My Odd Theory On Room Requests

[Niagara2]

After dozens of visits and never getting my first choice of room requests (taking non smoking out of the list) I have started to list building numbers. After 5 visits last year I always got my 5th or 6th building request. Last two visits, listed my real preference at number 5 and 6 and got it. Crazy I know, but worked for me!!!

 

[Melrosgirl]

Room requests are totally ignored in my opinion. It's all just luck and it all depends on what is available at the exact time you check in.

I checked into BCV two years ago. Requested an Epcot view. The CM said "oh I see you requested an Epcot view" I can do that for you. I was like ,great!

He was showing me on the map where it was. Chatted for a minute, he turned to the computer and his face dropped. Said "oh while I was chattng with you, someone else got your room."

Someone else checking in at the same time as me was given the room that supposedly was mine. He apologized and said there was nothing he could do. !!

I got a pool view (which ended up being a good view).

I'm convinced that those requests mean nothing, so I no longer make requests other than non-smoking. (and I refuse to stay in a room that isn't non-smoking. I'd rather forfeit my points for the week than stay in a smoking room.)

 

[JudithM]

Room requests are totally ignored in my opinion. It's all just luck and it all depends on what is available at the exact time you check in.

I do not believe room requests are ignored. I know front desk CMs work hard backstage to get as many guests their room requests. However, for years, members have been told repeatedly at the OKW annual meetings that the more requests & the more specific the request one makes, the less likely the member will get everything. It amazes me at some of the requests members make - only one specific room or building, which direction the bedroom faces, which direction within the unit the furniture faces, etc.

 

[Daitcher]

Room requests are totally ignored in my opinion. It's all just luck and it all depends on what is available at the exact time you check in.

I checked into BCV two years ago. Requested an Epcot view. The CM said "oh I see you requested an Epcot view" I can do that for you. I was like ,great!

He was showing me on the map where it was. Chatted for a minute, he turned to the computer and his face dropped. Said "oh while I was chattng with you, someone else got your room."

Someone else checking in at the same time as me was given the room that supposedly was mine. He apologized and said there was nothing he could do. !!

I got a pool view (which ended up being a good view).

I'm convinced that those requests mean nothing, so I no longer make requests other than non-smoking. (and I refuse to stay in a room that isn't non-smoking. I'd rather forfeit my points for the week than stay in a smoking room.)

You are getting a little confused here. There are 2 systems DVC uses to check guests in. They either use room ready or room assignment. Room ready means you can get whatever room is ready at that time. A good CM will give you a choice of what is available at that moment. This is probably what happened to you. The CM was going over your options when someone else checking in grabbed that room. When they use the room assignment system the room assigners do their best to honor requests. The problem is their are only so many rooms that meet certain requests. You can't put 100 people in Epcot View rooms at BCV when maybe only 20 meet this distinction. IMO requests should be eliminated. Follow BWV lead and make different room categories based upon view. This is the only way to satisfy most people. The other option I like is just take no requests and use room ready. Too many people are unhappy when the request they made isn't honored. In summary I can't agree with your view here. I do believe they try to please everyone. Problem is it just can't be done. The only requests they should take is NS or handicapped.


DAVE

 

[DeeCee735]

I agree with Dave. I think room requests should be broken down by categories like at BWV. When you want a BW view, you get one, pool view, same thing. We usually just look for a standard view (to save the points) and it MUST be non-smoking as DH has asthma. We've gotten our rooms right away, with the exception of the last trip at OKW, it took a couple of hours - which of course is always the perfect excuse to go out to lunch while waiting! LOL
Each room was exactly what we expected and spotless. I can't wait to go back!

Missing the BW,

 

[smiley]

We've been members at OKW since 1993 and have never NOT gotten what we've requested. We don't usually request specific room numbers. Instead, we request a building or a location (ie, near the main pool etc.) and perhaps what floor of our building we want.

By doing that, we've never been disappointed.

 

[tjkraz]

IMO requests should be eliminated. Follow BWV lead and make different room categories based upon view.

(snip)

Too many people are unhappy when the request they made isn't honored.

I would have no problem with different room categories, but I think eliminating all requests would be short-sighted. To use your example, I'd rather have those 20 Epcot view rooms occupied by folks who actually want it rather than having 10 of them randomly assigned to families who would prefer a pool view.

Perhaps they should consider placing limits on the sorts of requests that will be accepted.

But on the topic of guest satisfaction, I think complaints would only increase dramatically if requests were prohibited and rooms assigned randomly. Better to make an honest effort to satisfy the vast majority of guests rather than to potentially disappoint everyone.

EDIT: I also think that Disney would do well to better train CMs to deal with guests who are unhappy with their room assignments. If they are able to enforce a zero tolerance policy with things like EMH, then they ought to be able to do the same with room assignments. If they are going to take the position that requests are not guaranteed, then frankly I think they need to be consistent in standing by that position rather than letting disgruntled guests yell and scream until they get their way.

 

[Daitcher]

I would have no problem with different room categories, but I think eliminating all requests would be short-sighted. To use your example, I'd rather have those 20 Epcot view rooms occupied by folks who actually want it rather than having 10 of them randomly assigned to families who would prefer a pool view.

Perhaps they should consider placing limits on the sorts of requests that will be accepted.

But on the topic of guest satisfaction, I think complaints would only increase dramatically if requests were prohibited and rooms assigned randomly. Better to make an honest effort to satisfy the vast majority of guests rather than to potentially disappoint everyone.

EDIT: I also think that Disney would do well to better train CMs to deal with guests who are unhappy with their room assignments. If they are able to enforce a zero tolerance policy with things like EMH, then they ought to be able to do the same with room assignments. If they are going to take the position that requests are not guaranteed, then frankly I think they need to be consistent in standing by that position rather than letting disgruntled guests yell and scream until they get their way.

I can't disagree with anything you've said here. I guess we all share the same frustrations and just feel like there is a better way to handle this situation. Thanks for the post.


DAVE

 

[dtheboys]

We've been members at OKW since 1993 and have never NOT gotten what we've requested. We don't usually request specific room numbers. Instead, we request a building or a location (ie, near the main pool etc.) and perhaps what floor of our building we want.

By doing that, we've never been disappointed.

We have been DVC since 1997, and NEVER gotten what we've requested...
I don't think requests do any good....First come first served for room requests....

 

[Daitcher]

We have been DVC since 1997, and NEVER gotten what we've requested...
I don't think requests do any good....First come first served for room requests....

Exactly, and by using a room ready system this could be accomplished with less unhappy customers. CM'S would simply give you a choice of what is available at your time of check in. People like to feel like they have a choice or some impact on the final decision. Letting people "choose" from the availables, and then getting them into a room without waiting all day, IMO would satisfy far more people. PLEASE DVC USE ROOM READY!!!!!!!


DAVE

 

[tjkraz]

Letting people "choose" from the availables, and then getting them into a room without waiting all day, IMO would satisfy far more people.

I think that largely depends on what truly satisfies individual people.

We are like you--having the choice and the ability to get into the room as soon as we arrive is paramount. I personally think room ready is the way to go.

The downside to Room Ready is that there really is less of a chance of getting your requests--particularly at the smaller resorts--since there may only be a couple of rooms "ready" that match your reservation when you arrive at the desk.

It also puts the late arrivals in the worst rooms. Some folks are flying in from the west coast, cities with limited air travel or even from overseas. Those who simply cannot arrive before 6-7pm are placed at a real disadvantage in terms of their ability to secure a "good" room. I've read posts from people who have taken to staying off-site the first night because they can't arrive until after dark, and are tired of getting stuck with handicapped rooms. That's just not right.

Those who are responding that they "never" get their requests may be checking-into resorts using Room Ready.

The theory behind pre-assignment is that the room assigners would make an honest attempt to match people up with their requests ahead of time. Instead of being pigeon-holed into choosing from the 2 or 3 rooms (or less) available when you arrive at the desk, they are able to look at all vacancies and try to get people into rooms that match their desired accommodation.

The downside to pre-assignment is that it leaves you little (if any) control over your assignment and you cannot unpack until YOUR pre-assigned unit has been released by housekeeping.

Unfortunately neither system is all things to all people.

For what it's worth, OKW and SSR seem to use Room Ready most of the time while BWV, BCV and VWL rely on pre-assignments.

 

[magicmama]

Does anyone ever go to the yearly meeting in December? Is that meeting a place to bring up the reservation system?

 

[ColoradoBelle1]

I think I will post something about this topic on a trip report thread, but having just returned from my first trip as a DVC owner...I think I might have some insight on the question.

I requested nonsmoking medical, a tub, and a higher floor overlooking the bus stop for a standard view room at BWV...I guess that was a lot of requesting!!!!
I checked in at noon on a Monday so as to have more rooms not yet assigned=more choice.
I was told that rooms had been preassigned and that there was only this one room for me, no others available.

THe room they offered was a higher floor but it was right over the entrance . It seemed to me that there would be lots of people who wanted a room so close to the elevators...for me, I'd rather walk a mile for a view room. So I asked again, this time stating that surely there were other guests who had yet to check in and that I didnt' mind waiting for a room closer to meeting my request which was: a room overlooking the area where the old sales office had been.
Some of these room are actually listed as 'standard view' and if one was available, I wanted it.

The CM said there was only one other room and she let me know it was handicapped...so without a tub which was my first nonmedical request and I said no.

Long story short: the manager came (the CM might have had English as a second language problems with my questions) and I ended up with a great room overlooking where the old sales center was, tho not on a high floor which was fine by me.....Actually after I reconnoitered, I realized that I'd rather have this location than any other 'preferred but not boardwalk' view.

I thinik I will still say on my requests that I want nonsmoking medical (when my kid is with me). But I think I will make the second request view specific or 'wing' specific as opposed to saying high floor overlooking pool....cause when they only meet high floor and you are overlooking the garbage cans, you can't complain as they met your 'first' request.

I had checked in early enough that I refused to beieve the CMs 'there are no other rooms today' and instead chose to say back 'well I appreciate that you want to give me a room that is available so early in the day, but I'd prefer to wait if you might find another room that isn't clean yet, but will be available later in the day' Which is a lot of words for: don't lie, I know there are a bunch of check outs today and I don't want an HA room and I don't want one over the entrance. My bad'

..............when you are told that rooms were pre assigned, I think you can challenge it nicely in that rooms aren't supposed to be preassigned anymore..it really is policy now to be room ready, so it seems that you should be given a choice if you check in early and are willing to wait until later to get a room that is more to your liking.

 

[tjkraz]

I requested nonsmoking medical, a tub, and a higher floor overlooking the bus stop for a standard view room at BWV...I guess that was a lot of requesting!!!!

(snip)

...I didnt' mind waiting for a room closer to meeting my request which was: a room overlooking the area where the old sales office had been.

I'm confused...the bus stop is nowhere near the old sales office location.

I had checked in early enough that I refused to beieve the CMs 'there are no other rooms today'...

I don't believe they were trying to communicate that your assigned room was the only one of that class available. Rooms at BWV are almost always pre-assigned. My interpretation is that the resort was at 100% capacity for the class room you had booked, all rooms were pre-assigned to arriving guests, and there were no unassigned rooms available. As a habit, resorts are not typically willing to shuffle guests around when they are pre-assigning rooms.

Which is a lot of words for: don't lie, I know there are a bunch of check outs today and I don't want an HA room and I don't want one over the entrance. My bad'

I think you are very wrong there. Unless you have some source for DVC occupancy stats, it's generally accepted that the vast majority of guests arrive on a Sunday night when the low point weekends have passed. If you had checked-in very early on a SUNDAY or even on a FRIDAY (when all of the Sun-Thurs folks are leaving), you would have the largest variety of rooms to choose from. For a Monday check-in, the short inventory is not at all surprising.

..............when you are told that rooms were pre assigned, I think you can challenge it nicely in that rooms aren't supposed to be preassigned anymore..it really is policy now to be room ready, so it seems that you should be given a choice if you check in early and are willing to wait until later to get a room that is more to your liking.

BWV, VWL and BCV almost always pre-assign rooms. There is no "policy" that WDW resorts are required to use Room Ready.

 

[Disney Doll]

[/SIZE]Pretty much the only request I make is non-smoking. The tub thing doesn't bother me, since I don't have to worry about bathing children. I am not concerned with the view in general...I think most views aren't bad, and even if it's not a great view, it's usually an interesting one. Plus, I don't spend a lot of time looking out the window.

If I am staying at OKW, I will request the Southpoint or Turtle Pond areas, as I prefer to be a little bit away form the hustle and bustle of the HH. But, if I end up near the HH, it certainly doesn't ruin my vacation.

I have had my room ready on arrival and I have also had to wait for a room. I have told a CM I didn't like a particular room or location when checking in, and have agree to wait until later in the day for another room to clear, and have never had them tell me that the first room was "assigned" to me.

Pretty much the only thing I wouldn't bend on is non-smoking.