Rooms now being assigned by computer

[psac]

My DH, who is a computer engineer, thinks that it would not be difficult for DVC or Disney is general, to allow people to book rooms like they do on cruise ships or airplane seats, by showing you a diagram of what is available at the time you book, and allow you to select and lock-in a room. I am not convinced though, that they'd get maximum occupancy/efficiency that way.

I agree with your last sentence -- it's not the technology, it's the different booking model. With a cruise, everyone is set to stay exactly the same week. With a hotel, people are checking in and out all the time. What happens if you book a room from May 1-7. Then someone else books that room May 7 (check in)-10. Now you need to extend your trip an extra day. Do you pick a totally new room, or move for that one night? Or what if you shorten your stay one night, does that room stay empty for the night?

The booking algorithms can be much more flexible without specific rooms being booked in advance.

 

[bicker]

My DH, who is a computer engineer, thinks that it would not be difficult for DVC or Disney is general, to allow people to book rooms like they do on cruise ships or airplane seats, by showing you a diagram of what is available at the time you book, and allow you to select and lock-in a room. I am not convinced though, that they'd get maximum occupancy/efficiency that way.

No only that, but it ignores the fact that Disney offers their rooms for rent through various reservations services, not just their own system, which poses both technical and marketing barriers to your DH's idea.

 

[GrammyJudy]

How will the computer handle requests made for medical reasons?

 

[maxiesmom]

How will the computer handle requests made for medical reasons?

For medical requests you should go thru the special services department. That is the only way to guarantee a specific room type because of a medical need. If you just put it on your reservation it is treated the same as any other request. Just that, a request.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I agree with your last sentence -- it's not the technology, it's the different booking model. With a cruise, everyone is set to stay exactly the same week. With a hotel, people are checking in and out all the time. What happens if you book a room from May 1-7. Then someone else books that room May 7 (check in)-10. Now you need to extend your trip an extra day. Do you pick a totally new room, or move for that one night? Or what if you shorten your stay one night, does that room stay empty for the night?

The booking algorithms can be much more flexible without specific rooms being booked in advance.

Actually, some hotels already allow you to do this, usually on check-in. The algorithm for that wouldn't be difficult; no more difficult than knowing what rooms are occupied at the time.

 

[Mindy5767]

I agree with your last sentence -- it's not the technology, it's the different booking model. With a cruise, everyone is set to stay exactly the same week. With a hotel, people are checking in and out all the time. What happens if you book a room from May 1-7. Then someone else books that room May 7 (check in)-10. Now you need to extend your trip an extra day. Do you pick a totally new room, or move for that one night? Or what if you shorten your stay one night, does that room stay empty for the night?

The booking algorithms can be much more flexible without specific rooms being booked in advance.

Oh, I agree. That's why I didn't think you'd get maximum efficiency because on a cruise or airplane, everyone has the same arrival and departure. If you let people select their rooms like that, you might have a 3 night stay, blocking efficient use of a room for a 2 week stay. That system would only work if it were like most time shares or condo resort rentals where EVERYONE checks in on Sunday and leaves on Saturday (or whichever day is customary at that resort) and only weekly rentals are offered. If rentals are offers for shorter stays, it requires much more planning. Its tetris like. We used to rent a beach house in Rehoboth Beach every year. We had to check in on a Saturday afternoon and we left the following Saturday morning. We didn't have the option of renting for less time, but we got to choose the unit of our choice.

 

[onelilspark]

1) It is about time.
2) It will surely cut down on the amount of picky room requests.
3) And complaints.

4) This has been a thorn to WDW for a very long time.
5) People pay for a room category.
6) As long as the room meets that category (and there lots of new ones), it should be accepted.
7) After all, an individual room should not be a vacation deal breaker.
8) Few other hotels allow such room requests, and now Disney is finally following suit.
. . . it causes a lot of complaints and guest whining
. . . it requires one heck of a lot of extra manpower at ressie time, assignment and check-in time
. . . it creates open room nights trying fit all the requests

EDIT: Of course, CM's at the desk will try to accommodate last minute requests - when possible. I think this is the best change in the ressie system ever made. It will also cut out the faxing of requests to the resorts, since computers can't read. Of course, it might mean the ROOMS assigners now have a different type of job, and maybe some re-assignments (but we will know soon enough).

Unless of course you're traveling with your cousin and get put in a king room. That's kind of a deal-breaker.

 

[bicker]

Unless of course you're traveling with your cousin and get put in a king room. That's kind of a deal-breaker.

If that's the case, you'd be better off booking somewhere that gives you a guarantee that you'll get the room configured one way or the other. The deal-breaker must logically be part of the offer-and-acceptance.

 

[hildarumpole]

After the hassle we had with human error in our room assignment on our last trip, I'm all for the computer system. We never make special requests, but do expect to get a room in the category we reserve that accomodates my family of 5. It should be a breeze to assign our room, but apparently that wasn't the case for the person who picked our room and disregarded all the pertinent reservation information. The room assignor didn't paint herself in glory with the myriad of excuses, lies, and knuckleheadedness for a full 20 minutes. The CL CM was patient and kind. Fortunately, the CL manager stepped in and saved us from 10 days of roll-aways crammed in a smaller than average room. Within 15 seconds of his intervention, we had a room in our reserved category that did not require anyone to sleep on a roll-away. Why it had to be such a pain-in-the-neck is beyond me. The resort wasn't even close to being booked, and CL was like a mausoleum.

 

[sndral]

My DH, who is a computer engineer, thinks that it would not be difficult for DVC or Disney is general, to allow people to book rooms like they do on cruise ships or airplane seats, by showing you a diagram of what is available at the time you book, and allow you to select and lock-in a room. I am not convinced though, that they'd get maximum occupancy/efficiency that way.

The campground I've stayed @ for years has a system where you book your campsite based on what's available for the days you want to be there - it's great, I know exactly which campsites I'll be in when I book. They have different categories and prices and people arriving and leaving on different days - so it can be done technically. I doubt that Disney wants that much transparency, tho', according to their 4th quarter earnings report resort occupancy is down another 1% to 83%.

 

[maxiesmom]

The campground I've stayed @ for years has a system where you book your campsite based on what's available for the days you want to be there - it's great, I know exactly which campsites I'll be in when I book. They have different categories and prices and people arriving and leaving on different days - so it can be done technically. I doubt that Disney wants that much transparency, tho', according to their 4th quarter earnings report resort occupancy is down another 1% to 83%.

I don't think it has anything to do with transparancy. I don't think Disney wants to deal with the hassle of guests having to switch rooms in order to stay for the length of time they want. Which is what happens when you have campgrounds that list each lot seperately. And it is a huge hassle!

The campgrounds that book that way around here book 6 months out, and you have to book your site 6 months out. Or else you can only get 2 night in this lot, 2 nights in that lot, 1 night over in that lot.I can't see booking room 1411 for 3 nights, then having to go to room 1311, because room 1411 is only available for 3 nights and I want to stay for 4 nights.

 

[sndral]

I don't think it has anything to do with transparancy. I don't think Disney wants to deal with the hassle of guests having to switch rooms in order to stay for the length of time they want. Which is what happens when you have campgrounds that list each lot seperately. And it is a huge hassle!

The campgrounds that book that way around here book 6 months out, and you have to book your site 6 months out. Or else you can only get 2 night in this lot, 2 nights in that lot, 1 night over in that lot.I can't see booking room 1411 for 3 nights, then having to go to room 1311, because room 1411 is only available for 3 nights and I want to stay for 4 nights.

Mmm, hadn't thought of that, and you are right, if you don't book @ exactly 6 mo.s good luck getting a week @ the favorite campsites, you are forced to grab a site which still has availability for the whole time you want to be there if you don't want to move around.

 

[lovethattink]

Unless of course you're traveling with your cousin and get put in a king room. That's kind of a deal-breaker.

That is exactly what happened to littlebelle1997 a few years ago at Pop. She was traveling alone with her step son and they were given a king bed when they checked in late at night. They were unable to switch their room that first night. I think they brought in a cot, but then there wasn't enough room to get around in her skooter. Separate beds were mentioned on the reservation, and that was when there was a scheduler. So these things happened before too.

 

[Mom loves Disney]

When we checked in at ASMusic one year they gave me a party of four a king room!! It took a good 45 min and a downgrade to get a new room.

 

[Mindy5767]

When we checked in at ASMusic one year they gave me a party of four a king room!! It took a good 45 min and a downgrade to get a new room.

Well, there simply is no excuse for that. Clearly, a king room sleeps 2. A King suite sleeps 4. All Stars has no King suites, but they do have those family suites, but those are a totally different category. When you book most hotels online, which i do often, if you accidentally click on a king room, and you show your party has more than 2 people, it tells you "Error!". In this instance, a computer would not make the same mistake because it would be programed to match the number of guests in the party to the occupancy of the room. As long as the data input is good. it should work. We often take a king suite at Comfort Suites at other locations other than Disney and we love them. I don't know if Disney has a Comfort Suites nearby? They must because every other hotel is there. I'm just not sure I'd be willing to give up being "on property"! I'm DIS spoiled.

 

[bicker]

The campground I've stayed @ for years has a system where you book your campsite based on what's available for the days you want to be there - it's great, I know exactly which campsites I'll be in when I book.

What's the name of it? I'll try to book it through Expedia and see how well that translates through the reservations system.

I doubt that Disney wants that much transparency, tho', according to their 4th quarter earnings report resort occupancy is down another 1% to 83%.

Still higher than anything else in the area.

 

[pampam]

1% to 83%. That's quite a range. It doesn't sound accurate at all.

 

[bicker]

I believe sndral was saying that it dropped 1% during the quarter, from 82% to 83%.

For reference, average nationwide is around 58%.

 

[rodkenrich]

,

 

[mcd2745]

My DH, who is a computer engineer, thinks that it would not be difficult for DVC or Disney is general, to allow people to book rooms like they do on cruise ships or airplane seats, by showing you a diagram of what is available at the time you book, and allow you to select and lock-in a room. I am not convinced though, that they'd get maximum occupancy/efficiency that way.

I still believe it can be done - like your DH. However, let's assume for the moment that it can not be done at the time of booking. However, there is absolutely no way anyone could convince me that it couldn't be done within 10 days of your arrival. So how about being able to pick from available rooms if/when you do online check-in? That seems to be a solution that should work for everyone.