Assigned Rooms at SSR

[Let'sGoToDisney]

We finally got to spend some time at SSR last Saturday, but it may be our last time. We arrived around 11:30am and wanted to check in if we could. We were told out 1 bedroom had been preassigned and was not ready. There were several one bedrooms that were ready but we could not be transferred to another room since we were preassigned our room.
We were not given the keys to our room when we left. So when we had lunch we had to use cash (We don't carry much cash.) instead of charging to our room. We came back around 3:30 and our room still was not ready. We asked about our keys. The girl check and on the computer and it said we had left them for pickup later. We were never asked if we wanted them.
Our room was not ready until almost 4. I understand checkin is at 4pm but I don't understand why we could not have one of the rooms that were ready. We did not experience this at our other stays at other DVC resorts.
Janice

 

[tjkraz]

During the times when the resorts are near 100% occupancy, all rooms are pre-assigned in an attempt to best meet the requests noted on the reservation. If they start trying to shift people around after rooms are assigned, then they risk denying others their requests. This can be particularly troublesome with requests made for medical reasons, smoking preference and/or handicapped preference.

When the resorts are under-booked, the CMs have a lot more latitude to move people into rooms that would otherwise be vacant.

All resorts follow this same procedure. Although there have been indirect reports that seem to imply CMs breaking the rules to move people around. For example, if you ever check-in and are told that your assigned room "meets all of your requests" only to find out later that the room you enter doesn't actually meet all (or any) of your requests, then rest assured some CM shuffled rooms around after you checked-in to accommodate ANOTHER guest.

When rooms are pre-assigned, it's done in the interest of the greater good and we're all better off just waiting for our assigned room to be ready for occupancy. That still doesn't mean everyone will get 100% of their requests met, but it means that the resort has made a legitimate effort to accommodate as many guests as possible.

Probably the biggest mistake was simply telling you that there were other rooms that were ready for occupancy. Always assume that you won't get into your room until after 4pm.

Not sure about the issue with the room keys. Any chance you left the registration desk before the CM could give them to you? Room keys are always provided at the time of check-in. If the room is not ready, you should be given a card with a number to call to find out the location of your room later in the day.