Eager Housekeeping at Checkout

[erikthewise]

We've had good luck on our first two trips home getting a room when checking in between 11AM and 12, for which I'm grateful.

I thought perhaps it was because we checked in on a weekend day (Saturday both times), but as we were checking out this year we ran into another possible explanation. Housekeeping started cleaning our room before we left! Actually our luggage was all packed, and only DW was in at the time. The rest of us returned to the room about 10:50 to load our luggage into the car, to find the cleaning process well underway!

We didn't have any problem with this, but I'm curious if this sort of thing is standard practice. Anyone else have their room cleaned before leaving?

 

[Pinnie]

We had the same experience on Sunday, Dec 14!!!

We packed up the suitcases and took a walk down to the lobby for coffee before packing the car in the pouring rain. We went back up to the room at about 10:30 and they were already in there cleaning!!!!


pin

 

[WOW]

Yes---in September. We were waiting for Bell Services (which were not prepared that day and a few called out sick, so we were waiting for awhile) and I knew housekeeping was waiting for us to leave, so I asked if they wanted to start. They were very courteous about it and asked if it was really ok and of course we said yes. We got to talking and really had a pleasant wait for bell services. They were just sooo nice and appreciated the fact that we let them start before we left.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Was this BEFORE you checked out? Had you contacted the desk already?

 

[Pinnie]

We were signed up for Express Checkout and did NOT contact the desk that morning.

pin

 

[poohstx]

We checked out yesterday morning (Friday Dec 19th) and received a knock on the door at around 9:25am. We told the housekeepers we would be leaving the room in less than 20 minutes, so they went on their way and we said goodby to them as we left. As others have stated, there was no push and if it helps others check in earlier, I fully support this interaction. I think the problem with express checkout is that there is no signal to the housekeepers that the occupants have vacated the unit.

 

[MelissathePooh]

The past few times we've checked out - we always use express check out and usually take our own bags as we only carry on - there have been housekeepers waiting in the halls for rooms to open. They have asked us what room we're in and if its okay to clean it.

I think we so many people requesting late checkouts it makes it difficult for the housekeepers to get an early start. Which is kind of ironic given how many people want their rooms to be ready early! Even with an 11 am check out it makes it difficult for housekeeping to get started in order to get done by check in.

We always leave as early as we can and leave our bags at bell servicess. That way our room gets freed up.

 

[msdis]

We use express checkout too but out of courtesy and respect I always call housekeeping and let them know on our way out the door that it is free for the cleaning. It just helps everyone.

 

[jaysue]

We put the do not disturb sign out now as we have had HK knocking at our door before 8am to clean

When we leave we take the sign down

That is a good point to call HK as a courtesy to let them know you are leaving

thanks
jaysue

 

[DebbieB]

There was a problem 2 or 3 years ago where housekeeping (allegedly) was calliing rooms of people checking out and hanging up to see if they were vacated yet. At least I haven't heard of that happening in a while.

On our checkout day at BWV a week ago, I had the privacy sign on the door. When I called the bellman about 9:40 to come up to the room to take our luggage down, I took the sign off (they will sometimes not knock on the door if the sign is there). It took about 15 or 20 minutes for him to come up (Friday morning is busy for checkouts), in the meantime I heard a faint knock at the door and opened it. It was the housekeeper. I told her we would be leaving in a few minutes, as soon as the bellman came. She was very apologetic for knocking.

 

[DVCinderella]

Originally posted by DebbieB
There was a problem 2 or 3 years ago where housekeeping (allegedly) was calliing rooms of people checking out and hanging up to see if they were vacated yet. At least I haven't heard of that happening in a while.

We checked out of the VWL on Friday 12/12, and we received a mysterious hang-up call at 8:20am. We were already awake and packing, but I was annoyed just the same. I had read about these hang-up calls on the Disboards, but had yet to experience one. I always call HK to let them know when I am vacating the room.

We usually take an early flight on our arrival date, and I am always thrilled if a room is ready early...if not, the luggage goes in storage, and we head to the parks. So I can appreciate HK wanting to get into the rooms early. But I find the hang-up call obnoxious, and very un-Disney like. Of course, there's no way to prove it's HK, but after four days of not getting any calls on our room phone (since we use our cell phones), it's awfully suspicous to get a hang-up call at 8:20am on check-out day.

I wonder if these hang-up calls only happen at the DVC resorts, since the rooms take longer to clean?

I hate to complain, and not offer a suggestion, but the only thing I can think of is somehow getting Bell Services involved. Perhaps BS could ask you if you are vacating the room when you call to have your bags picked up? I'm sure it wouldn't take much to setup some sort of on-line system where BS could click off on a vacated room, and the information is made available to HK. Of course, this doesn't help for those folks who carry down their own luggage, but even if half the departing guests use BS, it should give HK some rooms to work on.

 

[pumpkinboy]

I dunno, I kinda like the idea that HK is on the ball, and eager to get things ready for us annoying folks who arrive early (i.e. before the appointed 4:00 official opening of check-in). If folks are leaving, there's more work than usual, certainly more than a T&T day.

You go Housekeeping!

 

[we3luvdisney]

I have a problem with this!

We have stayed at the Boardwalk, with points, and have received the "famous" early morning calls/hang-ups on the day we are checking out. We have also had housekeeping come into the room prior to the designated time for check-out.

What really surprises me is that we NEVER receive this type of "harassment" when we are paying cash at any other Disney hotel.

Everyone is greeted with a "Welcome Home," when they arrive. Makes you wonder what they are saying prior to check-out?

 

[StormTigger]

We stayed in VWL this Oct and did the express checkout. There was a note or something given to us either during check in or it was in the room by the phone (or might have been on the bill) that had us call a number and hang up when we left the room.

I'm guessing they where either testing this, or not everyone is calling down to HK is hanging around in the halls or doing the mysterious calling. I have to admit I would find the call/hang up really annoying. I guess this number, where and when I got it etc, is something I'll have to pay more attention to next time.

 

[MelissathePooh]

I'm ashamed to admit it never occurred to me to call as we were leaving. We will make sure to do that from here out. We have gotten the knocks before, I can't remember about phone calls - either way it doesn't really bother me. We're checking out that day anyway.

 

[DebbieB]

Maybe they could leave a voice mail the night before saying "please call extension xxxx when you are checking out".

 

[DeeP]

Just for the record this does happen at other WDW resorts besides DVC resorts. I stay at all types of WDW resorts on a fairly regular basis and being bugged by housekeeping on check out day occurs at all WDW resorts and count me in with the folks that do find this annoying. I understand that Housekeeping wants as early as possible access to the rooms but sometimes they get a little carried away! For example, in Sept I was staying at CSR for a business trip and had paid additional money on my check out day to stay in my room until 3:00 PM. Obviously the message did not get relayed from the front desk to housekeeping that my room was occupied until 3 PM because housekeeping was knocking on the door at 8:30 AM! No big deal, I inform her that I had paid for the room until 3 PM, blah, blah....so she goes away and proceeds to come back at 10, 12 and then attempts to enter the room when I am in the shower at 1:30!!!! Needless to say at this point I called the front desk. The woman did not have full understanding of the English language and Disney did do the right thing and refund my money that I had paid for the extended check out, but it was still very frustrating. There has got to be a better way.

 

[erikthewise]

Originally posted by DebbieB
Maybe they could leave a voice mail the night before saying "please call extension xxxx when you are checking out".

A reasonable suggestion, except for "the night before". If you don't listen to and delete the message (a multi-step process) before going to bed , the stupid red light blinks all night long! You don't notice how annoying it is until the room is dark. I'd rather voice mail were restricted to "real" messages rather than automatically generated ones, such as the one at the Swan that turned out to be about Starwood timeshares.

 

[kcashner]

At Wilderness Lodge, a housekeeper who spoke little or no English (or pretended not to) knocked on our door at 7:10 am on the day of check out. We weren't even out of bed yet! Since I seemed unable to communicate with her, I got the housekeeping supervisor on the phone and told her that we would be leaving about 9:30.

I've never had a problem in our many stays at Boardwalk or Old Key West.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I can't ever remember having this problem at OKW, and we often have a late afternoon flight out. We usually pack up and are out of the room by 9-9:30 and call housekeeping when we leave the room, if we don't see any of them near the housekeepers closet when we are loading the car. We too always use express check out, so I think it is harder for them to know when exactly folks are leaving.