BCV Check-In Disaster

[DisneyMomJen]

We just returned yesterday from a GREAT 13 day trip. The first 4 days were in Atlantis and then the remaining were in Disney. We spent the first 5 nights in a 2 Bedroom with 2 queen beds in the second room at the BCV, Room 253. We then moved to the GF for the weekend since I received a 40% code and I did not want to use 72 points a night (and it was a good excuse to stay at the GF since I really do love it there). We check back into the BCV on Sunday around 2:15. I was told that our room was not ready, but should be ready before 4:00. I asked the location of the room. The CM was a college student and showed me a map pointing to the wing either overlooking the quiet pool or the courtyard closer to the main building. Perfect. My family procceds to SAB and about 10 minutes later we get a call that our room is ready, Room 252. We decide to get our luggage from the car and bring it to the room and then come back to the pool. We begin our journey to Room 252, thinking it would be right across from our previous room - WRONG!. We are all the way down a different wing at the very last room overlooking the road. Then I find out that we do not have 2 queen beds in the second room which is what I had reserved since I have 4 kids. I call the front desk right away and they tell me that they will move us to room 168 which has 2 queen beds. My family brings everything to the first floor and I run to the front desk to get the keys. I explain that I reserved 2 queen beds and would rather not have a road view. (Honestly, I would have stayed with the road view if there were 2 queens beds) Room 168 does not have 2 queen beds. I am told that I do not have 2 queen beds reserved and that I have to take this up with member services. The CM talks for awhile in the back to a manager and I begin to talk to another manager in the front. The CM returns and says that I do not have 2 queen beds reserved and moves us to Room 241 which is not a road view. I am very upset at this point, but I am pretty sure I have a printout of our confirmation in my suitcase. After returning to the Villas and dragging my family to the second floor into room 241, which has a used glass of water on the kitchen table and a stack of sheets, pillows and blankets on the bench (which I assume is to make the beds of the two pullouts), I find our confirmation printout. Sure enough, 2 queen beds. I return to the front desk which now believes my confirmation sheet. They move us to Room 441 with 2 queen beds. They told me they will have bell services bring up our keys and move our luggage at their cost. What??? I still had to tip bell services, so this is no cost to them. This whole situation was a two hour process and completely caused a ton of aggravation and ruined my day.
I really felt that being a DVC Member made me a second rate vacationer at the BC in the way I was treated. I know that I should have had my confirmation with me at my initial checkin, but if I had the right reservations on my confirmation why didn't the front desk have it in their system correctly?

 

[TiggerFreak]

Let this be a reminder to us all to:
"Always bring your confirmation letter to check in."

 

[DVC 1998]

Since when can you reserve a special room, I thought it was request only?

 

[CraftyMouse]

Since when can you reserve a special room, I thought it was request only?

When you book a 2BR unit you can reserve "dedicated" (stand-alone 2BR) or "lock-off" (made up of a 1BR and a Studio w/connecting door).

 

[bobbiwoz]

Since when can you reserve a special room, I thought it was request only?

The "dedicated 2 bedroom with 2 Q's" is a type of room, at BCV, not a request. If you book that, that's what you should get. In the other resorts, if you book dedicated 2 bedroom, it will have 2 Q's. BWV has no dedicated 2 bedrooms, AKV Jambo doesn't either and all OKW 2 bedrooms have 2Q's in the second bedroom.

I'm glad you got what you booked, DisneyMomJen!

Bobbi

 

[Granny]

Since when can you reserve a special room, I thought it was request only?

When you book a 2BR unit you can reserve "dedicated" (stand-alone 2BR) or "lock-off" (made up of a 1BR and a Studio w/connecting door).

At BCV, not all dedicated 2BR villas have two beds. Many of them have a queen & sleeper sofa even though they are dedicated 2BR villas. So at BCV only, there is a classification for booking that indicates "2BR Villa w 2 queens" and is supposed to be a guaranteed booking class the same as Boardwalk View at BWV.

Sounds like they screwed it up in the computer and it is aggravating that they "couldn't retrieve" the correct information or contact MS or someone that would be able to do a better job of figuring things out.

My guess is that they messed up somewhere and gave a 2BR-2Q to someone who wasn't supposed to get it. Even though the OP eventually got the correct room classification, I wonder if someone else checking in later got the wrong type of room. Maybe they did and hopefully it wasn't as important to them.

OP...sorry you had to go through all that. I do bring my confirmation with me to check-in too since I've heard way too many stories on these boards of conflicting information at check-in.

 

[aidansmommy]

Good to know-I'll be sure to have mine with me! Glad you got the right room eventually!

 

[maciec]

Good to know-I'll be sure to have mine with me! Glad you got the right room eventually!

Ditto!

 

[moredisneyplease]

sorry you had a rough check in. Personally I dont think being a DVC member (or not) has anything to do with a bad check in experience. I'm sure there is excellent and poor service at all Disney resorts, from the value to the luxury. I always carry my confirmation and I most certainly will continue to do so.

 

[donmil723]

I thought the CMs at the BCV check in were more knowledgeable about the Villas than those at the BC front desk. That's why I was disappointed when they moved the BCV check in back to the BC.

Glad you finally got it straightened out.

Donna

 

[edenlee]

Just got back from BCV and have to say very dispapointed this year. This was our third trip. We had to refuse 3 rooms before we were offered anything suitable. We are three adults and a child and stay in a studio which has always been adequate before. We stayed for 19 nights and were offered a ground floor room with patio which would not have been safe for our child; two handicapped rooms which had huge bathrooms but no wardrobe space at all (remember 4 people - 19 nights!!! ).

The front desk staff told us that they had no information about wardrobe space in rooms and only had a very poor diagram. We felt it was impossible for them to allocate correct rooms for guests needs without adequate information. We asked a DVC manager about this and pointed out that maybe it was a training issue. No one seemed particularly bothered.

Also, there were two cupborad doors hanging off and a damaged towel rail in the room we eventually accepted - I think they eventually wore us down.

How disappointing it all was and it really spoilt what should have been our exciting "moving back home" day.

During the course of our stay we noticied that there were broken loo doors on site, dirty floor in the loos, no loo roll, very off hand staff and a general air of "don't care"

It made us quite sad as we love our Disney home but are now considering selling our points.

 

[edk35]

I always have my paperwork in hand at any resort at checkin. I also ask questions that pertain to my requests or certain locations just to help prevent these type of things. Sorry you had such a rough start.

 

[edk35]

Let this be a reminder to us all to:
"Always bring your confirmation letter to check in."

YES and make sure it has the information on it that you thought when you made that booking phone call to MS. I always double check that letter when it comes in.

 

[alldiz]

Sorry BCV started out on the wrong foot......glad you had a great trip though.
Did you stay at Atlantis...bahamas....How was it...Was this a trade?
Thanks
Kerri

 

[DisneyMomJen]

I did ask the location of my first room upon checkin. The CM showed the the wing of the BCV where we would be which was NOT where our room was located. Then when I called the front desk and was switched to Room 168, I did ask if this had 2 queen beds and was told 'yes'. I did not know that there was a 2 queen bed issue until they switched me for the 3rd time and told me I had to contact Member Services. I know I should have had my confirmation with me, but with switching hotels multiple times it was a packing oversight on my part. I hope everyone can learn from this that yes, you must bring your confirmation with you.

We did stay at Atlantis in the Beach Towers. After much research and talking to friends who have been there, we decided this was the best hotel for our family. We needed 2 rooms, so financially and from what I was told about being the best hotel for kids this was what we chose out of the 3 Tower hotels. I was really disappointed. We booked a deal through Travelzoo. It would have been about $1000 more for 4 nights for 2 rooms to stay at the Royal Towers. That is where I would stay if we went back. It seems much nicer. I felt our rooms at the Beach Towers were very dated and not clean. As far as Atlantis, I think it is good to experience but is a MAJOR ripoff. Disney seems cheap compared to Atlantis. I had read beforehand that everything is very expensive. I was prepared and brought breakfast and lunch items for our room and we went to dinner every night at the Marina right next to Atlantis. Even my DH who does not seem to notice prices felt that Atlantis was blatantly ripping people off. I was also prepared for all of the add on charges at check out. $9.50 per person per day for housekeeping, which added up to $40 a day extra for us. $11 for electricity (I am not sure if this is per person). We left with $400 in extra room charges for these type of fees. Atlantis was very nice and was good to experience, but I am not sure if I would go back. If we did, I would stay at the Royal Towers based on location and how nice it is. Atlantis Harborside (the timeshare) seemed a little far away, but I really did not check it out.

 

[jarestel]

It seems a bit odd that the 2-queen beds information portion of the reservation only appeared on the OP's confirmation sheet and not in the BC computers. I might be more inclined to think the front desk CMs/managers were either apathetic or incompetent. Whatever the reason, this situation really should have been resolved much sooner then it was without the OP having to lead BC front desk staff by the nose every step of the way.

 

[CarolMN]

It seems a bit odd that the 2-queen beds information portion of the reservation only appeared on the OP's confirmation sheet and not in the BC computers. I might be more inclined to think the front desk CMs/managers were either apathetic or incompetent. Whatever the reason, this situation really should have been resolved much sooner then it was without the OP having to lead BC front desk staff by the nose every step of the way.

I agree with Granny - I think the info is in the computers and someone at the front desk gave away the OP's room to someone who was not supposed to have it before the OP arrived.

 

[jarestel]

I agree with Granny - I think the info is in the computers and someone at the front desk gave away the OP's room to someone who was not supposed to have it before the OP arrived.

Still, when the OP returned with her confirmation sheet, another 2-queen room magically appeared.

 

[Jennyvelaz]

which would not have been safe for our child;

The balconies give me more fear after my child figured out how to stand on the chair! When we do get a balcony I remove all of the furniture and take a chair out when I have coffee. I've never had a ground floor but I always thought they would be safer!?

 

[WALTSAGOD]

Paragraphs are your friend, use them.

I wanted to read, but couldn't, sorry.