Rooms now being assigned by computer

[bicker]

Now you are getting unnecessary sentimentsal.

Actually, I'm not, at least not in what I'm saying there. I'm saying that Disney's business model has always, to some extent, relied on guests who were, as you put it, unnecessarily sentimental. For folks who are really going to evaluate their options strictly analytically, Disney is probably not a good deal. I'm not sure it ever was, from a strict dollar-by-dollar, service-by-service perspective.

You mentioned the transportation... and probably meant specifically the proximity. That's one thing that is hard to put a dollar amount on. It's what folks who "claim" to be looking at Disney resorts objectively tend to hang their hats on when they say that staying at a Disney resort is "worth it" without relying on affinity. However, I don't buy it. You're on vacation and your time isn't worth $100 an hour (or whatever obscene amount you need to value your time, to justify the difference in price between Disney resorts and off-site resorts, solely on the proximity advantage).

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I don't think any rooms at Poly, BC, YC, or BW are crapshoots. I have stayed at a couple of the best off-property hotels, and while they are very nice, there is something (IMO of course) about being on that makes it special and better.

I think alot of the room request issues are with the smore spread out Moderate resorts.

Of course, I am a bit of a resort snob, because I would never pay 100+ at the value resorts with their total lack of amenities and overpriced fast food. I don't think they are worth it.

I've stayed at YC and liked the location a lot, but the rooms aren't any better than your typical Hilton, except that they are standardly large and in some of the older, historic Hiltons, room do run on the itsy size.

But yeah, I do think some of the rooms at those resorts are crapshoots. I don't like facing parking lots, being really close to the pool or being on the ground floor. I don't want a room close to the front desk or the lobby. I like having a balcony big enough to sit out on, and I want a King sized bed if I'm travelling with DH. I'll be perfectly honest, the pixie dust isn't enough to make me happy if I don't have a place to sit and play on my computer while my DH takes a nap in the afternoon.

At the Ritz or the Hilton, I know I can choose to get a king room on a high floor far from the elevators and extra pillows by checking the boxes online. Then I can call and reconfirm my choices at the front desk and ask if I might have a nice balcony view. When I get there I can re-confirm it and no one will roll their eyes or pretend not to know what I'm talking about. This makes me .

With Disney, sounds like this is all a total crapshoot. . .while I've never had a CM who wasn't a dear, ahhh. . .well. . .it still sounds like I will have to be very Blanche Dubois.

DH, the incurable optimist, still wants his pixie dust, which is undoubtably what Disney is hoping for. But me. . .I'm working on him. Maybe Swan and Dolphin instead? Hmmm.

 

[gigi1313]

We have been told twice that we couldn't book two rooms on the same reservation, that "traveling with" is the way it is handled unless there is only one adult traveling with more kids than can be listed on a single room. Now, maybe that's just luck of the draw, because we all know CRO CMs can sometimes be less informed than many DISers, but I was under the impression that isn't an option for our situation (6 people, usually).

That is exactly what i have been told, and we have been traveling w/two rooms since '04 with at least one trip per year, often more...

 

[englishrose47]

So are you saying to get what you want , on line check in is best!!??? We will be going in August, staying at Pop and are paying for preferred rooms , I am assuming as we have paid extra we will get preffed rooms !!I will have Disney make a note that we are a party of 2 rooms !!Also in October I am traveeling with 8 Dev Disabled and we get preferred rooms and it is essential that we are at least on the same floor !! Last time I called Special Needs and she called the Assigners direct and all 5 rooms were together it was AWESOME!!

 

[mefordis]

I stayed at the YC and I was very disenchanted with my room. The first one was ground floor and smelled musty. The second one wasn't much better. Shabby and I'd say the Marriott has better rooms. At least of the three that we saw.

I don't think any rooms at Poly, BC, YC, or BW are crapshoots. I have stayed at a couple of the best off-property hotels, and while they are very nice, there is something (IMO of course) about being on that makes it special and better.

I think alot of the room request issues are with the smore spread out Moderate resorts.

Of course, I am a bit of a resort snob, because I would never pay 100+ at the value resorts with their total lack of amenities and overpriced fast food. I don't think they are worth it.

 

[KellyNY]

Actually, I'm not, at least not in what I'm saying there. I'm saying that Disney's business model has always, to some extent, relied on guests who were, as you put it, unnecessarily sentimental. For folks who are really going to evaluate their options strictly analytically, Disney is probably not a good deal. I'm not sure it ever was, from a strict dollar-by-dollar, service-by-service perspective.

You mentioned the transportation... and probably meant specifically the proximity. That's one thing that is hard to put a dollar amount on. It's what folks who "claim" to be looking at Disney resorts objectively tend to hang their hats on when they say that staying at a Disney resort is "worth it" without relying on affinity. However, I don't buy it. You're on vacation and your time isn't worth $100 an hour (or whatever obscene amount you need to value your time, to justify the difference in price between Disney resorts and off-site resorts, solely on the proximity advantage).

I ment it is weird to hear sentimental statement from you since you seem to me looking at Disney strictly like business but I agree they do count on sentimental feelings of some people and fear of size of property as well.

I actually ment free transportation or is it free after all, not proximity to parks. As a matter of fact parks are not that far even from offsite as it seems. We always hear that Disney is a size of Manhattan. What we do not hear all the time but actually written on every Disney bus stop that Disney keeps half or so of property undeveloped, which makes actual property much less. Considering that most of the areas on and off property connected by highways, traveling from point A to point B is fast and simple, not like at Manhattan at all. Many people hearing about huge size just get into a panic state and believe the only way for them to handle it is to let Disney handle their transportation. I stayed off site and experienced off site transportation, not bad at all, except it is scheduled and at most hotels you will not be able to take a midday break and return in the evening. When I price my vacation I actually can put a number on my transportation. I figured some time ago that renting a car, parking and gas will cost me about $50 a day. So when I price my vacation I see what can I get offsite if I subtract those $50 from onsite price for particular hotel I set my eye on. My calculations showed that if I am ready to pay value price online, I will not find a nice/equal hotel offsite after
subtracting $50. For moderates I can have a slightly better deal offsite and for Deluxes I can always find a much beeter deal off site. Villas are particulary great value offsite. Park view however is the only thing you cannot duplicate with offsite(close park view) and it has its price for whoever willing to pay it. I am very practical when it comes to hotels, not sentimental at all. It is Disney but c'mon, it is my money and I do not wave wand to make them.

It also makes me smile every time someone suggests to stay onsite to be surrounded by Disney magic 24/7. Many people who say it, never experienced offsite and do not know that you will get all this Disney merchandise and TV as well 24/7. But to each its own.

 

[KellyNY]

We have been told twice that we couldn't book two rooms on the same reservation, that "traveling with" is the way it is handled unless there is only one adult traveling with more kids than can be listed on a single room. Now, maybe that's just luck of the draw, because we all know CRO CMs can sometimes be less informed than many DISers, but I was under the impression that isn't an option for our situation (6 people, usually).

I was able to book 2 rooms(2 adults in one, adult and child in another room) as a single reservation, but it was a while ago, maybe something changed since then.

 

[Sweettears]

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.

Got all of mine on our trip DDec 10 to 16.

 

[maxiesmom]

It also makes me smile every time someone suggests to stay onsite to be surrounded by Disney magic 24/7. Many people who say it, never experienced offsite and do not know that you will get all this Disney merchandise and TV as well 24/7. But to each its own.

I have done multiple off-site stays, and I do feel there is a lot more Disney magic when you stay on-site. You don't get Disney wake up calls off-site. Or offical Disney soap. Or transportation that runs every 20 minutes or so and doesn't drop you off in parking lot boonie land.

But then my off-site stays have been as a family of 6 or more. Renting a car isn't that cheap when you have to have a van. Add in the annoyance of everyone having to be together all of the time, or going to the added expense of getting a taxi if someone decides to go back to the resort early, and it really costs us more to stay off-site. Trust me, I have run the numbers many many many times.

 

[KellyNY]

I have done multiple off-site stays, and I do feel there is a lot more Disney magic when you stay on-site. You don't get Disney wake up calls off-site. Or offical Disney soap. Or transportation that runs every 20 minutes or so and doesn't drop you off in parking lot boonie land.

But then my off-site stays have been as a family of 6 or more. Renting a car isn't that cheap when you have to have a van. Add in the annoyance of everyone having to be together all of the time, or going to the added expense of getting a taxi if someone decides to go back to the resort early, and it really costs us more to stay off-site. Trust me, I have run the numbers many many many times.

I did not run my numbers as universal truth for everyone. You have different situation, different needs. My numbers come from my family needs and this is what I came out with. I do not use wake up calls, you can get them offsite but not in Mickey voice, that what I heard. I would not care a bit if I stop in a parking lot or a bus stop but again it is me,. There are plenty to consider like room charge, extra hours, merchandise delivery, DP, but to me personally none of them matter, for someone else they are a must. I put $ value on what counts for us, everyone is different.

Edit: Forgot to mention soap, yep, you got me here, love to bring them home.
Although you know just as well as I do, offsites use good soaps as well.

 

[Madisonsmom45]

Adding in all the extra expense by renting a car and choosing the hotel service for transportation to the parks, etc, and blah blah blah. We have found that staying on-site works best for us. I have an extremely ADHD son who really needs some down time in the afternoon. Him and DH head back to the resort while DD and I do some power park hopping. It just isn't worth the bother to us to stay off-site. I guess when it comes down to it, if you can afford Disney you can usually afford the extra money to use it however you feel fit. We have stayed at the values and mods. And to us POR is home. We go once a year and I so look forward to it. Winter is already too long and it's only the middle of December. I told DH I could shop in shorts with sunglasses for Christmas. I don't need the white stuff. LOL
Bonnie

 

[ppony]

It also makes me smile every time someone suggests to stay onsite to be surrounded by Disney magic 24/7. Many people who say it, never experienced offsite and do not know that you will get all this Disney merchandise and TV as well 24/7. But to each its own.

I'm not sure how you can make that determination. How can someone know other's off site experiences? I, for one, stayed off-site for art of our time on our first trip to WDW and vowed never to do it again. At that time, we compared the off to the on and there was no question beyond that. Sure,it was one experience, but that's all we wanted or needed then. I don't put that info i my signature which perhaps is where you are deriving your info? I DO feel there is value beyond obvious perks for staying online, but as you said, to each, their own.

 

[Colleen27]

But then my off-site stays have been as a family of 6 or more. Renting a car isn't that cheap when you have to have a van. Add in the annoyance of everyone having to be together all of the time, or going to the added expense of getting a taxi if someone decides to go back to the resort early, and it really costs us more to stay off-site. Trust me, I have run the numbers many many many times.

Yep, same here; the car rental kills any savings, because we need a minivan or full sized SUV. The only "offsite" that really makes sense to us is the Swan/Dolphin because that wouldn't require a rental car.

 

[KellyNY]

I'm not sure how you can make that determination. How can someone know other's off site experiences? I, for one, stayed off-site for art of our time on our first trip to WDW and vowed never to do it again. At that time, we compared the off to the on and there was no question beyond that. Sure,it was one experience, but that's all we wanted or needed then. I don't put that info i my signature which perhaps is where you are deriving your info? I DO feel there is value beyond obvious perks for staying online, but as you said, to each, their own.

No, I am talking about people who actually say that they will never even try offsite as onsite is so much better. Every time a person asks off or on site they get those kinds of responds. Those replies go in a same category like " Universal is so not worth it for us to even try", "other destinations are boring for us to try" and so on. You know what I mean. I never assume, only get info from what people say but many people only experienced one side of the coin and unless you try both, how can you tell what is better.

 

[ppony]

No, I am talking about people who actually say that they will never even try offsite as onsite is so much better. Every time a person asks off or on site they get those kinds of responds. Those replies go in a same category like " Universal is so not worth it for us to even try", "other destinations are boring for us to try" and so on. You know what I mean. I never assume, only get info from what people say but many people only experienced one side of the coin and unless you try both, how can you tell what is better.

AHhh. OK. Works for me. I just don't read a lot of them I guess. I'm sure they're there tho.

 

[PurpleTurtle]

We have been told twice that we couldn't book two rooms on the same reservation, that "traveling with" is the way it is handled unless there is only one adult traveling with more kids than can be listed on a single room. Now, maybe that's just luck of the draw, because we all know CRO CMs can sometimes be less informed than many DISers, but I was under the impression that isn't an option for our situation (6 people, usually).

We have one reservation number for two rooms at POP in Jan. (2 adults 4 children) Our reservation also says this:

GUARANTEED CONNECTING ROOMS

We had the same situation in May of 2008 when we stayed there and had no problem getting the connecting rooms. When I make the reservations, they always tell me that the rooms are guaranteed to be connecting b/c we are a family with so many young children. I know some on the DIS will say this is not true, but that's what they always tell me

 

[coopersmom]

BingBingBing! We have a winner! There's a Ritz at Bonnet Creek, or if I want a lot of room for cheap, I can to the Wyndham AND get a fireworks view. I'm very seriously wondering why in the heck I would take a crap shoot at the Poly, YC, BC or BI (the places I was considering) when I can get much better for the same or less and be the same driving distance to the parks.

I wish there was a Ritz at Bonnet Creek so, if there is, tell me about it quick! The only Orlando Ritz I know about is farther out. Quite a bit actually. (We really wanted to stay there.)

There is a Waldorf at Bonnet Creek. Supposed to be very nice.

 

[gigi1313]

We have one reservation number for two rooms at POP in Jan. (2 adults 4 children) Our reservation also says this:

GUARANTEED CONNECTING ROOMS

We had the same situation in May of 2008 when we stayed there and had no problem getting the connecting rooms. When I make the reservations, they always tell me that the rooms are guaranteed to be connecting b/c we are a family with so many young children. I know some on the DIS will say this is not true, but that's what they always tell me

we had that same guarantee in 2007 at CBR... 6 kids age 16 and under, 2 adults... originally the two rooms were in separate buildings (ironically, one was nearer my mom's room, in the same grand gathering)... finally, after a verrrrryyyy long time at the front desk (aka family went to food court to eat while i stayed at custom house and then they came back to get me) we were able to get two rooms next to one another, but no door between us... we were willing to go to a different section than the rest of our grand gathering, but no go... oh, and was it "peak" period? nope, not at all... it was the last week of august! slow/hurricane season/free dining...

 

[LisaNJ25]

we had that same guarantee in 2007 at CBR... 6 kids age 16 and under, 2 adults... originally the two rooms were in separate buildings (ironically, one was nearer my mom's room, in the same grand gathering)... finally, after a verrrrryyyy long time at the front desk (aka family went to food court to eat while i stayed at custom house and then they came back to get me) we were able to get two rooms next to one another, but no door between us... we were willing to go to a different section than the rest of our grand gathering, but no go... oh, and was it "peak" period? nope, not at all... it was the last week of august! slow/hurricane season/free dining...

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)

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I wish there was a Ritz at Bonnet Creek so, if there is, tell me about it quick! The only Orlando Ritz I know about is farther out. Quite a bit actually. (We really wanted to stay there.)

There is a Waldorf at Bonnet Creek. Supposed to be very nice.

You are absolutely right. . .I never get to stay at higher than a Hilton for business, and I've always wanted to stay at a Ritz.