.

There must have been some glitch in this situation, I don't think it happens often. Maybe someone refused to vacate a room? Or a room was out of service due to unexpected maintenance problems.

 

[PamOKW]

Originally posted by lenshanem
I just realized what you said. We ahve to check in by 4?!?

No, that's an error made by the original poster. Officially check-in is 4:00 p.m. or later. That means that the room does not have to be ready until 4:00 p.m....or later. We can do the paperwork checking in prior to 4:00 and get the room if it's ready or we can check-in later.

This original situation is very odd and I don't think it was handled very well. Christmas Week is extremely busy but they should have a plan in place to handle overbooking and should do it with a smile and an apology, not try to blame the guest.

On the flip-side, in the early days of DVC they sent out a reminder that reservations were required. Seems they had more than one case of guests, some from England, arriving at the desk and saying they were "members" and wanted a room. Only problem, they had not reserved in advance.

 

[zulaya]

lenshanem--

You understand it correctly. They don't guarantee our rooms will be ready any before 4pm.

It is NOT check in by 4pm. The CM was not trained well or was having an attitude that day.

 

[jodifla]

It does seem like this was really poorly handled by the CM at the check in.


Luckily, this kind of thing is the exception, not the rule, which is why is stands out so much. I do think taking it a step up to a manager is a good idea. That CM needs some more training!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

A slightly different spin on this-
First, I want to let you know that I feel bad for you, and it soulnds like you received some unacceptable attitude from the CM.

However, you said they did have a smoking room for you. Unfortunately smoking/non-smoking is not guaranteed. Perhaps at first they were telling you there were no non-smoking rooms left?

Anyway, I am sorry you had a bad experience.

MG

 

[VickiVM]

Anyway, upon check in we were told that there were no rooms available til the next day. We had our ressie with us to confirm that sure enough we had one, we even realized that we had booked this room way back in February so we should be able to have our room confirmed. Nothing available! Starting to huff,puff and blow down the WL; they started to search for a room. The only room they could come up with was a Smoking room, but I had clearly requested a Non because I am an asthamtic.

Please know that I only want to understand the "requests" process and want to correctly understand how this all played out.

Did the OP actually have their booked room upon check-in and it happened to be a smoking room, or they were flat out told even though they had a paid-for reservation (via DVC used points), there were no rooms available period?? I understand that requests (non-smoking, specific room#, nearr elevators, etc) are simply that...non-guaranteed requests. But I also realize that when requests are made to accomodate special medical needs that Disney goes out of their way to satisfy those requests.

Does anyone know the ratio of smoking vs. non-smoking rooms in each of the DVC resorts?? I know for myself (and I have no medical reason), but I just can't tolerate a smoking room. I can barely tolerate being around a smoker even when they are not smoking. The smell to me is sickening. I can only imagine what it feels like to someone who has respiratory issues.

Just from various posts I've noticed that smokers will tend to be flexible either way - if only a non-smoking room (DVC or other resorts) is available they'll make concessions and not smoke in the room if necessary (and of course, some will smoke anyway). But us non-smokers are less likely to budge. I'm just curious if the non-smoking and smoking room inventory is out of balance with the general needs of the public??

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Maistre Gracey
However, you said they did have a smoking room for you. Unfortunately smoking/non-smoking is not guaranteed. Perhaps at first they were telling you there were no non-smoking rooms left?

Non-Smoking IS guaranteed if it for medical reasons. I have asthma, and can not tolerate smoke. When I call the reserve, my reservation specifically states "non-smoking for medical reasons".

Anne