Rooms now being assigned by computer

[bicker]

It is closing out lower paying jobs, but it is creating higher-skilled higher paying jobs.

My point was that there is a difference in the number of jobs gained versus jobs lost - i.e., more (lower paying) jobs are being lost than (higher paying) jobs are being gained, so overall that leaves fewer jobs overall, and that's raising the structural level of unemployment (the number of people are going to be out of work, even now that the economy is no longer in recession). What good is it for your neighbor to have a better paying job than before if you're out of work as a result? Good for him/her, of course, but bad for you.

The problem is many people don't want to go to school to obtain the higher skills to perform the new positions.

I don't think that's really a significant factor. Many many people do want to go to school to becoming better skilled, so much so that the comparatively few people who don't want to don't amount to enough people to be concerned about in the context of what we're discussing.

The problem is that many of those who want to can't afford to, and even those who could possibly afford to have to view doing so as a very big risk because even if they gain the skills we're talking about that doesn't guarantee jobs because of what I mentioned above. That simply puts people into competition with others for those jobs, yet they've already incurred the cost associated with becoming better skilled to be in the running. So therefore, for a lot of people, what we're suggesting here ends up being a question between taking a bite out of the resources that the family has to live on an ongoing basis for a while, for a chance that perhaps that investment will pay off in terms of a better job later on. Taking such a risk is a tough thing to ask people who are raising families.

Don't get me wrong: I still think it is the best avenue for them. Just don't assume that their doing so will result in the positive results you implied they will. And don't think for a minute that there aren't many many people who have done what you suggest, and still are stuck cleaning bathrooms, waiting tables, or checking guests in at a hotel.

And don't get me wrong again: There is no one doing anything wrong here. It's just a bad situation.

 

[Disney_Love]

Eek, we made some specific room requests when we booked our trip for May 2011. We requested things like:
- Not near an elevator
- Not near an ice machine

Oh well, I guess not everything can go the way that you want it to.

 

[Kathy Z]

Ah, now I understand why my Savannah View room location at AKL was not on the floor, trail or distance from lobby that was noted as request on our reservation. A very nice CM was able to block a room that met our request for nights 2 - 7 of our 1 week stay. For us it was an issue of less walking due to medical issues that had us considering cancelling our trip. We really appreciated the move change.

Sorry, but I only read page 1 and this page. We just returned home Sunday night.

 

[NMW]

Rooms being assigned by a computer wont bother us. In all of our WDW trips the only requests we have ever made are very general things like "upper floor" or "close to elevator" if we did not get these requests, I would not care at all. One of our best views ever was at the BWI and it was the furthest room from the elevator possible! We had a great water view at the YC that was also close to the elevator...super lucky. However, both of these times we booked and paid for water view.

We have never been unhappy with a room or asked to be moved. The way we feel is that if you book a certain category, than you should be happy with that category. If you know you will not be happy looking at a parking lot, than don't book a standard view.

We booked standard view at the BC once and got an inside courtyard view. Literally a big square of rooms. We did have a full blacony however. DH and I joked about that. We said that it would be lovely to sit on the balcony and look at ...all the other balconys around us. We were perfectly happy with it though, because that's what we booked and paid for.

I can understand people being upset because they booked and paid for a preferred location (speaking about the recent threads on value resort stays) and then checking in and getting put as far as possible from that location. If WDW is going to make something a seperate booking category and charge more money for it, then it is NOT a request and should be honored.

To me that would be like booking and paying for theme park view at the POLY and then when you check in you get a parking lot view. That is not the same thing to me as a "request."

 

[Colleen27]

It is closing out lower paying jobs, but it is creating higher-skilled higher paying jobs. The problem is many people don't want to go to school to obtain the higher skills to perform the new positions.

I don't think it is generally a question of desire but one of affordability. That's a lot of money to lay out just to be able to compete with the tens of thousands of others who are doing the same (many of them younger and more marketable right from the start, with fewer constraints on their job-seeking like children or a spouse's job). Often it just doesn't make sense, particularly in this competitive employment market, to incur large amounts of debt for a relatively slim chance at a better job.

Or to put it more simply - settling for 30K/year with no debt is better than finding you have to settle for 30K/year after you took out $30K in student loans to qualify for a better job.

 

[FireDancer]

It's about time they automated this job. I have never made a room request and really don't see any reason why I would in the future (near future at least) so I am all for this change.

 

[Rachaelt]

To do a travel with, you need to call in to book. You can't do it online. Grand Gatherings will be close together as well, as the agent creates the gathering number.

 

[Rachaelt]

I have always read on here that 2 adults/4 kids are never a guarantee for connecting rooms. You could always have adults split between rooms (yes I know not the best idea, I have 4 kids also)

2 adults 4 kids are always guaranteed connecting. It's also the only way to do 2 rooms on one reservation. Now 4 adults and 2 kids are not guaranteed connecting, and have to be on separate reservations with a travel with.

 

[verticalchaos]

2 adults 4 kids are always guaranteed connecting. It's also the only way to do 2 rooms on one reservation. Now 4 adults and 2 kids are not guaranteed connecting, and have to be on separate reservations with a travel with.

2 adults and 4 kids is not 100% guaranteed connecting because they CAN split 1 adult and 2 kids per room.

 

[LilyWDW]

2 adults and 4 kids is not 100% guaranteed connecting because they CAN split 1 adult and 2 kids per room.

AND it has happened to people on these boards! Heck, it happened to a single parent with many small children. If they can't guarantee connecting for that family, then I don't see how they can guarantee if for a group with multiple adults.

 

[maxiesmom]

2 adults 4 kids are always guaranteed connecting. It's also the only way to do 2 rooms on one reservation. Now 4 adults and 2 kids are not guaranteed connecting, and have to be on separate reservations with a travel with.

Not true. Disney will give larger families priority when it comes to connecting rooms, but even they are not guaranteed them. If connecting rooms are scarce, they can expect the adults to split up and sleep in seperate rooms. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

I really wish they would stop putting Guaranteed Connecting Rooms on people's reservations. But then again, I have learned the hard way that truly nothing is guaranteed when it comes to your resort reservation.

 

[gigi1313]

2 adults 4 kids are always guaranteed connecting. It's also the only way to do 2 rooms on one reservation. Now 4 adults and 2 kids are not guaranteed connecting, and have to be on separate reservations with a travel with.

nope, sorry, wrong... we were 2A/6C and got two rooms w/out a connecting door...

 

[Mindy5767]

Talked with a CM today. One of the new enhancements is that the rooms are now being assigned by computer. The computer doesn't see any room requests that are noted. The CM at check in will see the notes then and can try for any requests.

It will not make a difference if you fax in your requests because the computer will not see it.

Also if you have more than one room you need to have them do a "travel with" on each reservation so that the computer will assign rooms close to the other. If you don't do this your rooms could be scattered around the resort.

I'm really glad to see this change happening. I hope DVC is using the same system.

I figured with online check-in coming on board this was just a matter of time.

Room requests will still be looked at for online check-in. Even though it is automated now, there is the ability to override the automation and block a specific room to a specific person and lock it.

I do not like this. I agree with the person who wondered if they could make it like on the cruise line and select your room from what is available when you book, but they probably can't. A ship sails on a particular date, so everyone about the ship is on the same voyage. They also put down money when they book. With a hotel room, you can back out without penalty up until a day or two before and people's trips overlap each other. Logistics would be a nightmare.

The online system has nowhere to insert your room request. The 4 checkbox options include something like a refrigerator, a crib, handicapped access and something else. It never includes a fill in area where you can write in a building number, floor or anything like that.

I hope that DVC is NOT doing this. However, DVC is run for members, and I think that members have a say, at least those that attend the annual meeting, in how things are run. When I stay DVC, it IS important to me to be in a particular section of the resort because I am there as much for the resort as for the parks. In fact, I could and many people do, go just for the resort and don't even GO to the parks. An uproar among members has more weight than an uproar among the general populous... but DVC systems did just go through some kind of system enhancement to create an integrated system, but not integrated with Disney Guest Reservations. Nobody but DVC member services can see or edit a DVC reservation.

Connecting rooms are particularly important to larger families who need to be able to go back and forth between the rooms. We had connecting rooms at the Pop in November and it was a huge help that my son could go and shower in the connecting room once my sister and her family went off to breakfast.

 

[DebbieB]

I do not like this. I agree with the person who wondered if they could make it like on the cruise line and select your room from what is available when you book, but they probably can't. A ship sails on a particular date, so everyone about the ship is on the same voyage. They also put down money when they book. With a hotel room, you can back out without penalty up until a day or two before and people's trips overlap each other. Logistics would be a nightmare.

The online system has nowhere to insert your room request. The 4 checkbox options include something like a refrigerator, a crib, handicapped access and something else. It never includes a fill in area where you can write in a building number, floor or anything like that.

I hope that DVC is NOT doing this. However, DVC is run for members, and I think that members have a say, at least those that attend the annual meeting, in how things are run. When I stay DVC, it IS important to me to be in a particular section of the resort because I am there as much for the resort as for the parks. In fact, I could and many people do, go just for the resort and don't even GO to the parks. An uproar among members has more weight than an uproar among the general populous... but DVC systems did just go through some kind of system enhancement to create an integrated system, but not integrated with Disney Guest Reservations. Nobody but DVC member services can see or edit a DVC reservation.

Connecting rooms are particularly important to larger families who need to be able to go back and forth between the rooms. We had connecting rooms at the Pop in November and it was a huge help that my son could go and shower in the connecting room once my sister and her family went off to breakfast.

I've been a DVC member for 11 years, I don't think DVC members have much of a say on how things are run. The annual meeting is just a formality, I've been to two. Members don't vote, there is a member representative on the board and they always vote with the rest of the board members.

 

[englishrose47]

I just made my August 2011 ressie with Disney and requested adjoining and 60's at Pop !!entioned that computors where doing assigments now and asked if the computor would pick up my requests !!I was told that a person is still doing the room assigments !! Now I am quite sure the CM is wrong but apparently Disney hasn't let the reservation department in on this change !!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Now I am quite sure the CM is wrong but apparently Disney hasn't let the reservation department in on this change !!!

1) Probably not.
2) But, she is still partially right.
3) The ressies do get a quick look-over by an assigner.
4) They do look for such things as Connecting/GG/Handicap rooms.
5) They might not be able to accomodate like before, but they will try. *

* Previously, ROOMS (the assigner) did the Rubics Cube dance and juggled the rooms. Now the computer does the first pass. There are times when there are just no more cubes to jostle, so requests can't be granted. However, let's say that there are 2-3 exact date ressies, ROOMS might be able to move a couple around to get the connecting.

 

[Mindy5767]

I've been a DVC member for 11 years, I don't think DVC members have much of a say on how things are run. The annual meeting is just a formality, I've been to two. Members don't vote, there is a member representative on the board and they always vote with the rest of the board members.

Well, that is disappointing. I didn't know as we haven't been able to go down during the time of the meeting. You would think though, that the board would listen to member feedback, because they DO ultimately want to keep members happy. Otherwise, they'd be losing members.

 

[WavyGravy]

A lot of discussion for not so much of a change.

Having worked in the "new" system for quite some time (a long time before any of the Disney resorts ever had it) this is the straight facts:

1. All Disney resorts on the east coast now operate on the new system. This includes Disney Vacation Club resorts, and those not directly within Walt Disney World (Vero and Hilton Head). All resorts will be on automatic room assignment to varying extents.

2. Room requests are not going away. Room assignment/assignors still exists, and those jobs are not going anywhere. Specific requests just as they were reviewed in the past will be reviewed by a person going forward and will be likely assigned right at that time. I'd go on to say that the way requests are handled by the system is considerably better than the old system. On that note, the Disney Reservations Center and DVC Member services is keenly aware of the changes and how things have changed slightly.

3. The computer will do a quick-pass for room assignment a few days out and ensure all reservations are blocked. Since room assignment still exists, any rooms that were already assigned could be "locked" into place and the computer won't touch them. Quite simply, the computer is going to look for non-locked rooms and assign them to maximize the occupancy of the resort. Generic requests (such as a high floor) with high availability won't generally be blocked by room assignment, but rather by the computer during the automatic assignment. The computer assignments are not locked into stone.

4. This doesn't radically differ from the automatic room-assignment that was in the old system (a room would automatically be assigned in the old system as soon as the check-in started, if not pre-assigned), it just happens sooner before one checks-in (a couple days now). Rooms can still be changed and manually done by the Front Desk at any time, pending availability.

The end result is that the odds of getting a certain room you've requested haven't changed. A request is simply a request, and while Disney resorts try very hard to accommodate all requests, a request is not a guarantee - and while it's understood that many people have great/important reasons for requesting something, it's important to recognize that these are just requests. The new system doesn't change any of that. I'll also say that some resorts have been operating on the system with automatic room assignment for over a month - and yet there really hasn't been much said around these parts until this thread was started... interesting isn't it?

 

[KellyNY]

A lot of discussion for not so much of a change.

Having worked in the "new" system for quite some time (a long time before any of the Disney resorts ever had it) this is the straight facts:

1. All Disney resorts on the east coast now operate on the new system. This includes Disney Vacation Club resorts, and those not directly within Walt Disney World (Vero and Hilton Head). All resorts will be on automatic room assignment to varying extents.

2. Room requests are not going away. Room assignment/assignors still exists, and those jobs are not going anywhere. Specific requests just as they were reviewed in the past will be reviewed by a person going forward and will be likely assigned right at that time. I'd go on to say that the way requests are handled by the system is considerably better than the old system. On that note, the Disney Reservations Center and DVC Member services is keenly aware of the changes and how things have changed slightly.

3. The computer will do a quick-pass for room assignment a few days out and ensure all reservations are blocked. Since room assignment still exists, any rooms that were already assigned could be "locked" into place and the computer won't touch them. Quite simply, the computer is going to look for non-locked rooms and assign them to maximize the occupancy of the resort. Generic requests (such as a high floor) with high availability won't generally be blocked by room assignment, but rather by the computer during the automatic assignment. The computer assignments are not locked into stone.

4. This doesn't radically differ from the automatic room-assignment that was in the old system (a room would automatically be assigned in the old system as soon as the check-in started, if not pre-assigned), it just happens sooner before one checks-in (a couple days now). Rooms can still be changed and manually done by the Front Desk at any time, pending availability.

The end result is that the odds of getting a certain room you've requested haven't changed. A request is simply a request, and while Disney resorts try very hard to accommodate all requests, a request is not a guarantee - and while it's understood that many people have great/important reasons for requesting something, it's important to recognize that these are just requests. The new system doesn't change any of that. I'll also say that some resorts have been operating on the system with automatic room assignment for over a month - and yet there really hasn't been much said around these parts until this thread was started... interesting isn't it?

It does not really go together with OP description of how it will work. Maybe system you work with is different from Disney system, although I also do not see much difference to go into panic attack.

 

[WavyGravy]

It does not really go together with OP description of how it will work. Maybe system you work with is different from Disney system, although I also do not see much difference to go into panic attack.

It *is* the Disney system. The system was purpose built over the course of many years for Disney's exclusive use and is not something that is off the shelf (unlike the old system, which was a commercial product that dates all the way back from 1988 with custom things being tacked on from time to time). No other hotelier uses this system.