Depending on What Day You Check In....

[Disney On The Bayou]

This past June I stayed at the VWL and had requested a 2 Bedroom dedicated, pool view, non-smoking room and near the elevator if pool view was not available. I recieved a non-smoking 2 bedroom near the elevator, fine for me (not as sensitive as others about view). I had made these reservations 10 months out. I know that VWL is small and its more difficult to get request but continue reading my hypothesis.

When I thought about it more, I realized that in some cases checking in on a Saturday would give you a better chance of getting the request you ask for. For example a memeber makes a reservation at the 11 month window, they request NS and Pool View, checking in on a Sunday. I make a reservation for the same thing, except 7 months and check in on Satuday. Most (<50%) members check out on Friday due to point cost and many will not check in until Sunday. So by checking in on Saturday even though others made reservations before me, I get the room that I requested and the 11 month ressie person gets whats left! Again Most members will check in on a Sunday, a Saturday Check-In will have less competition from fellow DVC'ers . Right? Wrong? What do you think?

 

[CarolMN]

I agree with you, but believe your theory would be more correct for Friday check ins. Of course we are both assuming that members' requests take priority over cash guests' requests. IMHO, it doesn't hurt to check in early in the day, either. Once you have checked in, the front desk can't give your "pre-asssigned" room away to someone who complains about his/her room assignment.

In the end, getting particular requests is really a matter of luck - you can perhaps increase your chances, but you can never be sure until you actually check in.

 

[RobDoc]

I think you're exactly right. To carry it one step further, those checking in on a Friday will have an advantage over Sat check-ins- since Friday is the busiest checkout day at DVC Resorts.

 

[jel0511]

I think your theory could be correct. On our last visit to VWL, we checked in on a Friday and got the BEST room!!! 4517. Right next tot he elevators, on the atrium and we had a pool view!!! I don't think it could get better than that!! When I made my ressies for next year, while on the phone with MS, I told them about my GREAT room and the CM said, just request that one!! So I placed a request in my ressir for 4517 or one near that one, it was SOO AWESOME!! I'm checking in a Sunday this time, so we'll see what happens then.

 

[Hilary]

Once you have checked in, the front desk can't give your "pre-asssigned" room away to someone who complains about his/her room assignment.

Unfortunately, I think this may be correct - rooms can get allocated according to who makes most noise at check-in!

Would it be so hard for the check-in CMs to stand their ground when someone complains they haven't got the view / location they wanted? If the 'better' room has already been allocated to a guest who requested it 11 months ago, why can't the CM read that room as already occupied, even if no-one has actually checked into it yet - not switch the reservation to appease the guest standing infront of them complaining, but who may not have reserved their room until a few days before arrival?

 

[JudithM]

Along the same lines ... when we have checked in early on Sunday - before noon - we have a good chance of room being ready because no one slept there Saturday night. Maybe I have rose colored glasses, but I think DVC CMs do the best they can to accomodate as many requests as possible.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Does that mean if I check in on a Tuesday, I have little or no chance? We have usually checked in on Sunday and have always gotten our request. This time we are checking in on Tuesday and staying for 10 nights. I didn't realize it might jeapardize the request system.

 

[Terry S]

dianeschlicht.... I am actually a little worried about that myself. We are checking in a 1 bedroom on Sept 30th, a Monday, for 12 nights. When I made the reservation I was a brand new member and I had not thought about this whole issue. Now that I have done a lot of reading and thinking about this I am really worried that I am going to get stuck in a "bad" room since the "good" rooms will all be given away the day before.

I have since made a few more reservations and made them on a Saturday check-in so I could get a "good" room. I would rather spend the extra points to get a "good" room.

 

[yasuern]

I AGREE 100% - BUT AS LONG AS I AM AT WDW I'M OKAY - Although at this moment in time would prefer OKW!!

 

[RobDoc]

Does that mean if I check in on a Tuesday, I have little or no chance?

Not at all. There are rooms being vacated each day. If the resort is full on Monday and only 1 party checks out- then that's the room you'll have to accept.

In reality, there are many checkouts each day at all DVC resorts.

The discussion here is that there may be certain days (Friday and Saturday) when those checking in will have more availability to meet their requests. However, there will be some checkouts every day.

I've been told that about 80% of the DVC reservations come with a request. That % is much higher than other WDW resorts- most get very few requests except a smoking (or non) preference.

I wouldn't get too worried about locations at any of the DVC resorts, but it's logical that those arriving on days with heavier check outs will have more opportunity to meet requests.

Enjoy!

 

[lsutigger2]

hate to be one, and maybe the only one, to say I don't believe that theory. Last year, I made my ressie at 7 months to the day at 9:00 am CST. Made only two request - non-smoking and non-handicapped accessible. Checked in on Saturday, about noon and got neither of the request. Was disappointed, but was so excited to be at WDW/DVC it didn't spoil our trip. Upon return, I emailed Jackie L. She or someone from her staff called a few days later and said it was because the resort was full and I had made my reservation at 7 months. Does this mean that I was one of the last ones to make ressies for that time period. This was also Oct, only a month after 9/11 and many had changed their plans. It has always made me wonder. I plan to be a bit more assertive this year when we check in, esp. about ns.

this year made BCV ressies at 7 month and 9:00am. Checking in on Sunday. Hope to arrive about noon. We'll see what happens. I'm not as concerned about view as I am about other things.

Don't worry hilary - I promise not to make a scene at check-in. It is not in my nature to do so.

 

[RobDoc]

Does this mean that I was one of the last ones to make ressies for that time period.

Possibly, but keep in mind that there are other factors not mentioned thus far. There are also cash guests who make reservations for weekends and often check in on Friday.

After 9/11 last year, Disney offered some great discounts to try to boost reservations and many local guests took advantage of those offers to enjoy WDW on weekends, where they could simply drive to Orlando.

In addition, when DVC members use points for other destinations, those points are released to CRO for cash reservations.

These weekend guests- who arrived on Friday may have also played a role in making your options limited on Sat. You didn't mention the resort, but the smaller resorts are certainly affected more by this than a large resort like OKW.

Good Luck at BCV this year!

 

[Disney On The Bayou]

Everyone thanks for posting and I hope this discussion will stay alive for a while. It seems that this theory may hold a little weight. CarolMN and Doc I think the amended theory that both of you put forth is even more true. I can certainly see where a Friday would be the best time for a request to be met. lsutigger, I assume your situtation is unique due to the timing and the discounts that followed as Doc stated. (lsutigger, I'm heading up on Sat. for the game against Miami, Oh.... Suprisingly I'm a TULANE season ticket holder but I enjoy an occasional TIGER Game)

Doc, thanks for your replies, I always find them well thought out and interesting to read. Also great job on those Villa Layout posts.

Hopefully others will respond, curious to see how everyone feels.
We may start a new booking trend. I'm thinking on long trips that will include a weekend anyway, that I should begin the trip on Friday. However, the six trips this year that I have taken have all been 1st class... no complaints from me, except the OKW studio without a window! Doc maybe you can explain that one.

 

[Lesley]

I think the assertion that rooms are more likely to be ready on a Sunday may be true. When we checked in at the VWL on a Sunday at about 1pm our room was ready. We requested, and received a pool view. Reservation was made 8 months prior to the trip.

Our next check in was at BWV on Tues.....our request for our studio was ns, boardwalk view. We a partial boardwalk view, right above the walkway between the health club and the Wyland Galleries. Non Smoking. We were unable to get our room number until after 4 This and the following reservation were made day by day 11mo. before our trip.

Later that week we checked into another room at BWV....on Sunday. Standard view 1br. We requested a room near the tennis courts and got the most awesome huge 1br! Our room wasn't ready when we first checked in, but we did get it at about 2pm.

Our next trip will have a Thursday (Thanksgiving) check in (VWL studio, ns, pool view is the request, reservation made about 9 months in advance) then a Saturday check in (BWV 2br, smoking, boardwalk view requested, reservation made at 11mo.) and then later a Tues. check in (OKW 1br, requested ns near bus and pool, reservation made 5 months in advance) So we'll see how that goes.

Most of this seems logical....but really, its still very much the luck of the draw and how it works out with other reservations. Your chances may be better at certain times in certain circumstances....but the fact is, requests are not guaranteed.

 

[Tigger7570]

We have always arrived on either a Tuesday and Wednesday either staying in a l or 2 bedroom for 9 to 10 days, sometimes longer. We go home to OKW twice a year and we have been at all different times of the year. I usually book about 10-11 months ahead and give a list of all the buildings we like. I was told by MS that the more options we give the better our chances are of getting a building we like as opposed to one we don't like. We have usually gotten one of the buildings we have requested and even when we haven't gotten one of those buildings, we have usually been happy with where we were assigned liking some buildings better than others and then adding more to the list. When we went in May of this year, for the first time in nine years (bought OKW in 93), when we arrived, the CM said none of the buildings we requested were available right then, but there were three buildings that we could check right into. He told us to drive by them and come back and let him know if we wanted one or we could wait till one of our requests opened up later in the day. This was around 1:00 p.m. which is our usual arrival time. Well, we ended up in Building 33 first floor, one bedroom which worked out fine and it was wonderful getting into the room before 4:00 p.m. So, like Doc said there are always people checking out and you just never know what the availability will be.