Has Check-In Room Guaranteed Time Changed to 5pm?

[keishashadow]

Just to add more to this:
I think part of the problem is that DVC doesn't know when you are out of your room. I could leave my room at 8 in the morning but housekeeping might not check on that room until noon. That room could have been cleaned and turnovered to check in by 10am depending on how quickly the housekeeper could get to the room.

At most hotels, you use your TV to check out so that the room gets released to Housekeeping. WDW doens't have a system like this but needs it badly.

i always call down to the desk &let them know...that's if housekeeping hasn't already tapped on our door despite the early hour & the do not disturb sign on the door

it is true that we have no idea of how DVC schedules mousekeeping let alone whether they are full or part time.

we've never had to wait past 4 pm, typically get call room is ready by 3 pm or so, i really can't complain; do see posts here frequently. Guess there is really no way to guage the true % of delayed access to units.

 

[kdepot]

Ok I read this from the beginning.

If all rooms are to be vacated by 11 and the staff starts cleaning at 11 aren't some rooms ready at 12 and more at 1...2... How many guests ARE getting checked in after 4? How many are checked in before 3. I read all the time here and elsewhere about members arriving early and getting their room right away. We have no idea what % are after 4 or 5.

With staffing having to deal with the normal trash and tidy, check outs and more and more I read about split stays to save the weekend points or switch because they couldn't get the whole ressie at 1 resort. This has to be a scheduling nightmare for staff; the whole staff would be on a floating work schedule.

 

[tjkraz]

we've never had to wait past 4 pm, typically get call room is ready by 3 pm or so, i really can't complain; do see posts here frequently. Guess there is really no way to guage the true % of delayed access to units.

We have never had to wait either (knock wood!) Latest for us was about 2:30pm.

Since the new on-line checkin is asking for arrival times, hopefully they'll use that data in assigning rooms. We spent one night at SSR a couple of weeks ago and didn't even arrive until 1am!!! With many members coming in from the west coast and abroad, I bet the resorts get a lot of check ins during the evening hours.

With no consideration given to arrival times, I bet some of those late arrivals were pre-assigned rooms that were ready before noon. Meanwhile other early arrivals may have been pre-assigned the last rooms to be cleaned. That's certainly a fixable process with the data they now have available.

 

[Dean]

I expect I might see a few flames for this opinion BUT I'm gonna say it anyway. I realize that the mousekeeping comes out of our dues BUT IMO having enough staff to meet the demand is something that should be budgeted and planned for. Nothing has changed in that respect. We still pay our dues. The amount of rooms to be cleaned per resort has not altered. They know how many staff they need to keep up with cleaning the units in 5 hours. 5 hours is still 5 hours. I realize that Disney is cutting crap all over the place but they didn't reduce my dues, so I don't feel that this is a legitimate cut if they're cutting staff and that's why they're changing it. If they cut staff and lengthen the time required to clean the units then I expect an adustment in my dues. Period. That IMO is another cut in benefits. But they are PAID for benefits not ammenities.

Also, I don't think a studio should take any longer to clean than a regular room. They're roughly the same size. I'll give it an extra 10-15 min. to wipe down the kitchenette area.

No flames or argument here. No doubt that DVC needs to have the staff necessary to do the job and those costs are a normal and appropriate expense to be passed on to the members.

Wow, I would LOVE it if DVC would start that. I wouldn't think it would be impossible to schedule Mousekeeping like that. Doubt it would ever happen, but sure would be nice for trying different rooms and/or resorts!

DVC's day by day system would present unique challenges to such an option but it should be doable. All they'd really have to do is make it a policy then allow the managers and supervisors to do their jobs. This is an issue that could easily be handled resort by resort by the front desk and housekeeping personnel.

Dare we suggest that they hire a few more housekeepers? Enough to get the job done in the time allotted - and get everyone into their villas before 6 pm? I'd even be happy to let them tout it as another "enhancement of guest experience".

DisFlan

There are likely MANY other approaches they can take that would improve the problem with the same number of staff. IMO, it should be unusual for anyone to get their room ANY after 4 unless there were a water leak or similar issue that required more than just housekeeping. It's all about working smarter.

I believe officially it's worded "after 4", which doesn't mean it's guaranteed by 4. It just means that any time after 4 you'll room will be ready. That could mean 11:59 pm and they are OK. You might not be OK, but they are.

It actually used to say check in was 4 and they specifically changed it to say after 4 to give themselves flexibility.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

The mousekeepers could be scheduled using the solver option on an Excel spreadsheet.

Its been a long time since I learned about this option in Excel in grad school. The solver allows you to put in all sorts of variables, (such as the # and types of rooms due for cleaning each day.) It then sets up the most efficient schedule with the workers available. Of course there would be some cancellations or late reservations. I would think setting the system up with a 5%-10% overage would allow for late reservations or really dirty rooms. Surely, this could be tweaked to be helpful.

My question is...if I could do this on Excel 10 years ago...why can't Disney do it now? If they are using it...I bet there are solving for cost and not timeliness. Hmmmm.

I also wonder if the check-in/out patterns are the same at the non-DVC resorts. Why can't they pull some mousekeepers away from other resorts? Yes, I do know it would be a headache for accounting and HR.

 

[lugnut33]

We have ressies for May 1 at Kidani, which is opening day, I wonder if our room will be ready for early check-in since nobody will be there the night before.\?

 

[CarolAnnC]

We have ressies for May 1 at Kidani, which is opening day, I wonder if our room will be ready for early check-in since nobody will be there the night before.\?

Well, that may depend. In years past, Disney has had practice or "soft" openings where CM's were checked in and more or less test out the rooms in the resort to see how everything works. Don't know if that will be the case with Kidani, but I would say there is a good possibility that may be the case..

 

[tidefan]

Just a note. We are here now and checked into OKW around noon on Sunday and we were put directly into a room (2 Bdrm Dedicated HH - 2631) at 12:00 sharp. No wait at all...

 

[DebbieB]

It's really just luck. I arrived at BWV around 3:00 last October, room was not ready. So I headed to Winn-Dixie to get groceries. Called from there when I was done, about 3:45, still not ready. So I drove back to BWV and called form the parking lot, it was then ready, probably at 4:00 exactly.

 

[keishashadow]

We have never had to wait either (knock wood!) Latest for us was about 2:30pm.

Since the new on-line checkin is asking for arrival times, hopefully they'll use that data in assigning rooms. We spent one night at SSR a couple of weeks ago and didn't even arrive until 1am!!! With many members coming in from the west coast and abroad, I bet the resorts get a lot of check ins during the evening hours.

With no consideration given to arrival times, I bet some of those late arrivals were pre-assigned rooms that were ready before noon. Meanwhile other early arrivals may have been pre-assigned the last rooms to be cleaned. That's certainly a fixable process with the data they now have available.

One of the things that makes me leery of the on-line checkin process is whether it will help or hinder securing any particualr room requests vs a mandatory room ready system based upon arrival time .

I am the type that is happy to wait for a room if it gets me the view/floor I request (as in the case of value studio @ AKV-views ranging from parking lot, savanah & pool). even if it is a long wait, I know the tradeoff & accept it happily. I'd hate to see that option disappear under the new system, yet think it'd be great for those who are happy with any timely room assignment.

 

[kdepot]

I did the online booking Sunday afternoon. They ask for my arrival time so looks like they are trying to get an idea on who is comming and when. We land at 9:30 am so I marked 10:30 as my arrival. I do not have a laptop so I can't report how it works for me untill I return on 4/1. They have on my ressie (not the online one) my request for what section. I'll have to wait and see if that works out as well.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

who votes for an early checkout time if i'd get u in the room earlier

we're usually out of the studio every day well before 9 am

those who want to stay later (say 11 am or noon) could pay a higher point basis or(gasp) those who depart promptly could get a rebate on points

We rarely stay in the room past 9 or 10 am. The last morning is useless. Everything is packed up. No fun just sitting around waiting for 11 am to arrive. We make sure to let MKs know that we have vacated so they can get working on our room and maybe someone will get a pleasant surprise when they arrive.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Just to add more to this:
I think part of the problem is that DVC doesn't know when you are out of your room. I could leave my room at 8 in the morning but housekeeping might not check on that room until noon. That room could have been cleaned and turnovered to check in by 10am depending on how quickly the housekeeper could get to the room.

At most hotels, you use your TV to check out so that the room gets released to Housekeeping. WDW doens't have a system like this but needs it badly.

I would say that disney knows. Every time they knock on my door constantly starting sometimes before 9 am.

Once, at 9 am I have housekeeping banging on my door I open the door and politely tell mousekeeping "we will be out at 11 am sharp."

Fifteen minutes later, KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK, I'm in the shower so I ignore it, in comes mousekeeping. I didn't throw the bolt because DH and the kids were downstairs eating breakfast.

***!!!!

I am normally a sunny, happy person. But you make me mad, and man, I get MAD. And I was way angry.

Now we post a sticker on the door stating "The X family will be out by 11 am. If you knock on our door or otherwise bother us, we will make a huge mess of the room and not leave until noontime. Thank you for your cooperation."

Seriously, we'll be at SSR for Spring Break. Look for the sign on the door. That's us.

And speaking to the original topic, if they clip me an hour on checking in, then I want the points cost reduced.

They're charging me the same amount for 1 hour (or more) shorter vacation, how is that ok?

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

I did the online booking Sunday afternoon. They ask for my arrival time so looks like they are trying to get an idea on who is comming and when. We land at 9:30 am so I marked 10:30 as my arrival. I do not have a laptop so I can't report how it works for me untill I return on 4/1. They have on my ressie (not the online one) my request for what section. I'll have to wait and see if that works out as well.

Please do post your experience. I'm very hesitant to try it, not liking the whole guinea pig at disney feeling and all...

 

[tjkraz]

One of the things that makes me leery of the on-line checkin process is whether it will help or hinder securing any particualr room requests vs a mandatory room ready system based upon arrival time

Yeah, I can certainly relate to that. The problem is since requests aren't always guaranteed, it's going to be tough to draw any conclusions after a small number of experiences. Lack of success in using on-line doesn't necessarily mean that checking in at the front desk would be any better. We only get our requests about half the time as it is.

Our next stay is 3 months away. Hopefully that's enough time to get any bugs ironed out of the on-line system. I'll try anything once so we'll see how things go.

 

[keishashadow]

Yeah, I can certainly relate to that. The problem is since requests aren't always guaranteed, it's going to be tough to draw any conclusions after a small number of experiences. Lack of success in using on-line doesn't necessarily mean that checking in at the front desk would be any better. We only get our requests about half the time as it is.

Our next stay is 3 months away. Hopefully that's enough time to get any bugs ironed out of the on-line system. I'll try anything once so we'll see how things go.

hmm...then we've been very lucky, perhaps because i do state i'm willing to wait for specific unit type when we do checkin? regardless, sure hope our roll continues this summer

 

[ramkam]

Over the years our family has never had a problem checking in early. However, if the official check in is moved to 5:00 pm, I hope that the official check out would move to 12:00 pm. In general, when I travel check out at a hotel is usually 12:00 or 1:00. Disney check out has always been early. I find the early check out time much more of a problem than the late or later check in time.

 

[zulaya]

I expect I might see a few flames for this opinion BUT I'm gonna say it anyway. I realize that the mousekeeping comes out of our dues BUT IMO having enough staff to meet the demand is something that should be budgeted and planned for. Nothing has changed in that respect. We still pay our dues. The amount of rooms to be cleaned per resort has not altered. They know how many staff they need to keep up with cleaning the units in 5 hours. 5 hours is still 5 hours. I realize that Disney is cutting crap all over the place but they didn't reduce my dues, so I don't feel that this is a legitimate cut if they're cutting staff and that's why they're changing it. If they cut staff and lengthen the time required to clean the units then I expect an adustment in my dues. Period. That IMO is another cut in benefits. But they are PAID for benefits not ammenities.

Also, I don't think a studio should take any longer to clean than a regular room. They're roughly the same size. I'll give it an extra 10-15 min. to wipe down the kitchenette area.

I completely agree. Even for shared resorts (ie BC/BCV), if the reg resort is cutting staff (which I've not seen any proof of, only speculation), Members are still paying for housekeeping on the DVC end of things. DVC's part of housekeeping should still be fully staffed.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

hmm...then we've been very lucky, perhaps because i do state i'm willing to wait for specific unit type when we do checkin? regardless, sure hope our roll continues this summer

At the BWV's, they will not tell us where our room is until it is ready. How is it that you can tell them you will wait for a specific unti/location? Is this after you know where your room is?

 

[famsen]

Over the years our family has never had a problem checking in early. However, if the official check in is moved to 5:00 pm, I hope that the official check out would move to 12:00 pm. In general, when I travel check out at a hotel is usually 12:00 or 1:00. Disney check out has always been early. I find the early check out time much more of a problem than the late or later check in time.

On our last trip we stayed at AKV concierge and at 10:55am, the concierge manager was knocking on doors making sure everyone leaving that day had their bags ready to go, room was cleared of people and were ready to check out. It was pretty rude, in my opinion. I had never seen that before anywhere I stayed.

If they are that precise about getting everyone out of their rooms at 11:00am, they should have absolutely no problem making sure rooms are ready for a 4:00om check-in.