"I want the room...."

[Buckeye Gal]

I've already made my resort reservation (10 months out). I'm reading that people have made requests of preferability to be in a particular building and/or floor. Should I do this like a week or less before checking in, or can it be considered on my reservation now?

Thanks for your guidance!!

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

I always include any requests when I make my reservation. We stay at the Poly so I always request "3rd floor w/balcony". I'll also add a longhouse request occasionally. I've never requested a specific room before. I may have just been lucky but I've always gotten what I requested.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I made my room/location request at the time I made my reservations. I also called about three weeks out and made sure they had made a notation of my request. When we arrived at the CBR, I asked about my requests and was told that I had been given a free upgrade to a preferred location.

I think you should go ahead and call now and make your requests. Just keep in mind that Disney will do their best to honor your request but they won't guarantee them.

 

[Mr. Pig]

Get the request on the reservation now through the same place you made it originally (i.e. don't call the resort directly, they don't get the reservation info until just a few days before you arrive). You can confirm with the resort just before you leave but I have heard mixed answers whether this makes a difference or not.

Just remember that it is only a request and in my opinion getting a request is not as certain as it sometimes sounds like on these boards. We are at about a 50% success rate and we don't make overly specific requests. It sounds like checking in early will help but I don't know about that either. Do everything you can do to make a request known but don't be disappointed if it does not happen.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

Personally I would get it on ASAP because when I was a reservationist, we honored requests based on when the reservation/request was made.

 

[TDC Nala]

The more specific your request, the less likely it is that you will have it fulfilled.

You'd be more likely to get a particular building than to get a particular floor of that building, or a specific room.

Although Disney attempts to fill requests, they make no guarantees.

 

[spiceycat]

don't even try to request a particular room - that won't happen.

instead try to request an area - like near the pool, or near the main pool, or near the restuarants or food courts.

 

[skipperkim]

I always request top floor when making my ressie. (Also, when it was smoking non smoking room.) I've followed up with a fax as well. Some resorts work hard to make sure those requests are meet. Of course, it's not always to honor all requests. You have to make a choice of what is important to you.

 

[Buckeye Gal]

Thank you everyone for your advice! I certainly understand I would be making a REQUEST, not creating a requirement!

I've only made it to page 212 out 311 on the resort FAQ that I'm interested in. So far, it's still referring to there being smoking and non-smoking rooms, and if you REQUIRE a non-smoking room for medical reasons, you need a doctor's note. Have the resorts gone non-smoking (as far as rooms go) yet?

 

[Cinderella]

I honestly don't go OTT with my requests on my reservations and I've always been lucky enough to have wonderful rooms assigned to me.

On the rare occasion that I have had a specific request - eg. I wanted concierge but no rooms were available, I faxed a request to the resort a few days before but made it clear that I would be willing to pay any additional costs incurred.

The way I see it, if you're not happy with your room you can complain. I have only had to do this once at Beach Club because the room I got was miniscule. When i called to complain I was told that I should accept it because I got a good room rate.

I politely said that a good room rate should not equal small s...hole that you couldn't swing a cat in, and that I spent thousands each year in WDW (on that particular trip alone I was staying 14 nights paying deluxe prices), and the room I got did not vaguely resemble those in their brochures. Only then did i get moved to a normal sized BC room. I'm sure they'd put me in CM accommodations.

There are not too many bad rooms, but if you do get one, don't be afraid to complain loudly, no matter what rate you got. Disney more than recoup the money you save on discounts through dining discounts, souvenirs, and park passes - and repeat visits.

Generally I've always found it best to go with the flow but I wouldn't hesitate to complain if I thought I was getting a bad deal.

 

[frdeb1999]

We always just tell them what floor since we always stay in the same building at the Poly and we always include this when we book. Have'nt had any problems yet with getting the area we want.

 

[PrincessPaczki]

We use AAA to book our trips, and this year our travel agent told the Disney person on the phone how much we liked our room last year at the POR. The CM ask if we wanted the same room. We said yes and we got the same room! Building 39, top floor, corner room over looking the quiet pool. It was a perfect loction!