How do they prioritize room requests?

[delilah]

Other than for medical reasons, they really don't. It's all hit or miss and up to not only the whim of a given resort but given CM.

The most interesting aspect of this specific situation was that, when we arrived, the room wasn't ready. My husband piped up that he wanted to wait for the room that was assigned, and not a different one, that was ready. So, somehow, I guess that the particular room we got was somehow "preferable" to the one would could have gotten earlier. It was on the top floor, 2/3 of the way down the hallway, in a place with a shallow savannah. I guess it was better than the one we got in March, was the second to last room on the hallway nearest Jambo. Not a bad room, just a really long walk.

 

[HookdonWDW]

Personally, I am a follower of the "dartboard theory". The Room Assigner sits in a back room, and puts all available room numbers for a given day on a dart board. They then grab a dart and wherever it lands is that particular assignment. Given the law of averages, and the number of people who don't bother with requests, enough people get their requests to make this random sorting seem more thought out than it is.

It's either that or the idea that they just have a monkey do it, but that would be silly...

 

[delilah]

Personally, I am a follower of the "dartboard theory". The Room Assigner sits in a back room, and puts all available room numbers for a given day on a dart board. They then grab a dart and wherever it lands is that particular assignment. Given the law of averages, and the number of people who don't bother with requests, enough people get their requests to make this random sorting seem more thought out than it is.

It's either that or the idea that they just have a monkey do it, but that would be silly...

Why, because they don't have a monkey? Actually, they have some really cute cotton top tamarins that could do it. That would be actually kind of a funny show at check in, especially at AKV. Sort of like elephant art, like they do at our zoo.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Personally, I am a follower of the "dartboard theory". ...

and for all we know, that might be how it's done! Or if that person(s) are having a good or bad day, who knows! I still think there must be automation to some of it! And, at SSR, no request means, do not pass go, go straight to Syberia, do not collect $200, sorry I meant Carousel!

Now, I have had, upon check-in, the talk where the CM says, "Your villa is not ready yet, would like another villa that is ready?" Then we consult the map, I ask, "What room am I in now, and what/where are you offering?", we consult the resort map and go for a yay or nay! Usually it's a nay because, we head out for lunch and then groceries and the villa is usually ready about the time we're done!

 

[Deb & Bill]

and for all we know, that might be how it's done! Or if that person(s) are having a good or bad day, who knows! I still think there must be automation to some of it! And, at SSR, no request means, do not pass go, go straight to Syberia, do not collect $200, sorry I meant Carousel!...

I've always thought that Carousel would be a nice quiet location. Away from the racket.

 

[quirty30]

I've always thought that Carousel would be a nice quiet location. Away from the racket.

We stayed in the Carousel a couple of years ago. Our villa actually had a lovely view of a pond with a fountain. And we had no problems with bus service. At the time my only complaint about the location was the distance from the Carriage House. The new Paddock pool and grill would make a huge difference for me if we ever stayed there again - would be nice to be able to get a quick bite to eat without walking all the way up to the front of the resort.

 

[DebbieB]

This matches what we have been told by the CM a few times when checking in at VGC. That at that resort, they actually look at the room requests and whne they are made, and even appreciate it when specific rooms are requested by number (which has worked great for us). And that if two people request the same room (which must happen all the time) the one who made the reservation first got priority.

One CM even said she had a person not get the room he requested and he was miffed because he booked at the 11 month day. But someone else had also booked that same request a few minutes before him on that day so that person got the room.

Last time, our son checked us in while we were still en route. He saw we had gotten like our 3rd or 4th request, and asked about changing to one of the top 2. The CM checked and said that first night had both rooms still occupied, but they were checking out tomorrow and we could switch rooms then if we wanted. He declined, but they do seem to do assignments a little differently at VGC than the other DVC resorts, maybe because of the small number of rooms.

I'm at VGC right now. I gave a list of 5 rooms for a request and we got the third one. Just finished watching WoC from our room.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I've always thought that Carousel would be a nice quiet location. Away from the racket.

Oh, it's quiet all right! Picture this, coming back to the resort at 11:30 ish, and yours is one of only two, yes, two vehicles in the parking lot, freaky! Which by the way was the view out of our balcony! Not once but twice, same 2bd villa, parking lot view, roadside, with a lovely glimpse of the guard gate to the left! And I'm a balcony person! In the end not that big a deal, but now I make requests!

The first time at Carousel and we still laugh about this, 4 years later, on this eery, dark, quiet Feb cold night, a family of 6 or 7 of all sizes (from what I could see from the peep hole) arrive around midnight! I know this because they giggled our door knob over and over, waking every body up! Putting in their key card, in and out, in and out, asking over and over, "Why won't it open?" Until I yelled through the door, "Because you have the wrong dang villa!" All we heard was screaming! The 6 of us inside, all up at this point, falling down, squatting in that little entry hall laughing so hard, I actually wet my pants!

It was never my intension to scare them, but it's one of my best Disney/DVC memories!

 

[OneMoreTry]

Interesting. Something I've not heard before.

I called MS for room request at OKW for upcoming trip. DD has (pretty bad) epilepsy and not good for her to climb stairs.

After entering my request he told me to call the resort front desk 4 to 5 days in advance to give them a heads up -- and he gave me the number to call.

I've never heard that directly from MS before.

 

[delmar411]

Oh, it's quiet all right! Picture this, coming back to the resort at 11:30 ish, and yours is one of only two, yes, two vehicles in the parking lot, freaky! Which by the way was the view out of our balcony! Not once but twice, same 2bd villa, parking lot view, roadside, with a lovely glimpse of the guard gate to the left! And I'm a balcony person! In the end not that big a deal, but now I make requests!

The first time at Carousel and we still laugh about this, 4 years later, on this eery, dark, quiet Feb cold night, a family of 6 or 7 of all sizes (from what I could see from the peep hole) arrive around midnight! I know this because they giggled our door knob over and over, waking every body up! Putting in their key card, in and out, in and out, asking over and over, "Why won't it open?" Until I yelled through the door, "Because you have the wrong dang villa!" All we heard was screaming! The 6 of us inside, all up at this point, falling down, squatting in that little entry hall laughing so hard, I actually wet my pants!

It was never my intension to scare them, but it's one of my best Disney/DVC memories!

Omg I am seriously laughing so hard I'm crying. My 7 yr old wants to know what is so funny!

 

[Annielkd22222]

I think you have a MUCH better chance of getting a room request if you DON'T make one! When I have made requests I've had bad rooms....and when I didn't, I got great rooms. I asked for a room near an elevator....I even called and talked to someone about my disability. That year I had the room 2nd to the furthest away possible!

 

[gray52]

All the years I've made a request, my first was always granted. This past year I made none... And upon arrival, I was told that a villa in the OKW HH area was not available, even though I had booked one at the 11-month mark (to the day). It all worked out... But I'll go back to 1 request per reservation.

 

[DebbieB]

I think you have a MUCH better chance of getting a room request if you DON'T make one! When I have made requests I've had bad rooms....and when I didn't, I got great rooms. I asked for a room near an elevator....I even called and talked to someone about my disability. That year I had the room 2nd to the furthest away possible!

Which resort? I've been lucky with both my DVC stays this year that I got what I requested (BLT, VGC).

 

[Annielkd22222]

Which resort? I've been lucky with both my DVC stays this year that I got what I requested (BLT, VGC).

Although Boardwalk is my favorite, they are the worst. I even specifically asked when I checked in if it was near an elevator. I'm thinking they thought the stairs was an elevator....because the girl at check in said the room was. I used to make requests at all hotels....I've never had one yet. (BCV, AK, BlT!, And bWV>.

 

[OneMoreTry]

Although Boardwalk is my favorite, they are the worst. I even specifically asked when I checked in if it was near an elevator. I'm thinking they thought the stairs was an elevator....because the girl at check in said the room was. I used to make requests at all hotels....I've never had one yet. (BCV, AK, BlT!, And bWV>.

The only request we ever made at BWV was near the elevator, and we never got it -- even when checking in we were told our room was near the elvator and it wasn't.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The only request we ever made at BWV was near the elevator, and we never got it -- even when checking in we were told our room was near the elvator and it wasn't.

It must depend on what your definition of "near" is.

 

[DonnaL]

When at WDW DVC resorts, I tend to make only one request......a higher floor...on every reservation. On a handful of trips I have made maybe one other request...for example...on one trip to BWV I requested high floor, canal side of building...that's it....since we enjoy sitting on the balcony with a coffee in the a.m. or glass of wine in the p.m. and watching the boats on the canal. I would never go so far as some do and request specific rooms, etc. In regards to VGC, we made our first trip last January and although we do plan to go back within a few years.....who knows whether we will. I did make the request of high floor, park view. We were on the 4th floor with an awesome park view.....loved it......and since we traveled from the East Coast...didn't arrive until about 8:30 p.m. So, obviously my requests were honored since I'm quite sure a great number of people check-in before 8:30 p.m.