Room Request ignored again...

[Sheribo]

Yes, I know it's JUST a request and NOTHING is guaranteed. We're at SSR right now and for the 5th time, they have not even looked at our request. It's like they hope you won't say anything and just take what they give you. We have tried online check in and counter check in, doesn't make a difference. I asked the CM at the counter how the rooms were assigned and she said that they try to pre-assign them early in the morning and then move around the people who complain.

I'm not a ranter and I would never raise my voice or get aggressive with the CMs - that's just wrong but I do tell them that I made my reservation 11 months ago and that should count for some sort of priority. The short answer is, it doesn't. She said it didn't matter whether you made your ressie 11 months ago or 11 days ago. It's organized the morning of check in.

On the other hand, she found us a fantastic room and we're having a great time. A little rain and cool today but any day is a good day at Disney!

 

[Muushka]

You are a lemons into lemonade type of person! I hope your vacation is the best ever.

Now, about that rant. I agree 100%. I believe that if a member makes a request at the 11 month mark, their requests should be honored.

 

[DebbieB]

Did the room you ended up with meet some of your requests? It's possible there was no room open that met your requests.

It used to be they assigned rooms by reservation date priority. About 5 years ago, they announced a system called "room ready" where rooms were not assigned in advance. When you checked in, they looked for a room that was ready that met at least one of your requests. The intent was to get people arriving before the official check-in time into a ready room. It is unfair to those arriving later, they get what is left.

 

[White_Sox_Fan]

Both time I have stayed at SSR I have gotten my request. One time we checked in earlier and one time very late. However, my request was simple, Congress Park. Obviously more complex request (ie. multiple) are harder to fill. Of course this may not be your case. I'm glad they were able to help you out somewhat.

 

[TisBit]

We're at SSR right now and for the 5th time, they have not even looked at our request.

I think that is kind of a broad statement, how do you know they didn't even look at it?

Both time I have stayed at SSR I have gotten my request. One time we checked in earlier and one time very late. However, my request was simple, Congress Park. Obviously more complex request (ie. multiple) are harder to fill. Of course this may not be your case. I'm glad they were able to help you out somewhat.

Exactly, the OP never said what their request is. If it is for a specific room or very precise area/level/view, etc than yes, the CM's probably aren't going to be able to fulfill it.

 

[disneynutz]

From my experience the room assigners follow different procedures at the different resorts.

Some resorts assign rooms the night before, some don't seem to mind requests during check in and others fill requests based upon the date that the reservation was made. The earlier the reservation, the better chance of getting your request. We have had the worst luck at SSR.

Bill

 

[BEASLYBOO]

From my experience the room assigners follow different procedures at the different resorts.
Bill

More often than not, I get the impression that they assign my room when I show up at the front desk! I usually preface the whole process by asking if they have a room on the 3rd floor etc. etc.. before they start looking.

 

[ssawka]

Oh great! So since we arrive late in the evening for our BLT reservation at the end of January, should I expect a "third floor MK view?" IMHO, for DVC reservations, they should take into consideration whether it is your "home" resort or not.

 

[DebbieB]

My experience at BWV is they assign rooms in advance. But that doesn't mean there are no switches during the day if people complain, I actually got there one time at 10:00am and was able to have my room switched from the 1st to 4th floor.

 

[Sheribo]

My request was Congress Park, any view but the parking lot and I got Grandstand, first floor, view of the parking lot. I said no and they found me something in Congress Park. If they did look at my request, for whatever reason, they weren't able to comply.

We have never stayed in Congress Park and it's better than I expected. We absolutely love it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Best way to avoid disappointment is to make no requests and be happy with whatever you get.

 

[hakepb]

seems I've heard a negative request always gets confused as a positive, they probably thought they did the correct thing getting you a parking lot view

(i.e someone had an autistic son that had to bathe in bathtubs, but they kept getting HA rooms, instead of requesting no roll in shower (negative), request a tub (positive))

 

[Starr W.]

Oh great! So since we arrive late in the evening for our BLT reservation at the end of January, should I expect a "third floor MK view?" IMHO, for DVC reservations, they should take into consideration whether it is your "home" resort or not.

I don't give very specific requests, at SSR it's always Congress Park. We checked in last Thanksgiving about 10:30pm and actually got our best view of DTD in 3 trips. BW view, I just asked for a top floor room. Checked in about 3pm and bingo 5th floor.

I think SSR has a lot of play in assignments, one year we arrived early Sat am and our CP room wasn't ready. The CM pulled up a Grandstand room that was actually ready at 11 am. I think she was surprised when we decided to wait for the CP room.

 

[Tara]

Oh great! So since we arrive late in the evening for our BLT reservation at the end of January, should I expect a "third floor MK view?" IMHO, for DVC reservations, they should take into consideration whether it is your "home" resort or not.

FWIW, I was just at BLT and requested "even-numbered north room, preferably 7216" (SV dedicated 2br) and got exactly that. It was actually the only SV ded 2br available at the time, so my request really had nothing to do with it, but I did get exactly what I wanted.

 

[Muushka]

Best way to avoid disappointment is to make no requests and be happy with whatever you get.

That is much easier said than done for us. Having made our reservation at VWL at exactly 11 months out and receiving the only studio in the entire resort that does not have a balcony is not the way they should be treating members who own at the resort. And having booked at 11 months out and receiving a villa that had a much less desirable location, (to us anyway) again, is very frustrating.

When we stay at other people's DVC, we never make requests and happily take what ever they give us. Then we can do that.

 

[eliza61]

Best way to avoid disappointment is to make no requests and be happy with whatever you get.

You know it's funny D&B, Disneyworld is the only place I even hear of folks having so many request. I travel a lot, just returned from a long weekend in Washington DC and stayed at the Mandarian Oriental on points and it never crossed my mind to request a location or view.

Do we go ot the Hiltons and Marriotts and make room request? Why is it such a popular thing to do at Disneyworld?

 

[n2mm]

OP we should start a club. I was at BWV in October and again I got none of my requests. I've stayed there probably 10+ times over the past couple of years and I think they purposely give me the exact opposite of what I request. It's just this resort for me. At the BCV and WLV I always get some of my request, so they do look before they assign it seems. I try to keep them to a minimum now, like either pool view or a specific floor, but so far at the BWV I've never gotten a single request. Now when I stay at the BWV, I don't even make any request now, and I go to my room open the door and if I want to change, I then back out and go to the front desk. My last request was a quiet room.....they assigned me the closest room to the luggage drop off and pick up. I ran quickly from that room to the front desk to change and luckily after having to wait until after 5:00 PM I got another room. I go now expecting to get nothing I asked for and hopefully will be pleasantly surprised. Well it's back to the BWV for me again next month and in January, so we'll see how that goes.

 

[DebbieB]

I've found it's not a good idea to have a subjective request like "quiet room" or "fireworks view". At BWV, when I've stayed standard view and requested high floor, across from the bus stop, I got it everytime, that is a pretty wide area. For boardwalk view, I always request top floor and only got it 1 out of 6 times, other times have been 2, 3 or 4.

 

[TisBit]

Again, maybe when you put in too many request, they just assign you any old room, figuring whatever they give you you won't be happy. So, let the front desk give you options and you pick. While it doesn't seem like much, I do see where having three request, severly narrows the room assigners options (congress park, no parking lot view, not first floor).....how many rooms really fit that criteria in the size you are looking for. Also, I am pretty sure everyone at Congress Park want the DTD view, so it probably a very frequent request too, who do you accomodate?

I have made my request very generic, such as just Congress Park......maybe if you want to push it, ask for 2nd floor or above, but I think if you add in a third and fourth request it probably will fall upon death ears. (or they are just sadastic like me and would give you completely opposite, just because you are so picky )

 

[Pig Pen]

I imagine that DVC members who are most knowledgable all make the same requests (i.e. top floor at BWV, Congress Park at SSR).

Then picture a room assigner sorting through HUNDREDS of requests every day! I saw an article somewhere (maybe Disney Files) where a room assigner said that fitting the various reservations together with what's available was like solving a giant Tetris puzzle. Throw in the multiple room requests and trying to prioritze who's an owner and who's not...it's a nightmare in the making.