What Exactly is Room Ready ... ?

[Slakk]

When you arrive at check in, whatever room is ready (i.e. cleared by mousekeeping for occupancy) that matches any special needs is the room you get.

In theory, the earlier you check in, the better your chances for receiving your requests.

Lots of debate over whether this is actually the procedure in place these days or if rooms are being pre-assigned. Seems to vary from resort to resort based on what others have posted about their experience.

I checked in at 7 am on last Saturday and was given the worst room at VWL. Because I am not finnicky I did not press the issue, which a week later I am regretting. The 4:30 am *wake up* of trash trucks banging the trash and the hallway have changed my tune.

This has not been the most enjoyable trip mostly from the lack of customer service from the front desk and maintenance - mousekeeping has been their usual wonderful selves. It is kind of sad because I usually like VWL but I am not sure why but this trip has not met the normal high standards so I may be an aberration.

Tomorrow we move to BCV - hopefully pixie dust will follow!

 

[DebbieB]

I checked in at 7 am on last Saturday and was given the worst room at VWL. Because I am not finnicky I did not press the issue, which a week later I am regretting. The 4:30 am *wake up* of trash trucks banging the trash and the hallway have changed my tune.

This has not been the most enjoyable trip mostly from the lack of customer service from the front desk and maintenance - mousekeeping has been their usual wonderful selves. It is kind of sad because I usually like VWL but I am not sure why but this trip has not met the normal high standards so I may be an aberration.

Tomorrow we move to BCV - hopefully pixie dust will follow!

Was the room ready at 7:00am? If you check-in at 7:00am, about the only way you will get a room right away is if it was empty the night before. The housekeepers are not on duty that early. So if it was empty the night before, chances are it's not a prime location.

 

[Slakk]

Was the room ready at 7:00am? If you check-in at 7:00am, about the only way you will get a room right away is if it was empty the night before. The housekeepers are not on duty that early. So if it was empty the night before, chances are it's not a prime location.

Actually we were told there were no other choices for the day and this was our pre-assigned room - as I said we are not picky so I really did not care at the time. I learned my lesson though - I will no longer just take whatever is available. I am sure had I pressed the front desk I could have found another studio that would have opened up later on but I never wanted to be one of those people - I am now!

The room sucks (and not just location) but more than anything it is the 180 in attitude at VWL - maybe January is just a friendlier time but the attitudes we have experienced make me happy that I have used all of our VWL points through 2008 and THAT makes me sad. It has not ruined our trip but it certainly was unexpected.

Hopefully by 2009 I will be ready to come back

 

[goofydad99]

We stayed for the first time at BCV. Since we drive we usually do a crash and burn resort the night before. We had the dining plan this trip so we checked into BCV around 8 in the morning. We were immediately given our room. We didn't have any requests other than nonsmoking. We were very pleased with the room and service we received while we were there. Our only problem was we had to eventually go "home".......

 

[tink_about_it]

OK...so how's this work? If we check in and there is no room ready, what do we do with the luggage if we want to go exploring? Do we just leave it in the van and wait or give it to bell services? I would hate to wait for my luggage if they don't bring it once we get our room....hmmm

 

[tjkraz]

OK...so how's this work? If we check in and there is no room ready, what do we do with the luggage if we want to go exploring? Do we just leave it in the van and wait or give it to bell services? I would hate to wait for my luggage if they don't bring it once we get our room....hmmm

You can leave it with bell services if you wish. They will NOT deliver automatically. You will have to call when you get to your room and they will bring it when they can (first come, first served). Tipping is also expected--typically $1-2 per bag.

If you have a car available and don't mind hauling your own luggage to the room, you are welcome to leave the bags in the vehicle until you arrive at the room.

Despite all of the Room Ready talk, remember that check-in time is 4pm and the resort is under no obligation to get you into a room before that time. Make sure that you have your schedule planned out in anticipation of NOT getting into the room until after 4pm. In other words, booking a dining reservation at Victoria and Alberts for 5pm on your arrival day would probably not be wise.

 

[tink_about_it]

Thanks, Tim! I figured as much! We have no ADR's for the first day. We're taking it easy...probably just explore our "home"...We have to also exchange our vouchers. Where is the best place to do that when staying at OKW?

 

[tjkraz]

Thanks, Tim! I figured as much! We have no ADR's for the first day. We're taking it easy...probably just explore our "home"...We have to also exchange our vouchers. Where is the best place to do that when staying at OKW?

AP vouchers?

If so, the only place to activate them is at the Guest Relations desk at the 4 theme parks or Downtown Disney. The DTD location is usually a good one. IIRC, it's located near Arribas in the Marketplace. Epcot's International Gateway is another good location, but it's not particularly convenient from OKW.

Magic Kingdom Guest Relations usually has the longest line.

 

[tink_about_it]

Yes..AP vouchers...Thanks! This is exactly the info. I needed. I'm copying into my plan!

 

[Snookies]

In fact, we have never seen the room ready policy being used.
I'm not complaining, as I like the assigned method better.

MG

Ditto Maistre Gracey and Granny. To the best of my knowledge, our unit has always been preassigned.

Despite all of the Room Ready talk, remember that check-in time is 4pm and the resort is under no obligation to get you into a room before that time. Make sure that you have your schedule planned out in anticipation of NOT getting into the room until after 4pm. In other words, booking a dining reservation at Victoria and Alberts for 5pm on your arrival day would probably not be wise.

Just a second to tjkraz's answer. Anecdotally, we have never had a unit ready before 4pm. Usually, I plan arrival day so that we're not arriving on property until 4 or after, but when we do we just keep our stuff in the rental while we charge off to do whatever. An off-topic aside: if memory serves, check in time at the Disneyland Hotel is 3pm. Based on past experience, I think I would actually have a heart attack if our room was every ready before 3pm at DLH.

 

[crisi]

My experience has been exactly the opposite of Snookies.

We are always assigned a room when we get there - or at least, that's what I assume the CM is doing pushing all those buttons back there (why does Disney check in take so long? - any other hotel its a three minute deal. At Disney it seems like I might as well send the kids to the pool for a swim.) Its never appeared to me that they've given us a pre-assigned room (though its quite possible the room has been preassigned and they've been moving us around for God only knows what reason - or that the room is preassigned and all that button pushing and hemming "let's see" has nothing about finding me a room). This even seemed to be the case back before "room ready" was announced as a policy.

But we've always gotten into the room when we've gotten there - if that is at 11:00 or 2:00 - we've never arrived after four.

But, we've NEVER gotten a location request.

We always stay at the Boardwalk.

 

[jdg345]

That's a great question ... why *does* check-in take so long?

 

[lisaviolet]

I don't believe in the "Room Ready". I have been told multiple times that the rooms are already selected. I have also been the in HC rooms checking in at 2:00pm. I don't believe in such a thing.

I've taken nine DVC trips. I've stayed at every DVC resort with the exception of VB. I have had "room ready" or its twin sister "awfully big coincidence" I'd say 8 out of the 9 times. And often with multiple offers. I always arrive early.

 

[lisaviolet]

Ah...that could be it! We always check in on Sundays so that's why we have had pre-assigned rooms. Makes sense..thanks.

So weird. 90% of our check-ins have been on a Sunday and I've almost always felt the room we got, immediately at check-in, was simply "room ready".

 

[lisaviolet]

From what I understood, and again it may be pure conjecture, the rooms for room ready would be the inventory that they have not preassigned--rooms that would not be occupied, but are clean and ready. If you have a reservation your room would be preassigned, but if when you check in they have one of these non-assigned, but clean rooms ready then you may opt for that. Then your preassigned room would become an available room and when finished cleaning would become part of the room ready inventory.

Okay. This could definitely explain the vastly different experiences. Maybe this "inventory" is gone very early in the morning and that's why I've been so lucky. I've arrived anywhere from 7:30 - 11:00.

 

[goofydad99]

Despite all of the Room Ready talk, remember that check-in time is 4pm and the resort is under no obligation to get you into a room before that time. Make sure that you have your schedule planned out in anticipation of NOT getting into the room until after 4pm. In other words, booking a dining reservation at Victoria and Alberts for 5pm on your arrival day would probably not be wise.

I agree with this completely! We checked in early because we wanted to have access to the dining plan that was on our reservation. We were going to go to MGM and catch the end of the F&G festival in Epcot. That was our plan for the day. We never made it over to MGM until late because once we went into our villa, none of us wanted to leave!!

 

[nsalz]

I'm not sure what you all are talking about.... we have arrived at VB, BWV, BCV, and HHI with no requests and we almost always get the room ready reception. At 10 am to 11 am. If a room is ready that meets your requests then you get it. That is my experience over the last 11 years.

Absolutely agree

 

[manning]

I saw someone running around with a big net and I asked him what he was doing. He told me he was chasing "room ready".

 

[tink_about_it]

OK...anyone ever been given a room EARLY and then asked if you could wait for a room that is closer to your request? What kind of reaction would you get from the CM if you do/did?

 

[Sammie]

OK...anyone ever been given a room EARLY and then asked if you could wait for a room that is closer to your request? What kind of reaction would you get from the CM if you do/did?

If you are willing to wait, they truly do not care.