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

[Princess Mulan]

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.

I’ve learned that the worst words I can hear at check-in are “We have a great room for you” or “You have the best room in the resort!” Inevitably, that means we’ve gotten the furthest room, next to the noisiest machinery, with the largest view of the parking lot, and in the most need of refurbishment!

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I must have stayed in the worst room in AKL a few years back. It was on the bottom floor, all the way in the corner, the view.. get this.. was of guests walking to and from the bus stop. So next time you get off the bus at AKL and you see that first room that looks like you can just hop over the wall to get in vs walking all the way around? Yup. That was me.

Worst part is that my family was also staying there and they were in a room near Victoria Falls Lounge that... I actually had to go up an elevator, walk across the lobby, and back down an elevator to get their room.

And I had put in a request to be "connecting or side-by-side." Yes, I went to the front desk. Yes, they saw my request. No, they did nothing to move me or change the room as nothing was available.

 

[AngiTN]

I must have stayed in the worst room in AKL a few years back. It was on the bottom floor, all the way in the corner, the view.. get this.. was of guests walking to and from the bus stop. So next time you get off the bus at AKL and you see that first room that looks like you can just hop over the wall to get in vs walking all the way around? Yup. That was me.

I've read a review from someone else that had a room there, maybe even that same room. They loved it. Raved about how it was so nice to be one step from the bus stops and how quick their walk was each day. Granted, they didn't have another party they were traveling with that was somewhere else, so that probably made a big difference too.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I've read a review from someone else that had a room there, maybe even that same room. They loved it. Raved about how it was so nice to be one step from the bus stops and how quick their walk was each day. Granted, they didn't have another party they were traveling with that was somewhere else, so that probably made a big difference too.

Unless you're climbing up and down the partition wall (not recommended lol), you're not actually close to the bus stop. You still have to go all the way around... up the elevator and out the front lobby doors and vice versa.

 

[jsmla]

I must have stayed in the worst room in AKL a few years back. It was on the bottom floor, all the way in the corner, the view.. get this.. was of guests walking to and from the bus stop. So next time you get off the bus at AKL and you see that first room that looks like you can just hop over the wall to get in vs walking all the way around? Yup. That was me.

Worst part is that my family was also staying there and they were in a room near Victoria Falls Lounge that... I actually had to go up an elevator, walk across the lobby, and back down an elevator to get their room.

And I had put in a request to be "connecting or side-by-side." Yes, I went to the front desk. Yes, they saw my request. No, they did nothing to move me or change the room as nothing was available.

Are those the "mud" wall rooms along the walkway to the buses? I refused one of those too many, many moons ago. I must be one of "those" guests

 

[SharonZ]

Did you book a Savannah view room at AKL? If you did - there is no guarantee what, if any, animals you will see. If you didn't book Savannah view, then you should have gone to one of the viewing areas to see the animals. I agree with the others, go directly to the front desk with your concerns. I can honestly say that in the 30+ trips I've made to Disney, I've never made a room request and was never disappointed in my assigned room.

 

[AngiTN]

Unless you're climbing up and down the partition wall (not recommended lol), you're not actually close to the bus stop. You still have to go all the way around... up the elevator and out the front lobby doors and vice versa.

There was a door of some sort nearby they used. I remember seeing it myself after reading the review. It's somewhere between the bus stop and the store entrance. Plain, unmarked, brown door. Can be used to go in/out, I guess. Just reporting what another guest said

 

[bumbershoot]

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

You have to let them know. If they are righteous, normal concerns then you’re not complaining. You’re stating a problem and telling them of a need.

does everyone walk into these rooms, stand there and say, um, no thank you...and call the front desk?

Don’t call. Go to the front desk. At Disney hitting that front desk button gets you to an off site call center.

One time in Las Vegas, our first room had no working AC (in the summer in Vegas!) so I asked to be moved. The second room was filled with cigarette smoke (it was a smoke free hotel).

Smoke free hotel in Vegas?

I would never ask for a different room solely because of the view. You get what you pay for there.

I think the issue is that people don’t always get what they pay for, view-wise.

 

[MamaBelle4]

This is slightly off topic, but I've found it so quiet and peaceful at SSR. I think it's the outside hallways, they don't trap the noise as well as interior halls.

 

[jsmla]

Did you book a Savannah view room at AKL? If you did - there is no guarantee what, if any, animals you will see. If you didn't book Savannah view, then you should have gone to one of the viewing areas to see the animals. I agree with the others, go directly to the front desk with your concerns. I can honestly say that in the 30+ trips I've made to Disney, I've never made a room request and was never disappointed in my assigned room.

I had a standard room but those rooms on the bus walkway are terrible! I literally could have sat on the balcony/porch/mudpen and tapped people on the way to the bus on the shoulder. Those porches are for all intents and purposes useless. We were moved to a parking lot view and were perfectly fine with that.

 

[aprincessatlast]

I’ve learned that the worst words I can hear at check-in are “We have a great room for you” or “You have the best room in the resort!” Inevitably, that means we’ve gotten the furthest room, next to the noisiest machinery, with the largest view of the parking lot, and in the most need of refurbishment!

Every...Single...Time!!! lol When they say those words just go ahead and say what else do ya got?

 

[dkrauss]

On my last 5 trips to Disney, I have faxed in specific room requests, down to the room number, and I am 5 for 5 in getting the exact room I picked and mentioned in the fax I sent. Just throwing that out there as an option

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

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

Smoke free hotel in Vegas?

Right? There are a couple even on the strip. Vdara being one of them.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

I must have stayed in the worst room in AKL a few years back. It was on the bottom floor, all the way in the corner, the view.. get this.. was of guests walking to and from the bus stop. So next time you get off the bus at AKL and you see that first room that looks like you can just hop over the wall to get in vs walking all the way around? Yup. That was me.

Worst part is that my family was also staying there and they were in a room near Victoria Falls Lounge that... I actually had to go up an elevator, walk across the lobby, and back down an elevator to get their room.

And I had put in a request to be "connecting or side-by-side." Yes, I went to the front desk. Yes, they saw my request. No, they did nothing to move me or change the room as nothing was available.

I know the rooms you are talking about. Those are the cheapest rooms in AKL, on Giraffe Trail and Ostrich Trail. That is what you paid for, that is what you got, what you booked. Your family may have been in a different category. They are smaller than the other rooms in the lodge. The DVC value rooms on 5th floor are the same rooms, layout, and square footage.
I booked one of those in 2010, purposely booking the cheapest room available, with the platinum plan. Mine was located on lobby level, right by the porte cochre and luggage racks, etc. No privacy if I would have ever opened my drapes. But I got what I paid for, and picked the cheapest room to get the Platinum Plan. So you got what you booked, and I got what I booked.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

There was a door of some sort nearby they used. I remember seeing it myself after reading the review. It's somewhere between the bus stop and the store entrance. Plain, unmarked, brown door. Can be used to go in/out, I guess. Just reporting what another guest said

Yes, exactly as you described, a plain, unmarked brown door. YOu can use your card or magic bandtot open it, and there is a stairway going up to each floor. Cuts off trapsing back to lobby, and out & around. It does look like it is intended for employees though. If I had not read about it on the Dis, I never would have tried it, thinking it is backstage area or employees only, not intended for guest. I'm sure most people never notice it as they pass by. It is really convenient, if you can do stairs.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

I had a standard room but those rooms on the bus walkway are terrible! I literally could have sat on the balcony/porch/mudpen and tapped people on the way to the bus on the shoulder. Those porches are for all intents and purposes useless. We were moved to a parking lot view and were perfectly fine with that.

I agree the parking lot standard view rooms are preferable to the ones on the bus walkway.

 

[AngiTN]

Yes, exactly as you described, a plain, unmarked brown door. YOu can use your card or magic bandtot open it, and there is a stairway going up to each floor. Cuts off trapsing back to lobby, and out & around. It does look like it is intended for employees though. If I had not read about it on the Dis, I never would have tried it, thinking it is backstage area or employees only, not intended for guest. I'm sure most people never notice it as they pass by. It is really convenient, if you can do stairs.

You'd be amazed at how many resorts have similar doors. YC has one, BC has one, just off the top of my head. WL has other doors but they aren't as hidden, best I can recall. I so wish BWI had one, but they don't. Makes it really quick to get back to some of the more remote rooms

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I know the rooms you are talking about. Those are the cheapest rooms in AKL, on Giraffe Trail and Ostrich Trail. That is what you paid for, that is what you got, what you booked. Your family may have been in a different category. They are smaller than the other rooms in the lodge. The DVC value rooms on 5th floor are the same rooms, layout, and square footage.
I booked one of those in 2010, purposely booking the cheapest room available, with the platinum plan. Mine was located on lobby level, right by the porte cochre and luggage racks, etc. No privacy if I would have ever opened my drapes. But I got what I paid for, and picked the cheapest room to get the Platinum Plan. So you got what you booked, and I got what I booked.

It's a Standard Room. I've also had other Standard Rooms that were not in this location and, as you may well know, there are no other categories lower than Standard Room. Let's not pretend that there are not wonderful accommodations all over the AKL that are classified as Standard and aren't in terrible locations. There's plenty of Savannah View, yes, but then... you know... there are those other rooms on the opposite side of the hallway.

 

[bryanb]

I've probably had fairly good luck even with "standard" rooms. The website is pretty clear about what kinds of views you get with "standard" rooms like "views of garden, courtyard, or parking area" but so far I've been lucky and I haven't been parked on top of a convention party or near noisy machinery. For the Deluxe resorts that I've browsed, I feel like the standard rooms are all booked up early and only the more expensive ones are available. I've always dreamed of opening up my window and seeing the Seven Seas Lagoon, with the monorail off in the distance, and ferry plying the waters. I guess for that you gotta upgrade.

I’ve learned that the worst words I can hear at check-in are “We have a great room for you” or “You have the best room in the resort!” Inevitably, that means we’ve gotten the furthest room, next to the noisiest machinery, with the largest view of the parking lot, and in the most need of refurbishment!

I've never been promised a "great room" at Disney, but once I was traveling of a group of teens competing at ESPN, and the front desk CM kind of promised the opposite: "we have a block of rooms for you, in the back away from other guests."

 

[Hisgirl]

This has been an enlightening thread. An additional caveat on this trip is that I have a very painful broken toe, with the break in a place where I have to be careful. Ortho wants me to use a scooter and a boot.I had planned to boot my way locally and scoot in the parks. Big Pine key would work the best. 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.