Early check-in?

[colleen costello]

We leave Friday for OKW. Will arrive Saturday evening and spend a cash night at Riverside. I plan to go over to OKW about 9am Sunday to check us in for the week. My parents won't get in from the airport til around 1. What are my odds of getting a room early? We need a nonsmoking 2-bedroom with ground floor or en elevator for my Mom.

I don't want to get my hopes up, but it would be so nice to get in a room early and be unpacked and ready for FUN!

 

[RoutemanDan]

I would say pretty good at OKW.At least it always has been for us in the past.Our room has always been ready when we checked in at OKW and never been ready at VWL.We usually check in around 11 am. Good luck!

 

[colleen costello]

I will tell them "Hey RoutemanDan said I should be able to get in early" and see if that works... I am hopeful because I will be there early and don't really care where the room is. We have our van.

If it IS early and you go to check in and you don't like where the room is, can you ask to wait around for a different room? Just curious...

 

[DebbieB]

You can ask for a different room. As long as you do it at the front desk, you don't have to worry about the room change fee. I checked into BWV around 10:00am last December and asked what floor we were on, she said first. I had requested a fireworks view, so I asked if there were any upper floor rooms available. She found us a great 4th floor room. Neither room was ready. We waited until about 3:30 for the 4th floor room.

 

[RAD]

We were staying off site for a couple of days with some friends before moving to OWK. Went to front desk on a Monday at 8AM, asked for a water or golf course view (didn't care if smoking or non) and got room 3711 which was all ready to go. First time in 7 visits that we have a DVC room early. Maybe this is because OWK now does the first come first served room assignment. Since I made the reservation only 14 days earlier I was expecting a view of a garbage dumpster

 

[Mary Anne]

By first come first serve do you mean who gets there that day in the AM or by when you call DVC for a reservation.

I don't care, I'm just wondering.

 

[RAD]

My understanding is that at OKW only they aren't doing the room preassignment things like the other resorts but are assigning the rooms when you check in, so the earlier you get there the better the chance of getting what you want.

 

[colleen costello]

I will report back once I am home. I will see what they tell me at the front desk. I may have to wait as we need nonsmoking, ground floor. Hopefully the place will not be full and I can get into a room early!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

It was recently explained to me that room requests are still being taken, noted and assigned, however, if you arrive early and your "assigned" room was not ready, they will give you a choice from the "rack" rooms. I feel sure this works pretty well when the resort is at less than capacity, but, I do wonder how it works when it is full.
Colleen,
We arrive early most of the time (between 9am - 11am) and our unit is always ready. Good luck, there are many ground floor non smoking units.

 

[spiceycat]

I have alot of trouble in December - when I checked in early at 7:00 am - the manager was the worst I have ever come across at any DVC resort.

Anyway - the front desk person really tried to help - they say I didn't request a room (when I always do) - then when she told me that there were some rooms available in the building that I wanted - but I was locked-out. Anyway he (the manager) came out then and say that they were "reserved". Well I was told that this was impossible. I really think he had some friends coming and that was the whole problem. Anyway I left with a room I really didn't want - and then I really had problems - I noticed that I was kicked out by housekeeping early and when I went to get the keys from the front desk (changing to a 1-bedroom) - I was told my new room was not ready!!!

Anyway after I talked to HK at 1:00pm - this manager - just told them that the room was needed - he forgot to mention that I was standing there waiting for it.

I mean if this is the type of personel that OKW is hiring - if it happens again this time - I am complaining to everyone!!!! Judy stills works for them - so she would be the first!

It was 2:00pm before I got a room - that is when HK came and ask me to leave at 8:00am - boy I will NEVER do that again - I am staying in my room until I am given another room!!!

 

[CarolA]

I am hoping the above post is a joke????

 

[spiceycat]

Carol I wish!!! I have just send my fax for this time - in a week I hope to report that everything went fine!

I know a room is not guaranteed - but when you are waiting and you see other people check in and there room is waiting for them - it makes a bad situation worst. And no - since none of my request were meet - at that time I just wanted a room - so when I called HK and found out that the manager did not even do his job (in my opinion) - well as I stated HK had my room ready in an hour (otherwise who knows - with that manger I would not have been surprise if after 6:00pm).

Now this is the first time I had trouble in 9 years at OKW - and I hope it will be last!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Anyway I left with a room I really didn't want - and then I really had problems - I noticed that I was kicked out by housekeeping early and when I went to get the keys from the front desk (changing to a 1-bedroom) - I was told my new room was not ready!!!

You have until 11 am to check out. Housekeeping may ask when you are leaving ( I deter this by using the " Do not disturb" sign) but, I doubt they kick you out.
Your room may not have been ready at that hour of the am, but, remember checkin time is not until after 4 pm.

I am sure it was annoying to watch others check in, but, perhaps they had reservations and their rooms were ready. They probably went into rooms that had been previously assigned to them.

As I said previously, I have been given to believe that if you come early and your room requested is not ready you can select one from the "rack" (aka, non assigned rooms). So, saying that you could not get into the rooms in the building you had wanted does NOT mean the manager was saving them for anyone, it means they were assigned to other people, and perhaps had a "do not move" noted on the reservation (they do do that, btw).

I can see having a beef about not getting the room you wanted, but, cannot see one for leaving your room early and having to wait until the "after 4pm checkin" to get your second room.

I am staying in my room until I am given another room!!!

I sure would not advise that, for one thing they can charge you points for late check out, you will force someone to have to wait for this room (something you seem to be upset about) and it is against the rules.

Anyway after I talked to HK at 1:00pm - this manager - just told them that the room was needed - he forgot to mention that I was standing there waiting for it.

The fact that he mentioned that the room was needed takes care of his responsibility, IMHO, it was obvious that it was needed and I doubt that letting them know you were standing there was going to get the unit done any faster.

It might just be that I have been lucky, but, I have yet to meet a manager at OKW that did not bend over backwards to accomodate a guest/member. But, there again, I tend to follow the guidelines and not expect anything but that, if something happens and say a room is ready before 4pm I consider it good luck and am happy about it, however, if it is not, I find something to do until it is.

 

[spiceycat]

Gail - sorry but the front desk clerk told me that there were some 1bedrooms in building 18 - but in her words she was "LOCKED OUT" of being able to change too.

I certainly hope you never have to go through what I went through either.

As far as housekeeping - yes - they came by at 8:00 am and say that they needed this room - and did I need help leaving. Not when are you checking out.

I place all my problems on the manager - as I say in my opinion he did not do his job. when HK found out that I was there and waiting - the room was done in an hour.

As far as me not having a reservations - NO!!!! I make these reservations at 11 month out. None of these were last minute reservations.

Now OKW can't tell some people that it is a first come first requested - and other that sorry - you have take what we have you have no right to refuse and no right to change. Remember I got there at 7:00 am - and was told nothing is available by the manager - when the front desk clerk clearly told me that there were 1-bedrooms available before he was called. He would not have gotten involved at all - if she could have made the changes necessary.

as far as giving me a choice of rooms - I was told by the manager that there was not any - I don't like being lied to and since he did - even when he knew I knew he was lying - that leads me to believe that he had other plans for those rooms. What would you think?

Now I can understand if I arrive at 7:00pm, but I got there at 7:00 am. and I make the reservations at 11 months out. See why I am faxing my request this time?

Believe me I NEVER want to go though that again!

 

[Chuck S]

But, if those rooms were under a "DO NOT MOVE" notation, the CM that checked you in should NOT even have mentioned them, OR gotten the manager involved. So part of the problem WAS the CM. Perhaps the entire building was blocked for a large family reunion - there is another thread where the member needs 12 rooms close together. If the room assigner put a DO NOT MOVE note on those rooms, and I had a large group coming in, I'd have been very upset if they moved a member of my family because someone else wanted a room in that building.

None of us really knows all the circumstances at your initial check-in.

As far as your check-out check-in, sorry your room wasn't available. Unless I was heading for a park, I would've kept the room till 11am - HK or no HK. Then if my new room wasn't ready - well check-in IS 4pm - I've had to wait before. Maybe those folks checking-in on that day ahead of you had been pre-assigned rooms that had not been occupied the previous night? Again, we really don't know the whole scenario.

**edited for spelling**

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Then if my new room wasn't ready - well check-in IS 4pm

Check in is AFTER 4pm.

Great post Chuck. It is hard to know what goes on behind the scenes and I would be hard pressed to call someone a liar without knowing all the facts.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

sorry but the front desk clerk told me that there were some 1bedrooms in building 18 - but in her words she was "LOCKED OUT" of being able to change too.

That means there are in a "do not move" status.

As far as housekeeping - yes - they came by at 8:00 am and say that they needed this room - and did I need help leaving. Not when are you checking out.

I would have said I don't need help and I will be leaving at 11 am.

As far as me not having a reservations - NO!!!! I make these reservations at 11 month out. None of these were last minute reservations.

I don't think I said anything about you not having reservations.

Remember I got there at 7:00 am - and was told nothing is available by the manager - when the front desk clerk clearly told me that there were 1-bedrooms available before he was called. He would not have gotten involved at all - if she could have made the changes necessary.

.

as far as giving me a choice of rooms - I was told by the manager that there was not any - I don't like being lied to and since he did - even when he knew I knew he was lying - that leads me to believe that he had other plans for those rooms. What would you think?

Again, that means they are in "do not move" status

I don't fax, I don't call, I just make my requests at the time of reservation and bring my confirmation letter with me. That way there is no debate. Requests are just that, requests, they are not guarantees, if I get lucky, super, if not, oh well, OKW is great anyway.

 

[colleen costello]

So if I show up bright and early Sunday, and ask if a room is ready, what do I do if they offer one and I would rather wait, hoping to get an area we'd like better (by a quiet pool is what I am hoping for)? Can I say politely, "Well, if I wait a while, might there be a room by one of the pools?" I don't want to push my luck with these folks. If it means a room by a pool, I'll wait til 4pm or later.

 

[Chuck S]

Colleen, I think you are exactly right. If you are offered a room, they probably won't tell you exectly which room it is for security. You should take the initiative and politely ask what area of the resort it is in - they should be able to give you a general description without revealing the actual room number, or just ask if it is very near a pool (or whatever is important to you). If you think you'd be happier somewhere else, ask them if you waited, would there be a better chance of getting a location near a pool (they should know if some rooms will be opening up - waiting for housekeeping)*. Either way, of course, you can still finish up most of your check-in paperwork and head out to enjoy the parks.

*Except in the rare occasions that the resort is completely full, and all the rooms have already been pre-assigned.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Last summer it seemed that rooms were assigned ahead of time, because they made a mistake on mine, and put me on first floor, and I said that wasn't acceptable. They didn't seem able to just switch rooms, they had to get the manager, who offered me a TERRIFIC room in building 23! I took it, but it wasn't ready till 5:30, which was a bit of a wait, since I checked in at 11. The manager told me the room would be worth the wait (it was a 2 bedroom), and it was. He was tough, but he treated me fairly, and that's all I expect. I even called him once I got to my room to thank him--the room was that good!