Resorts.. Rules and when to follow them..

[C.Ann]

I always see so many threads regarding the various rules at the resorts:

room occupancy
smoking/non-smoking
cooking
pool hopping
refillable mugs
who can use the beaches at which resorts
etc..

and it got me to thinking.. Several weeks ago I sent a letter to Guest Relations regarding a "rule" and still haven't received a response.. However, there are lots of folks here who have voiced very strong opinions on rules - although I'm not sure where they got their info from..

So - if you were going to be staying at one of the resorts and you had a question about a particular rule, but were unable to get a response from Guest Relations prior to making the trip, would you adhere (or not adhere) to the rule based on the opinions here - or would you go to a CM upon arrival and adhere by whatever they told you - even if the opinions here had been totally different?

 

[threeboysmom]

This could be a very interesting thread, Carol! I'd have to say that I would ask a CM at the resort if I had a question regarding a particular policy or rule and go by what HE/SHE says rather than the "opinions" of people here on the DIS (as much as I love you guys!)

 

[ducklite]

I go by what I see in writing officially from the resort, even if a CM is telling people otherwise. If it says "non-smoking area" I wouldn't smoke there even if a CM said it was OK. (I don't smoke, it was an example) If the sign says mugs refills are good for the length of stay at the resort you bought them at, that's what I go by over what a CM might contradict. I think that often CM's are poorly trained and make it up as they go along to avoid a confrontation with a guest. Management wouldn't go to the expense of putting something in writing if that's not the way they wanted it done for whatever reason.

Anne

 

[C.Ann]

I go by what I see in writing officially from the resort, even if a CM is telling people otherwise. If it says "non-smoking area" I wouldn't smoke there even if a CM said it was OK. (I don't smoke, it was an example) If the sign says mugs refills are good for the length of stay at the resort you bought them at, that's what I go by over what a CM might contradict. I think that often CM's are poorly trained and make it up as they go along to avoid a confrontation with a guest. Management wouldn't go to the expense of putting something in writing if that's not the way they wanted it done for whatever reason.

Anne

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It would be great if they had some sort of general guideline book, but I understand why they wouldn't want to go to that expense..

And I agree that many of the CM's are either new - or not thoroughly trained - but if there was no "posting" or nothing "written" somewhere, then I guess I would have to go with what the CM said..

 

[snowmouse]

It really does make you wonder, though. So many of the rules that we dis-ers argue adamently and continuously over do seem to be quite arbitrary to CMs. Maybe what my husband says is true...I'm rather obsessed!!

 

[goofy4tink]

I would go with a 'written' rule at WDW. Unfortunatley, there are a lot of people that will ask for our 'opinions' here and just keep at it until they get the answer they want. There is signage at each and every pool in WDW saying it is for those staying at that particular resort. Signage stating rules about 'current' refill. mugs....good for this stay, where it was purchased. Room occup. is stated in most info when booking. And probably on the door signage in your room. Same goes for smoking. And cooking...well, that should be common sense, but we know better. Why is heavens name would someone at ASMusic want to bring a Croc-Pot!!

I'll continue giving my opinions here, but most times they coincide with what is written someplace on-site. And I am SO NOT the rule police when we're there. What others are doing isn't my business...unless I can't get a seat at the pool. Then I get a little testy about those who have traveled from other areas to use my beloved clown pool.

 

[diznygirl]

Oh, we LOVE going to that pool!!

I would check with the Front Desk when I check in - if it's important enough you could ask if they have that in writing anywhere so you don't get in trouble. It might be right there on your reservation form or something.

I'm such a scaredy-cat - I wouldn't even think of doing most of these things that others consider gray areas.

 

[goodferry]

I have to agree with Anne, there is such discrepancy between the answers you will get from one cm to another, that I would get my answer from the written policy.
Honestly, though, it has never been an issue for us. I had a hard time fitting the five of us and all our stuff in the room at the Poly, so I couldn't imagine trying to sneak extra people in Plus I have no desire to schlepp my stuff over to another pool area, we just stay at the resort where we want to swim. The whole cooking in the room thing is why we don't buy into DVC, cooking is not something I want to do on vacation
I guess if I had a question, I would call the resort before our arrival and ask. I know that a lot of times CMs will try to make someone happy even if it means bending the rules so you will not always get an accurate answer.

 

[jarestel]

It's called DisneyWorld, not DISWorld, so I guess I'd always go with what an employee of Disneyworld said over what an anonymous person on the internet said. No dis-respect to my fellow DISers intended.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I'd take the word of WDW over the DIS boards.

 

[daddydisneyworld]

The opinions here of the pool/mug/occupancy police of the dis mean nothing to me.

 

[Acklander]

If I had a question about something, I'd just ask a cast member and go with what they said. Now, when I say I have a question about something, by that I mean that I really do not know - it doesn't mean that I saw a sign saying something, didn't like the answer, and therefore ask someone for a different answer. For the most part I'm an easy one though - I don't smoke, don't have time to pool hop, am not organized enough to bring cups back trip after trip, wouldn't want to try and squeeze in extra people (I find the occupancy limits, tight enough quarters) and I don't do much cooking while at home, so wouldn't want to do it while on vacation either. The only thing I can think of that would be "breaking the rules" is while eating dinner at the Cape May buffet, I'll usually bring the kids down to the beach to run around while waiting for everyone else to finish. It's not that I'm such a stickler for the rules, but that for me - the rules make my life more comfortable, so I'm willing to go along with them. I've never concerned myself with if others follow the rules or not. That's between them and Disney and is none of my business.

 

[C.Ann]

If I had a question about something, I'd just ask a cast member and go with what they said. Now, when I say I have a question about something, by that I mean that I really do not know - it doesn't mean that I saw a sign saying something, didn't like the answer, and therefore ask someone for a different answer..

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Exactly.. I "did" something on my last trip to WDW after asking at the hotel if it was okay - there was nothing "written" anywhere that I could see - so I asked.. A month or so later someone asked the same thing on one of these boards and was sternly reprimanded and told it was an absolute NO.. I thought about it for several weeks and then sent my question to Guest Relations - complete with the fact that I had already been there, asked for and received permission at the hotel - and that now I was hearing from others that it wasn't allowed.. Still haven't received an answer (although several weeks ago I did get an email saying they received it and would be contacting me).. I don't break rules if at all possible - but in order to adhere to them, I need to know what they are ahead of time!!

 

[ncbyrne]

Several weeks ago I sent a letter to Guest Relations regarding a "rule" and still haven't received a response

You will get a better, more apt response, if you tell us what the "rule" in question is.

 

[Aisling]

For me, it depends on the rule. If there was no written rule, I'd ask a CM. If there WAS a written rule, I'd still ask a CM, depending on the rule. For example, I wouldn't ask if I could put six people in my 4-occupant room, but I would ask if I could use my AKL mug at the CR. Oh gee, I just remembered, I DID do that! Well, actually, my mom did, but I was an accomplice, because I drank some lemonade from her mug. Technically, I should have spent the money for my own, but I thought it would be ok to have a few sips.

To the OP, use your judgement, and when in doubt, ask a CM.
Would you like to share with us what the rule was that you questioned Disney about? Just curious!

 

[C.Ann]

You will get a better, more apt response, if you tell us what the "rule" in question is.

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I stayed at Pop Century and brought a Black & Decker One-Cup Coffeemaker with me (I was heading up to my sister's place in Lady Lake in a few days and I never leave home without it - LOL) and asked if I could use it in the room.. They said yes - and shudder the thought, I actually used it! LOL

Someone else later asked something similar on this board in a thread that veered way off from the original topic of "cooking" (can't remember if it was an electric tea kettle, hot water maker or what, but basically they're all the same) and you would have thought the poster smuggled in - and used - a semi-automatic rifle!! That got me to thinking, so I emailed Guest Relations..

I've never seen anything "written" in regards to a coffeemaker, so the only thing I could do was ask..

 

[safetymom]

Since most of the resorts have coffeemakers in the rooms I don't see that it was a problem.

 

[headoflife]

C. Ann,

As I recall, somebody emailed Disney about cooking in the room, and received a response indicating that even that was permitted in rooms, as long at the electical appliance was unplugged after use and when nobody was in the room. Therefore I am sure the coffemaker was OK. I realize people on the DIS have very strong opinions on the subject, but if Disney says its OK, and even puts it in writing, then everyone just needs to live with the answer.

If I really don't know the answer, I will ask a CM, and what they say goes. I would love to have every question answered in writing (in fact, I just emailed them a couple of dining plan questions), but that is not always feasible, so I will go by what a Disney employee tells me.

 

[lovethattink]

Carol, somewhere (in writing), I have a pamphlet of things you can request from housekeeping. I'd swear a coffee pot is one of those items, but I cannot find that paper. As for getting responses from Guest services, when I sent in a letter, I got the received letter response, then 2 weeks later I got the actual response from Disney.

 

[DisFlan]

Cooking appliances in rooms are where you can ignore the Dis "opinions". Fire codes and Disney's own rules state that NO personal electrical cooking appliances are to be brought into or used in hotel rooms. Yes, this includes coffee makers, toasters, waffle makers, crock pots, microwaves, electric frying pans, etc. The fact that this rule is sometimes overlooked or ignored is beside the point.

If you want a coffee maker, call housekeeping. The one you get from them is THEIR coffee maker. This makes a world of difference if liability should come into play - especially to the guest.

The exceptions to this are the DVC villas, which are built with approved kitchen areas. Nevertheless, I don't bring my own appliances. I only use what's available from Disney.

The same goes for occupancy limits. These are set by fire codes. Only so many people can be in a certain square footage of room. I don't argue with this, and I wouldn't try to fudge the rules.

People can certainly state opinions on these topics, but that doesn't change what the rules are. These rules are there for a reason - safety. Our safety. Why try to make it more complicated?

DisFlan