Rooms now being assigned by computer

[stitch34]

Sorry, I'm not liking this.

Having travelled solo with three kids, always put in requests.

Son is autistic - difficult to get to sleep. Get my girls settled in for night, then he's jumping in the stroller, knows it's time to take a walk to settle him down. Want to be able to walk out my ground floor value room, into a well-lit area (like poolside, for instance) and be able to walk him around there, sit at a table with him, while being able to still see my room where girls are at. Don't want to be way in the back of a building where it's dark and then can't walk and still see my room/girls. And I'm talking as late as 1, 2 a.m. this happens. Nope.
Pop... I'll put in '60s poolside, ground floor. Even if give 2nd or 3rd, can deal with that, but need that poolside. Pop has been great 6 out of 8 trips fulfilling request.
Movies... will put in Toy Story courtyard, or Fantasia poolside. Movies rarely fulfills request - have given us twice with that request 3rd floor dalmations.

But main reason for being specific with requests is due to my son and needing to get him out of the room late at night and wanting that well-lit area. If weren't for that, if we were to go to our room end of night and stay put... then I could care less where we were at.

CBR I only request ground floor, nothing more... POFQ, we request ground floor 5, 4 or 3 (just because we prefer those buildings)
Really don't stay at deluxes often - maybe a one-night every so often - as it's less convenient dealing with son and the hallway in a deluxe. And ground floor at deluxe is a must - don't need to worry about son and balconies to hang off of.
AKL pool view has worked well for us.

So yeah, I guess I'm that picky person who feels entighted to getting what I request. But I just want that convenience when dealing with my son and feeling safe.

 

[bicker]

But Disney used to do things that were difficult because it satisfied more guests.

And now guests care more about saving money, and so Disney follows-suit.

The people who don't make requests will be unaffected, while the people who do will probably be way more dissatisfied.

Actually, the people who don't make requests will be very positively affected: They will now have a much fairer shot at the "better" rooms.

 

[bicker]

That's what I'm worried about! We're checking in very late. We don't have any specific requests but I don't want to be put in the room no one else wanted either! I'll just have to trust to karma...

Nothing has changed in that regard. Figure before, people who brow-beat the room controller grabbed the better rooms - now they cannot do that. So there will be a fairer allocation of rooms from the outset, so folks checking in at the normal time will have a better shot at getting a good room, than before.

 

[bicker]

... when I pay $600 or more a night for Disney magic I would at least like to have my requests looked at and seriously considered.

Doesn't everyone who pays $600 or more a night for Disney magic deserve just as good a room as you?

 

[Disneyadore]

I am going to repost what I just put on another thread of this nature. You are obviously knowledgeable about this, but from your posts I also sense a bit of animosity towards the public in general. I have no doubt that you have served many, many, many people that have asked for things they are not willing to pay for. I am not one of the those people, and when I pay $600 or more a night for Disney magic I would at least like to have my requests looked at and seriously considered. The post is below, and I'd like your input.
[/I]

We pay that amount of money but I don't feel that the $$ we pay should give us any special right or entitlement.
There are many more resort guests that deserve the same treatment.The only thing I hate is that non resort guest sneak in ,use the pool and chairs wich they did not pay for.

 

[seashoreCM]

By law, a guest can extend their room stay and not have to change rooms. The hotel will tell you that you can't, but all a guest has to do is stand their ground and they will not be moved. .

Last I was told, Hawaii is the only state where a guest can be forced out of a hotel room. But a guest who overstays his reservation can be charged the maximum rate, which is usually posted on the back of the room door and in the case of a Disney's resort, would be the holiday season rate if not higher.

The computer system probably tries to avoid making advance reservations that leave gaps between where the previous guest would check out and the next guest would check in. Except perhaps an intentional one night gap every two months or so for a more thorough cleaning.

 

[pmickus]

We have a Grand Gathering in January with 4 rooms. Can I assume that they will be placed together by the computer since we have a GG number? Two of the rooms have been noted in the reservation as connecting. Will the computer accommodate this or will I have to ask at the front desk for connecting rooms?

 

[GailT]

I don't get all the treads they jump from 1997 to 21020 back to 2004 4 then 2005, whats up with that, this is 2010 and half of these postings are from older years they were probably doing computer assignment way back when and no one knew about it. Like I usually say and I am going to say it again last year for Disney I can go on a cheaper vacation and love it just as much. staying 3 nights at WL almost 2000,00 the first night staying at DTD HI 135.00 overlooking DTD and I bet it is nice, just opened in February so all new. OK I'll shut up, I am sure when I get there I'll have a good time

 

[goofy4tink]

Probably will do the opposite as people stay at the counter longer trying to get a different room becuase their requests were ignored by the computer.

Best thing to do would be to make it like cruises and give you the ability to pick your room from what's available at the time of booking. If you pick the room yourself, you're the only one to complain to.

Unfortunetly, there is no 'arriving and departing' going on with a ship. Everyone gets on at the same time and gets off at the same time.

I am going to repost what I just put on another thread of this nature. You are obviously knowledgeable about this, but from your posts I also sense a bit of animosity towards the public in general. I have no doubt that you have served many, many, many people that have asked for things they are not willing to pay for. I am not one of the those people, and when I pay $600 or more a night for Disney magic I would at least like to have my requests looked at and seriously considered. The post is below, and I'd like your input.

I have mixed feelings about the news. We try to arrive at the resort early so that we can get the best room available in our booked category, and I hope that the new system doesn't hinder castmembers from changing rooms for us if we'd like something different (different floor, closer to elevator, etc...)than what's been assigned to us. Also, there is that pixie dust that we've received several times with small upgrades (standard to preferred at a mod, waterview, etc...)that I would like to still have as a possibility. Will those magical upgrades go away? I don't know enough about it yet, so I'm on the fence. I do agree with you about the price paid at the deluxes and the chance for a request to be made and (hopefully) fulfilled. I know, I know a request is a request and not a guarantee. I got that, but I'd like to still be able to make my request and show up on check in day with butterflies in my stomach and hope that pixie dust is in the air...

Problem is that a ton of other guests are paying the exact same amount that you are paying. What if they have made similar requests??? Who gets the room??
I really wish Disney would stop taking requests, other than medical ones. It's a resort room. You are not buying it for the next 10 years. It's a stay of a week or so. Sure, if you have someone who truly needs to be close to an elevator, then go ahead and make that request. But I have seen so many people asking 'which room is the best room' type questions. Everyone wants that room that has a picture perfect view, with a short walk to the elevators.
But only so many are going to get them.

I have been given 'occupied' rooms several times now. Drives me nuts. I just love truding to a distant room only to find the guests haven't left and have no plans to leave. Now, I have to go all the way back and get another room from the front desk. It happens more often than it should. It would seem that guests don't always let the resort know that they are planning on extending their stay.

 

[bicker]

I really wish Disney would stop taking requests, other than medical ones. It's a resort room. You are not buying it for the next 10 years. It's a stay of a week or so. Sure, if you have someone who truly needs to be close to an elevator, then go ahead and make that request. But I have seen so many people asking 'which room is the best room' type questions. Everyone wants that room that has a picture perfect view, with a short walk to the elevators. But only so many are going to get them.

Good points. And I believe the whole practice of working the system to try to get something better than what other people, paying the same amount, would get, drives a lot of dissatisfaction. How many times have I heard from family and friends how so much of visiting WDW is "too complicated" - all because of all these great things we here on the DIS know that you have to do to get the upper hand on fellow guests? How to get better viewing locations for parades; how to get the prime dining reservations; how to get the best rooms -- all of it makes the WDW vacation experience more complicated than it should be, in the minds of a lot of folks used to just going and doing, as they are able to for myriad other vacation destinations.

There's nothing wrong, necessarily, with learning how to get more than the average guest for the same money - but there is also nothing wrong with the resort evening the playing field so that all guests have a fairer chance of getting the best of what's available.

 

[Danibelle]

Unfortunetly, there is no 'arriving and departing' going on with a ship. Everyone gets on at the same time and gets off at the same time.




Problem is that a ton of other guests are paying the exact same amount that you are paying. What if they have made similar requests??? Who gets the room??
I really wish Disney would stop taking requests, other than medical ones. It's a resort room. You are not buying it for the next 10 years. It's a stay of a week or so. Sure, if you have someone who truly needs to be close to an elevator, then go ahead and make that request. But I have seen so many people asking 'which room is the best room' type questions. Everyone wants that room that has a picture perfect view, with a short walk to the elevators.
But only so many are going to get them.

I have been given 'occupied' rooms several times now. Drives me nuts. I just love truding to a distant room only to find the guests haven't left and have no plans to leave. Now, I have to go all the way back and get another room from the front desk. It happens more often than it should. It would seem that guests don't always let the resort know that they are planning on extending their stay.

Well said. As to "occupied rooms", Disney should do what other hotels do. If a room is due to be changed to a new family, then the "occupiers" should be required to move out (or move rooms if necessary). I won't say what some hotels do if there is no way to extend a stay and the original occupants don't move out!

See below post for what happened.

 

[Danibelle]

Last I was told, Hawaii is the only state where a guest can be forced out of a hotel room. But a guest who overstays his reservation can be charged the maximum rate, which is usually posted on the back of the room door and in the case of a Disney's resort, would be the holiday season rate if not higher.

The computer system probably tries to avoid making advance reservations that leave gaps between where the previous guest would check out and the next guest would check in. Except perhaps an intentional one night gap every two months or so for a more thorough cleaning.

In California, a family was moved out of a room (we got the room) when the resort was fully sold out and there was no way to extend. It was a mess as the original people tried to "break in" to our room to get their luggage (which had been removed and was in the hotel office). We were a little unnerved by the incident and ending up getting a certificate for a free night. Scary!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

8) Few other hotels allow such room requests, and now Disney is finally following suit.
. . .

I'm not sure what hotels you are referring to, but the ones we've visited around the country and in Europe have allowed us to make requests - often more explicit than the requests we make at Disney.

When I join any frequent guest program, I'm usually given a form that allows me to have my preferences on file. Floor, corner room, near elevator, away from elevator, pillow type, smoking/non-smoking (this is a moot point for Disney, yay!), paper choice, etc. When I make a request at Disney, I try very hard to stick with one or two general requests - upper floor, non-dormer and maybe a building, if that applies. Pretty generic, I think, and I can't imagine why that would label me "entitled" just because I have a preference! I have a preference in the way I like my steak cooked, but I don't think that should cause the cook to deliberately give me something else out of spite.

One issue I have is the refrain, "you should get a room in the category you booked, period." That would be great, except that Disney sometimes has rooms listed in the wrong category! For instance, trees and shrubbery grow, and often a room labelled Theme Park View should now really be a Lagoon View, as there is little to view but a huge tree!

 

[Kimberle]

Ya know, not everybody has the same requests. Some people want a low floor because they are scared of heights. Some people want a high floor because they feel more secure. Some people want to be close to a parking lot because they have a car. Some have no car and don't want to hear the parking lot noise. A room request is not asking for the "best" room. What is "best" for one family is not for another.

 

[Colleen27]

Ya know, not everybody has the same requests. Some people want a low floor because they are scared of heights. Some people want a high floor because they feel more secure. Some people want to be close to a parking lot because they have a car. Some have no car and don't want to hear the parking lot noise. A room request is not asking for the "best" room. What is "best" for one family is not for another.

That's true. We got an amazing upgrade on our stay at WL, from the standard view we'd booked because we just don't spend enough time in our room or on our balcony to pay extra for a view. The CM checking us in seemed almost apologetic about the room assignment which left me a little nervous hauling our luggage down the rather long wing.

The room? First floor waterview at the very end of the south wing, facing the lake. It couldn't have been more perfect by our standards but over the course of our 11-night stay I actually had a brief chat with the woman who had refused that room before we checked in. She didn't want to be "in the middle of nowhere" and insisted on being moved to something closer to the lobby without even seeing the room or view.

 

[MSLRAC]

I really wish Disney would stop taking requests, other than medical ones. It's a resort room. You are not buying it for the next 10 years. It's a stay of a week or so. Sure, if you have someone who truly needs to be close to an elevator, then go ahead and make that request. But I have seen so many people asking 'which room is the best room' type questions. Everyone wants that room that has a picture perfect view, with a short walk to the elevators.
But only so many are going to get them.

I agree and think this is a good idea and I hope it curbs all of the frivolous requests so that guests with valid, medical requests can be more easily accommodated.

 

[eliza61]

Unfortunetly, there is no 'arriving and departing' going on with a ship. Everyone gets on at the same time and gets off at the same time.




Problem is that a ton of other guests are paying the exact same amount that you are paying. What if they have made similar requests??? Who gets the room??
I really wish Disney would stop taking requests, other than medical ones. It's a resort room. You are not buying it for the next 10 years. It's a stay of a week or so. Sure, if you have someone who truly needs to be close to an elevator, then go ahead and make that request. But I have seen so many people asking 'which room is the best room' type questions. Everyone wants that room that has a picture perfect view, with a short walk to the elevators.
But only so many are going to get them.

.

amen!! The problem with request, is that no matter how many times you tell people they are not guaranteed, for some reason people feel becasue they are at Disney, those "request" better be met.

I'm amazed at how many people here swear up and down that if they didn't get their request it would be no biggie, yet will come right back and complain that Disney did not fufill those "request".
I've have seen grown women with little kids in tow, literally curse at cm's at the wilderness lodge because they did not want to walk so far to the elevator.

That's why I hate give aways, remember the prize patrol? remember how many people vented "I've been to disney 700 times and they haven't given me anything"?

I'm totally for getting rid of all request except for medical reasons.

 

[KellyNY]

Lets not mistake needs and wants.
Some people need ground floor or elevator around them for medical reasons or connecting rooms when it is a big family with little kids, those are needs and should be granted as this is the only way guests stay is possible.
Wanting top floor just because there is less traffic there or ground floor because there is simply less walking or corner room because there are 2 windows and it is slightly bigger or next to parking lot or away from it or particular view at particular building or my favorite a particular room... all those are just wants and has nothing to do with needs.
Just imagine trying to grant those requests, it is a huge headache.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

I don't think this computer assignment is a huge deal. I think it would be beneficial for Disney to expand the bookable categories specific to each resort and add request choices that are generic resort wide. For example: offer request choices of (again a request not a guarantee) ground floor, near elevator, near pool, near dining, upper floor. Most mods and values already have preferred room location booking categories. Deluxes do not. Some deluxes, like Poly and BC, would benefit from expanding room categories to include full balcony as a choice at an extra cost as Swan and Dolphin offer.JMO

 

[BelleBway]

Ya know, not everybody has the same requests. Some people want a low floor because they are scared of heights. Some people want a high floor because they feel more secure. Some people want to be close to a parking lot because they have a car. Some have no car and don't want to hear the parking lot noise. A room request is not asking for the "best" room. What is "best" for one family is not for another.

This is what I was thinking- I like to request a high floor because it feels more secure for a woman traveling solo; lots of people like to request ground floor rooms because they are more convenient. If I get assigned a ground floor room and someone who would prefer a ground floor gets a 2nd floor room, that's 2 disappointed guests.

It's happened to me before- at ASMu, I got a poolside room on the first floor close to the lobby, which would have been a terrific location for many people- especially those who can't walk far or climb steps. I'd requested something on a high floor in the Broadway section, because it is a theme I like and it is off the beaten path a bit. I didn't make a stink (although I may have asked if a room meeting my preferences was available), but I felt like I was taking away an awesome room from someone who would have appreciated it much more.

Some people spend more time in their rooms than others, and people have different preferences. I've always liked being able to note my preferences, and never felt entitled to them- just felt that if I would be happier with a certain room type, I'd have a better chance of getting that room if I noted it as a request. Given the general level of entitlement in our society, it's easy for me to believe that other people have gotten more carried away with the whole process. Oh well.