BCV-secret to a great room??

[soarin'family]

We are arriving home on May 6th and staying in a studio. How does one go about requesting a great room---which studio is best? and is there a fax number for room assignments? we already requested a non smoking room near the BCV lobby. The last time we came, they put us into a handicapped studio---and that was not good. I want to avoid that if at all possible.

Thanks in advance for any secret tips you can give to get a great studio.

Amy

 

[Granny]

The best secret to a great room is avoiding high expectations. Your requests sound reasonably "general" enough to give the room assigners a lot of options to work with, and that probably helps quite a bit.

Disney has specifically stated that they don't want any faxes for DVC resort rooms.

As for the H/C access rooms, there will usually be some people assigned there who don't need that type of studio. I don't think there are any great secrets other than to check in early in the day and ask the person at the desk if the room is H/C accessible and politely request another room (possibly not meeting your "near the lobby" request). We've not requested any room other than the ones assigned thus far, but patience and politeness go a long way for things like this.

Also, if avoiding the H/C room is important, you might want to put that on the request with MS ahead of the location request (assuming non-smoking is #1 priority).

Good luck and enjoy your trip!

 

[dianeschlicht]

You have done all you can do already. You will love ANY room you get!

 

[mikesmom]

Also remember that this is not like checking into the Holiday Inn where there could be plenty of unfilled rooms. In regular (non Disney) hotels, it would not be the norm for there to be 100% (or close) occupancy. BCV rooms are sold out and they are pretty much full up for May. The room you get depends to some extent on what rooms checked OUT before you came. It doesn't matter how early you made your reservation - if the place is full up from the day before, it's not like they can kick someone out of a room to give it to you.

That's pretty much why room requests are just requests - they just can't be guaranteed.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Unfortunately, I found out from personnal experience that asking at the front desk (and I really think I asked politely) doesn't guarantee an honest answer from the CM about whether or not an assigned villa is H/A. When I asked, the CM told me it wasn't Handicapped Accessible, yet when I got there-you guessed it! So, believe it or not, front desk CMs do occassionally tell "untruths". That's why I scan the room reports and make sure I know before I check into a resort which villas are H/A. I also note which rooms have extraodinarily bad views (like the dreaded dumpster view at VWL), no balcony (also VWL). I used to note which rooms previous DISers loved the view from, but I found out that doesnt always work. What view one person loves may be just OK to another. I also have a map of rooms and their locations(I don't remember where I got it-maybe someone here knows). But even with all that knowledge, most everything's fine (except H/A). I just like to know what to expect. There's also a website someplace (once again, I forget where) that shows some different type of views from different villas at BCV.

 

[CarolA]

If the worst thing that happens to you today is that you get a H/A room be grateful.


And then think about what your life might be like if you really needed that room.......While it would still be a great life, things that you and I take for granted can be a LOT harder.... Imagine having to transfer out of your wheelchair to ride Spaceship Earth. Imagine not being able to even consider some rides like Mission Space. Imagine having to have someone help you get in and out of bed every day. Imagine the fear that occurs when the power goes out and your breathing machine quits working........

 

[DisZip]

There's also a website someplace (once again, I forget where) that shows some different type of views from different villas at BCV.

Here you can find the maps of the floors and photos of the views from some of the rooms:

http://www.parkinfo2go.com/dvc-bcv/

 

[momtosydneyntodd]

If the worst thing that happens to you today is that you get a H/A room be grateful. CarolA



AMEN! to that CarolA

We have all paid a lot to be DVC'ers and we want things to be just so--but at the end of the day.................

 

[momtosydneyntodd]

soar'in family- you are right up the road--we are in fort washington

I am sure you will have a majical time-no matter the location of your room--(except for the dumpster view room at VWL).


Last year we were at BWV and our view was of the parking lot. Not Cool--until we realized that our walk to the bus stop was under one minute. I think there are positives and negatives to most of the rooms--at any of the resorts.

 

[crisi]

If view is critical to you, own BWV and book guarenteed BWView. Otherwise, there are great views and not great views at DVC resorts, but there are no views capable of spoiling your trip if you keep in mind you are there to do something other than look out the window of your room.

 

[Muushka]

For the most part, I loved everyone's response to this posters question. I wish that all answers to the "best room" question could be like this thread. But I wonder, how come any time someone askes about VWL (my resort) the answers are so specific. "Ask for closest to elevators, lake view" and even "this specific room number XXXX is the best, ask for that!" There are so few 'best rooms' at resorts, why do we always give advice to ask for them? And what is a best room to some may not be a best room to others.

I need more coffee, or chocolate or something....shutting up

 

[CarolA]

For the most part, I loved everyone's response to this posters question. I wish that all answers to the "best room" question could be like this thread. But I wonder, how come any time someone askes about VWL (my resort) the answers are so specific. "Ask for closest to elevators, lake view" and even "this specific room number XXXX is the best, ask for that!" There are so few 'best rooms' at resorts, why do we always give advice to ask for them? And what is a best room to some may not be a best room to others.

I need more coffee, or chocolate or something....shutting up

I have actually never made a room request besides "non smoking" and as far as I can tell I have never gotten a "horrid" room. Yes, I have had H/A rooms. (They are not "the worst rooms" in spite of what you may read here!) I have gotten a view of the service road at BCV, BUT I could see Illuminations right in front of me and Wishes off to my left. I have had rooms ALL over SSR and OKW. I have done a personal survey and ALL of the rooms were at WDW. So exactly HOW bad could it be????

I would rather be at any room there then my Club Level room at the Marriott with a beautiful view where I sit as I type this!

 

[islandbeachnut]

I don't understand the problem with getting a H/A room.

My DH & I stayed at BW last October for the F & W Fest, and we received one of those rooms. It was huge, I mean much larger than the rooms at the Polynesian (our usual hotel). It was also located about three rooms away from the elevator, so not too much walking to get to & from our room (unlike our stay at the WL which required about a two-mile walk to & from our room ). We loved our stay at BW in the H/A room.

 

[maciec]

The way that I look at it is the person who is going to assign your room will love you if you put as little requests on your reservation as possible, therefore, the only request that I make is that we have a non-smoking room due to medical conditions. So far, so good. We haven't gotten a bad (view) room yet.

 

[Alexander]

We only request non-smoking on our reservation. When checking in I usually say, "if you happen to have.....that would be great." We have always had our request met at OKW, VWL, and BCV. We do check in early, which I believe has a lot to do with it as well. My requests are usually general too. We would love a room within walking distance of one of the quiet pools (OKW). We would like to be fairly close to the elevator (VWL). We would love a view of the quiet pool (BCV).

To the OP's defense, we have had a handicapped studio with no tub and a roll-in shower and it is difficult in the bathroom. We are blessed that we don't need one at this time, but it was not easy to bathe a three year old or keep the water off the bathroom floor. We now stay in one-bedrooms, so having a H/C room is not the issue it was in a studio.