Facts about requesting a room at a resort

[Tikiman]

For those of you who request rooms here is some info on how the rooms are assigned. This is an example at the Polynesian resort but most of this applies to all the resorts.

Lets start with saying that requesting a room, building or anything else is best done when you make your reservation. If you try and get the request in later there are factors that could lead to it not being noted properly. Also when you call the Polynesian phone number and speak to someone, that someone is not at the Polynesian at all. They are in a call center away from the resort and in most cases have little knowledge of the resort. Emailing any request can only be done if you are staying concierge since there is no email address for the Polynesian other than the email for the Planning Office. Faxing request was not only discouraged by CMs at the resort but can end up being thrown out with the other junk faxes that come through. It does sometimes work but a while back official memos asked that faxed requests not be taken.

So as far as when the resort gets your reservation and request, here is what someone at the resort sent to me as an explanation not too long ago.

“The room reservation comes from the DRC (disney reservation center) to the resort 5 days out. (we cant see the resv. in the computer till then) Then the rooms team go thru all the requests and try to meet those based upon whats currently checked-in.Reservations without a request dont get assigned and at Check-In the computer does whats called a "auto-In House" (the computer looks at the rack and sees whats available) (holes) where rooms are empty and comes up with a list that the Cast Member can select from before the keys get cut.If your a group/ Magical Gathering they (the rooms team) will really try and book the rooms together "pre-assign (the reservation has room #'s attached)" and find open rooms for this first. Again if the rooms have no requests then the computer grabs the room, suggests to the CM whats available, the CM can select one of the 5 rooms that "pop up" or go into the rack and find a "working vacancy" and then check with the Rooms Team if the new room works for a fit for the (holes) that are in the system. Downside is when we are 100% occupancy the computer will start issuing smoking optional rooms as whats left.”

[FMTX]

Good to know. I have never seen that much detail on how it works.

[Tikiman]

I get the question a lot so I got the details from some CMs that do room assigning at the Polynesian so I could explain how it works. Many have their idea of how it works but it is not always the way they think it is. Knowing how it works I hope will help people decide what to do.

The best advice on giving a request to a resort is to keep it simple and get it noted when you originally make the reservation. Trying to get it noted later just leaves room for error or it being missed completely.

Aloha

Steve

[mikeland]

That's great information. I am usually not very picky about my room assignment as long as it's non smoking, which I think all rooms should be. I also wonder how much authority the check in clerk has to "upgrade" someone when they check in.

When we stayed at the GF in June, 2006, I faxed them a few days prior to our arrival and we were shocked when we went into the room and saw we'd been upgraded from a garden view to a Magic Kingdom view! That was a wonderful birthday surprise indeed.

[Tikiman]

That's great information. I am usually not very picky about my room assignment as long as it's non smoking, which I think all rooms should be. I also wonder how much authority the check in clerk has to "upgrade" someone when they check in.

When we stayed at the GF in June, 2006, I faxed them a few days prior to our arrival and we were shocked when we went into the room and saw we'd been upgraded from a garden view to a Magic Kingdom view! That was a wonderful birthday surprise indeed.

They can upgrade you but I was told as of 2007 upgrades are going to be rare for no reason or at random. The funny part is that at the Polynesian upgrades have been on the increase but not because someone is being nice, it has been because of circumstances like overbooking, buildings being worked on, etc so quite a large number have been upgraded to concierge since the beginning of the year and as of last report a few days ago they are continuing to have upgrades to concierge for overbooking of standard rooms.

[DreamSweetsLove]

Very interesting! Do you know if the resort hotels will let you book a room the same day or do you absolutely have to reserve in advance. What is the shortest notice you can give them to book a room?

[Tikiman]

If a room is available you could walk up and book a room.

[Stitchy]

thanks. this actually answered a question of mine. I wanted to request a building on our next trip, hopefully, prayerfully, we will be staying in the Pop Century...I'd like to be close to the kiddie pool. I work front desk at a branch of a national hotel chain, and figured they go about it the same as us...if they have it, you get it. Thanks again.