Rude awakening on check-out day

[themommy]

I wonder if it would help on check out day to hang the sign on the door and slap a post it note on it saying “Dear housekeeping, We will not be vacating this room until 11am. Thanks for not waking us.” ? It might be worth a try.

 

[soccermom54]

I told housekeeping nicely that we would be out by 11:00 a.m. and closed the door.

 

[Toolulu22]

Sounds like it is worth it to you to tell the front desk the night before your plans i.e., that you plan to use the room until 11. Realistically, if they waited until 11am for before even starting turning around any of the rooms, there is no way they could have all the rooms available by 3pm for check in, and there are so many guests who leave much sooner on a departure day for a morning at the parks or an early flight that it would be wasteful for them not to start checking rooms in the morning. 8am or later does not seem unreasonably early for me, but this is one of those things that can be easily solved by asking.

This seems reasonable. We used to book early flights and were out with the sun. But the past few years, we have been taking evening flights. We sleep in, pack up and have a late breakfast and usually head down to DS for the day before heading to the airport.

 

[OKW Lover]

Every resort knows when a guest checks out,

How do they know this?

 

[ArwenMarie]

It’s been a while since we stayed in a regular hotel room at Disney, but I know for DVC, I plan on them banging on the door at 8:30 AM the latest. I wouldn’t plan to sleep later.

We do stay in the room if we want to and turn them away if we need to

 

[Minniesgal]

This isn't a Disney issue or a DVC issue it happens at all Hotels.

There is a very simple solution. Lock your door.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

We learned long ago to be sure the DND (or now the Room Occupied) hang tag on the door before turning in for the last night of our stay. Works great!!!

That has worked for us in the past too. This time the sign was out and they walked right in anyway.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

This isn't a Disney issue or a DVC issue it happens at all Hotels.

There is a very simple solution. Lock your door.

I disagree. I travel a LOT and this does not happen as a matter of course at other hotels. Other than at Disney, I have never had a knock on my door when a DND sign was out. Not ever. As for locking the door, if one person is an early riser and wants to leave the room, that is what the DND sign is for...so they can get back in without waking up the whole family. A hotel should not get to dictate how late I sleep on vacation, or that all of us get up at the same time. If somebody wants to leave the room while others are sleeping, they should be able to do so.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I wonder if it would help on check out day to hang the sign on the door and slap a post it note on it saying “Dear housekeeping, We will not be vacating this room until 11am. Thanks for not waking us.” ? It might be worth a try.

This is a GREAT idea!! I'm trying this next time. I'll post the results.

 

[Roxyfire]

FWIW, at the locally managed NON-PROFIT senior living community where my mom lives, management installed an electronic system to notify staff as to whether a resident has opened the front door. It’s used to go check on a resident who hasn’t ventured out.

I would think Disney with its resources could come up with something to flag a room where no one has exited. The inhabitants probably don’t want to be awakened/disturbed bright and early at the start of the housekeeping day, especially during the summer or holidays when they offer and tout evening extra magic hours late into the night.

I'd imagine they kinda do that with magic bands now. But there's a lot of people who would be seriously creeped out if there were a formal reporting system on which rooms have been opened or not. Plus on our checkout day, I went down to the Great Ceremonial House, bought a bagel and coffee, and took my time coming back. It was 7 am so I knew they probably wouldn't be knocking but just because someone leaves the room on checkout day doesn't mean they've left completely ya know? I think it would be easiest if they provided you with a slip to put on the door handle when you've left or handoff bell services information (assuming they don't already). So as a guest calls bell services, the person answering updates an internal list of rooms that integrates with housekeeping lists. This would help them to have a better idea of who has left already and who hasn't. Then by 9:30 or 10 am roll around, they can start knocking on doors.

 

[themommy]

This is a GREAT idea!! I'm trying this next time. I'll post the results.

Thanks. I can’t wait to see the results!

 

[snappy]

I'd imagine they kinda do that with magic bands now. But there's a lot of people who would be seriously creeped out if there were a formal reporting system on which rooms have been opened or not. Plus on our checkout day, I went down to the Great Ceremonial House, bought a bagel and coffee, and took my time coming back. It was 7 am so I knew they probably wouldn't be knocking but just because someone leaves the room on checkout day doesn't mean they've left completely ya know? I think it would be easiest if they provided you with a slip to put on the door handle when you've left or handoff bell services information (assuming they don't already). So as a guest calls bell services, the person answering updates an internal list of rooms that integrates with housekeeping lists. This would help them to have a better idea of who has left already and who hasn't. Then by 9:30 or 10 am roll around, they can start knocking on doors.

Maybe. But since HK knocked anyway with the previous DND signs as well as the current RO signs I seriously doubt any new slip on the door handle will be honored. In my opinion, Disney wants to turn those rooms over in the most economic way, door by door. Guests being impacted is secondary to the bottom line. All that money they save helps keep room rates lower. Er. . . Or maybe not.

 

[Roxyfire]

Maybe. But since HK knocked anyway with the previous DND signs as well as the current RO signs I seriously doubt any new slip on the door handle will be honored. In my opinion, Disney wants to turn those rooms over in the most economic way, door by door. Guests being impacted is secondary to the bottom line. All that money they save helps keep room rates lower. Er. . . Or maybe not.

I said ones they provide, not ones you make. Of course, I doubt people would even notice them. But I did see a few people using the new room occupied signs even though I didn't use mine at all. The only thing it would do is act as a signal that yes, this room is ready to be cleaned. Personally I am not really chaffed by the idea of housekeeping knocking on the door, they're just doing their jobs. But if WDW Resorts wanted to make it a little better for guests then those are some thing they could do. Since they send out surveys after you check out, I'd imagine they get a decent amount of bad feedback on this topic since it's pretty top of mind. But maybe not that much considering the practice still happens.

 

[snappy]

This isn't a Disney issue or a DVC issue it happens at all Hotels.

There is a very simple solution. Lock your door.

Hasn’t happened at all the hotels I have stayed at. And at Disney resorts, I think the problem is knocking at the door starting at 8 am whether the security latch is on or not and whether the RO sign is hanging in the door or not.

If I am not leaving for an early flight or to go to a park rope drop, it is unreasonable for me to be disturbed at 8 am when check out is at 11 am just to accommodate a housekeeping schedule.

 

[verleniahall]

We had this happen in 2014 at All Star Movies - we were doing a late checkout and the housekeeping kept tyring ot come in and they finally just stood outside our window and kept tapping their watch (this was at 8:45/9AM)

We told them at the front desk, but they said there wasn't anything they could do about it - we ended up just finishing up packing and leaving but were able to check into our off-property hotel early, so it was all good that way

 

[snappy]

We had this happen in 2014 at All Star Movies - we were doing a late checkout and the housekeeping kept tyring ot come in and they finally just stood outside our window and kept tapping their watch (this was at 8:45/9AM)

We told them at the front desk, but they said there wasn't anything they could do about it - we ended up just finishing up packing and leaving but were able to check into our off-property hotel early, so it was all good that way

That’s maddening that they would stand outside the window and tap their watch.

Not a very efficient way to go about your HK rounds.

This type of reported experience is why some guests don’t feel a whole lot of sympathy for HK.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

oh yes. They really really really want to turn those rooms. Especially at DVC, housekeeping will be there before 9 or soon after. Even if you have a sign on the door (this applied before there were "occupied room" signs). Use the latch (might even have to arrange to use the latch even if someone is going out).

 

[gwynne]

We had this happen in 2014 at All Star Movies - we were doing a late checkout and the housekeeping kept tyring ot come in and they finally just stood outside our window and kept tapping their watch (this was at 8:45/9AM)

We told them at the front desk, but they said there wasn't anything they could do about it - we ended up just finishing up packing and leaving but were able to check into our off-property hotel early, so it was all good that way

Gosh, if I was aware anyone was hanging around outside, I'd politely (without looks or anything) close the curtains.

 

[verleniahall]

That’s maddening that they would stand outside the window and tap their watch.

Not a very efficient way to go about your HK rounds.

This type of reported experience is why some guests don’t feel a whole lot of sympathy for HK.

I was NOT impressed - this was our FIRST Disney trip and our first on property experience

 

[pattyw]

I disagree. I travel a LOT and this does not happen as a matter of course at other hotels. Other than at Disney, I have never had a knock on my door when a DND sign was out. Not ever. As for locking the door, if one person is an early riser and wants to leave the room, that is what the DND sign is for...so they can get back in without waking up the whole family. A hotel should not get to dictate how late I sleep on vacation, or that all of us get up at the same time. If somebody wants to leave the room while others are sleeping, they should be able to do so.

Hasn’t happened at all the hotels I have stayed at. And at Disney resorts, I think the problem is knocking at the door starting at 8 am whether the security latch is on or not and whether the RO sign is hanging in the door or not.

If I am not leaving for an early flight or to go to a park rope drop, it is unreasonable for me to be disturbed at 8 am when check out is at 11 am just to accommodate a housekeeping schedule.

Same here- we travel a lot and have not had housekeeping disturb us- even a little after check out time while we have our DND sign up. Many times, I see our housekeeper and tell them that we will be packing up and leaving around check out time. They have always said- Sure, take your time!