connecting rooms

[budget mom]

My family of 6--dh, 4 kids 14 and under and myself have 2 rooms booked at poly with ap rate next week. After I booked I had to make some changes and it had to be rebooked....I didn't think about at the time, but we now have 2 reservation numbers. Is that a standard thing....I was thinking the last time we stayed we had 1 res. number for 2 rooms? I'm concerned b/c we obviously have requested connecting rooms. I called back and the cm assured me the ressies were tied together and it shouldn't affect our chances of getting connecting rooms. Just curious if anyone thinks this will be a problem. TIA

 

[DisFlan]

It was a problem for us last fall. We had two "connecting" rooms booked at WL with two conf. numbers. I called several times and was assured they would actually be connecting. They weren't. They were NEXT to each other but were NOT connecting - I was told that "adjoining" was the best they could do. We asked to be moved, but nothing was available. We were only staying one night prior to moving to a 2-bedroom villa at BWV, so we made do with what we had. But we were NOT happy.

I was told that connecting rooms are a REQUEST and are not guaranteed. I wish they'd mentioned that during one of the many calls I made before our trip - instead of telling me several times that, yes, they WOULD be connecting.

The one thing I learned is that rooms are assigned at the resorts about 5 days before use. I'd call the resort in that window of time to make sure the "request" on the ressie has been noted by the room assigner. You might have a better chance of getting it.

DisFlan

 

[wdwmike59]

I was told that connecting rooms are a REQUEST and are not guaranteed. I wish they'd mentioned that during one of the many calls I made before our trip - instead of telling me several times that, yes, they WOULD be connecting.

The one thing I learned is that rooms are assigned at the resorts about 5 days before use. I'd call the resort in that window of time to make sure the "request" on the ressie has been noted by the room assigner. You might have a better chance of getting it.

DisFlan

This is true. We have requested connecting rooms several times at the values and have always called within the five days preceding check-in and have always been put into connecting rooms. There is a huge difference in perception and convenience in having connecting as opposed to adjoining. You just feel like you have more space with connecting.

 

[TammiMcMan]

It was a problem for us last fall. We had two "connecting" rooms booked at WL with two conf. numbers.

Reservations can be "linked", but that does nothing to improve your chances of having them connected.

I was told that connecting rooms are a REQUEST and are not guaranteed. I wish they'd mentioned that during one of the many calls I made before our trip - instead of telling me several times that, yes, they WOULD be connecting.

Definitely not the first time that CRO might have given out bad information. If it's something I'm concerned about, I always ask on the DIS or simply look at all the threads that have already discussed it .

The one thing I learned is that rooms are assigned at the resorts about 5 days before use. I'd call the resort in that window of time to make sure the "request" on the ressie has been noted by the room assigner. You might have a better chance of getting it.

Not all rooms are pre-assigned and Disney utilizes a call center, so you may be talking to someone in Utah and not at the resort. Just trying to point out, that no matter how many times it's been noted, or who you fax or call, it still is only a request. I think the value resorts have a higher number of connecting rooms, but if a group absolutely needs to have everyone accessible, then a villa, cabin or family suite might be a better option.

 

[budget mom]

I just checked my confirmation document they emailed me and under resort information it states.....connecting rooms guaranteed for families. I've always thought it was just a request as well. I am definately going to call the poly in a few days and check on it as well. Thanks for all the info.

 

[TammiMcMan]

I just checked my confirmation document they emailed me and under resort information it states.....connecting rooms guaranteed for families.

(Bolded by me) Based on some DIS'er stories that have been posted here, that statement isn't worth the paper it's printed on. A resort can have maintenance issues with rooms or even entire buildings, that can cause them to not have any connecting rooms available. Someone may decide that they want to stay longer and tie up a connecting room. What they can do for you though, especially if you have your confirmation, is to find you a connecting room in another resort. Considering that you're booking a resort you want to stay in, being walked to another resort may not be the best option, although the only one.

These are pretty much worst case scenarios, but sometimes they do happen. I think just being armed with the information and a backup plan, will help reduce some of the stress. Hopefully you won't even need it, but if connecting is going to end up being more important than resort, just think of some resorts that you wouldn't mind being moved to. Again, simply for a worst case situation.

 

[minnie61650]

TammiMcMan is correct.

Disney tries hard but Disney does not book connecting rooms as a separate category. They do NOT block of certain connecting rooms ahead of time.
That means they fill the connecting rooms as the families check in. It is petty much first come first serve until they run out of connecting rooms.

A lot of connecting rooms have a handicapped accessible rooms as one the rooms. If a guest needs a HA room than that guest takes priority over a family who needs connecting rooms.

----------------------------------------------

As a mother of 4 (All grown now. My oldest is in her 30's and my youngest is 22) I often wished Disney had more options for larger families.
When the children were younger and we would go to Disney they did not have DVC or the family suites. In fact Disney did not have a Moderate until CBR opened in the late 1980's so if we wanted to stay onsite we either rented 2 rooms at a deluxe or stayed in the cabins.

I wrote to Disney many times over the years asking for more options for families so when I heard they were building the New Family Suites at All Star Music it just made me so happy!

In the late 80's I booked 2 connecting rooms at CBR for my family.
When we checked in there were no connecting rooms left but we were able to get rooms next to each other on the second floor.
Our two oldest were teens so I put them in one room and the 2 little ones who were 5 and 7 stayed with us. It worked for us because our older children were able to stay in a room without us but if they were younger DH and I would have had to split up.

Disney may say they guarantee connecting rooms but in reality Disney does not guarantee connecting rooms.

If there are 2 adults Disney can split the adults and children into two rooms that are not connecting. They try hard not to do this but it can and does happen sometimes. If however it is one adult with 5 children Disney should try harder to find connecting rooms since some of the children cannot be left in a room without an adult. But if you look at the threads posted below you will see that sometimes even Disney mixes up.


It does happen. Far too often IMHO.

From this thread;

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1145289

Just wanted to re-iterate what others have said:

We requesting connecting rooms at CBR in January--not really a busy time & we were early for check-in. They did not have us in connecting rooms. They said they could accommodate us, but it would be smoking rooms--which was our #1 request non-smoking.

We were side-by-side, so we just went outside to go next door, so it wasn't a huge deal for us. But if you definitely want to be together--I would go with a suite. You could also look into renting DVC points for a villa.

Here are a couple more threads about guests not getting connecting rooms:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1095679

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=785797&page=1&pp=15

From this thread:

http://disboards.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=13528958

One of the threads that Linda posted a link to was my experience last March. I had many conversations with the higher-ups at Guest Services and was told that even if it says "guaranteed" it is not truly "guaranteed." It just has higher priority over the "requests." Because on a given day, there might only be 25 connecting room sets opening up, but 27 "guaranteed connecting rooms for families" ressies checking in. 2 of those families are not going to get their "guarantee."

I know, I was shocked that we had to fight so hard to get put in rooms that had just been fumigated for lice (they were taken out of the inventory, but re-opened because we insisted we needed rooms.) I sort of assumed that if they didn't have the rooms for us, they'd find rooms elsewhere on Disney property. For that stay, we were sometimes 2 adults and sometimes only 1. Now we will book offsite if we need to do that again. If there are 2 of us adults, we book connecting and hope for the best. Otherwise, we'll split the kids.

My point is to make backup plans if you are depending on connecting rooms.

That is one of the main reasons if my family were young I would choose a Suite over 2 connecting rooms or I would be prepared that I may need to split the family up and sleep in a different room than DH.

 

[TDC Nala]

From other reports, the only way to guarantee connecting rooms (and apparently sometimes even this doesn't work out) is for a party consisting of one adult and several minor children. Parties with more than one adult can request connecting rooms, but no absolute guarantee.

 

[Sammie]

I just checked my confirmation document they emailed me and under resort information it states.....connecting rooms guaranteed for families. I've always thought it was just a request as well. I am definately going to call the poly in a few days and check on it as well. Thanks for all the info.

Bascially that means they guarantee to give them to families over say two seperate families traveling together.

Problem with calling is you will not get to speak to the Polynesian, you will speak to the Disney Call Center and they will simply pull up your reservation and note on it, exactly what the Reservation Center did.

You have done most everything you can do, until you check in. If at all possible check in as early as possible and do not make any other requests on your reservation other than connecting rooms.


If they are available you will get them.

 

[Carlyzmom]

So, do you ask for connecting rooms when you make your reservation or do you call a few days ahead of time? Which approach works better?

 

[kaytieeldr]

ASK WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, there, now that this is out of my system... WHY wait until you're within five days of arrival - when your room may have already been assigned/determined? Why NOT include any requests when first making the reservation?

 

[Brook1099]

o.k Heres my story. I called and made my ressie and I told the yung man I know its only a request but I would like connecting rooms. He said as long as there is two adults they are quranteed. I thought well that sound strange but ok. I got my email nothing stating I requested. Also one of the other poster on there email it was guaranteed to families. Well on mine it STATES

ROOM LOCATION AND INFORMATION: ADJACENT ROOMS,CONNNECTING ROOMS OR SPECIFIC ROOM LOCATION AND TYPES OF ROOMS OR BEDDING ARE A "REQUEST BASIS ONLY" AND ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY AT THE TIME OF CHECK IN. THESE REQUESTS FOR SPECIFIC ROOM TYPE OR LOCATION MAY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL CHARGES TO BE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE HOTEL.


SO BASICALLY I AM CHECKING IN VERY EARLY,I AM VERY LUCKY TO BE STAYING OFF SITE TO THE WEEK PRIOR SO I KNOW I WILL BE AT THE REORT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING , CHECKIN GET TICKETS HIT THE PARKS AND BRING LUGGAGE TO THE ROOM LATER. HOPEFULLY IT GOES THAT WAY.

 

[wdwmike59]

ASK WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, there, now that this is out of my system... WHY wait until you're within five days of arrival - when your room may have already been assigned/determined? Why NOT include any requests when first making the reservation?

You should do both!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

It was a problem for us last fall. We had two "connecting" rooms booked at WL with two conf. numbers. I called several times and was assured they would actually be connecting. They weren't. They were NEXT to each other but were NOT connecting - I was told that "adjoining" was the best they could do. We asked to be moved, but nothing was available. We were only staying one night prior to moving to a 2-bedroom villa at BWV, so we made do with what we had. But we were NOT happy.

Connecting Rooms are "requests ony", so you should nto have been upset.

 

[Carlyzmom]

ASK WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, there, now that this is out of my system... WHY wait until you're within five days of arrival - when your room may have already been assigned/determined? Why NOT include any requests when first making the reservation?

Sorry, I was just asking a simple question....

 

[Haley]

In the hotel industry NOTHING is "guaranteed"...

Disney doesn't even guarantee if you book the Polynesian that you'll stay at the Polynesian!

 

[Sammie]

In the hotel industry NOTHING is "guaranteed"...

Disney doesn't even guarantee if you book the Polynesian that you'll stay at the Polynesian!

Exactly, it is all based on availibility.

 

[BamaFan121s]

I was concerned as well the first time we made ressies and were given two different ressie numbers. It actually really irritated my mom because on top of that, she was booking and paying for both rooms and they would not allow her to have them both listed in her name--one they assigned to my husband. When she checked in, paid for both rooms and called back later to get the room numbers, they would only give her one--wouldn't give her the other telling her someone from 'that room' would have to call.
As it was though, we did get connecting without a problem.

We have gotten connecting rooms on EVERY trip so far without issues. We always request them when we make the ressie, send a fax a few days prior, and ask again at check-in before the CM goes through the whole process.

Also, just because your room may be 'assigned' 5 days in advance, that does NOT mean that it is set in stone--they can still move you around at check-in to other options provided there are rooms still open. (Which is why we always plan to check-in as early as possible--less 'spoken for' rooms.)

 

[Angel1]

Given the dearth of rooms for families with more than 4 people, Disney SHOULD guarantee connecting rooms!

 

[budget mom]

Does anyone know where the individual resort phone/fax numbers might be listed? I have a copy of unofficial guide to wdw. I glanced thru it and didn't see it listed. Thanks.