Are rooms assigned when you get there or...

[Tigger1]

Last year a thing was started at some DVC resorts that you were not assigned rooms until you arrived. This was to done so cleaned rooms would fill up first. If you made your reservation 11 months in advance but could not arrive until 4 pm there was a good chance you would noy get your request.

Are rooms still assigned this way?

thanks Tigger

 

[MELSMICE]

I can't be positive, but I think rooms are assigned when you get there.

We arrived at OKW on Sunday, April 11 at about 11 a.m. We had requested, 1st floor, non-smoking, near Turtle Pond. They told us a room was ready - 3rd floor, non-smoking, a short walk to Turtle Pond (building 36). I took it even though it was 3rd floor because I thought it was better than being "homeless" for a few hours.

Anyway, my point is that I think they assign the room when you get there according to what's available at the time regardless of when you arrive. JMO

 

[dsmith]

Although they try very hard to satisfy your requests, rooms are assigned first come, first served. We always make sure we check in at the resort before we go anywhere else so we'll be more likely to get exactly what we prefer. In any case there really are very few rooms we wouldn't accept.

 

[HorizonsFan]

Since it's a guaranteed category with very few rooms, wouldn't Boardwalk view rooms have to be somewhat assigned before check-in?

 

[tjkraz]

Based upon my (albeit limited) experiences, it seems that rooms are pre-assigned. But if the resort is not at maximum occupancy, the CMs have the ability to shuffle you to a room which might be immediately ready for occupancy.

During our two stays at OKW, we arrived at 12pm and 9am. Both times the CM that checked us in gave us a choice of 3 or 4 rooms (different floors, different parts of the resort) which were immediately ready for occupancy.

Now, if you have a harder-to-book room reserved (Grand Villa, BWV Standard view , Boarwalk View), I suspect it is much more difficult to move since the rooms in those classes are often at 100% occupancy.

 

[SSRex]

When I made my reservation for BCV, they told me that it would be a 2 bedroom with 2 queens beds even before I had the chance to request that. That sounded pre-assigned to me. I know there are 25 of those rooms, so maybe the exact room is not set yet, but that room category sounds like it is set aside for us. Does that sound correct to anyone else or do you think not?

 

[momsully]

We had four rooms this past March at BCV. I know they were preassigned because when I checked in I asked if the rooms could be together and the CM said they were together and had been assigned that way. Two of the rooms were Sat check in and two were Sunday but it was obvious the Sunday rooms were assigned as well.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by SSRex
When I made my reservation for BCV, they told me that it would be a 2 bedroom with 2 queens beds even before I had the chance to request that. That sounded pre-assigned to me. I know there are 25 of those rooms, so maybe the exact room is not set yet, but that room category sounds like it is set aside for us. Does that sound correct to anyone else or do you think not?

The 2 bedroom with 2 queen beds is its own category at BCV - just like Boardwalk view or standard view are separate categories at BWV. If that is what your confirmation letter says, then that is the type of room you will get when you check in.

As you already suspect, that doesn't mean that your specific room within that category will be pre-assigned, though.

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by momsully
We had four rooms this past March at BCV. I know they were preassigned because when I checked in I asked if the rooms could be together and the CM said they were together and had been assigned that way. Two of the rooms were Sat check in and two were Sunday but it was obvious the Sunday rooms were assigned as well.

My understanding after speaking with Jackie was they preassigned harder requests. (ie 4 rooms together) things such as non-smoking or high floor were done based on "room ready". The other except to this was holidays/high occupancy when they had to preassign to fit the checkin/checkout puzzle together.

Sandy

 

[Debby7]

We just came back from a week at HH. Our room request was non smoking, upper floor, marsh view , away from the pool. The room was ready when we arrived at 4:00 and met all our requests . When we got our express checkout paper work, next to our room assignment it said " Do Not Move". This makes me think that our room was indeed preassigned. Oh yes, another reason, it may have been preassigned was we arrived on Easter Sunday and were scheduled to have Easter Dinner delivered to our room. But, it shows they do pre assign, at least some of the time.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I think they tend to do "room ready" within categories. Both at Christmas and Easter I arrived around 8 AM and our room was ready both times! That can't have been coinsidence.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

They are preassigned but the CM may also have some flexibility. But it may depend which DVC location you are at or the CM you get. Over Christmas and New Years we stayed at the VWL then the BCV.

At the VWL, we were told that we were pre-assigned and there was no hope of moving us. The CM told me he had never heard of "room ready".

When we got to the BCV a couple of days after Christmas for New Years, we had been pre-assigned but they were able to give us a choice if we wanted a room right away (10 A.M.). We used the term "room ready" with them and they knew what we were talking about.

Over President's week we had the same experioence at the BWV as we had at the BCV.

HBC

 

[DebbieB]

I checked into BWV on Wednesday, it appeared that our room was preassigned. It was not ready when we arrived at about 1:15pm, the cm did tell us the general area it was in but not the room #. When we returned about 4:30pm it was ready.

 

[goofy4tink]

A question for all you 'experienced' folks...we have a studio, preferred pool/garden booked for this summer. The only thing I requested at the time was a non-smoking room. Should I be on the phone with them requesting a higher level room with a particular view? Or just wait until I get there, which was what I was going to do. We will be moving over from the AllStars so it will be early in the day when we check-in. My perfect room would be....higher up, with a great view of Spaceship Earth. Don't know if that is even possible. Any thoughts?

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
A question for all you 'experienced' folks...we have a studio, preferred pool/garden booked for this summer. The only thing I requested at the time was a non-smoking room. Should I be on the phone with them requesting a higher level room with a particular view? Or just wait until I get there, which was what I was going to do. We will be moving over from the AllStars so it will be early in the day when we check-in. My perfect room would be....higher up, with a great view of Spaceship Earth. Don't know if that is even possible. Any thoughts?

Do both - call MS sometime soon and add your requests to the reservation. If BWV happens to be preassigning for the time you will be there, the room assigner will know what you want. Ask again at check in.

The only area of the resort that might meet your desire for a "perfect" room in the preferred view -pool/garden category would be the area that overlooks the Village Green. Ask for N/S, view of the Village Green on an upper floor. Keep in mind that there aren't many rooms that meet this request and that the Village Green area is one of the more frequently requested views.

Good luck!

P.S. To be sure of getting the view you desire, you really need to have a Boardwalk view reserved. Recently, DVC made "Boardwalk view" its own category. Most BW views book at the 11 month window. Just a thought for your next BWV vacation.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by SSRex
When I made my reservation for BCV, they told me that it would be a 2 bedroom with 2 queens beds even before I had the chance to request that. That sounded pre-assigned to me. I know there are 25 of those rooms, so maybe the exact room is not set yet, but that room category sounds like it is set aside for us. Does that sound correct to anyone else or do you think not?

If MS told you they were booking you a 2 bedroom/2 queens then yes that is booked then. Not really a pre-assigment but more of a booking of a certain room type. Very much like booking one bedroom vs. a studio.

I am surprised they gave this type without you asking though, as that is unusual.

You will not know where your unit is located until arrival but you will know you are in a 2 bedroom/2queen.