The real reason for Daily Room Checks?

[BalooFan]

As far as I am concerned, I am not assuming that there will be big changes since my visit last year. This year I will be staying in a dog-friendly resort. I’m not thrilled at the prospect, but having no personal experience staying at a dog-friendly resort I am taking a wait and see attitude. Yes, I might be attacked by a dog or slip and fall in dog excrement, but on the other hand I might not even see a dog the resort. I don’t ever remember seeing a dog, even a service dog, in a restaurant. In my previous stays my room has almost always been cleaned while I was at the parks. When it hasn’t been, I knew to expect a knock on my door by the housekeeper. I don’t decline housekeeping. So, I don’t have concerns about the security checks. In all of my stays, I don’t recall having a pizza flyer slipped under my door and if I did, I certainly wouldn’t order from the place.

I am not disputing any of the reports on here and don’t discount anyone’s experience or opinion. I am simply saying that until I personally have a negative experience it isn’t likely to influence my vacation choice. As I said, I have a wait and see attitude. At this point, I am remaining open minded.

 

[Malestrom Troll]

I'm staying at BLT right now. I've been in the room virtually all day. My mother-in-law ran the Princess Half today and passed out so my wife and her dad went to the hospital with her. My toddler son and I stepped out to go to the pool for an hour, around 1pm. We came back and housekeeping had come by. We had the Room Occupied sign on the door the whole time, except when we went down to the pool. We never have had anyone knock on the door. We are staying on points so all they had to do was trash service.

 

[KarenP64]

I'm staying at BLT right now. I've been in the room virtually all day. My mother-in-law ran the Princess Half today and passed out so my wife and her dad went to the hospital with her. My toddler son and I stepped out to go to the pool for an hour, around 1pm. We came back and housekeeping had come by. We had the Room Occupied sign on the door the whole time, except when we went down to the pool. We never have had anyone knock on the door. We are staying on points so all they had to do was trash service.

I hope your Mother-in-Law is ok! Thank you for your experience!

 

[maxiesmom]

One person showers while the other runs to get coffee and it isn’t coordinated right. One persin goes to the parks whole the other sleeps because they are sick. Etc. Ways that the latch is impossible.

Easy enough to work around if there is any concern.

 

[tseitel]

I think the daily room check is something that is going to be implemented across the board, nationwide. I just made reservations at a Hyatt Regency, not in Florida, and it says in my fine print pretty much that they will need visual access to my room once every 24 hours.
I don’t have have a problem with it if it can help keep people safe, whether it be from trafficking, shooters or whatever else.

 

[hamilkm]

I'm staying at BLT right now. I've been in the room virtually all day. My mother-in-law ran the Princess Half today and passed out so my wife and her dad went to the hospital with her. My toddler son and I stepped out to go to the pool for an hour, around 1pm. We came back and housekeeping had come by. We had the Room Occupied sign on the door the whole time, except when we went down to the pool. We never have had anyone knock on the door. We are staying on points so all they had to do was trash service.

This was our experience staying DVC at the Poly the first of this month. We were also staying on points. We left the room occupied sign on our door til we left about 9:30-10:00 each morning. Most afternoons we returned about 2 for pool/nap before heading back out in the evenings. Our trash removal was always done in the time we were gone. Most mornings mousekeeping would already be on our floor when we headed out, and I believe they did our check/trash service when they saw us leave. I got the impression they were trying not to disturb us if they didn’t have to.

 

[jsmla]

We declined housekeeping this trip in favor of a gift card. I wonder if that makes a difference. We did have the Room Occupied sign out this morning. Today was the first time that we were in the room during a significant chunk of the day. I was just wondering-do they just come on in and look through your stuff if you're out or what? I knew about the new policy but reading about it is one thing. Waking up from a deep sleep to the sound of someone trying to get into your hotel room is something else all together!

 

[dansdad]

We declined housekeeping this trip in favor of a gift card. I wonder if that makes a difference.

It does.

I was just wondering-do they just come on in and look through your stuff if you're out or what?

They look over the room, they don't look through your stuff.

 

[Tksolomom]

I think the daily room check is something that is going to be implemented across the board, nationwide. I just made reservations at a Hyatt Regency, not in Florida, and it says in my fine print pretty much that they will need visual access to my room once every 24 hours.
I don’t have have a problem with it if it can help keep people safe, whether it be from trafficking, shooters or whatever else.

The problem is that WDW isn’t waiting 24 hours, but knocking and demanding immediate access even when the sign has only been on a couple of hours.

 

[EdmondD]

As I understand it, "human trafficking" as it pertains to a hotel involves a woman being used as a prostitute, against her will, in given hotel X. Hotel X is almost always a cheap, sleazy, out-of-the-way place. There is no way on earth the men controlling these women would set up in Disney hotels. I would have to think Disney would know that. I would thus think the room checks are not about this issue. Just my opinion.

 

[AngiTN]

We declined housekeeping this trip in favor of a gift card. I wonder if that makes a difference. We did have the Room Occupied sign out this morning. Today was the first time that we were in the room during a significant chunk of the day. I was just wondering-do they just come on in and look through your stuff if you're out or what? I knew about the new policy but reading about it is one thing. Waking up from a deep sleep to the sound of someone trying to get into your hotel room is something else all together!

Heavens no!

 

[AngiTN]

As I understand it, "human trafficking" as it pertains to a hotel involves a woman being used as a prostitute, against her will, in given hotel X. Hotel X is almost always a cheap, sleazy, out-of-the-way place. There is no way on earth the men controlling these women would set up in Disney hotels. I would have to think Disney would know that. I would thus think the room checks are not about this issue. Just my opinion.

No, not based on what the industry has said in our area. A former president (may even be current president) of the Hotel/Motel owners association runs a chain here, so he's talked about it in our media a lot. They have told us that it's as much about moving women that have been kidnapped in preparing for sale. In these cases they can pose as families, especially with young women, barely in to their teens. Though I do tend to agree that Disney is at a very low risk for this. However, if the state is putting the requirement for adhering to legislation on all hotels, then Disney can't say "they won't come here, we cost too much" as a way to get out of it. They have to do it too.

Heck, it wasn't human trafficking but just look at that awful case of child imprisonment and abuse in CA. They took their kids to Disney. Among other places. Cost doesn't deter monsters.

 

[HopperFan]

As I understand it, "human trafficking" as it pertains to a hotel involves a woman being used as a prostitute, against her will, in given hotel X. Hotel X is almost always a cheap, sleazy, out-of-the-way place. There is no way on earth the men controlling these women would set up in Disney hotels. I would have to think Disney would know that. I would thus think the room checks are not about this issue. Just my opinion.

No that is not human trafficking, what you are describing is prostitution (most of them are working against their will). Actually just about every article and report on this problem in Orlando includes Disney in the discussion. You are assuming they are talking about women and prostitution, but human trafficking involves much darker situations. In these cases the "customers" are international visitors (tourists) and family men ... both of whom have a high rate of staying in Disney hotels. Making it easier for your customers is what they will do, particularly customers who pay thousands of dollars. Disney has over 30,000 hotel rooms that they can't keep enough housekeepers to clean them, can't control loud noise by groups and they allow offsite non-guest visitors access. They also don't rely heavily on security cameras. NO, they do not really know what is going on in their hotel rooms.

When your name starts appearing in every discussion on this problem in Orlando, it's time you start doing some room (guest) checks ... because these checks would never pick up on someone bringing weapons in .. those would be hidden.

 

[clayfolks]

We were at The Poly and Kidani last week, staying on points. We were never in the room when housekeeping came by for trash, at the Poly. At Kidani, we were there twice when the housekeeper came. He seemed surprised that I had no problem letting him in to grab the trash the first day. We were in a two bedroom. It was quick and painless.

 

[puffkins]

Daily checks have nothing to do with human trafficking, nor safety, nor security. It is being done to absolve the hotel from liability and (they hope) future litigation. I don't think poorly toward hotels having such a policy. It is a by-product of the world we live in.

 

[KarenP64]

No that is not human trafficking, what you are describing is prostitution (most of them are working against their will). Actually just about every article and report on this problem in Orlando includes Disney in the discussion. You are assuming they are talking about women and prostitution, but human trafficking involves much darker situations. In these cases the "customers" are international visitors (tourists) and family men ... both of whom have a high rate of staying in Disney hotels. Making it easier for your customers is what they will do, particularly customers who pay thousands of dollars. Disney has over 30,000 hotel rooms that they can't keep enough housekeepers to clean them, can't control loud noise by groups and they allow offsite non-guest visitors access. They also don't rely heavily on security cameras. NO, they do not really know what is going on in their hotel rooms.

When your name starts appearing in every discussion on this problem in Orlando, it's time you start doing some room (guest) checks ... because these checks would never pick up on someone bringing weapons in .. those would be hidden.

Your experiences, HopperFan, are what make me worry that this would no longer be a relaxing, carefree vacation of times past. I've read on various boards about what you've seen & experienced & if those were what a Disney vacation are like, they are not what I want to pay our hard-earned, long-time-to-save money for.... Makes me very sad.

 

[dledger]

Let’s be honest. “Enjoyable” is a relative term. They might come to my room and do a security check and I’ll say “man, that was a bummer they woke me up from my nap. Oh well.” And someone else might say “this completely ruined my vacation being woke from a nap”

If you’re in that second category, maybe it’s time to just stay home. Because it seems like it’s becoming a norm at many hotels, all around, based on this thread.

Personally, I get why people are upset if they are truly “barging in” as some have implied. But, realistically would I let it ruin my trip? Uh, no. Life’s 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

 

[KarenP64]

Let’s be honest. “Enjoyable” is a relative term. They might come to my room and do a security check and I’ll say “man, that was a bummer they woke me up from my nap. Oh well.” And someone else might say “this completely ruined my vacation being woke from a nap”

If you’re in that second category, maybe it’s time to just stay home. Because it seems like it’s becoming a norm at many hotels, all around, based on this thread.

Personally, I get why people are upset if they are truly “barging in” as some have implied. But, realistically would I let it ruin my trip? Uh, no. Life’s 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

We have health issues that if we're "scared" out of a nap, it has bad physical effects that are difficult to recover from. We don't want to give up on life. We don't see it as an "either or" situation that we give up Disney & never go anywhere. We can choose renting a house at the beach for relaxation instead. There are many other options than giving up going on vacation anywhere. My husband is a double transplant patient & we went a few years after his transplants & had a wonderful time. But that meant going back to the room midday to rest, nap & refresh ourselves before going back to the parks for the rest of the day. From what I'm hearing about people's naps being rudely interrupted (which for some is hard to recover from), it may not be that this is the vacation for us anymore. I wanted to hear reports/actual experiences so we could make an informed decision. Not just having people tell us you shouldn't ever go on a vacation again. But thanks anyway....

 

[ArwenMarie]

The only thing that changed is you do not have a DND sign anymore. Not a small change. Used to be you could put the sign up and....not be disturbed. That is gone.

Maybe you'll be able to take an uninterrupted shower or afternoon nap, maybe you won't. That's the difference.

Anyway, I think that individuals might want to think about the way they use their rooms during the day and plan accordingly.

 

[FSU Girl]

My impression was that the daily room checks were more because of the Las Vegas shooting.

It's funny if that's the reason. I was just in Las Vegas and we used the Do Not Disturb sign the entire trip, never taking it off the door. They didn't care or call and we had a strip view room.