Room Assigner, When do you call (Success Feedback?)

[TriSeb°o°]

I've received recommendation for 5 days, 8 days, etc., My trip last year I called 7 days out for a high level floor and an odd number room for the Contemporary Tower (odd number rooms with a Magic Kingdom view have the beds facing Cinderella Castle).

So what success have you had with calling the room assignment hotline and how many days did you call before your check in date? Are there other tips that are more effective?

My next trip I really like to have adjoining rooms (with my traveling party) and obviously must take advantage of the great opinions of the community I have come so endeared with… Thanks!
(I know that any room request is just that, a request and not guaranteed).

 

[LockShockBarrel]

This would probably be better on the Resorts boards.

 

[goofy4tink]

A few thoughts....first, not too many callers are actually calling the room assigners. You are getting a call center, not a specific resort. Not to mention that, for the most part, even faxes aren't read anymore. So many people are calling and faxing, that room assigners can no longer keep up with it. So, unless you made your room requests at the time of booking, all bets are off.

Now, having said that, there are going to be a ton of people that post that they 'talked' to a room assigner and they subsequently got exactly what they asked for. But after talking to various CMs at the resorts, I tend to believe it was mere good luck. Place any requests at the time of booking and forget about it.

 

[vicki_c]

What is this magical "room assigner hotline"? I've heard many things about room requests, but have never heard of this or anyone talking to an actual room assigner person on the phone. You should just call the regular reservations # and have your requests added to your reservation.

 

[kt_mom]

You can always ask at check-in too. Our last couple trips we've just talked to the CM at checkin and had good luck getting what we wanted then. We had great luck at the Poly last year, the CM was super helpful!

 

[hkeller27]

On our last trip to BLT I put in my room request at the time I made my reservation. When we checked-in, the room we were assigned was quite opposite of my request. So I just kindly and politely asked the check-in CM if there was anything available that was X, Y, and Z. It only took 10 minutes of my time while they worked things out, but they found a room that was exactly what I had hoped for, and as a bonus it was ready at 11:30am for us!

 

[baler31]

There are many threads on the resort board about this. With the computer upgrade a few months ago many room assignors were moved to other positions as the software now assigns the rooms. Most people have reported very little sucess with anything other than request at check in as there is no longer anyone looking at the room requests.

Look on the resort board for more info as this was a hotly debated subject during the software upgrade.

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this to our resort board.

 

[TriSeb°o°]

Yes, this is where the thread should have been started (confusion after searching or late night, who knows?)

I searched before posting and did not find anything specific but will have to try different keywords.

Thank you for all for the great resonses

 

[Lynne M]

There's no 'room assigner hotline'.....when you call the published number for a resort, you're actually connected to a call center. The operator will answer as if you've actually reached the resort, but you're speaking to a CM at a central location.

The CM will enter your room request in the reservation system, so it goes to the resort with your reservation. This isn't any different than what happens when you call 407-WDISNEY and ask to add a request, it's the same system.

There is some debate at this point about how room requests are being handled. We've been told by CMs that initial assignments are being done by computer. So, when you check in, if your request has not been granted, let the CM at the desk know what you're looking for, and they may be able to change your room assignment.

 

[Muppet_Girl]

For our trip in '10, we used the online check in service. When checking in, I was able to put in room preferences: "we prefer to be on the first floor", "we prefer to be close to a bus stop", "we prefer to be close to the pool", etc. It does say that it is not guaranteed that you will get what you want, but it helps. We did actually get exactly what we wanted, which was great.

 

[Baltazar]

Rooms are assigned by computers that do not see requests.

When you check in, the cast member will see your request and make adjustments if possible. Unless the room already meets your request.

It's definitely worth mentioning your request at check in.

Online check in does not effect room assignments.

*This is the way it's supposed to work but as with anything, there are exceptions.

Also, Some people swear by faxing but they fall on deaf ears.

 

[sarah05]

This is disappointing to know. I called last week and added a room request to our reservation. The CM took my request and said she added it to the system. I think that should totally take room request and actually look at them ahead of time. I really am not an entitled person... but as much as I am paying I totally think I should be able to put in a request and it be considered ahead of time. I understand they can't make everyone happy by giving them an exact room they want, but I think those that call ahead of time should get the first consideration of general request such as "no first floor" or "closes room to the lobby." We are staying at AKL and I ask for 3rd or 4th floor on the Zebra trail. The CM was like, "Are there pool view rooms even on the Zebra trail?" She said, "You are pool view, not savannah." I was like, "Yeah, but there are some pool view rooms on the Zebra trail on the pool side. I have read this several places." She was like, "Oh, well your probably right." I thought it was weird. The CMs really should have more knowledge about things. Tell me I'm right- there are pool view rooms on zebra trail?

 

[Missytara]

This is disappointing to know. I called last week and added a room request to our reservation. The CM took my request and said she added it to the system. I think that should totally take room request and actually look at them ahead of time. I really am not an entitled person... but as much as I am paying I totally think I should be able to put in a request and it be considered ahead of time. I understand they can't make everyone happy by giving them an exact room they want, but I think those that call ahead of time should get the first consideration of general request such as "no first floor" or "closes room to the lobby."

I think someone explained it a few weeks ago, that this is Disney catching up with the rest of the resort business.

They are creating more categories (i.e. the mods picked up a few starting this year), where you can book specific areas, views, etc. And they are able to charge for it, but you are also able to guarantee you have a better shot of getting what you want.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

sarah05 - yes, there are pool view rooms on Zebra Trail, I'm looking at a map right now! The CM was probably confusing "Zebra Trail" with "Arusha Savanna."

Missytara - I know a lot of people are contesting that this is "keeping up with other hotels" - but I don't see it that way at all. Everyone acts as though making a room request is unheard of anywhere else in the business, but that is just not the case. Every other hotel system we have patronized has given us the option of making requests, and usually in advance. All frequent guest programs I'm a member of allow me to have my usual requests on file, so that I don't have to make them each and every time I visit their hotels.

Last summer, we spent one night at a Loews Universal hotel before our WDW trip, and I was surprised at how happy they were to take requests prior to our stay, and to look in the system to find the perfect room when we checked in. They seemed genuinely concerned that we get the exact room we preferred - crazy, right?!

 

[Missytara]

Missytara - I know a lot of people are contesting that this is "keeping up with other hotels" - but I don't see it that way at all. Everyone acts as though making a room request is unheard of anywhere else in the business, but that is just not the case. Every other hotel system we have patronized has given us the option of making requests, and usually in advance. All frequent guest programs I'm a member of allow me to have my usual requests on file, so that I don't have to make them each and every time I visit their hotels.

Last summer, we spent one night at a Loews Universal hotel before our WDW trip, and I was surprised at how happy they were to take requests prior to our stay, and to look in the system to find the perfect room when we checked in. They seemed genuinely concerned that we get the exact room we preferred - crazy, right?!

Interesting story!

 

[vicki_c]

I have never made a room request anywhere but Disney, or ever even considered it! Really. Everywhere else (well and at Disney in the end too), we just basically take what we get.

 

[disneydave2003]

since we are on the subject of room assignments when you stay CL, does a CL CM assign rooms or are they assigned when every other room is assigned by the same CM or system?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

There is some debate at this point about how room requests are being handled. We've been told by CMs that initial assignments are being done by computer. So, when you check in, if your request has not been granted, let the CM at the desk know what you're looking for, and they may be able to change your room assignment.

While that maybe the way things are for guests with regular reservations, for anyone with Club Level reservations the Club Level Cast Members who work in the lounges are the ones who still do room assignments for their guests and handle whatever room requests they migth have.

 

[Monknmom]

I don't know what a room assigner is, but the day after I booked my trip online i called the general help line and did speak with a lady- she said that she put it in the system and that it's not promised, but they do try to meet most reasonable requests!