A run of yucky rooms...how to avoid a repeat this Saturday?

[dansdad]

Don't know if there's a way to request this ahead of time as I didn't see a way to ask for specific buildings on early checkin.

There is. Call the Main Reservations line and add a request to your reservation of "Big Pine Key please". This can be done anytime from the day you book up until 4-5 days before you arrive. The best way to let them know your room requests is to call.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I've used the TouringPlans fax option a couple of times and found it to be helpful......worked perfectly on our last trip to POP. Also the TouringPlans guide book is a helpful resource as they've done some analysis on resort/room noise/comfort. While nothing in life (or Disney) is guaranteed given the experiences the OP has had..........being super-proactive regarding your room placement can't hurt ............right

Doug

I've used the Touring Plans fax on every trip since 2015. Sometimes we got exactly what we requested (literally, the exact room numbers), sometimes it was off by a mile (in the case of CCV and the never-ending EWP). You can definitely be proactive, but as they say, repeatedly - it's only a request.

 

[Rschall]

It’s good to hear that people have had success with the Touring Plans service

 

[Hope Soda]

We don't usually get bad rooms, but our last one started out pretty bad.

The bed was broken. Extremely lopsided, almost touching the floor on the left side. We slept in it for a night because we were not about to move all our stuff out after a long day at Epcot.

So the next day, during our midday break, I was heading out to the front desk just as the mousekeeper was entering. I told her about the bed, and she said we were so lucky because we would get a brand new bed. She called to have it replaced so I didn't have to go to the front desk. Cool. She said they'd replace it while we were out to dinner.

After our ADR, we went back to the room to find a new, not broken bed. BUT all of the sheets were piled in a corner on the floor. So we called mousekeeping, and the woman who answered seemed to think this was absolutely ridiculous. Someone came over right away and said she was there to replace our towels. Apparently they were playing a game of telephone? Anyway, she put new sheets on the bed, and the room was good for the rest of our trip.

It was amusing to me that someone thought having sheets piled in the corner with an unmade bed was an appropriate way to leave a room for a guest. Basically, the whole situation left us amused more than anything. It would have been far more frustrating if we didn't have a midday break with sufficient time to get the issue fixed without interfering with park time.

 

[MamaBelle4]

It was amusing to me that someone thought having sheets piled in the corner with an unmade bed was an appropriate way to leave a room for a guest.

Is it possible the original mouse keeper left them for after the bed was replaced and then mouse keeping just didn't make it back up once the bed was in place? In other words, a breakdown of communication, not deliberate?

 

[Hope Soda]

Is it possible the original mouse keeper left them for after the bed was replaced and then mouse keeping just didn't make it back up once the bed was in place? In other words, a breakdown of communication, not deliberate?

Our mouse keeper didn't touch the bed, and left the sheets on. There was certainly a breakdown in communication somewhere, but I think it was most likely that mousekeeping wasn't informed when the bed was replaced, and they just didn't know the bed was ready to be remade.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Our mouse keeper didn't touch the bed, and left the sheets on. There was certainly a breakdown in communication somewhere, but I think it was most likely that mousekeeping wasn't informed when the bed was replaced, and they just didn't know the bed was ready to be remade.

That's what I took it as too. Still stinks though.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We're fine with normal hotel noises. Just that darn elevator. It's taken me my whole life to finally ask not to be placed next to an elevator, exit door or ice machine.

OP, I am the same way. Everything keeps me awake. When my youngest was born we used a white noise machine for her at home and even brought it along for hotels. Well, let me tell you, that has saved the day (night) so many times! I sleep sooooo well at hotels now. We were at a JW Marriott beach resort with a wedding reception going on outside our balcony til very late. I cranked up the white noise and fell right asleep. You can get one on amazon for less than $40. It is a life changer.

ETA: but I do still ask to avoid the areas you mentioned above...the less traffic near my door the better.

 

[AngiTN]

OP, I am the same way. Everything keeps me awake. When my youngest was born we used a white noise machine for her at home and even brought it along for hotels. Well, let me tell you, that has saved the day (night) so many times! I sleep sooooo well at hotels now. We were at a JW Marriott beach resort with a wedding reception going on outside our balcony til very late. I cranked up the white noise and fell right asleep. You can get one on amazon for less than $40. It is a life changer.

ETA: but I do still ask to avoid the areas you mentioned above...the less traffic near my door the better.

They even make apps for that

 

[fla4fun]

They even make apps for that

I have an app I have downloaded to my iPhone, iPod and iPad. I usually only have to use one of them, but there have been a few times in hotels where I have had all three running to mask noisy neighbors. I have issues with getting ear infections if I use ear plugs, so the white noise app has made such a difference in how well I sleep.

 

[Sue M]

Yikes! You’ve sure had your share of bad rooms. Hopefully the convention party was only 1 night. Did you have a Lagoon/lake view? We had a room facing Poly one stay in Big Pine. We could hear the movies on the beach but not with balcony closed. Thankfully no convention party. I always felt sorry for people at GF who’s rooms were by elevator. So much noise from people standing there waiting for elevator, or getting off.

Our last stay we were in Big Pine once again, this time a standard view of Courtyard Pool. I think this was my fav view. It was toward the end closest to main building. We also had a nice view of courtyard pool from Boca Chica.
I’ve been lucky, we’ve never heard our neighbours at any resort with one exception when we had the neighbours from hell move in next door. Thankfully it was our last day.

I have asked to move rooms if I didn’t like room I was given. At YC we must have gotten the worst view in the resort. I don’t feel like I have to overlook the resort garbage bins. I went back to desk to see if another room was available and there was. It faced front of resort, still standard view but a lot more pleasant.

I would word your request carefully with what you want. Quiet room away from elevator, not ground floor! If you like Big Pine or Boca Chica area, add request of Nice view of pool! Some views are blocked by pool house. Have it attached to your reservation. And if the room isn’t what you want, without touching anything in the room, go down to the desk and ask if there’s another room available that fits your requests. It’s important not to disturb room if you’re wanting a change because they don’t want to have to send housekeeping in to fix it up again. So look in room, and if you’re asking for a change, just leave it as you found it and go back to desk.

 

[Aurora0427]

We’ve stayed at the grand several times. I always request a higher floor, away from the elevators. I don’t like being anywhere near the pool because I think those rooms are louder. I would familiarize yourself with the different buildings at the Grand, what’s located around them, and then have them show you on the map at check in where you’re located and how close you are to the elevators. If you want a nicer view, upgrade to theme park or lake view. I avoid Big Key (I think that’s what it’s called) because several garden view rooms have views of the side of a building. Bring ear plugs and ask to be moved if the room is loud.

 

[Jennasis]

Be aware when making requests...don't make a request of what you DON'T want. This often confuses a busy room assigned and you are apt to wind up with the exact room you don't want. At BWV we had called in a request very specifically to NOT have a room with a view of the scary clown pool. The guy at DVC member services was in stitches while I made the request. No pennywise. When we checked in our balcony had a dead on view right into those lifeless eyes.

 

[trishadono]

For the past few trips, we have had a slew of less than optimal rooms.

(yes, yes...totally get what a whiny first world issue this is. We are BLESSED to be able to stay at these fabulous resorts! Which are expensive. Which leads to why I was disappointed)

AKL: we were in a top floor and it sounded like there was some kind of loud machinery directly over our ceiling and we were also right by the elevator. The sounds kept us awake all. night. long.

AKL: I think it was room 2210. Tucked in a corner by the lobby, view of storage buildings and a tight corner of dirt. zero animals came by. CM was like "We have a great room for you!" No..no you don't. It was the worst view we have ever had at AKL.

Grand floridian: Sago Cay in far end room. View of monorail and workmen, ground floor and right next to elevator. Lobby sounds and people waiting on elevator talking loudly kept us awake till 1am

Grand Floridian: Learned we need to ask for quiet room. Placed at far corner end room in Big Pine Key...directly over the party patio for convention parties. I could have jumped off the patio into the Party City convention directly below...which kept us awake with all the loud music, yelling PARTY! PARTY!. We actually had to laugh at this one.
*"Excuse me...we have trouble sleeping. Could we get a really quiet room?*
*"Why yes, ma'am, we have just the room! Right over the convention party patio!"

So, here we are....about to head to GF again after a stressful year of caregiving for my elderly parents. We want it to be all that and a bag of chips.
We've been so disappointed in our last few rooms I almost feel like a have a mark by my name...give her the yucky room.
But I have been nothing but kind to every CM, not fussed about anything, tipped bellmen, smiled and thanked everyone.

How, pray tell, can I get a nice room without feeling like a complainer if it is sucky like these were?

(and yes, there are bad views in all the deluxe resorts....views of stairwells, views of rooftops...does everyone walk into these rooms, stand there and say, um, no thank you...and call the front desk?)

I make a map like this for each resort for each building, mind you I go often and rarely do the same resort twice in a row so it's some work lol.

I go to toiringplans .com and print what I need. Sometimes I just do one floor for each building or more if needed.


. For gf I do sago, conch, bpk and boca chica for non cl. I do like I did there for sugar loaf. I want to know if even or odd face a certain way? How do you know floor number? Each resort is different. Gf it's building 1st digit, floor second, then room #.


So I write some room numbers in as a guide and try to memorize basics, I keep copies in my bag for checkin must in case.


My last non cl room at gf I knew right away with room number I had a view of pool house so I asked for a switch right there.

Bwi , bc and yc are the hardest with all those long halls!

 

[Hisgirl]

The last time we went to GF, we did request a room change. Twice. The first room had a broken refrigerator and we had bags of cold grocery items. We had just walked into the room and immediately asked if there was another room. There was.

That was the elevator room. We layed awake till 1am with the loud folks standing by the elevator talking, laughing and making all kinds of racquet.
After the second night, I asked for a quiet room.

That was when we were moved to the room literally directly over the party patio with the convention.
As I lay in bed, listening to 150 people chanting in unison directly underneath our balcony, I had to wonder if it was done on purpose. The desk gal told the room changer person on the phone that we were looking for a really really quiet room. So we were placed above the loud party. Seriously?

The view was stunning. We were overlooking the water and beach towards Poly. But our trip had been weird. The room issues, my hubby dumped a whole cup of coffee into his drawer of clean shirts, we saw a man dying getting CPR, our rental car broke and we had to go back to the airport and stand in line an hour...on our anniversary night..., the gift card I used to pay for a fancy dinner had a glitch and we spent two hours on the phone with visa/restaurant. One thing after the other. The whole trip. Every day.

As I sat listening to Party City employees yelling 'PARTY!! PARTY!! PARTY!! PARTY!!' I literally laughed.
Then I prayed.

What's going on Lord??

And that still small voice. Look out to that beach. A child lost his life a year ago right there. Right there. You think you have problems? Those aren't problems. That precious child's death...that was a problem. Be thankful for the problems you DO have.

It was a humbling prayer time, and yes, while wanting a nice quiet room is a thing....it sure isn't a problem. I think of that child who passed every time I go to GF and my heart aches for his parents.

 

[starrysilver]

Last year my sister, cousin, and I stayed at Yacht Club and while we loved the hotel, looking back we wish we had said something about the room. It was the first big vacation I had ever booked myself and I was really trying to make everything go smoothly- didn't want to ruffle any feathers. We had booked garden view, walked in to a room facing the stormalong bay pool (cool, I guess. Noise wasn't a problem) with HUGE scaffolding directly outside the window and balcony.

We were so happy with how beautiful and clean the renovated room was, we didn't even think of asking for a new room at the time. It wasn't a huge deal really, but we paid for garden view not construction pool view. haha We knew there was construction going on so we knew it was a possibility, it was just funny to see scaffolding essentially on our balcony and in a section we didn't even expect!

We're going back to Yacht Club in September and I don't think I have anything specific to request for our room, but we'll see!

 

[AngiTN]

Last year my sister, cousin, and I stayed at Yacht Club and while we loved the hotel, looking back we wish we had said something about the room. It was the first big vacation I had ever booked myself and I was really trying to make everything go smoothly- didn't want to ruffle any feathers. We had booked garden view, walked in to a room facing the stormalong bay pool (cool, I guess. Noise wasn't a problem) with HUGE scaffolding directly outside the window and balcony.

We were so happy with how beautiful and clean the renovated room was, we didn't even think of asking for a new room at the time. It wasn't a huge deal really, but we paid for garden view not construction pool view. haha We knew there was construction going on so we knew it was a possibility, it was just funny to see scaffolding essentially on our balcony and in a section we didn't even expect!

We're going back to Yacht Club in September and I don't think I have anything specific to request for our room, but we'll see!

So sad too because I believe Pool view is an upgrade from Garden view. Normally.

 

[starrysilver]

So sad too because I believe Pool view is an upgrade from Garden view. Normally.

For sure. It really is a great view. Our thought process was that the hotel would consider obstructed pool view more or less equal to a garden view room level below. But who knows!

It certainly provided us with some laughs relaxing outside on the balcony!

 

[Lovetherodent]

Until your post, I assumed every one but me got "partial savanna" standard rooms at AKL. I had a view of the parking lot (AKA the "Buick Savanna" where the Fords roam free and the Honda Herd rests peacefully in the Florida sunshine). BUT, it was the view I paid for, and I got a heckuva deal. I'm going back, and this time I just paid for the savanna view.

Now that hotels are non-smoking, I don't make many (or any) requests, but sometimes I make mistakes, like the time I requests "near the pool" at the Poly and got practically poolside (Samoa, first floor). Noisier than I realized. And once, when I didn't request (GF, garden view), I would up in Boca Chica with a view of the MK.

 

[Arielfan98]

And here I am laughing because I've stayed at the All Stars for 15+ years in a row and we've never experienced these issues

But in all seriousness, my family has always requested the rooms in the top floor and furthest away from the pool. At least at The All Stars, that's the trick to a quieter room. Also, speaking from an college RA's perspective, my belief is there's no shame in calling the front desk and complaining about the noise. The hotel CMs are there to help. Call them and let them know your neighbors are being noisy. Furthermore, it seems perhaps you guys are sensitive to noise. Try bringing a sound machine or downloading a free app on your phone to drown out noises. You can also bring earplugs!