DVC Policy on Room Requests

[PamOKW]

This was just posted on the Member Site sometime this afternoon

Special Room Request Procedure

As a reminder, the established procedure and appropriate time for making special room requests is when you make your reservation with Member Services. If you have any additional requests, or changes to your original request, call Member Services directly. Please do not call or fax the resort where you'll be staying. To be fair to all Members, the only information we use when trying to honor special room requests is that which comes from Member Services.
With so many Members having special requests, it's important that everyone follow this established procedure. As you can imagine, the number of Members asking for particular rooms, views, floors, and buildings makes it impossible to honor all of the requests. We do our best to honor your requests, but please understand that we cannot guarantee them.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thanx, Pam. I always thought (and heard) that faxing requests was a waste of time.

 

[DebbieB]

It doesn't answer the big question - do they pre-assign rooms by date of reservation as they said previously or is it first come, first served at check-in. I will send them an e-mail.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think the answere to that is how specific is your request? We usually ask for an area or near a specific bus stop. I think those who ask for a specific building or room would have less chance of getting it.

Last January, we asked for the South Point area and to be near our friends who asked the same thing. We were given building 51 and each had a unit on the second floor next to each other. Different stairs, but still next to each other.

 

[JimC]

Thanks Pam. The procedure seems reasonable. That is how we always make special requests - through the booking agent. We usually have three requests (non-smoking, 1st floor or near elevators, and near bus stop or main area). They have generally been honored wherever we have traveled. I wonder what the typical DVC request is like.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

Our request, generally, are pretty vague. The most important to us are non-smoking and upper floor. The last 2 years at OKW we have asked for "near Hopitality House" and have had that request met, as well as n/s, upper floor. We decided after our last trip that we are going to play OKW roulette and just see where we end up so we can try out some other areas of the resort. One time have we asked for a specific building and that was at HH.

Only once have we not had our requests met and that was when we were given a smoking optional room at VWL this last 4th of July. I think the more generic you are, the better the chance of your requests being met.

 

[PamOKW]

My guess is they are being overrun with "special requests" and guests who are disappointed and/or angry when they don't get what they have asked for. To tell you the truth, I never even thought to make a request other than "non-smoking" prior to joining DVC. I usually keep my requests to a minimum that are designed to give me a non-smoking room on an upper floor overlooking the golf course at OKW or, if possible, the Boardwalk at BWV.

People getting specific as to which exact room or even building they'd like are just setting themselves up for disappointment. The resort staff could go crazy trying to satisfy every specific request and may just give up trying to honor them at all beyond "non-smoking". They don't have time to wade through paper and phone calls that try to ensure getting "exactly" room "X".

 

[JudithM]

Originally posted by PamOKW
My guess is they are being overrun with "special requests" and guests who are disappointed and/or angry when they don't get what they have asked for. To tell you the truth, I never even thought to make a request other than "non-smoking" prior to joining DVC. I usually keep my requests to a minimum that are designed to give me a non-smoking room on an upper floor overlooking the golf course at OKW or, if possible, the Boardwalk at BWV.

People getting specific as to which exact room or even building they'd like are just setting themselves up for disappointment. The resort staff could go crazy trying to satisfy every specific request and may just give up trying to honor them at all beyond "non-smoking". They don't have time to wade through paper and phone calls that try to ensure getting "exactly" room "X".

Pam, thanks for starting this thread - I don't check the DVC website very often, so thank you!

And you are correct ... I have chatted with several CMs (management types) over the years & some members do have a tendency to ask for a specific room number; or several requests in one reservation like non-smoking top floor left side of building xx with a golf view; etc.

Also, there are members who ask for example Old Turtle Pond area & then are upset when they are in buildings like 30, 31, 36, etc. & not right next to the pool or thebus stop.

Personally I make my requests through Member Services & have had very good luck . My compliments to the CMs who work the front desk & assign rooms either before we arrive or when we arrive!!

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by PamOKW
My guess is they are being overrun with "special requests" and guests who are disappointed and/or angry when they don't get what they have asked for. To tell you the truth, I never even thought to make a request other than "non-smoking" prior to joining DVC. I

I find that anywhere you travel more often, people tend to make requests. I spent a long 3 months commuting to Montreal for work. The hotel began asking if we had requests as we became regulars. I think DVC is similiar. With people going home 1-4 times per year, you do grow to have more preferences.

That said, although I have preferences a "bad room" at Disney is still better than a great room elsewhere.

JMHO
Sandy