MS now limiting room requests ???

[Chuck S]

That would be my ideal situation. Just like a cruise where you can pick your exact cabin. Ah well... we can dream.

But, you really can't schedule for mechanical problems or severely damaged rooms, those happen without notice, and can take a room out of service. Booking (which would imply "guaranteeing") specific rooms would be a problem at resorts as busy as WDW. Also, you have to remember that guests are re-arranged because of lock-off two bedrooms taking both a studio and one bedroom out of inventory, so they really can only show "X" number of studios/one bedroom available, but not specific units, or it would cut down on overall availability.

On a cruise, as others have said, the entire ship loads/unloads at the same time, so every room is basically always available.

 

[Disneywedding2010]

Not necessarily. I think the ADA only requires them to have a certain number of fully accessible, modified units, and to block those if needed. To my knowledge it does not require them to honor a first floor request for a non-HA room.

I have had a first room floor at a DVC because of medical conditions noted in my reservation and no it was not a HA room

 

[hlyntunstl]

I just submitted requests for both AKL-Jambo House savannah view studio and BLT 1BR yesterday with no questions or issues. I'm always very polite about it and when requesting and following up at check-in I say "I had a request which I know isn't guaranteed but if something is available in that category, it would be great." So far, I've been lucky and have only not gotten my request 2 times. Either way, I was at Disney and happy.

For the next trip, I'll try online check-in. When I asked about the process, I was told that rooms are assigned well before the day of check-in so you should set barring any last minute room change due to the aforementioned mechanical issues or beligerent guest. As a preventive measure, I always try to check in early.

 

[DonnaL]

The only thing I have ever requested in the past was a higher floor......since we do not like to stay on ground floor accommodations anywhere.....and when we stayed at BLT last January I added "higher floor, above 7th" to the request.
HOWEVER, in future, I will definitely add to to my request (if it is allowed) that we be assigned a non-HA room. While at BLT in January, while we did get an 8th floor room, it was HA and even at 4' 11" I had a difficult time coping with the lower countertops, so, I can imagine what my 6'1" husband felt like. This was the first time in 9 years of DVC ownership (usually 2 trips a year) that this happened to us and I really can say it put a bit of a damper on our stay since we do cook quite a bit while there and the kitchen was very uncomfortable for us with the lower countertops, not to mention the fact we didn't have a great shower in the master bdrm since it was a HA tub/shower combo. I certainly do understand the need for HA rooms, but, I also feel people who do not need those rooms should be advised that the room they are being assigned is HA at check-in ......which we were not.....and did not realize until much later in the evening when we entered the room for the first time after we checked in.......since the room was not ready at our initial check-in and we received a text message when it was ready, but, were already in the parks.

 

[Chuck S]

I have had a first room floor at a DVC because of medical conditions noted in my reservation and no it was not a HA room

Yes, as have we, but it is not because they were required by law to do so under ADA, it is because they chose to honor our requests.

ADA only requires them to pre-block the HA rooms.

 

[Chuck S]

I just submitted requests for both AKL-Jambo House savannah view studio and BLT 1BR yesterday with no questions or issues. I'm always very polite about it and when requesting and following up at check-in I say "I had a request which I know isn't guaranteed but if something is available in that category, it would be great." So far, I've been lucky and have only not gotten my request 2 times. Either way, I was at Disney and happy.

For the next trip, I'll try online check-in. When I asked about the process, I was told that rooms are assigned well before the day of check-in so you should set barring any last minute room change due to the aforementioned mechanical issues or beligerent guest. As a preventive measure, I always try to check in early.

Was your Savannah view at AKL a "value" class villa?

Standard Savannah view villas and views at BLT are not "requests" they are booking categories. The difference in this case is the OP has a Value-Class room. Thus, Value class is the guaranteed booking category, Savannah is simply a location request within that booking category.

Just as Boardwalk View is NOT a request at BWV, it is a booking category.

 

[Dean]

I have had a first room floor at a DVC because of medical conditions noted in my reservation and no it was not a HA room

This is the one area where DVC tends to consistently put forth effort but as Chuck noted, it is not because of ADA requirements.

 

[keishashadow]

Yes, that's why I said it was not necessarily true. According to what you said in a previous post, that Disney was only required to have the rooms in the facility an I was saying that that isn't true.

The original comment was whether Disney would have to honor a request for a ground floor room if there was a medical necessity. I researched what you said and I was just replying with what I found. You were correct in saying that if you request a ground floor room Disney does not have to honor that request. However if you were to request an accessible room, they would have to honor that request. Even if the requirement changes due to being a timeshare, Disney would be stupid to not honor the request and face a possible law suit and bad publicity. The key to the whole thing though is that you would need to specifically request an accessible room.

Also, you are correct in stating that Disney is only required to have rooms that meet the requirements and not the needs of the guest. However, Disney is required to tell the guest what ammenities the room does have prior to taking the reservation (if asked).

DH & I snuck down for a few nights on cash @ the ASMovies and wanted a King bed vs 2 dbls

i was told when booking that there are no King guarantees in the Values (ala the moderates' PORFQ where u can pay extra for King room). Nor do all their HC rooms have King beds, there are double HC ones!

When checking in the CM apologetically asked if we would mind being assigned to HC on the 3rd floor, at least with the King bed.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

But, you really can't schedule for mechanical problems or severely damaged rooms, those happen without notice, and can take a room out of service. Booking (which would imply "guaranteeing") specific rooms would be a problem at resorts as busy as WDW. Also, you have to remember that guests are re-arranged because of lock-off two bedrooms taking both a studio and one bedroom out of inventory, so they really can only show "X" number of studios/one bedroom available, but not specific units, or it would cut down on overall availability.

On a cruise, as others have said, the entire ship loads/unloads at the same time, so every room is basically always available.

Yeah, I understand why they can't. In the ideal world it would be nice though even if you could only pick a section/building.

 

[mmtravel]

We are new-ish DVC members, and I spoke with someone named Ashley in MS today about our 4/11 Concierge stay in AKV.

"I'm sorry, ma'am but we are no longer allowed to accept view requests. If you want a savanna view, you need to book a savanna view." For less points? Hmm... I kind of get that you get what you get with Value - and we'll probably do that someday - but I hate to think we can't even request it with the Concierge level. "Well, you can ask at the front desk when you check in." Sure, anybody who's done any research knows it's already too late by then.

Only our second DVC stay, so really kind of disappointing. We were so excited to get this stay - phoned at exactly 9am at exactly 11 months out to get it.

Just kind of a bummer.

 

[hlyntunstl]

Was your Savannah view at AKL a "value" class villa?

Standard Savannah view villas and views at BLT are not "requests" they are booking categories. The difference in this case is the OP has a Value-Class room. Thus, Value class is the guaranteed booking category, Savannah is simply a location request within that booking category.

Just as Boardwalk View is NOT a request at BWV, it is a booking category.

It was not a value room. I was just offering confirmation that they were taking room requests as a general note.

 

[adminjedi]

We are new-ish DVC members, and I spoke with someone named Ashley in MS today about our 4/11 Concierge stay in AKV.

"I'm sorry, ma'am but we are no longer allowed to accept view requests. If you want a savanna view, you need to book a savanna view." For less points? Hmm... I kind of get that you get what you get with Value - and we'll probably do that someday - but I hate to think we can't even request it with the Concierge level. "Well, you can ask at the front desk when you check in." Sure, anybody who's done any research knows it's already too late by then.

Only our second DVC stay, so really kind of disappointing. We were so excited to get this stay - phoned at exactly 9am at exactly 11 months out to get it.
Just kind of a bummer.

IMO, With or without the request, you probably have the same chance of getting the SV.

 

[jco_direwolf]

"I'm sorry, ma'am but we are no longer allowed to accept view requests. If you want a savanna view, you need to book a savanna view." For less points? Hmm... I kind of get that you get what you get with Value - and we'll probably do that someday - but I hate to think we can't even request it with the Concierge level. "Well, you can ask at the front desk when you check in." Sure, anybody who's done any research knows it's already too late by then.

Yes I'm sure this policy is because there are people who say "Request" code for "I must have to be happy." And as others have said I've seen the meltdowns at check-in. Normally I feel bad for the poor cast member, and angry at the DVC member because they always seem to be right in-front of me, I want to get checked-in and in my room.

I feel like if you want to have you melt down don't mess with MY vacation.

 

[kimberh]

We are new-ish DVC members, and I spoke with someone named Ashley in MS today about our 4/11 Concierge stay in AKV.

"I'm sorry, ma'am but we are no longer allowed to accept view requests. If you want a savanna view, you need to book a savanna view." For less points? Hmm... I kind of get that you get what you get with Value - and we'll probably do that someday - but I hate to think we can't even request it with the Concierge level. "Well, you can ask at the front desk when you check in." Sure, anybody who's done any research knows it's already too late by then.

Only our second DVC stay, so really kind of disappointing. We were so excited to get this stay - phoned at exactly 9am at exactly 11 months out to get it.

Just kind of a bummer.

I would call back and explain that the Concierge rooms are the same amount of points for Savanna or pool view and see if you can make a request then. I have stayed Concierge twice and the rooms are preassigned upon arrival.

 

[csharpwv]

Yes I'm sure this policy is because there are people who say "Request" code for "I must have to be happy." And as others have said I've seen the meltdowns at check-in. Normally I feel bad for the poor cast member, and angry at the DVC member because they always seem to be right in-front of me, I want to get checked-in and in my room.

I feel like if you want to have you melt down don't mess with MY vacation.

I totally agree with you! If a DVC members is 1005 positive they want to have a Savanna View room - BOOK THAT CATEGORY! Don't reserve a Value room and then make a scene at check in when you get exactly what you reserved - a value room - without a guaranteed view.

They are Value rooms for a reason - and I would MUCH prefer to keep the value accommodation category rather than lose it because people where to dramatic at check in when they REQUEST wasn't honored.

NOW - if you reserve a Savanna view and aren't given one - there is grounds to make a fuss there - and frankly as long as they return the point difference, I would be totally OK if it were just my wife and I!

My VIEW isn't going to make or ruin my vacation - can it enhance it - YES - but let's face it there are tons of places where you can view the animals out on the savanna - even with night vision technology! We did that this past December and it was really cool!

Reserve what you want - unless you are willing to play room inventory roulette!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

So, in the end, has MS changed and they no longer take any requests (all resorts) other than those medically necessary?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So, in the end, has MS changed and they no longer take any requests (all resorts) other than those medically necessary?

No, that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

No, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Again it seems, just as I've experience from time to time, MS often contradict themselves regarding some of the rules and practices regarding DVC. I guess if you don't get the answer you're looking for, hang up and try again!

 

[photobob]

Have their been any view requests not taken anywhere other than AKV? I agree with the sentiment "don't book a value and expect a savannah view."

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Have their been any view requests not taken anywhere other than AKV? I agree with the sentiment "don't book a value and expect a savannah view."

There's been a couple people who have reported problems with requests for VGC also. After at least one of those reports I was able to do a request. It seems like there are some CM's who will do them and other's who won't.