VB - Check In - A Real Hassle!!

[RJake1]

Had just gotten off Aug 14 (Charley) cruise with disrupted itinerary. Arrived at VB 11 am only to find my reservation was booked at $195 rate instead of $139 Annual Passholder rate and nobody there could help. Of course, nobody at Disney reservations was willing/able to help either but that's another story.

I was told my room was not yet ready, although I was given key cards. When I asked if the cards would have to be changed once I was assigned a room, I was told I was already assigned a room.
When I asked which room, I was informed they would not tell me because it wasn't ready yet and they were sure I'd try to "sneak up there."

I was told to check back periodically.

I checked back with desk every hour on the hour.....for five straight hours only to be told each time that my room wasn't ready, and that no other room in the same category was ready.

Well, lo and behold, and 4 pm my room was magically ready. Maybe that's the Di$ney magic, all rooms mysteriously become clean precisely at the 4 pm check-in time!

My beef is not that there was a 4 pm check-in, but that I wasn't told of the policy. I was led to believe that I'd be let into room once it was cleaned. Had I known Disney policy was to disallow early arrivals for non-members I would've gone into town or done something else other than hang out at VB and waste my time anticipating.

I was also insulted by the comment that I'd sneak up to the room. If the room wasn't clean I would have no intention of setting a foot in there. And if it was clean why shouldn't I be permitted to go in?

To me, this represents Di$ney at its worst. On some matters they are exceptional. But on other matters, particularly those involving disputed charges, reservation mixups, etc. they are arrogant and definitely not customer focused.

After my experience and reading about similar challenges others have faced I'm most definitely disinclined to join DVC. Maybe the Board was right, Eisner has allowed the company to lose focus.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Check in time is 4:00 P.M. for members and non members alike. Sometimes rooms are ready early, other times they aren't. It probably said something on your reservation papers regarding check in time. The policy of giving you the key to the world card but not your room number if the room isn't ready is common at all Disney hotels, whether they are DVC or not.

HBC

 

[tjkraz]

Having the room rate wrong: Inexcusable.

Everything else you describe: Standard operating procedure for ALL Disney resorts. Key cards are always given out when the member checks-in, but the actual room number is not provided.

The "sneak up" comment may have been inappropriate, but intent was correct.

We've been allowed into our room before 4pm just as often as we've had to wait until after 4pm. No favoritism was shown because you were a "non-member". We always make plans as if we won't get into a Disney room until after 4pm. If we get in earlier--great.

Hard to tell why it was exactly 4pm before you got it. If the resort was at or near occupancy, there might not have been many options available for you. If other arriving guests had checked-in and had a room assigned, it would have been inappropriate for the front desk to shuffle you into one of their assigned rooms, even if it was the same class and the arrival day was the same. Could be that your room was one of the last cleaned.

It's also worth noting that all of the Disney properties were short-staffed in the days following the hurricane due to folks who had personal issues to address (damage to homes and property, etc.)

Hope you didn't let it ruin your stay.

 

[kweaver]

It's true, check in time is 4pm. Usually you can get into a room earlier...but I'd never count on it. They did stick with their standard policies, as Happy Birthday Cat pointed out. It does seem odd that with checking in five times over the course of the day that they couldn't get you into a room any earlier.

Still...the folks at the front desk should have informed you and given you some guidance...maybe suggesting that you come back closer to check in time rather than to waste your time checking in periodically.

Makes me wonder if there was there some kind of serious exchange between you and the CMs regarding the room rate? We've never used the cash AP rate, so I'm not sure what kind of confirmation they would have sent you. It seems like you would receive some kind of paperwork that backs up your AP rate...and they could have honored.

 

[Sammie]

If not getting your room at the time stated in your reservation is a problem then yes you had best pass on DVC. You will never be happy.

As to your rate, it should have been on your confirmation you received, so why did you wait to dispute it when you checked in? I would have called CRO immediately when my confirmation came. If the AP rate was on your confirmation and you had it with you, I would be highly upset for being charged more when I had confirmation in hand of the lower rate.

All rooms do not magically get cleaned by 4pm, but they can be released to the Front Desk by the supervisor checking them after housekeeping finishes cleaning at the same time.

As someone else stated Charley had a ripple effect on the entire state.

 

[Cinderelli]

RJake1,

It truly is hit or miss on the time the room is ready. We had almost the exact same thing at OKW a few years ago. We arrived around 11 AM and was told room wasn't ready. Checked back every hour on the hour and amazingly at 4:00 the room was ready. It was a rainy day with many people hanging around in the lobby waiting for their rooms. All of our rooms were ready right at 4:00. I do think it had something to do with them being inspected and released for occupation all at the same time.

Did you have your confirmation with the rate with you? I would have been furious if I had and they were denying me the rate. I still think you would have some recourse if you have the confirmation w/rate on it.

I hope your next trip starts on a better note and that the rest of your stay was enjoyable.

Lissa

 

[Cora]

We have been DVC members since 1998 and this past week was the 1st time that our room was ready on arrival. So the non-member comment is inaccurate. Regarding the sneaking comment by the CM, if the word sneak was used that's not appropriate. However, I do remember once, after I asked for our room number, being told they can't give it out because people have been known to sit in the hallway, outside the room waiting for it to be cleaned. The wrong rate, that's awful.

 

[loribell]

I just wanted to confirm what everyone else has said about the check in time. We were at Vero the week before Charley and at 4:45 my room still wasn't ready and I am a DVC member and was staying on points.

Sometimes it just takes alot longer to clean those rooms since they do not get daily housekeeping and I can imagine how bad they can get with all that sand!

 

[Dean]

Actually check in is after 4 pm, not at 4pm. It may or may not be ready early and I also suspect they don't check and just say it's not ready, at least some of the time. But I think it's more the cleaning staff and not the front desk. As for not giving you the room number, I understand this is Disney Policy as it should be. I do know people who found out their room number when they weren't supposed to and did go into it early before offically told it was ok by Disney. Of course there were a couple of tense moments when they found the cleaing crew eating, watching TV and smoking on one occasion.

As for the room rate, that's been an issue with VB using various discounts like AP and Disney Visa. This is not the first time it's come up as a problem. Officially that $139 room is for Garden view Inn room in most cases. But they frequently fail to inform even when people put in a request for a specific floor and unit type (studio, ocean view inn room, higher floor).

 

[RJake1]

Thanks for the info. As I said, I had no problem with waiting until 4 pm if that's the policy. My dissatisfaction was that they encouraged me to remain on property and check back with front desk periodically. Otherwise I could've spent the day doing something more productive with the family.

In reply to some other questions - Yes, the CM did use the word "sneak." That's a quote.

And, no, there wasn't a serious exchange about room rate. In fact, I believe I spoke with a new CM every time I checked back at front desk, so there was no "bad blood." I am not suggesting there was any conspiracy to deny me a room, nor do I think I offended anyone. It was all very cordial.

Finally, it didn't spoil my good time once settled in.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

I also checked in at Vero this weekend. Sunday though not Saturday which is when I believe you checked in? It was very close to 4pm, Though not yet 4pm. My experience with the front desk was pretty tense but the CM Michelle handeled it wonderfully.
First off. I had 3 rooms booked on ocean vie inn room on points.
one garden view inn room on points.
And lastly one studio on an AP rate, First off the studio on AP was charged to my card despite telling them it was already charged one nights deposit. Off to the back room and It was rectified money refunded back. It was not a studio by the way but a garden view inn room that was assigned. Both 2 rooms I was checking into were not ready. During my complicated time at the desk. There were 2 other cm's besides Michelle. Both Gentleman on either side of me were busily berating the CM as to the issue of rooms not being ready. One was Hummer guy and the other an older gentleman. Both were very hostile. Both requested to speak to a manager. I kept smiling and winked at the CM's what a great way to start a vacation!
Both parties were told to go to the pool area or Green cabin room and relax and thier room would probably be finished. As soon as my issues were finished My rooms were now ready. I went upstairs and saw the strange configuration of my room and realized it had a connecting door, And ran right downstairs to see if It had been assigned yet, Michelle said it had not. It required another trip to a manager to take 2 more points from my account to change my friends room from a garden view inn room to an Ocean view, Michelle did all this with a smile. And I am sure I must have been annoying as well as confusing. While this was occuring BOTH men came back and were loudly yelling again. They had been told no pool area or arcade as you have to cross the deck to get there and it was closed due to lightning. Then it became how stupid is this place? Are you UNDERSTANDING ME? They were both very rude. ANd coincidently both my rooms were ready. as were theres now, Shortly after 4. If they had been a bit kinder and shut up. they could have been told that. The moral here? I was difficult I had several confusing changes, However I was respectful, and kind, and was taken care of beautifully. Many others were not. So you may have been kind. But keep in mind, These CM's may have been getting treated poorly and you were just another disgruntled customer at that point. It has to be hard for them to always be so patient.