Is "Room-Ready" Strictly a DVC Thing?

[boatboatboat]

Show me a customer service rep with a gift cert in their hand, and I'll show you customer service rep with a desire to do anything they can to please the consumer.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Marriott seems to do a really nice job of meeting requests, and still do a "room ready" policy. I liked that I am given a choice. Actually, I called today for a couple of weeksfrom now, and was told that in the bldg. I wanted, I couldn't get flr. 4 or 5, but two and 3 were available--say what?? That was definitely a surprise! And at Disney they can't even guarantee non-smoking??

 

[boatboatboat]

Were you calling on a reservation that was in a one week BLOCK of time?

IMO the people such as marriot who tend to do one week blocks would have a much easier time of allocating rooms.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Yes, all Marriott's are in one week blocks. It would seem to me that it would be easier to do the smaller stays. Anyway, I would settle for guaranteed non-smoking.

 

[boatboatboat]

We always request non smoking also.

But I take along some Dutch Masters just in case...........

 

[Dean]

Were you calling on a reservation that was in a one week BLOCK of time?

IMO the people such as marriot who tend to do one week blocks would have a much easier time of allocating rooms.

While not all Marriott stays are for 7 nights, most are and I'd agree it's easier to juggle in that situation. However, most hotels do pretty well (some better than others) in this area with as many or more variables than DVC resorts have. Most can even tell you upon reservation whether they can guarantee you a smoking or NS room and the unit type. You can't satisfy all the people all the time. The problem with DVC is it appears they've quit trying. Maybe it's because they don't think they can please people anyway so why bother or simply to cut costs because it takes people with salaries to preassign units.

I do realize that a minority of the guests cause all the headaches in this area. Those that request certain buildings or even specific rooms. Or who argue over X unit because it's close to the road and they might hear the bus or any number of other trivial (IMO) requests. If I were DVC I"d publish a list of acceptable as well as unacceptable requests. Acceptable ones would be Smoking/NS, general location, unit type where variable, HC/medical requests and that'd be about it. I'd notice the members, MS CM and resort CM. I'd put it in writing to all and tell everyone to stick to it. Then I'd promise to meets the requests as much as possible in the order of preference of medically necessary and first reserved first. Of course if they made smoking/NS a reservation type, this would almost take away any need for routine requests other than reasonable but specialty ones like multiple units near each other, general location, medical requests due to location.

 

[boatboatboat]

we only make 2 request.

non smoking

top floor (to reduce noise from above)

Seems that when you start asking for certain locations, and views you are delayed getting into your room.

Now the majority of our stays have been at HH, and IMO all the views there are wonderful, not a bad seat in the house.

We have a stay at BWV coming up, I might get stuck looking at a dumpster (standard view 1 bed), as long as it is non smoking, i'll be happy, top floor is icing on the cake.

 

[justKim]

We always request non smoking also.

But I take along some Dutch Masters just in case...........

But, how many Dutch Masters? Aren't there rules about occupancy and number of guests per room? Does it really matter if they are Dutch?

 

[boatboatboat]

The Dutch are noted for being slight of build.

I will admit the wooden shoes do make quite a racket.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

Ok I will bite, what is room ready?

Basically in a nut shell... If they don't pre-block rooms they will look for a room that is clean and ready (if there are any) when you arrive. If you arrive at 10am and there is a "room ready" it's yours rather than having you wait until 4pm check in time. If they pre-assign all the rooms based on requests you might arrive at 10am and have to wait until 4pm for a room because the rooms that are clean at 10am are already assigned to someone else. In the room ready theory, it is first come first serve, they don't want people waiting to get into their room is there are rooms that are ready. If a room is already pre-assigned (for whatever reason) an experienced CM and/or a good room assigner will look for a substitue for you (if there is one that is clean) and offer it to you). I would always say "the room that meets your requests is not ready, I have this room avalaible now would you like that or would you like to wait." This way it is your choice. Most Cashiers on the desk don't like to move things around that are pre-assigned so half the check ins could be waiting on their room to become clean when there are a lot of other options that could have been offered that were ready...so they developed the room ready theory of not pre-assigning and being able to offer what is avalaible at check in time...

 

[justKim]

Thanks to CDSTapisRouge for the explanation.

 

[Daitcher]

Daitcher why did you buy SSR?

You would be money ahead to purchase HH resale.

To heck with the 12 years. It still factors out better per year, per point.

I don't understand your logic of buying SSR at a HIGH price to book rooms in the 7 mth window.

your logic is flawed.

people are staying at BWV with HH points that are worth 70 a pt, and you are "spending" SSR points that are worth 90 a pt.

That's funny........

Good questions. I paid $84/pp at SSR. I bought in before the resort was built back in 2002. I didn't expect to book elsewhere, I had high hopes for SSR. This was aslo before they "expanded" the original plans. I travel off season so 7 months works for me. I am also a fairly young guy at 34 so those 12 years were a big deal to me. 12 years of use has a lot of value. So far so good for us but if 7 month bookins go out the window we will indeed sell and perhaps buy back in elsewhere.

DAVE

 

[Daitcher]

CDSTapisRouge.

do they accept bribes?

That is a yes. I always hand the CM a cool $20 before any words are spoken. They seem to understand what this means.


DAVE

 

[DisneyPhD]

Basically in a nut shell... If they don't pre-block rooms they will look for a room that is clean and ready (if there are any) when you arrive. If you arrive at 10am and there is a "room ready" it's yours rather than having you wait until 4pm check in time. If they pre-assign all the rooms based on requests you might arrive at 10am and have to wait until 4pm for a room because the rooms that are clean at 10am are already assigned to someone else. In the room ready theory, it is first come first serve, they don't want people waiting to get into their room is there are rooms that are ready. If a room is already pre-assigned (for whatever reason) an experienced CM and/or a good room assigner will look for a substitue for you (if there is one that is clean) and offer it to you). I would always say "the room that meets your requests is not ready, I have this room avalaible now would you like that or would you like to wait." This way it is your choice. Most Cashiers on the desk don't like to move things around that are pre-assigned so half the check ins could be waiting on their room to become clean when there are a lot of other options that could have been offered that were ready...so they developed the room ready theory of not pre-assigning and being able to offer what is avalaible at check in time...

Thank you, thank you THANK YOU! I was about to give up on this thread with all the strange talk and bride stuff going on. I swear some this thread is in a werid code that makes not sense at all.

From my expernce that has been how it works for us in the past. We normally arive around 12:00 noon and almost every time we were able to get room, normally a very good one. We had the choice sometimes to wait for one that fit our requests more, but normally we take the open room since we have young kids and getting them in for a rest when we hav been traveling since 5:00 am is a good thing.

Thank you again!

 

[missymagic]

I stayed at BWV for the first time this past Dec and didn't have any specific requests for our one bedroom. We arrived at 12:30 and we were told our room wouldn't be ready till 3:00 (ended up being closer till 4). So we stored out items and headed to parks. When we returned to the room our luggage had already arrived from Magic Express. Other years I have stayed at various Disney's regular resorts and have gotten a room right away.

Every trip is different I just make sure I am prepared just in case the room isnt ready.

 

[CarolMN]

It's been my experience (in December) that the rooms at BWV are pretty much all pre-assigned. Since the BWV are always booked to capacity in December, I'm not sure there is any other way to do it and still get everyone into a room. We usually have to wait for our room, but did get in early once or twice. This is based on the past 6 years of going to BWV in early December. Sometimes we get our requests and sometimes we don't. But we have never had a bad room or view there.

Best wishes -

 

[bdb7607]

That is a yes. I always hand the CM a cool $20 before any words are spoken. They seem to understand what this means.


DAVE

And here I thought $10 would do.....

 

[boatboatboat]

That is a yes. I always hand the CM a cool $20 before any words are spoken. They seem to understand what this means.

I am gonna try that. Will I be able to get the 20 back, if my room still isn't ready until 2:00?

 

[Sammie]

Disney resort staff at the Front desk are not allowed to take bribes, I mean tips. If they accept it and are caught they could lose thier job.

 

[Daitcher]

I was about to give up on this thread with all the strange talk and bride stuff going on. Thank you again!

Who is getting married? And you are confused.


DAVE