Room Request-is it worth it?

[Disneychoirnerd]

My last trip was the first time I ever did a room request and it majorly backfired. I made a semi- specific request for building and ground floor at CBR. It resulted in us waiting 2hr AFTER official check in time before we got a room. We had arrived about an hour early, BTW. After going to the front desk and waiting for about 30min there, they found a different room. They had a room set aside that met my request, but it wasn't clean yet, and we had dinner reservations to get to.

Long story short, it really turned me off from requesting a room. We are staying DVC rental at the Poly but I'd like to make similar room request. Am I going to be waiting for hours again? I'm really hoping my experience was a fluke. Has anyone else experienced this type of issue where they over prioritize room request and you can't get into a room until 5pm? TIA

 

[Marionnette]

My last trip was the first time I ever did a room request and it majorly backfired. I made a semi- specific request for building and ground floor at CBR. It resulted in us waiting 2hr AFTER official check in time before we got a room. We had arrived about an hour early, BTW. After going to the front desk and waiting for about 30min there, they found a different room. They had a room set aside that met my request, but it wasn't clean yet, and we had dinner reservations to get to.

Long story short, it really turned me off from requesting a room. We are staying DVC rental at the Poly but I'd like to make similar room request. Am I going to be waiting for hours again? I'm really hoping my experience was a fluke. Has anyone else experienced this type of issue where they over prioritize room request and you can't get into a room until 5pm? TIA

It's been my experience with DVC that checking BEGINS at 4 PM but rooms may not be ready to be occupied until much later. That is regardless of whether a room request was made or not.

 

[minie_meese]

We don’t make very specific requests, just things like near elevator, higher floor, etc. in our last 10 or so DVC stays we had one that went beyond 4. Our room was ready by 5. We had a dedicated 2 bedroom and there are not that many of them.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I have widely differing responses to room requests. Sometimes I get nothing at all like I asked for, no matter how general it was. Like I asked only for upper floor-got first floor, But this time I gave a choice of about 10 rooms, got one of them, and I couldn't be happier. Also, the mobile check-in asked when I'd be arriving-when I said 1:00 pm, that's when the room was ready!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

What sort of room request(s) are you wanting to make at Poly? Just curious.

 

[StageTek]

Long story short, it really turned me off from requesting a room. We are staying DVC rental at the Poly but I'd like to make similar room request. Am I going to be waiting for hours again? I'm really hoping my experience was a fluke. Has anyone else experienced this type of issue where they over prioritize room request and you can't get into a room until 5pm? TIA

You could wait for hours to get a specific room. They often prioritize room request over early (or even on-time) check in so it's not a fluke. We won't make dinner reservations on arrival day when we request a specific room or building because that request may not be ready until late in the day.

If you have a dinner reservation then you should make it clear that getting into the room early or on time is more important to you than the room you requested. They really do try to grant requests.

 

[Pickles516]

You could wait for hours to get a specific room. They often prioritize room request over early (or even on-time) check in so it's not a fluke. We won't make dinner reservations on arrival day when we request a specific room or building because that request may not be ready until late in the day.

If you have a dinner reservation then you should make it clear that getting into the room early or on time is more important to you than the room you requested. They really do try to grant requests.

Just curious, and I definitely may be missing something, but if the room is taking a long time and you have a dinner reservation, why wouldn’t you just leave your bags with guest services and go to dinner?

 

[Disneychoirnerd]

What sort of room request(s) are you wanting to make at Poly? Just curious.

Probably just 3rd floor and a building, not too picky!

 

[Disneychoirnerd]

Just curious, and I definitely may be missing something, but if the room is taking a long time and you have a dinner reservation, why wouldn’t you just leave your bags with guest services and go to dinner?

We had a little one with us, and everyone needed to change into nice clothes for dinner. We had been walking and playing on the playground for 2hrs at that point in 90degree heat. Dinner was at Sanaa, so we wanted to dress up a bit.

 

[Disneychoirnerd]

You could wait for hours to get a specific room. They often prioritize room request over early (or even on-time) check in so it's not a fluke. We won't make dinner reservations on arrival day when we request a specific room or building because that request may not be ready until late in the day.

If you have a dinner reservation then you should make it clear that getting into the room early or on time is more important to you than the room you requested. They really do try to grant requests.

Ah ok, so it really is kind of standard procedure to wait unless I ALSO request that I want a room quickly. Thank you, that helps!!!

 

[Pickles516]

We had a little one with us, and everyone needed to change into nice clothes for dinner. We had been walking and playing on the playground for 2hrs at that point in 90degree heat. Dinner was at Sanaa, so we wanted to dress up a bit.

Gotcha, this makes absolute sense. Sorry you had to wait, that’s a bummer!

 

[lorie13]

Only have had one room request granted. One time we asked for upper floors, received the ground floor. Last time I requested 6 different rooms possibilities, this was a room I booked at the 11 month window. Our flight landed at about 6:30 p.m., I was surprised when I did not have a room assignment when I turned on my phone. On our way to the resort I received the room number, around 7:30 p.m. It was not one of my requested rooms or even close to them. I wonder if room requests are worth it or is better to just be surprised when you arrive.

 

[StageTek]

Just curious, and I definitely may be missing something, but if the room is taking a long time and you have a dinner reservation, why wouldn’t you just leave your bags with guest services and go to dinner?

I don't think you're missing anything. It's just a personal choice. We like to get settled in and freshen up before a dinner reservation on travel day. So we request a room and don't make a dinner reservation for arrival day. Piece of mind.

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

I prefer to leave it to chance. My travelling companion for most trips, whose family either shares a rented DVC 2 bedroom or a room request for connecting doors on a cash room, loves to request. He will review every view on touring plans and pour over maps and think hard about it and make his requests through a variety of avenues. The only time I was unhappy with our room placement was at Animal Kingdom Lodge, where the view was fantastic but we were 400 miles from the lobby and pool!

Our next trip is a cash stay at CBR with a request for connecting rooms. We've always been granted connecting rooms and I know we are fortunate for that. We bought preferred rooms so that we can be where we wish AND hopefully be connected as well. I am certain he will freak out and make requests, and that's fine with me. I'm happy to potentially benefit from work I don't care to do. We will fly in midday and plan to eat, swim, and hit MK for fireworks. It doesn't matter when our room is ready and we won't sweat it. Daughters are teens so they will just need mirrors and an hour to get ready!

We have had good luck getting into cash rooms early or on time and bad luck getting into dvc rooms even close to timely. I suspect it is the increased need for cleaning in those rooms with all of the extra stuff not present in a moderate cash room, but that's just my opinion. Also always a 2 bedroom for us.

 

[malialaine]

We just came back with a weeks stay at POFQ, 2 rooms. I requested specific building and floor, got both of them exactly where I wanted them. We were happy campers.

 

[Pickles516]

I don't think you're missing anything. It's just a personal choice. We like to get settled in and freshen up before a dinner reservation on travel day. So we request a room and don't make a dinner reservation for arrival day. Piece of mind.

Fair enough

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Ah ok, so it really is kind of standard procedure to wait unless I ALSO request that I want a room quickly. Thank you, that helps!!!

The option WDW Online Check-in gives you is a few generic room requests OR earliest room available, the site will not let you pick both. So if you care more about your room being ready sooner, then you would select "earliest".
For our family we totally skip the online room request section and always call in our requests to be added to the reservation and we have had great luck getting our requests. But we do not make any reservations that we are tied to on arrival day, because you never know what can happen, delayed flights or for us (since we drive) bad traffic or a flat... We play arrival day by ear. I do not want to start a trip stressing about something we planned to do on arrival day.

 

[dusty]

My question for this group is how do you make your room requests? Especially those of you talking about making a room request by room number etc.?
We have had mixed results to room requests over the years. Most at All Star Sports, but since covid we have stayed at Pop Century. We usually call CRO and ask for the connected rooms etc. This last time at Pop, we called CRO and lined up what we wanted and when we got there we were not even in the same building. But the more interesting thing was the desk told us there was not request on the reservation. I know I called, talked to a great cast member who took my info. The CRO cast told me to make sure I made my requests on line also. I explained to him that the online only gives you a general pull down menu with about 3 choices. Then at the front desk, she asked me the same thing... Did I put this request in my online reservation. I told her that connecting rooms is not a choice Disney gives you, and that the choices are very limited from pull down menu. She also acted like she had no clue that I could not make specific request on line. So what is the best way to make a room request and have it happen?
thanks

 

[DizneyFamof4]

My question for this group is how do you make your room requests? Especially those of you talking about making a room request by room number etc.?
We have had mixed results to room requests over the years. Most at All Star Sports, but since covid we have stayed at Pop Century. We usually call CRO and ask for the connected rooms etc. This last time at Pop, we called CRO and lined up what we wanted and when we got there we were not even in the same building. But the more interesting thing was the desk told us there was not request on the reservation. I know I called, talked to a great cast member who took my info. The CRO cast told me to make sure I made my requests on line also. I explained to him that the online only gives you a general pull down menu with about 3 choices. Then at the front desk, she asked me the same thing... Did I put this request in my online reservation. I told her that connecting rooms is not a choice Disney gives you, and that the choices are very limited from pull down menu. She also acted like she had no clue that I could not make specific request on line. So what is the best way to make a room request and have it happen?
thanks

I call in and then I call back a week before we leave just to verify my requests, because, as you have found out, sometimes they may not put it in I know a lot of people like to use Touringplans, where you pick the room/area you want and touringplans will make the request for you and supposedly fax it over as well. The bottom line is that there is no guarantee of getting what you want. I will say that if you call in a request, do not use the room request portion on disney's online check-in.

 

[_19disnA]

Room requests that are more general in nature provide Disney more flexibility when doing room assignments. If you specify an exact room number, you are probably less likely to get your request. I don't follow how making a room request slows down getting a room. Submitting a request is merely stating a preference and if Disney can meet your request they will, if not they will assign one of the available rooms.