room assignment procedures

[jcarlstrom]

Since there seems to be a lot of discontent with not recieving non-smoking and non-handicapped rooms, as well as to a lesser degree other view and location requests... I was wondering if there was a WDW cast member lurking out there who would spell out the room assignment procedures.
Is there a list of rules in assigning rooms from DVC or WDW management, or is it mostly at the whim of the cast member assigning the rooms?
Thanks,
Jennifer

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

Since WDW went from creation date blocking to rooms ready, it is luck of the draw. Previously DVC reservations were blocked based on request in the order in which the reservations were booked. Then they decided that the rooms ready procedure was more benifical (they say it was at member request) basically with that they don't block much of anything this way when you arrive at 10am you have the potential of getting into a room that is ready rather than having to wait until after 4pm because the room that was clean at 10am was pre-assigned to someone that booked earlier than you but might not be arriving until midnight. Basically the only things that are pre-assigned for requests are Medical needs and travel withs (if you are requesting to be near another reservation). Other than that most everything is left for the CM at check in to pick a room for you. So basically if you check in during the day you have a good chance of getting your request (or at least some of them). If you check in late at night you are usually not going to get specific requests, that is not to say you won't get non smoking...but you are less like to get non smoking, top floor overlooking the pool, etc...

I can see the benefit to Rooms ready (and the logic behind it) being that they don't want you to have to wait to get into a room when there are rooms clean, but I personally like when requests were pre-assigned I have no problem with storing my luggage and heading out to enjoy my day at the parks knowing that the rooms are pre-assigned based on booking date, but we all know there are those people that will check in at 10am and go to the desk or call every hour between 10 and 4 to find out if their room is ready getting upset because "they have been here since 10am and can't believe they still don't have a room clean"... Not that anyone here would do that just a scenario...

 

[tjkraz]

I don't think they are using Room Ready as frequently as we've often heard. Our room was pre-assigned at BCV in December, and I can't remember the last time someone reported Room Ready in use at that resort.

On the other hand always been able to benefit from Room Ready at OKW and Saratoga Springs.

 

[denecarter]

I went over to BCV early in the morning... we didn't get a room that was ready, but she did pick us out a great room. She went through a list, weighing the pros and cons of each. We ended up with an awesome room on the top floor with an Illuminations view.

 

[Dean]

The problem is each hotel will vary and even vary by the day of arrival. Both systems would work fine if the proper effort were put into it by the CM's in question. The group that should be on the short stick with the old system would be those that booked on fairly short notice. Those that should lose out on the new system would be those that arrive late. The truth is that under the old system they ended up switching things around as people arrived and would take the preassigned rooms of those that hadn't yet arrived.

IMO, the best and most appropriate system would be to preassign owners at that resort and use room ready for the rest. But do it by actually putting an effort into meeting the requests and they should almost always be able to meet at least 2 reasonable requests. Reasonable requests would be things like view, NS/S, distance to the elevator, floor, general building location and the like. Asking for specific rooms is simply a recipe for disaster.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

IMO, the best and most appropriate system would be to preassign owners at that resort and use room ready for the rest.

That is a good idea, but that would vary resort to resort as well, for example, Old Key West is 95 percent members (most of the time) they usually only have about 5-10 check ins that are not members on average, per day, so you would again run into everything being pre-assigned and not being able to get into a room that is ready. Neither system is perfect, and we will never know the true reasoning behind using one over the other or what not...but it does seem, with the room ready, that those arriving later at night during a peak time get "the left overs"...

 

[Dean]

That is a good idea, but that would vary resort to resort as well, for example, Old Key West is 95 percent members (most of the time) they usually only have about 5-10 check ins that are not members on average, per day, so you would again run into everything being pre-assigned and not being able to get into a room that is ready. Neither system is perfect, and we will never know the true reasoning behind using one over the other or what not...but it does seem, with the room ready, that those arriving later at night during a peak time get "the left overs"...

By members, I meant members at THAT resort, not all DVC members. It is my opinion that DVC members trading to other DVC resorts should take a back seat to members at that resort.

 

[jcodespoti]

DVC resorts should take a bake seat to members at that resort

Dean..are you hungry? Do you like to bake?

Joe in CT

P.S. I am the last person that should be pointing out speling erors.

 

[Dean]

Dean..are you hungry? Do you like to bake?

Joe in CT

P.S. I am the last person that should be pointing out speling erors.

LOL, not a problem. I do like to cook, not necessarily baking though. My wife lets me cook then she cleans up. It works well on vacation when I have more time.

 

[littlestar]

When we checked in at VWL last month at 11:30 a.m. they were able to get us into a 2 bedroom right away (it wasn't the original room we were blocked to, but it was clean and when told the details about it, I said we'd take it).

 

[JimVL]

Hi,

I'm booked at OKW in November. I plan to be at the desk early in the morning of the first day, but have no problem waiting for the room I would like to open up. What is most important to me is a balcony or patio. I have a studio; do all the studios have a balcont/patio, or just some? What would you suggest I do to have the best chance at getting a third floor balcony?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[tjkraz]

Hi,

I'm booked at OKW in November. I plan to be at the desk early in the morning of the first day, but have no problem waiting for the room I would like to open up. What is most important to me is a balcony or patio. I have a studio; do all the studios have a balcont/patio, or just some? What would you suggest I do to have the best chance at getting a third floor balcony?

Thanks,
Jim

All rooms at OKW have a patio or balcony.

If you want a third floor room, make sure it is listed as a request on the reservation. Just be aware that only a couple of buildings at OKW have elevators, and I'd bet that the high floor rooms in those buildings are often given to those who request them for medical reasons. In other words, be prepared to haul your luggage (and yourselves ) up those stairs throughout the trip.

 

[DebbieB]

There are very few studios and 1 bedrooms on the third floors, they are mostly dedicated 2 bedrooms and upper levels of grand villas.

See Doc's configuration summary:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=146435

The only buildings with third floor studios or 1 bedrooms are 14, 18, 35, 38, 64.

 

[RobDoc]

... I have a studio; do all the studios have a balcont/patio, or just some? What would you suggest I do to have the best chance at getting a third floor balcony? ...

All OKW villas have a balcony/patio. Only buildings #14, 18, 35, 38 and 64 have third floor studios and 1BR's though. Just request a third floor and see what happens!

Good luck!

 

[JimVL]

Thank you everybody. It's good to know that all the studios have balconies. I don't mind the lack of elevators; I requested a third floor because I'm guessing the view might be a little nicer.

Jim

 

[froinlavin]

Jcarldstom - PM me ;-)