New Computer System To Assign Rooms

[Sammie]

I know some of you do not read the Resort forum so thought this might be interesting.

One of the new enhancements is that the rooms are now being assigned by computer. The computer doesn't see any room requests that are noted. The CM at check in will see the notes then and can try for any requests.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2616116

 

[dianeschlicht]

UGH! I'm sure that's going to go over like a lead balloon at DVC!

 

[Sammie]

I don't have a problem with it. Further in the thread toward the end one of the posters is a CM that has worked room assignments and explains the new system will allow for a limited request.

For example one could request Congress Park at SSR but one could not request, top floor, certain building in Congress Park.

There are lots of new enhancements that the new system will allow that will be rolled out later.

What this system does is help eliminate people getting a room that is already occupied, a room that is down for repair, it also allows for the resort to take certain rooms out of the system for maintenance etc.

All major hotels have been doing this for years, Disney is just finally catching up with the industry standard.

 

[bookwormde]

I posted on the other thread that this is standard now, and hotels they work on specific requests. It does a lot of the base entry, so it should work better since the CMs will have more time to make "fits"

bookwormde

 

[Sammie]

I agree bookwormde, I think it will be a good thing.

 

[pmcpmc]

This might work very well if we all the rooms were allocated and requests met at the same time.
We very often coming from overseas arrive in late and do not want to be treated as second guests because of the distance we travel.
Under the current system we have received a fair allocation of our requests.
Now they may be given away to someone who had no requests .

 

[Bouncin-Tigger]

Love it also, to many people complain and complain when they make a request and dont get what they want. Puts everyone on level ground and takes out any bias or human effect. I think its a great thing only room choices should be choices should be made by using your points for view or conceirge.

 

[OhioDVC]

When you check in on-line it asked when you expect to arrive, does the new system take that into consideration??

 

[DebbieB]

Love it also, to many people complain and complain when they make a request and dont get what they want. Puts everyone on level ground and takes out any bias or human effect. I think its a great thing only room choices should be choices should be made by using your points for view or conceirge.

That assumes that the "level ground" is everyone wants the same thing, which might not be the case. For example, OKW. Some may prefer Miller Road, some Turtle Pond, some South Point, all for their own reasons. It could turn out none of them get their request but there were rooms available in each section but were given to people with opposite requests or no requests. It does put those who check in early at a big advantage and makes the front desk's job harder as they try to match up requests with rooms that have not yet been checked in. Which will increase check-in time. There should be a way to allow for 1 general request and it could be coded for the computer to try to match up.

There is also the issue of medical requests. Yes, there is special handling of HA rooms but there are people who don't need a HA room that have a need. For example, there might be people at OKW who need an elevator building or first floor room but don't need a HA room. Or close to the elevator at BWV.

 

[Kathi OD]

That assumes that the "level ground" is everyone wants the same thing, which might not be the case. For example, OKW. Some may prefer Miller Road, some Turtle Pond, some South Point, all for their own reasons. It could turn out none of them get their request but there were rooms available in each section but were given to people with opposite requests or no requests. It does put those who check in early at a big advantage and makes the front desk's job harder as they try to match up requests with rooms that have not yet been checked in. Which will increase check-in time. There should be a way to allow for 1 general request and it could be coded for the computer to try to match up.

There is also the issue of medical requests. Yes, there is special handling of HA rooms but there are people who don't need a HA room that have a need. For example, there might be people at OKW who need an elevator building or first floor room but don't need a HA room. Or close to the elevator at BWV.

That would be us. I don't need a HA room, but an elevator or first floor room is necessary. We have a trip planned in April and won't be arriving until well after midnight. I sure hope we get that first floor room we requested.

 

[toniosmom]

That would be us. I don't need a HA room, but an elevator or first floor room is necessary. We have a trip planned in April and won't be arriving until well after midnight. I sure hope we get that first floor room we requested.

My mother is disabled, so when she and my father join us, we make certain requests based on that need. She does not require an HA room, nor a wheelchair, but can't walk far distances. For example, she doesn't join us at the parks, so we don't need to be near transportation, but we do need to be close to the pool so that she doesn't have to walk very far. (Some resort hallways are looooong!) When they joined us at AKV-Kidani this past March, the MS CM made sure to note that our request was due to a disabled senior citizen -- and we got exactly what we asked for. They will be joining us again November 2011 (followed by a Dream cruise), so I will be making the same request. When it's just me and my son, I may put in a request for a certain view or location, but I don't mind if we don't get it. We're just so happy to be there!!!

 

[Chuck S]

Judging from the online check-in forms we've used, I would assume that the computer handles some basic requests, using OKW as an example, like first floor, near bus stop, and so on, if those unit are going to be available that day. Also probably a general area request, like Turtle Pond or South Point.

I would not expect the computers to handle requests like specific buildings or room numbers.

 

[TisBit]

This might work very well if we all the rooms were allocated and requests met at the same time.
We very often coming from overseas arrive in late and do not want to be treated as second guests because of the distance we travel.
Under the current system we have received a fair allocation of our requests.
Now they may be given away to someone who had no requests .

Just because the computer assigns a room to you, doesn't mean you will get that room in the end, the CM at the desk can always make changes (as they do now) and unfortunately late arrivals will always be the ones that get the slim pickings. Now, sometimes this works to your favor (not necessarilly at DVC, but at other Hotels) but it can also be to your detriment.

In the regular hotel world, where they over book rooms regularly, it is the late arrivals that often will get "walked" to other hotels. Now, the first few over booked guests will get upgrades to concierge rooms, suites, etc...then they might get offered subpar rooms (our hotel had adjoining rooms that had been "converted" into conference rooms and they would put cots in them, etc) and then they would walk people all over the place.

Why do the late arrivals get the slim pickings? Well, its simply because you might not be showing up that night due to travel delays/last minute trip cancelations that they don't know about, etc. It is also much easier to tell someone "I am sorry, this I can't give you what you want" when it is literally the very last room and not risk 10 minutes into an argument and while the manager is coming out of hte back another guest coming to the CM next to you and getting a room that you wanted. US custom is generally first come, first served.....if you get there before me, you get the choice of rooms.

 

[dvcbrad]

I would not expect the computers to handle requests like specific buildings or room numbers.

That was going to be my question ... whether specific buildings could be requested or not. Up until now, that has been a nice feature, realizing that it's still a request and may or may not be met. I would hope that's not eliminated as part of the upgrade to the new system.

 

[Chuck S]

That was going to be my question ... whether specific buildings could be requested or not. Up until now, that has been a nice feature, realizing that it's still a request and may or may not be met. I would hope that's not eliminated as part of the upgrade to the new system.

I think you can still request them, but I wouldn't do online check-in if specific buildings are important to you. Unless the computer picks are still manually reviewed before being finalized for online check-in. We'll have to wait for more info before knowing exactly how this will work.

 

[UConnJack]

Yes it may be inconvenient for some, but I think with the vast numbers of room requests, and the frankly overwhelming task of filling room requests manually ahead of time which is implemented very poorly anyway IMO, I think that a first-come first-served approach is best. I have tried to make room requests before, and cannot think of a single time I got the request I wanted.

Therefore, whenever we travel I make the arrangements (whether driving or flying) to get to the resort early, before 10-11 am, so that I can make certain room requests and/or get a room that might be ready for early check-in. This has worked best for me and I often get a room I am happy with (and if I don't, ces't la vie.) If an early flight or driving straight through to get there in the AM isn't possible, I stay in a local hotel for $50 that first night so I can check in early the next. I think spending points to wander into my DVC room at 1:00 AM is a waste anyway, I would rather start my vacation fresh the next day.

 

[disneynutz]

Thinking back, I posted last December that when checking in at BLT we were told that Disney was changing their policy on room requests and that they were not allowed to make changes.

At SSR last week we were told the same thing.

Bill

 

[cseca]

Thinking back, I posted last December that when checking in at BLT we were told that Disney was changing their policy on room requests and that they were not allowed to make changes.

At SSR last week we were told the same thing.

Bill

Really?
Even if we received an HA room and we don't need it?
With a baby/toddler it'll be a quite difficult to give a bath without a tub
I would be upset if they assign an HA room and refuse to change it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Really?
Even if we received an HA room and we don't need it?
With a baby/toddler it'll be a quite difficult to give a bath without a tub
I would be upset if they assign an HA room and refuse to change it.

Resorts are required to have a certain amount of handicap accessible rooms. If they don't have as many guests request that type of room, someone is going to get it. That's just how it goes.

 

[TisBit]

Thinking back, I posted last December that when checking in at BLT we were told that Disney was changing their policy on room requests and that they were not allowed to make changes.

At SSR last week we were told the same thing.

Bill

I think it goes into that thought process of, if I am in room A and want to be B and you get B and want A, why would they not switch them....

Very few Hotels will pre assign rooms and say that it is "set in stone", no changes allowed. I think it is a bad customer service aspect, even in the prospect of Guest A arrives and room 1 is ready, but they were assigned room 3 which is not ready...if they want the ready room, why would you not let them have it, not knowing when the assigned guest would actually show up.

I could completely understand if Disney were to stop taking any room requests in advance and just tell people to make their request at check in. Most hotels (and even Disney from what we have seen) rarely pay attention to the request anyway and allow the front desk to do their job and help the guest at the check in process.