Why make special request when making ressies anymore?

[Tigger1]

We arrived at OKW around 4 pm Memorial day this year. I had made a couple of request about 11 months prior when I made the reservation. Top floor and close to main pool. The cast member asked what request we wanted when we got to the front desk. The only 2 bedroom available by the main pool was on the bottem floor. We did not want to hear noise above us and love to spend time on the balcony in the morning. I asked what was the closest to the main pool that was on the third floor (I forgot some buildings have only 2 floors) . All they had was one on Turtle street and one on South Point. We took the Turtle pond . It was a ways away from any pool but otherwise a great view of Epcot from the front entrance.

I was just disapointed that if you make your ressie 11 months in advance does not help you get your request.

At Vero, they did choose the room by are request made 11 months in advance. We did have to wait for our room but did not mind at all.

I wish they could at least show us a map of all the vacant rooms at OKW. I had a feeling that we were not given but a couple of choices so that we would quicky pick a room.

Tigger

 

[DebbieB]

I was concerned about this when we checked into OKW on Friday May 9 at 6pm (Mother's Day weekend). I sent a fax on Monday repeating our requests, mentioned we would not be arriving until 6pm and asked if a room meeting our requests could be held. When we checked in a room was blocked for us and it met all our requests - non-smoking, first floor not handicapped, water view, Turtle Pond Road (we got 4311).

 

[karebear1]

DebbieB- that is a realy good idea. Is there somewhere we can go to find the fa numbers for the DVC resorts? We are staying for the first time at BCV's in January. My mom, Aunt and Uncle are joing us. This is my mom's first visit back to WDW since my dad died 2 years ago, and I really want it to be a wonderful experience for her. I think I will take you suggestion and fax my requests a few days before we go. THANK YOU!

 

[Cruelladeville]

Wait a minute--you checked in on Memorial Day, when things are pretty much sold out, and you are disappointed because you didn't get everything you wanted?!: Did it occur to you that perhaps a significant portion of the 60,000 or so people also staying there might have had similar requests? You also weren't specific--if you want building 11-14 top floor you need to say that EXACTLY. Remember that it's a request, not a guarantee, so sometimes you just will not get everything you want. Life is like that sometimes, even if you did make ressies 11 months ago.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

It is easy to start getting too picky about requests. Getting a non-smoking room when requested seems pretty important. We also prefer upper floors vs ground floor for security and a little privacy of people walking by looking in your room. But beyond that, I think it starts to be added value, and one can't get too dissapointed, although I think you make a good point about making the reservations 11 months out.

I guess that's one reason we're glad that Vero didn't expand to the resort sections on the other side of A1A. It would have been pretty dissapointing not gettting a room on the beach side of the property. The size of the resort is wonderful now.

But I am seeing lots of postings about pretty specific room requests, and I think people are going overboard with them. Like at BCV, Top floor, illuminations view, not too close to the road, etc., etc., everyone can't have those rooms.

 

[SnowWitch]

Our first trip home was years ago but my only request was BW view. The view I recieved was the back of the main pool's slide, actually the stairs to the slide and the extra window had a view of the canal between the BWV's and the Swan or Dolphin.

The next 2 trips I requested BW view and both times we recieved the clown pool view. Its a nice view but oh well.

The trips after this I solved my view problem by booking standard view. This way I know what I'm getting!

 

[childsplay]

CaptainMidnight

But I am seeing lots of postings about pretty specific room requests, and I think people are going overboard with them. Like at BCV, Top floor, illuminations view, not too close to the road, etc., etc., everyone can't have those rooms.

I agree completely.

However, I think one of the issues DVC is going to have to address at some point in the future is how requests are honored. And I don't mean this in a complaining or critical way, it just seems that some of the disapointment is magnified by the "mystery" of how the requests are handled......as evidenced by the 11 month comments.

 

[DebbieB]

Until recently, DVC was supposed to pre-assign rooms by the date of the reservation, starting with those who made reservations at 11 months. From posts of those returning, it appears that this is no longer happening, whoever gets there first gets their requests. This seems to take away an advantage of your home resort and making reservations at 11 months.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

childsplay, good point.

 

[jodifla]

I think these boards tend to fuel these very specific requests, and then fuel a lot of angst about something that isn't guaranteed, anyway. The logistics for DVC must be a nightmare. I agree with other posters that it seems to be setting yourself up for a bad time if you make a bunch of requests, and they can't fill all of them. Doesn't everyone want to be by the main pool, with a water view?

It's the nice thing about DVC...we have almost four more decades of vacations to look forward to, so if you don't have the room of your dreams, you have many many more chances to get it.

 

[Granny]

I agree that the whole request thing is sometimes a little out of hand...but as long as people remember that they are in fact requests, they should be fine.

I would like to point out that the request from the OP was not one of those extremely specific ones.

Top floor and close to main pool

That doesn't sound like a request that is too specific....but I'm not all that familiar with OKW so maybe this would only apply to a few rooms?


More disturbing to me is that the CM asked what the requests were upon check-in...suggesting that they weren't even in the computer?

As has been pointed out, if DVD would come up with a standardized system for all the resorts and train the CM's accordingly, it would surely help.

 

[Sammie]

my understanding from these boards and I thought we got a notice from DVC, is that requests would no longer be ranked by when you book your room, but what time you check in.

Seems many guests wanted to get into a room before the 4pm check in time and doing requests first come first served allowed them to do this.

I know OKW was going to use this formula not sure about other resorts.

 

[Granny]

Sammie....evidently, OKW was doing this as an "experiment" earlier this year. I'm not sure whether they still do the "first to check in get's first choice" or not.

Personally, I don't like that. It penalizes those who fly in and their flights get them to WDW late for check in. We always drive and can check in early, but I don't see why they can't just stick with the methods that they started with. I guess it's the complaining people that have made this necessary?

 

[Nanajo1]

I've decided the only benefit to the 11 months booking window is that you will definitely be able to book a room. I keep my requests simple, NS and when booking more than one room that they be close together. I have got the NS regularly but my last BWV trip in January I was on the 1st floor and my guests were on the 4th! At least we were in the same zip code!
Add my voice to those that would like an explanation of the assignment game. The first to check in doesn't seem fair, particularly when we are at the mercy of the arrogant airlines that change flight times days before your trip. But that's another rant for another day.

 

[Tigger1]

I was mostly disappointed in the fact that my request had nothing to do with what room I would be assigned. There was no point in making request ahead of time according to the cm.
The reason they have the new system is so many guest would check in early and not be happy if there room was not ready. I explained that since we drive in it would not be possible to get there early. I also wondered about those who have late flights. I asked if I could call in the same day and explained that the room did not have to be ready yet. . The cm said yes, they have allowed this when someone called 20 minutes in advance but not any sooner. They also said that they will block rooms for purposes as medical or a large group. I never heard of the large group blocking.

I can see why they changed the system, to avoid being constantly asked, is our room ready. But could this backfire if more guest try to arrive sooner just to get a chance at the room request they would like?

Will the earlybird get the room or will the earlybirds fight for the room. Not me.

Imagine if it ever got this bad, one late night cm comes from behind counter and says "those with todays check in date please move to the front of the line".

Tigger

 

[joepoe]

Originally posted by DebbieB
Until recently, DVC was supposed to pre-assign rooms by the date of the reservation, starting with those who made reservations at 11 months. From posts of those returning, it appears that this is no longer happening, whoever gets there first gets their requests. This seems to take away an advantage of your home resort and making reservations at 11 months.

Debbie, maybe people who made requests in the days before you did took up the space, so that when you got there, people were already checked in those rooms for the last 1-7 days. All owners get to make their requests at 11 months out, and those rooms just may not be available when you wanted them because of prior requests. Just one of several things that could happen, but I think the most common.

 

[KNWVIKING]

For the most part,all DW and I really care about is non-smoking and so far that request has always been met.

Something I would like to see become availible though is a "wild card" for lack of a better term. Maybe someday I'll want to plan a special event where I'll want everything perfect- right floor,view,location,non-handicapped,etc. Maybe it would be a one time perk, maybe once every five years,whatever. I just think it is something that could be done without too much difficulty.

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by joepoe
Debbie, maybe people who made requests in the days before you did took up the space, so that when you got there, people were already checked in those rooms for the last 1-7 days. All owners get to make their requests at 11 months out, and those rooms just may not be available when you wanted them because of prior requests. Just one of several things that could happen, but I think the most common.

That was always a possibility. But it used to be when you arrived, your room was already pre-assigned using the reservation date priority system. Now it's not, so those who arrived even a few minutes before you could taken your request, regardless of when they made their reservaiton. It's a disadvantage to those who arrive later in the day.

 

[Granny]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
Something I would like to see become availible though is a "wild card" for lack of a better term. Maybe someday I'll want to plan a special event where I'll want everything perfect- right floor,view,location,non-handicapped,etc. Maybe it would be a one time perk, maybe once every five years,whatever. I just think it is something that could be done without too much difficulty.

This is an interesting concept. Why don't you start a new thread on it to get some feedback? I'm sure it would draw some interesting responses!

 

[KNWVIKING]

Ok... give me a couple minutes.