What Would You Do?

[PamOKW]

You have made a reservation at a DVC resort 7 months ahead of time or earlier. When you arrive at the front desk around 1:00 p.m. you are immediately given the keys to your room. The room does not have a particularly odd problem (dumpster view, no balcony, etc.) but it does not meet any of your requests except that it is either smoking or non-smoking (whichever you requested).

What do you do?:

 

[BEACHCLUBVILLAS]

The BW View guarantee for BW owners is like the Titanic. BW owners are 1st Class DVC members, every other owner is second class. I am not opposed to the Room Ready Policy. I think it's as fair as any other policy. But unless it applies to BW owners as well it is not fair. Unless we do as BW owners did and make a fuss in the lobby it will never change. In the past, I was polite and accepted whatever room I was assigned and was happy to be at Disney. But there is just something about this policy that rubs me the wrong way. I feel bad for the check in folks but unfortunately, disrupting their day is the only way to a policy. change. That's how BW owners accomplished their goal. A call to Jackie isn't going to do it.

 

[EmptyNester]

We'd probably ask the CM if any other rooms were ready, but would take the original room if nothing else was available.
Getting a smoking room is about the only thing that could put a damper on out Disney (or any other) vacation.

We stay at OKW; and so far, always in a one-bedroom. The amenities that we enjoy the most: the jacuzzi, the great room & the patio/balcony come with every villa no matter what the "view" is. Having any other requests met is a just bonus as far as we're concerned.

- Sharon

 

[paults]

"BW owners are 1st Class DVC members, every other owner is second class. I am not opposed to"

What makes us 1st class dvc members over other members? is it because we own at BWV and have 11 month access.

What's the diff between BWview for home resort at 11 months and a GV at OKW for owners at 11 months. If I can't get GV at 7 months no one should complain about not getting BWview at 7 months. this doesn't mean were 1st class DVC and better than others it's just that we made this our home and not elsewhere.

Also what makes you so sure it's all BWV owners causing all the fuss at check-in? you have people renting pts and DVC members who don't own at BWV that are complaining too.

Lets not bash BWV owners for causing all the problems because we know it's throughtout DVC

 

[ducklite]

I've NEVER gotten any of my requests except for non-smoking for medical reasons (yes, that was me the paramedics were hooking up to oxygen last Sunday in Morocco in Epcot after suffering a SEVERE asthma attack!), and have given up asking. As long as I don't everlook a dumpster, I'm reasonably happy.

Anne

 

[Laurabearz]

I have no idea how to answer this question...... I have only had an issue once about room location at that was when we were staying at the Poly on points. They put us in a room next to the elevator, and I begged to be changed, since the noise from them, drives me insane and I cant sleep a wink. They found us another room, and all was well.

I have never had issue with any room via DVC...... but then again we dont make a lot of requests. I will admit to requesting BW view (didnt get it, no biggy, and we loved the view of the clown!) and such things like near the HH at OKW, but in reality, if none of our requests are granted, so be it.

Part of me wouldnt even mind the dumpster view.... since I have read so much about it here on the DIS..... seeing it in person would be neat! (How sick is that)

 

[zurgswife]

We always get a standard view...so unless it was a smoking room I really dont' have any requests....

We request non-smoking due to sons allergies....

 

[JOC]

BW owners are 1st Class DVC members, every other owner is second class.

Don't BCV owners also have an 11-month advantage perk: Aren't you able to reserve the dedicated 2BR with 2 Queen beds configuration (or whatever configuration it is that some people seem to always be asking for over there)?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I voted that I would check back later, but it really would depend on just how bad of a room I was assigned.

PS- You forgot the 'kicking and screaming' option...

 

[Lisa F]

We have made requests but we never seem to get them. It's almost as if they try to give us the opposite (1st floor when we ask for top, top floor when we ask for 1st or 2nd). What we have found is that there are benefits to every location, so we don't even request anymore. If it's 1st or 2nd floor, great, easy access to the boardwalk and lobby. If it's high up, great, nicer view. If it's close to the elevators, great, it's convenient. If it's far from the elevators, great, it's nice and quiet.

Beachclubvillas, sorry that you feel like a second class citizen because you cannot request specific view at BCV, however the situation is not the same. Pool views and fireworks views are NOT guaranteed at BWV to BWV owners. There are some standard views that have views of the fireworks at BWV and some that don't. There are some preferred pool/garden views that have a view of a pool at BWV and some that do not. IF the BW started guaranteeing all views (ie guaranteeing what you would see in your preferred view, whether it would be feature pool, quiet pool, canal, TOT, whatever or guaranteeing fireworks/no fireworks on the standard side) THEN I think you might have something to complain about. Your chances of getting a better view vs. a worse view at BWV are the same as your chances of getting one at BCV. There really are no exceptional views at BCV that compare in any way, shape or form to the BW view at BWV, nor are there any GV's at BCV (yet another reason that BWV owners are 1st class while everyone else is second class? ) On the other hand, there are no dedicated 2 bedrooms with 2 queens in the 2nd bedroom at BWV and BCV/VWL owners have an advantage in booking that particular room type at their home resort. Every resort has it's slight quirks and differences.

Lisa

 

[timC]

For me, it's what's in the room that counts... It needs to be a non-smoking room, that's clean. If somethings broken, I'll call for an engineer. If somethings missing, or needs housekeeping, I'll make a call. I can't comment on HC rooms; never experienced one. I'd probably give it a try before passing judgement.

If I see a dumpster out my window...I'd probably say, "Hey! We've got the famous dumpster view ".

We really don't spend enough time looking out the window to get stressed out about it... and honestly, I can't imaging WDW allowing a guest to see anything that's unsightly that would warrant a room change.

Regarding specials... we don't normally ask.

 

[travelbug]

Besides the smoking/nonsmoking request, I look upon any other room requests at DVC or anywhere else I vacation strictly as "frosting on the cake." If it happens to work out, hey, that's a nice surprise. If it doesn't happen to work out, no big deal because I didn't look on it as a major factor to begin with.

The only time I did ask if there was another room available was when we happened to be placed in a HC room. We were hoping for a tub, and it never occurred to me to include a tub in my room request! LOL They did have another room available and switched us right away. But again, if they had not had a room with a tub available, it would not have ruined our stay at all. Life's too short to worry about stuff like that, IMHO.

 

[CK1]

I think i would probably ask nicely if there was possibly anything else, in the near term. If it meant waiting more than an hour or 2, (and if it were NOT HC) I'd take what they offered. If the wait would be longer, I'd take it. SOmetimes you can be pleasantly surprised by what you're given. We ask for "near HH" at OKW -- get Turtle Pond. In fact, we have NEVER been near the HH! But hey, we like being turtles, too... We asked for pool/bay view at VWL and got it -- could not have possibly picked a better room if i tried... HOWEVER... I think a woods view might be quite nice there, and if they told me on my next visit that's what they had, I'd probably try it, just for variety's sake!

It's so funny that some folks think BWV owners are "DVC elite"... DH and I sort of thought we had "lost out" because we had wanted OKW (but wasn't available when we bought)and realllllly wanted VWL (but it wasn't built yet when we bought!) so by default, we are BWV owners. I would love to get my hands on a OKW GV... and the BWV are just too points-pricey. We have yet to use our BWV pts for a BWV stay, even...and we even added onto our BWV pts this summer, never having stayed there! Irony is... we don't even know enough to use our own clout at home for a premier BW view... We're booking standard view all the way for our next trip!

 

[travelbug]

Originally posted by CK1
It's so funny that some folks think BWV owners are "DVC elite"... DH and I sort of thought we had "lost out" because we had wanted OKW (but wasn't available when we bought)and realllllly wanted VWL (but it wasn't built yet when we bought!) so by default, we are BWV owners.

First of all, this is my first attempt to post a quote. Hope it works!

LOL, CK1! Me too! I became a DVC member sight unseen. I was clueless about location or anything. But I can remember expressing disappointment to my guide that OKW was all sold out, because BWV had a higher point chart. Those were the only two DVC resorts when I bought in. My poor guide was so patient, explaining that a popular feature of BWV was its wonderful location. I bought BWV by default, and now of course I absolutely love it there. (OKW is beautiful too. It would have been a win-win situation. Just didn't know it at the time! )

I didn't realize that I was becoming one of the "elite" when I bought BWV. I will always probably try to get a standard view to save points, so I may not ever be part of the guaranteed BW view scenario. Does that make me one of the "peons"?

 

[CaptainMidnight]

As long as the smoking/non-smoking option was correct and it's a pretty good room take it. I think DVC members are getting entirely too picky with thier room requests. There's no way they can manage all the requests. They are doing teh best they can. A dumpster view? Maybe. Dumpster views should be smoking rooms anyway. So should rooms with no balconey - smoking rooms.

But I think we members are going way, way overboard with our room requests for all these specific views. Everyone can't have an ideal view, there is only so many of them. Enjoy your vacations and set your expectations a little lower, not way lower, just a little lower. You'll have more fun.

 

[WDWguru]

Originally posted by travelbug
Does that make me one of the "peons"?

I believe the correct term would be "plebians" or "plebes" for short.

 

[DeeP]

Very interesting poll.....when I thought about my answer, it is: the only time I ever waited for a room at a DVC resort rather then take one that was immediately available was if I was at BWV and had a preferred view booked and I was trying to get a BW view! I never realized this before, when I have a standard view booked I always take whatever is available as soon as possible or if the CM said there were no available BW views checking out that day then we also always take the first room available but if we were assigned (at check in) to a BW view, we have many times waited until late afternoon to get access to our room. DVC has just done a very smart thing not only for themselves but for all members checking into BWV.
BTW, we were never people that caused a scene or were kicking and screaming over a BW view but we have always checked in very early and if we booked a preferred view we always ask if a BW view villa is available and we have often been assigned a BW view when checking in, --if we were willing to wait sometimes a very lengthly wait. This is why I will never believe that the rooms were pre assigned, until now with BW view villas. Which IMO, is a great decision for both Disney and members checking into BWV.

 

[perdidobay]

If I check in at 1pm and my NON-SMOKING room is ready, I'll jump for joy that I can go straight to my room! I can be at the very end of a 2 mile hall, surrounded by dumpsters outside and be happy as a lark that I'm at WDW

Requests (outside of s/ns and HA) after all, are just requests.

 

[Eeyore2U]

We make to requests. Nonsmoking and close to elevators. As long as it's none smoking we'll take it.

 

[DebbieB]

I would ask what else is available. I checked in at BWV at 10am last December (after spending the night at BWI). I had requested an upper floor (for a good fireworks view) at 11 months. Our assigned room was not ready, but I asked her if it was upper floor. No, it was first floor. I asked if anything else was ready at that point. No, none. So I asked her if there were any upper floors that would be available that day. She looked around and found an upper floor but she said it really wasn't a good view. I said I'd take that and wait until later for it to be ready. It wasn't ready until 3:00 but it turned out to be perfect! Right across from the bus stop with an unobstructed view of the fireworks! So it pays to ask what else is open. I requested that again for this year but willn't be checking in until 2:00 or 3:00, we'll see what happens.