Room ready frustration

[Wakey]

The after 4 policy is a change implemented without member consultation by DVC because they were not getting rooms cleaned early enough.
I haven’t checked recently but at one time last year, some home resort rules and regs still said before 4, and the website said something different to the app.
It is reasonable that a room is available by 4. It is not reasonable it is ready at 7pm.

 

[tjkraz]

The use of the word “claim” is unnecessary. Why would people lie? Are you attempting to prove the guest is responsible for the late checkin- cause that’s the vibe your questions are giving. I’ll refrain from answering in this case.

You're reading far too much into it. Curious to see there are any patterns to the issues. Is it a recurring problem with certain resorts4 or room types? Are people using / not using online check-in having better results? How detailed are requests? Are there consistent problems with weekend arrivals, weekdays arrivals, both?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

To the people who claim to routinely get late access to rooms, I'd be curious to hear the following details about some of those visits:

- Which resort was booked?

- What size and type of villa was booked (Standard Studio, Lake View One Bedroom, etc.)?

- On what day of the week was your arrival when problems experienced?

- What requests were listed on your reservation?

- Did you complete online check-in prior to arriving?

For the longest time I had most of the room ready texts on my phone and could have screen shot them for you but space eventually required I clean things up.

However, it's been 2BR's in our stays at BLT and BCV. Both times BLT was at the 5:45-6PM mark when we could head to the room. BCV was 6PM the first time and 5:15-5:30 the second time.
VGC studios are pretty consistently 4:15-4:45 pm but not always. A greater percentage are after 4 than before however.

A couple others thrown in that were 1BR's I believe. VWL and BWV.

My favorite was one the second time at BLT when they had told us it was being cleaned and would be ready very soon. We went out to do a few things and returned around 4:30 to the resort. Same report - very soon. After sitting around for 45+ minutes and we were at 5:30PM or so I went to the desk again. The CM started out with accusing my phone provider as likely being the problem and that they were partnered with AT&T. Since my phone was an AT&T we went on to the next "reason". At that point they looked at the system and saw the room was marked as still being cleaned - 2-3 hours after it was "almost ready". Finally a front desk CM went to investigate and discovered the room was done and housekeeping had been out of it for quite some time. They however had not completed their final task of logging it as ready.

 

[Madame]

You're reading far too much into it. Curious to see there are any patterns to the issues. Is it a recurring problem with certain resorts4 or room types? Are people using / not using online check-in having better results? How detailed are requests? Are there consistent problems with weekend arrivals, weekdays arrivals, both?

Your use of the word claim indicates otherwise. I speak multiple languages. Word choice matters.

 

[tjkraz]

Your use of the word claim indicates otherwise. I speak multiple languages. Word choice matters.

Sigh.

Yes, it was poorly worded. I explained my intent. It's an internet discussion board--I don't always proofread every syllable before clicking submit. If you choose not to accept my explanation, so be it.

Honestly, I think we're both better than this.

 

[k_hase]

My late rooms have been at BCV, BWV, AKV, and SSR. One bedrooms mostly, sometimes two bedrooms. Typical check in on Saturday or Sunday (I know, busy). No room requests, trips in January, February, May, August, and November. Online check in via the app.

That "almost ready" thing bugs me too. Almost ready means I should hang around the lobby, but almost ready on this trip really meant another hour, and on our previous trip was over 2 hours.

I'm not asking for big changes, I'm asking for consistency. A drop dead time. I'll plan accordingly. This was my first time arriving so early in the day, we usually aim for late afternoon, but I'd hoped for the good luck room this time.

 

[Madame]

Sigh.

Yes, it was poorly worded. I explained my intent. It's an internet discussion board--I don't always proofread every syllable before clicking submit. If you choose not to accept my explanation, so be it.

Honestly, I think we're both better than this.

Sure thing.

 

[Deb & Bill]

To the people who claim to routinely get late access to rooms, I'd be curious to hear the following details about some of those visits:

- Which resort was booked?

- What size and type of villa was booked (Standard Studio, Lake View One Bedroom, etc.)?

- On what day of the week was your arrival when problems experienced?

- What requests were listed on your reservation?

- Did you complete online check-in prior to arriving?

Add what time of the year were you booking? If during Fall Frenzy, getting a villa early is not going to be that easy. Late January, early May, maybe a bit easier. Holidays are also going to be more heavily booked, so getting a cleaned villa may take longer. Plus the resorts are at the mercy of the housekeepers. If they are having a hard time keeping staff or getting staff, the ones who are there have a harder job.

Our latest villa was almost 6PM on New Year's Day. And we needed a lockoff two bedroom a few days later, but we first had a couple of nights in a one bedroom that we didn't want to leave to get into the two bedroom. So the lateness was due to our request and the holiday (and the guests who didn't check out on time and left an awful mess to clean up).

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Disney must love us. We generally arrive at night. Once we arrived at wilderness lodge after midnight and they upgraded us big time (not dvc). I did not even realize we had been upgraded until we stepped into the room. Wow. That was a great trip.

 

[Lewisc]

Some hotels don't allow early check in, even if the room is ready. Some charge guests for early checkin
Just saying

 

[zavandor]

The after 4 policy is a change implemented without member consultation by DVC because they were not getting rooms cleaned early enough.
I haven’t checked recently but at one time last year, some home resort rules and regs still said before 4, and the website said something different to the app.
It is reasonable that a room is available by 4. It is not reasonable it is ready at 7pm.

That's not a policy change.
I have explicitly asked about it to MS via email, to have a response in writing, and they told me that check in is at 4pm, but that cannot be guaranteed because of unforeseen circumstances. Which makes it exactly like the hotel side or cash stays, where check in is at 3pm but it's not guaranteed either.
They didn't change the policy, they changed the wording hoping fewer people would complain. Which is honestly a stroke of genius.

The resort has to aim to have the rooms ready by 4pm, we pay for this with our dues. If it happens too often then corrections must be made. And when it happens the resort should first of all apologise, then offer some form of compensation which could be as little as a drink or a FP or some resort credit in extreme cases.

 

[Wakey]

That's not a policy change.
I have explicitly asked about it to MS via email, to have a response in writing, and they told me that check in is at 4pm, but that cannot be guaranteed because of unforeseen circumstances. Which makes it exactly like the hotel side or cash stays, where check in is at 3pm but it's not guaranteed either.
They didn't change the policy, they changed the wording hoping fewer people would complain. Which is honestly a stroke of genius.

The resort has to aim to have the rooms ready by 4pm, we pay for this with our dues. If it happens too often then corrections must be made. And when it happens the resort should first of all apologise, then offer some form of compensation which could be as little as a drink or a FP or some resort credit in extreme cases.

That is interesting, wording change but policy remains the same, wording changed to cut down complaints. Now tell me why I am not surprised.......

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That's not a policy change.
I have explicitly asked about it to MS via email, to have a response in writing, and they told me that check in is at 4pm, but that cannot be guaranteed because of unforeseen circumstances. Which makes it exactly like the hotel side or cash stays, where check in is at 3pm but it's not guaranteed either.
They didn't change the policy, they changed the wording hoping fewer people would complain. Which is honestly a stroke of genius.

The resort has to aim to have the rooms ready by 4pm, we pay for this with our dues. If it happens too often then corrections must be made. And when it happens the resort should first of all apologise, then offer some form of compensation which could be as little as a drink or a FP or some resort credit in extreme cases.

I have been told at least twice by different front desks that the policy is "after 4". If DVC has a different policy in mind then they should not have the wording that they do because the resorts fall back on it. There's a difference between they can't guarantee it vs stating that the policy says "after 4". I was not complaining, just checking and was told to "not expect the room until after 4PM because that was the policy".

 

[Wakey]

We need to see the official line on this- as clearly conflicting info given.

 

[zavandor]

I have been told at least twice by different front desks that the policy is "after 4". If DVC has a different policy in mind then they should not have the wording that they do because the resorts fall back on it. There's a difference between they can't guarantee it vs stating that the policy says "after 4". I was not complaining, just checking and was told to "not expect the room until after 4PM because that was the policy".

4pm and 1 second is "after 4pm". So I expect that the room is ready at that time.
Otherwise it would mean that the room is not guaranteed at all. For a 2 weeks long vacation, giving you a room 13 days after the supposed check in date would still comply with the "anytime after 4pm" interpretation.
That is clearly and hyperbole, however, would 11:59pm be acceptable? It's still after 4pm, so we shouldn't complain?

 

[Chrisizzle]

For what it is worth, we finally hear the opinion of the ‘professionals.’ Pete Werner touched on DVC check-in time in the latest DVC Resort Review.

“We got there fairly early in the day. The room did not become available until just before 4 O’Clock. We don’t ding them for that because check-in is at 4:00. We ding them if it goes after 4 o’clock but not before.”

And as an overall statement for their ‘Seven DVC Reviews in Seven Weeks’ series, “There was only one resort... ... that did not have the room ready in time.”

Link here to see the statement:

 

[Wakey]

For what it is worth, we finally hear the opinion of the ‘professionals.’ Pete Werner touched on DVC check-in time in the latest DVC Resort Review.

“We got there fairly early in the day. The room did not become available until just before 4 O’Clock. We don’t ding them for that because check-in is at 4:00. We ding them if it goes after 4 o’clock but not before.”

And as an overall statement for their ‘Seven DVC Reviews in Seven Weeks’ series, “There was only one resort... ... that did not have the room ready in time.”

Link here to see the statement:

It was Saratoga that wasn’t ready by the looks of it. I’m dreading the Saratoga review as it’s also pre refurb and the rooms will be fantastic post refurb, but are v tired now. I’m hoping they go back post refurb and do another out of fairness.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I almost never get the texts either - and yes, I check the number, and I've never been able to understand why. I think I've gotten one "room is ready" text over the years, ever (and I've visited at least annually almost every year of my life.)

I don't think they're sending them. I almost always have to call or go in person to the desk to see if the room is available only to find it is and no one's notified me. I don't trust the texts at all based on my experience with them.

Our experience as well. The annoying thing has been waiting until well past 4 pm, checking with the front desk, and being told “Your room was ready 2 hours ago. Didn’t you pay attention to the text message?” Now I check at the front desk when we arrive, even though we always check in online, verify the cell number (although it hasn’t really helped), go to a park, and check again when we return later in the day, hoping that the room will finally be available.

 

[DSLRuser]

meh..... on both the hotel side and dvc side.......never had an issue with this. many times it is ready when i arrive....many times i have to wait an hour or three........never have i had to wait past 4pm or when my check in was after 4pm

 

[sndral]

...Our latest villa was almost 6PM on New Year's Day. And we needed a lockoff two bedroom a few days later, but we first had a couple of nights in a one bedroom that we didn't want to leave to get into the two bedroom. So the lateness was due to our request and the holiday (and the guests who didn't check out on time and left an awful mess to clean up).

Mmm... we’re checking into a 1 br. on 1/1/20, I’ll plan for a possible delay in getting into the villa.
I typically arrive after 4 pm as I’m flying from the west coast & seem to always have my room ready text pop up when I land at MCO & take the phone off of airplane mode. The few times we’ve done split stays the second villa has generally been available mid day/afternoon before 4 pm. Guess we’ve been lucky