Connecting Room Fiasco

[captainkidd]

I swear, I need to become a travel agent. My friends always get these people on the phone at Disney who don't know what they're talking about. In this case, it's a lot of my friends fault for being paranoid, but regardless:

Another one of my friends is going to WDW in February and staying at ASMovies. He has one son (6 years old) who is autistic. The grandparents have decided to go as well. The grandfather is officially handicapped. Friend calls to book another room for his parents last night and says the rooms have to be connecting. Personally, I have my reasons why I don't think connecting rooms in this case is a big deal, but that's besides the point. He does and it's his trip. So, he calls to book 2nd room for his folks. Is told they will put request in, but can not guarantee connecting rooms. He calls back and speaks to a manager who confirms this, and tells him to stay at a Deluxe Villa if they all need to be together. He gets so angry, he cancels reservation.

I call and speak to someone and the lady says although they can't guarantee, they will make every effort, and given that son is autistic and father is handicapped, they should be able to guarantee connecting rooms.

So, as things stand now, my friend, who is incredibly stubborn, won't risk going and not having connecting rooms. Does anyone think if they didn't get connecting rooms that if he made a stink upon arrival, that Disney wouldn't rectify this? I know Disney CS has slipped some over the years, but they wouldn't just tell him "Sorry - Out of luck."

Ugggh, it's so frustrating trying to help people that don't want to be helped. New Years Resolution - Only help friends with Disney trips if they will let me book everything.

 

[Monty]

I've never been to any hotel that would guarantee adjoining rooms or handicap-accessible rooms. They will do everything they can and in Disney's case they are almost always successful.

The fact is you can't hold your friend's hand, if he cancelled it's his decision. Beyond explaining that guarantees for that sort never happen in the industry, there's not much you can do.

 

[PyroKinesis]

And this is why I will always rent a condo when going on a "major" vacation.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Disney will never guarantee a room request, and I can't think of any hotel that I have ever stayed at that will. Guarantee's are dangerous should anything unforeseen happen and they can't make it work anymore. In that regard, Disney is very good with requests though and I have almost always been accommodated when I asked for something when I make my reservation. Unfortunately though, this doesn't really sound like a Disney problem as much as your friend just being somewhat annoyed at the long standing rule.

 

[NYwdwfan]

I've been on 4 recent trips with a non-guaranteed connecting room request and have gotten the connecting room every time. As you stated - it's frustrating trying to help those that don't want to be helped!

 

[DizneyPryncess]

Disney would certainly try their best - and the only way they wouldn't do it is if there weren't any connecting rooms available upon arrival. But they can't guarantee it because they really don't know what's going to be available when your friend checks in. Last year we requested to just be on the same floor as my parents, and after waiting for 4 hours, it couldn't be done. We check in during the week & avoid weekend travel, so there weren't enough people checking out on the same floor to get us rooms together. It wasn't a big deal - but it's an example of how sometimes it's just out of their hands. They basically told us, sorry you're out of luck.

Making a stink upon arrival wouldn't do anything, as Disney would give them connecting rooms if they could. Complaining won't make connecting rooms appear if there aren't any. It's not like Disney would purposely not give them the rooms if they had them. But I'd say there's a good chance they'd get their request to begin with! I hope they find a way to go on their trip :wave:

 

[DisneyJoe]

Many times friends can be the worst clients for a travel agent to have.

Good clients tend to become friends, but friends don't always become good clients.

 

[CaptainShortty]

Disney tries there best to abide by room requests as much as possible. It's not always possible which is why it isn't guaranteed. Because they have a handicapped and autistic traveler it is even more likely that they will get what they want. If the hotel does not have what they want at time of check-in it is likely they will be asked if they would like to move to a room that meets their request when it becomes available (likely the next day). Of course they would have to move rooms but they'll get what they want eventually.

 

[bullsforthewin]

The minute you guarantee something is the minute you are screwed. I cant even count the number of times i got yelled at when at the front desk or concierge desk because some guest thought they were guaranteed something...

Here is the truth that some might not know. At the WDW resort when you make a room reservation you are not GUARANTEED that room or even that resort. All you are guarenteed are a room at WDW...the resort you picked is your number one choice. That is why when overbooked guests get "walked" to other resorts. Trying to explain this to guests is frustrating lol

 

[captainkidd]

The minute you guarantee something is the minute you are screwed. I cant even count the number of times i got yelled at when at the front desk or concierge desk because some guest thought they were guaranteed something...

Here is the truth that some might not know. At the WDW resort when you make a room reservation you are not GUARANTEED that room or even that resort. All you are guarenteed are a room at WDW...the resort you picked is your number one choice. That is why when overbooked guests get "walked" to other resorts. Trying to explain this to guests is frustrating lol

Yeah, if I book the GF at $500 per night, I better either be staying there, or I'm off property with my money back.

 

[bullsforthewin]

Yeah, if I book the GF at $500 per night, I better either be staying there, or I'm off property with my money back.

If you get moved it is always a lateral or upgrade meaning that if you paid 500 a night they will move you to a suite at Contemporary or Poly or even upgrade you at the GF and you would not have to pay the difference. Fine print is an important thing if people read it more then there would not be so many angry guests.

 

[captainkidd]

If you get moved it is always a lateral or upgrade meaning that if you paid 500 a night they will move you to a suite at Contemporary or Poly or even upgrade you at the GF and you would not have to pay the difference. Fine print is an important thing if people read it more then there would not be so many angry guests.

I've been lucky. In close to 30 onsite stays, only 1 time did I have a room request problem. It was last year at Wilderness Lodge. Me and a buddy went down for a few days and were given a room with 1 king bed. Not really a screw-up by Disney per se, but a bit of a misunderstanding. They fixed it right away.:lol:

That's what I kept telling my friend. Even if they don't get you the connecting rooms, they'll make it right for you.

 

[CaptainShortty]

The minute you guarantee something is the minute you are screwed. I cant even count the number of times i got yelled at when at the front desk or concierge desk because some guest thought they were guaranteed something...

Here is the truth that some might not know. At the WDW resort when you make a room reservation you are not GUARANTEED that room or even that resort. All you are guarenteed are a room at WDW...the resort you picked is your number one choice. That is why when overbooked guests get "walked" to other resorts. Trying to explain this to guests is frustrating lol

Walking was literally the most miserable part of my job. I just didn't know what to say to the guests because I knew I would have been furious had i been in their shoes but my hands were tied. =\

 

[bullsforthewin]

Walking was literally the most miserable part of my job. I just didn't know what to say to the guests because I knew I would have been furious had i been in their shoes but my hands were tied. =\

It depends on where you work....i have had to walk about 10 people but they have always been giant upgrades...when i was deployed to the ASM i walked 3 families over to the Wilderness Lodge. When i was deployed to Pop i had to walk two families to Beach Club. When i was at the Poly i walked two to the Grand, and one got upgraded to the King suite(i cant spell the name correctly lol). Then when i was at the Grand i walked on to a suite at Contemporary and one got upgraded to the Walt Disney Suite.

 

[Lynne M]

That's what I kept telling my friend. Even if they don't get you the connecting rooms, they'll make it right for you.

That's a promise you shouldn't make. I've read many reports of people requesting connecting rooms, not getting them, and all they got from the resort was "we're sorry".

The bottom line is, Disney does not guarantee connecting rooms, or any other request. If your friend absolutely, positively must have everyone together in connected rooms, they need a villa, or a family suite, or a Wilderness cabin.

The CM he spoke with knew exactly what they were talking about.

 

[Master Yoda]

As has been stated several times, it is very rare for a resorts with high occupancy, Disney or otherwise, to guarantee connecting or adjoining rooms. There are just far too many things that could go wrong at a resort that could prevent this from happening. That being said in all of the reservations that I have done with similar circumstances to your friends, I have never heard of the request not being honored. One thing that might throw a monkey wrench in to the request being honored is if an ADA accessible room is required by the grandparents. If he can use a regular room then their chances will be better.

 

[quirkle]

I would love to be walked from a value to a delux. - Wish I could make that happen. LOL

 

[Lunamis]

Ugh I hate dealing with guests like that. There's no way to "garauntee" that, we can do our best and will always do our best but they have to understand that we can't use the g word. People also confuse "request" with "garauntee" way too often. Hotels are not there to upset you and make your stay miserable on purpose!

Walking is tough...not being at a Disney resort, you are kinda limited to what's in your area and out in the 'burbs there sometimes isn't much! I feel so bad for the guest who walks in at midnight only to be told they will need to go to another hotel.

 

[ryguy]

I know for a fact that Champions Gate and Hyatt Grand Cypress guarantee connecting rooms because I booked both at Thanksgiving. They put me on hold while making the reservation to make sure that both rooms were available and linked the rooms to my reservation. If they can do it, surely Disney can. It's absurd Disney doesn't. I have on two occasions "requested" connecting rooms at Disney and not received the request. So I would be nervous if I was this person too. Like one person mentioned earlier. I argued and asked for a manager and they did squat. I had to wait till the next day to get the connecting room. Disney for some reason just doesn't want to do it. Which is hard on people who have special needs and can't take a chance.

A lot of people confuse adjoining and connecting. If you want a door in the room it's connecting. If you just want to be next door to one another its adjoining.

 

[bullsforthewin]

I know for a fact that Champions Gate and Hyatt Grand Cypress guarantee connecting rooms because I booked both at Thanksgiving. They put me on hold while making the reservation to make sure that both rooms were available and linked the rooms to my reservation. If they can do it, surely Disney can. It's absurd Disney doesn't. I have on two occasions "requested" connecting rooms at Disney and not received the request. So I would be nervous if I was this person too. Like one person mentioned earlier. I argued and asked for a manager and they did squat. I had to wait till the next day to get the connecting room. Disney for some reason just doesn't want to do it. Which is hard on people who have special needs and can't take a chance.

A lot of people confuse adjoining and connecting. If you want a door in the room it's connecting. If you just want to be next to door to one another its adjoining.

It is pretty universal that no hotels make guarantees. It is not as easy as snapping your fingers to get people connecting rooms. It depends upon the type of room, the occupancy, etc.

This is the reason why i think an Intro to Hospitality class should be mandatory in high school so that in situations like this people can be level headed and not expect too much or yell at front desk agents.