Proof that Fax Requests really work!

[TinkerBelle_325]

In the past I've read posts that people are skeptical as to whether or not fax requests really work. I was actually pretty doubtful myself but thought it was worth the effort to give it a try. It wasn't like I would lose anything by faxing a request right?

So, on our last trip to WDW (May/June 2004) I sent a request to CSR 3 days before our arrival. It was simple and to the point. I asked for a non-smoking room, in Casitas 1 or 3, on the 2nd floor if possible. I also added that my parents were both turning 50 in 2004 and this trip was to celebrate their birthdays.

We arrived at Coronado and were told (at 12 noon) that our room was ready and we had been upgraded to waterview from our standard view. Great! Even if this had been all we got out of the fax I would have been thrilled.

Our room was in Casitas 1 and on the 2nd floor (as requested! ) AND non-smoking. So they were batting a thousand as far as I was concerned.

When we arrived at our room we all had to do a double take. It was a corner room, with a perfect view of The Dig Site AND it was as close as you can be to El Centro. If we looked out our window there was the archway leading up to the Maya Grill. We were a hop skip and a jump away from the Pepper Market, which was great for re-filling mugs and getting breakfast early in the morning.

One more wonderful surprise as we entered the room. There was an autographed picture from Mickey and Minnie wishing my parents a Happy 50th Birthday, as well as 3 balloons and an absolutely beatuful wooden photo box with little mickey heads carved into the corners. (We later saw it in the World of Disney for $25!)

This was above and beyond anything we were expecting and set the magical mood of our trip from our first moment at CSR

 

[TLinden16]

Wow. You sure had a lot of luck

Karen

 

[Minniemom97]

Wow - how nice! I requested birthday balloons in our room for my daughter's 7th b-day (even told them I would pay for them) but it didn't happen. I wasn't expecting anything but .... I was sort of surprised that since I told them I would pay for it something wasn't there (and charged to my bill!). The CM did wish her a happy birthday when we checked in, so it must have been listed on our reservation. Little surprises like that are nice!

 

[Rafikifan]

I think that it's great that it worked out for you but the policies have changed since then and Disney resorts no longer allow fax requests. Of course those who are concierge will still have the planning perks but no more faxes. The following was copied from another thread on this subject. Sorry to be a bummer but wanted to let people know who haven't read about the change yet.

…We have been informed that the Disney resorts have been told to no longer accept any room requests that are phoned or faxed in directly to the resort. To have a request met, it should be noted on your room reservation. If you made your reservation through the Disney Reservations Center, call them to have your request noted. If your reservation was made through a travel agent, the request should go through your agent.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/parkupda...w/wdw050124.htm

 

[luvthatduke]

Rafikifan, your link was broken,
and after searching MousePlanet I could
not find the quote you have in your post.

I did find this:

From The Mailbag, answered by Mike, on January 6, 2005:

In the past guests could fax their resort four days prior to their arrival and send a detailed requests. In place was a room assigner who would try and meet these requests. This practice worked well for many guests. I know that every time I Faxed my request it was met.
Late last year resorts like the Wilderness Lodge stopped accepting such Faxes and instead would go with requests which came via the Central Reservation Office or Walt Disney Travel Company. However, I am not certain that all resorts have followed WL in doing so.

And also from Mike, October 2004:
In the past, the Walt Disney World Resort was receptive to guests faxing their respective resort and making special room requests. I myself would fax my resort at the proper time, exactly four days before arriving. The fax would start off very complimentary to the resort and then follow with my request. In some cases the request would involve a specific building, specific floor, specific view, or even a specified range of room numbers.

Unfortunately, some of the resorts have discontinued this practice of taking requests over the last few years. All is not lost, however. If you wish to make specific room requests, my suggestion is to do so at the time of your booking. The resort you are booking with will receive this information along with your reservation. I have tried this and it seems to work. After all, first-come, first-served.

My personal opinion, based on info from other Disney websites,
is that it doesn't hurt (like the OP stated).

 

[Rafikifan]

Luvthatduke, I cut and pasted the quote from a thread here started by
GeoffM on Monday (1/24). I guess the hyperlink was broken when I copied and pasted? I know little about hyperlinks on the forums (sorry!). If you do a search using his name you will find the thread easily. I'm sure the info is accurate since he had just read it and he is a very credible poster. It doesn't come as a big surprise since some front desk CM's who post here on DIS have stated for a while that they were just throwing the faxes in the trash when they got them because they were getting so many that they didn't have time to sort through them.

 

[luvthatduke]

Rafikifan, thanks for the PM.

Wow, that's weird...
I did a search on "fax" at
MousePlanet & didn't get
the GeoffM posting.
I got what I posted last night.
Well, now I don't know what
to think...
BTW, I'm not a techno person, either,
didn't mean to sound harsh about your link.
Sometimes the written word doesn't
come across as intended

Anyway, maybe a fax is something that is
worth the effort to at least attempt,
in order to try & get a request met?
For instance, if CM's are throwing
the fax's away, then when someone
shows up at check-in with their request it would
not have made a difference, anyway.
Don't know if I'm making sense,
I know what I want to say but
it's not coming out right *sigh*.

Thanks for your reply,
and keep us all updated if you
hear anything else concrete.

 

[Rafikifan]

luvthatduke, you have a pm. I didn't think your words were harsh at all - I know little about how to get the hyperlinks to work. I should look it up but I'm too busy getting my DIS fix!

 

[G00fyDad]

Um, just a quick note...

I called the CBR no less than 5 days ago and asked the front desk (at the hotel) and they said it would be just fine if I wanted to send in a request.

 

[candleonwater]

I've always refrained from faxing in a request, I always make my request at the time of reservation. I have been warned that the "1st" request is pretty much the ONLY one they look at... which worries me.

So far we've been pretty lucky... at BC we loved the room we were in the first trip, didn't make any special requests for the second trip... and we were put in EXACTLY the same room.

I worry that faxing in a request might be pushing my luck a bit too far.

Now I'm afraid for our upcoming trip (CR - Tower)... I "requested" MK view... but I would also like a Non-smoking room... is that too limiting?

 

[luvthatduke]

Rafikifan, PM'd you back *smile*

 

[Sammie]

Um, just a quick note...

I called the CBR no less than 5 days ago and asked the front desk (at the hotel) and they said it would be just fine if I wanted to send in a request.

Actually when you call Disney now and ask for the front desk you get a central answering area. You do not actually get the front desk at any particular resort.

You can still send the faxes, but your requests will be noted from the downloaded information on the computer from CRO, not from reading the fax.

The situation just got out of hand with thousands of faxes being sent everyday.

 

[luvthatduke]

Here's the thread on DIS:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=723889

Here's updated info on allears:
http://allearsnet.com/acc/cro1.htm

It's been said before, & I'll say it again:
"Expect nothing & you won't be disappointed."

Even tho it doesn't look like faxes are totally done away with (yet),
no matter what, a request is simply that...

 

[G00fyDad]

No, again, I did not call the main Disney number. I called the CBR directly. I then asked if it was indeed the front desk at CBR. She said yes it is. So I did talk to them and not the CRO.

When I call Disney about something I do not half a** it.

 

[Sammie]

No, again, I did not call the main Disney number. I called the CBR directly. I then asked if it was indeed the front desk at CBR. She said yes it is. So I did talk to them and not the CRO.

When I call Disney about something I do not half a** it.

All the numbers get funneled into a central calling area now. They are not even on that property. I have a friend that works there. They will tell you that you are speaking to the CBR Front Desk, but truely you are not. You can hang up and get the same person and that person will now be at the Front Desk of the Yacht Club depending on the number you dialed. When you dial the number listed for CBR they answer CBR and if you dial the Yacht Club number they answer Yacht Club. It is a cost cutting procedure.

The information you were given will be correct for that resort, as they have the authority to speak for the resort.

Several people have posted on these forums about the problems this new service has caused them as they thought they were talking to someone actually at the Front Desk of the resort. Same thing will happen if you dial the front desk from your room. You go to Central calling.

You are right though you were not talking to CRO you were talking to WDW resort phone service.

 

[G00fyDad]

GOOD GREIF!!! Okay, so then the CM lied to me !!! Disney has CM that will for no reason just lie to everyone. The woman stated that yes she was at the hotel. she was on the hotel property. She was behind the desk. She was at the customs house for CBR. She was standing near the checkin checkout area. But I guess she lied about that. HMMMMMM My mistake. I guess I'll take your word for it and just simply not believe anything they tell me anymore. I dont mean to rant here but GEEZ! I just woke up a bit ago and this is the first email post message I get. Someone telling me that either I am lying or she is lying. Wow. (Not likely.)

Let me tell you what.... I dont just blindly call and take what they tell me as gospel. Sometimes I call back to verify info with someone else. And when I call someone I make absolutely sure I am talking to who I need to talk to.

 

[Philly81]

GOOD GREIF!!! Okay, so then the CM lied to me !!! Disney has CM that will for no reason just lie to everyone. The woman stated that yes she was at the hotel. she was on the hotel property. She was behind the desk. She was at the customs house for CBR. She was standing near the checkin checkout area. But I guess she lied about that. HMMMMMM My mistake. I guess I'll take your word for it and just simply not believe anything they tell me anymore. I dont mean to rant here but GEEZ! I just woke up a bit ago and this is the first email post message I get. Someone telling me that either I am lying or she is lying. Wow. (Not likely.)

Let me tell you what.... I dont just blindly call and take what they tell me as gospel. Sometimes I call back to verify info with someone else. And when I call someone I make absolutely sure I am talking to who I need to talk to.

I wouldn't take this so personally. Sammie is giving you the facts about the calling center. The CM wasn't *lying* about being a rep. for CBR's front desk but I'm sure they don't have the time to explain the logistics of where they are to every guest who calls. As for the faxed requests, go ahead and fax away but make sure that they are already noted on your reservation with CRO because that is where they get them from now. I doubt the CM meant to lie to you about that but unless she was the room controller she has nothing to do with granting requests. You may get all your requests and I hope you do, I just think the people posting about the faxes just want to pass along the info so others don't set themselves up for a big disappointment because they think the fax will get them their requests.

 

[G00fyDad]

I have a friend that works there. They will tell you that you are speaking to the CBR Front Desk, but truely you are not.

(First, if anyone is offended by my posts here I am truly sorry. I just dont like getting treadted like I halfway do things or that I am an idiot.)

Oh my lord. Fine. Then the CM was lying. I'm not the average individual who takes things at face value. I am a litttle smarter than that. I already thought of what you're telling me, that the calls go to a switchboard. But I even asked if the CM was in fact "standing at the cbr desk?". They stated "yes sir." and I then asked "So you are physically IN the Customs House AT Caribbean Beach?" to which they stated "Yes sir. You have the Caribbean Beach Resorts front desk.".

So, I ask you again. And please dont beat around the bush. Are they lying or are you wrong? I am going with the CM on this one and am willing to bet you are wrong. Btw, she's there right now. Call her and tell her she is lying. I dare you. (407) 934-3400.

 

[skiwee1]

I'd like to know if this is very recent with central calling? In October at the Poly I called the front desk a couple times and spoke to a number of CMs. Twice I had to go down to the front desk and get something from the CM that I had just talked to over the phone. While I do not question Sammie on the info about someone outside of the resort getting funneled to a central calling number I do not for one minute believe it happens when you call from your actual hotel room. How on earth can they do such a thing? What if from my resort room I call the front desk to ask if I got a delivery. Front desk clerk says let me look in the back and check for you. How do you think that happens if the CM is not even in the building? It doesn't. I just do not believe it. I think I will be calling the manager of the Poly today and finding this out first hand. Oh and I have his real number and not one funneled to some psuedo Poly manager! LOL!

 

[G00fyDad]

See. Besides, if they wanted to funnel all calls directly to one area, why the different numbers? They can have just one number for all the resorts. They have one number for the CRO. Whatever.

Point being I talked to the front desk this morning again and she said that faxes (at CBR) are welcome but no more than 3 days from your vacation date.
Just remember one rule of thumb, NEVER be pushy and limit the number of requests. They will not go out of their way to accomodate you if you are snotty and "ME" in the fax.