Guest experiences with daily room checks

[Lynne M]

Looks like it's time for another reminder that this is not a discussion thread.

Before posting in one of the threads pinned to the top of this board, be sure to read the first post. The pinned ("sticky") posts often have special ground rules for posting. For example, the only posts that should be on this thread are first-hand reports of your experiences with the room checks. Any other posts will be removed without comment.

If you want to discuss the policy or ask questions about it, you're invited to start a thread on the Resorts board.

 

[PrincessV]

Just back from another POP stay (8/28-30)... I was there for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opening, so 8/28 I was up and out of my room at 2:30am, back around 10am to sleep, gone again around 2pm, and back to my room around 10pm. 8/29 I slept late and was gone from my room from around 11:30am-10pm, and I slept late and didn't leave my room on the 30th until 10:45am. Had the Room Occupied sign on my door any time I was in the room. No knocks at all while I was in there. I added a a handwritten sign that said, "Sleeping - please do not knock!" during the day on the 28th attached to the door with a magnet, and when I left later, it was gone, magnet and all.

 

[Jennasis]

AKLV this week 9/7-13. We took midday naps most days. First 2 days, nobody knocked but instead called the room to ask when they could come check. They called because we had the room occupied sign out. I would have preferred a knock lol as the phone ring sounded like a fire alarm going off. It scared me half to death. Third time somebody did knock Because I didn't hang the sign up and I got up to answer and let the housekeeper in.

No big deals again.

 

[famsen]

Just got back. I was sick the entire trip so it was a pretty lousy vacation. I declined housekeeping one day because I just wanted to rest. Within about 2 hours of my call to decline housekeeping I got a call saying they have to do a security check everyday and was now a good time to come. I suppose there was no good time as I declined anyone in my room due to illness but I said sure. Within 30 minutes a guy comes to the door we open it. He says "Is everything ok in here?" I just just shook my head nodding yes and he left. In no way would this have prevented anyone with ill intentions from doing what they want to do. What a joke

 

[maryliz]

We just did 3 nights at ASMovies where we declined HK. No room check while we were there, and our trash was never removed. 2 nights at BWV and same thing. There was only 2 of us so we didn't have much trash anyway. 1 night at SSR and since we didn't get our room until 3:50 and left at 11:00AM the next morning, guessing a non-issue. When we were in the room, we used the Occupied sign. I would have been very upset had they knocked at that time, as they could be disturbing a nap, or showers after a swim. Non issue for us thank goodness.

 

[dbriggsq]

At AK Kidani this week. Yesterday after an early start we settled down for a sleep around 2.30 leaving the room occupied sign out. About half an hour later housekeeping knocked 3 times eventually waking us up and then tried to come into the room. I have to say I was very annoyed - the room occupied signs are therefore useless. I questioned this at reception today and was told the usual - it's for security, we had the right to come into your room anytime etc. I suggested that if the sign is out it would be polite to wait a certain length of time and then return - to feel as though you have no right of privacy at any time is very disconcerting to me. I was told I could arrange housekeeping to come at a certain time - but obviously for us this wouldn't be at the same time every day. Or that I could phone down to say please don't disturb for the next x amount of time - but firstly could I be sure they would adhere to that and secondly it's a nuisance and can sometimes take a long time to get through to housekeeping.

 

[maryliz]

At AK Kidani this week. Yesterday after an early start we settled down for a sleep around 2.30 leaving the room occupied sign out. About half an hour later housekeeping knocked 3 times eventually waking us up and then tried to come into the room. I have to say I was very annoyed - the room occupied signs are therefore useless. I questioned this at reception today and was told the usual - it's for security, we had the right to come into your room anytime etc. I suggested that if the sign is out it would be polite to wait a certain length of time and then return - to feel as though you have no right of privacy at any time is very disconcerting to me. I was told I could arrange housekeeping to come at a certain time - but obviously for us this wouldn't be at the same time every day. Or that I could phone down to say please don't disturb for the next x amount of time - but firstly could I be sure they would adhere to that and secondly it's a nuisance and can sometimes take a long time to get through to housekeeping.

I agree that if the Room Occupied sign is out, they should NOT knock, unless they have gone to the room several different times that day and the sign is always out. Then I would say "third time's a charm and they can knock and enter if no answer." If we've come back to nap or shower, I don't want to be disturbed. Often last week if one of us was in the shower, the other went to refill the mugs, so no security lock on. We always used the sign, and I'd have been very angry if someone knocked and entered while I was showering and DH was at the food court. We fortunately didn't have any problem, and our trash was never removed so I'm guessing we weren't even checked the 6 nights we were there.

 

[mom4graceandlogan]

Just back from week at Boulder Ridge. We have an 18 year old, 15 year old, and a husband who sleeps late. Every single day they ignored the room occupied sign and tried to come in before 10:30, sometimes 9:30. I explained to person doing checks that we sleep late, come after lunch, he said they ignore room occupied signs and have to come in to get the trash. One day he completely freaked out my 18 year old who is autistic. I could not put the latch on door to keep people from entering because I had gone to refillable mugs while they were sleeping. I again explained that we slept late and come after lunch. another day he must of observed me going to get breakfast to bring back to room, and tried to enter after he saw me walk down hall, I looked back and caught him and yelled wait and again reminded him we sleep late and he said he would come after lunch then. It is really ridiculous. And every day I made sure to take my room occupied sign down at lunch time so they new there were times we were out of room. Oh and despite the need to urgently get our trash every day. We never got the 4th day DVC room cleaned service. Even though Occupied sign was off door from 12 on and carts were parked in front of our door. The policy puts the CM in a bad decision I am sure they have dealt with many upnhappy startled guests. I was at least polite about it.

 

[DeniseR]

I was at the Beach Club last week. The only day we were there in the afternoon (we had a two year old with us and he needed a nap that day so I brought him back) I had the "room occupied" sign out and someone knocked. I assumed it was housekeeping so I hurried to the door so they would quit knocking and talking so as to not wake the baby. Of course they woke him and when I got to the door, he has already opened it (he was NOT with housekeeping) and said "is everything okay in here?" I said "what?" because I couldn't figure out why he was asking me that. He repeated himself and I said "yes, why wouldn't it be?" And he just said "okay no problem just checking" and left. It was annoying and the baby did not go back to sleep. And I agree that if I were doing something wrong in there, he wouldn't know by knocking on the door and waking the baby. He didn't come in or anything. I asked at the Club level desk and they said it is just policy. I get it, but still not sure how that will help.

 

[cakebaker]

Stayed at the Yacht Club and we had declined housekeeping our last day. Mid afternoon, got a knock on the door. The man asked how we were doing and could he step in. I said yes, he stepped in, took a quick look around and was out the door. Had my grandson been napping I would’ve opened the door and stepped out, but we were all awake so no big deal. I agree though, I just don’t see how this makes us any safer. If I had plans to do something, the evidence wouldn’t be laying out for anyone to see just looking around.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

My experiences with the room inspections were very odd on this trip. The ladies and older gentlemen CM gave a quick look around the room without even coming in and said 'Thank you'. However, younger male CMs would come in turn taps and lights on and off and flush the toilet, as to why, well who knows. After all, if I had a problem with those then I'd call maintenance.
And one of those younger CMs was exceptionally rude to me as he banged on the door even though I had the 'room occupied' sign there, he told me, in no uncertain terms, even pointing to the small print on the sign, that Disney reserves the right to enter a room whether the guest agrees or not. Shall I name him? No, but, he was very lucky I didn't make a complaint about him.

 

[KarenP64]

My experiences with the room inspections were very odd on this trip. The ladies and older gentlemen CM gave a quick look around the room without even coming in and said 'Thank you'. However, younger male CMs would come in turn taps and lights on and off and flush the toilet, as to why, well who knows. After all, if I had a problem with those then I'd call maintenance.
And one of those younger CMs was exceptionally rude to me as he banged on the door even though I had the 'room occupied' sign there, he told me, in no uncertain terms, even pointing to the small print on the sign, that Disney reserves the right to enter a room whether the guest agrees or not. Shall I name him? No, but, he was very lucky I didn't make a complaint about him.

Which resort?

 

[MrsTomMorrow14]

We went back in March for mardi gras. We had an issue with a $500 gift card gone missing after the first day house keeping visited. So we had the manager put no one was allowed in our room without our presence. (because they did not believe us and basically didn't care that a 1/4 of our vacation budget was gone) They insisted they came every day for room checks.... even if we got back at 9pm and I had my 2 toddlers in the bath tub. It was quite annoying, but for everyone's safety I agreed.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

Which resort?

Pop

 

[KarenP64]

We went back in March for mardi gras. We had an issue with a $500 gift card gone missing after the first day house keeping visited. So we had the manager put no one was allowed in our room without our presence. (because they did not believe us and basically didn't care that a 1/4 of our vacation budget was gone) They insisted they came every day for room checks.... even if we got back at 9pm and I had my 2 toddlers in the bath tub. It was quite annoying, but for everyone's safety I agreed.

Which resort?

 

[MrsTomMorrow14]

Which resort?

Boardwalk villas

 

[Lynne M]

When you post a report, please include the name of the resort. Experiences with room checks can vary across resorts, so that’s useful info for readers to know. Thanks.

 

[LSK]

When we stayed at Yacht Club we had a room check the day we went to HS from 6-9 and Epcot from 5-10. In our family, I'm the one who is on these boards so when my husband answered the door (our do not disturb was out) and a nice gentleman was there asking if we needed anything, he had no idea this was a room check. He thought it was housekeeping going above and beyond and said, we'd love some more towels. The room check gentleman rounded up some towels and washcloths and was on his way.

 

[ppb1701]

We just stayed at Art of Animation. We did have our dog which is automatic decline of housekeeping (minus scheduling it). ith her there we do leave the dog room occupied since up the whole time simply to make sure they don't just open the door wide open. When we are gone we use a baby gate to block her in a bathroom. Coming back thru along to check on her. We've done this several times since the policy went in effect, but have never noticed anyone coming by. This time we did. Several days around 2 we happened to be there and housekeeping came by saying since we declined room service, they needed to do a check. They walked in glanced briefly, made a note and left. (Irony to me is that they will come do check but wont clean the room if dog is present... [and no, they don't offer a gift card to you with the pet either if you were wondering]).

Anywho, that wasn't a big deal, except twice when we were gone. Our dog had been feeling a little anxious so beyond coming back more frequently we had set up a baby cam to check on her and left the tv/music playing to block out the noise outside. We checked and couldn't here it outside. Two days, they turned the tv down. Another time they turned the music player off.

 

[MrsTomMorrow14]

We just stayed at Saratoga Springs. We were gone from 6/7am-2pm every day and then out again around 4p/5p-10pm. they usually came in the morning. Except one day we were in the room. I put the sign on the door. I was napping and my husband was in the bathtub. He heard a knock and then someone opened the door and shut it. they called a few minutes later to say we had the occupied sign and when could they come. We had asked for coffee to be replenished when they came to do room checks and garbage but they did not. And at midnight we were waiting around for them to come drop some off.