Rude awakening on check-out day

[DSLRuser]

They want to clean the room asap and get new guests in.

yep.....and many of these people who complain about check out day house keeping are the same ones who get mad when their room is not ready at 11am when they arrive at the resort.

if check out is at 11am and check in is at 4pm, that gives house keeping only 5 hours to clean how ever many rooms get assigned to them. it's simple math...they have to start early. The good housekeepers wait at the end of a hall way and see the rooms people leave early for park visits, and work those rooms first.

 

[verleniahall]

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

I did - after a few minutes - then he started knocking on the door - it was what finally pushed us over the edge

It took ALOT of convincing to have DH go back on another Disney Trip or even stay on Property!

 

[DSLRuser]

Yes. We have found WDW resorts to be the most aggressive on check out day than anywhere else we've ever stayed. They make it known they're done with us and are ready for some new $$. .

That's BS. Simple fact is, disney operates at a 92% occupancy. DVC is even higher. You see it on these boards all the time. people complain when they can't get into a room at 11am when they arrive at the resort. Housekeeping has to get a start on rooms before 11am or they will never get done.

Many resorts have "service" light or sign (aria in vegas) that works very well. But is also advertises to would be theives that you are not in your room. it is complicated, not a money grab.

 

[snappy]

yep.....and many of these people who complain about check out day house keeping are the same ones who get mad when their room is not ready at 11am when they arrive at the resort.

if check out is at 11am and check in is at 4pm, that gives house keeping only 5 hours to clean how ever many rooms get assigned to them. it's simple math...they have to start early. The good housekeepers wait at the end of a hall way and see the rooms people leave early for park visits, and work those rooms first.

There are reports that rooms aren’t ready far later than 4 pm. I personally think the reason they aren’t ready sometimes until way past normal check in time of 4 pm is more a function of too few housekeepers than housekeepers not being allowed to start at 8 am.

 

[coast2coastmickey]

yep.....and many of these people who complain about check out day house keeping are the same ones who get mad when their room is not ready at 11am when they arrive at the resort.

if check out is at 11am and check in is at 4pm, that gives house keeping only 5 hours to clean how ever many rooms get assigned to them. it's simple math...they have to start early. The good housekeepers wait at the end of a hall way and see the rooms people leave early for park visits, and work those rooms first.

I think it's all about expectations. Most guests aren't in the hotel business. They don't know or care how the sausage is made, per se. But they do understand that check out is at 11am, and check in is at 4pm. It's in writing for goodness sake. As a paying guest, those times should be accommodated without question. It's 100% Disney's fault that they choose to not staff adequately.

Here's a "guaranteed-to-work" solution: DISNEY SHOULD PAY THE HOUSEKEEPERS MORE! I guarantee that they won't have a shortage of housekeepers if they paid more. Sadly, I work in corporate America and those words are basically the opposite of what middle managers would suggest, just like "hey the workers should unionize!"

 

[coast2coastmickey]

Disney resorts have between 630 and 2,880 rooms. That means they are turning over, on average, 90 to 400 rooms daily (never mind the time Pop "lost" my luggage on a day they had over 1,000 rooms to clean! ). You may never have seen the passionate posts from people whose rooms aren't ready by 2:59:59.

This article https://www.womansday.com/life/trav...-your-hotel-housekeeper-wont-tell-you-111481/ is from a site I trust. It's interesting overall, but the two pertinent bullet points are:
"2. There's a lot more to preparing for a new guest than making the bed and stocking clean towels.
Have you ever arrived at your hotel early and huffed and puffed because your room wasn't ready? There's a good reason for that: Preparing a hotel room for a new guest can take twice as long as cleaning a room for a guest who is staying over. "For a new arrival you have to go through the full inspection list, which may have around 100 check points," says Lara Weiss, Managing Director of K Hotels. "There are so many things that must be attended to that you wouldn't think of, including making sure the proper TV Guide is there, checking for stains on the amenity cards and ensuring the bed linens are completely wrinkle free.""
and
"4. We don't want to wake you up by knocking on your door in the morning, but we have to.
On average, housekeepers clean 13 to 15 rooms a day, but it can be as high as 30 at some hotels. And they're expected to clean them all in one eight-hour shift. So, even if you do put your "Do Not Disturb" sign out, sometimes they still have to knock. "If you're due to check out that day, the housekeepers must clean your room first [so it's ready for new guests]," explains Weiss. "They have to find out if you've left yet in order to stay on schedule." Instead of being annoyed at that rap on the door, try to remember that the person on the other side is just doing his or her job. "
But #3 is very interesting as well.

The article is interesting. It makes me feel for the housekeepers, but doesn't change my mind that this is Disney's problem to fix, not the paying guest's problem. Paying more to the housekeepers will lead to better retention, better quality, and prevent early morning knocks. But, apparently, Disney thinks it's acceptable to let housekeepers knock on doors early on check out day to save a few bucks

 

[snappy]

If Disney’s occupancy is 95% plus, then they should staff HK accordingly.
As a guest, it’s not my monkey, not my problem.

 

[OKW Lover]

Here's a "guaranteed-to-work" solution: DISNEY SHOULD PAY THE HOUSEKEEPERS MORE! I guarantee that they won't have a shortage of housekeepers if they paid more.

It hasn't been established that there is a "shortage of housekeepers" or that the problem is caused by any supposed shortage. It also hasn't been established that a higher paid housekeeper would be any more efficient.

 

[coast2coastmickey]

It hasn't been established that there is a "shortage of housekeepers" or that the problem is caused by any supposed shortage. It also hasn't been established that a higher paid housekeeper would be any more efficient.

Oh boy. Guess being paid to opt out of housekeeping and frequent housekeeping job fairs isn't enough to convince you.

On the money thing, please...just open your mind a bit. With a workforce paid the bare minimum, I'm sure walkouts and callouts are frequent, if not daily. That impacts capacity and....dare I say efficiency?

Seriously: pay them more, they're less likely to leave, and if they pay higher than all the other resorts outside WDW, they'll have a large pool of applicants, where on average they'll pluck the best people from the herd. The best people will be those that can work faster with better quality than others...thus impacting...dare I say efficiency?

It's pretty general concept: speed, quality, price. Pick two of three to prioritize. So if Disney wants speed and quality, it will cost more.

 

[snappy]

It hasn't been established that there is a "shortage of housekeepers" or that the problem is caused by any supposed shortage. It also hasn't been established that a higher paid housekeeper would be any more efficient.

According to the Orlando sentinel, the hiring bonus for housekeepers went from $500 last year to $1,250 this year. Just Disney being generous?

 

[maxiesmom]

According to the Orlando sentinel, the hiring bonus for housekeepers went from $500 last year to $1,250 this year. Just Disney being generous?

I wouldn't want to be a housekeeper. I've heard some nasty stories about what some people do to hotel rooms. No thanks!

 

[maxiesmom]

At WDW but not technically a Disney resort, we had housekeeping at the Swan knock early check out day. We were packing up for our flight out, so they didn't have to wait on us long. But it is irritating.

It is too bad they can't have some sort of door hanger that you can indicate a time on. A little spinning disk where you can choose a time, and something like "We are leaving at 9 am".

 

[verleniahall]

At WDW but not technically a Disney resort, we had housekeeping at the Swan knock early check out day. We were packing up for our flight out, so they didn't have to wait on us long. But it is irritating.

It is too bad they can't have some sort of door hanger that you can indicate a time on. A little spinning disk where you can choose a time, and something like "We are leaving at 9 am".

That woudl be fantastic

 

[kamik86]

Honestly threads like this make me more and more less likely to ever go back to staying in disney rooms. Checkout is 11. If you need to know who checked out earlier there are ways to do that. I have stayed at hotels that ask if you plan to leave earlier or ask you to put up a sign when you leave. I understand that no pressure but lets them start earlier.

I'm still shocked that no one has claimed (truthful or not) about a staff member doing something inappropriate when walking in their room. I mean if someone was in the shower or not dressed it wouldn't be much of a stretch and would very quickly turn into a he said she said that would be very bad press.

 

[snappy]

I wouldn't want to be a housekeeper. I've heard some nasty stories about what some people do to hotel rooms. No thanks!

Me neither. And some of the Disney rooms I checked in were none too clean. Which stinks because I maintain my rooms pretty well while I am in a hotel room.

But Disney is running a business and housekeeping is one of the necessary functions.

 

[kamik86]

At WDW but not technically a Disney resort, we had housekeeping at the Swan knock early check out day. We were packing up for our flight out, so they didn't have to wait on us long. But it is irritating.

It is too bad they can't have some sort of door hanger that you can indicate a time on. A little spinning disk where you can choose a time, and something like "We are leaving at 9 am".

I have seen these things at other places. Some have asked that you let them know the night before what time you want to leave or give you something with your bill and ask you hang it on the door when you leave.

 

[ArwenMarie]

If they can't get the rooms cleaned in time, they need to change the hours then. If checkout time is 8 am, then write that on the reservation.

All of the Marriott Vacation Club properties we have stayed at have a checkout time of 10 am.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Disney either has or can build the systems to do that.

You have too much faith in Disney IT.

Who said anything about taking it up with housekeepers or even the hotel for that matter?

Or people can complain on internet forums which have virtually no effect on policy changes, but where every participant can offer their own views.

If it will take 8 hours for a housekeeper to make it through 14 rooms, and there are only 4 or 5 hrs between check out and check in, then perhaps they need to hire more housekeepers and lower the quotas for rooms per shift.

Well, specific to WDW, they try. They had recently been offering $500 plug-in bonuses for housekeepers. Increased staffing means increased prices.

and if they can't meet their quotas without disturbing guests, they need to take that up with management

Customer input generally provides a much greater impetus on changes than employee input.

By the way, how is it that you're able to quote multiple sections of my post the way you do? I can't figure out how to break it up like that when I reply to people.

I'm using a tablet. I highlight specifically what I want to quote, and a 'quote/reply' box pops up.

 

[snappy]

Well, specific to WDW, they try. They had recently been offering $500 plug-in bonuses for housekeepers. Increased staffing means increased prices.

So less than adequate staffing meant decreased pricing?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Honestly threads like this make me more and more less likely to ever go back to staying in disney rooms. Checkout is 11.

Checkout is by 11, not [at] 11. At 11 would mean nobody could leave before that. Prepping rooms would be a fiasco, especially since that would correspond with check-in having to be at 3, not starting at 3. Both housekeeping and Front Desk would implode.

I'm still shocked that no one has claimed (truthful or not) about a staff member doing something inappropriate when walking in their room. I mean if someone was in the shower or not dressed it wouldn't be much of a stretch

Disagree. That's a huge stretch.