0 for 5 on December room requests--bad luck, bad requests, arrival times, or something else?

[DonMacGregor]

Here’s the part I don’t get… almost every single time you request something and don’t get it, if you complain they magically have a room to switch you to. Usually the requested room. So why don’t they just fill the request? Or maybe they really just don’t even look at them and it’s pure luck when you do get them

Likely because they do an initial room assignment several days (I've read as much as 5 days prior) before your arrival, because with different check-ins and check-outs and lengths of stay, it is scheduling Tetris to get everything filled in. Once you are there, and there is an actual, real-time inventory of available rooms, they might be able to move you, especially if is is a short stay (or they are getting you out of their face, and giving you the room of a guest who hasn't arrived yet, and will find that THEIR request wasn't filled).

 

[Jack Kerouac]

You cannot change the room category to SV if you don’t like the LV room assigned, unless there is a SV room open…and any points returned, if they did, would be in holding status.

Even if you were willing to have a SV rooms for the same points , they won’t do it without availability because they’d need to move someone else who booked SV and they may not want a LV room.

The online system requests are not great and if you chose something there, it will override what you asked MS to note on your reservation.

Requesting higher floor for LV is pretty much what everyone does, so IMO, it sort of make it a request that can’t be honored for the majority of people asking for it,

Thank you for that information. My wife said she wants to risk it for LV and we'll see what we get. And I'm not going to touch anything on the online system since the CM confirmed the requests are exactly what I want them to be.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Likely because they do an initial room assignment several days (I've read as much as 5 days prior) before your arrival, because with different check-ins and check-outs and lengths of stay, it is scheduling Tetris to get everything filled in. Once you are there, and there is an actual, real-time inventory of available rooms, they might be able to move you, especially if is is a short stay (or they are getting you out of their face, and giving you the room of a guest who hasn't arrived yet, and will find that THEIR request wasn't filled).

Is there any indication that the arrival time you put into the online check-in in the app impacts your room/floor assignments? Say, someone arriving sooner according to the online check-in with a LV third floor request will get the request and not someone who is going to arrive later according to the online check-in? Just wondering if paying a small bit more per plane ticket would provide us with a better chance at an upper floor. We will be there for ten days, so my hope is even if we are put into a first floor LV, we may be able to get moved to a higher floor at some point during the week.

 

[Sandisw]

Is there any indication that the arrival time you put into the online check-in in the app impacts your room/floor assignments? Say, someone arriving sooner according to the online check-in with a LV third floor request will get the request and not someone who is going to arrive later according to the online check-in? Just wondering if paying a small bit more per plane ticket would provide us with a better chance at an upper floor. We will be there for ten days, so my hope is even if we are put into a first floor LV, we may be able to get moved to a higher floor at some point during the week.

Not in my experience but some resorts will switch guests who are there earlier if a room is ready and official one that was assigned is not.

It doesn’t always happen, but it Is one of the reasons we always stop at the front desk when we arrive and let them know we have arrived to please consider us for any room that is ready earlier.

Because getting requests was so hit or miss, we don’t do it anymore. We would rather just have a room as early as possible.

 

[Mle8308]

Likely because they do an initial room assignment several days (I've read as much as 5 days prior) before your arrival, because with different check-ins and check-outs and lengths of stay, it is scheduling Tetris to get everything filled in. Once you are there, and there is an actual, real-time inventory of available rooms, they might be able to move you, especially if is is a short stay (or they are getting you out of their face, and giving you the room of a guest who hasn't arrived yet, and will find that THEIR request wasn't filled).

This is exactly right (MANY years ago, early on in my former Disney career, I did room assignments, loved it!).

 

[crisi]

Not in my experience but some resorts will switch guests who are there earlier if a room is ready and official one that was assigned is not.

It doesn’t always happen, but it Is one of the reasons we always stop at the front desk when we arrive and let them know we have arrived to please consider us for any room that is ready earlier.

Because getting requests was so hit or miss, we don’t do it anymore. We would rather just have a room as early as possible.

For those that haven't been members for decades, honestly we don't know for sure how it works any longer. We know how it used to work (the five days out MANY years ago stuff), but things have changed.

When we bought in 2001 they claimed rooms were assigned on a first book, first request made system. This was before BCV opened, and when Boardwalk View was not yet a booking category. And it was Boardwalk View that drove that. They made BW view a booking category, opened up SEVERAL more resorts, and sometime in there announced they were moving to "room ready" - they gave you a room that was available when you arrived - they never said they wouldn't try to meet requests, but apparently that was no longer the priority. That, of course, throws a wrench in any "early bookers get their requests met" since the requested "high floors" might all be clean and ready to hand out to the early arrivers, and you, who booked right at eleven months but aren't arriving until 4pm, end up not getting your requests met.

I'm not sure if they've told us what they are doing now - or if there are even human room assigners any longer (I doubt that system exists in the scale and scope of many years ago). It does seem to vary by resort, with some resorts being a little better at meeting requests than others. You can't prioritize both "room ready" and "requests met in order placed" - at least without sacrificing a lot of efficiency in housekeeping.

If I ran the zoo, I'd go back to the requests filled as close as possible in the order they were made system - by humans if it isn't done so. And I'd tell anyone who wanted a different room that "it isn't possible - all the rooms have been assigned in the order you booked - and if you didn't get what you wanted it wasn't available when your room was assigned" and yes, you have to wait until after 4 to get into your room sometimes, and sometimes - especially if you book last minute - you end up with a crappy view. BUT, I'd make one of the requests "room available early" - and I'd clean the less desired rooms first - the ones no one requests. Those requests everyone makes, those are the ones that are prioritized for cleaning last. Because in this sort of system, everyone needs to make a few sacrifices for it to work - everyone can not have the room they requested, available when they check in at 10am.

 

[Sandisw]

For those that haven't been members for decades, honestly we don't know for sure how it works any longer. We know how it used to work (the five days out MANY years ago stuff), but things have changed.

When we bought in 2001 they claimed rooms were assigned on a first book, first request made system. This was before BCV opened, and when Boardwalk View was not yet a booking category. And it was Boardwalk View that drove that. They made BW view a booking category, opened up SEVERAL more resorts, and sometime in there announced they were moving to "room ready" - they gave you a room that was available when you arrived - they never said they wouldn't try to meet requests, but apparently that was no longer the priority. That, of course, throws a wrench in any "early bookers get their requests met" since the requested "high floors" might all be clean and ready to hand out to the early arrivers, and you, who booked right at eleven months but aren't arriving until 4pm, end up not getting your requests met.

I'm not sure if they've told us what they are doing now - or if there are even human room assigners any longer (I doubt that system exists in the scale and scope of many years ago). It does seem to vary by resort, with some resorts being a little better at meeting requests than others. You can't prioritize both "room ready" and "requests met in order placed" - at least without sacrificing a lot of efficiency in housekeeping.

If I ran the zoo, I'd go back to the requests filled as close as possible in the order they were made system - by humans if it isn't done so. And I'd tell anyone who wanted a different room that "it isn't possible - all the rooms have been assigned in the order you booked - and if you didn't get what you wanted it wasn't available when your room was assigned" and yes, you have to wait until after 4 to get into your room sometimes, and sometimes - especially if you book last minute - you end up with a crappy view. BUT, I'd make one of the requests "room available early" - and I'd clean the less desired rooms first - the ones no one requests. Those requests everyone makes, those are the ones that are prioritized for cleaning last. Because in this sort of system, everyone needs to make a few sacrifices for it to work - everyone can not have the room they requested, available when they check in at 10am.

Based on my recent experiences this past year, they have indeed moved things around to get me in a room that was ready, after I got there and asked and told mine was not.

Personally I wish they would get rid of requests because people who do and are not granted become frustrated.

I know they say no guarantee but when it doesn’t happen, I have witnessed upset guests.

And what is crappy for one is not for someone else.

 

[SLThomas318]

We’ve done this for several years (several times a year) now, and I have never, ever received a room request. I’m sure I have enough data to run a study and the conclusion would be that DVC pays 0 attention to room requests. In fact, I personally think people who put in requests are penalized. (Handicapped rooms- nightmare, especially the 3 bedroom at Vero. Might as well book a 2 bedroom. End of the hall at BWV- torture. Dumpster view at BRV- literally $?!%. Swimming pool view at HHI- you cannot escape the thumping music— you can literally participate in trivia from your balcony. Husband lost his mind. The absolute last room at OKW where you are enclosed into your balcony by one foot of plants and the road is just beyond. Fresh hell.). I ran my own little study where I stopped inputting room requests and I found I was happier with assigned room locations in that senario. I did another little (unofficial ) study over a period of time where I stopped even checking in ahead of time— that’s when I receive the best rooms. Good ole fashioned just show up at the lobby desk. (Of course we also started going to universal from dvc so no need to get into the account at all.). Grandstand golf course views at Saratoga. You could just reach out and touch the golf course. Kidani Savannah view when I booked standard— animals almost within reach. Vero third floor ocean view in a one bedroom- worth paying extra for… but didn’t. Hilton head marsh view, beyond relaxing. Riviera standard view- upper floor near the elevator with perfect Epcot fireworks views. VGF standard top floor incredible view of lake and magic kingdom fireworks. Beach Club top floor view of fireworks (didn’t even know that was a thing!).

Going to Hilton Head in a few days and received the check in email about a week ago. Hahaha silly email, I said to myself, you don’t fool me. I delete you!

I've considered doing the same... just not bothering with on-line check-in and just going to the desk when we arrive. We have had a mixed bag of room assignments and some times we make a request and other times we don't. We seem to get assigned HA accessible rooms lately which I know have to be used, but showering kids with a roll-in shower is tricky and slippery!

 

[crisi]

Based on my recent experiences this past year, they have indeed moved things around to get me in a room that was ready, after I got there and asked and told mine was not.

Personally I wish they would get rid of requests because people who do and are not granted become frustrated.

I know they say no guarantee but when it doesn’t happen, I have witnessed upset guests.

And what is crappy for one is not for someone else.

I also think upset guests should not be rewarded by switching around rooms though. Have a system and stick to it. If its prioritizing getting checkins into clean rooms, then that is it. Rooms assigned as they are cleaned by the order of arrival (based off airline flights or estimated arrival time if you are letting people check in in advance) If its first booked requests, that's the system - you don't give away someone who booked at eleven month's room away to the person standing in front of you having a tantrum. People get far too upset....and Disney rewards them for that behavior. That makes it hard on cast members, and it makes it hard on the rest of the membership.

 

[KSR0330]

We had been having terrible luck getting even close to our requests using Touring Plans, so my last trip I tried only putting a request in with member services. I was staying at BWV and asked only for a room on the 3rd floor (had BW view booked). I got the 'room ready' text on my way from the airport and was given the first floor (which I really didn't want, especially on the boardwalk!). I went to the front desk and asked if there was anything else available, and was given a room on the 3rd floor. What? If that was my request why give me the 1st floor when the 3rd is available?

 

[Sandisw]

We had been having terrible luck getting even close to our requests using Touring Plans, so my last trip I tried only putting a request in with member services. I was staying at BWV and asked only for a room on the 3rd floor (had BW view booked). I got the 'room ready' text on my way from the airport and was given the first floor (which I really didn't want, especially on the boardwalk!). I went to the front desk and asked if there was anything else available, and was given a room on the 3rd floor. What? If that was my request why give me the 1st floor when the 3rd is available?

It’s possible that the room they gave you was for someone else and they just switched you. It also could be that someone else had been moved from that room…or the guest canceled last minute. after the room assignments were done, and why it was available.

It certainly seems that a lot more people put in requests these days, and you just wonder if that has any impact in the process they use to try and meet those requests.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My last 3 trips I've requested first floor now that I have to use a scooter and I have gotten all 3 requests.

Prior to those trips I didn't request anything so it was a nice surprise when I found myself upgraded a couple of times.

 

[zackiedawg]

There's definitely an element of luck involved, and bad look outnumbers good, with requests. But I wouldn't give up. I had astounding luck all through 2022 for my 4 trips - I made two tiers of requests for each stay, all at Boardwalk, 1-bedroom. My first request each time was for specific room numbers, and then the 'backup' request was more on location/area. 3 of my 4 stays I got one of the specific room numbers I requested, and for the 4th, I got the location, but not a specific room. Looking back to 2021, I stayed at Saratoga 3 times - I got my area request 2 times (Congress Park) and one time, got a specific room number requested. In my 3 stays at Boulder Ridge in the past 4 years, I've gotten a requested room number all 3 times. I'd say I'm running around 6 of 10 for room number requests, and 9 of 10 average for location/building/area requests. I usually book my trips in late December for Feb, Jun, and Sep, and book a December trip around July...I make all room and area requests through Member services, and I don't do online checkin...that lets me get to the desk and find out what rooms they're putting me in - and possibly make some tweaks if I didn't get a specific room number to still figure out my favorite choice of what they've got left.
This year, I've got trips coming up in March at Saratoga, June at Boulder Ridge, and September at Boardwalk (garden view), and have put specific room number requests in for each, with a backup choice of sections for Saratoga and Boardwalk.

 

[CarolMN]

Fridays and Saturdays are the nights that have a lot of checkouts. That means there are more rooms to choose from when assignments are made. We have good luck with requests when we check in on a Friday or Saturday, but not so much when we check in on other nights.

But FWIW, we always find something to like about our room, even when we don't get our request(s).

 

[crisi]

Fridays and Saturdays are the nights that have lot of checkouts. That means there are more rooms to choose from when assignments are made. We have good luck with requests when we check in on a Friday or Saturday, but not so much when we check in on other nights.

But FWIW, we always find something to like about our room, even when we don't get our request(s).

Attitude helps when vacationing - at Disney or anywhere. If you are determined to be pleased, you will be pleased. If you expect perfection - it isn't happening, no matter how much you spend or where you go.

 

[DVCRon]

Question for all of you making room requests. I frequently see that people make requests for a specific when checking in online or they "checked their reservation" and can see their room request.

I checked on for a stay next week at BLT. There was no place to select a room request or anything else. It just asked to confirm the part, address, credit card number and pin.
After that I went online through DVC chat and was told I need to call reservations. I went through the disney world website instead of DVC and was first told I can't make specific requests and when I pressed him on it he said he could take a request for building or an area in a building but not specific room numbers.
How are you requesting specific room numbers and where on my reservation can I see room requests?

 

[tjkraz]

Question for all of you making room requests. I frequently see that people make requests for a specific when checking in online or they "checked their reservation" and can see their room request.

I checked on for a stay next week at BLT. There was no place to select a room request or anything else. It just asked to confirm the part, address, credit card number and pin.
After that I went online through DVC chat and was told I need to call reservations. I went through the disney world website instead of DVC and was first told I can't make specific requests and when I pressed him on it he said he could take a request for building or an area in a building but not specific room numbers.
How are you requesting specific room numbers and where on my reservation can I see room requests?

DVC members should contact member services for requests. Chat agents are limited in what they can do, so that's often not the best path. Either call Member Services directly or use the "Contact Us" email form on the member website.

I can't speak for every resort but there is usually a requests component to the online check-in process. It doesn't jump right out at you and is easy to overlook. But it is also VERY limited in options that are offered. I recently did an online check-in for Poly and I think the only requests that could be selected were for Moorea building or 1st floor.

Also if you enter ANYTHING on the request section during online check-in, it supposedly overwrites any request details previously entered.

Bottom line: call member services or email.

 

[Mle8308]

Question for all of you making room requests. I frequently see that people make requests for a specific when checking in online or they "checked their reservation" and can see their room request.

I checked on for a stay next week at BLT. There was no place to select a room request or anything else. It just asked to confirm the part, address, credit card number and pin.
After that I went online through DVC chat and was told I need to call reservations. I went through the disney world website instead of DVC and was first told I can't make specific requests and when I pressed him on it he said he could take a request for building or an area in a building but not specific room numbers.
How are you requesting specific room numbers and where on my reservation can I see room requests?

It can depend. For DVC, people call Member Services for requests. If you book a cash room, when you go through the steps for online check in, there is a drop down where you can enter requests, though they are vague. You can ask for an upper floor, away from elevators, ground floor - requests of that nature, nothing specific. There are other "companies" for lack of a better word, such as Touring Plans that will send more specific requests on to Disney prior to your arrival. They will send requests for specific room numbers, though I am not sure the requests are really considered. I've done it twice and neither time was my original assigned room anything close to my request. I ended up going to the FD (before going to the actual room) to request a different one. I didn't mind waiting and was there early enough that they were able to find me a room much closer to my original request. People booking DVC have also used TP, but again, I do not know the success rate. There was a thread about that on here at one point.

 

[TCRAIG]

I’ve only had my room request ‘filled’ a handful of times in all our DVC trips (4+ a yr for over 10 years) - however - lots of times, the front desk is able to change our room at checkin to something closer to what I asked for. Mostly I limit it to requesting top floor and not next to the elevators…I’ve had good luck with the elevator part but I have yet to stay on the top floor of any resort.

 

[kes601]

DVC members should contact member services for requests. Chat agents are limited in what they can do, so that's often not the best path. Either call Member Services directly or use the "Contact Us" email form on the member website.

Every time I've asked to add a room request it has been honored (adding the request, not getting it). I'm pretty sure all chat agents can do this. There are certain things some can't though.

That said, make sure you are logged in when asking to add a room request or anything specific to your membership. There is a level of chat that are the DVC Guides (sales agents) who couldn't do anything that MS can do. The key when starting the chat is making sure when it pops up it asks your name and what your request is about (it should list things like My Current Reservation, My Membership, etc). If that question is not asked when starting the chat then you are going to get a Guide.