Housekeeping wake ups on discharge day still going on

[anna08]

I know we've discussed this in the past, and it's been a while since I haven't left Orlando on an early morning flight so I may have just been missing it, but it happened again and I am so frustrated.

This time it was after DD woke up at 4am with the dreaded GI bug on vacation - so we were up for the next 3 hours with her. Finally fell back asleep at 7:30am and what happens but I start to hear a sharp rapping on the doors of the first floor hall at Moorea at 8:15am. Room after room, RAP RAP RAP with her knuckles, and then loudly "Housekeeping!" I jumped up to try to head her off at the pass as the other three in the room were still asleep, but she gets to our door first and of course, wakes everyone up. I open the door and she says "Oh, you are still here, sorry." She is standing there with no equipment but a list with room numbers that are checking out that day.

Ok folks, this is not my first DVC rodeo. This has happened to us at BCV, SSR, VWL and now PVB. Check out time is 11am. This has never happened to me at a traditional hotel EVER. I am a real estate owner in this system and I would like the courtesy of NOT being woken up before I have my alarm set. I did not spend 1000s of dollars to be treated like a 10 year old that needs to be reminded that it is check out day. I will give credit to the front desk, because as I mentioned this at check out, the CM instantly pulled over a manager who took down all the details.

Please folks, please. This is a strategic plan of housekeeping to wake folks up and try to get them to leave early on their discharge day. This needs to stop. Please please complain when this happens to you so we can get this aggravating treatment to stop. And, yes, I am sending member satisfaction an email about it now. And no, the do not disturb signs do not make a difference.

 

[Vijoge]

We did not have this issue in February at AKL. We checked out at 11, undisturbed.

 

[davper]

You are giving the desk too much credit. They too took the information down. It does nothing.

My last trip at BLT, we stayed out late the night before because we had a later flight and would sleep in late. I gave the woman who knocked on my door around 7am a what for that she won't soon forget. I then went down to the front desk and demanded a later check out so that I could get back the sleep I just lost. They did nothing for me except 'Record' the incident. Never heard a thing. We are a captured clientele and all we really can do is sell our interest to another party for retribution and that does not hurt them.

 

[anna08]

You are giving the desk too much credit. They too took the information down. It does nothing.

I was thinking the same thing as the manager put on a horrified face and tried to deny that it was a common occurrence. Look, I'm convince the disboards managed to get lifeguards on the DCL ships, so let's all spend 5 minutes to email dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com if it's happened to us
and let them know we want it to stop.

 

[keishashadow]

I was thinking the same thing as the manager put on a horrified face and tried to deny that it was a common occurrence. Look, I'm convince the disboards managed to get lifeguards on the DCL ships, so let's all spend 5 minutes to email dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com if it's happened to us
and let them know we want it to stop.

We 'affectionately' term it our wake up call, on the bright side - no need to set an alarm on checkout day. Nothing like that tap, tap, tap @ 8 am after PM hours or an event the night beforehand

OP yes it is truly miserable to have to wake up earlier than planned. Especially with a sick kid, sorry to hear your tripped end thusly.

I've discussed this issue numerous times with management. Have been told the another side of the story several times, which i find reasonable enough to believe, based upon the 'late' checkin times we've experienced

Apparently, more than a few DVC members tend to linger past the 11 am checkout time. Whether they feel it's their 'home' and they are entitled or they assume the likelihood of being charged a late checkout fee is remote at best...it's a blatant disregard for their fellow members.

Everyone wants to get in their unit on time, if more than a few people need a 'lil push to get up and moving, the rest of us will eventually have to pay too. IMO not fair to put the onus on housekeeping.

As for lifeguards on DCL ships, petitioning was probably helpful but I'd be willing to bet the defining factor was insurance/liability concerns.

 

[anna08]

Thanks for the sympathy - I've read a ton of those WDW illness stories, and now we've got one of our own.

I'm sure management has their side of the story, but I have never complained once to them about a 5p or later to them room assignment, as I get it - too many rooms, too few housekeepers, too little time. It's still not what we signed up and paid a lot of money for. Are we not paying the housekeepers salaries with our dues?

I'm also not objecting to a 10:45 walk up with their equipment, but an 8am wake up is in no way an industry standard or acceptable. I'm just hoping folks are willing to let DVC know it's not okay and want to encourage them to speak up.

 

[davper]

Apparently, more than a few DVC members tend to linger past the 11 am checkout time. Whether they feel it's their 'home' and they are entitled or they assume the likelihood of being charged a late checkout fee is remote at best...it's a blatant disregard for their fellow members.

Easily remedied. Start knocking at 10am instead of 7am. If renter is not out by 11:01am, then charge them a late fee per minute. If I am still asleep at 10am, I will be grateful for the knock at the door.

If they put the 'do not disturb' signs back with the reverse 'request for service', then we can flip the sign around on our way out so house keeping can see at a glance what rooms can be cleaned.

 

[disneynutz]

The system causes the problem. DVC people staying later than 11, not enough housekeepers, housekeepers wanting to complete their section early so they can go home with pay per their contract.

Bill

 

[BillPA]

Never had this problem, just put that "do not disturb" sign on the door.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I missed any mention if you had a do not disturb sign out? We have not had this happen as long as we had that on the door.

However - I did just have it happen at a Hyatt on check out day when I forgot and I've had it at other hotels too. At the Hyatt were there knocking at 8am but I also was at the end of the hall where I believe they start their service.

 

[CarolMN]

Never had this problem, just put that "do not disturb" sign on the door.

Same here.

 

[anna08]

At least half the events we had sign on door. There were no signs in our two villas this trip. Maybe they've removed them? Not that it helps. And it shouldn't be happening without a sign regardless.

And I don't really believe the majority of people are staying past 11. Sure, a few, but there are so many that check out and leave on those early morning airport busses, there's got to be plenty of rooms to start working on.

This has been an issue for the last 9 years we have been members and I'm sure I'm not alone in disliking it. I'm on board with charging for overstaying. That can go into a fund to reduce our dues. If my dues are paying a housekeeper to knock on doors at 8am, they can certainly pay her to knock on those same doors instead at 11am and document who hasn't left. I respectfully play by the rules, even when I have a kiddo sick.

 

[wilkeliza]

I was thinking the same thing as the manager put on a horrified face and tried to deny that it was a common occurrence. Look, I'm convince the disboards managed to get lifeguards on the DCL ships, so let's all spend 5 minutes to email dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com if it's happened to us
and let them know we want it to stop.

Sadly the lifeguards were due to a little boy having a non-fatal drowning experience and nothing to do with the Dis.

 

[holden]

It happened to us at BLT. We were waiting in the room until 11am so we wouldn't have to sit around elsewhere. They knocked and we told them we would leave at 11. They actually sat in the hallway on the floor (we saw them because a few of us left the room to get something and return) waiting for us to leave. It was really annoying. They were sitting outside the room when we left at 11.

 

[BillPA]

If those that do leave early for the airport/home would just pick up the phone and push the housekeeping button as they leave to let them know the unit is now empty, this would help. They are just trying to get a jump on their work load.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

At least half the events we had sign on door. There were no signs in our two villas this trip. Maybe they've removed them? Not that it helps. And it shouldn't be happening without a sign regardless.

And I don't really believe the majority of people are staying past 11. Sure, a few, but there are so many that check out and leave on those early morning airport busses, there's got to be plenty of rooms to start working on.

This has been an issue for the last 9 years we have been members and I'm sure I'm not alone in disliking it. I'm on board with charging for overstaying. That can go into a fund to reduce our dues. If my dues are paying a housekeeper to knock on doors at 8am, they can certainly pay her to knock on those same doors instead at 11am and document who hasn't left. I respectfully play by the rules, even when I have a kiddo sick.

If one isn't there then contact housekeeping for a new one. My PVB room in Nov did not have one but most in the hallway did so for whatever reason someone had taken it or it had been damaged and tossed. Without it why wouldn't they knock as lots of people do depart well before 11am and they need to start cleaning to get the rooms prepared for the next guests. There's no system to notify them that you have left so knocking is it so the sign is the one and only possible way to signal you may still be there. And people do need to take it off the door when they leave in order to help. As I mentioned - I've never had them knock with the sign up so can't comment on why that has happened to you. Probably a call to the housekeeping manager so they would retrain a housekeeper about that would be about the only suggestion.

 

[bumbershoot]

And no, the do not disturb signs do not make a difference.

For us they have made all the difference.

Probably a call to the housekeeping manager so they would retrain a housekeeper about that would be about the only suggestion.

Agreed.

 

[Best Aunt]

No do not disturb sign in my room at BWV last month. No knock on the door on checkout day.

 

[disneygal55]

We had major issues with our 2 studios this March, one of which involved checkout. A few days after we arrived at the resort we added an extra day to our stay for each room and the CM linked the extra rooms...along with swiping our credit card again. Well, the day before our new checkout day the housekeeper knocked on my son and his girlfriend's door and walked in while they were sleeping. They had the Do Not Disturb sign on the door to start with and secondly we weren't leaving until the next day. We did complain to the manager at the front desk and she said that housekeeping is NEVER supposed to knock or ENTER a room which has a do not disturb sign up on the door. Always latch the door if you don't want someone walking in uninvited!

 

[dclpluto]

I was thinking the same thing as the manager put on a horrified face and tried to deny that it was a common occurrence. Look, I'm convince the disboards managed to get lifeguards on the DCL ships, so let's all spend 5 minutes to email dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com if it's happened to us
and let them know we want it to stop.

Sadly a near drowning happen on one of the ships to get lifeguards.the 4 year old will never be the same. Also a drowning happen on castaway cay to get lifeguards there. Ok back to topic