Housekeeping security?

[dawnball]

As for human trafficking: Would someone really rent a room at an overpriced deluxe resort at Disney, have a packed schedule of FP+ and ADRs--all of them readily visible to everyone in management at WDW, including whether one had actually shown up for these activities--and then also have the time to be a human trafficker? Seriously? When you could just rent an offsite room for thirty bucks a night at a motel where no one would ever come to check on you? Nonsense.

Human trafficking happens at all level of hotels. It happens in theme parks, at sporting events, on cruises, in restaurants and bars. Those are the places the clients are, and they pay enough to cover expenses.

 

[MomOTwins]

Anecdotally, it seems to be very common to get a security check if you have a "do not disturb" sign on your door. So counter-intuitively, if you need privacy (take a midday nap/shower etc.) you are probably better off NOT using the sign.

 

[Lynne M]

As for human trafficking: Would someone really rent a room at an overpriced deluxe resort at Disney, have a packed schedule of FP+ and ADRs--all of them readily visible to everyone in management at WDW, including whether one had actually shown up for these activities--and then also have the time to be a human trafficker? Seriously? When you could just rent an offsite room for thirty bucks a night at a motel where no one would ever come to check on you? Nonsense.

Sadly, human trafficking takes place in all levels of hotels, including high-end resorts like Disney Deluxes. And it's not terribly unusual for guests to be without FP+ and ADRs. Not all Disney resort guests even venture into a park. I'll often use a Disney resort as my "home base" for visiting friends in the area or doing other attractions, because I like staying in Disney resorts.

 

[nkereina]

We had a weird experience last year. We were back in the room before housekeeping got there. They knocked on the door, and I told them that all we needed were towels, that they didn't have to make up the room. They came back maybe 10 minutes later with towels and came into the room and emptied the trash. Fine. We're done, I thought.

Maybe 15 minutes later I get a call: Let in the security person who's standing outside your door. Why? Because we "declined housekeeping." I explain what happened, that we did have a housekeeper in the room, etc., but that wasn't good enough. So we had to let security--who, btw, was someone not in a CM costume and wearing zero identification--into the room.

We were exhausted after a long day park-hopping. This was not a pleasant experience. I wrote to WDW about it and someone telephoned me after I got home. She said that she used to be a housekeeper at WDW and that getting pillows or towels or blankets or whatever was marked on the sheet as "declining housekeeping" and that this is why we had the additional security check. She said that she'd inform WDW about what happened to us and see if they would change this particular screwy protocol.

Did they? I have no way of knowing.

As for human trafficking: Would someone really rent a room at an overpriced deluxe resort at Disney, have a packed schedule of FP+ and ADRs--all of them readily visible to everyone in management at WDW, including whether one had actually shown up for these activities--and then also have the time to be a human trafficker? Seriously? When you could just rent an offsite room for thirty bucks a night at a motel where no one would ever come to check on you? Nonsense.

The situation you experienced doesn't seem weird to me. If they just emptied your trash, they didn't get a good look around the room. And I'm not sure about Disney, but at hotels I have worked at, housekeepers receive inspections of some of the rooms they have completed by the housekeeping manager-on-duty. If they didn't service your room and you have not opted out, they would have to mark it at as declined if they just emptied the trash. We've discussed up-thread that those who declined housekeeping do get the security check from personnel other than housekeeping, and that goes for those who opt out of housekeeping, who told housekeeping nevermind for that day (in your case), or possibly for people who leave the "Room Occupied" sign on all day. Since the checks can be done by security personnel, its possible they are not in a uniform. They should still be able to furnish some form of ID upon request though.

In addition to human trafficking, its been discussed that the protocol is also to prevent an incident like Vegas from recurring. Probably also to prevent anything illegal from being onsite - whether its trafficking, guns, drugs, etc. Ultimately, the checks allow them to have some kind of handle on what's happening at their property, which probably helps with liability if an incident were to occur.

Anecdotally, it seems to be very common to get a security check if you have a "do not disturb" sign on your door. So counter-intuitively, if you need privacy (take a midday nap/shower etc.) you are probably better off NOT using the sign.

The signs simply say "Room Occupied" now, so unfortunately no one has the expectation that they won't be disturbed anymore. Whether its housekeeping or a security check, they will knock because the sign puts them on notice that you are in the room. The sign doesn't necessarily flag you for a security check though. Could have just been coincidence that you were in the room when your room was up for cleaning or the check.

 

[Miffy]

Sadly, human trafficking takes place in all levels of hotels, including high-end resorts like Disney Deluxes. And it's not terribly unusual for guests to be without FP+ and ADRs. Not all Disney resort guests even venture into a park. I'll often use a Disney resort as my "home base" for visiting friends in the area or doing other attractions, because I like staying in Disney resorts.

My point was that WDW knows that my sister and I have ADRs and FP+ and APs and they incidentally know every ride we've been on and where we've eaten. Disney thinks I might be a human trafficker? Come on. A human trafficker with an AP, who stays in a savanna-view room at AKL, gets breakfast in the Mara every morning--for 2 people, not 20--has no car, uses Disney transportation, has scads of FP+s and ADRs. Stop it. They know I'm not a human trafficker, and I seriously doubt that anyone who's doing this is guilty of the things I'm guilty of, like being on vacation, enjoying myself, and once every 5 trips asking for towels instead of having the beds made.

 

[Darklord77]

As for human trafficking: Would someone really rent a room at an overpriced deluxe resort at Disney, have a packed schedule of FP+ and ADRs--all of them readily visible to everyone in management at WDW, including whether one had actually shown up for these activities--and then also have the time to be a human trafficker? Seriously? When you could just rent an offsite room for thirty bucks a night at a motel where no one would ever come to check on you? Nonsense.

LOL. I was thinking the exact same thing. Even Disney's version of a cheap room will cost you $150 with the passholder discount!

 

[Disneylover99]

The signs simply say "Room Occupied" now, so unfortunately no one has the expectation that they won't be disturbed anymore. Whether its housekeeping or a security check, they will knock because the sign puts them on notice that you are in the room. The sign doesn't necessarily flag you for a security check though. Could have just been coincidence that you were in the room when your room was up for cleaning or the check.

I agree. Security will knock and enter regardless of the sign. I don’t think security checks are more frequent when you leave the sign on. I do notice that if you do leave the sign on, security will knock, announce themselves and wait longer f there is no response, before entering. They’ll enter much more quickly if there is no sign on, because they assume nobody is in the room.

I have never had housekeeping knock on my door to do housekeeping when the sign is on though. They always call the room when they are ready or wanting to service the room to say, we noticed the sign is on your door, do you want service?

 

[Darklord77]

Sadly, human trafficking takes place in all levels of hotels, including high-end resorts like Disney Deluxes.

Human trafficking is the practice of forced labor (prostitution) or sexual exploitation. Traffickers/Pimps will locate their human cargo in areas where there is demand for those services. 98% of the time these operations will be in hotels where this type of conduct will not raise suspicion or the people in the area really don't care to call the police. The traffickers also want to maximize profits. They can stay at a Suburban Lodge for a week for the same price as one night at a Disney deluxe resort. Further, the demand for prostitutes is not really that high at Disney Resorts. This type of conduct would stick out at a Disney resort. Disney does not fit the profile as a preferred destination for human traffickers.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Human trafficking happens at all level of hotels. It happens in theme parks, at sporting events, on cruises, in restaurants and bars. Those are the places the clients are, and they pay enough to cover expenses.

No, Disney resorts are far too overpriced for the room size/quality you get (traffickers don't care about theming), and also not the type of place where it would be easy for them to be inconspicuous, because Disney resorts are so family oriented.

Motels and extended stay places (on the low end) and nice business-oriented hotels (on the high end) are the types of places traffickers prefer. They're places where a stream of single men can walk in an out at all hours without raising an eyebrow. Disney resorts are not one of those places.

 

[nkereina]

My point was that WDW knows that my sister and I have ADRs and FP+ and APs and they incidentally know every ride we've been on and where we've eaten. Disney thinks I might be a human trafficker? Come on. A human trafficker with an AP, who stays in a savanna-view room at AKL, gets breakfast in the Mara every morning--for 2 people, not 20--has no car, uses Disney transportation, has scads of FP+s and ADRs. Stop it. They know I'm not a human trafficker, and I seriously doubt that anyone who's doing this is guilty of the things I'm guilty of, like being on vacation, enjoying myself, and once every 5 trips asking for towels instead of having the beds made.

Do you really think a Disney resort is going to expend the time and resources to research each guest when they operate at a 90+% occupancy rate with frequent guest turnover? No. Its much easier to designate security checks to the people who did not receive housekeeping. More importantly, it allows the resort to say they have put eyes inside of every room at the resort each day, which is actually the goal. As I mentioned up-thread, this is more to protect themselves from liability if an unforeseen event were to occur (i.e. Vegas shooting). Deterrence of any illegal activity is secondary. Also, human trafficking is only one example of something illegal that can go on in a room. Just because a person goes to the Mara doesn't mean they don't have meth or 22s in the room. Criminals come in all shapes and sizes.

 

[Miffy]

Do you really think a Disney resort is going to expend the time and resources to research each guest when they operate at a 90+% occupancy rate with frequent guest turnover? No. Its much easier to designate security checks to the people who did not receive housekeeping. More importantly, it allows the resort to say they have put eyes inside of every room at the resort each day, which is actually the goal. As I mentioned up-thread, this is more to protect themselves from liability if an unforeseen event were to occur (i.e. Vegas shooting). Deterrence of any illegal activity is secondary. Also, human trafficking is only one example of something illegal that can go on in a room. Just because a person goes to the Mara doesn't mean they don't have meth or 22s in the room. Criminals come in all shapes and sizes.

OK. I think it's ridiculous and you don't. If someone really had weapons or whatever other illegal thing/person in their room they'd be hiding them, since they know about the room checks. Or they'd be storing them in their car in the resort parking lot, which, as far as I know, security isn't inspecting the contents of every, or any, car.

And, btw, I did have a housekeeper come into my room although she didn't make the beds. But that wasn't good enough for them, since the housekeeping staff reports "declined housekeeping" if you don't get the entire room made up. If that hadn't happened to me (and I am not inventing this story--it actually happened) I wouldn't even be reading this thread or thinking about it. Before this occurrence, I was under the impression that having regular housekeeping was the way to not be bothered by security.

Furthermore, if Disney really wanted to make sure that no one had a weapon--although there seems to be a dispute about whether these room checks are for weapons or for checking to make sure human traffickers aren't using Disney for their activities--they'd have a metal detector you'd have to pass through every time you came into the resort. Of course, they don't want this, since it'd be upsetting to guests. They're willing to go only so far.

Also, it'd be very easy for WDW to keep track of every guest, no matter how full or empty their resorts are. They know where you are and what you're doing.

 

[nkereina]

OK. I think it's ridiculous and you don't. If someone really had weapons or whatever other illegal thing/person in their room they'd be hiding them, since they know about the room checks. Or they'd be storing them in their car in the resort parking lot, which, as far as I know, security isn't inspecting the contents of every, or any, car.

As I mentioned, Disney is covering themselves. While I'm sure they hope to deter some illegal things, the main point is to cover themselves from a liability perspective. They are able to say they had eyes on every room in the resort every day, so if/when something occurs, that is their defense. They can't be responsible for people hiding weapons or anything else illegal, but they can choose to enter every room on the property which is about as far as they can reasonably go.

And, btw, I did have a housekeeper come into my room although she didn't make the beds. But that wasn't good enough for them, since the housekeeping staff reports "declined housekeeping" if you don't get the entire room made up. If that hadn't happened to me (and I am not inventing this story--it actually happened) I wouldn't even be reading this thread or thinking about it. Before this occurrence, I was under the impression that having regular housekeeping was the way to not be bothered by security.

I believe you. In one of my earlier posts, I said that a housekeeper simply entering the room isn't enough for them to get a good look around, if they are just dropping off towels or taking out the trash, so it wouldn't suffice for a "check". But the main reason it was likely marked as declined is because they didn't fully service your room. The housekeeping manager-on-duty would not be able to inspect your room for the service the housekeeper is supposed to provide, and the housekeeper would not have performed the duties required in each room when they are servicing it. You did not receive the regular housekeeping service that day, which is why the check occurred. There's nothing erroneous or peculiar about that.

Another poster mentioned instances where they saw a person received a check when they did receive regular housekeeping service. I can speculate a number of reasons that may have occurred, but its not typical and should not happen on a regular basis. So you are correct that receiving regular daily housekeeping should preclude you from receiving a second security check during the day. But on the day you described, you did not receive the regular housekeeping service so its a moot point.

Furthermore, if Disney really wanted to make sure that no one had a weapon--although there seems to be a dispute about whether these room checks are for weapons or for checking to make sure human traffickers aren't using Disney for their activities--they'd have a metal detector you'd have to pass through every time you came into the resort. Of course, they don't want this, since it'd be upsetting to guests. They're willing to go only so far.

Again, the checks are not for one specific reason. It can be to deter anything - even things not illegal. Suicides and medical emergencies also happen in hotel rooms. People trash and vandalize hotel rooms. Getting eyes on each room every day may help in these cases too.

Metal detectors at hotels and resorts are not industry norm, and there would be no way to police that when they have multiple points of entry at every resort and parking lots right outside resort doors. That is not a viable option. The best they can do is metal detectors at park entrances, which they have.

Also, it'd be very easy for WDW to keep track of every guest, no matter how full or empty their resorts are. They know where you are and what you're doing.

They DO do that already. But they are not doing it to profile guests and flag certain ones as suspicious so they know who's room to enter that day. Again, that would defeat the point anyway when the point is to get a CM in every room every day for liability purposes. Remember, Disney is private property so they carry a burden of some liability for what happens there. The checks are a form of protecting themselves, something MANY hotels and resorts implemented after the Vegas shootings (see also: Starwood/Marriott and Universal resorts).

 

[vinotinto]

I keep hearing stuff bout housekeepers coming in for security checks? Do they just come in your room and look round or do they like search stuff?

I would suggest to read through the Daily Room Security Checks thread, which explains the experience from other guests:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/guest-experiences-with-daily-room-checks.3660888/
If you decline housekeeping, you will get a daily security room check. If you don't decline housekeeping and housekeeping is able to come to your room and complete their housekeeping/security check duties, it's unlikely you will get an additional room check.