Rooms now being assigned by computer

[midnightlouise]

I look at it like this, I *paid* for courtyard view w/bunk beds at WL, if I don't get it, I'll get bent. If I do, I'll be happy.

I did request inner courtyard, yes, that's within my category. I understand the bunk bed rooms are in specific locations, and if my request doesn't fall within that purview, so be it. But I'm still going to put that out there...

Because I, along with everyone else, am paying a lot of money to stay here, I feel entitled to make this request. I don't, however, feel entitled to have it granted, and I think that's the difference. I'm not going to apologize for politely asking for what I want, but neither am I going to throw a fit if I don't get it.

 

[pooh2001]

Does the computer system have a code for wheelchairs ? Allergies ? Stroller needs ? Heart problems ?

If not, they should.

I would feel bad if a mom with a small infant (stroller need), a person who needs a wheelchair access, or someone with a medical needs ends up on the 3rd floor near the stairs.

I can not stand the smell of cigerette smoke - to the point of me getting a severe headache. I would request a room away from the smoking area.
I would hope the computer can accomodate my request with a code.

A database is a database. It has more than one field for data.
So one database for the guest information and one database for the resort hotel.

Match the two databases on date of arrival, date of departure, room category paid for - combine into another datbase when the fields match - and add the guests information and room number assignment.
But - there should be another field or two to be matched....smoke or medical need.

If no room is available for the date of arrival, date of departure, room category paid for, smoke and/or medical need, a red flag should be alarmed - ie an error report - then a CM should manually assign the room based on the error.

Maybe another guest's room aassignement would move to accomodate a wheelchair or heart problem. Maybe a bump up room category to accomodate the medical need.

 

[englishrose47]

Does the computer system have a code for wheelchairs ? Allergies ? Stroller needs ? Heart problems ?

If not, they should.

I would feel bad if a mom with a small infant (stroller need), a person who needs a wheelchair access, or someone with a medical needs ends up on the 3rd floor near the stairs.

I can not stand the smell of cigerette smoke - to the point of me getting a severe headache. I would request a room away from the smoking area.
I would hope the computer can accomodate my request with a code.

A database is a database. It has more than one field for data.
So one database for the guest information and one database for the resort hotel.

Match the two databases on date of arrival, date of departure, room category paid for - combine into another datbase when the fields match - and add the guests information and room number assignment.
But - there should be another field or two to be matched....smoke or medical need.

If no room is available for the date of arrival, date of departure, room category paid for, smoke and/or medical need, a red flag should be alarmed - ie an error report - then a CM should manually assign the room based on the error.

Maybe another guest's room aassignement would move to accomodate a wheelchair or heart problem. Maybe a bump up room category to accomodate the medical need.

There is a Special Needs department you can call about a week before arrival and ask for their help !!!I did this when travelling with a group of 8 Dev. Disbaled> I wanted the rooms to be on the same floor and a medical fridge for one room !!The gal called Pop direct and spoke to the room assigners !! We got 5 rooms next to each other and the fridge was in the correct room!!So if you called and explained your smoke allergy they could help with requesting a room away from the DSA's !!

 

[bicker]

I don't agree, you pay PREMIUM prices to stay at Disney World properties and they should in fact make an effort to make sure guests are as happy as possible with their rooms. Isn't that the essence of customer service.

When you pay for a room at WDW you are paying a premium for certain things: Location and that "being part of the magic" cache, primarily. (If you don't value both, highly, then you should surely not stay at a Disney resort, since you're paying a lot of money for value you're not deriving. Figure that 30%-35% of your room rate is to account for the fact that you're on WDW property, including the value of actually "being there", as well as some of the minor conveniences that that entails, such as bus service and package delivery service.

The key, though, is that paying money doesn't imply a never-ending stream of benefit. Prices are for the service being offered, not for whatever the buyer wants. While paying a premium does imply getting something better, it doesn't mean getting everything - it means getting those things, and those things better, that that service provider's premium service entails. And we get that at WDW, just by checking in to the room we're randomly assigned.

 

[PIESHOPS]

There is a Special Needs department you can call about a week before arrival and ask for their help !!!I did this when travelling with a group of 8 Dev. Disbaled> I wanted the rooms to be on the same floor and a medical fridge for one room !!The gal called Pop direct and spoke to the room assigners !! We got 5 rooms next to each other and the fridge was in the correct room!!So if you called and explained your smoke allergy they could help with requesting a room away from the DSA's !!

do you know that number?

 

[Minnie&Nana]

There is a Special Needs department you can call about a week before arrival and ask for their help !!!I did this when travelling with a group of 8 Dev. Disbaled> I wanted the rooms to be on the same floor and a medical fridge for one room !!The gal called Pop direct and spoke to the room assigners !! We got 5 rooms next to each other and the fridge was in the correct room!!So if you called and explained your smoke allergy they could help with requesting a room away from the DSA's !!

do you know that number?

Requesting a room away from a DSA can be handled by the reservations line - call and ask them to add the request to your reservation as a medical request. The regular reservation line will call special needs and make all arrangements for a guest with medical needs - they usually put you on hold and take care of it. I suggested Rosie call the dept directly because she had so many in her travel party with special needs - and a week prior because the reservation was being handled by a TA and special needs would not have had access earlier.

Best not to call special needs directly unless it is a unique need, as Rosie when she was an escort to the special needs group.

(P.S. if you are using a TA she can also have the TA line add your medical needs)

 

[englishrose47]

Thanks Christine !!You are right !! I needed the fridge for medical purposes and the rooms together to avoid MAJOR Problems !!Their are DSA's at all resorts and some may be near the foodcourt or pool !! Check the map for locations at your resort so you know where they are and to avoid them !!

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Bump:

For those guests with Club Level reservations how will this effect them? For example I know that the Club Level Cast Members for the Innkeeper's Club at the Boardwalk Inn handle room assignemnts for their Club Level guests and did it recently for our stay there this month after their computers were switched to the LILO system, so will that still happen?

 

[nonatink]

I love this idea! How great would it be if they really let you pick your room like you do on a cruise, it would make me very happy, as I am the one who always gets the room that is at the end of the looong hall.

 

[DebbieB]

I love this idea! How great would it be if they really let you pick your room like you do on a cruise, it would make me very happy, as I am the one who always gets the room that is at the end of the looong hall.

The difference with a cruise is everyone comes and leaves on the same day. So it's easy to pick rooms. At a resort, people are coming and going different days, it would be difficult. You would end up with rooms open odd nights.

 

[Missytara]

I love this idea! How great would it be if they really let you pick your room like you do on a cruise, it would make me very happy, as I am the one who always gets the room that is at the end of the looong hall.

Not possible; on cruises, everyone arrives and leaves on the same day.

Not at a resort; some may arrive a day later or have to stay a day longer because of circumstances beyond their control (the hurricane Irene comes to mind).

Overbooking of other resorts also could play a key factor.

The only thing that is no different would be maintenance issues.

 

[TerrytownGrl]

I assume this new computerized room assignment system has been in place for a few months now.

Anyone notice any difference in how their requests were handled? Good? Bad?

Just curious about feedback.

 

[Missytara]

I assume this new computerized room assignment system has been in place for a few months now.

Anyone notice any difference in how their requests were handled? Good? Bad?

Just curious about feedback.

It has been in place for several months.

It allows the CM to look to see which room is immediately available. If it is not to your liking, you can ask for another room and tell them you don't mind waiting. It is no different than every other year I have arrived the Saturday after Thanksgiving and told the CM I don't mind waiting for the room that fulfills my request.

It is the same as before, it is just the computer is doing more of the work than before.

 

[Jingle]

My family had five preferred rooms at Pop this last June. All of our room requests were met and we were all right next to each other. The room requests that were made were, first floor, 70's and King bed for two of the rooms. Although I did not request a specific room, we got the exact same room we had last August and had the same Housekeeper too.

 

[TerrytownGrl]

It has been in place for several months.

It allows the CM to look to see which room is immediately available. If it is not to your liking, you can ask for another room and tell them you don't mind waiting. It is no different than every other year I have arrived the Saturday after Thanksgiving and told the CM I don't mind waiting for the room that fulfills my request.

It is the same as before, it is just the computer is doing more of the work than before.

Well, how about that! Our last trip to WDW was Sun-Sat of Thanksgiving week 2010. And if this system has been in place at that time, we didn't even notice a difference! We stayed at Pop and were placed in a great room in the 70s section that met our requests. We even had connecting rooms like we requested.

Thanks for the feedback, Missytara!

 

[Missytara]

Well, how about that! Our last trip to WDW was Sun-Sat of Thanksgiving week 2010. And if this system has been in place at that time, we didn't even notice a difference! We stayed at Pop and were placed in a great room in the 70s section that met our requests. We even had connecting rooms like we requested.

Thanks for the feedback, Missytara!

Which proves my point. The computer is doing what the human was doing before, just more efficiently.

 

[rockin2it]

I'm staying at POR for our trip this time and when I booked our trip, my only request was AB. I paid for a river view room but I would like to be in AB. Since the computer cant see my request, does this mean I'm not even likely to get this request fulfilled? I dont do on-line check in so when I check in at the resort should I tell them I would prefer AB or is it a lost cause?

 

[Missytara]

I'm staying at POR for our trip this time and when I booked our trip, my only request was AB. I paid for a river view room but I would like to be in AB. Since the computer cant see my request, does this mean I'm not even likely to get this request fulfilled? I dont do on-line check in so when I check in at the resort should I tell them I would prefer AB or is it a lost cause?

The computer sorts the requests and the room assigner places you in a location a few days before you arrive. They will see the requests.

When you arrive, the CM will choose the first available room in the location the room assigner chose. They will indicate the building and room number.

If it is the mansions, you can politely reiterate your requests that you wish to be placed in AB, they will look up another available room in that location or one that will be available later in the day.

Then you can choose whether you want the first available room, the next available room, or the room later in the day depending on your requests.

I think you are taking the statement "the computer doesn't see your requests" a bit too literally. The room assigner sees your requests and tries to fit you in the location you requested.

99 times out of 100 at POR, they will place you somewhere in AB (unless they are booked solid with families of 5) where there is a riverview, since that is what you paid for. There are several locations that have riverview rooms; so only you can decide if it is the correct building.

 

[rockin2it]

The computer sorts the requests and the room assigner places you in a location a few days before you arrive. They will see the requests.

When you arrive, the CM will choose the first available room in the location the room assigner chose. They will indicate the building and room number.

If it is the mansions, you can politely reiterate your requests that you wish to be placed in AB, they will look up another available room in that location or one that will be available later in the day.

Then you can choose whether you want the first available room, the next available room, or the room later in the day depending on your requests.

I think you are taking the statement "the computer doesn't see your requests" a bit too literally. The room assigner sees your requests and tries to fit you in the location you requested.

99 times out of 100 at POR, they will place you somewhere in AB (unless they are booked solid with families of 5) where there is a riverview, since that is what you paid for. There are several locations that have riverview rooms; so only you can decide if it is the correct building.

Ok..thanks for clearing this up. I misunderstood. I wouldn't mind being put in a refurbed mansion room but since I'm sure everyone is requesting those, I would rather be in AB. I guess we will see what they offer us and then take it from there. Thanks again for clearing up my confusion on this issue.