Poll regarding unit requests...what do you think?

[AnnaS]

I voted willing to wait only because of non-smoking requests. If this was guaranteed, then I would have voted ASAP - all others requests after non-smoking are just icing on the cake.

 

[girth]

I just booked my first trip home yesterday, and MS asked "smoking or non?" If the only factor determing getting your request is when you check in, why should they bother asking now? Just ask at check-in and pick from what is/will be available, with the option of waiting for a preference or taking what is available now.

That said, I would definitely wait for a n/s room.

 

[Chuck S]

If they book a room at 11 months out that fits my request (of course it's available it's 11 months in advance!) they should black it out as "booked". If I don't show up or show up at midnight it is my loss not theirs. They are going to charge me ANYWAY, same price as everyone else!!!! There is no refund the day of arrival so they should honor first reservation made gets first choice and so on. We all know when we can book a DVC home resort. If we aren't owners or hop in for a last minute trip we are happy to get anything that's left.

And if that room they blocked for you at 11 months goes out of service unexpectly for maintenance issues, water leak or heaven forbid, a small fire, what would you do?

 

[Muushka]

I can't help but believe that a lot of these room requests are 'internet based'.
People come to these boards and ask:

"What is the BEST room at fill in the blank resort??

And we always tell them which are the best rooms and why. Even renters.

Why do we feed this??

We are staying at 2 new (to us) DVC resorts in Dec and next May. I will not ask any questions about "best view/location/room/whatever" because it is my job to learn what I will like about a resort, not to come to these boards and ask others their opinion.

In addition, because these are not my home resorts, I do not feel compelled to learn about the rooms prior to arrival in order to allow those who call these resorts "home" may get first crack at the best rooms.

Getting off my soap box now..................

 

[crisi]

I sort of agree with you Muushka - not only that, but what is best for me isn't always best for you.

We just came back from a SV room at the BW (where else would it be an SV room?). We'd requested non smoking. I'd also requested high floor, because nearly everyone here said high floors were great and there'd be a chance of fireworks and we could watch cars come and go, sounded good and there are plenty of people here with far more stays than me.....and we ended up on the ground floor.

You know what - it was wonderful! It was probably fifty steps from our door to the outside door on the far end of Luna Park (functionally just down the hall from the laundry room). Sure the view wasn't much, but with my guppies, the proximity to the pool and not needing to take elevators was far better! Or at least I think it was - don't know, haven't been on the fifth floor to compare, maybe I'm just easy to please, but I was darn happy with the results.

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

I can't help but believe that a lot of these room requests are 'internet based'.
People come to these boards and ask:

"What is the BEST room at fill in the blank resort??

And we always tell them which are the best rooms and why. Even renters.

Why do we feed this??

Because we are so eager to let everyone know what "experts" we are at Disney that we'll share EVERYTHING! Heck, I'll even tell someone what the best bus seats are, the cleanest park restrooms, the name of the best Disney Street Sweeper, and the phone number to Disney's boardroom and what time is best to call during a board meeting.

Let's face it, we all need help

 

[LakeAriel]

And if that room they blocked for you at 11 months goes out of service unexpectly for maintenance issues, water leak or heaven forbid, a small fire, what would you do?

You know I could die before my trip....but I probably won't, so I will plan my trip hoping the unexpected won't happen. I think Disney can do the same.

 

[Beca]

You know I could die before my trip....but I probably won't, so I will plan my trip hoping the unexpected won't happen. I think Disney can do the same.

Lake Ariel....I miss you!!! You need to come over to the "irritated by renters" thread and put in your $.02!!



Beca

 

[LisaS]

And if that room they blocked for you at 11 months goes out of service unexpectly for maintenance issues, water leak or heaven forbid, a small fire, what would you do?

If there was a small fire in the room, then they can just designate it a smoking room. If there was a water leak, it becomes a "water view" room.

 

[Muushka]

Because we are so eager to let everyone know what "experts" we are at Disney that we'll share EVERYTHING! Heck, I'll even tell someone what the best bus seats are, the cleanest park restrooms, the name of the best Disney Street Sweeper, and the phone number to Disney's boardroom and what time is best to call during a board meeting.

Let's face it, we all need help

Believe me. I love to give tips. But the problem is that we are not telling one person, we are telling thousands! . And it just sets people up for disappointment for things that they probably would not have cared about otherwise. But because they read that it is the best to get, they (or I should probably say 'we') want it!

 

[Cinderelli]

I guess I'm curious as to how other Timeshare Resorts handle this (Marriott?). Do they give members preference over non-members on unit requests?

Personally, I feel like Becca. We've invested alot of money (and future time) and to receive the "dumpster view" when we've made our reservations at 11 months out (at our HOME RESORT) doesn't make me feel very special and would cause me to re-think our purchase. I haven't researched other timeshares, but from reading these boards understand DVC to be one of the most expensive. I would think it could accommodate it's members (especially at their home resort).

I would definately wait until 4 to have my requests met.

Lissa

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I said I would wait until 4pm but the only request I ever make is non-smoking. Disney has only stuck me twice...once with excess foliage (something you wouldn't be able to handle through room request) and the other with a smoking unit on an II reservation.

I think DVC would be much better off to restrict reservations to smoking/non smoking and handicapped. Then when you check in ask for whatever twists on the reservation you want. This would make it much more likely that people checking in late might get a decent view from time to time. ...And people who get stinky (not literally) rooms probably should get a small gift curtesy of the rest of the DVC members. VWL no balcony room gets a nice basket the second night of their stay...for example...or maybe tickets to a special Illuminations viewing at EPCOT. A stinky reward is something Disney could apply across the property not just at DVC.

 

[DisneyMim]

I've been a member since 1991 and only make a non-smoking request. In all our trips (lost count, but many) we were given a smoking room only one time and I went back to the desk right away and told them about it. They gave us a real non-smoking room without any wait. What I have noticed over the years, and this is based on the fact that I always talk to people at the pools, restuarants, etc., is does not matter when you book. 11 months before, 1 week before, no matter. I know what Disney has said over the years, but I don't buy it at all. They give rooms out at the time that guests are standing in front of them. And IMHO non-DVC people have been given "better" rooms than members because (and this doesn't take much brain power) maybe they will buy into DVC. I'm not saying that this happens all the time, but I think it happens more than we would like to think. I've seen people scream at the poor CMS because they want a particular room, in a perfect location, etc. etc. I hesitate to tell anyone what a "perfect" room would be in any DVC resort. After all, we all have our "prefect" rooms and what one person might think it heaven (overlooking the boadwalk say) another person would think is torture. I think it is very hard to assign rooms. I can certainly understand that most people want theirs ASAP. For my family we never expect to get into our room before 4 pm. Way back in the early days we would get a room early, but now if and when it should happen we chalk it up to luck. We are very willing to wait until 4 for our room as we need a non-smoking room. Most times I think it is the luck of the draw and they do really try to give you what you ask for. The people with the most requests will often times be disappointed, but I think if you only ask for 1 or 2 things they will try very hard to give you a great room.

 

[Nanajo1]

Being an owner should have some weight in room assignments. Right now the only benefit to the 11 month window is that you will have a room. I am always amazed that DVC makes changes based on "member wishes" when it is hard to find the members who wished for the changes!
I never anticipate getting into my room before 4pm and plan accordingly.
I also feel when using one of the options such as Disney Collection then all requests should be met just as if I was paying in cash. The cost in points is significant.

 

[cdy16zz]

We have been members since 1997. The ONLY request we make is for a Smoking room. Three times in the last 2 years we have had non-smoking rooms.
For the life of me I can not figure out how non-smoking people get smoking rooms! There are very few buildings that allow it. We always make our ressies at the 11 month window. I would rather KNOW I was getting a smoking room, or make my ressies for a different week!!!
And NO.......... we do NOT smoke in the room!!! We Do go out to the patio!

Disney needs to make more efforts to assure Non-smokers get non-smoking unit and smokers get a smoking unit. Everything else is secondary!

 

[PinkTink63]

I am happy to wait to get the room I want.
We can check our luggage in, go eat, go shopping, or even go swimming while we are waiting! We fly a long way to get there and stay as long as we can, so I want the room to be right!
Steph

 

[Disney Doll]

I love being able to settle into a room the minute I arrive. As long as it is a non-smoking room, I am happy. View, location etc. isn't as important to me.

 

[PBader]

The only requests that I had ever made to MS were for non smoking rooms( never a problem) until this June when we planned a vacation for 24 family members at OKW. We rented a GV, 2B and 2 ST. I requested that all rooms be close together, that the 2B be on the ground floor and 1 ST smoking. I was thrilled at check in at 10 am that all of our rooms were ready. Our 2B was directly below the GV, the 2 studios were in the next building above each other. I had anticipated a check in of at least 4pm due to the party size, but OKW once again made our vaction magical!

There have been several times in our 10 years that we have not had our room ready until after 4pm, but that is the exception! We have usually been given access to our rooms before noon! I say that MS does a wonderful job!

 

[Suzi Q]

I can see both sides of the issue. I guess it depends on a lot of personal factors. If I had small children, I would probably prefer to get into my room as soon as possible. At our point in life now, that doesn't matter so much to us although it is nice when it happens. We usually just request a non-smoking room since we both are sensitive to smoke, or if our grown sons and their families are travelling with us, we request that our rooms be fairly close together. I feel that whatever view we're given is the luck of the draw and we don't complain if we don't get a good view. Sometimes we get a great view, and other times, it's not so good. As we grow older, I expect an elevator or a ground floor will be added to our requests. Basically, we are just happy to be at WDW.

 

[Saxton]

For me, the only 2 issues of concern for room requests should be safety or health. If someone prefers an higher floor because they believe it is safer then I can’t argue with it. In June I took my mother to OKW and since she just had two knee replacements I requested a first floor studio or a building with an elevator close to HH and specifically stated that it was for medical reasons. I did not request any views or buildings. At check-in we were going to be placed in studio on a higher floor, no elevator, and not near HH. I explained the medical issue to the very nice CM and after quite a wait and many phone calls she finally found a first floor unit in building 35. Fortunately we had a car so it worked out. My parents are at OKW right now and they arrived Saturday morning at before 11:00am with the same request on the reservation since my mother still has difficulty with her knees and my father has various health problems. My mother said they didn’t get a room until after 5:00 and they are in building 55, fortunately at least it’s on the first floor. I was just at BWV and had to wait until 4:30 for my studio & it had no view because it was blocked by a tree - but views don’t matter to me, making sure my elderly parents are taken care of does matter. I made all the reservations at the 11 month mark so that didn’t seem to help. My preference would be to wait as long as medical and/or safety needs are met.