Requesting a specific room - bad idea or harmless?

[hereforthechurros]

Our 3rd WDW trip is quickly approaching and we’ve never requested much before in the way of room locations and definitely never a specific room. I have a Touring Plans subscription where they will fax in an exact room request but how useful is this feature? My (very inconsequential) concern is requesting a specific room and that room not being available so we wind up with something totally random vs. just requesting a specific building that suits our needs.

For reference we have a standard view booked for Polynesian. Not looking for an upgrade in any way, just hoping for a good location within the resort and don’t want a specific room request to backfire.

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Hopefully]

Our 3rd WDW trip is quickly approaching and we’ve never requested much before in the way of room locations and definitely never a specific room. I have a Touring Plans subscription where they will fax in an exact room request but how useful is this feature? My (very inconsequential) concern is requesting a specific room and that room not being available so we wind up with something totally random vs. just requesting a specific building that suits our needs.

For reference we have a standard view booked for Polynesian. Not looking for an upgrade in any way, just hoping for a good location within the resort and don’t want a specific room request to backfire.

Thoughts? Thanks!

In my opinion it is both. As you said it is a bad idea because the room assigner has no idea why you wanted that room. So if that room is not available they don't have an idea how to meet your basic desires.
I have used Touring Plans room request. I did not get my request. I do not think I was harmed
Good Luck

 

[SarahC97]

I've used TP twice and never got the exact room requested - but pretty close. I did have rather long waits to get my room both times. I assume requesting a specific area is why. I think that's the chance you take.

At the Poly, it's such a small resort, I don't think where you are matters a whole lot - it's all easily walkable. But larger resorts like POR, I think it might matter more.

If you want the best chance of getting a room early, then I wouldn't bother. I'm staying at the Boardwalk in August and I'm not going to bother - I'd rather hope to have a room early.

 

[Monykalyn]

I've had great luck getting near the rooms requested via TP-but I always put a note in why I want that room location (not necessarily that specific room). I also make sure my online check in request is consistent with TP request.
The closest I've gotten on specific room location was at SSR. I think it was a couple doors down from TP room request.
The best room location I've gotten was Beach club-although I think since I was probably in a minority at the time in NOT requesting a refurb room-my preference in online and TP was "full balcony": we ended up with a pool view of quiet pool, full balcony, steps from IG at Epcot. I paid for standard view.
But I also have "top floor" as primary request and not near transportation or elevators-I think the top floor request isn't nearly as popular as near transportation or elevator requests...

 

[JB212]

I’ve used TP room request three times. The first time I got the exact room I requested (POR), the second time I got a room one door down (Coronado Springs), the third time we got a totallyyyyyy different section of the resort in Caribbean beach, but it was fine, I actually really liked our location. We’ll use it for our upcoming AOA trip and hope for the best.
The TP requests lists similar rooms on the fax. Like the whole row. It will say like “requesting east facing room 500, 502, 504, 506...” etc.

 

[squeezle]

I've had great luck getting near the rooms requested via TP-but I always put a note in why I want that room location (not necessarily that specific room). I also make sure my online check in request is consistent with TP request.

I, too, have had pretty good luck *knock-on-wood* - the two times I used the Touring Plans request feature our rooms were very close to the requested room. And I think what helps is adding your specific priorities in the notes (e.g. which floor, which building, which direction you want to face, ...). That way if your specific room isn't available, you have a better chance of getting something with similar features.

ETA: I also make sure that I never put anything in online check-in form that contradicts my Touring Plan fax.

 

[bluezy]

I've used the TP fax request 3 times now and have had great success. Twice we got the room right next door to the requested room. And on our recent trip, I know our originally assigned room was on the specific hall and floor that I had requested but I don't know if I had been assigned the specific room because whatever room that was wasn't ready yet when we arrived (and the CM wouldn't tell me the specific room, just the general location). We wanted to get the car unloaded so I asked if there was anther ground floor room available immediately. There was, so we took it. Like PPs have mentioned, the TP fax indicates that you would like a specific room "or another room close by" and there is also a comment box. I always indicate why we're requesting that specific room and also mention that we don't actually *need* that specific room, we're just hoping to get a room that meets our requests; i.e., ground floor, close to transportation, on this specific hallway because it's a quiet area. If you put those comments on the fax, the room assignor will know exactly why you chose the room you did and can try to meet those requests if the specific room isn't available.

 

[kimieko]

I have used TP 3 times. I received the exact room request at POFQ, I received the same room number, but 2 floors down at The BoardWalk Inn, and then didn’t receive anything I requested at POFQ the 3rd time, but I think I requested a different category so that was on me.

 

[Karen46]

I have used TP two times and my rooms were within one door one time and one floor exactly above the the room I requested. Both times I felt they got my request, whether it was high floor, building and view through my TP fax message rather then just the room number.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Really appreciate all the detailed feedback. While we don’t need a specific room # it is good to know we can use a specific room # as a guide, and also add in comments that will help define the request. After all, only a request. Thanks!

 

[Ladyfish77]

I must be the anomaly! I have used touring plans several times and never even gotten the same building as I requested, much less anything else. For instance on my last trip I had a preferred room at POR I requested building 18 1st floor facing quiet pool (not really pool view just that side of building). I got bldg 15 2nd floor parking lot view. Not even close. The one time I called in my requests and had them noted on my reservation I got exactly what I wanted. So you never know what will happen. Doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[dansdad]

I must be the anomaly! I have used touring plans several times and never even gotten the same building as I requested, much less anything else. For instance on my last trip I had a preferred room at POR I requested building 18 1st floor facing quiet pool (not really pool view just that side of building). I got bldg 15 2nd floor parking lot view. Not even close. The one time I called in my requests and had them noted on my reservation I got exactly what I wanted. So you never know what will happen. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Right. Sometimes the fax gets misplaced or not attached to your reservation. It's one of the reasons I prefer to call ours in. It gets entered right into the details of the reservation with things like room type, dates, etc. How your request gets into the hands of the room assignors makes no difference. And then sometimes they just can't grant your request.

 

[rdaky]

We used TP room request at AKL and got exactly what I requested. I didn't give a room number, but instead requested the trail that I wanted and an upper floor. I didn't get more specific than that, and gave a different trail as a second option if the first option was unavailable. My goal was to avoid parking lot view, and that was accomplished.

I wonder if resort matters, too? Maybe some resorts are more responsive to TP room requests than others?

 

[StageTek]

The first time I requested a specific room (Jan 2018 FW Cabin) we got it. We went to the front desk and the CM told us we could get the room we wanted sometime after 5PM or get a different one right away. It was 10AM and we decided to head to the parks and wait for the room. We got the room ready text at 4:45PM.

 

[IrishNYC]

I've used TP 4 times to request rooms.

1: Got what I asked for at CBR (Aruba near bridge), but it wasn't ready when we arrived, and front desk asked if we wanted to move to a room that was ready and we ended up with something better.
2: Asked for a room anywhere but the 4th floor at WL and got it
3: Asked for an upper floor at WL and got second floor, asked to move.
4: Asked for a room in the mansions facing the inner courtyard at POR, got a mansion room facing the next building. It was just fine.

Both times we moved from our original assignment we were there very early, like 10am. For our next trip, a split stay I am requesting nothing but a ground floor room at both Pop and Poly because I currently can't walk down stairs very well, and I don't know what shape I'll be in by September.

 

[raddisneyfan]

I used TP this past May and got the exact room I asked for at POFQ. I have already put in a request with them for my October trip to CSR and plan to use them again for my trip in March to WL. I'm sure like any other room requests, it's the luck of the draw. TP always gives the room you request and on the fax lists a range of other rooms similar. There is never any harm in asking. According to TP, Disney assigns rooms 5 days in advance and that's when TP sends the fax. I'm sure it depends on time of year and how many faxes or specific requests they receive--maybe a lot of folks also want the exact same room as you and your party. Good luck---if it doesn't happen--hey, you're still going to DISNEY!!!

 

[Bethislucy]

So do you have to fax in a request or can you call and make a request?

 

[kiford]

We don't usually request a specific room - just a type/location (i.e., King bed, specific building at GF, 1st floor, etc.). Usually they are able to accommodate. Once we had a request for a king bed in Conch Key at GF. We had hoped for the same room we'd had a previous time. When we checked in, we asked about it and they either hadn't seen the request when they assigned a room or just hadn't done it. So the CM called someone and got us a king bed in Conch Key but not the same room we'd had before and we didn't have to wait for it to be ready. We still loved the room and location so we were happy. We don't bypass the registration desk because we have to pick up our MBs there (we're Canadian). If you do on-line check-in and are able to bypass the registration desk, it may be more difficult to change or make sure you got what you requested but we've always asked when we check in (or they mention it) that we have a specific request and then they sometimes ask more questions to narrow down what you want.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

I, too, have had pretty good luck *knock-on-wood* - the two times I used the Touring Plans request feature our rooms were very close to the requested room. And I think what helps is adding your specific priorities in the notes (e.g. which floor, which building, which direction you want to face, ...). That way if your specific room isn't available, you have a better chance of getting something with similar features.

ETA: I also make sure that I never put anything in online check-in form that contradicts my Touring Plan fax.

I have a question. When I've done the online check-in I don't see anything that lets me request something specific. Are you only able to request a room/location by faxing things in?

 

[StageTek]

I have a question. When I've done the online check-in I don't see anything that lets me request something specific. Are you only able to request a room/location by faxing things in?

Yes, you have to fax or call for something specific.