Room ready frustration

[gwensgoofy]

The rooms are ready on time. The issue is people’s expectation that it will be ready early when in plain English it says after 4pm.

After 4pm means what? As long as it's before 11:59pm all is ok and no one can complain? I agree with others, it's an incredible bonus to get a room before 4pm. But getting a room after 5pm is a disappointment. We arrive early because of flight schedule and plan a pool day on our check in day to avoid problems. But we also leave early because of the flight schedule, and always stop at the front desk so they know we are leaving and get let housekeeping know.

 

[Madame]

Over 6 different stays in 2019 we’ve not had a room ready before 4:00. I’ve learned to live with it, but don’t like it.

 

[SL6827]

Ya, Disney has the ball way too far into their court with their hypocritical stance on this. You must be out by a certain time, but we don't have to get you in by a certain time.

 

[brewcrew]

About a year back, we had a 2 bedroom reservation at BLT. We got there at 5 but the room wasn't available. Around 6:30, went to the front desk and they stated the room still wasn't ready yet. She checked for another 2 bedroom at BLT was available and moved us to that room.

My question, when you make the reservation, does DVC automatically assign you a room number in their system? Or is it later when you check in? Its seems that you are already assigned a room number prior to checkin. When "that" room is ready, they let you occupy that room. Any thoughts?

 

[Deb & Bill]

About a year back, we had a 2 bedroom reservation at BLT. We got there at 5 but the room wasn't available. Around 6:30, went to the front desk and they stated the room still wasn't ready yet. She checked for another 2 bedroom at BLT was available and moved us to that room.

My question, when you make the reservation, does DVC automatically assign you a room number in their system? Or is it later when you check in? Its seems that you are already assigned a room number prior to checkin. When "that" room is ready, they let you occupy that room. Any thoughts?

Every guest is assigned a room by the room assigner before they arrive. But if a problem shows up with that room, they may be switched to a different room.

 

[Simba's Mom]

My question, when you make the reservation, does DVC automatically assign you a room number in their system? Or is it later when you check in? Its seems that you are already assigned a room number prior to checkin. When "that" room is ready, they let you occupy that room. Any thoughts?

Yes, they used to do "room ready", which gave you whatever room was ready when you got there. I don't know why they stopped that, but apparently at some point they did.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yes, they used to do "room ready", which gave you whatever room was ready when you got there. I don't know why they stopped that, but apparently at some point they did.

You can still select Room Ready with your online check in. So you get a room that is ready when or shortly after you arrive. But it might not have the view you want. They don't want people requesting a change just because they don't like the room they were assigned. It means they have to go back to the room that was assigned and maybe reclean it. That's why DVC charges a cleaning fee (or at least they used to) to change a room assignment because you didn't like it, not because there was a problem with the room.

 

[brewcrew]

You can still select Room Ready with your online check in. So you get a room that is ready when or shortly after you arrive. But it might not have the view you want. They don't want people requesting a change just because they don't like the room they were assigned. It means they have to go back to the room that was assigned and maybe reclean it. That's why DVC charges a cleaning fee (or at least they used to) to change a room assignment because you didn't like it, not because there was a problem with the room.

Based on the responses:
1. Select "Room Ready" (no room preferences) to possibly have a better chance of getting into a room at 4pm
2. Specifying a room preferences (higher floor, close to evelator, etc) might lessen your chance of getting into a room at 4pm
Correct?

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

We've called and let them know when we had delayed flights and were going to be late checking in. Hopefully it got someone who was already there in their room sooner.

 

[Chuck S]

Based on the responses:
1. Select "Room Ready" (no room preferences) to possibly have a better chance of getting into a room at 4pm
2. Specifying a room preferences (higher floor, close to evelator, etc) might lessen your chance of getting into a room at 4pm
Correct?

That will vary resort by resort, room type, and upon the turnover of rooms on your arrival day . If you check-in to DVC resort on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, expect delays getting your room. I usually check-in mid-week and while my room isn't usually ready when I arrive, I usually get in by 2pm.

 

[ljcrochet]

About a year back, we had a 2 bedroom reservation at BLT. We got there at 5 but the room wasn't available. Around 6:30, went to the front desk and they stated the room still wasn't ready yet. She checked for another 2 bedroom at BLT was available and moved us to that room.

Our first stay as DVC members we started in a studio, followed by a one bedroom and final night in a studio. My FIL was there when we were in the one bedroom, so he had our reservations links so we would be close by. FIL left and we went to the parks, got back and asked if our room was ready since my daughter who was 3 at the time wasn't feeling good. They were trying to put is in a room in the Paddock section. and it wasn't ready. I said i didn't care where just wanted to get into a room. The CM got us into a room that was so run down it was like being in a different resort that the prior nights.

From that experience, I realized they always assign the room before you get there but if you ask they might be able to switch you to an available room.
Luckily we always plan our first day at a park, so we aren't waiting around for the room.

 

[AKVHutch]

I've rarely had a lot of trouble checking in. The only resort that we consistently have waited until 4 or later is Bolder Ridge. I can't recall ever having to wait often at Jambo House. We haven't been able to get a room at Beach Club, so can't comment on that one. But Kidani, SSR, Jambo, Copper Creek, BWV, HHI, OKW have all had our rooms ready when we arrived.

 

[bumbershoot]

Here I am, at Beach Club since 9:15AM, at 4:45 without a room.

I sincerely hope you weren’t just sitting there all day.

I’ve done similar when Jambo messed us up, and it was such a mistake. So much of our frustration was caused by our own decision to wait.

If the individual rooms take longer to clean, you have a larger contingent of cleaning staff to manage it.

That’s not how timeshares work.

If I offered to take the next available room like the OP did, I'd be livid waiting all day.

Offering doesn’t make one available. Villas are assigned to people. The ones that were ready in between had people attached to them already.

The last few times we've stayed the sofa bed wasn't made.

Weird. Their procedure is to make the sofabeds.

I still don't think it takes significantly longer to clean a 1 bedroom compared to two hotel rooms, but I'm confident Disney knows for sure.

My aunt has been a housekeeper at hotels and at a timeshare. Timeshares are *very* time consuming to clean.

 

[eporter66]

We arrived on 8/24 (Sat) at SSR around 12:45 and our room was ready for us. As a matter of fact, I got the text for our room assignment while waiting for the ME at MCO. I know it can be frustrating, so I'll assume we were lucky. Our groceries were also waiting for us, and I think I had the window of delivery from 3-5, so we had a good start to our vacation

 

[James Rhoades]

something must have changed because in 2018 and prior, I never had issues. If I stated that I'd arrive at 1pm, my room would be ready. However, my past 3 trips, the room has been ready between 4-415 even though I informed them I would be there earlier. I never got mad bc I understand checkin is at 4, but if I had to wait anything longer...

 

[Ms.Minnie]

Getting mad won't get you a room any faster it will just frustrate you and make for a bad start to your vacation. We have had both experiences, we have gotten our room at time of arrival and we have had to wait. In the end we got a room and we had a good vacation. I know it can be frustrating to wait past the 4PM window but there really isn't much you can do about it except to try and relax and make the most of your time. Make lemonade out of lemons...

 

[TavieP]

The rooms are ready on time. The issue is people’s expectation that it will be ready early when in plain English it says after 4pm.

Not always, in my experience. It's galling to arrive at 9 AM, patiently wait all day, and at 6 pm still have no room ready. Has happened to me more than once at DVC properties.

 

[stewart715]

Not always, in my experience. It's galling to arrive at 9 AM, patiently wait all day, and at 6 pm still have no room ready. Has happened to me more than once at DVC properties.

The thing is though, what I said isn't false or true. Maybe that's the problem? They say after 4pm but have no guaranteed time. That's kinda a problem, I wonder if it's something that can change.

 

[TavieP]

The thing is though, what I said isn't false or true. Maybe that's the problem? They say after 4pm but have no guaranteed time. That's kinda a problem, I wonder if it's something that can change.

I think you hit the nail on the head. They're not lying, and I think they have every hope that they'll have the room ready reasonably close to 4, but it just doesn't happen as much as I'd like, in my experience. They should staff up, or be frank: "4 pm is a guideline, you might not have a room until 11 pm."

 

[tjkraz]

Regardless of the language used, if they don't have a room, they don't have a room. Timeshares operate at or near 100% occupancy.

Anecdotally, I don't believe late room access happens very often. At least, not when you consider there are currently about 6000 DVC villas at WDW alone. We've gotten our room late once in 15+ years and my own circle of friends report similar experiences.

Staffing issues may play a role at times. However, there's no logic in deliberately understaffing when it only leads to unhappy guests and compensation payments. Oh, and DVC owners foot the bill for housekeeping.

More likely, the biggest culprits are maintenance needs which take several hours to resolve between guests. Could be something as simple as a carpet cleaning that takes time to dry. Or it could be plumbing issues, electrical, appliance that needs replaced, etc.