Luck with connectioning rooms

[freshstart19]

I'm deciding between booking 2 room at PO Riverside for our family of 5 with 2 18 year olds and a 5 year old with tickets and dining for $2409 versus a 2 bdr suite at Sarotoga Springs for $3054. I'm told because my Ds are 18 that there is no guarantee that we can have connecting rooms. My DH thinks it's worth the extra $600 to be sure that we'd be together since the older ones will be home from college and the 5 year old will want to be with her sister. I've called the PO directly and was told the same thing as well. Has anyone had experience with connecting rooms? Thanks

 

[clkelley]

Although at the values, we have always gotten connecting rooms when we asked for them.

All of the trips have been with additional adults.

Two of the trips, me and hubby had a room, and hubby's brother and my teen boys had a room.

The third trip, hubby and my adult boys had a room, and me and their adult girlfriends had a room.

 

[gardenia]

Just this past Veteran's Day, we booked 2 rooms at CBR for 2 adults and 3 children. The cast member making the reservation told me (unprompted) that connecting rooms were guaranteed, and the front desk told me when I checked in that my rooms were connecting. Well, they were not connecting, and of course when I called the front desk they said 1) connecting rooms are not guaranteed (wish they would tell CRO that) and 2) they were booked and had no connecting rooms to give me. I said fine, okay, you will have to move me to another resort, if that's what it takes. You'd be surprised how quickly they suddenly "found" connecting rooms at CBR - about 30 seconds. It took another 45 minutes to get the room keys and move.

Bottom line, I don't want to go through this hassle at the moderate resorts again. I go on vacation to be WITH my family, not separated from them, so if I have to book deluxe or villas to stay together, so be it. I recommend that you go with SSR, it will be worth it.

 

[Lynne M]

They always try to accommodate requests. But there is no way to guarantee that you will get connecting rooms at POR. If you're going at a busy time (school break, holiday period), your chances are not as good, as there's less flexibility in assigning rooms when the resort is full or nearly full.

If the $600 is not going to break the bank, I'd definitely go for the 2-bedroom at SSR. You'll have a living room, a full kitchen, and a washer-dryer, plus a king bed in the master bedroom, and a jacuzzi in the master bath. And you'll be absolutely sure that you'll all be together.

 

[freshstart19]

Yes, I was told that because my Ds are 18 that the connection would not be guaranteed. I was hoping that by going from 1/5 to 1/8 there would be plenty of rooms available to take the chance on saving $600.

 

[maxiesmom]

Yes, I was told that because my Ds are 18 that the connection would not be guaranteed. I was hoping that by going from 1/5 to 1/8 there would be plenty of rooms available to take the chance on saving $600.

Well, it is taking a chance. They cannot guarantee connecting rooms. So you have a tough decision to make. Either spend the $600 and know you will all be together, or save $600 and risk not being together. If you simply cannot stand the idea of being in seperate rooms, then spend the $600.

Btw, have you though of getting a family suite at ASMu? I"m thinking it would be less money then SSR, plus you would definately all be together.

 

[JennyDrake]

You are going during a low traffiic time and that should help. Although some say differently, I've had success faxing in room requests four days in advance, when room assignments are made.

 

[freshstart19]

I was advised by PO to call 5 days in advance when they get the reservation and make the assignments. I did check into the ASMU suites but the college girls would not have beds. I really don't want them to sleep on a sleeper sofa/chair. I think I'm going to just go for the SSR. Thanks for the responses.

 

[dawgsgirl]

I think you will be there during a busy time, so don't count on connecting rooms.

 

[vod2117]

If youare witha child, Disney has to provide you with connecting rooms. I checked this up about a year ago and this is Disneys policy

 

[maxiesmom]

If youare witha child, Disney has to provide you with connecting rooms. I checked this up about a year ago and this is Disneys policy

Two of her children are 18 or older, so that is not true in this case.

 

[spiceycat]

disney consider 18 and over to be adults.

an 18 year old can check into any WDW resort by themselves. most places it is 21 or even 25 (college spring break places)

 

[Lynne M]

If youare witha child, Disney has to provide you with connecting rooms. I checked this up about a year ago and this is Disneys policy

I believe that only holds true if the configuration of your party means that some children would have to stay in a room by themselves. For example, if you book two rooms for 1 adult with 4 kids.

In the OPs case, Disney's reservation system will see her party as 4 adults and 1 child.

 

[minnie61650]

As a mother of 4 (All grown now. My oldest is in her 30's and my youngest is 22) I often wished Disney had more options for larger families.
When the children were younger and we would go to Disney they did not have DVC or the family suites. In fact Disney did not have a Moderate until CBR opened in the late 1980's so if we wanted to stay onsite we either rented 2 rooms at a deluxe or stayed in the cabins.

I wrote to Disney many times over the years asking for more options for families so when I heard they were building the New Family Suites at All Star Music it just made me so happy!

In the late 80's I booked 2 connecting rooms at CBR for my family.
When we checked in there were no connecting rooms left but we were able to get rooms next to each other on the second floor.
Our two oldest were teens (but both were under 18) so I put them in one room and the 2 little ones who were 5 and 7 stayed with us. It worked for us because our older children were able to stay in a room without us but if they were younger DH and I would have had to split up.

Disney may say they guarantee connecting rooms but in reality Disney does not guarantee connecting rooms.

If there are 2 adults Disney can split the adults and children into two rooms that are not connecting. They try hard not to do this but it can and does happen sometimes. If however it is one adult with 5 children Disney should try harder to find connecting rooms since some of the children cannot be left in a room without an adult. But if you look at the threads posted below you will see that sometimes even Disney mixes up.


It does happen. Far too often IMHO.

From this thread;

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1145289

Just wanted to re-iterate what others have said:

We requesting connecting rooms at CBR in January--not really a busy time & we were early for check-in. They did not have us in connecting rooms. They said they could accommodate us, but it would be smoking rooms--which was our #1 request non-smoking.

We were side-by-side, so we just went outside to go next door, so it wasn't a huge deal for us. But if you definitely want to be together--I would go with a suite. You could also look into renting DVC points for a villa.

Here are a couple more threads about guests not getting connecting rooms:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1095679

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=785797&page=1&pp=15

From this thread:

http://disboards.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=13528958

One of the threads that Linda posted a link to was my experience last March. I had many conversations with the higher-ups at Guest Services and was told that even if it says "guaranteed" it is not truly "guaranteed." It just has higher priority over the "requests." Because on a given day, there might only be 25 connecting room sets opening up, but 27 "guaranteed connecting rooms for families" ressies checking in. 2 of those families are not going to get their "guarantee."

I know, I was shocked that we had to fight so hard to get put in rooms that had just been fumigated for lice (they were taken out of the inventory, but re-opened because we insisted we needed rooms.) I sort of assumed that if they didn't have the rooms for us, they'd find rooms elsewhere on Disney property. For that stay, we were sometimes 2 adults and sometimes only 1. Now we will book offsite if we need to do that again. If there are 2 of us adults, we book connecting and hope for the best. Otherwise, we'll split the kids.

My point is to make backup plans if you are depending on connecting rooms.

That is one of the main reasons if my family were young I would choose a Suite over 2 connecting rooms or I would be prepared that I may need to split the family up and sleep in a different room than DH.

 

[freshstart19]

Ok, so I think I'm convinced to go for the suite Thanks, everyone.

 

[Twitterpated Dad]

Aren't you getting a lot more than just connecting rooms for that $600? I think having a separate living room/kitchen is well worth it. You get a full size refrig, dishwasher and stack washer/dryer too. Once you try a DVC resort, it's very difficult to do anything else. We like OKW because of the larger floor plans with lots of windows and the easy parking. Other people like BWV, BCV and AKV because you get a DVC room at a deluxe resort.

 

[freshstart19]

Yes, I do realize all the we'd be getting, but for such a short trip the full kitchen is not really a plus. I'd be happy with just the refrigerator so we can eat breakfast in the room. I'm sure I'll be thrilled when we walk through the door.

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

we also were always lucky to get the connecting rooms. cause one trip my dd had 2 friends so we got 2 rooms at the asmusic. we stayed last summer at the suite. they are very very nice. it is nice to have the sep. bedroom and the 2 bathrooms also. its a tough decision. if its not the busiest time you prob. would get connecting , if you take the chance. but either way, you will have a great trip. good luck.

 

[TDC Nala]

If youare witha child, Disney has to provide you with connecting rooms. I checked this up about a year ago and this is Disneys policy

Disney doesn't guarantee connecting rooms for families with minor children if the minors are accompanied by more than one adult. A single adult with several minor children would be "guaranteed" as much as it can be by Disney.

They'll note the request for connecting rooms, and they do try to meet the requests. However, it's considered a request and not a guarantee.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If youare witha child, Disney has to provide you with connecting rooms. I checked this up about a year ago and this is Disneys policy

Plus, if you go for the suite (with the private Jacuzzi tub) you can try to convince your kids to prepare some meals and do the laundry