How often have you gotten your room request?

[sleepingbooty]

With all this talk about which building or room to request at specific resorts, I got to wondering - does it really pay to put in a request?

We've only been twice to "the World" as adults with our own family, and both times I put in room requests. The first year at All Star Movies, I requested the Toy Story building. We were assigned somewhere else. I politely asked if anything were available in Toy Story as we had requested, and they did find us something there. Then, last year, we were at POFQ and requested to be put in one of 3 different buildings close to the front. Request denied - all full. What's odd is we were checking in at about 11 am. The previous year we checked in at 7 at night, and still got the room we wanted (after initially being assigned elsewhere).

Whats been everyone's experiences with this? Do you bother to request in advance? Do you usually get your request? Are you more likely to get your request at certain resorts? Do you request certain building(s), or go so far as to ask for a specific room? And whats the best way to make the request - on your initial reservation, faxing a few days ahead of arrival, or calling the front desk?

[GoinGoofyPlanninThisTrip]

I requested Jazz building twice at All-Star Music while booking past trips....got it both times.

Last year we requested the Dalmatians or Toy Story buildings at All-Star Movies....and didn't get either.

I've also been the recipient of a pretty cool room upgrade while on our honeymoon, so I'm not complaining.

I guess thats why its called a "request".

[Jerry2]

Every time we’ve asked for a specific building we’ve gotten it. We usually check in between 10:00 AM and noon and have just asked at the counter as I walk up. The room is never ready at that time but we go to the MK for a few hours while they prepare it. In the days before DME we would leave our bags with Bell Service, now they just get delivered.

At the Contemporary Tower, I requested a high floor facing the MK and got it.

On three or four occasions I’ve requested the Football Section facing the field at the AS-Sports and got it.

On our last trip I requested the 50’s section facing the pool at the Pop and got it.

Maybe I've just been lucky.

[AuntDJ]

My requests are usually limited to what building I want...I normally stay at POFQ and request building 4...I have gotten it both times.

For the most recent visit, I requested building 4, connecting rooms( with the door between them) and either on the bottom floor or close to an elevator (as I was travelling w/ a handicap person. Of these, I got building 4 on the ground level. They did not have us in connecting rooms, but our room were all next to each other, just no door, so we didn't mind!

Also, I have been 2 times where we were celebrating a childs birthday, I always put this in the request section as well...the first time we had a card signed by the characters in our room one day and the other time we had nothing...so I really think it is hit and miss..

DJ

[January-2007]

I requested a king bed when booking our Honeymoon and we were informed that they did not have any available when we checked in. Makes me wonder if it really makes any difference that we asked in advance. I don't plan on making room requests prior to check in anymore because I don't want to be let down at the start of our vacation. When we were informed that our request could not be met, I asked for a room in the Tramp building at Pop, since that's where we had stayed a few months prior and liked it. They could accomodate that. This time we've paid for a Preferred room since that's what was available with the Free Dining. When we go to check in I'll see where they put us and if we don't like it we'll ask for another location. I'm going to try to not sweat the small stuff. Happy planning. :mickey:

[moe513]

We are 0 for 4, I think the earlier you check in the better. I always ask at check in what else is available after I dont get my request.

[Jen C.]

Our requests were met at WL and CR. In fact at CR I requested as high up as possible in the tower and they upgraded me (free!) to 12th floor!
At the Poly my requests for either Samoa or Tokelau buildings were not granted. I was instead placed in Rapa Niu. You win some, you lose some, I guess!;)

[gatormouse50]

I believe it depends on where you stay. We have stayed at CSR, POFQ, and POR. Our requests were ignored at both CSR and POFQ, but POR always honors our requests. That is one reason (among many) that we prefer POR most trips.;)

[vamaggie]

I have to wonder if the frequency of your trips affects whether a request is granted or not. It seems that most of the previous posts are from yearly (or close to it) guests. We have been 2x before,(01 & 04) both WL and neither time did we get the rooms we requested. This fall we are staying at Poly and requested 2 diff longhouses but I am not feeling lucky we will get either. Still, we'll be a Poly so who can complain??:mickey:

[aimlyles]

Do you typically fax in a request a couple days before check in or when you check in?

We had to make two reservations, one for 8/25and then another for 8/26-9/2 for the free dining. AAA said to ask if we could possibly stay in the same room (both reservations are for water view rooms) so that we don't have to move all our stuff to a different room on 8/26. I read somewhere that sometimes it helps to fax in a request a day or two prior to arrival????

[mouseketeer mom]

We have had terrific luck getting our room requests--when we stay concierge at the Poly we always get ground floor which we ask for, and clear view of castle on the lagoon side. If we stay Garden view concierge we ask for a room we can "walk out" of on the garden side, not blocked by foliage, and we get that too. I always email concierge for those requests. At the beach club we faxed a request for a pretty view before our arrival, and we were upgraded to a water view., right outside of the quiet pool., on the ground floor which we requested too. We got our ground floor by the pool at the WL too, that request we just asked for when we made our reservation. We did not get any request we made when we stayed at the WL villas., we asked for non smoking, ground floor and got a smoking room, 2nd floor. We asked to be switched and they placed us in a non smoking room on the same floor. Honestly tho, I'm kind of done with requesting. All worked out very well at the villas without our request granted. Its all good, I'm realizing. There's lots to discover wherever you're placed!

[Polynesian Dweller]

Given that the room assigners do not assign you a room until a couple of days in advance its advisable to fax just prior to your stay. Only once have we not gotten our request but the CM at the desk was able to fix that for us.

Thus follows the next hint. Check in as early as you can because the checkin CMs are allowed to override the roo assigner and might give away your room without you knowin git if you are one of the later people checking in.

[KAT1811]

Some advice I've gotten over the years:

Fax or phone in your room request a few days proir to arrival. This should be directed to the room assignor and a few days prior to arrival is typically when they are assigning the rooms.

Make your requests in order of priority. If a connecting room is a priority list that first then any other requests after. For example, a connecting room at a certain building with a king sized bed. First they would look to get you a connecting room, then the certain building, then the king sized bed. Plus limit your requests. You'll have more chance getting the requests granted if you don't make too many.

In the past I've always gotten all of my requests granted. Even on this last trip when we were supposed to be move to another resort for one night then back to our original resort for the second week they miraculously let us stay in our room instead of moving. The hotel was at full capacity due to a convention. This year will be the most trying of requests. We requested that we have rooms right on the quiet pool (this way the adults can sit outside while the little ones sleep) so I'm keeping our fingers crossed.

[Spaceship Tigger]

I've really only made requests once on a trip to WL. We had several requests (connecting rooms, location of courtyard view, etc) that were made at the time of reservation and again on a fax. On check-in, the resort had no knowledge of any requests and we really didn't get any of them. So I think often it's just a matter of luck.

[MNNHFLTX]

We always had good luck getting our requests fulfilled, the one exception being at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We would have liked to have had a room closer to the lobby, food court and restaurants, but would have had to take one on a lower level. We opted to stay on the third floor (great view of the animals) about 3/4th's of the way down one of those long wings.

As far as making requests, I have always just listed them when making the reservation, and have never faxed or called the resorts with them in advance.

[Granny Jill A]

During the 1990's we always got the building we requested, but we haven't been able even come close since the turn of the new century.

I have checked in early and late, and it doesn't matter because they always act like they've never heard of my reservation.

I even tried faxing my request a couple of trips ago, and that didn't work either.

They initially assign me to some room on the outer edges of the property, and then I have to stand there and wait while they "search" for a better room. (sigh)

[mttafire]

Well, We really dont do room requests. As long as we are in the resort we want the room location is a non issue to us. We almost always stay at either asmovies or POFQ. When i book our vacation all i ask for is one of the two resorts and non smoking room. We have always gotten a pretty good location and have been happy with it.:mickey:

[Disney Doll]

We have had great luck with room requests. We typically check in early in the afternoon and we go in off season when there are less crowds. Maybe that has something to do with it. We've requested everything from adjoining rooms, specific buildings, non-smoking, and specific floors. I always make the request with the initial reservation. We've always been accommodated so far. I hope this doesn't mean our luck is due to run out. :mickey:

[Aclay]

Last year we stayed at the ASMovies and requested the Toy Story Building b/c my DS loved Buzz & Woody. We put the request on our original reservation, then faxed it in a few days prior to arrival, and again requested it at check in. We got our request! We are planning on doing the same thing this year at ASSports. I hope it works. Maybe it pays to be persistent!:mickey:

[sleepingbooty]

It sounds like many of you have had good luck with your requests. I guess there is no rhyme or reason to it. We didn't get our request at POFQ last year, but it was fine anyway. I'll probably request a room close to the front building this year at POR, but I'm sure everybody and their brother will do the same, since its such a big resort. So I won't stress if I don't get it. We will be arriving before noon (if I get the flight I'm looking at) so perhaps that will be in our favor!

[Clotho]

I have to wonder if the frequency of your trips affects whether a request is granted or not. It seems that most of the previous posts are from yearly (or close to it) guests. We have been 2x before,(01 & 04) both WL and neither time did we get the rooms we requested. This fall we are staying at Poly and requested 2 diff longhouses but I am not feeling lucky we will get either. Still, we'll be a Poly so who can complain??:mickey:

I have wondered the same thing vamaggie. Seems most of these posts are people who go frequently enough that they are "in the system".

For my 30th birthday I didn't get any special room request. Then again, the gal at the desk was obviously new and uncomfortable with the procedure for granting such a request...

I am going back for my 33rd and hope I get my requests! Though I heard recently that faxing the resort is not getting the results it once did.

[pook@wdw]

Not only have we requested specific areas/buildings, we requested specific room # (yes, we know what rooms we want based on years of research). You can relay that info when booking your reservations but aren't guaranteed anything. We've found that the earlier you check in, the more likely you are to get the area/room that you want. We usually check in @ 7-8am, check our luggage, and head for our day's adventures! When we return (around lunch time) our rooms are ready and right where we wanted them!!:thumbsup:

[dolphinmickey9170]

I made my ressies for this May back last August.....I have requested a certain building and a certain floor with a certain view. When I called yesterday, I was told that my request should be granted, however, there isn't a room to be had in this building that's vacant. So if I don't get my request....oh well...I am still at WDW. :cloud9:

I even made the exact same requests for Dec, so we will see how that works.

13 days

[Magic Smiles]

We stay at the POFQ and fax our requests in approx 4 - 6 days before arrival. We have always been given our requests. Last year we asked for a specific room number. Got it! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we stay for at least 14 nights.

[javamama]

Ok so where do I get this fax number? We're staying at the Villas at WL, I've called the front desk already asking for nonsmoking villa(I have 7 month old), and a certain floor/room. This is my ds first trip, and my parents first in 20 years so I want things nice for them--kwim? If anyone has it please let me know---thanks!

[WinnieThePooh]

I requested a king bed when booking our Honeymoon and we were informed that they did not have any available when we checked in. Makes me wonder if it really makes any difference that we asked in advance.

I am sure we paid extra for a King bed at FQ. Does that mean we may not get a King bed in September, if we don't then do we get the extra money back?:confused:

[Magic Smiles]

Ok so where do I get this fax number?

If you go to the Resorts Tab for Intercot and click on the link to the resort that you are staying at, the fax number should be listed near the bottom.
Hope that they fulfil your requests.:mickey:

[Spaceship Tigger]

I am sure we paid extra for a King bed at FQ. Does that mean we may not get a King bed in September, if we don't then do we get the extra money back?:confused:

The moderates are different from the deluxes in this regard... if you pay for a king room at a deluxe, then you will get it. A king room at a deluxe is typically the same rate as two queens and is just a request that you may not get.

[Dakota Rose]

In 2005, I put in room requests for the POR for both my parents and for us. We got every request (king bed, near my parents, pool facing in the mansions--we'd paid for a preferred view room) but my parents got none of their requests. They paid for the same room type and everything, and the only thing they got was to be in the same building we did. They ended up with two doubles and I offered to change with them but they said it was okay, "we've slept together for 30 years, 1 week in separate beds is fine." :)

Everything turned out fine but I was a little frustrated because the room next door to us was a king bed room, pool view and EMPTY the entire time my parents were there. I could have insisted they ask to be moved, I suppose, but it wasn't that big of a deal to my parents so DH told me to let it go.

[Dicecatt262]

I've had some luck, yes...at POR we got building 14 as requested. At Poly, we got a magical upgrade to concierge. At POFQ, I'm not sure if my original request was fulfilled because I asked at the desk if I could pay for a water view, I had been calling for a couple of weeks and there wasn't one available, and they upgraded me for free.

I think it has to do with occupancy, not even so much what time you arrrive. At POR, we checked in late, around 9 PM, and got our building 14 request. At Poly it was early in the AM, and at POFQ it was early afternoon. But all times were low season.