What is the point of room requests and/or making ressies at 11 Months?

[Terry S]

Well, just wanted to let you know when I checked in at BCV at 11:00 AM, I asked the CM what room I had been assigned (I had booked on the first day we could book at BCV at around 9:10 and requested 5th Floor, Epcot view). He told me that "since the resort was not at full capacity, they don't pre-assign rooms, it is first come first serve". So basically if someone made a reservation 2 days ago and checked in at 8:00 AM, they would get a better room then me since I checked in at 11:00 AM. I was not happy about this. I have an okay room, it is on the 3rd Floor and I can see spaceship earth, but I was just really surprised and disappointed to learn that they don't pre-assign rooms at all, let alone based on the day you made the reservation.

I am now trying to figure out a strategy for future visits. I figure maybe I will fly in on Friday evening and stay in a Studio for one night, since I won't get here until 10:30 PM and then first thing Saturday morning go downstairs and check into our 2 bedroom for the remainder of our stay. What do you all think?

 

[Cap]

Terry,

While you're there, can you find out the earliest you can check in?

For example, could you go to the desk at one minute after midnight, check-in, get your keycard (without room assignment), and then go back to your studio, non-DVC hotel, (or to sleep in the car)? Would this put you first in line for the best room?

It sounds like DVC is pushing to have long lines of people arriving early for check in. This could be to reduce costs - fire the room assigners, or to get people on site earlier so they will spend more money in the parks.

 

[eva]

I know that this topic is getting a lot of attention at OKW. I didn't know that all DVC resorts were doing this. In my opinion this has got to make check-in a nightmare. Not only will it take longer because everyone is trying to decide what room they want, but just when you find a room that you like you might find out that it was just assigned to the person checking in down the counter. We were going to fly down the morning of our next trip and arrive around noon at the resort. But now I am rethinking this and we may fly down the night before and stay offsite then check-in around 6am. We usually stay offsite the night we arrive when we drive down since the day is blown driving. I didn't realize that we might have to do this when flying too.

 

[carone0318]

Why it is important for me to make ressies at the 11 month mark is because my home is BWV and I always want standard view and if you do not make you ressies 11 months out, you rarely get it. As for exact room location, that isn't really an issue, I really don't care. I'll enjoy my vacation regardless. I think your question is a big one when it comes to BWV and the different views and points needed for those views, more so that BCV and OKW.

 

[~Magical Princess~]

Boy oh boy folks I really hate to say this - but all this "hype" about this trial "first come/first serve" nonsense is REALLY leaving a bad taste in my mouth about joining DVC!

It would certainly be nice if everyone sported the attitude of ... "Oh well, nothing can upset me, I'm at Disney, so what if I don't get my floor that I want, or location that I want ... no biggie!" "So what if I'm at check-in toggling between two rooms, and then the people down the row snag the one I'm looking at currently because the other CM pushed the button quicker .... and I end up with a fabulous room with a view of garbage cans or worse yet TREES -- no biggie! Hakuna Matata right?

WRONG!!!! I for one (I'm going to say this outright) am pretty obsessive with and about my requests. Shoot me if you'd like - but it won't change me - and I guarantee there are others that are the same way!! Some are not - and good for them!! And please - I don't want to hear the speal about "requests only/not guarantees ...." I know that! That is why you make your ressies at the 11 mos. window in hopes that you GET your requests!! Or at least a good amount of them if not all of them!!!

DVC has been known to be pretty consistent in honoring your requests especially when you've made your ressie EARLY and you've possibly even FAXED something! We did BOTH for our past trip just a few days ago and as I've stated before were MUCH less than pleased at the results at check-in (I've really got to do my trip report!!!).

As far as I was concerned (even though I "heard" about this first/come first serve rumor) - I was absolutely AGHAST at the OKW check-in counter to hear the girl say .... "We don't assign rooms anymore like we used to ....." And then I said - WHAT? But this is LOW season? How could all these requests I've made already be GONE and NOT AVAILBLE? Her response was -- "We've already had 135 check-in's this morning .... (I was there at around 12:30 pm) - proving the point that people are breaking their legs to get to that EARLY check-in and snag all the good stuff!! Making a long story short - as I said before I spoke with the Resort Manager and he DEFINITELY confirmed this - and said it was a TRIAL BASIS! I expressed my dislike over it and he was LESS than emphathetic .........

Maybe when they see people lined up around the corner at 6:00 am they will change this policy! I for one think it STINKS! Oh too -- maybe people need to start sending letters and faxes explaining their dislike ....

We've only got to wait and see what happenes I guess!

 

[Pa@okw95]

Let's not go crazy here! This happened to someone during the month of September, which has to be the most dead time of year down there. It will not happen at other times of the year!! I doubt it will ever happen at OKW. These stories are going to cause a panic and check in for those that want to be sure to get what room they want will be a nightmare. It can not last long. As far as the person not wanting to join because of this, you should tell that to the sales person, then this whole nonsense will stop real quick, when they find out it is costing them a sale. At any rate, not even DVC who has so little respect for its members would pull this, or would they??

 

[eva]

I'm concerned mainly because non-smoking is not gauranteed. We haven't had a problems because we have always made our reservations fairly early. I've heard stories where people have been stuck with a smoking room becuase they made their reservations well after the 7-months. Now I see people getting stuck with a smoking room not because they made their reservations 2-months out because they check-in at 3pm and all of the non-smoking rooms have been taken. I'm not super pickey about the view, but I am about a non-smoking room.

 

[Pa@okw95]

I am with you Eva, I must have a non-smoking room.. They must be trying to save a buck somewhere here, that is all I can think of. What are they thinking of at DVC??

 

[SamS]

My wife and I have an 11 month (to the day) ressy at BCV for June. Travelling from PA (16-18 hours by car), we would nomally do 10-12 hours the first day, and the remainder on day of check-in. Now I'm wondering if we should do a 14 hour drive-a-thon the first travel day, and then leave our first-day destination at "0-dark-thirty" to arrive at DVC crack of dawn. Unfortunately, if we do that we may have to nap in the car while waiting for our room to be ready.

 

[colleen costello]

It should be interesting to see how this plays out in regard to non-smoking rooms. I have allergies, a "medical reason" for requesting a non-smoking room. I believe that will override the "first come first served" nonsense. We'll see.

 

[Tigger7570]

We are going home to OKW in 6 days and for the first time since 93 are arriving the night before and staying in a studio. This was because of the way flight arrangements worked out. The next day we are going into the 2 bedroom and will be picking up ds and his finance at airport. When we arrive I am going to ask them about room assignment for the next day and see if in fact dh and I should go down at 6:00 a.m. to see about room assignment or if we are already assigned room. Should be interesting to see what they say. Like I previously posted and agree with everyone else, can you see the nightmare. Many will start changing plans to arrive night before or early morning and if you think the lines are bad now, what will that be like? Even though we always book around the 11 month mark and make our requests, I have always been happy with our room assignment even if it wasn't one of the requests because it has always seemed like they tried to come as close as they could to the location we were requesting. I should add that I just request buildings and not floors so maybe that makes a difference. I really hope they go back to the original way of doing things. I'm sure if there are enough complaints, they'll have to reconsider and again supposedly this is just a trial.

 

[CarolMN]

If you are unhappy with this "trial" method of assigning rooms, please consider letting the Member Satisfaction Manager know. Nothing will change if this board is the only place you express your dissatisfaction.

Here is the Manager's name and address (copied from an earlier post by JudithM):

In the Winter 2001 (vol. 10, no. 4) "Vacation Magic" on page 3 at the bottom, it states:

If you have comments about Member Services or a recent stay, please contact our Member Satisfaction Manager, Jackie Lueders, by calling 800-800-9800, sending an email to members@disneyvacationclub.com (subject: ATTN JACKIE LUEDERS), or write to:

Disney Vacation Club
Attn: Jackie Lueders
200 Celebration Place
Celebration, FL 34747"

 

[inaminute]

I don't know about anyone else but the ONLY request I've EVER had honored through DVC is a non-smoking room!

We used to pay the extra point for a preferred view and requested BW view at the 11 month window with no luck. No more--I've given up on requesting anything special.

 

[Jillpie]

I really don't understand what all the fuss is about. We are new members and were told they are JUST requests. So what if you don't get the room you requested or the view, ALL the rooms are beautiful, right? We requested an Epcot view, 5th floor for this April. If we don't get it, would it ruin us...heck no. If we get the 2nd floor, pool view great! They are all nice, I don't get what everyone is getting so excited about.

 

[carone0318]

I really don't get the whole specific view and all that jazz, but I do understand where one is coming from in regards to smoking v. non-smoking. If a non-smoker gets a smoking room, I really don't care what they do to it, you can still smell the stale smoke, blah.... I have always considered the location of my room as part of the journey, you know the magic. You know, sometimes, you get the front of the roller coaster and other times you don't, but you still enjoy the ride and want to go on again!!!!

 

[anniet]

Originally posted by Jillpie
I really don't understand what all the fuss is about. We are new members and were told they are JUST requests. So what if you don't get the room you requested or the view, ALL the rooms are beautiful, right? We requested an Epcot view, 5th floor for this April. If we don't get it, would it ruin us...heck no. If we get the 2nd floor, pool view great! They are all nice, I don't get what everyone is getting so excited about.

At the risk of being labeled one of those naive people who would NEVER critisize anything Disney, I must agree with you Jillpie. For those who MUST have non-smoking I understand you can request "non-smoking due to medical condition" and be guaranteed a non-smoking room.

I really think Disney does try their best, but obviously if you are visiting at a peak time, somebody is going to get the room that overlooks the dumpster.

But another thing I don't understand is how everyone knows for certain how they are assigning rooms? They can tell us it goes by who made the reservation first, but can we be sure? And is that really the fairest way? I mean if I'm checking out January 31st, but I'm staying for ten days someone else who is checking out January 31st with the same requests I have and only staying two days could get a room that I want, simply because I called later than they did and all rooms with that request were filled? It all doesn't make much sense to me.

I'm not going to worry about it.

I'm going to Disney.

 

[Pa@okw95]

The room requests at OKW can be a big deal-first is non-smoking for me a must. Second I like the top floor because of the quiet nature of the room. I often go to bed early and don't want to hear any noise when I do. As far as the location of the room at OKW is concerned for some it is important not me but for some. It is about a 1/2 mile walk from South Point to the main pool area, which for some is a big deal especially if you have little kids who want to use the kiddie pool, etc. So for those factors at OKW the room request is important. Then there are 2 bedrooms that have an entrance to the bath through the laudry room from the living room, very important if you have guests sleeping in the living room. Room request are not just for the view especially at OKW.

 

[frank2271]

I sent my message to Jackie Lueders telling her that I hope this policy is reconsidered.


I hope all of you who agree do the same.

Frank

 

[Debby7]

I sent an email to Ms. Lueders too. This is just not fair to the members who take the time and effort to plan at the 11 month window. Traveling form NY I would probably never arrive in time to have my request met and altho all the units are nice, when a certain area has become home to you, I think that you should be able to request it ahead and have a reasonable expectation of those requests being met.

 

[Pa@okw95]

I just sent an e-mail off to Jackie about this policy and how unhappy I was about it. I suggest others do it also