Room request experiences-not booking thru Disney

[mhanback]

What are your experiences with getting your room requests granted when booking through a non-Disney source. I am considering Last Minute Travel for the Poly in April, as it is $120 cheaper than the Spring Disney discount. I used them last year for one night and did not receive my request, but thought maybe it was because it was just 1 night. Any experiences to share with outside sources?
Thanks!

 

[csaribay]

What are your experiences with getting your room requests granted when booking through a non-Disney source. I am considering Last Minute Travel for the Poly in April, as it is $120 cheaper than the Spring Disney discount. I used them last year for one night and did not receive my request, but thought maybe it was because it was just 1 night. Any experiences to share with outside sources?
Thanks!

I would highly emphasize that you confirm your requests are noted on your reservation pre-arrival. Keep in mind that anything made via an external agent must be modified by that same agent - you have no control of your reservation if you were to call the Walt Disney Travel Company to try and make any modifications.

If you're making your requests upon arrival, your chances are limited by whatever rooms aren't preblocked or are already occupied - which is very very limited most times of the year.

Finally, requests are only requests. Bottom line is they are never guaranteed, and who you book through doesn't really matter, just that the request is actually on your reservation.

 

[RivieraMaya05]

I booked with USAirways Vacations last year through my TA. It was a pain in the a$@! My advice is to make any notations to your ressie the day you make them. If you have a room request, plan to make it that day. USAir couldn't get back into my reservation to add a room request. I did fax one over to the resort but I didn't get the room. Who knows if that had anything to do with bookings or usair but the aggrivation alone wasn't worth it. This year I booked through Disney.

 

[RMulieri]

Whether I have made my requests thru WDW or AAA on my past trips, I seemed to never get any of them fulfilled till this last trip .

 

[iloveeeyore]

We reserved through AAA last time and we did have our requests granted; they were noted on our initial reservation.

This time we booked through a different TA who has control of our ressie, and while I asked her to note our requests on our ressie, I am not able verify this independently, as I have not been able to view our requests on anything printed. I am leaving it to faith that she has noted what we asked for, and that Disney actually has my request noted somewhere. I will reconfirm with her as we get closer to the trip...

 

[mhanback]

Thanks for the replies. I did go ahead and book with them and the requests are noted on the confirmation I received, so I will hope for the best. I know, even with booking through Disney, I might not get the requests. I am just happy to be staying at the Poly this time!

 

[design_mom]

I am not sure if it is just coincidence or not, but I have noticed that I have had a much better shot at getting my requests if I'm checking in early in the day. The only times I have not had my request granted, I've checked in late in the day (after 6pm or so).

I don't know if this is just coincidence and my request was just not able to be granted on that trip... or if I was originally assigned my requested room, but they gave it away to someone who made a similar request earlier in the day or what... It's just something I've noticed.

 

[Disneylvr]

I don't think we have ever gotten our building requests when booked through a travel agent but last year we did get adjoining rooms with my parents as requested even though they were arriving 2 days after us. That is what mattered most And in 2008 we didn't get our building requests either but were instead upgraded to the concierge level in the Hawaii building. This year we booked through AAA and the only request made was a room near my sis in law and niece. We'll see what happens!

 

[mhanback]

I have always gotten my requests when booked through Disney or DVC, and last year when I booked through LMT, I arrived later than ever-5:30pm- so maybe that does have something to do with it. It is probably just luck of the draw.
Thanks guys!

 

[Missytara]

I am not sure if it is just coincidence or not, but I have noticed that I have had a much better shot at getting my requests if I'm checking in early in the day. The only times I have not had my request granted, I've checked in late in the day (after 6pm or so).

I don't know if this is just coincidence and my request was just not able to be granted on that trip... or if I was originally assigned my requested room, but they gave it away to someone who made a similar request earlier in the day or what... It's just something I've noticed.

That is completely opposite of when I check in.

In years past, I used to arrive the Sunday after Thanksgiving - my room has always been ready when I check in at 10:30 am. I would leave the following Sunday, but I really missed having an extra day at home before having to go back to work.

I asked a few years ago, what it would be like checking in the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They said most people are leaving throughout the day Saturday, because families need that extra time before the kids go back to school. However, I was warned that my room (as requested water view) would not be ready until later in the day. That is because they are so busy getting rooms turned over from the holiday week. They advised me to go ahead and check-in, but request my room be made available late in the day, and I will get what I requested. The last two years, it has worked beautifully.