"Changes in the air" at MS??

[kweaver]

The difference is, DVC has always allowed requests. Not via fax anymore, but when you make a reservation with Member Services.

It's a different situation from other WDW resorts.

 

[G00fyDad]

Yeah, Im asleep.

 

[DrTomorrow]

I don't see why requests are such a problem, you can make requests at any hotel you book in advance. We make 3 requests in order of importance; non-smoking, top floor, Epcot view (or golf course view if at OKW).[...]

If in "any hotel" you include Las Vegas, yes, you can make requests - but you pay for them. Many hotels have "Strip View" rooms which are anywhere from $10-$100 a night more; rooms on higher floors can also be "extra". Heck, the good ol' Stardust has three different "Towers" each with its own price - you pay more for a room closer to the action. If DVC wants to officially differentiate some rooms as "better" - closer, view, etc. - then they should either charge for it or let it be the luck of the draw. Personally, I'm just happy to be with DW, family and/or friends in luxurious accomodations at WDW. Our first SSR stay overlooked the "canal"; the second, DTD - and we had a great time on both trips!

 

[DrTomorrow]

You know, this whole conversation has sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place where - until I saw a post by Tikiman over on the Resorts forum. Then I remembered. In May 2003 I was planning our first "empty nester" trip, and decided on the Polynesian as "tres romantique". On several sites - including this one - people were going quite mad on finding the one single room that they had to have at the Polynesian. Reviews made comments about distance from the elevator (rarely an issue in a PR longhouse), angle of patio view and - this really floored me - how much vegetation was in front of the patio/balcony. People were faxing things that said "If my 8 year old son doesn't get room 3321 in Longhouse XYZ, his vacation will be ruined." On his site, Tikiman actually posted a plea not to overwhelm the wonderful Polynesian CMs with all these hyper-specific demands.

Can't wait to hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth when people start getting Paddock rooms at SSR....

 

[Ksp]

Ditto...especially "deluxe" accomodations (regarding the bathtub). I think a large percentage of the people would rather switch resorts than have a HA room. At least, it would be nice be given the choice.



Beca

I am in total agreement with you - I would actually have to switch resorts if I couldn't get the NS room - or else check in at the hospital for a vacation visit.

Since we usually travel as a family of four - the HA rooms don't have the same kind of storage....our stuff is usually sitting on the floor of the bathroom in a HA room.
When there are only 2 of us, accepting a HA room is fine....it just doesn't work well for 3-4 people in a studio. I'd rather switch resorts if that was the only option left for our vacation stay. It would save my sanity.

 

[Bexx]

ALL of the WDW resorts have been instructed to no longer take special requests via Fax.. as alot of people were doing.. so.. that has stopped... so, it is not only DVC that has been affected...

The difference is, DVC has always allowed requests. Not via fax anymore, but when you make a reservation with Member Services. It's a different situation from other WDW resorts.

This is from MousePlanet - "We have been informed that the Disney resorts have been told to no longer accept any room requests that are phoned or faxed in directly to the resort. To have a request met, it should be noted on your room reservation. If you made your reservation through the Disney Reservations Center, call them to have your request noted. If your reservation was made through a travel agent, the request should go through your agent."

So you can still make your requests when booking your room through Reservations, just like with MS. Fair enough - that's ample opportunity to make a couple of requests.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

All I want is Non-Smoking!!! Not for any reason other than I can't stand smoke. Usually I also request Top Floor, but no big deal, just don't like to hear kids running all night. But again no big deal, even if I was put in a handicape room, no big deal, daughter is 12 and son is 5, I don't think he has taken a bath in years, always showers, don't know why, but even when he was still in diapers, just loved the shower???

 

[dbond]

We have never asked for a view or a specific location, and we have never been disappointed. There's a certain amount of excitement involved in experiencing the room for the first time and checking out the location. Some that have had a fabulous view, may not have been in the best location getting to and from and vice versa. However, I do have an extremely sensitive intolerance for smells, and if a unit has ever been smoked in I can smell it and it gives me headaches. I always request non smoking and I do expect that request to be honored not only at DVC resorts but any hotel I visit. I don't remember ever not having that request honored at DVC.

 

[JudithM]

It makes me wonder if "the powers that be" are keeping a much closer eye on these boards than I thought.

I can guarantee without a doubt that YES, DVC CMs DO read this bb ! Having said that I also know that DVC members on the DIS are a small number of the full membership.

In over ten years I cannot remember ever getting a view at OKW that was not acceptable.

 

[sheryl0521]

I personally am not gonna bother anymore with room requests such as views or locations other than non-smoking ...and if a studio a non-handicap so the kids can have a bath.

I don't put much faith in getting room requests anymore anyway and as long as we get a non-smoking studio with a tub I don't care that much about the view or location. Sure, a nice view would be nice, but I feel the chances are slim so it will be just a nice surprise if we get one in the future.

I'm kinda over the whole thing and now that I know more about the worries of not getting a non-smoking or non-handicap it has kinda left a bad taste in my mouth. I never knew I would have to worry about such things when we joined.

I really wish they'd make these type of requests guarantees, cause if they weren't available I'd probably try to book another resort or change my dates. JMO

I agree lenshanem, I think the entire room request thing has gotten quite out of hand. We only request the Non-smoking, and we have gotten some great rooms in the past. Even the legendary BWV # 3123!

 

[Lesley]

I had to make a vague request to end up with 4123 at BWV...great room, btw...but last time we requested that one it wasn't available. We got the first floor about 3/4 of the way down the hall. No arguements from me...hey, you don't always get what you want. Next stay at BWV I didn't make any requests and got the room next door to the previous one....LOL I don't think I've been above the second floor since my first DVC stay.

Honestly it seems that when we make requests we get a chance at something nicer and if we don't we always get a low floor in a less desireable area. We don't horribly mind the first floor....but a change would be nice at this point! First floor has its advantages...especially if you've got folks on wheels (strollers, wheelchairs, ecv's) and at BWV you have easy access to the bus stop....but like I said...seems weird we seem to get the first floor most of the time.

I just wonder if life would be better for us easygoing DVCer's if there were no requests taken beyond the obvious smoking/non, handicapped/non.

Oh, and there are definitely dedicated studios at BWV and VWL...we've stayed in both.

 

[wordzylady]

Non-smoking is a must for us also. That is the only request we make anymore. I am happy as long as I don't have a view of my back yard or driveway!

 

[MickeyBabe]

I agree lenshanem, I think the entire room request thing has gotten quite out of hand. We only request the Non-smoking, and we have gotten some great rooms in the past. Even the legendary BWV # 3123!

Being new to DVC I have to ask...What is legendary about BWV #3123?


I have always felt that requests were just that, requests, whether staying at a WDW Resort or a WDW DVC Resort. We have asked for Non-Smoking in the past for medical reasons and have recieved it.

On one trip in particular, I had called for PS reservations and the castmember I spoke to asked if I would also like room assignment that day. I said if you can do that it would be great. We got a wonderful room at POR overlooking the River and Old Man Island across from the Main building. (One she suggested on her own.) Because of this on our next trip to POFQ I actually called and was told they could take the request but could not guarenteee anything. On that trip we got the NS but not the view or building. Still we were happy, hey we were at Disney!

My point here is that the CMs themselves or the system prompted me to actually ask for something I didn't need clogging up the system as well as giving me a tiny letdown on that second trip.

We have made the commitment to DVC to increase the enjoyment of our WDW vacations but aside from the NS request I figure we will love any accomodations we recieve.

As we were going through the process in the last month I must admit that some of the threads I have been reading here on the DVC boards made me wonder what could be so bad to solicit so many complaints. I am hoping that we made the right decision and that every time we go "Home" we are ever more plesantly surprised.


Long story short (too late I know ).... Isn't a requets just that? A request?

 

[Beca]

Being new to DVC I have to ask...What is legendary about BWV #3123?

It's haunted!!!

(Just kidding!!) It's one of the three "coveted" corner rooms that are bigger, have a table that seats four, and are all around "pretty cool"!!!!



Beca

 

[sheryl0521]

Being new to DVC I have to ask...What is legendary about BWV #3123?

At the BWV, rooms 2123, 3123 & 4123 are standard view 1-bedroom rooms at the very end of the hall that stretch around the corner from the driveway to the tennis courts. I think the actual view description is of the duck pond & fountain. One view from the kitchen & living room is of the bridge on the BW driveway and the other view from the bedroom is of MGM's TOT.
The kitchen has a full size round table with 4 chairs and the living area is very spacious. The bedroom and master bath is configured like most rooms.
On the 1st floor, I think room 1123 is a studio, because there is a entrance way where the 1-bedroom would have been.

I know there are some board members that have some pictures to share.

Enjoy!

 

[MickeyBabe]

I see..... this is gonna be fun!

Thanks.

 

[DebbieB]

Here's a report from when I stayed in 3123 over a year ago:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=477630

 

[G00fyDad]

Ohhh my goodness!! I just looked at what it would cost for us to take the same trip we currently have booked but stay at a one bedroom BWV. LOL The price jumped up $3k! I guess we'll just stay at CBR.

The BWV looks awsome though! Maybe next trip.

 

[sheryl0521]

Here's a report from when I stayed in 3123 over a year ago:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=477630

ahhh... memories - thanks for reposting that link!

 

[Tink10]

While I'm new to DVC, I'm definately not new to visiting WDW. I like a nice view as much as the next person & I too, have gotten caught up hoping for a visit from the "upgrade fairy" and trying to pinpoint the best room......

That being said, I've learned in all of my trips to WDW & elsewhere, that the room view, to us, was never as much of a big deal as I anticipated it would. I can certainly understand the smoking/NS & accessable room requirements....but other than that, I feel that people place entirely too much importance on room views & locations.

I've seen multiple guests at Disney resorts throwing fits because they wanted a particular room iin a particular location.....The biggest fit I ever saw was at the All Star Sports (which I will never stay at again, but how do you turn it down for $35 a night?), because the guest's child wanted a room in one building and they were put in another.....I was embarassed just watching the commotion. ....I always feel so bad for the CM's having to deal with those people.....

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but when we vacation, we appreciate the fact that we're fortunate enough to be there, regardless of room views or locations.....