Are you guaranteed a bad room if you check-in late?

[bunny]

I am debating whether we should check-in on Friday night late or Saturday? My husband hates to change resorts, so staying somewhere else is out of the question. I would prefer to check in on Friday. Last time we could not get into our room until almost 5 so we would be probably arrive sometime Saturday afternoon. So if I check-in Friday I get all day Saturday at my resort. BUT- I am afraid of getting the worst room in the resort and not getting any of my requests. We would be going Labor Day so of course it is a holiday weekend. Are there any chances of getting a good room with the room ready policy?

 

[JMLBrats]

We checked into a studio at OKW the weekend (friday night) before Thanksgiving at 2 AM and got a really cool corner room w/a huge balcony and a partial view of the canal.

 

[Island_Lauri]

We checked in after 6 pm on the night before Christmas Eve and got a lovely 2 Bedroom BWV Standard View - on the 3rd floor and 1 1/2 hallwys down. Very nice location - nice room.

I would think alot has to do with what rooms have been checked out of that day and how many rooms overall are occupied. It also depends on how long you will be staying and what accommodations they need to complete other reservations.

I think you will do fine checking in on Friday as many people check out on Fridays due to the higher point usage.

 

[crisi]

I also think it has to do with how "accomodating" the front desks CMs have been at letting arriving guests choose a room. We've usually been "given" a room - and being the type not to care too much, haven't stopped to argue. If a lot of guests are like us, you'll have the "bad" rooms and the "good" rooms given out all day. If the CMs are accomodating that day, and give guests a lot of choice without them even asking for choice, the rooms will be picked over by late.

 

[lovinthemouse]

We checked in late the day after Christmas to HHI. We had requested a dedicated 2 bdrm and while that is what most of their 2 bdrms are it was still no guarantee and we got it. We had a beautiful view of the marsh. I was impressed. While I do agree checking in early does help some, I think it can be OK too if you check in late.

 

[BillPA]

We have been members for 14 years, and with 40+ trips we have yet to get a "bad" room.

 

[MrsMork]

We checked in late at both BCV and VWL (different years). We got rooms with views of the service roads both times. This last trip dec 2005 at check in at VWL the CM checking us in said "let me find you a lovely room." View of service road and as far from the elevators as you can get. Lovely. We always check in late as we fly from the west coast. We have stayed at OKW several times and have always had great rooms there. Just depends on what is available I guess.

 

[Dean]

Most rooms are fine but if you check in too late your chances of getting a "bad" room or one that doesn't not meet your basic requests will be higher. If you stretch it to very late, say after 8 pm, your chances of not being happy are increased significantly IMO. If you're 11 PM or after, you will have little options during busier times of the year.

 

[get_us_to_WDW]

Got a much better room at BCV on Saturday at 4:00pm (Oct 2006) than I did on a previous trip when I checked in Saturday mid-morning (Dec 2005).

 

[DisDaydreamer]

We have been members for 14 years, and with 40+ trips we have yet to get a "bad" room.

Us too (9 years) never a "bad" room, BUT if you have strong preferences that are typically desired preferences, you are simply going to get what's left of what has already been picked through.

 

[CarolA]

The only thing you are ever "guranteed" is a room at your resort. What would be your idea of "Bad room" might be someone else's dream room.

(I am beginning to believe in Karma. I spend NO time stressing about my room and so far have never had the "bad room". I notice folks who spend months obsessing about what they are going to get tend to be more unhappy.... perhaps setting themselves up for disappointment when perfection is not acheived?)

 

[beachblanket]

Most rooms are fine but if you check in too late your chances of getting a "bad" room or one that doesn't not meet your basic requests will be higher.

This is correct. Yes, the available inventory (in terms of "good" vs. "less good" rooms) changes every day depending who is checking out. However, the better space that becomes available on any given day tends to go faster than the less attractive space.

So you are almost always better off checking in early, and politely telling the front desk CM that you are willing to wait for the villa that comes closest to meeting all your requests. That way, you can avoid the "room ready' disaster (being dumped into whatever is immediately available at the time, which often isn't what you requested).

Instead, the CM will assess the space that will be opening up that day, and will assign you to the best villa (e.g. that which meets or comes as close as possible to meeting your requests). Unless it's immediately available (which outside of very slow periods is unusual), they won't tell you in advance what the villa # is. Rather, they print out the resort cards for your party (so you can all start enjoying the resort/parks and making charges) and tell you to call back later (usually after 4pm) to get your villa #.

Bottom line: do check in as early as possible, and think of it as grabbing a space toward the front of the request line, not actually getting into your villa early. We've followed this strategy ever since joinng DVC in 2000, and it's almost always resulted in us getting exactly what we requested. The one time it didn't was at HH during a mid-August check in, we had to request a room move on our second day -- which you are charged for -- to get out of a "dumpster view" type 1 BR.

One last hint: Friday is a great day to check in, since so many DVC members avoid Fri-Sat stays to save points. Ergo, the amount of available "good" space at most DVC resorts increases dramatically on Friday mornings.

 

[WDWorld2003]

You're all making me nervous. We won't be checking in until at least 9:00 p.m. when we arrive in March. I'll just have to cross my fingers for pixie dust

 

[dumbo71]

The only thing you are ever "guranteed" is a room at your resort.

Truth is you aren't even guaranteed that. We've seen reviews here on the Dis and I've heard first hand of guests being bumped to another resort because of an overbook situation at DVC.

You also aren't guaranteed that you'll even be able to use your alloted points from year to year. If you waited long enough everything might be booked for the dates you could travel. Many have lost points for this very reason. It pays to book early and as you stated a little Karma doesn't hurt.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

You're all making me nervous. We won't be checking in until at least 9:00 p.m. when we arrive in March. I'll just have to cross my fingers for pixie dust

Well... somebody has to be last....

Sorry that was my naughty side.

As long as you're not headed to VB and expecting an Inn Room with a direct ocean view you'll probably be ok. good Luck