An open letter to Disney about mandatory room checks.

[AngiTN]

That might depend on how much time they spend in the room. We have no systematic/reliable way of being able to say this.

Of course you can. If the guest doesn't experience any change how can it matter how long they spend in their room? If they are able to go about their trip without any change to their daily trip routine from any of their past trips then that guest can most definitely say there has been no change to them. Does that mean their room was not entered? Who knows. Only question to that guest, were things business as usual? If that guest says yes, is that not the only measuring stick that counts? What the guest experiences?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Of course you can. If the guest doesn't experience any change how can it matter how long they spend in their room? If they are able to go about their trip without any change to their daily trip routine from any of their past trips then that guest can most definitely say there has been no change to them. Does that mean their room was not entered? Who knows. Only question to that guest, were things business as usual? If that guest says yes, is that not the only measuring stick that counts? What the guest experiences?

That's not what I meant.

I mean that there is no way for you or anyone to know how common the experience of housekeeping being the ONLY check-in on most rooms is. There could be multiple checks in rooms where guests are out of the room all day -- they and you wouldn't know. Some people ARE reporting multiple room checks per day even with housekeeping. Disney's enforcement appears to be all over the place. And the guest experience MIGHT vary greatly depending on how much time one spends in their room.

And for DVC guests, this is an obvious significant policy change. Period. No way around that one. But if you're out of your room ALL DAY, you still might not notice it.

 

[pattyw]

The bad part to me is that even though I like housekeeping and allow them daily, in the past I could put my DND sign up and if the housekeeper came to my room at 8am, she would NOT knock, NOT disturb us, and come back later. Now, with "Room Occupied", they are knocking at whatever time they come to your room to announce their presence and wanting in- then! So if they get to my room at noon each day, I won't be affected at all. But, if my room is the one that they start with at 8am, I will be woken up each day. I think it's reasonable for me to be concerned about this even though I haven't stayed there yet without labeling myself paranoid.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

But, if my room is the one that they start with at 8am, I will be woken up each day. I think it's reasonable for me to be concerned about this even though I haven't stayed there yet without labeling myself paranoid.

 

[Canesfan3234]

The bad part to me is that even though I like housekeeping and allow them daily, in the past I could put my DND sign up and if the housekeeper came to my room at 8am, she would NOT knock, NOT disturb us, and come back later. Now, with "Room Occupied", they are knocking at whatever time they come to your room to announce their presence and wanting in- then! So if they get to my room at noon each day, I won't be affected at all. But, if my room is the one that they start with at 8am, I will be woken up each day. I think it's reasonable for me to be concerned about this even though I haven't stayed there yet without labeling myself paranoid.

I have stayed on property a few times since the change and not once have had them knock at 8 am with the sign out. I think disney is smart enough to not do the required room check at 8am when it is very likely the guest is asleep.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I have stayed on property a few times since the change and not once have had them knock at 8 am with the sign out. I think disney is smart enough to not do the required room check at 8am when it is very likely the guest is asleep.

Apparently not. Not according to some reports across multiple threads here, and some comments I've seen on FB.

 

[darrengs]

Last week we used the sign and we had housekeeping. In my experience housekeeping did appear to "abide" by the sign, nobody knocked or bothered us prior to us removing the sign and leaving the room daily, I think our latest time to leave the room was 11:00 AM.

 

[JARNJ3]

I'm sorry, but the topic of mandatory room checks at Disney is not important to me. At all.

I am excited that they are going to take out the trash daily

 

[djc9699]

I will say I have stayed at Disney probably 15 times in the past 12 years, the most recent being March. I have never had a problem with them entering the room and I still don't. However, this is the first time we have requested that they not bother us for 3 hours in the afternoon for a toddler's nap. We put the sign out and our granddaughter was woke up three days out of seven. That was the only time the sign was up. This to me is unacceptable and when I contacted Disney, the representative I talked to agreed with me (at least on the phone). I am going back in July and will see what happens. I am sure the kinks will get worked out. I certainly hope so. I love Disney and don't want to end my relationship with them or the way I vacation, but I will not pay to stay where I cannot relax in my room when I want to. Having the right to enter when there is a reason or reasonable excuse is one thing. Coming in every day just because they can is ridiculous. They could do one or two random checks per reservation and still be 'doing their job' as far as covering themselves.

 

[Canesfan3234]

Apparently not. Not according to some reports across multiple threads here, and some comments I've seen on FB.

key word is some. Disney is a massive company with thousands of hotel rooms and hundreds of housekeepers. Protocols are inevitably broken and mistakes are made. It will never be perfect. But I think it is apparent that the vast majority of people who have stayed on property have not had their door knocked on at 8 am with the room occupied sign out. IMO you will make yourself miserable expecting to be one of the unlucky few instead of expecting to be like almost everyone else who hasn't been impacted at all by the new policy.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

I will say I have stayed at Disney probably 15 times in the past 12 years, the most recent being March. I have never had a problem with them entering the room and I still don't. However, this is the first time we have requested that they not bother us for 3 hours in the afternoon for a toddler's nap. We put the sign out and our granddaughter was woke up three days out of seven. That was the only time the sign was up. This to me is unacceptable and when I contacted Disney, the representative I talked to agreed with me (at least on the phone). I am going back in July and will see what happens. I am sure the kinks will get worked out. I certainly hope so. I love Disney and don't want to end my relationship with them or the way I vacation, but I will not pay to stay where I cannot relax in my room when I want to. Having the right to enter when there is a reason or reasonable excuse is one thing. Coming in every day just because they can is ridiculous. They could do one or two random checks per reservation and still be 'doing their job' as far as covering themselves.

And .... you shouldn’t be disturbed.. but obviously even with this being YOUR experience there will be some that say your just making it up or “ exaggerating “ I know I have never in all my adult years stayed in a hotel where this was so invasive and while some people ( especially that think Disney is always right ) will fault you for not wanting to be disturbed well that’s why people vacation ... to relax .

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

Also ... we spend more time at our resorts then the parks ( after 20 yrs we have almost gotten to where we may spend 2-3 hours at the most in parks and some days no parks ( that’s why we started doing more DCL ) so relaxing uninterrupted is a important part of our vacation and pay to stay at the better resorts to enjoy .... if I want to spend the day in bed with my hubby and getting and eating in room with our meals then I don’t want someone knocking or trying to come in .
I would also like to say while on DCL the housekeeping is a all day thing they never come to your door when your in your room ( they stay in the areas and weirdly enough always know when your in the room lol ) as many times as they clean your room it’s EXTREMELY un invasive.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

key word is some. Disney is a massive company with thousands of hotel rooms and hundreds of housekeepers. Protocols are inevitably broken and mistakes are made. It will never be perfect. But I think it is apparent that the vast majority of people who have stayed on property have not had their door knocked on at 8 am with the room occupied sign out. IMO you will make yourself miserable expecting to be one of the unlucky few instead of expecting to be like almost everyone else who hasn't been impacted at all by the new policy.

I’m aware of all of this. I said “some” for a reason. We are 23ish trips in, and DVC members at 2 resorts since 2006. We know what Disney is and how it works.

There have been times where we have been early on the cleaning schedule, but with a DND sign on the door they would come back when we left the room. Now I know that there’s at least a chance that if we’re early on the cleaning list they may expect entry regardless of what works well for us. No good reason for this.

I also know that there’s a chance that someone might demand entry at a time that is generally inconvenient to us. This also makes me less comfortable leaving my 11 & 13 yo together in the room without us for short stretches. Inconvenient in multiple ways.

And all of this for security theatre and possible CYA. These are unnecessary. Disney has REAL security. No reason to inconvenience people this way.

Like I said: I’ll see how it’s enforced in our upcoming trips. I’m hoping they realize how stupid this all is and stop doing it.

But none of us need or are seeking approval for being unhappy with this policy.

 

[pattyw]

And .... you shouldn’t be disturbed.. but obviously even with this being YOUR experience there will be some that say your just making it up or “ exaggerating “ I know I have never in all my adult years stayed in a hotel where this was so invasive and while some people ( especially that think Disney is always right ) will fault you for not wanting to be disturbed well that’s why people vacation ... to relax .

Also ... we spend more time at our resorts then the parks ( after 20 yrs we have almost gotten to where we may spend 2-3 hours at the most in parks and some days no parks ( that’s why we started doing more DCL ) so relaxing uninterrupted is a important part of our vacation and pay to stay at the better resorts to enjoy .... if I want to spend the day in bed with my hubby and getting and eating in room with our meals then I don’t want someone knocking or trying to come in .
I would also like to say while on DCL the housekeeping is a all day thing they never come to your door when your in your room ( they stay in the areas and weirdly enough always know when your in the room lol ) as many times as they clean your room it’s EXTREMELY un invasive.

Very well said!

 

[DSLRuser]

wah....this is such a non issue for me.

use the latch...problem solved......if someone happens to see me naked.....i feel sorry for their eyes......but it doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Three60guy]

I seek your assistance:

I would like to hear your out of the box views on what is the best way to:

1. Reacting to a room check.

2. If you have already experienced this for yourself and felt compelled to speak to someone about it, who did you speak to and was the issue resolved afterwards? Did you have to speak to someone more than once?

3. Thinking back would you have handled it any differently after you left Disney property. Please provide those insights as well.

I am attempting here to be pro-active in this discussion to learn what people are finding to be the best way to deal with a room check intrusion.

Thanks

oh, and Cheers

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

wah....this is such a non issue for me.

use the latch...problem solved......if someone happens to see me naked.....i feel sorry for their eyes......but it doesn't bother me at all.

Not so much worried about THEIR eyes ( I hit up the gym enough hahaha ) but I would like to enjoy a nice afternoon without that type of interruption.. lol

 

[jpnoel]

I ultimately like the new policy. Disney should be diligent in preventing any such attack from occurring. Even if there is a .0001% chance lives are saved I am ok with it. And like many said, you don't have to stay on property. I think the implementation of the policy alone could prevent such attacks. Look at the Pulse nightclub shooting. The shooter originally wanted to target Disney Springs but when casing the place changed his mind due to the large police presence.

Plus I like having my trash taken out every day

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

I ultimately like the new policy. Disney should be diligent in preventing any such attack from occurring. Even if there is a .0001% chance lives are saved I am ok with it. And like many said, you don't have to stay on property. I think the implementation of the policy alone could prevent such attacks. Look at the Pulse nightclub shooting. The shooter originally wanted to target Disney Springs but when casing the place changed his mind due to the large police presence.

Plus I like having my trash taken out every day

I completely agree with the increased security on property , even the checks at the monorail resorts but the room checks to this extent are not going to be as helpful as people assume ...you can throw the latch , hide what you need, call housekeeping and ask them to come back which gives time to remove items plus it’s not as if they are looking through your things so unless it’s sitting out they won’t see anything .. even with something sitting out they don’t really say anything ..
I just don’t think that will stop something big on site .. people can stay off site at a 25.00 roach motel , drive to a resort as a day guest and do what they want given cars Steven not searched... if a bad guy wants to do something bad they find a way .. it takes a lot more then that ... also the 9/11 hijackers were not deterred by airport security ( even though its higher now they still had security checks then ) .
Bad guys will be bad guys ...they find a way ..

 

[Jen1995]

Disney world (or hotels in general) are not your private property, like your home. They reserve the right to enter your room for any reason they deem appropriate. They always have, and they always will. Further, just use the latch on the door if you don’t want people being able to come in to check. No one is going to bust down your door for a routine security check. This is a classic example of people blowing this whole issue out of proportion/not understanding that disney has always retained this right, this isn’t new.

They also have the legal right to come in and sit on your bed and watch you sleep. What's your point? We should be ok with whatever Disney has the legal right to do even if it's disruptive and creepy?