Off to an awful start----LONG!

[Sammie]

Another thing no one has answered-WHY is BW INN ready at 3pm, and BWV at 4pm??

Because the Inn is a Disney deluxe resort and all Disney resorts are check in after 3pm, all DVC resorts are check in after 4pm.

 

[TCPluto]

Well.... IF all the guidebooks, etc, and Birnbaum's, Expedia, travelocity, etc SAY 4pm... Then, there will be a LOT more people complaining than just DVC people.... Say--200000 people or more who book thru these agents or read the books!!

Another thing no one has answered-WHY is BW INN ready at 3pm, and BWV at 4pm??


deerh

So DVC should change their official policy to align with the misinformation printed by these publications??? I don't think so.

BWV units are larger and have kitchens, could that be why it takes longer for the purposes of cleaning? Seems like a reasonable explanation but, actually, I didn't know there was a difference.

 

[disneygal55]

I have read that another reason DVC rooms aren't ready for occupation in a timely manner is because the rooms aren't vacated on time. This makes it difficult for mousekeeping to stay on schedule and free up the rooms. I think that DVC should start enforcing the 11 AM checkout with a "late fee" if people don't leave by 11 AM.

 

[TCPluto]

No where in that post did I say I asked every 10 minutes.

You seem to have said as much in this post:

... calling back at 2:15 and it was not done, 3, 3:15, etc. The dh started going up to the front and the girl would disappear for a while. Then come back and say, it isn't done. At 4:05 is when I got involved again and I got the eye rolling and head shaking.

 

[llp479]

Actually it was almost 5 pm when we got in. Yes, I called to see if the room was available at 1 pm. (We checked in at 9:30 and knew we would have to wait). At 1, I asked if someone could please call housekeeping and see if there was anything they could do, due to the fact that my dh was ill. At that point, she put me on hold, cam back and said she spoke to housekeeping, they would put a rush on it, however, it would take them an hour. We called at 2:15 and that's when they said it wasn't done. By 4 pm, the front desk told us it was clean, however, all managers were in a meeting, and they could not release the rooms until they were checked by a manager. That's when things went downhill rapidly.....and then when we finally got in and it wasn't really "clean" is when we got angry.

Do you like Marriott? We are looking into it....

We own 2 MVC in Orlando and 1 in HI. I beginning to think that Orlando in general has issues with housekeeping. Perhaps because there are so many rooms and not enough staff who gives a darn. We had so many issues at Grande Vista in October, that we are seriously thinking about selling. Stayed at Imperial Palms the week of July 4th, and were less than impressed there as well. Part of our problem may be that the property we own in HI is so far above any we've ever stayed at, that it has now ruined me for any place else. I used to say that about DVC, but with everything I've heard lately, I'm a bit worried about our upcoming stay at BWV in October.

As as for the 4PM check in, I expect a room to be ready at 4PM. It is everywhere else I've stayed and DVC should not be any different. MVC requires you be out of the room by 10, and charge you if you're not. Perhaps DVC needs to do that as well if the reason the rooms aren't ready is because people aren't checking out on time. Our MVC units have always been ready by 4, and many times before, and those are 3 bedrooms.

 

[joepoe]

I am sorry about your trip, hope it went better. IMHO, AFTER 4 pm (closer to 6pm) is UNACCEPTABLE!!.

I think this is pretty crappy on DVC's part. After 4 is not good!!
I am usually one not to complain, but if it is 6pm when I can check in on a WED, you can rest assured I will complain!

deerh

I agree with you and the OP. DVC could enforce the checkout time. I have seen people at the pool who had not checked out yet at 11 am. Make them pay to dawdle! They could also upgrade the mousekeeping staff. My DW stated in another answer to this thread that Orlando in general seems to have housekeeping issues. I concur with that.

 

[TCPluto]

I totally agree. I know that we all are aware of Disney Guests who without a doubt have been extremely frustrating and obnoxious to have to deal with and are the type that give all hotel guests a bad reputation in general.

However, I also think a lot of people tend to give Disney a free pass when it comes to real issues just because it's Disney or because they simply do not want to have to use up the precious vacation time they do get to spend with their families by having to troubleshoot problems.

It is because we treasure and value our DVC membership, love Disney, and want to be able to enjoy every minute of our time there for the next 35 years, that I think we owe it to our financial investment, and to our fellow DVC members, to respectufully voice our concerns directly with DVC when clearly a problem exists.

As I stated earlier, I do believe that Mouskeeping has become a problem area that is now causing additional problems/complaints/issues to occur in other areas.

We've been fortunate in that the vast majority of mousekeeping issues we have encountered have been fairly minor, such as the mysterious phone calls at 8:00 AM, constant knocks on the door on check out day, missing sheets, trash left, broken armoires, dirty carpets, etc. We allways stop by the front desk to report any issues and they are usually taken care of within 24 hours.

However, we've also experienced a couple of pretty major issues such as a sink water leak that left our carpet soaked where it was obvious Mousekeeping didn't report it to Maintenence as well as a run in with an incredibly rude SSR Mousekeeping CM.

If Disney is so critically understaffed in Mousekeeping as Sammie has indicated, perhaps it really is time that members voice their concerns directly with DVC en masse.

I don't disagree with anything you said.

I think the following highlighted statements by the OP appear to indicate they went a bit out of their way to make the situation more trying for the staff. I think it would be quite disconcerting to see a large group sitting on the floor of the lobby drinking beers...

calling back at 2:15 and it was not done, 3, 3:15, etc. The dh started going up to the front and the girl would disappear for a while. Then come back and say, it isn't done. At 4:05 is when I got involved again and I got the eye rolling and head shaking. By then I was pretty frustrated, but only because no one was being honest. Then the manager (some female) got involved and basically told us it will be ready when it is ready. At that point, we staged sort of a sit in, most of the family came back from the parks, so they went over to the store, bought a six-pack, sat on the floor and we waited. and waited. and waited. Mind you, I had my 1 yo dgs tied to me who had been a gem all day. (thank you Jesus!)The manager was standing behind the desk with the girl dh kept asking info from and suddenly she announced the room was ready. (not quite sure were she got that from). That's when I said I certainly hope after all this time cleaning it, it is clean! She said, well, if it isn't you know where to find us. Have a magical day!

Also as I said before, we always have something to do the day we arrive, but this time getting off the ship and dh not feeling well, we just wanted to crash, even if it was just in Papa's Den. It was the little bit of hope I was given at 1 pm that started it all down hill. Also, I need to say that when they sent someone back to clean the floor, she wasn't even from OKW, she was from SSR, and she told me she had never cleaned those floors before or had even been in the villa. I showed her where the mop and bucket was. She was very nice and apologetic, but hey, it wasn't her fault.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...As as for the 4PM check in, I expect a room to be ready at 4PM. It is everywhere else I've stayed and DVC should not be any different. MVC requires you be out of the room by 10, and charge you if you're not. Perhaps DVC needs to do that as well if the reason the rooms aren't ready is because people aren't checking out on time. Our MVC units have always been ready by 4, and many times before, and those are 3 bedrooms.

DVC does charge you if you stay beyond 11AM. And it happens all the time. In addition, DVC is not allowed to remove the guests items from the room to begin the cleaning. All they can do is wait for the guest to return to the room and then tell them to move out.

When the housekeepers clean a DVC villa, they have to wash all the dishes in addition to cleaning the villa, which includes vacuuming multiple rooms, cleaning multiple bathrooms and bedrooms. Not all guests are as considerate as some of us. They leave the room as mess which results in longer cleaning time.

 

[starbox]

Not all guests are as considerate as some of us. They leave the room as mess which results in longer cleaning time.

I shudder to think what Mousekeeping finds in those kitchens and bathrooms. It's not just an issue of being considerate - lots of people have no idea how to clean their own homes, let alone a vacation home. Plus, you'd have to bring your own cleaning supplies from home to clean after yourself in the kitchen - how many people bring kitchen cleaner or Clorox wipes with them?

 

[Sammie]

I shudder to think what Mousekeeping finds in those kitchens and bathrooms. It's not just an issue of being considerate - lots of people have no idea how to clean their own homes, let alone a vacation home. Plus, you'd have to bring your own cleaning supplies from home to clean after yourself in the kitchen - how many people bring kitchen cleaner or Clorox wipes with them?

Many times it is just not a case of being messy or needing cleaning. Many times units have to be restocked due to broken furniture, missing dishes, etc.

 

[llp479]

When the housekeepers clean a DVC villa, they have to wash all the dishes in addition to cleaning the villa, which includes vacuuming multiple rooms, cleaning multiple bathrooms and bedrooms. Not all guests are as considerate as some of us. They leave the room as mess which results in longer cleaning time.

MVC has to do the same thing, so perhaps that's why they require you to be out by 10, not 11. Also, MVC offers a "linger" option. They will hold your things for you, and give you towels, etc to use by the pool, and for those resorts with showers in a public use area, they give you a key to the locker room as well. We've taken advantage of this many times.

 

[Deb & Bill]

MVC has to do the same thing, so perhaps that's why they require you to be out by 10, not 11. Also, MVC offers a "linger" option. They will hold your things for you, and give you towels, etc to use by the pool, and for those resorts with showers in a public use area, they give you a key to the locker room as well. We've taken advantage of this many times.

Disney also allows guests to use the facilities after 11AM and to store their luggage with Bell Services until they need to leave.

 

[castleri]

MVC has to do the same thing, so perhaps that's why they require you to be out by 10, not 11. Also, MVC offers a "linger" option. They will hold your things for you, and give you towels, etc to use by the pool, and for those resorts with showers in a public use area, they give you a key to the locker room as well. We've taken advantage of this many times.

We do this also at OKW on a regular basis - check out day is usually time by the pool day and last minute shopping day for us. The facilities for showering and getting ready for the trip home are great.
We have also done it at BCV and pool hopped to CSR and then ate at Pepper Market before leaving. There are many options and we have always had the use of some sort of faciities to shower and get dressed.

 

[deerh]

By: TC Pluto
So DVC should change their official policy to align with the misinformation printed by these publications??? I don't think so.

These guidebooks, expedia, etc follow the Disney guidelines and go by what disney says.. WHY would they print misinformation for every hotel/villa? So..what you are saying is ALL check-in times are wrong at every travel webpage, and book? I don't think so, they call the resort, or whatever they do and use the information provided by the resort....


As for DVC and after 4, I check-in in 3 days at SSR (on a Wed), so we shall see what time I get in the room... Again, I ask, I know that DVC is harder to clean than the 'typical hotel', but DVC rooms are NOT CLEANED everyday... So, why the delay? Now on a Sunday (heavy check-in), I could SEE 4pm, maybe 4:15... but on a Wed, or Thur, or Monday?? NOPE!!

deerh

 

[TCPluto]

These guidebooks, expedia, etc follow the Disney guidelines and go by what disney says.. WHY would they print misinformation for every hotel/villa? So..what you are saying is ALL check-in times are wrong at every travel webpage, and book? I don't think so, they call the resort, or whatever they do and use the information provided by the resort....


As for DVC and after 4, I check-in in 3 days at SSR (on a Wed), so we shall see what time I get in the room... Again, I ask, I know that DVC is harder to clean than the 'typical hotel', but DVC rooms are NOT CLEANED everyday... So, why the delay? Now on a Sunday (heavy check-in), I could SEE 4pm, maybe 4:15... but on a Wed, or Thur, or Monday?? NOPE!!

deerh

I'm only going by what you, and others, have stated that the travel guides report as check-in and check-out times, as I have no personal knowledge.

However, I do know what DVC's policy is, and it appears to be at odds with these various publications.


And actually, check-in days for DVC members are likely to be heavier through the week, not the weekend, because of the high cost of weeeknd stays on points.

I think the main problem is not vacating rooms early enough for mousekeeping to get into them. Whether that means 10:59am or 12:30pm, I don't know. This may also be due to a low number of housekeepers on staff. Or, unforseen incidents which causes a shortage of housekeeping staff, room repairs, etc.

I just know in over 8 years of stays, we've gone past the 4pm hour only once. And I think that was only by about 20-30 minutes. Getting a room early (like last year, BWV at 8am), is a huge bonus. It just can't be counted on.

That the OP had a sickness and toddlers to deal with just compounded her frustration.

Going to the desk and constantly asking if your room is ready is akin to watching the pot of water boil. Or like the guy who wanted to know if he should go to the doctors office for a common cold. The Doc told him to come in and the cold would be gone in 7 days. If he chose to not come in, it wouldn't be gone for a week... Either way, it's going to happen when it happens (rooms ready, water boiling, getting over a cold).

 

[Debbie H]

large group sitting on the floor of the lobby drinking beers...

Yeah, it was almost 5 pm and we were getting ON with our day

 

[fishermouse]

I will add one more:
I just bought the "passporter walt disney world resort" at the bookstore. It says-at OKW,BWV,SSR,etc--CHECK-IN AT 4pm!!! Now, I know a lot of people buy these books as well as Fodor's, Birnbam's,etc. They all say 4pm, but DVC says AFTER 4pm... It even says in passporter-BW Inn-3pm, BWV-4pm..??HUH??? The INN can get ready at 3, but DVC takes till 4pm?? Explain that one!!

deerh

Maybe the Inn has basic hotel rooms, that are cleaned daily!

 

[Debbie H]

That the OP had a sickness and toddlers to deal with just compounded her frustration.

Going to the desk and constantly asking if your room is ready is akin to watching the pot of water boil. QUOTE]


You don't seem to get it. We were told the room would be ready in 1 hour. We waited 1 hour 15 minutes before we called. Then we waited another 45 minutes before we called again. Then we went up to the front and asked if there was a problem and that is when we started getting all the different stories. I did not have to deal with a toddler. My daughter took the oldest one and I opted to keep the 1 yo and he happened to sleep through the majority of the afternoon. My husband and I sat in Papa's Den. Went to breakfast and lunch at Olivia's. You are making it sound like we were in their faces the whole time. Like I said to you before, you were not there, you did not get different stories and if they would have told me at 1 pm (by the way we got there around 9:30 and it wasn't until dh was feeling worse that I called at 1) that they could not get it done until after 4, then so be it. My kids came back (all adults) and decided to have a beer. At that point they were hot and thirsty and yes, they were tired because they had planned their day knowing it would be 4. I don't see a problem with that since the cm's told us that any minute the room would be ready. As far as dealing with a sick member of the family, I deal with sick people everyday, some are dying, and I would never tell them what I thought they wanted to hear. That is not professional. You seem to forget that the cm's are working for "us" the owners as well as for Disney. I would not allow my employees to behave like that and if they did, they would be fired. Perhaps you don't mind people not being honest & trustworthy, and polite. I do. And I expect a clean room period. If you want to accept that sort of behavior and if you want to walk on a floor that is filthy then that is your choice. It just so happens not to be mine.

When you get there do you ever call to see if your room is ready throughout the day? Do you just show up after 4 and accept the fact that it is not and you have to wait? Is your room always spotless? Look at the kitchen and bathroom floors when you check in next time as well as the mold in the showers stalls. I can't imagine what would grow in a petrie dish!

The manager told me that on Land & Sea packages it is seamless. He also said they were trying to get the same to happen at DVC. Umm, most L&S's are cash and we did ours on points. We had a 2br before we left, 4 staterooms on the ship, and came back to a GV, all on points. I can't help but think if we were paying cash for all that, it would have been as the manager said, seamless.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

These guidebooks, expedia, etc follow the Disney guidelines and go by what disney says.. WHY would they print misinformation for every hotel/villa?
deerh

These guide books are sometimes compiled long before they are printed Expedia and other travel sites try to keep up with thousands of resorts, hotels, motels, etc. It is very common for them to be wrong or out of date.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard of expedia or mapquest giving out wrong directions or having maps outdated by years. Something as small as changing "at 4pm" to "after 4pm" could easily be missed by their editors and proofers. I don't know how Disney published this change, but it is not up to Disney to monitor tens of thousands of publications to make sure they all have everything right.

I believe someone posted earlier that this information is posted on the reservation... IMHO, that is the only word to trust.

 

[TCPluto]

Yeah, it was almost 5 pm and we were getting ON with our day

Maybe the OKW staff was questioning the validity of the stated food poisioning, watching it get drowned in beer?

It still doesn't make the reaction you attribute to them right, but it could be an explanation. I might shake my head at the sight.