Do people still fax room requests?

[DisTeach1]

I have always had good luck with this, but haven't done it in years, since joining DVC. However, we are staying at WL for 3 nights and I want to request rooms over the otter pond, and also to reemphasize the need for connecting rooms because of my mother's arthritis. They're not guaranteed, but again, by faxing in the past, I have always gotten what I've needed.

 

[BamaFan121s]

We have always faxed our requests. I think we all know by now that nothing is guaranteed and I've seen some people post advising against sending faxes anymore because of 'reports' that they are not looked at... Each time we've been assured the fax was recieved and noted and we've managed to get our requests each time. Maybe it helped, maybe it didn't, but it sure didn't hurt anything. (We have not been blacklisted from any of the resorts to date. )

(Definately make sure that your request is already noted in any case.)

 

[Buzz2001]

I do

 

[Markstudy]

How far in advance do you send the fax?

Not too soon, not too late?

 

[RJH]

I do this as a follow-up to my original phone request. I do this about a week before I or my client is due to arrive. Never had a problem.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are staying at VWL, do not fax. DVC resorts do not accept faxes.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you are staying at VWL, do not fax. DVC resorts do not accept faxes.

and that is not just a report, it has been printed a number of times in the DVC member newsletters.

 

[tta_traveler]

My husband and I stayed at the WL this past December and we faxed a letter 4 days before we arrived. It mentioned it was my birthday and our anniversary and we requested a king size bed on a high floor. When we checked in, they gave me a birthday pin, gave both of us anniversary pins and they upgraded our room from standard view to a courtyard view/lobby room. OMG it was absolutely incredible. When we got back from the parks that day, there was a birthday card from Mickey and Minnie and a WL chocolate heart left for me on the bed. So while there's no guarantee they will fulfill any of your requests that you fax, I will say they definitely do look at at least some of the faxes, so there's no harm in sending one!

I would post pics of the awesomeness but it won't let me yet.

 

[DisTeach1]

We are not staying as DVC members...just three nights over the weekend in the regular lodge, so I think I'm going to fax...it can't hurt!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I thought I had read somewhere that in the past year or two Disney stopped looking at the room request faxes for all accomodations, but I can't recall where I saw it. It was emphatic enough that I don't do it anymore.

You could still give it a try but I think you should also be certain it's on your original reservation. If you didn't do it at the time of reservation you can call in and the CM's will add your requests. I did this for our last stay at WL and I know for certain that it was there at the time of check in - because the room I had requested wasn't available but I double checked and the CM saw the request was there but the room was already occupied. I was being very specific for that one and wasn't expecting to have much of a chance anyway.

Good luck!

Oh - just found the information about the faxing and it is specifically WL that doesn't accept faxes per info on allears.net. Here's the link and what you should do.... http://www.allears.net/acc/cro1.htm

 

[andrewilley]

I still fax about 3-4 days before arrival, as has been said - what's to lose? Often we tend to check in fairly late in the day due to flight times, so I also reconfirm our booking in the fax (I know I don't need to as Disney will hold a booking until 6am - but it's a good reason to have been sending the fax in the first place).

I spoke to a Front Desk Supervisor on the subject back in October (the one time I'd forgotten to fax!) and in fact she was the one who suggested contacting the resort just before arrival if we're going to be getting there late. Obviously she couldn't speak for anyone else, but she said that she personally likes to see faxes from guests as it shows that people care about their stay, and have actually gone to the bother of finding out about the resort in advance. She also commented that at POR they receive surprisingly few room request faxes, perhaps as few as a couple a day.

Andre

 

[safetymom]

Do you have your requests in your reservation? That is the best place to have them.

 

[mickeynut1]

I remembered reading some years back that WL stopped taking faxes and that all room requests must be made through CRO. This is from allears:

Important Change in Resort Faxing Policy - Updated July 2006

Disney's Wilderness Lodge discontinued accepting fax requests on December 15, 2003, for room assignments. All room requests must be added to your reservation by the Disney Reservation Center (WDTC and/or CRO) at least 10 days prior to your arrival at WL. They may be called in at 407-WDISNEY. This change now means WL and all the DVC resorts no longer accept room request faxes.

The official Disney policy on room preferences has always been that they need to be added directly to the reservation by DRC and contact with the resort was discouraged. In the past, that policy has not been strictly adhered to as the volume of the faxes received by the resort has been manageable. WL made this decision based on several factors which included the increase in the number of faxes received and the adverse reaction upon resort arrival of many people who could not have their room requests granted. Currently, each resort is free to adopt this policy or not as they see fit.

Disney's entire system of assigning rooms has recently undergone a metamorphosis. The Disney Reservations Center (DRC), which is comprised of both the Walt Disney Travel Company (WDTC) and the Central Reservations Office (CRO), had a new reservations computer system put online in 2004. This program will mesh seamlessly with the new property management computer system that the Disney resorts are now using, thereby eliminating the need for faxing room requests. Our best advice remains that you give your requests to your reservations agent for them to note directly on your reservation.

Any reports of "official" Disney memos to all reservations and/or resort CMs that purport them being told to ignore faxed requests cannot be verified by our very reliable network of DRC and resorts contacts. But unofficially, the word is that current resort policy is that faxes are no longer looked at because there were too many of them coming in and because it goes against the "rooms ready" policy of assigning a room that is currently ready and available at the time of your check-in. This varies from one resort to another and even from one CM at a resort to another.

So you may continue to follow the faxing advice listed below if that is your preference. Keep in mind that all resorts do not operate exactly the same. Some will no longer accept and/or read faxed requests. Others still welcome them ... for now.

Hope this helps

 

[BamaFan121s]

My husband and I stayed at the WL this past December and we faxed a letter 4 days before we arrived. It mentioned it was my birthday and our anniversary and we requested a king size bed on a high floor. When we checked in, they gave me a birthday pin, gave both of us anniversary pins and they upgraded our room from standard view to a courtyard view/lobby room. OMG it was absolutely incredible. When we got back from the parks that day, there was a birthday card from Mickey and Minnie and a WL chocolate heart left for me on the bed. So while there's no guarantee they will fulfill any of your requests that you fax, I will say they definitely do look at at least some of the faxes, so there's no harm in sending one!

That's awesome!

I'll definately make sure to include any special events we will be celebrating while in the World on my future faxes!

When the CMs at the front desk stop confirming that they were recieved and noted, then I will stop sending them.

 

[DisTeach1]

I guess it's like someone else said...it probably can't hurt and it's not like they're going to ban me from the resort. One thing I noticed...While I've never faxed to AKL, I've always gotten my requests, with the exception of connecting rooms. I've only gotten connecting rooms when I've faxed and reminded them of the importance due to my mother's age and arthritis.

 

[MissionMouse]

We use to fax years ago, but now just put our request in our reservation(s).

I would suggest making any request(s) in your reservation as too many request in the past have come through faxes creating a situation that is near impossible to manage, since it is information outside of the system. You should not have any expectations of a faxed request going anywhere other than the trash can...they won't throw (delete) your reservation away.

 

[geokeim]

We are not staying as DVC members...just three nights over the weekend in the regular lodge, so I think I'm going to fax...it can't hurt!

We also call the resort direct a couple of days prior, during the slow evening hours and make any special requests we have, in addition to faxing. We also try to obtain the GM's name as well, to drop with the reservation agent upon arrival. A little politeness and aggressiveness mixed together seems to go along way toward getting what you want.

 

[andrewilley]

I do agree that the most important thing is to have your requests added to your original booking via DRC though, that's far more useful than just mentioning it a few days before you arrive.

A nice polite follow-up fax can't hurt, though.

Andre

 

[luvmarypoppins]

This time I am faxing, I will do it a few days before, for our May 17 trip because we booked our room through aa vacations and they told dh we couldnt make a room request. I am not being picky and will just ask for 1 of 3 longhouses (Polynesian) on 3rd floor balcony. I have never been upgraded or expected one but this time its a very special b day and anniversay so I am telling them because I definetely dont want a parking lot view anywhere.

 

[disneyfan61]

We use to fax years ago, but now just put our request in our reservation(s).

I would suggest making any request(s) in your reservation as too many request in the past have come through faxes creating a situation that is near impossible to manage, since it is information outside of the system. You should not have any expectations of a faxed request going anywhere other than the trash can...they won't throw (delete) your reservation away.

No more faxing for us either. I also heard that they do not want faxes anymore. I just make my requests when I am making my reservation.