Better chance of Getting requests if I check in early?

[JUDSON]

I have found 'earlier is better' to be true.

On our last trip, we had a late night arrival into MCO. We stayed in a room near the airport that night, got up at the crack of dawn and headed to BCV.

The CM that we got during check-in was great. She showed us a diagram of the hotel depicting all of the rooms and pointed out which ones were to be available. She was all very "matter of fact-ly" about this, like it wasn't a big deal for her to do this. We chose the room we wanted, which was ready by 1pm. I noticed other nearby CM's at the check-in desk seemed to be just as helpful. It always surprises that there are so many stories of rude CMs.

 

[Danthesand]

IThe CM that we got during check-in was great. She showed us a diagram of the hotel depicting all of the rooms and pointed out which ones were to be available. She was all very "matter of fact-ly" about this, like it wasn't a big deal for her to do this.

It would be wonderful if this approach was standard practice, but from the scores of reports on these boards (much less my personal experience), unfortunately it isn't.

Key West west check in 11/99: friendly but somewhat scripted CM (the "welcome home" was a little overblown) does ask us if location of assigned villa is O.K.

Boardwalk check in 8/01: somewhat "cool" CM from Norway waits until very end of check in process (literally when handing over keycards) to tell us that yes, by the way our request for a Boardwalk view villa is being met (that was back in the days when BW view was a request, not a guarantee like it is now). However, omits the fact said villa is at the absolute far northern end of the resort, as far away from the elevators as possible.

Hilton Head: hyper CM from the U.K. is almost too nice, giving me the sense that "something is up" (she wouldn't be so sweet unless she's about to deliver bad news). The punchline comes when room assignment is shown (third choice location in main building). After much negotitation, she gets us a villa change to a better location for the day after.

What I've learned from all this:

Pixie dust does work both ways - to a point. E.g., no matter how bad the initial villa offer is, be nice to the CM; it can't hurt and may just tip the balance in your favor for getting the villa you want.

Early birds get a better crack at the worm -- if they manage room ready properly. In most cases, the villa you really want isn't going to be ready when you show up at 7:30am. Politely make it clear to the check in staff that you are willing to wait -- for that specific villa. Don't allow for any ambiguity here; desk staffs turn over during the day, and unless this is really clarified with the graveyard shift CM, the ones who are working the desk later on (who just see you as a name) may very likely hand "your" villa to someone who just showed up.

Look beyond today. The villa you really want isn't available. Fine - but when will it or a similar one open up? At the larger properties, the answer to that question is often "tomorrow or the day after." Swallow the room change fee and get that 4/5 of a loaf, rather than settling for a second or third choice villa for your entire stay.

 

[Daitcher]

I've been in the service industry (including working as a hotel night manager), and I disagree with Debbie and Daitcher. If you're going to be spending 3,5,7 nights in a room, and waiting for a different room that meets your request(s) to be cleaned would make your vacation more pleasant, why shouldn't you ask? It is the CM's job to check you into a room...that's what they do. It is not at all complicated with today's computer systems to see what rooms are currently available and which will be available later.

If you went to a restaurant and didn't like green peppers, would you hesitate to ask that the green peppers be left out of your salad? Yup, it's a little more work for the chef to do something special for you, but it should not be considered an inconvenience. Now, if you want green peppers, and the kitchen doesn't have them, that's a different story....(and late in the day they might be out of green peppers).

Thanks for the post, you certainly have some good thoughts here. The problem lies in the fact that not all requests can be honored. There are only so many "good" rooms to go around. Eliminating requests and using room ready makes it easier on everyone. Guests wouldn't have the hope or desire of having there requests met. They would be given the choice of available rooms. When people have a choice in the matter most people will be pleased. How many people will complain about a room they chose even if it wasn't the ideal location? Thanks again for the post. In theory I do agree.
It doesn't hurt to politely request.

DAVE

 

[Danthesand]

Eliminating requests and using room ready makes it easier on everyone. Guests wouldn't have the hope or desire of having there requests met. They would be given the choice of available rooms.
DAVE

The issue isn't so much "easier" rather than fairer. Specifically, why not treat room ressies the way Disney treats dining ressies, ergo:

Priority goes to those who reserve earliest.

Example:

We are visiting WDW in mid August. Exactly 90 days out at 6:59:00am EDT, I called Disney dining and made an AR for O'Hanas on a Tuesday night, timed to coincide with the Wishes showing that night.

When that Tuesday arrives, we will have front of the line priority for seating at the restaurant for that time. No "ifs" or "buts" based on "table availability." The first table available at that time is ours (even if there are guests who called Disney dining after us who got ARs for the same time). Why? Because I reserved earlier than they did.

Now, when we check into the Boardwalk a few days earlier, I will be coming in with a reservation for a Boardwalk view villa that I made 11 months out on a day by day basis calling DVC ressies at exactly 9am every day when they opened. In other words, I made that reservation in front of anyone else checking into the Boardwalk that day for the same sort of villa.

Now, employing the same approach Disney dining uses, I should have first choice of all the villas that will become available in my category that day.

But is that how "room ready" works?

No - instead of being guaranteed the best possible room meeting my requests -- because I went to the trouble to reserve as early as possible -- I will instead deal with a vague, subjective lottery that assigns me a villa based primarily on the whims of some CM and how they felt when they got out of bed that morning.

Is that "easier" for Disney than employing a "first in/first choice" policy? Perhaps.

Is it fairer? Absolutely not.

 

[funcinderella]

I used to be the one who just "takes what they give you". However, like an earlier poster, it does get difficult to watch other people who stamp their feet get whatever they want and then get it, while you get stuck with the leftovers.

The change happened for me because of this instance:

I was on my honeymoon in Hawaii and booked a helicoptor trip. I asked if we would be able to get the front seat (it holds 6 people; 2 passengers in the front plus the pilot, and 4 passengers in the back.) The tour operator said it's not guaranteed but they usually go by who books first, and since we were the first ones booking, we would probably get it. The day came, and they had us line up on these spots on the ground numbered 1-6. We were in spots 1 and 2. It was a full trip, and there were two other couples there too. Right at the last minute, (after listening to this annoying girl who talked about how she was a travel agent or tour booker or something, I can't remember what) this girl goes up to the desk and asks them something (I couldn't hear) and the next minute they come back and switch me and DH with her and her partner. I said to DH, I will be so pissed if we were in the front and just got bumped (at the time, I didn't know which numbers corresponded to what seat.) Sure enough, we were bumped to the back.
I was hopping mad, because you saw very little from the inside back seat, especially compared to the front. I wished I had spoken up then, but I learned a valuable lesson: SPEAK UP!

I'm not saying you have to demand things, but if you don't say anything, your wants will never be heard. I always ask nicely and understand if there's nothing they can do. If someone booked first/payed more/showed up earlier, etc etc. I understand that. You can't always get what you want; but you should be able to SOMETIMES...

 

[pmcpmc]

in October my son and his new wife got married at the Wedding chapel while both immmediate families were staying at BWV.
Before we all left so that they could enjoy their honeymoon at SSR I went across to SSR at 6oam and was able to pick the exact room we wanted for them .

 

[ramkam]

We checked in to the VWL in the morning in June. In the reservation we asked for a room on the lake side. When we checked in there was a room ready for us. Unfortunatley it was the room at the farthest end of the hall on the first floor and not on the lake side. If you like views, even of the trees, this is not the room for you. We did not make a fuss because we agree that not every request can be accomodated and we really did not spend much time in the room anyway. However, I think we would have been better served by asking the CM about the room and our requests at check in rather than assuming the CM was aware of the request and being surprised when we got to the room. My experience is that CMs are generally happy to help when they can.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

We arrived on Fri the 22nd and stayed at Port Orleans. Got up early to specifically check in at OKW on a Saturday morning. Knowing how many people don't like to use weekend poitns, I thought we would get our requests. I had requested 3 different buildings, hopefully top floor. We were at the check-in desk around 8:30 and nothing we requested was available. We ended up on the second floor of a building we never requested. I did not ask if anything would be available later that day as we wanted to get in and get settled, so we took what was available then. We were glad to get into a room that early though.

Again, I just knew early Saturday morning would give us a better chance, but it didn't. Oh, we were in a 1-bedroom, if that makes any difference.

 

[Danthesand]

I did not ask if anything would be available later that day as we wanted to get in and get settled, so we took what was available then.

A good, honest use of room ready which worked for both parties - but which also points out an issue:

What if the early arrival is willing to wait?

As example, when we arrive at the Boardwalk later this month around 7:30am, I don't expect that the best villa in our category (Boardwalk view one bedroom) becoming available that day will be ready. And that's fine, we don't need to get into it right away (are planning to get to Epcot for opening and spending the day there).

But therein lies the problem.

When I check in at 7:30, the CM is going to tell me "your villa isn't ready." Fine, I know that, and again it's not a problem. What he/she in all likelihood isn't going to tell me is "here is the inventory of Boardwalk view one bedrooms that will be opening up today; which one would you prefer to be made available for you later?"

Instead, they will simply check us in and tell us to "call back later to see if your villa is ready." Which is code for "yes, we know you reserved 11 months out and yes, you got here early, but we retain the right to decide who walking into today gets what, and frankly we haven't made the completely subjective, fickle decision about whether you or someone who arrives late this evening is going to get the choicest BW view one bedroom."

Now, I could go down the "mega pixie dust" path of -- while smiling - politely reminding the CM of our requests and that while we fully understand they're not guaranteed, we went to the effort to book as far in advance as possible and arrived early today to raise the likelihood of getting them. And that we are again less interested in getting into a villa soon and more interested in waiting for one that comes as close as possible to our requests.

But as pixie as that is, given DVC's vague "room ready" villa assignment policy it guarantees nothing.

 

[jennypenny]

As to the original post--I've found checking in early helps in many cases. It seems to fit--there is more inventory to work with and more time to work things out. Even with the ME wrinkle, I can't see how checking in later would ever be a better option.

As to the other comments, I feel it's ok to make a request known when checking in. Two out of the last three trips, the CM noted that there were a couple of rooms available (not ready). In one case, we asked for the closest one to the elevator and got it. In the other case, I didn't really care and asked the CM which room she thought was better and why. I didn't feel I was overstepping by expressing a preference when the CM was clearly looking around for a room. I would guess many CM's would prefer knowing a preference and providing it instead of just randomly assigning a room and then possibly getting a complaint or a request for a change. Of course, if there aren't any choices available, I'm don't think hounding the CM is really the way to go.

When we had three rooms booked for a family trip, the CM told me we had been preassigned because we were a "family/group."

I do think, however, that S/NS and HA/non-HA should be guaranteed. I don't think that should be any different than say, standard or boardwalk view. Those are specific room catagories (just like studio or 1 bedroom) and they should be able to book those accordingly.

Jenny

 

[Danthesand]

I do think, however, that S/NS and HA/non-HA should be guaranteed.
Jenny

I agree, but suspect they don't because even though the percentages of the smoking/HA rooms are low, they have to plan for the scenario where a non smoker or non HA guest is forced into one of these rooms due to heavy attendance (by the way, one of the Boardwalk view one bedrooms at BWV is classified as both S and HA - the perfect room for a wheelchair bound chain smoker). Consequently, the likelihood of a hard core non-smoker/non handicapped guest who hates HA setups ending up in one is relatively low.

Also, as a frequent business traveller, I can confirm that very few major hotel chains guarantee non-smoking (Marriott used to, but stopped for some reason in 2004).

 

[debbie in Seattle]

Also, as a frequent business traveller, I can confirm that very few major hotel chains guarantee non-smoking (Marriott used to, but stopped for some reason in 2004).



2 weeks ago we stayed in a Marriott and upon check in was told the hotel was entirely SMOKE FREE and once in the room, there was a sign reminding guests of this and that if there was any evidence at all of smoking going on, a $250 charge would be added to your CC for cleaning. That was a first for us (we're nonsmokers, so welcomed it).

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

We arrived on Fri the 22nd and stayed at Port Orleans. Got up early to specifically check in at OKW on a Saturday morning. Knowing how many people don't like to use weekend poitns, I thought we would get our requests.

Points are higher for Friday night and Saturday night, so anyone wanting to avoid the higher weekend points would be checking out on Friday, not Saturday. No?

 

[Danthesand]

Points are higher for Friday night and Saturday night, so anyone wanting to avoid the higher weekend points would be checking out on Friday, not Saturday. No?

On the surface, this would seem to make sense.

However, again and again (based on my own experience at DVC resorts and from posts I've read here) those checking in on Friday or Saturday -- doing so with the assumption their choice of villa will be better because the property will be "empty" -- are always surprised at how "full" the given resort is.

This may have to do with the fact DVC supposedly made the weekend point costs higher so they could book lots of non DVC guests into the resorts during those times. The "wow, we're DVC members who checked in on Friday and got a dumpster-view villa" posts seem to appear most often during high season periods.

 

[Danthesand]

2 weeks ago we stayed in a Marriott and upon check in was told the hotel was entirely SMOKE FREE and once in the room, there was a sign reminding guests of this and that if there was any evidence at all of smoking going on, a $250 charge would be added to your CC for cleaning. That was a first for us (we're nonsmokers, so welcomed it).

Great, but this must either be very new (none of the Marriotts I've stayed in during the last two months offered this), and/or is not a company-wide policy.

 

[DisneyGirl]

Here's an Update!

I checked in to SSR this morning about 9 AM (I ended up going to the gym at OKW first). I really expected to have to wait until pretty late considering the sheer numbers of people here. The CM gave me a choice of two villas with a Downtown Disney view (Congress Park) that were available IMMEDIATELY-- one on the first floor, and one on the third floor (I took the third floor since I always like to be higher up)

Apparently they just opened a new building yesterday, and didn't have those rooms booked yet (so there were extra rooms), and I guess they put a lot of people that came in yesterday into that building (if you don't know what you want, being in the new building sounds pretty cool!!)

The Congress Park area is great-- the view is absolutely beautiful. I think the Springs area would be nice too because there are still water views, and you are close to the main pool and building. I'm not sure I would like the Paddock area-- it seemed like those are the rooms where there is the biggest chance of being in the middle of the new construction-- It might be nice after the construction is done, but I still think it's pretty far out and spread out.

 

[CarolMN]

Glad to hear you were happy with your room. Have a wonderful time!

Best wishes -

 

[pasgt21]

I would think since all us DVC members PAID !!! Yes I said the "P" word.. we paid to own DVC points there is nothing wrong with making requests and waiting to get them if your willing to wait while being respectful of the CM ..... Heck .. DVC is a VACATION !! not a business trip .. We should at least try and get what we like.. I couldnt disagree more with the statements made of take what they give you and like it .. Just accept the fact that they are "reguests" nothing more.

 

[Eeyoregal]

I'm glad the OP had a good check-in experience and was given choices of locations.

FWIW, we went to OKW a few weeks ago (our first trip "home" even though we own SSR). We checked in around 11:30 pm on Friday night, since we drove down and had to check our puppy into Pluto's house first (aka WDW kennels). We only had two requests - NS and Non-handicapped accessible. Despite the late hour, we were given a great room -- in a building just steps away from the Hospitality House. Maybe we were just lucky?? But I was pleasantly surpirsed!!

 

[Jison]

We have stayed at OKW at least 27 times since 93 and we only had a problem two times. Both were during the Christmas season.

One time we didn't call to get our room but at that time they told you what building you would be in. We had checked in at about 11am and went to the parks. We got to the room about 12am and the only thing left was smoking. It was not the building they said we would be in. My son with asthma was a mess but thankfully we were only there 5 nights and then left to visit family for Christmas and then returned in two days to another 2 bedroom for 8 nights that was non smoking and very nice.

The other time we stayed for 15 nights in a 2 bedroom during Christmas and NYE and they were painting the outside of the unit. IT was horrible. They painted our patio fence, the outside, powerwashed, etc. I thought it would only last a couple of days but finally after 10 nights I complained. We stayed because everything was booked but I always ask now if the building is being painted. The workers even left their shirts on our balcony rail at times and the ladders were always clanging against the wall. At times we couldn't hear the TV because of the noise.

We always request non-smoking and have always had it but that one time. The manager admitted that someone had given our room away because someone else had complained about the smoking room.

We have always had close to the HH also.

We just got back from SSR and loved it. We were in the Springs section right across the street from the main pool. IT was a lot of fun. We missed the size of OKW but it was nice.