So, explain these "security checks" to me, please?

It's hard to say because no hotel chain has message boards like this. I do know I looked very carefully at the terms and conditions of a few offsite places we like and sure enough, they had all added "Housekeeping must service the room daily" Now, that's fine if they are being respectful of timing. Let's hope!

I always get housekeeping except when we do the "condo" route. This was our first time to see how it went. Aside from the checks; I didn't like the pain of the towels, supplies, bed unmade and the trash routine. When we stay off site we tend to not come back during the day - we are better at our timing and finding rest spots. We actually book more TS with money we saved on hotel, and that is very re-energizing. AND they certainly can't track me with my MB and meet me at my door - so they have plenty of time to do their thing. I am fine with them going in to clean the room and look around ... I'm not okay with them wanting to be in the room with me or refusing to give us quiet time.
 
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I agree with @HopperFan - we LIKE housekeeping daily. But I don't want to be disturbed before we're ready to leave for the day. From what I've read- particularly the Hilton properties, they will check on you if your do not disturb sign is up for more than 24 hours. I have no problem with allowing housekeeping in, but respect my do not disturb sign when it is displayed. And don't show up multiple times per day as a couple of recent reports at Disney.
 
I agree with @HopperFan - we LIKE housekeeping daily. But I don't want to be disturbed before we're ready to leave for the day. From what I've read- particularly the Hilton properties, they will check on you if your do not disturb sign is up for more than 24 hours. I have no problem with allowing housekeeping in, but respect my do not disturb sign when it is displayed. And don't show up multiple times per day as a couple of recent reports at Disney.

Ahh, but you no longer get a Do Not Disturb sign at Disney resorts. :duck:
 


I agree with @HopperFan - we LIKE housekeeping daily. But I don't want to be disturbed before we're ready to leave for the day. From what I've read- particularly the Hilton properties, they will check on you if your do not disturb sign is up for more than 24 hours. I have no problem with allowing housekeeping in, but respect my do not disturb sign when it is displayed. And don't show up multiple times per day as a couple of recent reports at Disney.

This. When I am on vacation, I want to sleep in (especially if I closed out the park the night before!) I would not be happy at ALL to be disturbed at 7:30-8:30 as many of the reports have been. I will be watching future reports closely.
 
There have been some suggestions that perhaps cars and people should go through a security screening as the arrive at the hotel as opposed to random room checks. I have to comment on that for a moment.

I booked a hotel for last night, not knowing that a high level government official would also be staying there. Every car entering the parking lot had to completely unload everything inside. Everything. The hood and all doors had to be opened. Dogs thoroughly sniffed the car from one end to the other while a half dozen security officers inspected it. All suitcases were opened right there on the pavement and searched, and then were x-rayed as well. All people were put through a metal detector and wanded (whether the detector went off or not). Fortunately for me, the VIP is leaving today and things should be back to normal.

This caused a horrific backup of traffic in and around the hotel. I cannot imagine trying to do anything even remotely close to this at Disney. Even if they tried to do half as much, maybe a thorough car search and bag X-ray, there would be traffic backed up everywhere and I would feel sorry for the bus drivers trying to navigate around.

I may not like the room checks from a convenience standpoint, but there are things that are much more inconvenient.
 
There have been some suggestions that perhaps cars and people should go through a security screening as the arrive at the hotel as opposed to random room checks. I have to comment on that for a moment.

I booked a hotel for last night, not knowing that a high level government official would also be staying there. Every car entering the parking lot had to completely unload everything inside. Everything. The hood and all doors had to be opened. Dogs thoroughly sniffed the car from one end to the other while a half dozen security officers inspected it. All suitcases were opened right there on the pavement and searched, and then were x-rayed as well. All people were put through a metal detector and wanded (whether the detector went off or not). Fortunately for me, the VIP is leaving today and things should be back to normal.

This caused a horrific backup of traffic in and around the hotel. I cannot imagine trying to do anything even remotely close to this at Disney. Even if they tried to do half as much, maybe a thorough car search and bag X-ray, there would be traffic backed up everywhere and I would feel sorry for the bus drivers trying to navigate around.

I may not like the room checks from a convenience standpoint, but there are things that are much more inconvenient.
At least if they were doing thorough car checks. With the room checks, I don't think they are involved enough to be of any good at all. In looking at the cost/benefit balance, I'll take a more involved system that actually might accomplish something over the room check system that seems completely worthless to me.
 


Someone from WDW called me yesterday in response to an email I had written with concerns about the new policy.

I won't get into all the details (well I can, it's just a lot to type out) but basically, the rep said that you can tell the Front Desk when you will be napping and they will not knock.

It doesn't seem like that is actually the case based on reports on here. It's also quite hard to believe based on the service level that the WDW hotels provide.

Anyway, other than that, it sounded like a load of lawyer-approved talking points.

We'll be napping in our clothes from now on and I certainly won't be leaving my teen kids in the room alone ever. I'll also make sure my husband is in the room if I jump into the shower in the afternoon.
 
At least if they were doing thorough car checks. With the room checks, I don't think they are involved enough to be of any good at all. In looking at the cost/benefit balance, I'll take a more involved system that actually might accomplish something over the room check system that seems completely worthless to me.

I agree that Disney’s doesn’t seem to go far enough, but there’s something about random security guys with no gloves unpacking my underwear in a hotel parking lot that made me feel really uncomfortable. There was nothing they didn’t see. The bag X-ray should have been sufficient, but they didn’t X-ray until after the bag search. Plus, this was a hotel that is all one building with interior corridors, which many of the Disney hotels are not. They could control all entry and exit through one door. There are also not busloads of people coming into this hotel all day. Imagine the logistics if everyone boarding every bus had to be searched - because if you don’t you have just made the guest car search a joke as well.

When I found out who was staying here, I understood why they did what they did. I also know it’s not the norm here, or I would not book a room here. But having stayed at Disney under the new policies and then going through this, it kind of opened my eyes to how difficult locking down security at Disney would be.
 
Someone from WDW called me yesterday in response to an email I had written with concerns about the new policy.

I won't get into all the details (well I can, it's just a lot to type out) but basically, the rep said that you can tell the Front Desk when you will be napping and they will not knock.

It doesn't seem like that is actually the case based on reports on here. It's also quite hard to believe based on the service level that the WDW hotels provide.

Anyway, other than that, it sounded like a load of lawyer-approved talking points.

We'll be napping in our clothes from now on and I certainly won't be leaving my teen kids in the room alone ever. I'll also make sure my husband is in the room if I jump into the shower in the afternoon.

We were told the opposite by housekeeping when we were trying to get them to come ASAP so we COULD nap - that they would knock when they made it, even if the sign was up.
 
Someone from WDW called me yesterday in response to an email I had written with concerns about the new policy.

I won't get into all the details (well I can, it's just a lot to type out) but basically, the rep said that you can tell the Front Desk when you will be napping and they will not knock.

It doesn't seem like that is actually the case based on reports on here. It's also quite hard to believe based on the service level that the WDW hotels provide.

Anyway, other than that, it sounded like a load of lawyer-approved talking points.

We'll be napping in our clothes from now on and I certainly won't be leaving my teen kids in the room alone ever. I'll also make sure my husband is in the room if I jump into the shower in the afternoon.

Right there was the red flag of .... tell them what they want to hear. If that were the case then they could have saved all this by just not having them knock when the sign is up OR when a guests passes a housekeeper that hasn't done their job that you'd like to take a nap, only to have knocking a short time later ............. and it goes on.
 
I'm reading the other thread about housekeeping not replenishing toiletries and towels. You'd think with all these "security checks" they could at least come in with a bag of toiletries??
 
I keep wondering why Disney doesn't have better solutions to manage the need to make their resorts more secure. Surely a company like Disney, that has deep pockets and access to state of the art technology, would be able to do a better job. Wouldn't it be more prudent for Disney to place security cameras outside each hotel wing and monitor the people coming and going into the rooms?

I'd guess about 90% of people using Disney's resort properties are wearing magic bands. Scanners could be used, just like they are on rides, to determine whether that person belonged at the resort. That would help with human trafficking concerns. I'm not sure what could be effective against a mass shooter scenario.

At certain resorts, in key areas, security cameras are already deployed. More cameras would need to be installed to cover the hallways and wings to provide better monitoring. Of course you would need to hire more staff to monitor those cameras and spending money to do things properly is not a priority these days with Disney. Everything is about pumping up the stock price. Charge more and offer less is the easiest way to pump up profits.

The sad fact of the matter is that Disney is choosing to disturb and violate the privacy expectations of resort guests rather than find more effective ways to balance the need for security versus the experience of the guest. Anything you hear from Guest Services about your concerns on this matter is just lip service. Watching what Disney is actually doing gives away their true intent.


It really makes me wonder about the quality of the management that is in place making these decisions. Performing these rude and invasive room checks definitely erodes the trust that the public has for the Disney brand.

I think we can see a history of Disney not being vested in solving problems effectively at their resorts. Consider all the various groups that are allowed to run wild at certain resorts destroying property and disturbing guests. Disney continues to make the choice to look the other way rather than stop this behavior. Disney Managers have literally told guests who complain that these unruly people "paid for their room too".

That brings it back to my point. Watch what Disney is doing. They are making the choice to NOT effectively solve problems at their resorts because, in my opinion, it involves an investment of money and effort. Management has decided that they can get away with the least effective and most intrusive approach because there is an endless supply of guests who can be duped into putting up with this treatment.

I'm sure there are way more people who don't monitor social media and are not aware that this is going on. They aren't going to post on social media about their experiences when this happens to them. They are however going to carry that experience forward and it will be a consideration when they think about booking their next vacation.

When you come back from a Disney vacation people always ask how was it. I think as soon as people start to add these intrusive room inspections to their vacation reports it's going to make an impact. If this is not the kind of treatment that you support please consider taking your business elsewhere and staying off site.

~NM
 
Right there was the red flag of .... tell them what they want to hear. If that were the case then they could have saved all this by just not having them knock when the sign is up OR when a guests passes a housekeeper that hasn't done their job that you'd like to take a nap, only to have knocking a short time later ............. and it goes on.

Exactly.

You can *ask* the Front Desk for anything, right? You can ask them for a reservation to eat in the castle that night or to take a nap without anyone knocking. Whatever you want! Doesn't mean you are going to get it
 
I keep wondering why Disney doesn't have better solutions to manage the need to make their resorts more secure. Surely a company like Disney, that has deep pockets and access to state of the art technology, would be able to do a better job. Wouldn't it be more prudent for Disney to place security cameras outside each hotel wing and monitor the people coming and going into the rooms?

I'd guess about 90% of people using Disney's resort properties are wearing magic bands. Scanners could be used, just like they are on rides, to determine whether that person belonged at the resort. That would help with human trafficking concerns. I'm not sure what could be effective against a mass shooter scenario.

At certain resorts, in key areas, security cameras are already deployed. More cameras would need to be installed to cover the hallways and wings to provide better monitoring. Of course you would need to hire more staff to monitor those cameras and spending money to do things properly is not a priority these days with Disney. Everything is about pumping up the stock price. Charge more and offer less is the easiest way to pump up profits.

The sad fact of the matter is that Disney is choosing to disturb and violate the privacy expectations of resort guests rather than find more effective ways to balance the need for security versus the experience of the guest. Anything you hear from Guest Services about your concerns on this matter is just lip service. Watching what Disney is actually doing gives away their true intent.


It really makes me wonder about the quality of the management that is in place making these decisions. Performing these rude and invasive room checks definitely erodes the trust that the public has for the Disney brand.

I think we can see a history of Disney not being vested in solving problems effectively at their resorts. Consider all the various groups that are allowed to run wild at certain resorts destroying property and disturbing guests. Disney continues to make the choice to look the other way rather than stop this behavior. Disney Managers have literally told guests who complain that these unruly people "paid for their room too".

That brings it back to my point. Watch what Disney is doing. They are making the choice to NOT effectively solve problems at their resorts because, in my opinion, it involves an investment of money and effort. Management has decided that they can get away with the least effective and most intrusive approach because there is an endless supply of guests who can be duped into putting up with this treatment.

I'm sure there are way more people who don't monitor social media and are not aware that this is going on. They aren't going to post on social media about their experiences when this happens to them. They are however going to carry that experience forward and it will be a consideration when they think about booking their next vacation.

When you come back from a Disney vacation people always ask how was it. I think as soon as people start to add these intrusive room inspections to their vacation reports it's going to make an impact. If this is not the kind of treatment that you support please consider taking your business elsewhere and staying off site.

~NM

:thumbsup2
Excellent points and eloquently stated. You rock @Ninja Mom !
 
The sign in my current hotel, which is part of the Hilton family, says “Shhh . . .” on one side, and “You sleep in. We’ll keep out” on the other. That is a sign I can fully support! :worship:
I just stayed at a smaller hotel in CO earlier this month. Their sign was double sided as well.

One side said "Please make room daily between 10am-2pm" the other side said "Please make room every 3 days between 10am-2pm".

It could be because they were smaller as it worked for us to put the sign up on for "every 3 days" on the Friday and the Saturday so no room cleaned, then on the Sunday we switched it to "daily" and our room was cleaned, bed made, new towels given and new toiletries, then on Monday we switched it back to "every 3 days" so no room cleaned however we were checking out that day anyways.

FWIW there was no DND sign but their sign with the "make room every 3 days" is effectively your DND sign.
 
Please keep in mind that it is very easy for ANYONE to get past both locking mechanisms on the door and gain entry into the room. Also keep in mind that when Disney demands entry into the room you are REQUIRED to admit them immediately. It's only a matter of time until someone with criminal intent takes advantage of this. At some resorts the person demanding entry to your room will not stop knocking until they are let in.


See the above reply as to why none of that matters any more.

As for human trafficking, again, what are these room checks going to accomplish? Even with Human Trafficking concerns these room checks sadly are just more security theater.

~NM
As far as I'm concerned, only if I request a cast member come to my room am I required to let them in. If someone wants in unexpectedly, and everyone in the room is decent for company, then the bar can be removed from the door and that person can unlock the door for themselves. I have seen cast costume pieces and name badges for sale, so just having those does not mean that an individual is a cast member allowed to enter my room whether I want that person there or not. Being able to use a key or MagicBand makes it much more likely that Disney wants that person in my room. And if someone attempts to force their way in when I am not dressed properly? I am not afraid to be very loud at that time, go to the front desk in person and complain loudly, and also complain on the internet. Disney may have the right to visit the room, but that should not require me to made uncomfortable when a short delay would solve my objection. They can even wait just outside the door until I'm ready if they want.
 

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