Disney Hotels 101-How Are Rooms Assigned?

[dpic]

Okay, you make your requests on your ressie and then it goes to the room assigner. Your request can be granted and the assigner books you into a specific room (sounds reasonable).

But what happens when your request cannot be granted? Are you booked into a specific room then? Does the Front Desk CM choose a room from those available?

The reason I ask is that I'm requesting a specific area. If there are no rooms in that area the day of my arrival, will the front desk allow me to choose from what's available (I really don't want an upgrade--I'm already paying for the room type I want), or will my room all ready be assigned? How much leeway does the Front Desk CM have when checking in guests? Is it acceptable to say, "That's really not what I want, can we check to see if a room is available in X building/area?"

Lastly, do people list alternate choices on their ressies?

Thanks!

 

[safetymom]

If you are asking for a specific room you want you many not get it. If you check in early enough you can ask for the location. If it isn't what you want you can ask for another area. They do have a list of rooms. The area you want may not be available or you may have to wait.

If you keep in mind that everything is a request you will do fine. If you go expecting that you will be in a certain area you are setting yourself up for dissapointment.

They also don't give out room numbers ahead of time. It isn't your room until you are checked in and the room is ready. Until you are checked in that room can be given to anyone requesting at the desk that room location, view, etc.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by dpic
Okay, you make your requests on your ressie and then it goes to the room assigner. Your request can be granted and the assigner books you into a specific room (sounds reasonable).

But what happens when your request cannot be granted? Are you booked into a specific room then? Does the Front Desk CM choose a room from those available?

The reason I ask is that I'm requesting a specific area. If there are no rooms in that area the day of my arrival, will the front desk allow me to choose from what's available (I really don't want an upgrade--I'm already paying for the room type I want), or will my room all ready be assigned? How much leeway does the Front Desk CM have when checking in guests? Is it acceptable to say, "That's really not what I want, can we check to see if a room is available in X building/area?"

Lastly, do people list alternate choices on their ressies?

Thanks!

This is how it works:

The room assigner will either assign a room that meets all or some of your requests. If they are unable to do so, then they will leave the room unassigned, and the front desk CM will assign one. There is also the chance that your room may be placed on a lockout. This means that if room 9999 has a guest departing on the 3rd, and another guest arriving on the 10th, and you are staying from the 3rd to the 10th, they will place you into that slot, sorta like a puzzle. Depending on occupancy, and what time you check in, the CM may or may not be able to change the lockout.

Bottom line though... reiterate your requests upon checking in, and the CM can reassign as neccessary, pending availability.

 

[mickeymousefan]

Both times we have checked into an AS resort, we were told what was available at that time and allowed to choose from those choices.

 

[funcinderella]

We are just back from the Poly (aug 21-28). I was dying for a first floor, volcano pool side room in Samoa. They had me assigned to 2nd floor (no balcony!) We arrived at the hotel at 6am, amd asked if he could look for a first floor room. He found the PERFECT room (1608). We walked out our sliding glass doors directly to the Volcano pool. The catch was that the people leaving that day had arranged for late check-out, so we weren't able to get into the room until about 5:30. We did AK all day, so not a problem. I guess they just left that room open for someone who checked in late, and they would have gotten lucky. But, by showing up early, asking nicely, and being willing to wait for the room we got our first choice! (By the way, they didn't give us the exact room number until check-in, but they did say first floor, samoa, volcano pool side and circled the general area. Since there are only 10 rooms anyway, it pretty much narrowed it down to about 4 rooms, until we knew the exact room number.) So don't give up on trying your best for that perfect room! (My mother and I were so excited about the room, we couldn't even find our car afterwards!)

 

[dpic]

Thanks for all the great replies.

funcinderella, that is just the type of circumstances I was thinking of. I wouldn't ask for a specific room--just for a specific area. However, if we were assigned to a non-requested area at check-in, I wondered if you could ask for something more acceptable.

I understand room requests are just that, but there are many areas in a resort where I would be perfectly happy staying. So, I am flexible. I am just wondering how the system works, so I know what to expect.

 

[safetymom]

Most CM's love to sprinkle pixie dust when you have a request at check in. As long as you do it with the right attitude they will do their best to give you a magical vacation.

We have had great CM's at check in and they always got us in the area we requested.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Well I always make my requests at reservation time and we try to check in early. We had the same experience as funcinderella. They wanted to give us 2nd floor, I politely asked for 1st because of ds asthma and was afraid he would have an attack and wanted him back in the room fast during swimming etc. with the heat and humidity. He said I could have 3rd floor 1st day and move to 1st floor volcano pool view the next day. I said fine and was happy, made ds thank great cm juan and then magically the room opened up for our whole stay, just perfect disney magic.

 

[LoraJ]

I am worried that I won't get my request because by the time we land and get to the hotel, it will be 6pm-ish.

Has anyone had any luck that late in the day?