Just back! - reporting on check-in experiences

[Hilary]

We arrived home yesterday after a week of DVC life!

During the week we had four DVC check-ins and I thought I'd report our experiences. I had expected only the first room was likely to be ready for us to take straight away, as the following check-ins were all earlier than 4pm. Unlike previous DVC trips, when I have often asked for a particular building / floor, I had made no location requests at any of the resorts.

Check-in 1 - VWL, straight from our flight (about 7pm). We were allocated our 2 bedroom on the fourth floor. It was a great room

Check-in 2 - SSR for DD and her BF (about 10am). We'd made all sorts of plans for groceries and luggage storage so that DD and her BF could head off to the parks until their room was ready. I hadn't requested a location, but didn't think this would be an issue as previously at SSR we've always been offered a choice of locations. DD and BF had no transport, so we were going to ask for Congress Park to make it easy for them to walk to Downtown and Westside. However, at check-in, the CM said "your studio has been allocated, and it's ready for you now" (at 10am!) and showed us the location in the Grandstand. I mentioned the lack of transport and asked if there might be a room in Congress Park, even if it meant waiting for it to be ready, but the CM said she wasn't supposed to make any changes because the room had been allocated and could be accessed straight away. DD and her BF looked at the location on the map and said they'd be very happy there as they could get the boat over to Downtown, and the fact that the room was cleaned and ready would make things much easier for them. It turned out to be a lovely location, and the Downtown access was easy, too

Check-in 3 - VB (2pm). Having left DD and her BF at SSR, other DD, DH and I were checking in to VB. Our CM said almost the same as the one at SSR - that our room had been allocated and was ready for us. Another lovely room (in one of the buildings I prefer), with a partial sea-view!

Check-in 4 - OKW (2pm). We really didn't mind where we were going to be in OKW. The CM here also said a version of "your room has been allocated and is ready for you". It was in the same building as our previous OKW visit, and suited us just fine

It was sooooo nice to have the rooms ready for us when we checked in and I wondered whether this was becuase we had made no special requests.

I'd be interested to hear how other people's recent check-ins have been handled, with or without requests.

 

[UKDEB]

Thanks for this, Hil. We've made no special requests for our upcoming stay, either. Our first five nights are in a studio at SSR (we've given up hope of one of the Epcot resorts coming through on the waitlist) and we're happy to take whatever we're allocated. We're then on to Universal for two nights before returning to a one-bed at SSR. Having stayed in the Grandstand area twice before, we know we like it and, as we'll be checking in early we'd hoped we'd more-or-less get a choice of location. From what you're saying it sounds as though we may have to revise our expectations (or maybe add a request to our reservation).

 

[Callum]

Thanks Hilary. We arrive on 4 November and although we did request a Studio in Congress Park, we might well be limited to what is available when we check in at around 7pm.

After a few days on the Gulf Coast, our check in at OKW should be a bit earlier but as we have arranged a visit on route back to WDW, I would still think it is going to be around 4pm.

Just so pleased to be going back, we'll make the most of wherever we end up

 

[JimC]

It varies quite a bit. Our non scientific observation is that if you arrive very early of very late you have a better chance of getting a villa straight away. But if you arrive late morning to 4:00 pm it is a bit dicey.

 

[happyj]

Hi
This is very interesting information .It really does sound as they have changed their check in .We normally request an area but they never seem to have it noted.So maybe in future you will get what you request .
Janet

 

[Boss Hogg]

So maybe in future you will get what you request .

I've just added some very specific requests for our trip in a couple of weeks, so will be interesting to see if this is the case.

 

[Debs Hill]

Which building were you in at OKW? Glad that you had nice locations for all your stays!! We have always been able to check straight in after 4.00pm and when we have arrived early at OKW had to wait until midday..........but that was because we were waiting for a specific location!
Welcome home!
Debsx

 

[Dizneemad]

This has always been a bug bear of mine with the DVC.
I always book at the 11month window and make my requests and up to now have never had anything like what I have requested. I know it is how they work the system but why not allocate the rooms with people's request at the time of booking if available.

 

[arielrocks]

We had a Great checkin at AKV - no requests were made and it went very smoothly, same as our check in at BWV the following week.

I guess it just depends on who checks you in.

 

[UKDEB]

This has always been a bug bear of mine with the DVC.
I always book at the 11month window and make my requests and up to now have never had anything like what I have requested.

Ditto, until this trip. We didn't make any requests for our first 5 nights at BWV (as the waitlist came through just one week before departure, we weren't about to get picky ), but we made very specific requests for our 7 night stay at SSR in a one bed. We asked for Grandstand, unit ending in 03 or 45 (i.e. extreme ends of the "U" not overlooking other units), and not ground floor. We stopped short of requesting a specific building thinking that would be pushing it, but, as all our other requests were met for the first time ever, I'm thinking we could have taken it as far as we wanted. Hilary makes a very good point and, whilst she doesn't actually say as much, reading between the lines, it seemed to us from what she said that they're making more of an effort to meet member requests. That was certainly borne out by our recent experience.

 

[Pootle]

Hilary makes a very good point and, whilst she doesn't actually say as much, reading between the lines, it seemed to us from what she said that they're making more of an effort to meet member requests. That was certainly borne out by our recent experience.

I'm just back too - stayed at OKW and had all my requests met. Not only that, I had 2 phone calls within the first couple of days to check that everything was in order and giving the name of a person to contact should anything fall short of my expectations! Never have that happen before.

 

[Hilary]

Glad you both had your requests met, Deb and Moira

Hilary makes a very good point and, whilst she doesn't actually say as much, reading between the lines, it seemed to us from what she said that they're making more of an effort to meet member requests.

LOL! Well, that hadn't been what I was trying to say when I said it and I was about to refute it. Then I stopped to think it through and realised that, yes, the next logical step from observing that making no requests seemed to result in the rooms being ready early in the day would be to conclude that the CMs are trying to match rooms to requests.

Not only that, I had 2 phone calls within the first couple of days to check that everything was in order and giving the name of a person to contact should anything fall short of my expectations! Never have that happen before.

Wow! I've never heard of that happening before

 

[mickg7dyd]

Hi,
We have been members for over eight years and our room request ratio stands at 100% That is 100% NOT granted. So much so we never bother to request anything anymore. We have just returned from 6 nights at BCV in a 1 bed and the room they allocated was a disabled room. This meant that the shower was "zero" entry type with a curtain and a UK style plastic shower head and hose. It barely had any water pressure so we called the front desk to ask for a different room but were told they had none. I refused to accept this and they put me through to the "allocations" Dept. who found a replacement instantly. This was right at the end of the corridor the furthest point away from the reception. Not sure if this intentional but it actually worked in our favour as it was only a short walk to our car. They also told us we would have to get new room keys after 3 days as the reservation had been "split" but on this occasion they would "allow" us to keep the same room..!! We never did get new room keys so I've no idea what that was all about.
What made things worse was that we cruised over from Southampton with Royal Caribbean and the whole experience with them was perfect.
Not DVC's finest hour.

Mick.

 

[Princess_Melanie]

We got lucky on our recent trip to SSR. We made an initial request when we booked at 11 months out for Congress Park and any floor but the ground floor. When we checked in it was a very smooth process and we got a 4th floor room in Congress Park AND a DTD view