Why make special request when making ressies anymore?

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by bicker
I agree with those who have said that if you make a lot of requests, or put a lot of hope into getting your requests satistfied, then you're setting yourself up for disappointment, and making MS' job much more difficult than it should be.

Perhaps the best approach would be to refuse to take any special requests. That way no one can be disappointed when they don't get theirs.

I wouldn't mind this EXCEPT for the NS/S rooms. They should be room types, not requests.

 

[Tigger1]

Bicker

From my experience at OKW and BWV, request made prior to arrival meant nothing. You choose your room from what is available (clean) when you arrive. If you have any request be sure to arrive early. You may not get your request even then but you will have a better chance.

We also stayed at VWL. Traveling form BCV to VWL was just a short distance and we arrived soon after 11 am. . When I went to the desk I asked what was available. Then to my surprise my rom was already assigned. I thought they just picked an available room. I asked if it was possible to get a pool view or upper floor. The CM looked at me strangely and said well that what you are assigned just as requested when you made your ressie.

At Vero, I called ahead to see if they used the same room assignments as OKW did. I was going to arrive as soon as I could that morning if needed. They had already assigned my room and told me that they could not gie me which room but I would be happy with it. As it turned out we are pretty sure it was the same room as we had 2 years prior. What is the chances of that?

Tigger

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by beattyfamily
I wouldn't mind this EXCEPT for the NS/S rooms. They should be room types, not requests.

They are already room types. They state that on the doors of every non smoking room. Square sign, round circle with a cigarette with a BIG line through it. That indicates, at least to me, that it is a non smoking type of room.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
They are already room types. They state that on the doors of every non smoking room. Square sign, round circle with a cigarette with a BIG line through it. That indicates, at least to me, that it is a non smoking type of room.

Then I'm all for it!!

I only said that because I was reading here that NS/S was a request and not a room type...

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by beattyfamily
Then I'm all for it!!

I only said that because I was reading here that NS/S was a request and not a room type...

Requesting smoking/non smoking is a request for a room type.

BTW, I am all for it also.

 

[Kathy C]

I am currently make day-to-day reservations for June. There will be ten of us (me, husband, son, girlfriend, brother, sister-in-law, 2 nieces and my parents) in a 2 bdrm and studio at BWV. I have requested that the rooms be next to each other, and of course they can't guarantee it. I'm hoping they can at least put us on the same floor. My parents will be staying in the studio, and we'd all like to have access to the kitchen and washer/dryer.

 

[isnkr]

We have never had any major problems with special request. There are only a couple for BWV - top floor, non-smoking, near the elevator.

When we were there May '03 - the cm that checked us in showed us a map of the BWV with the rooms outlined and then asked us to pick between several different rooms. We were about 4 rooms from the elevator, top floor, with a view of the Clown's mouth on the water slide.

 

[KNWVIKING]

*** "When we were there May '03 - the cm that checked us in showed us a map of the BWV with the rooms outlined and then asked us to pick between several different rooms. " ***

This is a perfect example of what I don't like about the room assignment process. I've never been offered a map and told to pick what I want, and I usually check in between 9 and noon. There just isn't anything constant other then "no guarantee".

 

[isnkr]

It may have had something to do with the construction that was still going on at the BWV. We were checking in after 1p. This is the first time this has ever happend - but I didn't mind

 

[childsplay]

The issue seems to pivot on the "how" of granting requests. When Disney was using the booking date as a critria for honoring requests that was understandable... (maybe you didn't agree with it, but you understood "how" the requests were honored).
Now, I have yet to determine how requests are honored. It is somewhat perplexing to say to least. I guess I have approached most things with the attitude of: "Tell me what the "rules" are and I will play the game" (again, even if I don't agree with them, at least I know what they are). Attempting to play this game without rules is what seems to cause the consternation.

 

[PoohBears#1fan]

Am I the only person who quite likes the excitement of finding out where they'll put us? LOL

I'm just happy to be there, don't really care what I can see out of the window! Maybe that'll wear off when I've been a member longer and the initial DVC excitement has worn off (assuming that ever happens )

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"Now, I have yet to determine how requests are honored. It is somewhat perplexing to say to least. I guess I have approached most things with the attitude of: "Tell me what the "rules" are and I will play the game" (again, even if I don't agree with them, at least I know what they are). Attempting to play this game without rules is what seems to cause the consternation." ***

Exactly. i have this little scenerio runing in my head: I book at 11 months, ask for NS, upper floor- very simple request. Mystery person books at 10 months,same dates, gives very specific room requests. Because mine are basic,I get penciled in for an average NS on third floor. Mystery man checks in ahead of me, finds out his "perfect" room isn't availible and instead gets a HC or possibly dumpster. He puts on a hissy fit and winds up in the room I was penciled in for. Whats that leave me with ?

 

[KNWVIKING]

Maybe someday you'll get ground floor with a hoard of rude,noisy guests right above you who party till 3 am. Maybe you get the room without the balcony or the dumpster view at VWL. Maybe you're at the last room down the hall at BWV or the noisiest bus stop at OKW. How 'bout an HC room for a week or two. Maybe you get lucky and never have any of the above.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by PoohBears#1fan
Am I the only person who quite likes the excitement of finding out where they'll put us? LOL

I'm just happy to be there, don't really care what I can see out of the window! Maybe that'll wear off when I've been a member longer and the initial DVC excitement has worn off (assuming that ever happens )

Nope, you are not the only one, I make only one request and that is a smoking optional unit, the rest, I LOVE surprises.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Nope, you are not the only one, I make only one request and that is a smoking optional unit, the rest, I LOVE surprises.

You go Gail...........thats why you are our "Smoking expert

" here on the DVC forum.

 

[Lesley]

I make requests....generally fairly simple ones...n/s (or smoking if my parents are with us) and maybe one other...pool view, or boardwalk view...I once requested that my standard view room be far from the elevators (got a great room!). For October I actually requested a specific room #. Why? Because we loved that room and really don't care where we end up if we don't get that room. I'll be pleasantly surprised if we manage to get it....if not, oh well...I know not all requests can be met.

I've lucked out on some great rooms by making requests....and I've also had the dumpster view at VWL. I've checked in both early and late...had my room ready right away and also have had to wait until after 4. I did call the front desk often one time....because my family were sick. And I've also gone off to a park and not called for my room # until after 5 or 6. Early check in is necessary to be able to get room cards for charging (and if they're your park tickets....) etc....but I understand that rooms may not be available at that time. Many places call it "pre-registration"

There's really no way to tell why you didn't get a request....so why sweat it? No matter what our circumstances we always seem to have a good time!

 

[sandygirl]

I checked in at OKW in May 2002 with my DD4. No special requests. I was assigned a HC room. When I asked why they had assigned me a HC room they INSISTED that I had requested a HC room. Now, I did no such thing. But they INSISTED I did. Needless to say, they had no other room to give me and it wasn't late in the day. It really wasn't too bad. The only real inconvenience was the high toilet for DD and no tub. DD was not used to a shower and it caused some distress.

So, sometimes you get what you didn't ask for. I worried that someone may have really needed the room and couldn't get it because I was in it.

 

[DeeP]

I stay at a lot of WDW resorts other than just DVC resorts and have done so for many years and from my experience I don't think WDW ever really blocked a "specific" room for a certain guest, except for certain exceptions. The reason I say this is, in all resorts from a value to a deluxe and including DVC resorts that I have stayed in, I have gotten too lucky too many times when I checked in early (and NO I never made a scene to get a certain room, I am one of the "like to be surprised" people) to not believe that: Yes your preferences are noted in the computer BUT a "specific" room is not assigned to you until you are at the front desk. I have watched the CMs go through too many screens at too many checkins looking for our room type and any requests; for me to believe the "specific" room is pre assigned. I have also been shown a resort map with a selection of available rooms and told I could pick one. This has happened to me many times over the years at all WDW resorts, including DVC resorts. Once again the earlier I have checked in the more often this happened.
I always either check in to a WDW resort before 10:00 AM or after 6:30 PM due to my flight times and other than the smoking preference for my room, I have always had much more success in getting my preferences in regards to building, location or view the earlier I check in, and this has been true in all types of WDW resorts.
The only exception I have ever experienced to my specific room being pre assigned is that twice my reservation was earmarked "VIP", for Lord knows what reason, LOL! Then my room was pre assigned and the reason I know this is both times they had upgraded us to a conceirge room but one time it only had a king bed and we needed 2 beds so they switched us to conceirge room with 2 beds and the CM told me the room had been pre assigned by the resort manager. We also got flowers, candy, wine and gold room key cards, both times we were earmarked VIPs. it was great! Neither of these stays was at a DVC resort but once was BWI!
Just my take on things from my experiences.

 

[bicker]

Originally posted by childsplay
Attempting to play this game without rules is what seems to cause the consternation.

I disagree. I believe the consternation often stems from not knowing how to guarantee success. The remedy is for folks to realize that it is a request, and there is a "chance" it will be satisfied, and leave it at that.

 

[WDWguru]

No matter what importance we may individually place on requests, we make them (or don't) for a reason. It seems to me the only really fair way to consider them is in order of reservation date. Not everyone can choose an early arrival time in Orlando. Somebody on the east coast could leave at 8 am and arrive before noon, while I can leave Salt Lake at the same time but not arrive until 5 pm. In fact, the absolute earliest I can get into Orlando on a plane is 3:45 with today's schedule -- it's just a fact of geography and time zone changes.

I'm not one to get all bent out of shape over requests (we don't do much more than NS, but always Boardwalk view at BWV, which we have yet to get). However, I don't like the fact that somebody who, by sheer circumstance, can get to the resort a few hours earlier would get more consideration than any other member. We should all be treated on an even plane, and the only way to assure that is to go by a commonality that we can all control: the date at which we make our reservation.