It seems appropriate that this old topic has been "dug up" so close to Halloween
A few comments:
- Being an owner "only" since 2003, the Room Ready policy is all I have known.
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I guess I wonder why even have a request system at all. Simple: so when someone checks in and there is more than one room of the requested size available, the CM can see if any guest preferences can be met. Sadly, the ability to request has too often morphed into the ability to expect.
- Since requests are not part of what a resort is obligated to provide, I see no reason why
DVC owners should be notified or have input as to what is done behind the scenes to try to meet them. Nor do I want to have us all decide when check-in/check-out times are, or what kind of soap to use in the laundry, or ....
- With all due respect to the Lovely Beca, I find the idea of creating a "DVC Caste System" to be very offensive. We all bought into DVC - to say that one DVC owner deserves any preferential treatment (other than booking window) or to say that there are some people staying at a DVC resort that deserve less than others when it comes to room requests has, to me, an unpleasant odor of presumed superiority.
- I'm with dis-happy in that I think that the world has gotten way too picky. I know that there are a lot of DIS DVCers waiting for an on-line ressie system who hope, deep down, that this system will have maps of the DVC resorts and would allow you to schedule a specific unit. I just don't get it.
- In my experience, limited though it may be, we've never had a problem checking in. Of course, we own at SSR, and we keep our expectations regarding requests very reasonable; in fact, the only request we make is NS, and even then we could live with a S room for a week or so. But we've shown up at SSR late (5PM) and early (9AM) and always got the NS room we wanted. We don't bother with this view or that building - hey, we're going to make trips to WDW for the next 49 years; who cares what the view is on trip 4, or 38, or 55....
So, I voted ASAP. When you show up at the resort, they take a look at all of the rooms that are available, look at what you prefer and try to match them up as best as they can. IMHO, to expect more is, er, over-expecting.
IMHO - YMMV