From a MS CM: recent "enhancement" to room requests

[gortman65]

I was on the phone with MS earlier today and wanted to add a request to our October reservation for our room to be close to the lobby. The CM informed me that there has been a recent "enhancement" (her word) to request categories and, at least at AKV, you can no longer request that your room be near the lobby. Since the bus stop is near the lobby, I asked if she could enter a request for our room to be close to transportation. After checking for several minutes, she said that was a valid request.

Has anyone else run into this lately?

 

[Simba's Mom]

I do know that when I recently reserved a value studio at AKV, I asked for a savannah view and she told me that they no longer accepted requests for savannah view. Then I asked if I could make a request for a specific room number (the studio I had last trip there) and she took it. So it was all very strange. The last laugh may be on me though-with my luck I'll end up with a parking lot view! Oh, well-I'll still enjoy the low points.

 

[Chuck S]

It sounds like that they may be "standardizing" requests (ie pre-determined check-boxes) for the upcoming move to online reservations and online check-in.

 

[mjc2003]

Just put in a request for a GV as close to the lobby as possible for our November trip b/c my father in law will be a few weeks removed from knee surgery. She said she would put in a "medical request".

 

[disneynutz]

You can't request a view that is a category. ie: staying in a standard, you can't request a savanna view because savanna is a category.

About a year ago I reported that while checking in at BLT, we were told by a CM and a Manager that there will be major changes to room requests. The requests are listed in the new software that they converted to and the requests listed will be the only ones allowed. They also said that once a room is assigned, they will not take requests for changes at check in. The goal is to reduce CM contact time.

Bill

 

[dwelty]

sounds like they may be standardizing requests so when on line booking comes on line people can choose from a set list of requests.

 

[lilpooh108]

How annoying. I hate their "enhancements." The last time we stayed in Kidani we were in the very last "Bead" from the Lobby. It was such a LONG walk back from the bus stop.

 

[jodifla]

You can't request a view that is a category. ie: staying in a standard, you can't request a savanna view because savanna is a category.

About a year ago I reported that while checking in at BLT, we were told by a CM and a Manager that there will be major changes to room requests. The requests are listed in the new software that they converted to and the requests listed will be the only ones allowed. They also said that once a room is assigned, they will not take requests for changes at check in. The goal is to reduce CM contact time.

Bill

I don't think this is going to be very workable for them. I see a lot of arguing going on at the front desk, and a lot of unhappy CMs and guests, and a lot MORE time being spent, not less.

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

requests should be by your home resort priority. first of all , you are making
the revs. @ 11 mos. , long before the 7 mos.. now i know many stated
we were told misinfo . by our guide. [ something we asked about before
we brought @ blt. ] however, by working with a dvc helper, we were
granted our request. anyway, how should they grant requests fairly?

...booking order seem only fair for resorts like blt. [ what the chances
that everyone is asking for the highest floor regarding mk views?]

now we are experienced, we will not stay on the first floor again.
we did that by choice, but didn't realized there is no one watching
the place. [ ran into some very undisney-like characters.]

now we're getting ready for our alaska/disneyland adventure. well,
we have a room there @ the dvc resort...we don't expect our requests
be ahead of those owners. or when we did a akl..where we had to
walk a mile Q day to/from the room. did feel lucky...we were not
under the wart hogs breeding area.

 

[GoofItUp]

I called just this week to add room requests for my stay next month at Kidani. I requested (1) rooms close together (2) close to lobby (3) lower floor. The CM took my requests so quickly and indicated that they were applied to all 4 of my rooms that I called back yesterday because I had my doubts about them being put in. Well, this pessimist was proved wrong: all of my room requests were noted on the reservation for each room.

 

[Chuck S]

requests should be by your home resort priority. first of all , you are making
the revs. @ 11 mos. , long before the 7 mos.. now i know many stated
we were told misinfo . by our guide. [ something we asked about before
we brought @ blt. ] however, by working with a dvc helper, we were
granted our request. anyway, how should they grant requests fairly?

...booking order seem only fair for resorts like blt. [ what the chances
that everyone is asking for the highest floor regarding mk views?]

now we are experienced, we will not stay on the first floor again.
we did that by choice, but didn't realized there is no one watching
the place. [ ran into some very undisney-like characters.]

now we're getting ready for our alaska/disneyland adventure. well,
we have a room there @ the dvc resort...we don't expect our requests
be ahead of those owners. or when we did a akl..where we had to
walk a mile Q day to/from the room. did feel lucky...we were not
under the wart hogs breeding area.

While it sounds logical to grant DVCers their requests based upon how early the reservation is made, there are so many other factors figuring into the equation it really isn't practical.

You also have to deal with what room may become available on their check-in day, when the housekeepers may finish any given room, will a room go out of service for a problem, how many check-ins that day have the same requests...etc. Then there are those members that figure a request is some sort of guarantee, and have a meltdown atr the front desk if the perfect room is available for them when they arrive at 8am.

Unlike a cruise ship, not all rooms are available for occupancy at the same time. There is no way to pre-book specific DVC rooms, and as members demand more and more booking categories, the overall availability becomes less and less.

 

[lionqueen]

I requested close to the lobby last week..maybe call back and try again?????

 

[dianeschlicht]

How annoying. I hate their "enhancements." The last time we stayed in Kidani we were in the very last "Bead" from the Lobby. It was such a LONG walk back from the bus stop.

Yes, that's where we were too, but on the Jambo side of Kidani. While the bus stop was a "hike" we were almost closer to the Jambo lobby than we were to the Kidani one! In fact, I checked the distance to both with my pedometer, and it was only slightly farther to Jambo lobby than Kidani from that last 'bead' nearest to the Jambo end of the building.

 

[heynowirv]

I'm a little confused. when we made our reservation s for Kidani Savanah view studio last Jan. for this coming July the CM /MS person that i talked to took our request just as i stated it.

 

[Chuck S]

Remember that many members, even here on the DIS, have been begging for real time online reservations. It sounds like they are standardizing the "requests" so the online system will only allow some predetermined "click to select" options.

Kind of falls under the be careful what you wish for heading.

 

[disneynutz]

Here is another thread about the same thing.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2723552

Bill

 

[rock_doctor]

They also said that once a room is assigned, they will not take requests for changes at check in. The goal is to reduce CM contact time.

Really, well if they don't honor my single request of an even numbered room and then refuse to attempt a change at check in, they will see a serious increase in CM contact time...then an increase in manager contact time and then an increase in secretary time...

If they are going to give us reduced service during check in then i expect a reduction in check-in maintenance fees.

 

[DebbieB]

Really, well if they don't honor my single request of an even numbered room and then refuse to attempt a change at check in, they will see a serious increase in CM contact time...then an increase in manager contact time and then an increase in secretary time...

If they are going to give us reduced service during check in then i expect a reduction in check-in maintenance fees.

Sometimes it's not a matter of choosing to "honor" a request. It's possible there are no open rooms meeting your request or perhaps others who requested it got the assignment before you. No matter how much you complain it might not be possible.

 

[rock_doctor]

Sometimes it's not a matter of choosing to "honor" a request. It's possible there are no open rooms meeting your request or perhaps others who requested it got the assignment before you. No matter how much you complain it might not be possible.

True but my concern is, if they refuse to look or if they can honor the request of change at time of check-in and refuse, then that is an issue that needs to be addressed.

 

[psac]

I'm sure they can just give a quick response that the resort is completely full, and they can't assign a different room that will meet the length of your stay, or something like that.