connecting rooms - separate check-in question

[wdwlibrarian]

Going to WDW for eight days this June with my boyfriend, my parents, and my sister's family, including a first trip for her kids! So excited! I've planned tickets, dining, and two rooms at CBR for us all.

But it's really important to my sister that we have connecting rooms, so I'm trying to do anything I can to increase our odds. We have linked reservations with the same grand gathering number. And there's requests in both room reservations asking for connecting rooms. No other requests like specific buildings or views. I'm wondering if there's anything I should do at check-in.

If we check in online ahead of time and we don't get connecting rooms, can we ask to change when we get there? If we wait, I will arrive in the morning, but my sister won't arrive until late in the afternoon. Will they assign her room when we check in, or will they wait until she gets there to finalize her room assignment? Anyone know the best way to increase our chances for connecting rooms?

 

[maxiesmom]

Unfortunately there is no way to guarantee you will get connecting rooms. Disney does try to meet that request, but there is no guarantee. You have done most everything you can.

In my own experience they will assign both rooms when you check in. I have travled with my sis and her family many times to Disney World, and we always ask for connecting rooms. Whoever gets there first is told both room numbers, so you can always ask when you check in if the rooms connect.

 

[sndral]

You can ask to change when you get there even if you do online check in. A long time ago we had linked ressies @ CBR w/ my sister's family and we didn't even get the same island - they switched us to the same island @ check in but we weren't near each other. In '08 we had linked ressies @ POFQ and got connecting rooms and in '09 we had linked reservations @ Poly and got connecting rooms. I hadn't asked for connecting rooms either time, just linked the reservations.

I think I'd call and have your sister call and make sure it's noted on both reservations that they are linked and that you want connecting rooms, that way when the computer does the assigning that'll be one of the factors it sorts w/.

 

[disneymarie]

I traveled with my ds family and had adjoining rooms and connecting rooms. Frankly either worked out fine. It was nice for dgs to come through in the night in pjs and say good night....bummer when he woke at 6 am rearing to go for breakfast.
We are a sleep in grab oj and cereal or bagel types.

The adjoining doors faced each other at the movies and POR where we were, they connecting doors, gave up some privacy we wish we had.
The adjoining was a nice distance. The night they ds and wife went out I could keep the door open between us and watch tv in my room.

Getting ready when the teens went, the two bathrooms in Value by the bathrooms was nice.

But, anyway, we pre-checked in online, had the connecting in the system, got there just after noon and checked in by 1 ish, no problem with making the request.
I would rethink the connecting to adjoining.

 

[wdwlibrarian]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I'm feeling responsible for making sure everyone is happy, and it's nice to know I've done what I can. At the same time, it's nice to know there are certain things I can't control and just have to let go of. I think I'd be ok with adjoining rooms, but I think my sister would like the adults to be able to stay up later as a group while her little ones sleep in the other room, so I guess I'll try for connecting and hope for the best.

 

[Sandi]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I'm feeling responsible for making sure everyone is happy, and it's nice to know I've done what I can. At the same time, it's nice to know there are certain things I can't control and just have to let go of. I think I'd be ok with adjoining rooms, but I think my sister would like the adults to be able to stay up later as a group while her little ones sleep in the other room, so I guess I'll try for connecting and hope for the best.

You have done all you can do. Like a PP said, if you don't get connecting rooms, you can ask to be changed. I traveled with a grand gathering one year and we had four rooms. We had asked for connecting rooms for my sister and her in-laws because her FIL needs help getting around. For the first night, they put us all in rooms next to one another, but none were connecting. We asked and were told they couldn't accommodate us until the next night. So, my sister and her in-laws moved to connecting rooms on a different floor in the same building (at POFQ -- bell services helped them move). My parents and my family stayed where we were originally assigned. It worked fine for us.