Bad Day at Blackrock ... and OKW **UPDATED on page 9**

[wide awake]

The whole thing is ridiculous. We too cruise, I request a cabin, sometimes more than a year in advance, when I board the ship I get that cabin. Yes, I imagine that there is a maintainance problem once in a blue moon, where I couldn't get my exact room...hasn't happened yet, but pretty much guess I would be compensated in one way or another. The DVC thing is insane...no way would I pay money to get a possible smoking HA room...especially if I booked 11 months out. If I wanted that kind of excitement I'd book GTY cruise cabins. Why do people put up with it ? When they fix the booking system I'll buy, and trust to luck that my room hasn't been flooded, set on fire, etc...

 

[childsplay]

Matching requests for cruises, airlines, sporting events and even most other timeshares is not the same as trying to match requests for DVC...in the aforementioned instances everyone arrives at the same time and leaves at the same time...(pardon my sarcasim but my 4 year old could match request under those circumstances)...the complexity of DVC (and its cost for that matter, maintence fees) can be directly linkend to its flexibility...matching requests becomes a nightmare and in some cases impossible (ie. the H/C somking optional rooms for those who didn't request it).
Now, I also agree that Disney aggrevates the problem by allowing those who complain to get different room assignments..the issue it hard enough without starting to "shuffle the deck" because of complainers.

 

[chris1gill]

It did make me wonder though if anyone who's checked into the Villas either at BC or WL been so displeased they ended up at the hotel instead.
.

This happened to us on our last visit to VWL... we arrived at around 11:30 or so & checked in to what we were told was a NS room.... We have a request for NS due to medical.... anyhow, as we arrived at the villa, we started smelling the smoke from three doors down (and that villa's door was closed)... the smell inside started my eyes watering & my daughters coughing immediately... Anyhow, there wasn't anyway we could check into that room... We got back to the front desk where the manager got involved... He called Poly as well as several other hotels... nobody had any rooms... by now it was about 1am & I said we'd just sleep in the lobby... at that point it was fine with me... By sheer coincidence, some guy came down from the hotel side & said his guests had not arrived & he did not need his room!!! It was a NS room in the hotel side... so, we got that room for the night (it was better than sleeping in the lobby per the manager LOL)... the next morning we stored our stuff & CM's cut the keys for the room they assigned us (it wasn't ready yet)... we went out for an activity for the day & by the time we got back that night, the room we were booked into HAD BEEN GIVEN AWAY & we wound up having to get a third set of keys & we were booked into a third room.... It didn't matter to me that they gave the second room away, other than we had to wait for new keys again... the third room was NS, so I couldn't complain.. Three rooms in two days, who would have imagined?? I can guarantee we will NEVER check into a Disney resort late at night again, from now on we will spend the first night off site....

 

[crisi]

Why do people put up with it ?

Well, that's easy to answer. In a few months we will check into the BWVs in a standard view one bedroom for a week for a cost of $149 a night. If I got a regular Inn room I'd be spending twice that with a code after tax (I might get lucky and get a better code), AND I'd have to sleep in the same room as my kids. AND they don't guarentee non-smoking non-handicapped over there either - I'd need to go offsite for that. So, is it worth $1000 a trip to have more leverage over being able to complain about non-smoking/non-handicapped (or view or room location). It isn't for us. The other things we gave up for what is really a great room rate and kids in a seperate room was we had to tie up about $10,000 in the "club" and we don't get daily mousekeeping. Still worth it to us. Obviously not to you, and that is fine. This isn't an evangelical organizaition, I don't get a toaster for recruiting you.

 

[goofy4tink]

Based on the huge number of people coming and going, I think it would be really difficult to give those who reserve at the 11 mo window exactly what they want. But, we should be able to get a non-smoking room at the very least. Or a room with a bathtub for crying out loud. I have had one strange experience with BWV and assigned rooms. We checked in on Thanksgiving Day last Nov. We checked in at about 1:00, told our room wasn't ready. No surprise there. When we checked back at 4ish, we were given our room key and number. That room just didn't work for us. I've told the story ad nauseum before, won't go into it again. But, they did immed. give us a different room. Well...got to the room, opened the door and lo and behold...there were still people in it!!! The front desk had that room as empty and cleaned!! Evidently, according to the manager who talked to the occupants of said room...they decided to stay an extra night and didn't think they had to tell anyone!!! One could ask why the front desk had them checked out and the room cleaned...nobody had an answer for that one. But, obviously, from this example, you can see why preassigning rooms might not work out so well.

As someone said earlier..what if there was a plumbing accident or the carpet had to be completely cleaned or whatever. But whatever the situation would be...that room would not be ready for the person who was supposed to get it!! So, now that person is going to have to go into a less than desirable room for that night, at best, and move or stay in a less than perfect room for their entire stay. And there is the argument that my perfect room might be your worst nightmare!!

I think if they could just guarantee a non-smoking, non-handicapp room, life would be a little nicer for us. But, there are some folks out there who want a particular room number!! There has to be some way that they can block out the rooms, at the 11 month window on down the road, so that those who book at that early point, can be assured of getting what they have requested. It's not so much to ask. I have to agree that it isn't right to penalize those who have to arrive later in the day. If this is the case, then I'll continue booking at my 11 mo. window, and then fly into Orlando the night before I check into BWV, and stay at an value resort for that night and then move early the next day. Just give us an even playing field!!!

 

[PamOKW]

I It's LUDICROUS that DVC owners who book way in advance should have to stay elsewhere the first night to get their requests met.


I agree 100% with this comment. Disney has been running hotels at WDW for what....close to 40 years? They should know how to accomodate guest requests and have rooms ready without this insane "room ready" policy. If the problem is DVC folks being allowed to be too specific with their requests -- specific rooms/buildings etc. -- just eliminate that from the request menu. Telling me I have to pay to stay somewhere the first night so I get a good room at DVC is nuts -- I paid good money to pay for my entire DVC vacation in advance (weekends, too) -- I'm not laying out additional dollars because they have a screwed up system in place.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I It's LUDICROUS that DVC owners who book way in advance should have to stay elsewhere the first night to get their requests met.


I agree 100% with this comment. Disney has been running hotels at WDW for what....close to 40 years? They should know how to accomodate guest requests and have rooms ready without this insane "room ready" policy. If the problem is DVC folks being allowed to be too specific with their requests -- specific rooms/buildings etc. -- just eliminate that from the request menu. Telling me I have to pay to stay somewhere the first night so I get a good room at DVC is nuts -- I paid good money to pay for my entire DVC vacation in advance (weekends, too) -- I'm not laying out additional dollars because they have a screwed up system in place.

I agree, Pam. I see no reason for anyone to request a specific location or view. You will be returning so many times over the course of ownership, view and location should not be an option in the request process. That being said, I just think being able to make medical requests and not having to accept a HC room when you arrive late should be able to be guaranteed.

 

[jarestel]

My point here is about the "degree" of difficulty.

It would take more than a motivational course and a cute saying to do this. Without SHINING software and a really good algorithm, I believe even the greatest CMs would shine until the Webmasters arrive in the late evening and then the situation would be quite "unshiny." In the end, there would be unmet requests.

If DVC is to make a commitment to this they would need to invest in the software.

I would rather have them work on online booking and point management.

No, motivational speeches wouldn't get it done, it would take something called work, which current DVC management seems to shy away from at every opportunity. In my 5 years as a member they've not done one thing to improve the guest experience at the DVC resorts. Granted, they are willing to take meetings with other WDW dept heads and talk about what those dept heads can do to improve DVC's image with the membership ( AP discounts, dining plans, etc ) but not one of those things has required DVC to do anything but ask others to do it for them. ( I don't count the member homecomings since these were one time events and not ongoing benefits to the members ).

It's not rocket science or brain surgery to design a better reservation system, and it's not even cutting edge software. Most of the members on this board want some sort of room guarantee system, even if it's only N/S and N/HA. Members booking at 8-11 months should be able to expect even this tiny concession from an industry giant. So I won't give them a pass just because they might have to do a little work in order to get it done. Sorry!

 

[robinb]

I agree, Pam. I see no reason for anyone to request a specific location or view. You will be returning so many times over the course of ownership, view and location should not be an option in the request process.

As someone who always makes location and view requests, I have to disagree here. What does it hurt to make those requests? If a specific location doesn't matter to you, that's fine. But it does matter to me. I prefer to be in certain buildings at OKW, I like the lake side of VWL, I like the pool view of BCV, I like the Boardwalk View at BWV. Will my trip be ruined if I don't get my request? No. Will I enjoy my trip a little bit more when my request is filled? You bet.

I think that non-smoking non-handicapped, smoking non-handicapped, non-smoking handicapped and smoking handicapped rooms should be reservation categories at each resort. The 11 month early birds get their choice and the 2 month late sleepers get whatever is left.

It's up to the guest to choose if they will accept a handicapped room or a smoking room when they make the reservation if those are the only rooms that are left. Those guests who need a non-smoking or handicapped room for medical reasons or a smoking-optional room for their own comfort should call early. I know that as much as I hate the handicapped rooms, I would book one if that's all that was left and bring a plastic over the door shoe holder that the cruisers rave about. I also know that I would choose a different resort if all that was left was smoking-optional.

 

[Tamar]

I'm with Robin on this. Most hotels are able to do this, let's not make excuses for DVC. If it cost an extra 10cents per point one year to get a 21st century reservation system in place that can handle multiple room categories (other than size), I'd be up for that.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

No, motivational speeches wouldn't get it done, it would take something called work, which current DVC management seems to shy away from at every opportunity. In my 5 years as a member they've not done one thing to improve the guest experience at the DVC resorts. Granted, they are willing to take meetings with other WDW dept heads and talk about what those dept heads can do to improve DVC's image with the membership ( AP discounts, dining plans, etc ) but not one of those things has required DVC to do anything but ask others to do it for them. ( I don't count the member homecomings since these were one time events and not ongoing benefits to the members ).

It's not rocket science or brain surgery to design a better reservation system, and it's not even cutting edge software. Most of the members on this board want some sort of room guarantee system, even if it's only N/S and N/HA. Members booking at 8-11 months should be able to expect even this tiny concession from an industry giant. So I won't give them a pass just because they might have to do a little work in order to get it done. Sorry!

exactly. all this talk about being too difficult and/or too expensive is not accurate. Its mostly just either excuses or arguing for the sake of arguing.

 

[caskar]

Why can BWV and other Disney resorts allow for a certain view. BWV cost less for a standard view and the same for a preferred view and a boardwalk view. But they do have a choice. If you must have a certain view there, you either accept what is left or you don't book a room. I am going to BWV in the summer. When I called I was informed there were no more standard view or boardwalk views avaliable. So my choice was either take what is left or don't make a reservation. I quickly said ok I will take a prefered view room. I know what to expect when I get there. At BCV(our home resort) I can't even request a view of Epcot. Why? The cm told me they can't tell where the room faces. Well why can they at BWV? I don't understand why BWV is different from all other resorts in their two tier system with points and with views. I am staying at Port Orleans FQ the night before checking into BWV, and I had to make a choice between standard view or water view. Even at the value resorts a choice is available.

The smoking/non smoking and handicap room situation just completely baffles me. Why in other hotels I stay, I can choose what particular type of room I want on line. I don't even need to talk to anyone. Is it because people check into a Disney resort stay much longer than at other hotels? It just seems strange a huge company like Disney doesn't have a reservation computer system to handle this. Or am I (many of us) missing something. If all the non smoking rooms are taken with reservations prior to my making a reservation, then so be it. Either be willing to take a smoking room or don't make a reservation.

I get there early the day I am checking into a DVC so I should be happy it is this way. But really... this isn't right.

 

[jarestel]

Why can BWV and other Disney resorts allow for a certain view. BWV cost less for a standard view and the same for a preferred view and a boardwalk view. But they do have a choice. If you must have a certain view there, you either accept what is left or you don't book a room. I am going to BWV in the summer. When I called I was informed there were no more standard view or boardwalk views avaliable. So my choice was either take what is left or don't make a reservation.

Excellent points, caskar! This should eliminate the excuse of "it can't be done" since it has been done. Just substitute the view categories for N/S and N/HA for the resorts where views aren't differentiated. It's just a matter of motivation to get DVC to apply this "space age software" to the other resorts.

 

[OneMoreTry]

So what's to be done to motivate DVC?

I agree it's do-able. (Even though I think most of you underestimate the difficulty and have no more idea than I do about what it involves in spite of your choleric rants.) Just not by the front desk or even the managers. They are only using the system they are given and trying to apply it to hundreds of demanding guests every day. DVC needs to provide them with the tools, whatever they might be.

So again, what can we do besides sit around and gripe at one another as if we all don't agree that we want to be able to choose a guaranteed non-smoking-non-handicap-access room. (And what requests are we willing to give up to get it?)


PS at the huge VISTANA resort nearby, which seems to have good reviews, ALL rooms are smoking optional. There ain't no guarantee.

 

[Tamar]

As I mentioned before, I worked at a Holiday Inn 20 years ago. I've been digging back in the old memory to try to remember how it worked.

We had 2 people at the desk overnight (11pm-7am). They did the "night audit" where they reconciled all the day's receipts, and they went through the coming day's reservations and assigned rooms to meet requests. Those rooms got little plastic flags so they wouldn't be given to someone else. No fancy software, no complex system. Now, we never got someone requesting a specific room number....the chances of someone checking OUT on the day someone else wanted to check in to a particular room was pretty slim, so room number requests were out, but views and bed sizes (queen or king) and poolside or no were definitely in.

Really, there's very little else for the overnight CMs to do, unless the hotel business has gotten a lot more complex since 1984.

 

[jarestel]

So what's to be done to motivate DVC?

They've already done the work at BWV. ( see caskar's post a few clicks back ) Are you seriously suggesting that it's not transferable to the other resorts? I think the work has already been done and all that's needed is enough squeaky wheels to make DVC see the advantage of implementing this at all of the resorts, not just at BWV. Even if you are perfectly happy with the current system, I don't see why any proposed changes would affect you unless you are a last minute booker. In that case, "well, if you snooze you lose".

 

[OneMoreTry]

As I mentioned before, I worked at a Holiday Inn 20 years ago. I've been digging back in the old memory to try to remember how it worked.

We had 2 people at the desk overnight (11pm-7am). They did the "night audit" where they reconciled all the day's receipts, and they went through the coming day's reservations and assigned rooms to meet requests. Those rooms got little plastic flags so they wouldn't be given to someone else. No fancy software, no complex system. Now, we never got someone requesting a specific room number....the chances of someone checking OUT on the day someone else wanted to check in to a particular room was pretty slim, so room number requests were out, but views and bed sizes (queen or king) and poolside or no were definitely in.

Really, there's very little else for the overnight CMs to do, unless the hotel business has gotten a lot more complex since 1984.

How often was the hotel at capacity? What did you do if a room was assigned to someone and then they claimed it to be unacceptable for medical reasons because of an unexpected problem (such as a previous guest smoking in a non-smoking room). What did you do if you HAD to put them in a different non-smoking room when the guest previously assigned to that room showed up at 11pm and there was no room left but one single smoker.

Did you just keep extra rooms in reserve to use just in case, and waste if not needed? I think that would be necessary to meet all requests just in case of unexpected problems.

I would agree that meeting nonsmoking and nonHA requests would not be difficult if the hotel keeps a few of each type empty unless an emergency occurs.

At BWV that would mean a bunch of "just in case" rooms. Nonsmoke studio standard, nonsmoke 1BR standard, nonsmoke 2BR standard, smokestudio standard, smoke1BR standard, smoke 2BR standard, nonsmoke studio standard HA, nonsmoke 1BR standard HA, nonsmoke standard 2BR HA, smoke standard studio HA, smoke standard 1BR HA, smoke standard 2BR HA. Then repeat each of the above categories for preferred and boardwalk view. That's 36 reserve rooms and pray that there will be no problem with 2 of one category on the same night or you'll have another thread on the DIS. Although I guess you could eliminate the spare studios and upgrade if a problem arises.

Is there another option for keeping the late arrivals happy?

 

[Tamar]

Okay, one more try, I guess you're a glass-half-empty person. What other way, besides preassigning rooms and doing your darnedest to meet requests, will solve the problems late arrivals are facing?

Yes, we were often at capacity, and we often had people driving 150 miles on a Friday evening after work and checking in between 9-10 pm. If a room had a little plastic flag on it, it was assigned, and was not given to someone else no matter what. People with no requests got rooms that weren't preassigned. People who didn't like their first room also got rooms that weren't preassigned.

I've arrived at BWV and OKW at 10-11 in the morning, and my room assignment has ignored my requests (how hard is it to find a room "away from the elevator" at BW?). I don't believe they even review requests in a lot of cases...the system leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

I agree with Tamar, One More Try is too worried about worst case scenarios. As long as I usually got my request (based on when I made the ressie NOT when the time I got there arrival day), I would be happy. If some problem arose where there was truly a problem and many of the rooms became unavailable at one time, I would be OK with forgoing my request on a rare occasion.

For example, my Dentist is great about seeing patients at their scheduled appointment time. Every now and then she has an emergency and I have to wait longer to see her. I don't mind, because it's not the usual scenario, so I wait Patiently (pun intended!) But if I had to wait ages each time I'd find another Dentist.

If DVC uses the system (or some variation) that Tamar suggests, and I usually got my requests at my home resort when I booked 11 months out, I'd be fine with not getting it NOW and THEN. As it is currently, it seems to be first come first served and too bad about you if you happen to live somewhere or have a schedule that won't allow you to get to WDW early in the day. It's just not right.

As I posted earlier, we paid big bucks to have a WDW "home", having to stay elsewhere the first night to get a decent room when you booked at your home resort 11 months out is unacceptable. I can't believe this room ready system is preferred by anyone, certainly not DVC members. Yes there will be folks who will try to railroad the CM's into giving them a room that was blocked off for someone else. Well sorry, I know it isn't easy to deal with whining guests but DO YOUR JOB! Smile, be polite and say, "I understand your frustration but we have to go by who reserved the room first, and home resort, that's the way it works here".

Mar'

P.S. I do think some folks go overboard in their requests, i.e. I don't think "Kitchen on the left" should be a request category.

 

[LakeAriel]

After a terrible experience at my home resort, though I made the reservation at 11 months out, I wrote to one of the CEO's of Walt Disney World. I have received a letter and phone call already in response. My call to DVC was a waste of time.They only want to pacify you, they make no effort to resolve the problem. The company itself does not want unhappy customers. Write them with your concerns.