I just spoke to Guest Services about their room entry policy

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As a sidebar, if I don't want housekeeping, what is the best way to make this known now? I used to put up the do not disturb sign and that was sufficient but that is no longer an option obviously. I'm not talking about trying to avoid a security check - it's just my preference not to have my room cleaned .

Your question was the point of my comments.

What you would do would be to put out your 'room occupied' sign should your resort have that vs the DND sign up.

 

[dansdad]

Umm..I don't think you're understanding. Guests can still say they don't want to have housekeeping clean their rooms. What guests cannot do now is say that no one will be looking into their room.

If you don't want housekeeping you'll still be using the 'room occupied sign' however you wouldn't be exempt from a security room check. When you leave for the parks or whatever and do not want your room to be cleaned you put the sign up as it's the only sign they gave you.

If you use housekeeping that would be your security check (though I think some people have had experiences where check occuried even with housekeeping having cleaned the room). When you leave for the parks or whatever and want your room to be cleaned you don't put any sign up.

You absolutely have the right to decline having housekeeping clean your room. You're not lying at all. Disney didn't give multiple signs to express multiple things. If they gave a "no housekeeping today" sign plus a "room occupied" sign up then that's different. As is they gave one sign and only one sign. It's unfortunate that they used the wording "room occupied".

Those signs have nothing to do with housekeeping. At all.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Those signs have nothing to do with housekeeping. At all.

I understand but it's the only way a guest at those resorts can say they don't want their room to be cleaned. It's the only option they have. That was my point. Whether or not that was the intended reason is probably the issue since the wording was "room occupied". Disney didn't leave the guest any other way to say they didn't want their room cleaned for that day and Disney isn't forcing every guest to have their room cleaned every day. They are however, at this moment, having someone (be that housekeeping if the person had the room cleaned or a separate person if they did not) check the room everyday.

 

[dansdad]

As a sidebar, if I don't want housekeeping, what is the best way to make this known now? I used to put up the do not disturb sign and that was sufficient but that is no longer an option obviously. I'm not talking about trying to avoid a security check - it's just my preference not to have my room cleaned .

If you're staying at a Value or Moderate stop by the front desk and tell them you'd like to opt out of housekeeping. They will give you a gift card for $10 a day, minus check in day. If staying Deluxe stop by the front desk or call housekeeping from your room and tell them. No compensation though.

 

[dansdad]

I understand but it's the only way a guest at those resorts can say they don't want their room to be cleaned. It's the only option they have. That was my point. Whether or not that was the intended reason is probably the issue since the wording was "room occupied". Disney didn't leave the guest any other way to say they didn't want their room cleaned for that day and Disney isn't forcing every guest to have their room cleaned every day. They are however, at this moment, having someone (be that housekeeping if the person had the room cleaned or a separate person if they did not) check the room everyday.

That's not what they're for. If you're staying at a Value or Moderate stop by the front desk and tell them you'd like to opt out of housekeeping. They will give you a gift card for $10 a day, minus check in day. If staying Deluxe stop by the front desk or call housekeeping from your room and tell them. They will not service your room. No compensation though.

And doing this has zero affect on the security checks.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That's not what they're for. If you're staying at a Value or Moderate stop by the front desk and tell them you'd like to opt out of housekeeping. They will give you a gift card for $10 a day, minus check in day. If staying Deluxe stop by thefront desk or call housekeeping from your room and tell them. No compensation though.

And this has zero affect on the security checks.

That's not how it's actually being utilized which is my point. Plenty of people have used the new sign for not having housekeeping as it's the way they can.

People are not being forced to opt out entirely of housekeeping. If they sign up for opting out for the resorts that give the gift cards they do not get anything unless they ask for it. Their rooms are never cleaned period during the length of their stay and if they want clean sheets they put it on themselves after asking for them. That is completely different than choosing to not have housekeeping one day but have it the next. The guest still gets to choose if they want housekeeping one day vs the next day. What the guest doesn't get to choose now is having a someone peek in their room daily.

 

[Animal]

Annoying and pretty pointless from a safety standpoint. But I’ve always been in the camp of this being nothing more than a show and CYA.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Benjamin Franklin

 

[AngiTN]

Those signs have nothing to do with housekeeping. At all.

I understand but it's the only way a guest at those resorts can say they don't want their room to be cleaned. It's the only option they have. That was my point. Whether or not that was the intended reason is probably the issue since the wording was "room occupied". Disney didn't leave the guest any other way to say they didn't want their room cleaned for that day and Disney isn't forcing every guest to have their room cleaned every day. They are however, at this moment, having someone (be that housekeeping if the person had the room cleaned or a separate person if they did not) check the room everyday.

Sure they did. Not sure why this is confusing you.
The signs are not related to housekeeping. You don't want housekeeping tell them that. What's so hard about that? You can do that for a day or all days

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Sure they did. Not sure why this is confusing you.
The signs are not related to housekeeping. You don't want housekeeping tell them that. What's so hard about that? You can do that for a day or all days

Because that's not what is actually occuring. People aren't being told you must call us each day you don't want housekeeping. People have utilized the sign to denote they didn't want housekeeping.

 

[bluejasmine]

Honestly yall, no matter how much we dont like it, its not going to change, there are millions of ppl going to WDW regardless of this policy so I think the best things we can do is either stay off site if your really unhappy with it or find a way to make it work, if that includes picking up the phone daily, so be it. Its annoying yes its ridiculous but it is what it is..

I sent the email, sat through the call and made this post to try and put ppls minds at ease..

 

[vinotinto]

It would be great if they could leverage MDE to allow guests to indicate a window for their daily checks. That way, those who want to sleep in, or take a nap, or have a romantic evening can do so without an interruption from security.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Umm..I don't think you're understanding. Guests can still say they don't want to have housekeeping clean their rooms. What guests cannot do now is say that no one will be looking into their room.

I'm understanding. "Room occupied" is intended, and can reasonably be expected, to mean someone is in. the. room. during the period the sign is displayed. It is (a) not the more general definition that the room is unavailable to others because it's rented to someone already who may or may not be physically in the room at any given moment, nor (b) a new or future synonym for "i don't want housekeeping."

There's a simple action for the latter. Use your words.

If you don't want housekeeping you'll still be using the 'room occupied sign'

No. Again, no word in "room occupied" means, relates to, or can reasonably be expected to be understood as "no housekeeping."

 

[bluejasmine]

It would be great if they could leverage MDE to allow guests to indicate a window for their daily checks. That way, those who want to sleep in, or take a nap, or have a romantic evening can do so without an interruption from security.

YOu can always email this suggestion to guest services

 

[AngiTN]

Because that's not what is actually occuring. People aren't being told you must call us each day you don't want housekeeping. People have utilized the sign to denote they didn't want housekeeping.

We'll, they shouldn't be. Don't know why they would either

 

[a1tinkfans]

Apologize upfront as I’m late to this room check policy “debate” for lack of a better word.. but unless they have removed the security bar from the doors interior, if you latch it when ur In ur room, no one can simply walk right in, right? .. while ur resting or in the shower etc etc.
Wouldn’t they then alert you ( knock etc) and you could choose to tell them it’s not a good time (..someone’s in the shower /sick etc)?
Ask if they Could return when the room is Unoccupied.
Are there guests reporting they are actually being “surprised” by this room check cm walking right into their room?
And wouldn’t disney know who has entered the room by way of the electronic device.. if there’s a ( for instance) theft or issue??

I think Safety trumps all. I wouldn’t let it deter my visit.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Hope that this is the case. We have always doubled lock any door to any resort that we stay in, including the door latch and if I had young teenagers would require that they do the same if they were in the room alone. Only problem with that is if I want to hop in the shower while DS and or kids are not in the room, they would have to call first. It is unsettling to read some of these posts, but we will continue to lock the doors for privacy and security. Personally, the policy the way it stands now, leaves too many "holes" open for criminal activity, meaning someone "pretending" to be a security guard or a Disney employee and opening a door to a potentially dangerous situation.

I would look up on internet about opening the door latch from outside and see how easy it is to do. it is not as safe as you think. they are very easy to open from outside

 

[OddDisneyFan]

Using a "Do Not Disturb" or "Room Occupied" sign to prevent housekeeping is a misuse of the sign. If you don't want housekeeping, make that request directly. Folks who declined housekeeping because they didn't want someone else entering the room during their stay apparently no longer have that option regardless of what they do.

I've never heard that Disney had a policy of daily room entry, though I never thought that declining housekeeping was a "thing" for so many people. I'm not sure that I believe the daily entry policy existed prior, but it doesn't matter since the policy is now in place.

For what it's worth, I was basically told the same thing as the OP by Guest Services (through the WDTC rep). Housekeeping, security, "trash changers," or whatever else they call themselves are supposed to respect any quiet hours which you designate by request. However, if large numbers of folks start requested designated hours, I can see where it might present a logistical problem for Disney.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We'll, they shouldn't be. Don't know why they would either

I'm guessing because they don't know of any other way to say they don't want housekeeping to clean their rooms. I agree that they shouldn't but practically what is a guest to do; if there was clear instructions to say "please call us each day you don't want housekeeping" that's different. As is are guests being notified explicitly instructions on what to do if they don't want housekeeping? I know some people haven't even been given the option to opt out for a gift card but they knew about it (assuming from the DIS) and went to the front desk to ask about it. People are so used to using DND signs as a means of communicating they don't want housekeeping. Disney created a confusion by replacing the DND with the room occupied and unless a guest is being told 'here's how to advise you want housekeeping today but not tomorrow' majority of folks will likely use the room occupied sign up as it's what they are used to. Should there need to be a different way to advise this then it needs to be explicitly clear.

 

[OddDisneyFan]

Apologize upfront as I’m late to this room check policy “debate” for lack of a better word.. but unless they have removed the security bar from the doors interior, if you latch it when ur In ur room, no one can simply walk right in, right? .. while ur resting or in the shower etc etc.
Wouldn’t they then alert you ( knock etc) and you could choose to tell them it’s not a good time (..someone’s in the shower /sick etc)?
Ask if they Could return when the room is Unoccupied.
Are there guests reporting they are actually being “surprised” by this room check cm walking right into their room?
And wouldn’t disney know who has entered the room by way of the electronic device.. if there’s a ( for instance) theft or issue??

I think Safety trumps all. I wouldn’t let it deter my visit.

I've wondered the same thing about the door safety device--did they get rid of them, or just never have them? Most hotels have them, but it's been a couple years since we stayed on property, so I can't remember if Disney is different.

Safety most certainly does NOT trump all for us. We pay quite a bit of money to go and enjoy our vacation. Being harassed by security or inconvenienced in the same of "safety" is not something that I'm willing to pay top dollar to endure. I have my own ideas of how things could be made safer, but the bottom line is that no place is 100% safe no matter what is done.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I've wondered the same thing about the door safety device--did they get rid of them, or just never have them? Most hotels have them, but it's been a couple years since we stayed on property, so I can't remember if Disney is different.

Safety most certainly does NOT trump all for us. We pay quite a bit of money to go and enjoy our vacation. Being harassed by security or inconvenienced in the same of "safety" is not something that I'm willing to pay top dollar to endure. I have my own ideas of how things could be made safer, but the bottom line is that no place is 100% safe no matter what is done.

While I do believe safety trumps all, the policy itself just doesn’t do it for me. It ll be no safer imho, it’s already frustrating/angering guests ( I just read some posts where security demanded entry.. ridiculous) id simply keep it latched, close the door and deal with the consequences ( if there are any)
Some of the other posts did open my eyes to the handling by security.. def not very disney like lol