Question about the special reservations Line...

[BillSears]

I was wondering something about the Special Reservations Line, (407) 939-7807. I called this number today and they seemed to just transfer me over to a regular reservation person when I explained that I wanted to make a resort reservation for a roll-in shower room. This is the first time I've ever used this number and I was wondering if this is the normal procedure.

I usually just call the regular line when making a reservation and let them handle the special needs parts. But for this reservation I was hoping to talk directly with the special reservations department. This is for a 2 week trip and I wanted to see if I could get a room in the Casitas section of CSR. If the pre-assigned room wasn't going to be in the Casitas then I really don't want to stay at CSR and I'd prefer a room at POFQ.

I know I'm being picky but the Casitas section has the first bus stop making it much easier to get a wheelchair onto the bus. The Casitas has a really great quiet pool with a set of bump steps for access. The Casitas has the spa and I'd like to get a massage during my stay. The Casitas is close to the main restaurants. And... I really love the style of the Casitas and dislike the Ranchos and Cabanas. So if I'd be stuck in one of the other areas I'd rather just stay at POFQ.

I realize the special needs person can't guarantee a room in the Casitas. But I was hoping that they could at least tell me if it was possible or if I would be happier staying at POFQ.

Wow that was a long explanation for a simple question. Does the special reservations line actually book resort rooms or do they transfer you to the normal reservation lines?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I don't know if they do the actual reservations. However, what you might try doing is make a regular reservation and then when you have the confirmation number call special reservations. If they are able to assist you it will be done then. If not, you can always fall back onto Plan B.

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't know if they do the actual reservations. However, what you might try doing is make a regular reservation and then when you have the confirmation number call special reservations. If they are able to assist you it will be done then. If not, you can always fall back onto Plan B.

Yes, that is what to do.

I am quite certain they don't actually make room reservations, so you need to already have a reservation when you call them.
The regular reservation number will call Special Reservations to make sure there is a room that fits your needs for the time you are requesting. That is the time to make requests for location, etc.
A room will be blocked for you and then, you can call back to ask Special Reservations your questions.

In our experience, they will not tell us where the room assigned to us will be, although they do have one particular room blocked.
Twice, we are pretty sure the resort 'gave away' the room that was assigned to us and gave us a different one. We knew because we had a second room reservation linked to our accessible room so that they would be in the same general area. Before leaving, we had called to make sure they were linked and would be in the same area. But, when we got to the resort, our rooms were in radically different areas (at OKW in buildings that were at different ends of the resort). The non-accessible one was in the more 'desireable' location and the accessible one was father away, making me think that someone with an accessible room who arrived before us didn't like the location they were assigned.

 

[dclfun]

Lately I've not been able to speak directly with anyone in Special Reservations. It's always "I've checked with that department and there IS an accessible room at the resort you've requested". As you already know, there is no way to guarantee a location. Lots will depend on other guests checking in/out during the same time you're there. I actually don't like Casitas as it usually has the convention guests booked there and unfortunately the two times I've received a room in that area there was a strong smell of smoke, even though smoking is no longer allowed in guest rooms. But yes...there are accessible rooms with roll in showers in Casitas. Last year in October we were in Cabanas in a newly renovated room and it was gorgeous! I really, really like the new decor and furnishings there which felt very deluxe indeed. I'd not count on a particular location though and as such perhaps it's not a good idea to book at CSR if you're going to be disappointed if you don't get Casitas, esp. for a two week vacation.---Kathy

 

[BillSears]

Thanks guys.

I'll try the book a reservation then call special services plan.

I realize it won't be guaranteed but I'd like to at least know that the Casitas is a good possibility. The last time I stayed at CSR I was assigned to a room in the Cabanas. I explained why the Casitas would be a better choice for me and asked to be moved. I was polite but fairly firm about it. Asking that if it was at all possible that I would like the Casitas...after having my poor CM at the counter go back to talk to the room assigner and even eventually have a manager get involved who happened to be passing by we found a room in the Casitas that was fantastic. I never felt like I was bothering the CMs, they were great about it, they just didn't seem to realize that I had good reasons for wanting the Casitas. They kept telling me how the room in the Cabanas would be closer to the main pool, which I never use.

After all it wouldn't make sense for me to be staying in the Cabanas and walking over to the Casitas to use the pool, bus stop and spa. Plus I love sitting in one of the Casitas courtyards at night reading a book at the end of the day.

 

[dclfun]

Indeed you have great reasons to be assigned to Casitas, and esp. since you've stayed in that section before and know it is the best option for you. I really would never, ever want to stay in the Ranchos section again. It's a pain to have to ride a bus to get up to the main building so I usually just use my chair. Once in the summer myself and my service dog had the LONGGGGG hike up there and both of us were panting and miserable, then it started raining so we had to wait for the bus, go through the tie-down procedure- all the stuff I try to avoid. I guess perhaps if you did get Cabanas you could always ask to be moved again- worst case scenario. I know I'd ask to be moved if we were miles away in Ranchos.---Kathy

 

[ShatteredByLoss]

Hello,

I had a little bit of luck getting where I wanted by actually calling the resort itself a couple days before our trip. I spoke to the desk and chatted with them about what was going on with the people in our party and why we needed what we needed.

When we arrived at the resort, a CM came over when we were checking in and introduced herself. Apparently she was the one that I had talked to on the phone and wanted to 'meet' the group. It was really nice and made our check in process feel less like a process and more like going to visit extended family.

Hope this helps and good luck to you and yours!



- Loss

 

[SueM in MN]

Hello,

I had a little bit of luck getting where I wanted by actually calling the resort itself a couple days before our trip. I spoke to the desk and chatted with them about what was going on with the people in our party and why we needed what we needed.

When we arrived at the resort, a CM came over when we were checking in and introduced herself. Apparently she was the one that I had talked to on the phone and wanted to 'meet' the group. It was really nice and made our check in process feel less like a process and more like going to visit extended family.

Hope this helps and good luck to you and yours!



- Loss

It sounds like you actually may have gotten the front desk.
Guests should be aware though, that when calling the front desk, you typically are getting someone at a call center who is answering as if they were at the resort.

It is always best to make requests at the time of reservation. Some things - like rooms with roll in showers - are in short supply and if they have already all been preassigned to guests who made the arrangements before arriving, there will be none for a guest checking in who did not make arrangements months ahead of time.
For things like "first floor", "close to elevator" or "close to bus stop", etc, there are many possible rooms that meet that request, so it is not as vital to make the request early.

 

[BillSears]

I fianally got around to calling the Special Reservations line to see if they could give me the roll-in shower room. They seemed very surprised to have me call them directly and they would not make changes to my reservation. They said they could give me information about the resort but could not change reservations. They told me to call the normal reservation number who would then call someone else to verify the room availability. It sure sounds odd since if you call the special reservation number the very first option they give you is for requesting a medical needs room.

Anyway I called the regular number and requested a roll-in shower in the Casitas. Hopefully it'll be in the Casitas and if not hopefully the front desk of CSR can switch me to a room in the Casitas. The CM on the phone could only tell me the Casitas request wasn't guarenteed but it was noted on my reservation.

 

[dclfun]

I fianally got around to calling the Special Reservations line to see if they could give me the roll-in shower room. They seemed very surprised to have me call them directly and they would not make changes to my reservation. They said they could give me information about the resort but could not change reservations. They told me to call the normal reservation number who would then call someone else to verify the room availability. It sure sounds odd since if you call the special reservation number the very first option they give you is for requesting a medical needs room.

Anyway I called the regular number and requested a roll-in shower in the Casitas. Hopefully it'll be in the Casitas and if not hopefully the front desk of CSR can switch me to a room in the Casitas. The CM on the phone could only tell me the Casitas request wasn't guarenteed but it was noted on my reservation.

I hope you get what you need! I don't think this department wants to deal with direct guests anymore, but it's odd that they couldn't make changes to your reservation. Whenever I've needed to make changes to a ressie that has already been blocked by Special Reservations, the agent I speak with first has to put me on hold to call this department to make changes.--Kathy

 

[ShatteredByLoss]

It sounds like you actually may have gotten the front desk.

Yes, I was told by a CM that calling the resort directly was a better bet than just having it listed on the reservation. I am not sure if this is accurate or not, but it has worked for us.

I found a website that listed all the phone numbers, that go directly to the resort front desks. Let me find it here....

http://www.depotdan.com/tips/phone.htm

There we go.

Hope it helps!

- Loss

 

[jmartinez1895]

From some other people that I have talked to it seems like the special reservations people are really only looking for callers who need help with things like bed rails, moving things form the room or special cleanings. I guess it because you can call and ask for an accessable room and they either have one or they don;t, but the other things they can make happen.

 

[BillSears]

Well, I canceled my CSR reservation and made a reservation at POFQ. I kept worrying about the location over at CSR and I'm much happier knowing that no matter where I get put at POFQ I'll be happy.

 

[Piper]

Bill, when are you going? We'll be at POFQ for the same reason you are--small size!

 

[BillSears]

I'll be there the first 2 weeks of May 2011.

I'm not really going there because of the size. CSR is great and I don't mind the size. The reason for POFQ is having a quiet resort with great landscaping. Plus the entertainment at POFQ and POR is something I'm interested in.

 

[Cinderellabride]

I called special reservations for a VIP cleaning for allergies for my son and they said I could do what I wanted but I had to call regular reservations. Then I called regular reservations and they had to call special reservations to see if they could do what I was asking for. It was weird.

 

[SueM in MN]

Yes, I was told by a CM that calling the resort directly was a better bet than just having it listed on the reservation. I am not sure if this is accurate or not, but it has worked for us.

I found a website that listed all the phone numbers, that go directly to the resort front desks. Let me find it here....

http://www.depotdan.com/tips/phone.htm

There we go.

Hope it helps!

- Loss

The phone numbers for the resorts are also listed on wdwinfo.com (the parent website of the DIS Boards). My understanding is that those numbers are not actually the front desk numbers, but are call center numbers that answer for each resort, as if it was the front desk.
They do have the ability to switch guests to the actual front desk if needed, but in most cases, like requests to be connected to a specific guest or general requests, callers don’t need the actual front desk.
I do know that several times when we have had a problem and went to the front desk, they gave us a card with a different number and said the number on the card was the direct front desk number without going thru the call center.

As for the Special Reservations number, this is what is listed on the current WDW Guide for Guests with Disabilities that you can pick up at the parks:

Walt Disney World Resorts offer special equipment and facilities for Guests with disabilities. Features vary depending on your selected resort. Accommodations for Guests with disabilities may include: wheelchairs, wheelchair accessible bathrooms, bed accessories, strobe-light smoke detectors, in-room TTYs and other features. For information specific to individual Resorts, please call Walt Disney World Resort Special Reservations at (407)939-7807 (voice) or (407)939-7670 (TTY).

This is copied from the official Disney website pages for guests with disabilities:
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR GUESTS
All Walt Disney World Resort hotels offer rooms that accommodate Guests with disabilities. Features vary depending upon your selected Disney Resort hotel. For information specific to individual resorts, please call: General Reservations Phone: (407) 939-7429 Special Reservations Line: (407) 939-7807 TTY Line: (407) 939-7670
Return To Top
Accommodations for guests with disabilities:
BATHROOMS
Wider bathroom doors
Roll-in showers
Shower benches
Hand-held shower heads
Accessible vanities
Portable commodes
Bathroom rails
BED ACCESSORIES
Bed rails
Lower beds and rubber bed pads
Open frame beds
ROOM COMMUNICATION KITS
Door knock and phone alerts
Bed shaker alarm
Text Typewriter (TTY)
Strobe light fire alarm
Phone amplifier
OTHER FEATURES
Buses with wheelchair lifts
Double peep holes in doors
Refrigerators (may include an extra charge)
Closed Captioned television
Braille on signage and elevators
ACCESSIBLE PARKING Designated parking areas for Guests with disabilities are available throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. A valid disability parking permit is required.
VALET PARKING At locations offering valet parking, vehicles displaying a valid disability parking permit will receive complimentary service (instead of the fee).

I do not know when they started listing the General Reservation Line, but they did not always list it on this page.

 

[SueM in MN]

I called special reservations for a VIP cleaning for allergies for my son and they said I could do what I wanted but I had to call regular reservations. Then I called regular reservations and they had to call special reservations to see if they could do what I was asking for. It was weird.

That is strange - at one point, Special Reservations ONLY handled the rooms that needed to be specifically blocked - which basically means the handicapped accessible rooms. They did not get involved in any other types of needs.
So, this is kind of strange.

 

[dclfun]

That is strange - at one point, Special Reservations ONLY handled the rooms that needed to be specifically blocked - which basically means the handicapped accessible rooms. They did not get involved in any other types of needs.
So, this is kind of strange.

This has been my experience lately. I have to first call regular reservations and am then put on hold while *they* call special reservations to either confirm an accessible room or note my requests ( travelling with service dog, roll-in shower). Any time I've had to change dates or make a modification...same thing. I have to set aside an hour for a call just due to the hold time. It sounds like they now have to be the ones to add any special requests that have to be guaranteed. I'd think with an allergy cleaning this is one of those things that HAS to be done vs. a request, and than anything guaranteed needs to be put in the ressie by that department. Just a thought.---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

This has been my experience lately. I have to first call regular reservations and am then put on hold while *they* call special reservations to either confirm an accessible room or note my requests ( travelling with service dog, roll-in shower). Any time I've had to change dates or make a modification...same thing. I have to set aside an hour for a call just due to the hold time. It sounds like they now have to be the ones to add any special requests that have to be guaranteed. I'd think with an allergy cleaning this is one of those things that HAS to be done vs. a request, and than anything guaranteed needs to be put in the ressie by that department. Just a thought.---Kathy

That would make sense.