Have the room security checks gotten worst lately, or is the Riviera house keeping over the top?

[Robbie Cottam]

recently returned from my first Riviera stay. Loved almost everything about the resort and im really hard to please.

My only complaint house keeping wanted to get in my room more than I would care to enjoy.

If you were busy, like going to the bath room, taking a shower, sleeping they would pound on the door until you answered the door. If you didn’t answer they would have someone blow up your phone until you answered it.

They would claim it was a maintenance check, but when I reported a light is a bad bulb I was told I would have to report that to house keeping…… wait aren’t you house keeping….

I lost it on someone in guest service when they decided the needed to go through my 13 year olds underwear….

haven’t had this issue at any other resort. Including the three day prior to this stay at bay lake….

Technically, this was still during the chapek rein so I’m happy to blame him, but really feel like it was an over zealous security manager…… I mean house keeping manager….

Has anyone run into this at other resorts ….

 

[Sandisw]

recently returned from my first Riviera stay. Loved almost everything about the resort and im really hard to please.

My only complaint house keeping wanted to get in my room more than I would care to enjoy.

If you were busy, like going to the bath room, taking a shower, sleeping they would pound on the door until you answered the door. If you didn’t answer they would have someone blow up your phone until you answered it.

They would claim it was a maintenance check, but when I reported a light is a bad bulb I was told I would have to report that to house keeping…… wait aren’t you house keeping….

I lost it on someone in guest service when they decided the needed to go through my 13 year olds underwear….

haven’t had this issue at any other resort. Including the three day prior to this stay at bay lake….

Technically, this was still during the chapek rein so I’m happy to blame him, but really feel like it was an over zealous security manager…… I mean house keeping manager….

Has anyone run into this at other resorts ….

We just came back from a 3 night stay there and didn’t not experience anything like that at all..never have in any previous trips either.

We left most mornings by 10:30 am and we’re back around 7 pm. Found trash gone each day but that was it. We did remove the room occupied sign when we were gone

We did get the knock on the door morning of check out at VGF but it was around 10:00 am but that was it.

 

[kes601]

Been at Kidani for a couple of days now. Just the typical knock in the afternoon wanting to grab the trash.

 

[bakerworld]

We just returned from Bay Lake and while our trash was removed every other day no one knocked while we were in the room. The only time since this room inspection policy commenced that we interacted with CM's inspection was for a resort only AK vacation. I think the employee was more uncomfortable than us. Frankly, I think I'd address the issue of the underwear with customer service. What made the CM think that was necessary?

 

[OKW Lover]

Hope the OP goes down to the front desk to talk to a manager about this. Calling won't do much good as it goes to a call center. Speak to somebody in person!

 

[Disturbia]

Going through underwear is unusual and creepy and you should definitely report that.

We did have a check at AOA and it was just my DD (1 at the time) and I and she had just fallen asleep on me. By the time I got to the door they were already opening it and (1 male went through the room and bathrooms and another stood outside, so I stayed by the door in a nightgown) went through all the rooms and bathroom looking at every corner and wall hurriedly. It was very intrusive. I thought maybe someone called them when our DD was crying and complained or something. Or they were looking weather the electric outlets were ok - explanation given at AKL; (at AOA we had a special freezer brought up for allergy safe food). DD was screaming seeing them and wouldn’t calm back down for an hour.

Later I was watching a video by the Trackers and Jen mentioned the room suddenly being searched like that and that it was due to child trafficking. That made more sense. I now dont bother with the do not disturb sign and I don’t feel so bad about the search. They should tell us the truth (its probably to keep up with the magic/illusion).

 

[Nursemanit]

If you leave your clothes in your bag - just refuse if they ask to search. Even a LEO can’t search without cause.

The room search is covered in the room contract

 

[kes601]

Just wanted to follow up from Kidani. We just had our daily trash / room check. My wife was teaching virtually from the bedroom so I asked that they not go into the room to get trash from the bathroom. No issues w/that. He grabbed from the other bathroom and the kitchen and headed out.

 

[lowlight]

It’s such a useless waste of resources, but I can’t get angry with staff. I’m sure they’d choose not to have to do it as well.

 

[2Lunds]

We've never had a security check that I'm aware of. Our last stay (our first as DVC members) I think we only got MouseKeeping once the whole week? We had to take our own trash out and called to ask for more coffee/toilet paper every second day. Why is DVC so stingy with the TP?

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Yea, this was our fourth DVC resort stay this year BLT, Poly, AKL no issues at all….

I’m guessing it is someone that is taking there position way to seriously…..

my mother also had a run in the a house keeper walking in with the “room occupied ‘ sign on the door … no knock at all….

and yes it was reported.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

We just returned from Bay Lake and while our trash was removed every other day no one knocked while we were in the room. The only time since this room inspection policy commenced that we interacted with CM's inspection was for a resort only AK vacation. I think the employee was more uncomfortable than us. Frankly, I think I'd address the issue of the underwear with customer service. What made the CM think that was necessary?

Not sure what made the CM think going into any draws was necessary or appropriate…. The fact the she did it right in front of him was the most puzzling…..

The hotel manager and guest services assured us that that was not normal.

 

[tjkraz]

Technically, this was still during the chapek rein so I’m happy to blame him...

Resort operating policies are about a dozen layers of management removed from the CEO level.

In my experiences, the key to minimizing disturbances from hotel staff is to make sure the "room occupied" sign is removed when not in the room. As long as we're gone for 2-3 hours, we typically find that the trash has been emptied while we were out of the room.

If we're giving the staff some reasonable indicator as to when we are out of the room, I don't think there's any excuse for barging in aggressively. And I would certainly question why they feel it's necessary to dig through the dresser drawers.

However, if it's 2pm and you're preparing to lie down for a nap, you might want to check and see if the trash has been emptied first. If not...they're coming. I'd probably call down to housekeeping and request that someone take care of the trash before settling in for some quiet time. In a perfect world, that's not necessary. But it's a minor inconvenience to help eliminate a greater irritant.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

We just came back from a 3 night stay there and didn’t not experience anything like that at all..never have in any previous trips either.

We left most mornings by 10:30 am and we’re back around 7 pm. Found trash gone each day but that was it. We did remove the room occupied sign when we were gone

We did get the knock on the door morning of check out at VGF but it was around 10:00 am but that was it.

Well we are in and out of the room a lot between 12 and 4. We spend a lot of time relaxing at the pool. Maybe we noticed just because we were in the room a lot ….

and we do leave the room occupied sign on the door when we are at the pool…. So maybe they just didn’t have time to search while we weren’t in the room….

what ever, management solved the problem, just was only thing about the resort I didn’t enjoy …..

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Resort operating policies are about a dozen layers of management removed from the CEO level.

In my experiences, the key to minimizing disturbances from hotel staff is to make sure the "room occupied" sign is removed when not in the room. As long as we're gone for 2-3 hours, we typically find that the trash has been emptied while we were out of the room.

If we're giving the staff some reasonable indicator as to when we are out of the room, I don't think there's any excuse for barging in aggressively. And I would certainly question why they feel it's necessary to dig through the dresser drawers.

However, if it's 2pm and you're preparing to lie down for a nap, you might want to check and see if the trash has been emptied first. If not...they're coming. I'd probably call down to housekeeping and request that someone take care of the trash before settling in for some quiet time. In a perfect world, that's not necessary. But it's a minor inconvenience to help eliminate a greater irritant.

Yes, that was sarcasm…..actually no I just blame everything bad about Disney on Chapek because he was so awful…
I’m fully aware he did not teach the house keeping staff or set their policies.

The point is if the room occupied sign is on the door they don’t need to come in at all….

I’m on vacation and paying a lot of money to do so…. I don’t intend to service the maid….

 

[Disturbia]

I think the do not disturb sign is a trigger to check why

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The point is if the room occupied sign is on the door they don’t need to come in at all…

While I agree with you on the sign part and have been vocal about our desire to be left alone at Disney they don't have any sign that says not to come in. All their sign does is say it's occupied but it doesn't function like a DND sign that you are probably more used to. From reports they often will try to find a different time if the room occupied sign is up but that often is by contacting the guests via phone or text to arrange a different time. And from what you said with being in and out of the room often during a short enough time they probably couldn't find any other time to do it. If you're going back and forth in a 4 hour time period you're going to find a higher chance that you'll actually be in the room.

Maintenance check is basically their security check, they aren't looking for a lightbulb. When I first read your comment about your child's underwear I thought we were talking about a suitcase but then you clarified it was a drawer. In that case I can see that being more realistic. I don't know if their protocol is to go through drawers but from what I've read the check is very cursory glance so that might have been an employee doing more than is needed. I suspect Disney reserves the right to open the drawers though but it may not be practice to do so during these checks (I don't remember hearing of other reports of it happening but it's possible it has).

 

[Robbie Cottam]

I think the do not disturb sign is a trigger to check why

Well with that logic, it’s a good thing disney doesn’t have weddings pavilions and honeymooners…….


oh wait

 

[tjkraz]

The point is if the room occupied sign is on the door they don’t need to come in at all….

Many people share that opinion but the policy is what it is. IMO, better to make it easy for staff to do their jobs rather than put up barriers which will only cause me greater frustration.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well with that logic, it’s a good thing disney doesn’t have weddings pavilions and honeymooners…….


oh wait

This was all discussed so much when they first came out with the security checks over 5 years ago..