Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[bellrae]

So this tells me that people are going to have to call the front desk and request early service if they plan to come back to the resort to rest, especially with kids. I would not be happy as a parent if housekeeping came and woke up my napping child and then demanded we leave the room, especially if the sign is out and they know it is occupied.

I'm not sure this policy makes anyone safer. But that is a discussion for another thread.

The irony is of course the room occupied sign says “we’re off to never land” which to my mind kinda implies “we are sleeping”.

 

[Sue M]

I was asleep. I’d just run 26.2 miles. I only stayed at Disney for tonight to give myself the afternoon today to recover from the race in my room. As I said to the front desk, had it been any other day I would have let them in and shrugged it off, but to be hauled out of bed with every muscle screaming and a foot covered in blisters (because they did not stop knocking until I got up), and have to answer the door in my pyjamas to a stranger - that was a major inconvience for me personally today.

Also, he demanded to be able to service the room, not do a security sweep (a point on which the hotel told me he was incorrect about in his approach). The latter was what he was apparently supposed to request to do (and I would have let him in for that as that would have been swift I presume), but I was not willing to accommodate a service of the room given how long that would have taken.

Imo this new policy is totally unacceptable. I’d be pretty mad if I was back in my room for a mid day break and was rudely woken up by housekeeping demanding I vacate the room for service. I wonder what would have happened if I was in the shower? And In the room alone?
I think I’d be speaking with hotel manager and emailing WDW guest services. This is way too intrusive. Many people, especially in the warm months take a mid day break and enjoy the pool. Then shower, maybe nap.
I guess I’ll be requesting morning housekeeping so I’m not disturbed in the afternoon.

 

[dansdad]

Imo this new policy is totally unacceptable.

How they handled this in @bellrae experience was completely incorrect. Unfortunately WL is a couple weeks behind the monorail resorts in rolling this out and royally screwed it up.

 

[fiasco32]

How they handled this in @bellrae experience was completely incorrect. Unfortunately WL is a couple weeks behind the monorail resorts in rolling this out and royally screwed it up.

Agree. Sounds like an outlier experience. Hopefully they hurry and get the kinks out.

 

[bellrae]

So a post script to yesterday’s little drama. Got back to my room today just now (3pm), after being out all day. Housekeeping were on my floor, but not yet been to my room. I had a quick chat to them and we agreed a best time for the both of us (the housekeeper and myself) for my room to be serviced today. So, good to know you can negotiate what fits you best.

 

[bellrae]

I take it all back - THE EXACT SAME MAN just came back AGAIN today and told me he was there to do my security check for the day. I explained that housekeeping and I agreed he would come back later. He said ‘I’m not housekeeping, I am here to do a security check’. I let him in to do it, but I completely lost it with him, and I am not going to go and tell the front desk what I think there too. This is now just ridiculous.

 

[Lsdolphin]

I take it all back - THE EXACT SAME MAN just came back AGAIN today and told me he was there to do my security check for the day. I explained that housekeeping and I agreed he would come back later. He said ‘I’m not housekeeping, I am here to do a security check’. I let him in to do it, but I completely lost it with him, and I am not going to go and tell the front desk what I think there too. This is now just ridiculous.

So what does a "security check" consist of?

 

[Seth Paridon]

Anyone know if you have to fold up strollers to get on the boat to & from MK? I know the Poly/GF boat is small but not sure about WL.

Depends on which boat gets you. The larger boats do not require you to fold them, while the smaller boats do.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I take it all back - THE EXACT SAME MAN just came back AGAIN today and told me he was there to do my security check for the day. I explained that housekeeping and I agreed he would come back later. He said ‘I’m not housekeeping, I am here to do a security check’. I let him in to do it, but I completely lost it with him, and I am not going to go and tell the front desk what I think there too. This is now just ridiculous.

You're going to be put on the naughty list.

 

[bellrae]

So what does a "security check" consist of?

Essentially he walked into my room, stood there, looked around, and left.

 

[dansdad]

I take it all back - THE EXACT SAME MAN just came back AGAIN today and told me he was there to do my security check for the day. I explained that housekeeping and I agreed he would come back later. He said ‘I’m not housekeeping, I am here to do a security check’. I let him in to do it, but I completely lost it with him, and I am not going to go and tell the front desk what I think there too. This is now just ridiculous.

Sounds like WL has gone rogue. They are going completely off script and doing things like none of the other resorts are.

Sorry @bellrae

 

[bellrae]

You're going to be put on the naughty list.

Hehehe, I did worry about that.

I just had a very good chat with a manager. He said the timing should be at guest convenience, and that they should not be disturbing people with the room occupied sign up if it has only been up for a few hours. He also agreed guests should be allowed to have time where they are not disturbed. I made the suggestion to him that someone had here (apologies I can’t recall the poster offhand) that guests should be able to nominate a window of time where they will be out if that is there preference. He told me at the moment the policy is to do this between 11 and 4pm daily. I did point out that this was prime nap time for children and adults alike. There will be a discussion with the cast member involved to ensure he understands how to implement the new policy correctly. The manager did say that guests are allowed to request the cast member come back at a different time if they try to access the room when it is inconvenient - though this does not take away from the problem of them knocking when the room occupied sign is up.

 

[bellrae]

Sounds like WL has gone rogue. They are going completely off script and doing things like none of the other resorts are.

Sorry @bellrae

The rhetoric from management is consistent with what people are posting here is the policy. It could just be that the specific cast member assigned to my floor doesn’t fully understand the new policy, or wasn’t trained properly...

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Sounds like WL has gone rogue. They are going completely off script and doing things like none of the other resorts are.

Sorry @bellrae

I've been following along and have seen pictures of the new sign, but I don't think I fully understand how it's supposed to work, but it sounds like you might have more insight - how is it generally supposed to work with the change?

I'm also sorry you're needed to deal with this during your vacation time, @bellrae - hoping they're working out the kinks...

 

[pattyw]

I take it all back - THE EXACT SAME MAN just came back AGAIN today and told me he was there to do my security check for the day. I explained that housekeeping and I agreed he would come back later. He said ‘I’m not housekeeping, I am here to do a security check’. I let him in to do it, but I completely lost it with him, and I am not going to go and tell the front desk what I think there too. This is now just ridiculous.

So on the standpoint of GUEST security, I'm nervous about the idea of a man banging on my door and demanding entrance to my room- especially if I'm alone at the time. Anyone can get a Disney like nametag.

 

[HopperFan]

So this tells me that people are going to have to call the front desk and request early service if they plan to come back to the resort to rest, especially with kids. I would not be happy as a parent if housekeeping came and woke up my napping child and then demanded we leave the room, especially if the sign is out and they know it is occupied.

I'm not sure this policy makes anyone safer. But that is a discussion for another thread.

And therein lies one of the problems ..... the rooms that have been checked out of are the first ones to be cleaned, THEN the rooms where guests are staying gets cleaned. Last few years we have found if we come back to our room before 4 pm, we have not been cleaned. Some days we don't get cleaned at all. But hey on check out day (when we usually sleep in to ready for long drive) they are banging on the door.

I think if lots are requesting morning cleanings, the already short staff that can't get the job done now, won't be able to do this either. Maybe they should train the security sweepers to use a real sweeper and clean while they are there. At least Disney might get something out of it.

So on the standpoint of GUEST security, I'm nervous about the idea of a man banging on my door and demanding entrance to my room- especially if I'm alone at the time. Anyone can get a Disney like nametag.

EBAY.

Especially at resorts that open to outside.

 

[bellrae]

So on the standpoint of GUEST security, I'm nervous about the idea of a man banging on my door and demanding entrance to my room- especially if I'm alone at the time. Anyone can get a Disney like nametag.

As a female staying in a room solo this week, I made this very point to the manager this afternoon. I was a little uncomfortable being in my room with the man whilst he did the ‘sweep’.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Essentially he walked into my room, stood there, looked around, and left.

So first day it was "you need to let us perform housekeeping since we are almost out of time" and now second day it's "I am not housekeeping but you have to let me in anyway" Huge bummer that they can't figure this out.

 

[Sue M]

The rhetoric from management is consistent with what people are posting here is the policy. It could just be that the specific cast member assigned to my floor doesn’t fully understand the new policy, or wasn’t trained properly...

Time to email Guest Relations while you’re still there to get something done. I for one don’t want someone banging on the door mid day while I’m showering from a swim.
I feel it needs to go beyond the resort at this point. It affects so many. I’d be an upset mom if I had a baby just put down for a nap, and now baby is awake and crying. I’d be upset if I was back in room for mid day nap because maybe I didn’t get much sleep the night before, and told I had to get up.
This is a very bad policy IMO. I’m so sorry you have had to deal with this.

 

[Avery&Todd]

I guess this new rule is the same in the WL as is in the villas? We're staying in the BR villas for the first time this June and our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teenagers) like an afternoon nap since we hit the parks after dinner...and it will not make me happy to get woken up during my nap for a security check.

I will say that our last stay at the GF our room was always cleaned before we got back to the room for "nap time" but the issues I'm hearing now make me nervous...