I just spoke to Guest Services about their room entry policy

[kaytieeldr]

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 .

You pick up the phone receiver in your room, put it to your ear (with the cord coming out of the bottom*), and press the button marked Housekeeping. You tell the person who answers your call, "we don't want Housekeeping."

I understand but it's the only way a guest at those resorts can say they don't want their room to be cleaned.

No. Again, they can call Housekeeping directly and say, "no Housekeeping."

That's not how it's actually being utilized which is my point.

They were being utilized incorrectly.

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.

People shouldn't have to be told. It should be common sense. Still not getting the general aversion to making a phone call.

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

Well, there's always this https://smile.amazon.com/Calslock-P...=1518052077&sr=8-16&keywords=door+safety+lock or this https://smile.amazon.com/Upgraded-T...id=1518052123&sr=8-9&keywords=door+safety+bar or even this one https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=door+safety+bar&rh=i:aps,k:door+safety+bar

if there was clear instructions to say "please call us each day you don't want housekeeping" that's different.

Truly, it should be common sense.
*annoying description to benefit anyone who's never used a landline

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

No. Again, they can call Housekeeping directly and say, "no Housekeeping."

Again as I stated above are guests being notified explicitly instructions on what to do if they don't want housekeeping? Are they being told to call? And is this being told 100% of the time?

If guests aren't being told what to do default will more than likely be to use the sign that is given to them as is the norm. If guests aren't being told to call why would you expect them to do so? If clear instructions aren't being advised 100% of the time then you're going to get people who do what they have been doing in the past which is using the sign given to them.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

You pick up the phone receiver in your room, put it to your ear (with the cord coming out of the bottom*), and press the button marked Housekeeping. You tell the person who answers your call, "we don't want Housekeeping."

No. Again, they can call Housekeeping directly and say, "no Housekeeping."

They were being utilized incorrectly.

People shouldn't have to be told. It should be common sense. Still not getting the general aversion to making a phone call.

Well, there's always this https://smile.amazon.com/Calslock-P...=1518052077&sr=8-16&keywords=door+safety+lock or this https://smile.amazon.com/Upgraded-T...id=1518052123&sr=8-9&keywords=door+safety+bar or even this one https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=door+safety+bar&rh=i:aps,k:door+safety+bar

Truly, it should be common sense.
*annoying description to benefit anyone who's never used a landline

before putting one of these on door I would make sure there is nothing about not adding anything to room. wouldn't want to be removed from WDW because I decided to use one as the contract you agree to when making ressie allows them to enter your room as they want

 

[HopperFan]

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..

Except what you were told is not what many folks are experiencing. So either corporate has no idea what is really happening OR they are just telling folks what they want to hear to pacify them.

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. No, but they can knock non-stop until you get up and answer the door, which has been posted experiences. This disrupts your rest, your nap, your child's nap, your shower, your private time ...

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. You can tell them but most the reports from folks asking them to do that have been ignored. They have been told no, they must enter right away ... or they knock again in 10 minutes, then again and again until let in AND one poster reported them standing outside their room for a crazy amount of time.

Are there guests reporting they are actually being “surprised” by this room check cm walking right into their room? YES, and it would be frightening to me. At some point someone is going to wake to a stranger and something bad is going to happen.

Read the first post here ... https://www.disboards.com/threads/do-not-disturb-gone-blt.3653909/page-63

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?? Maybe, but that has nothing to do with guests allowing uninvited strangers to enter the room with them.

Disney could probably settle this entire issue by making the number one rule .... unless a guest has called for maintenance or housekeeping ... no CM should ever enter a room with a guest in the room. It is opening both the guest and CM to a situation that could be dangerous, litigious or false claims. Disney's housekeeping has slacked considerably in the last few years, often cleaning rooms very late or not at all. It's not the guests faults when they come back to rest that housekeeping has not done their job - that now includes spying. Guests should not have to give up their rest time (at a place that can be exhausting). Other hotels are also making extra efforts in the name of security but none are doing what Disney is doing.

You pick up the phone receiver in your room, put it to your ear (with the cord coming out of the bottom*), and press the button marked Housekeeping. You tell the person who answers your call, "we don't want Housekeeping."

No. Again, they can call Housekeeping directly and say, "no Housekeeping."

I wish I had remembered to take a photo of the phone at POP but I am almost positive that Housekeeping buttons are being removed from all the newly renovated rooms phones. I think you have to call the central call center to ask for anything to do with Housekeeping .... if so that is a joke.

ANYBODY AT POP NOW? (Maybe CSR new rooms too) Can you take a photo of the phone in the room?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I wish I had remembered to take a photo of the phone at POP but I am almost positive that Housekeeping buttons are being removed from all the newly renovated rooms phones. I think you have to call the central call center to ask for anything to do with Housekeeping .... if so that is a joke.

ANYBODY AT POP NOW? (Maybe CSR new rooms too) Can you take a photo of the phone in the room?

I do believe someone did say that they were removed in another thread. With All-Stars getting basically the same refurb as POP starting this year I would suppose that the phone deal would be the same too for those resorts.

ETA: Yes this was listed on the POP thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...tion-questions.3338191/page-477#post-58768047 post #9538

"The Housekeeping button was replaced with a "Disney Services" button as part of the refurb."

From this thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/“it’s-for-your-safety-”.3660402/page-14#post-58740088 post #280

"We just stayed at PoP in Dec, and the new phones don’t have a housekeeping button. Replaced by a Resort Services button that doesn’t seem to get answered. While I was there at check in I requested a clock and received a call back message on my phone from the CM saying they no longer have them and included the front desk Ext # that I was able to phone to get help. Phoning the resort service # was useless.
I’ve heard that housekeeping button at resorts that still have them is getting re directed to a central place, this Resort Services. No longer the housekeeping at your particular resort. Seems they are centralizing everything. Much like Itinerary Planning for club level is now centralized and of course the Front Desk button we all know doesn’t go to the resort front desk."

 

[jerseygal]

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

What's the point of safety latches then? Why do hotels and resorts provide them?

 

[OddDisneyFan]

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

If "safety trumps all" for you, then there shouldn't be anything that Disney does in the name of safety that frustrates or angers you. Perhaps they should place cameras in the rooms, or maybe they're already there? You can't have it both ways. The middle ground is that you give up some safety measures in return for freedom and privacy.

Unlike Universal, Disney's approach to security has been intentionally discreet. I remember talking with a CM about this in one of the resort shops about a year ago, and her noting the distinct difference between Disney's approach and that of Universal. She mentioned that Disney tries to keep the security apparatus hidden to avoid intruding on the guest experience, but that it was becoming more difficult to do that given more persistent threats. I thought it was a bit odd for her to engage in such a conversation, but perhaps it was an intentional effort to collect feedback. This was, of course, before the new room check policy went into effect (or started being enforced).

Personally, one of the things that I *hate* about Universal is the "in-your-face" security. They make a show of big lines, metal detectors, and law enforcement to get into the place. Once you're in, cameras are on display everywhere, and to make sure that you don't sneak a phone onto a coaster, you have to walk through another metal detector. It really makes me paranoid that perhaps I'm not safe at Universal. The Disney CM I spoke with said that Universal's approach is to use overt security apparatus as a deterrent, but it certainly takes away from the guest experience (unless a cartoon-themed prison is your idea of a good time). I *know* I'm being watched at Disney, but I don't *feel* like I'm being watched. For me, that's a big difference.

 

[Newcastle]

I wish I had remembered to take a photo of the phone at POP but I am almost positive that Housekeeping buttons are being removed from all the newly renovated rooms phones. I think you have to call the central call center to ask for anything to do with Housekeeping .... if so that is a joke.

I appreciate everyone's responses to my question about how to notify that I wish to decline housekeeping. If I may add something further to the discussion, in the past, I would typically track down the housekeeper, advise him/her that I did not want housekeeping for the length of my stay, and then put up the 'do not disturb' sign because I assumed that if for whatever reason, the housekeeper did not make note of my request or there was a different housekeeper, I would still not receive housekeeping because they would see the sign and surmise that I did not want to be disturbed for housekeeping or anything else for that matter. It may not have been what the sign was intended for but I think, and I could be wrong about this, that it served as a "back up" of sorts if somehow my original request was forgotten/overlooked. That method had always worked for me over several trips to Disney.

I certainly don't have an aversion to picking up the phone and calling someone to decline housekeeping but I had also heard that the housekeeping buttons were being removed from some of the phones and as HopperFan indicated, if such a call is going to be directed to a call center, I have some concerns as to whether my request will be communicated to the appropriate parties. I think what I may do is just visit the front desk as suggested by dansdad (thank you!) and make the request to decline housekeeping and hope that that will be sufficient. Thanks everyone!!

 

[I Love Pluto]

I actually approve of the new policy.

If my room can be searched at any time - then Disney is also monitoring the other rooms at my resort.
I see this as a very good thing. Disney is doing their job to protect me and my family from a would-be terrorist!

No complaints from me! None!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I actually approve of the new policy.

If my room can be searched at any time - then Disney is also monitoring the other rooms at my resort.
I see this as a very good thing. Disney is doing their job to protect me and my family from a would-be terrorist!

No complaints from me! None!

Just want to point out that what happened in Vegas wasn't a terrorist attack. Furthermore a hotel company that is taking these measures wouldn't narrow their field to just 'would-be terriorists' but rather just events in general that concern public safety.

 

[dansdad]

I appreciate everyone's responses to my question about how to notify that I wish to decline housekeeping. If I may add something further to the discussion, in the past, I would typically track down the housekeeper, advise him/her that I did not want housekeeping for the length of my stay, and then put up the 'do not disturb' sign because I assumed that if for whatever reason, the housekeeper did not make note of my request or there was a different housekeeper, I would still not receive housekeeping because they would see the sign and surmise that I did not want to be disturbed for housekeeping or anything else for that matter. It may not have been what the sign was intended for but I think, and I could be wrong about this, that it served as a "back up" of sorts if somehow my original request was forgotten/overlooked. That method had always worked for me over several trips to Disney.

I certainly don't have an aversion to picking up the phone and calling someone to decline housekeeping but I had also heard that the housekeeping buttons were being removed from some of the phones and as HopperFan indicated, if such a call is going to be directed to a call center, I have some concerns as to whether my request will be communicated to the appropriate parties. I think what I may do is just visit the front desk as suggested by dansdad (thank you!) and make the request to decline housekeeping and hope that that will be sufficient. Thanks everyone!!

If you're staying Value or Moderate and you opt out of housekeeping by going to the front desk and getting your gift card you won't get housekeeping.

If you're staying Deluxe and stop by the front desk or call housekeeping from your room and decline housekeeping, you won't get housekeeping. The housekeeping button on the phone in the Deluxes are still there and will be there going forward .

 

[kaytieeldr]

Again as I stated above are guests being notified explicitly instructions on what to do if they don't want housekeeping? Are they being told to call? And is this being told 100% of the time?

They shouldn't need to be told. The wording on the card has changed to a statement that in no way implies "we don't want housekeeping." Guests can no longer not be disturbed, especially by posting a sign stating [merely ] that there is at least one person in the room while the sign is displayed.

before putting one of these on door I would make sure there is nothing about not adding anything to room. wouldn't want to be removed from WDW because I decided to use one as the contract you agree to when making ressie allows them to enter your room as they want

None are permanent. They can't be in place when nobody is in the room. There shouldn't be any reason to remove a guest. If one can't be used, Disney could confiscate it until the guest checks out - assuming the guest can't be trusted not to use it once told not to use it.

You can tell them but most the reports from folks asking them to do that have been ignored. They have been told no, they must enter right away

Well, there was that one poster whose husband took over for her, said, "no", and shut the door.

 

[HopperFan]

Well, there was that one poster whose husband took over for her, said, "no", and shut the door.

Oh I know, and we didn't let them in twice ................... but I was just relaying that many are being told by CMs they have to let them in.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

They shouldn't need to be told. The wording on the card has changed to a statement that in no way implies "we don't want housekeeping." Guests can no longer not be disturbed, especially by posting a sign stating [merely ] that there is at least one person in the room while the sign is displayed.

Hmmkk..whatever you say. But realistically speaking you and I both know people aren't being told exactly what to do and yes they should be told what to do--you say your way is the way they should be doing it--but why? Who told you to do that and is it written down by Disney that you should be doing it? That's what I'm speaking towards.

Your way of handling it would be to call but not everyone would. And if you do call how are you going to ensure your message is being relayed (and in enough time) correctly to the correct people especially now that procedure for getting in touch directly with housekeeping is changing.

People go by habits. If habitually they used a sign provided to them to designate no housekeeping for the day then they would likely do the same with the new sign. What you and I may do isn't the same as everyone else and the everyone else is who I am speaking about. Can you imagine what a guest who doesn't read the DIS who has always used the DND sign everywhere they have gone to would think? It's more likely they would think to use the sign given to them.

It's on Disney to ensure each guest knows what is expected of them. If it's expected of them to not use the sign with the exception of when they are actually physically in the room then they should be notifying guests of what to do--be that go to the front desk to speak regarding housekeeping desires, be that calling housekeeping or at POP (and likely soon to be All-Stars) calling on their phone Disney/Resort Services to speak regarding housekeeping desires, etc Whatever it is that Disney wants you to do they need to notify you of it.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

I actually approve of the new policy.

If my room can be searched at any time - then Disney is also monitoring the other rooms at my resort.
I see this as a very good thing. Disney is doing their job to protect me and my family from a would-be terrorist!

No complaints from me! None!

I feel the same way.

 

[JFox]

...you're in the room, or you have ten people and two emotional support flamingos...

Bwahahaha.

 

[kaytieeldr]

But realistically speaking you and I both know people aren't being told exactly what to do and yes they should be told what to do

Again, people shouldn't need to be told. Walt Disney World doesn't stay the same, the resorts don't stay the same, the signs don't stay the same. Words don't even stay the same, but there is absolutely nothing in the wording on the current sign that even hints at not wanting to be disturbed.

Your way of handling it would be to call but not everyone would. And if you do call how are you going to ensure your message is being relayed (and in enough time) correctly to the correct people especially now that procedure for getting in touch directly with housekeeping is changing.

Me personally? I arrive late in the day. I'd think 8-12 hours is enough time for the message to be relayed. EXcept, I personally wouldn't bother.

People go by habits. If habitually they used a sign provided to them to designate no housekeeping for the day then they would likely do the same with the new sign.

Well, first, you're assuming every.single.guest. has such a habit, and that they either won't read, or worse, won't comprehend.

 

[Haley R]

I read that a guest told security they weren’t decent and instead of listening they walked in on the husband with just his underwear on... it was a woman security member.

 

[bumbershoot]

Unlike Universal, Disney's approach to security has been intentionally discreet. I remember talking with a CM about this in one of the resort shops about a year ago, and her noting the distinct difference between Disney's approach and that of Universal. She mentioned that Disney tries to keep the security apparatus hidden to avoid intruding on the guest experience

You feel that Uni and Disney do things differently from each other? I’ve been going to Wdw and Uni the same amount of time and I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve been going to Disneyland as an adult since 2005 and don’t know what you’re talking about.

Maybe you’ve never noticed all the fellow “guests” at Disney wearing coiled wires from collar to ears. Maybe you’ve never watched a “bathroom attendant” at space mountain doing a very obvious search of each bathroom stall (as a coiled earpiece “tourist” comes in and you walk out to police with a German Shepherd). Perhaps you’ve never seen someone very obviously arrested at the front gates of Disneyland in the evening.

They make a show of big lines, metal detectors, and law enforcement to get into the place.

Big show? Lines?

Oh...I stay onsite so I walk through the very minimal lines to get to city walk. I rarely come trough the parking garage where there are lines because there are huge numbers of people showing up all at once.

And have you been to Wdw (or Dlr) recently? They have the same setup as Uni now.

to make sure that you don't sneak a phone onto a coaster,

Literally two coasters. And it’s for safety. Because people were being hit by phones and coins coming out of peoples’ pockets.

in the past, I would typically track down the housekeeper, advise him/her that I did not want housekeeping for the length of my stay, and then put up the 'do not disturb' sign because I assumed that if for whatever reason, the housekeeper did not make note of my request or there was a different housekeeper, I would still not receive housekeeping because they would see the sign and surmise that I did not want to be disturbed for housekeeping or anything else for that matter. It may not have been what the sign was intended for but I think, and I could be wrong about this, that it served as a "back up" of sorts if somehow my original request was forgotten/overlooked. That method had always worked for me over several trips to Disney.

But NOW talking to a housekeeper to request no housekeeping results in an almost immediate call to the security type people

Disney is doing their job to protect me and my family from a would-be terrorist!

Ok. If you think so.

I don’t.

Guy in Vegas wasn’t a terrorist and he had housekeeping and other contact with employees. This stuff wouldn’t have stopped it. It’s ridiculous.

 

[Nancyg56]

Oh I know, and we didn't let them in twice ................... but I was just relaying that many are being told by CMs they have to let them in.

If we were not decent I woudl tell them come back. Period.

I read that a guest told security they weren’t decent and instead of listening they walked in on the husband with just his underwear on... it was a woman security member.

YIKES!!! Just an anecdote, we were vacationing in Aruba last November and had a large suite for the family. My DH and I were resting in the master bedroom suite when the housekeeper came in. I was half asleep and my DH was in his unders watching TV. She said Excuse me and proceeded to start cleaning the bathroom. My hubby was kind of frozen on the bed....LOL!!!! WE got the heck out!

In the case of Disney, if we were intruded upon when we were dressing, etc, and had no chance to decline the entry I would march my self down to the manager of the resort. Not the front desk...the manager. I have no problem with anyoen checking our rooms, but I expect courtesy.