Best way to make a room request....

[DebbieB]

I email member services and also touring plans. I give them 5 of 6 room numbers. Usually get close.

 

[Willow Ufgood]

I tend to ask MS to put the request on my reservations. I keep them generic like "upper floor, away from elevators" but most of the time I'm traveling with friends or family in another room and I add "traveling with" in the hopes that we are near each other. I have never gotten anything other than what I asked for.

 

[zackiedawg]

As others mentioned, there's no surefire guarantee with room requests - I feel best practice is to call and make your room requests with Member Services - I like to put in primary and secondary requests to improve my chances. My primary request often involves specific room numbers that I like - I try to provide at least 10 or so numbers - I just read them off to the agent - like 2058, 3058, 4058, 2014, 3014, 4014, and so on. Then as a secondary request, I'll put in for an area or description, like 'croquet court view, high floor near elevator, garden view rather than pool, etc.

I also then prefer to go to the desk when I arrive and do check-in there - I can see what room they have me assigned to, and request to move or try another if it's not what I was hoping for - often they'll put you in a room that's available now, but there might be a room closer to your request that isn't ready yet and I can request that, letting them know I don't mind waiting.

I've had very good luck with my room requests. I was just at Boardwalk in September, and I had requested 10 room numbers - I got one of them. In June at Saratoga, I got Congress Park, Building 1, 4th floor, facing Disney Springs as requested. February at Cabins at Fort Wilderness, I got 2800 loop, outside cabin, back of loop, with woods behind. Last December at Boardwalk garden/pool view, I got a specific room I requested on the 4th floor. The last time I didn't get my more specific request was June 2024, but I got a room 2 doors down - wasn't as good of a balcony, but the view and floor were the same...so they tried to meet my secondary request at least.

Overall I'd say I'm running about 60% success with requests. I've been on a good run the past year or so, with higher success, but still not too bad. I usually arrive for checkin between 12:45pm and 3pm (I drive up to Disney, about a 3 hour drive).

 

[Girlstar30]

As others mentioned, there's no surefire guarantee with room requests - I feel best practice is to call and make your room requests with Member Services - I like to put in primary and secondary requests to improve my chances. My primary request often involves specific room numbers that I like - I try to provide at least 10 or so numbers - I just read them off to the agent - like 2058, 3058, 4058, 2014, 3014, 4014, and so on. Then as a secondary request, I'll put in for an area or description, like 'croquet court view, high floor near elevator, garden view rather than pool, etc.

I also then prefer to go to the desk when I arrive and do check-in there - I can see what room they have me assigned to, and request to move or try another if it's not what I was hoping for - often they'll put you in a room that's available now, but there might be a room closer to your request that isn't ready yet and I can request that, letting them know I don't mind waiting.

I've had very good luck with my room requests. I was just at Boardwalk in September, and I had requested 10 room numbers - I got one of them. In June at Saratoga, I got Congress Park, Building 1, 4th floor, facing Disney Springs as requested. February at Cabins at Fort Wilderness, I got 2800 loop, outside cabin, back of loop, with woods behind. Last December at Boardwalk garden/pool view, I got a specific room I requested on the 4th floor. The last time I didn't get my more specific request was June 2024, but I got a room 2 doors down - wasn't as good of a balcony, but the view and floor were the same...so they tried to meet my secondary request at least.

Overall I'd say I'm running about 60% success with requests. I've been on a good run the past year or so, with higher success, but still not too bad. I usually arrive for checkin between 12:45pm and 3pm (I drive up to Disney, about a 3 hour drive).

Is there a croquet court view?

 

[VGCgroupie]

I chat with MS and have it added. I have had success with almost all my requests. I got what I requested at AKV, VGC, AUL. For VGC recently I asked for a specific room and I did not get it, but I had a 2nd reservation that was a day shorter than my 1st reservation (family of 6 split into 2 studios) the 2nd reservation got the room request that was on the first reservation, so I think they do pay attention to requests.

If my room is not ready by the time I arrive I also always stop by the desk and have actually had them modify my room 2 times for a higher floor than I was assigned when doing this.

 

[zackiedawg]

Is there a croquet court view?

There is - at Boardwalk DVC. It's the little lawn garden area that faces Swan & Dolphin and the river. It's a nice, quiet park-like little setting and one of my personal favorites when getting pool/garden view as I much prefer it over the noisier pool views. Plus, it's right at the corner of Boardwalk near the bridge to Swan, Dolphin, Yacht, Beach, and the end of the boardwalk, so a very convenient walkable spot even though it's one of the farthest from the lobby.

 

[TheThousandthSoul]

What would be a good request at AKL Kidani - Resort View?

I assume there are no “Partial Savannah” at Kidani. I thought something like “close to lobby / pool view” would be worth asking?

 

[Wedgeout]

What would be a good request at AKL Kidani - Resort View?

I assume there are no “Partial Savannah” at Kidani. I thought something like “close to lobby / pool view” would be worth asking?

Most likely the north wing, pool area. Might get a glimpse of the Pembe Savannah.

 

[NVDISFamily]

I've had better luck asking for a range of room numbers. I'll sometimes give them up to six room numbers and say I'll take any of those and I'm willing to wait to check in later if I need to. I'll also stop by the desk usually we'll before check in time (we usually take the red eye into Orlando or drive over early into CA) and check in on the request and remind them that it's actually there. I think the hotel operations people tend to prioritize earlier/timely check in times vs the room requests so letting them know you'll wait if needed helps.

In the one case where I had a significant concern that the room assigned would not meet our needs I discussed my very legitimate medical reasons on why I really needed one of the rooms requested at OKW (my back is not the best due to being hit by a flat bed tow truck a few years ago and we were still in stroller mode with the kids) and magically one of the 8+ 2BR room numbers in the area requested became available. I try to not swing that hammer as I'm sure there are others with even worse medical situations but 8 days with no elevator and having to carry the kids stuff up and down the stairs wasn't my idea of fun. Now that the kids are older and my son can help pack mule I'd be less concerned

 

[pks_domer]

We've had pretty decent luck-- get it more often than not, but definitely not every time. I usually do it over chat. I've used a range of approaches (sometimes general, sometimes specific room numbers, depending on how much I care about it).

Last trip was a preferred view studio at BLT and I did that one by phone (I had to combine reservations due to a wait list coming through the week before the trip). I requested an upper floor, a specific wing, and a specific direction (eg north-facing) with semi-specific room numbers (ex: ending in 04, 06, 08, etc). Happened to get the request granted that time (we wanted to be able to see fireworks from the balcony).

 

[Flossbolna]

What would be a good request at AKL Kidani - Resort View?

I assume there are no “Partial Savannah” at Kidani. I thought something like “close to lobby / pool view” would be worth asking?

I have used a generic „nice view“ request at various resorts. Yes, nice is subjective, but it avoids the really bad views. We usually had pretty good rooms with this request.

 

[VGCgroupie]

We've had pretty decent luck-- get it more often than not, but definitely not every time. I usually do it over chat. I've used a range of approaches (sometimes general, sometimes specific room numbers, depending on how much I care about it).

Last trip was a preferred view studio at BLT and I did that one by phone (I had to combine reservations due to a wait list coming through the week before the trip). I requested an upper floor, a specific wing, and a specific direction (eg north-facing) with semi-specific room numbers (ex: ending in 04, 06, 08, etc). Happened to get the request granted that time (we wanted to be able to see fireworks from the balcony).

Were you able to see fireworks? I have a 2 bed preferred view booked and would love to that.

 

[pks_domer]

What would be a good request at AKL Kidani - Resort View?

I assume there are no “Partial Savannah” at Kidani. I thought something like “close to lobby / pool view” would be worth asking?

Depends on what you are looking for, I guess. The room finder on Touring Plans is pretty helpful. Also see this post from @drusba:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...rs-thread-come-and-chat.1815576/post-66086504

 

[pks_domer]

Were you able to see fireworks? I have a 2 bed preferred view booked and would love to that.

We were in a studio, but yes, the north-facing views on the north wing you can see fireworks. We had a studio this trip, but have been in a 2br there before (rm 7902). It's not a direct view-- you kind of have to look out and to the left-- and the view is better from the master bedroom than the second bedroom. It's all the way at the end of the hallway, so is a bit of a hike from the elevators and is about as far as you can get from the walkway to the Contemporary. The 2br ending in xx12 might have a bit of a better view.

But here's the fireworks view from 7902.

 

[VGCgroupie]

We were in a studio, but yes, the north-facing views on the north wing you can see fireworks. We had a studio this trip, but have been in a 2br there before (rm 7902). It's not a direct view-- you kind of have to look out and to the left-- and the view is better from the master bedroom than the second bedroom. It's all the way at the end of the hallway, so is a bit of a hike from the elevators and is about as far as you can get from the walkway to the Contemporary. The 2br ending in xx12 might have a bit of a better view.

But here's the fireworks view from 7902.

Thank you so much!