Just back from AKL - disapointed with Housekeeping

[BostonRob]

No problem with your post. Useful information. I've read that if you have too many requests your requests just get ignored. There really isn't any way for the CM to know which requests are important to you and it's easier to just move on to a request that can be met.

Although your requests don't sound unreasonable there are very few K rooms. I suspect there may only literally be a handful of K rooms in the location you requested. Any request that, is in effect, a request of a specific room number or a request that only a small number of rooms satisfy is unreasonable. I KNOW YOU DIDN'T INTENT TO REQUEST A SPECIFIC ROOM number but that's basically what you were doing.

It's even tougher at AKL, a lot of guests are requesting the same Savannah and floor.

Disney has very few K rooms. If you want a K room you really can't make any other requests (other than smoking).

Surprised you couldn't get even one of your preferences when you checked in. I guess the resort was booked.

Funny, I kinda took the opposite approach to what you suggest. I wasn't requesting a specific room; because i knew that wouldn't happen. I was merely requesting a bunch of things I'd like, in hopes that I'd get one or two of them. Maybe it did work against me.

Believe me, I understand how ridiculous the 'request' process is. While I was getting my keys re-scanned, I witnessed a family who was checking in with as many requests as me. They didn't get the bunk beds they wanted, so the father said, well, can we at least get something on the Zebra trail? The CM responded "but you have a pool view", to which the father replied, "yes, but we'd like a pool view on the Zebra trail side." So I know how ridiculous things get. But I figured I was better off making my requests than not. Maybe I was wrong.

I'll tell you, the one complaint I do have about the whole request thing is the "king bed" matter. Why is it that in some resorts you reserve and pay for a king bed, while in others you can only request one and hope? Doesn't make much sense to me. I'd happily have paid an extra $10 or $20 per night for a king bed.

 

[Lewisc]

Funny, I kinda took the opposite approach to what you suggest. I wasn't requesting a specific room; because i knew that wouldn't happen. I was merely requesting a bunch of things I'd like, in hopes that I'd get one or two of them. Maybe it did work against me.

Rob this isn't directed to you but intended for other guests making requests. I think there only 40 rooms on the floor, trail and svanagh you requested. I think only 4 or 5 of the rooms are king. A request that can only be filled by 4 or 5 rooms is next to impossible to fill. The CM didn't know which request was most important to you so they just moved on to a guest they could help.

Unfortunately most of the guests want rooms that can accomodate families so Disney has very few K bedded rooms. I learned a K request, if granted, pretty much blocks out all your other requests.

 

[LisaS]

Just to add some more data, I've stayed at AKL three times. Each time I requested "Non-smoking, King". The first time we got NS, Queen. The second time they had us in a NS, King but the room was just steps away from where we were the first time and we wanted to experience a different view. In order to get a room on a different savannah, we had to give up the king bed which we did. The third time we got NS, King with a great view. That was in late January and I suspect the hotel wasn't too full at the time and it was easier to accommodate requests. Or maybe we just got lucky!

 

[Ladyhawke10]

But I figured I was better off making my requests than not. Maybe I was wrong.

I'll tell you, the one complaint I do have about the whole request thing is the "king bed" matter. Why is it that in some resorts you reserve and pay for a king bed, while in others you can only request one and hope? Doesn't make much sense to me. I'd happily have paid an extra $10 or $20 per night for a king bed.

Most of the time I've gotten most of my requests granted...in fact, it's been rare when we haven't. I know I've heard it's really hard to get a king bed (at Disney it's mostly families so they put in mainly queens/doubles). I agree with you, it'd be a good idea to offer an extra fee to allow for priority toward a specified request, such as a king bed. I also would be disappointed by the stuff on the floor--hope you get better mousekeeping on your next visit!

 

[bavaria]

BostonRob, I really can sympathize - how frustrating, and it sounds like you handled it well.

And I think that this wins my vote for favourite post of the day!:

Yeah, unfortunately, I don't speak smileyese - so I have no idea what you are saying.

(oops, let me know if you need me to translate!)

 

[eeyore45]

My question, which could start a debate if I opened it to a new thread...

WHY NOT complain about housekeeping? Not complain about the mousekeepers mind you, but the fact that we pay $250 (app) per night in a Deluxe or otherwise 'resort' we should get better, if we dont demand better, than they (Disney CEO - management is what I'm trying to get at) will assume when they need the bottom line boosted for their stockholders, and Wall Street, you gotta cut back, and as long as we continue to accept life because of the true magic of Disney, its ok with us... I know for even me I get so giddy I"m at Disney, but it shouldnt be the "luck of the draw" meaning if a mousekeeper has a shorter time to make it through the rounds...

I understand not complaining to a manager because they then assume we want some sort of compensation, which I think many have posted that's not the case, the problem is the bottom line is starting to be noticable...

from what I'm reading, I could be wrong!

 

[BostonRob]

My question, which could start a debate if I opened it to a new thread...

WHY NOT complain about housekeeping?

You bring up a good point. I didn't want to take the time out of my short vacation to complain. But perhaps I should complain now. Generally my view on these things is that WDW execs know the service isn't perfect. They've decided that the service they're giving is acceptable and that it isn't worth taking $x out of their bottom line to bring the service closer to perfect. I tend to believe that somebody is being paid a lot of money to make these decisions and that one complaint from one guy like me won't make a difference. I suppose that is an apathetic, pessimistic and slightly cynical view of things. So maybe I will write a letter. Anybody know who the name and mailing address of the General Manager of the AKL?

 

[Lewisc]

Good question. Some things are bad enough to complain about on an internet board but not bad enough to take the time to write a letter.

My question, which could start a debate if I opened it to a new thread...

WHY NOT complain about housekeeping? Not complain about the mousekeepers mind you, but the fact that we pay $250 (app) per night in a Deluxe or otherwise 'resort' we should get better, if we dont demand better, !

 

[eeyore45]

I just think its a worthy cause, things can improve if only we ask... ok I do believe the glass is half full... and I do believe in fairies...

http://studio.go.com/cgi-bin/gmail/generic_mail.cgi?template=disneyworld/form.tpl

I couldnt find a snail mail address, and I do believe snail mail has more attention getting factors... just think if 1,000 people write and say I love Disney, I stay at resorts all over the country, but why arent the housekeepers given more time to do a more thourogh job for my health in a DELUXE or just in a "resort" hotel...

just thinking...

 

[epcotfan]

We had lousy housekeeping at AKL as well. Dirty room, sheets and the maid threw out personal property and receipts which I needed to claim at Canada Customs.

 

[Sleepy]

.......... and the maid threw out personal property and receipts which I needed to claim at Canada Customs.

When I worked housekeeping, I was not allowed to touch ANYTHING. If the lid to the toilet was down and had personal items on it, the toilet remained uncleaned. Same with the anything else. Sink counter with items could not be touched (parts with no personal items could). We were not even allowed to pick up the items and clean under them and return items to same spot. Even what we considered trash could not be thrown away......that pizza box on the table with half eaten pizza could have been bought 30 minutes before I got to the room and the people could have just stepped out to visit the drink machine, intending to return to eat the leftovers. We had strict rules.

 

[epcotfan]

I thought most housekeeping worked like that Sleepy. I'd never had a maid touch my stuff before, let alone throw stuff out. Even old cans of pop. I could understand if I'd put my things in the garbage or recycling bin, but I didn't.

Edited to add: After that incident I always hide my purchases and keep my receipts in the safe or in my wallet.

 

[BostonRob]

When I worked housekeeping, I was not allowed to touch ANYTHING. If the lid to the toilet was down and had personal items on it, the toilet remained uncleaned. Same with the anything else. Sink counter with items could not be touched (parts with no personal items could). We were not even allowed to pick up the items and clean under them and return items to same spot. Even what we considered trash could not be thrown away......that pizza box on the table with half eaten pizza could have been bought 30 minutes before I got to the room and the people could have just stepped out to visit the drink machine, intending to return to eat the leftovers. We had strict rules.

In regards to touching personal items, I'm always surprised when people bemoan their luck if the maid didn't arrange their child's stuffed animals in funny poses. DO YOU PEOPLE REALLY WANT THE HANDS THAT JUST CLEANED EVERY TOILET ON THE FLOOR TOUCHING YOUR CHILD'S TOYS?

 

[Sleepy]

In regards to touching personal items, I'm always surprised when people bemoan their luck if the maid didn't arrange their child's stuffed animals in funny poses. DO YOU PEOPLE REALLY WANT THE HANDS THAT JUST CLEANED EVERY TOILET ON THE FLOOR TOUCHING YOUR CHILD'S TOYS?

I don't know about Disney, but I certainly did NOT clean the toilet with my bare hands. I used gloves and washed my hands after removing the gloves.