AP room rates and room view assignments?

[luvmarypoppins]

Has this ever happened to you? We just got back from the Poly with a garden view ap rate. I must say we also had that once before. My request on our original reservation, was Samoa bldg, ground floor, volcano pool view. I know its a small bldg. etc. Well when we checked in the cm did give us Samoa bldg., it was 3rd floor, end room, which was not the volcano pool view and a very bad view, I didnt really care because we dont spend much time in the room, but what really bothered me was the cm's comment to me that - well you have an ap rate and that is WHY you are getting THIS room., Huh, makes it sound like if you get a discount on the room, you will not get a good view etc. I must also say we checked in late at night so that might have something to do with it too. Last time I had the ap garden rate, I requested Niue before it turned into smoking. We got aeorotora instead with monorail view. It was another busy week there. but I am just wondering what will happen in the future, so if I have an ap I am not going to get a good view etc? Any comments? I just thought the cm's comment to me was kind of strange.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We have used AP rates and have gotten our request Sago Cay - marina view GF. I think it depends more on the time you checked in - we checked in at 8:00 in the morning and had a choice of serveral rooms. I don't think it has anything to do with getting an AP discount.

 

[Sammie]

Has this ever happened to you? We just got back from the Poly with a garden view ap rate. I must say we also had that once before. My request on our original reservation, was Samoa bldg, ground floor, volcano pool view. I know its a small bldg. etc. Well when we checked in the cm did give us Samoa bldg., it was 3rd floor, end room, which was not the volcano pool view and a very bad view, I didnt really care because we dont spend much time in the room, but what really bothered me was the cm's comment to me that - well you have an ap rate and that is WHY you are getting THIS room., Huh, makes it sound like if you get a discount on the room, you will not get a good view etc. I must also say we checked in late at night so that might have something to do with it too. Last time I had the ap garden rate, I requested Niue before it turned into smoking. We got aeorotora instead with monorail view. It was another busy week there. but I am just wondering what will happen in the future, so if I have an ap I am not going to get a good view etc? Any comments? I just thought the cm's comment to me was kind of strange.

Absolutely no truth to the statement at all. Many have gotten upgrades with AP discounts.

I would have immediately asked to speak to this CM's supervisor and had them repeat the comment to them. There are many things I will overlook at Disney, but a bad attitude is not one of them.

Checking in late could definitely affect it and the fact the resort was heavily booked. Requests are never a guarantee and certain factors such as the time you check in, the occupancy level of the resort do affect them, but the fact you had a discount should have no effect.

 

[susy]

I would write a letter or call the GM at the Poly. My commnet back to the CM would have been, "If you don't want to offer AP rates, DON'T OFFER THEM".

 

[johnsonet]

I can't believe a CM said that!
It's not as though you got the room for free, plus it's just plain WRONG. And good customer service would have had her keep her (incorrect) opinions to herself
I've had my requests met sometimes w/ AP rate, sometimes not. Once I got an upgrade to Ctyd. view from Woods w/ AP rate...

 

[Ilovestitch]

That's crazy- are you sure the CM didn't mean that you paid for Garden View and that's what you got- like maybe he got confused and thought you were asking for lagoon view or something?

We stayed there in Dec. w/AP rate and the CM at check in asked which room i'd like- I said my dream room was Fiji 3rd Floor facing the marina- and that's exactly what he gave me.

 

[balletgirl33]

I checked into the Polynesian Sunday April 24 with your exact room request. I always request first floor, Samoa Longhouse and volcano view. I have done
this three to four times a year as an AP holder. My room request has been honored every time. I did check in early but the room was already assigned to me. The room assignor may have assigned you a room that matched your requests but that room can be taken away from you by a guest checking in before you who makes a lot of noise. I was told this by a resort manager. So checking in late does have disadvantages but that CM should have never implied (or outright stated ) that you were getting a "lesser" room because you are getting it at a discounted rate. I do believe CMs get discounted rates on their rooms...are they getting the least desirable locations? I doubt it! The resort manager told me Samoa, first floor, volcano view is the most requested room at the resort.....and there are only 10 of these rooms. They did not have this problem when Samoa was a smoking building. In fact they may create a new category, pool view, which would cost more than garden but less than lagoon.

 

[Lewisc]

DISNEY DOESN'T DO THIS but some hotels give the less desirable rooms to guests who book the deeply discounted rates. Should the better rooms go to the guests who check in first, the guest who tells the best lie in a fax or to the guest who is paying rack rate? For the most part Disney gives the rooms to the first 2 groups of guests but would it be wrong to give preference to the guests who pay rack rate?

I think the hotels are getting tired with the of the "resort savy" guests who are either trying to get free upgrades or trying to pick one of a very small group of desirable rooms.

 

[Sammie]

DISNEY DOESN'T DO THIS but some hotels give the less desirable rooms to guests who book the deeply discounted rates. Should the better rooms go to the guests who check in first, the guest who tells the best lie in a fax or to the guest who is paying rack rate? For the most part Disney gives the rooms to the first 2 groups of guests but would it be wrong to give preference to the guests who pay rack rate?

I think the hotels are getting tired with the of the "resort savy" guests who are either trying to get free upgrades or trying to pick one of a very small group of desirable rooms.

Interesting comment. This is no reflection of what happened with the OP, so this is "not" addressed to the OP but an observation on the above comment.

First, there is no, I repeat no excuse for rudeness.

But based on conversations lately with Disney friends over drinks, Yes they are tired of the Internet, "I know more than you", attitude they are getting lately from many guests. They are especially tired of the "I read in on the ( ) website" so it must be true attitude.

Just passing on info, no comment from me.

 

[Wendy*Darling]

We have stayed at the Poly and at the WL on AP rates. We got excatly what we requested at the Poly and were upgraded from woods view to courtyard view at the WL. I would agree that it was a CM with some sort of chip on their shoulder at the time you checked in rather than "Disney Policy" being to give less deisreable rooms to AP holders. Why would they want to since AP holders are frequent guests?

 

[Dancind]

We got this comment from THREE different CMs at the GF when we stayed there in Sept. 2001 on an AP rate (I'm thinking $199 per night). Only two nights, but we had so many problems the first night (our adjoining room neighbors actually tried to get into our room while we were sleeping), that we changed rooms. So we heard it at the first check in, the second check in, and then again when we called the desk because the second room they assigned us reeked of cigarette smoke. Finally, when the next room we went to had a soaking wet carpet (with chemical stink), we had a nice CM that gave us a decent room. Wonder why we haven't tried the GF again?

 

[balletgirl33]

I would agree with Sammie that some cast members are tired of the "internet savvy" guests. However I did speak with a manager at the Polynesian who said they read almost everything that mentions the Poly. Specifically she said they read a lot of posts of people complaining about not being offered a lei...they had a meeting about greeting guests and really enforced the distribution of leis at check-in. This is just one example but she said they read everything they can. I was sort of surprised.

 

[Sammie]

I would agree with Sammie that some cast members are tired of the "internet savvy" guests. However I did speak with a manager at the Polynesian who said they read almost everything that mentions the Poly. Specifically she said they read a lot of posts of people complaining about not being offered a lei...they had a meeting about greeting guests and really enforced the distribution of leis at check-in. This is just one example but she said they read everything they can. I was sort of surprised.

Disney has a division that monitors the Internet forums, not just this onea long with Ebay. They pass comments that they see a repeat such as the situation with the leis to the appropriate resort.

Also some CM such as Tyler do particpate and pass on valuable information.

 

[hemicuda]

I agree. I think it has more to do with when you check in. I think they give the rooms with the great views to those who check in earlier and request them.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Like the OP, I had something similar happened to me when I stayed at CSR with a great AP rate. During check-in, the CM asked if I wanted to be near the food court (Casitas) or pool (Ranchos). I said food court. Then she gives me my room - on the 4th floor of Casita 3. When I finally get to the room (never did find the elevator!), I realize it was the absolute last room on the highest floor in the entire Casitas section. It literally was the LAST room - the room number was the highest one for the entire Casita. I felt like I was out in the middle of nowhere, as I never saw or heard anyone ever pass my room! Also had a lovely view of the parking lot. This was not peak season and there were plenty of rooms available, so I firmly believe the CM saw I had a great AP rate, so off to the farthest room I go!

Similar thing happened at CBR. I got Trinidad South when I checked in with an AP rate. On a prior trip, I paid rack rate, and got a nice room in Jamaica.

BUT last week I stayed at AKL, and paid for an AP rate with a pool view. We were upgraded to a deluxe pool view room. The room was longer and more comfortable than a standard AKL room, which was terrific for a family of four!

There is no doubt in my mind that sometimes (but not all the time!) the AP rates affect where you are placed!

 

[mickeyluv]

Okay, all this talk about AP rated rooms and check-in times has me wondering. I have requested a woodsview room for our stay at the WL in May. We should be checking in around 9:00 to 9:30am. Does this mean that it is possible that I might get offered an upgrade to say maybe a courtyard view? Not really expecting it, but would be nice if that happened.