Requesting rooms?? Doesn't everyone request the same rooms?

[alwaysdreamingofdis]

We will be going to Disney in Sept for our 11th trip with DH and DD16 and DD9. I have stayed at many values and moderates and often pay for preferred rooms when available. We love to be close to not only bus transportation (many resorts have multiple bus stops I know) but food court so we can refill mugs and eat breakfast each day or late night pizza.I know without preferred, room/building requests are noted but guaranteed. I was looking into the renting DVC points and all that was available was Saratoga Springs.. A huge resort. The agent was telling me no worries on location..just put it in request. My question... Especially with large resorts, doesn't just about everyone request buildings near food court/main bus stop? Seems that most request would not be able to be accommodated, due to so many great wanting the same area. thoughts? And also, if you check in earlier in the day, don't you have a great greater chance of getting a room type you want versus checking in late and only getting what is left? Thanks!!!

 

[dansdad]

We will be going to Disney in Sept for our 11th trip with DH and DD16 and DD9. I have stayed at many values and moderates and often pay for preferred rooms when available. We love to be close to not only bus transportation (many resorts have multiple bus stops I know) but food court so we can refill mugs and eat breakfast each day or late night pizza.I know without preferred, room/building requests are noted but guaranteed. I was looking into the renting DVC points and all that was available was Saratoga Springs.. A huge resort. The agent was telling me no worries on location..just put it in request. My question... Especially with large resorts, doesn't just about everyone request buildings near food court/main bus stop?

Not necessarily. Some people like to be close to a leisure pool, or close to one of the remote bus stops, or a quiet area, etc.

Seems that most request would not be able to be accommodated, due to so many great wanting the same area. thoughts? And also, if you check in earlier in the day, don't you have a great greater chance of getting a room type you want versus checking in late and only getting what is left? Thanks!!!

Rooms are assigned 2-3 days prior to your arrival so when you actually arrive has no bearing on what room you get.

 

[alwaysdreamingofdis]

Not necessarily. Some people like to be close to a leisure pool, or close to one of the remote bus stops, or a quiet area, etc.



Rooms are assigned 2-3 days prior to your arrival so when you actually arrive has no bearing on what room you get.

I understand that.. But my experience has been if you arrive early and dislike your room or location, there is a much bigger pool of empty rooms to switch around. Even if the rooms are pre-assigned, I have found as long as the rooms have not been "officially" checked into by another guest, they are usually able to make changes. The only time this did not happen for me was during a late check in. We did not like our room location but we're told there were no available rooms to switch.

 

[dansdad]

I understand that.. But my experience has been if you arrive early and dislike your room or location, there is a much bigger pool of empty rooms to switch around. Even if the rooms are pre-assigned, I have found as long as the rooms have not been "officially" checked into by another guest, they are usually able to make changes. The only time this did not happen for me was during a late check in. We did not like our room location but we're told there were no available rooms to switch.

That was the case before they started with the Bypass The Front Desk program where people get their room number texted to them once it's ready. If a room is ready and the text goes out, that room will not be assigned to another guest.

 

[Disneylover99]

That was the case before they started with the Bypass The Front Desk program where people get their room number texted to them once it's ready. If a room is ready and the text goes out, that room will not be assigned to another guest.

I guess that puts Canadians and maybe other international visitors at a disadvantage then.

 

[Minniesgal]

No not really we don't use the buses and don't eat at food courts. We request near disney Springs when at SSr

 

[scard192]

I don't want to be anywhere near a pool, way too noisy.

 

[Allison]

I guess that puts Canadians and maybe other international visitors at a disadvantage then.

How so?

 

[Disneylover99]

How so?

People who arrive early and complain about their room assignment may get the room that we requested and was assigned to us, since we don't get a text. It would be easy to change our rooms.

 

[Lzylitnin]

I always request a quiet room, top floor. Is that what everyone else wants?

 

[karm12]

I think a lot of resort guests make no room requests. I think being in DIS boards makes you think everyone does. I generally make few requests other than being on the top floor....some people get very specific.

 

[Nomad70]

Honestly, I never worry about where we are located. I am just happy to be there! lol We are fairly young and in good shape, so a bit of walking doesn't bother us. The only request I will make for our trip in December is that our room is at least in the same building as our daughter and son-in-law. We have a river view room and they have a king, so I hope we can manage that, but doesn't really matter either way.

 

[buzznina]

As Karm12 mentioned, I also do not think that a lot of guest request areas or rooms, the DIS just makes it seem that way I put in location requests and I can say that I have yet to pay extra for a preferred building. The farthest point at the big resorts Mod and Deluxe has just been a 10 minute walk, but I know to a lot of dissers anything over a few minutes is "forever"!

 

[mylittlebuttercup]

Especially with large resorts, doesn't just about everyone request buildings near food court/main bus stop? Seems that most request would not be able to be accommodated, due to so many great wanting the same area. thoughts?

Not everyone wants the same thing. Some people actually want further from the main building because it is often quieter. Also many people don't care to request or don't know they can request. So your chances are better than you would think, as long as your request is kind of general (lower floor, close to transportation, etc.) rather than something very specific (corner room on third floor, first floor in Building 1, etc.)

But when it comes down to it, a request is just that--a request. Hope for it to be fulfilled, but be prepared if it isn't.

 

[MsThumper]

The only thing we request is not to be on the ground floor.

 

[Babsy]

Requests change too. When we had small children we always requested ground floor. When I started going with my Momwe always requested connecting rooms top floor. Nowadays DH and I just request near the lobby or bus stop

 

[alwaysdreamingofdis]

Thanks everyone for your input... Reading your responses, I see that obviously not everyone requests the same rooms that I do. I often like a ground floor but for some resorts, such as Pop Century, I wanted a higher floor with view of the 70's courtyard. Just assumed most would want to be near transportation and food court but looks like some may chose locations for other reasons. I have found that when checking in on the weekend, We have gotten more of our requested type rooms. A few years we did a Wed thru Tues trip (SW airfare sale) and we did not got close to what we requested. Cast member told us that it was because not as many check out mid-week versus the wknd...so not as many rooms available to chose from, which makes sense... As one person said, most all rooms are great...we will be in Disney after all

 

[addiln]

I always request a quiet room, top floor. Is that what everyone else wants?

That is the same request as I make.

 

[nkereina]

I guess that puts Canadians and maybe other international visitors at a disadvantage then.

Room numbers may also be emailed to you, so you'd still be eligible for the bypass the front desk if you have email access from your phone. In fact, I have a US phone number and completed online check-in with my number, but my room number was still emailed to me and never texted to me. I happened to check my email in the airport while waiting for DME and saw it.

 

[loves to dive]

I've made a room request once, last time I was there with my son, who has nerve damage in his spinal chord so steps are difficult. I requested a bottom floor at CBR and got it. Had we not gotten it, it wouldn't have been a deal breaker and we wouldn't have asked for another room, it was just a little easier for him. Other than that, I have requested specific buildings on occasion, I requested Magnolia Manor at POR just because I didn't really like the looks of the bayou rooms on the inside but again wouldn't have minded had I been in one of those rooms. When I stay in the deluxe resorts I never make any requests except early check in. While I'm not young (turned 59 this year) I'm healthy and the walk to the food court/bus stop or anywhere else is not going to bother me since I'll be walking all day in the parks any way so I don't care how far away I am from any of those things. Even in resorts with elevators I take the stairs, I don't like elevators and I try to stay healthy so walking up and down the stairs is better for me. I prefer not to be near the pool since they can tend to be noisy but even if I'm stuck there (I was at BWV once and right at the clown pool, thankfully 3rd or 4th floor so at least high up) and the noise was pretty bad. Add to that the lifeguards being out there around 6:30 every morning training and it did get on my nerves but I didn't ask to be moved. I'm not even sure if you can request a room at a hotel outside of Disney so I just don't do it there either. I guess I must be low maintenance (honey would argue with that).