Check Out-Did I do something wrong?

[KAMLEM]

I'm hoping someone out there can tell me if I did something wrong here. We were at BWV until Sunday, 5/27. On the morning of the 27th we called to have our bags brought to our car then we went to breakfast at the Poly. We planned on going back to our room for an hour or so until it was time to leave for the airport but when we got back to the hotel, housekeeping was already cleaning the room. Do they just assume that you are checking out when you call the front desk to get your bags? Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that's right. We just figured we'd put our bags in our car early before bell services got too busy. Never again!

 

[LIDisneyFan]

What time did you return to the room?

 

[Jenn]

Check out time is 11 am. I can tell you that last week on our check out day (Friday 5/25) housekeeping was in the hall outside our room at about 8 am. We put the "do not disturb" sign on our door just in case and went down to the pool for an hour or so, then came back up at 10, showered and left right around 11. If they checked the room and saw the luggage gone, they must have assumed you were gone too.

 

[sgtdisney]

Something like that happened to us once. We were down at OKW with my inlaws and had a 2 bedroom lockoff. Inlaws left before we did so our reservation on the day they left was for a one bedroom, with the assumption that they would just lock the 2nd bedroom off and we would continue on with the 1 bedroom. Well, we loaded them up and shut the lock off doors and went with them to breakfast at Olivia's. When we came back to the room, the housekeeping staff was in the One bedroom part of the house and had started to throw away the food in the kitchen!!! I was livid. I know it was a mix up, but I couldn't believe it as the lugggge and other things were still in the room.

Anyway, long story short, we went to the desk and complained of course and they had us buy what was discarded in the general store there at OKW and they reimbursed us. They were very sorry and appologized, apparently the housekeepers got the room number mixed up or something.

 

[KAMLEM]

We went back to the room at 9:15, well before check out. I was going to complain at the front desk but DH said to just let it go (he's much more easy going than I am!).

In the end, it worked out OK because we just left for the airport early. With all the smoke in the area, our ride was a very long one and we did not end up arriving too much ahead of our flight.

 

[PamOKW]

If you call bell services to help load your bags into your car then I do think it's reasonable for them to assume that means you are checking out. They don't necessarily "hold" the room for your use until 11:00 a.m....the policy is that you must be out of the room no later than 11:00 a.m.

In the future if you wanted to do this, I'd tell them you are loading the luggage but want to use the room until check-out. I'd leave the Do Not Disturb sign up and also notify housekeeping (either in person or by leaving a message on the phone) that you will be returning to the room. It's hard for Housekeeping to know what people are doing (are they gone? are they out for a swim and coming back? did they leave at 6:00 a.m. and still have the sign up?). We can try to let them know our plans.

 

[JudithM]

A friend hada similar thing happen at another WDW resort years ago. At the time I asked a friend who works in the hotel industry. I was told it is SOP in the industry that if there are no personal items, then the room can be cleaned & sold.

 

[KAMLEM]

Thanks, everyone. I guess I was the one who was wrong.

 

[normr]

They assummed you were leaving when you called to have your luggage moved.

 

[eva]

I was a bit afraid of this happening to us when we went to Spoodles for breakfast last Friday. We were staying at BWV and Tiffany was to pick us up at 11am. So we didn't want to leave the room until 11. So when we went to breakfast we made sure that some of our luggage was near the door and the privacy sign was placed on the outside of the door. When we left the maid was next door to our room so I was still a bit nervous about finding a maid in our room when we returned. But I guess the sign and luggage did the trick since we came back to an empty room.

 

[bicker]

I suppose the logic is that it is better for the housekeepers to keep busy cleaning rooms. Remember, there's really no problem with them cleaning your room before you check-out from YOUR stand-point (they did, I assume, knock before entering) -- the only problem is if they think that the room is "done" for the next guest, while you still have a key to the room.

 

[Tiggeriffic]

Several people have reported problems. Things that were thrown out, etc. Also, if they clean the room and then you come back and use the room (take a shower, have a cup of coffee, whatever), it probably won't be in the best shape for the next guest. Then the next guest won't be happy and they may have to clean the room again.

 

[TroyWDW]

My guess is that the Bell Services people are trained to hang the "Please Clean the Room" sign (the flip side of the "Do Not Disturb" sign) on the outside door knob as they leave the room with your luggage. I have seen them do this every time they picked up our luggage.

It sounds like there was a simple misunderstanding that they thought you were leaving the resort.

Thanks for sharing your story. We all learned from your experience.
Troy

 

[MalificentMe]

We have always packed the car and left the do not disturb sign on the door until we exit the room for good on the last day. This past trip we checked out automatically at 11 and went to the pool until around 2pm. The funny thing was that my mom decided she wanted to check if she could still get in the room to shower and change at 2. She went and the room had not yet been cleaned and the key still worked so she showered and changed before the flight home. Sounds like we were luckier than we thought. take care, Tammy

 

[KNWVIKING]

We always check in early but have never been given our room # till the almighty check-in hour- and the CM's don't hesitate to tell you your not entitled to your room till then.So it seems to me that regardless of where my bags are or if my "do not disturb" sign is out,housekeeping should not be allowed to enter MY room till 11:00 unless I specifically stop at the front desk and tell them it's ok. I hope housekeeping does clean my room before 11:00 if I'm out because when I return I'll have more MM soap

 

[Joan BWV98]

I am going to use the idea of the Do Not Disturb sign next time we go. I try to arrange that we can leave our room at 11 and catch Tiffany to the airport. The last time, the maid started knocking at 7:30 to see if we were still there. I found that very distressing while I was still getting ready to leave. (I am never the calmest person the day I have to travel.)