Just wow

[dkostel]

I’m sitting in the beautiful wilderness lodge lobby but I have to admit it loses its luster after 4 hours. I got here at noon and was told my room was being worked on. It is almost 5:30 and nothing. But the icing on the cake is they just sent me a survey asking how I was enjoying my stay(and asking for a room number as part of the survey). I fully accept that a room may not be ready before 4 but don’t tell me it is being worked on for 5.5 hours.

 

[Sandisw]

Have you gone to the front desk? If I don’t get a text by 4:15, I’m there asking for another room. If it gets to 5 pm, I’d want something because that is not acceptable. That happened once to us and they paid for our meal at Ohana.

 

[dkostel]

Been there a couple of times. I’m waiting for the only accessible cabin they have so there is no other room.

 

[eandt]

Been there a couple of times. I’m waiting for the only accessible cabin they have so there is no other room.

Talk to the manager (not the desk person) and politely explain to them about the waste of your valuable time, they will make it right, We had room issues at the Poly once that caused us to be required to move 2x's wasting several hours of our time and after speaking to the hotel manager we were fairly compensated for it. If you don't at least voice your displeasure and get it off your chest it may bother you for your entire vacation. Good luck

 

[dkostel]

They’re making it right. It’s a toilet issue.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Oo I can’t wait to hear how they made it right. I feel like making popcorn. I’m all in at this point.

 

[karen4546]

They’re making it right. It’s a toilet issue.

What did they do to “make it right”? Sorry about your wait. We have waited until almost 8pm once for our room assignment. We were in the parks and not overly concerned, but I have no idea what the issue was since it was in November 2020 And not anywhere near capacity.

 

[dclpluto]

What did they do to “make it right”? Sorry about your wait. We have waited until almost 8pm once for our room assignment. We were in the parks and not overly concerned, but I have no idea what the issue was since it was in November 2020 And not anywhere near capacity.

lack of workers

 

[mort1331]

Oo I can’t wait to hear how they made it right. I feel like making popcorn. I’m all in at this point.

popcorn::

 

[Brett Wyman]

We had to wait until 5:30 once, and they DID offer us another room but it was not a good one location/view wise. So we waited. We've also had rooms ready at 11:00am as well, so we mostly just roll with the punches.

 

[CBMom01]

Why sit around in the lobby all that time instead of going and doing something? Hotels are short staffed and doing the best they can. I just don’t understand starting out a vacation angry about something like this, and I really don’t understand expecting compensation for it

 

[TinkB278]

On my last trip in September we did a split stay at RIV and Poly. Our rooms were not ready until well last five at each. I had to go to the front desk both times. At RIV I was told we “somehow slipped through the cracks”. No one at either resort did anything to make it up to us.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Why sit around in the lobby all that time instead of going and doing something? Hotels are short staffed and doing the best they can. I just don’t understand starting out a vacation angry about something like this, and I really don’t understand expecting compensation for it

I thought the same thing . Why wait in lobby, were they telling "almost ready' ?
Drop your things and go start your vacation.

 

[Carol_]

1. It’s a gorgeous lobby; I’d stay there for an hour easily.
2. 1 hour in the gift shop.
3. Find the hidden mickeys? 20 minutes.
4. Drop everything heavy with bell services and get thee to a lobby bar. Any lobby bar. Grand flo, top of the world, geyser point, chip and Dale campfire singalong… roast some s’mores… watch the electric boat parade, then sleep in the lobby.

 

[SteveMouse]

Um. Doesn’t check-in begin at 4pm? Anything before official check-in time would be pixie dust, in my book.

 

[SMF_mom23]

Why sit around in the lobby all that time instead of going and doing something? Hotels are short staffed and doing the best they can. I just don’t understand starting out a vacation angry about something like this, and I really don’t understand expecting compensation for it

I don't think I'd wait in the lobby either, but I would 100% expect some sort of compensation if my room wasn't ready by the time it was supposed to be, especially for what WDW charges. In any instance that I'm paying a premium for a product or service and am not provided with what I paid top-dollar for, I expect someone to provide something to help make up for not providing what I contracted them to do. If I get there early and it isn't ready, that's on me. But if it is well past check-in and it isn't ready, that's on the company.
ETA: I would never DEMAND something in an instance like this (unless it was hours past check-in). I would simply be polite in my dealings. My experience has always been that Disney recognizes when they have issues and work to make things right before even being prompted (and most companies I've dealt with are similar in their responsiveness to issues).

 

[Carol_]

There’s no official “time it’s supposed to be” ready, as far as I know… which is why I’d blatantly sleep in the lobby.

 

[sleepydog25]

On a side note, it's more than just staffing. The Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving tend to be extremely busy days as a high number of guests leave for home after the holiday. Even with a full complement of housekeepers, inspectors, engineers, and housekeeping attendants, such a barrage of guests leaving requires a superhuman effort. Among other things, CMs can't get into the rooms until guests leave, and many don't leave until right before 11 and often after. One housekeeper may be assigned four rooms, and if none leave until 10:30, 11, or even later, said housekeeper is already behind the power curve.

Another factor is the size of the room. Studios obviously take the least amount of time all things being equal. GVs and cabins take the most. A Grand Villa can take 4-5 hours easily, for example. If the prior guests don't pull out until, say, 11:15, then if a housekeeper gets into the GV right after...well, you get the picture. And, yes, if something goes wrong with the room--heating/cooling system, plumbing, appliance issues--then those have to be resolved first.

All that to say, sure, not getting your room by 4 p.m. (which is not exactly how DVC words it) is annoying, aggravating. Yet, I can assure you, the CMs are taking the issue of getting you into your room seriously and working hard to get you there. No one wants a guest to have a bad experience at any time, much less at the beginning of his/her trip.

 

[eandt]

On a side note, it's more than just staffing. The Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving tend to be extremely busy days as a high number of guests leave for home after the holiday. Even with a full complement of housekeepers, inspectors, engineers, and housekeeping attendants, such a barrage of guests leaving requires a superhuman effort. Among other things, CMs can't get into the rooms until guests leave, and many don't leave until right before 11 and often after. One housekeeper may be assigned four rooms, and if none leave until 10:30, 11, or even later, said housekeeper is already behind the power curve.

Another factor is the size of the room. Studios obviously take the least amount of time all things being equal. GVs and cabins take the most. A Grand Villa can take 4-5 hours easily, for example. If the prior guests don't pull out until, say, 11:15, then if a housekeeper gets into the GV right after...well, you get the picture. And, yes, if something goes wrong with the room--heating/cooling system, plumbing, appliance issues--then those have to be resolved first.

All that to say, sure, not getting your room by 4 p.m. (which is not exactly how DVC words it) is annoying, aggravating. Yet, I can assure you, the CMs are taking the issue of getting you into your room seriously and working hard to get you there. No one wants a guest to have a bad experience at any time, much less at the beginning of his/her trip.

Disney has been in the hotel business for a long time, it seems to me that they would have this down and it would be extremely rare for someone not to get their room by 4pm yet if these boards are any indication its not all that rare. I don't think I have ever heard of any other resort/hotel property where this is an issue.

If it's an issue of inconsiderate guests lingering after check out then that needs to be policed and those folks penalized. Disney can use the proceeds of the penalties to compensate those guests that are inconvenienced by a later than 4pm check in

 

[CBMom01]

Disney has been in the hotel business for a long time, it seems to me that they would have this down and it would be extremely rare for someone not to get their room by 4pm yet if these boards are any indication its not all that rare. I don't think I have ever heard of any other resort/hotel property where this is an issue.

If it's an issue of inconsiderate guests lingering after check out then that needs to be policed and those folks penalized. Disney can use the proceeds of the penalties to compensate those guests that are inconvenienced by a later than 4pm check in

Check in may start at 4 pm but no hotel guarantees your room will be available unless they explicitly say they guarantee check in time (which they do with some special rates)