An open letter to Disney about mandatory room checks.

[kaytieeldr]

My second paragraph states that pretty clearly.

Perhaps clear to you. If it had been clear to me, I would not have responded.

 

[AngiTN]

No, technically the question hasn't been posed only to those who have declined housekeeping, but since those who accept housekeeping aren't impacted by the change, I don't see where those experiences add value to a conversation where people are venting about the perceived idiocy of Disney's policy.

Maybe the value is it gives someone who's been on the fence about declining housekeeping food for thought. They can now use this knowledge to help them decide if it's really worth it. Is skipping housekeeping worth knowing you could have a bigger interruption? Could it be better to just let them do what they do and clean up the room, go about your day and not be otherwise bothered? Everyone is at a different place and not as against housekeeping as others. Those who are 100% anti housekeeping are never going to change their minds. Others, not so much. Unless this thread becomes venting and anti housekeeping only, I think both sides are valid, to those looking to make decisions.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Maybe the value is it gives someone who's been on the fence about declining housekeeping food for thought. They can now use this knowledge to help them decide if it's really worth it. Is skipping housekeeping worth knowing you could have a bigger interruption? Could it be better to just let them do what they do and clean up the room, go about your day and not be otherwise bothered? Everyone is at a different place and not as against housekeeping as others. Those who are 100% anti housekeeping are never going to change their minds. Others, not so much. Unless this thread becomes venting and anti housekeeping only, I think both sides are valid, to those looking to make decisions.

I would think though that for the majority of people who decline housekeeping it's not because of an interruption.

I mean to decline housekeeping means your room isn't going to be cleaned and you won't have replishments of toiletries and towels for that day. That's the actual reason for declining housekeeping. DND signs are so you won't be distrurbed. It's just that in the hotel industry the DND basically was used for both with the exceptions of hotel brands that have utilized double-sided or two signs (1 to indicate not to disturb and 1 to indicate cleaning of the room).

If I had my room cleaned during the day I would still put out my DND sign for the rest of the time I was in the room. That's just my personal traveling habit.

And honestly knowing how you like to travel I'm not sure it makes sense to make it 'anti-housekeeping' vs not. I like housekeeping but I do not need housekeeping everyday. I'm not anti-housekeeping, I'm just a lot less low key traveler than say someone like you (and I'm not meaning that in a bad way just trying to phrase it the only way I know how).

So I guess what I'm saying is you're comparing apples to oranges for most reasons why someone would decline housekeeping.

 

[PurpleJesus]

I'm too new here to call anything stupid. So, I won't.

 

[Lisann]

For the most part, these checks are all so utterly useless.

Just got back from 7 nights at Grand Floridian. No one entered our room while we were in it, or asked to, the entire seven days we were there. Housekeeping came every day. We assumed they "checked" our room, whatever that means.

After we had just checked in and had entered our room, I looked at my sister and said..."you do realize, that both of us could have packed an arsenal in our suitcases, no one checked our bags from our car to our hotel room, and we could have loaded up our weapons, walked to the lobby, and done some damage to dozens of lives, and by the time security got to us, well, you know the answer." Not that we would, of course. We both agreed that was an EASY scenario to pull off!

It's nice that they do these room checks, but they accomplish nothing. It's nice that security checks you before you enter the park via monorail, but WDW is only fooling itself. There are many gaping holes in their security system. There were loopholes in their "stay-out-of-the-water-there-are-alligators" warning, too. You see what happened there.

I am 99% of the time a positive person. I'm feeling a little negative about all of this lately. I know that security does come across knives and sometimes guns, so that's important. But WDW is not thorough by any means with regard to our safety.

 

[AngiTN]

I would think though that for the majority of people who decline housekeeping it's not because of an interruption.

I mean to decline housekeeping means your room isn't going to be cleaned and you won't have replishments of toiletries and towels for that day. That's the actual reason for declining housekeeping. DND signs are so you won't be distrurbed. It's just that in the hotel industry the DND basically was used for both with the exceptions of hotel brands that have utilized double-sided or two signs (1 to indicate not to disturb and 1 to indicate cleaning of the room).

If I had my room cleaned during the day I would still put out my DND sign for the rest of the time I was in the room. That's just my personal traveling habit.

And honestly knowing how you like to travel I'm not sure it makes sense to make it 'anti-housekeeping' vs not. I like housekeeping but I do not need housekeeping everyday. I'm not anti-housekeeping, I'm just a lot less low key traveler than say someone like you (and I'm not meaning that in a bad way just trying to phrase it the only way I know how).

So I guess what I'm saying is you're comparing apples to oranges for most reasons why someone would decline housekeeping.

I don't think so. Unless I'm missing the entire picture. It must be that I haven't made my thoughts clear. I'm not sure what my habits have to do with my particular comment.
I wasn't trying to making it anti-housekeeping. Someone else seemed to think since I accepted housekeeping my comments on my particular trips were not relevant. When the OP to this thread asked specifically if there had been anyone who's had multiple trips had noticed any changes. I tried to do nothing more than respond to that question.
Besides that, there are some people who decline housekeeping at Disney lately because they've been offered a gift card, and they have not even thought about what that can mean. They look at the money.
So in those cases, they may well find value in giving thought to is that worth a possible trade to being interrupted in their room more than they would had they accepted regular housekeeping. With the knowledge learned here they may well decide that no, it's not worth the money and they'd rather just let them clean their room and hopefully never have any added interruptions during their stay. That's where I see value to my comments.

Truthfully, it's not that I care about having anything more than my bed made each day. When we stay CL we don't even care about turn down service (I don't get it at all). We are normally in the room when they come around for it and we turn it down every time.
We simply forget to put out the DND/Occupied sign. We are old and forgetful. It's nothing more than that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't think so. Unless I'm missing the entire picture. It must be that I haven't made my thoughts clear. I'm not sure what my habits have to do with my particular comment.
I wasn't trying to making it anti-housekeeping. Someone else seemed to think since I accepted housekeeping my comments on my particular trips were not relevant. When the OP to this thread asked specifically if there had been anyone who's had multiple trips had noticed any changes. I tried to do nothing more than respond to that question.
Besides that, there are some people who decline housekeeping at Disney lately because they've been offered a gift card, and they have not even thought about what that can mean. They look at the money.
So in those cases, they may well find value in giving thought to is that worth a possible trade to being interrupted in their room more than they would had they accepted regular housekeeping. With the knowledge learned here they may well decide that no, it's not worth the money and they'd rather just let them clean their room and hopefully never have any added interruptions during their stay. That's where I see value to my comments.

Truthfully, it's not that I care about having anything more than my bed made each day. When we stay CL we don't even care about turn down service (I don't get it at all). We are normally in the room when they come around for it and we turn it down every time.
We simply forget to put out the DND/Occupied sign. We are old and forgetful. It's nothing more than that.

Gotcha

 

[DisMomof2Princesses]

Someone my DH is friends with had a child vanish at wdw (later found). I won't give away details of Disney's security apparatus, but let's just say, they are on it like you would not believe (beyond impressive, far superior to any government security), and children being targeted by bad people is very common at wdw. If your child ever gets lost/taken--- you want it to be at WDW. I will tell you that Disney told these parents the first thing an abductor does is cut your child's hair and change his/her clothes.

Unfortunately, this is not always true. A man I work with who goes to Disney a few times a year had a different experience. His son went missing from the stroller, and when he said something to a cast member they asked how long has he been gone and wasn't quite sure what to do. Fortunately it turned out his son got up to see a toy that another child was playing with nearby, but things could have been worse!

 

[snappy]

Unfortunately, this is not always true. A man I work with who goes to Disney a few times a year had a different experience. His son went missing from the stroller, and when he said something to a cast member they asked how long has he been gone and wasn't quite sure what to do. Fortunately it turned out his son got up to see a toy that another child was playing with nearby, but things could have been worse!

Can’t say I am surprised by your post. The majority of CM’s I encounter lately appear to be young and inexperienced. However, I could just be getting old and cranky.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Unfortunately, this is not always true. A man I work with who goes to Disney a few times a year had a different experience. His son went missing from the stroller, and when he said something to a cast member they asked how long has he been gone and wasn't quite sure what to do. Fortunately it turned out his son got up to see a toy that another child was playing with nearby, but things could have been worse!

That's awful. Nothing worse than losing sight of a child.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Unfortunately, this is not always true. A man I work with who goes to Disney a few times a year had a different experience. His son went missing from the stroller, and when he said something to a cast member they asked how long has he been gone and wasn't quite sure what to do. Fortunately it turned out his son got up to see a toy that another child was playing with nearby, but things could have been worse!

That's awful. Nothing worse than losing sight of a child.

Also not my experience...lost my daughter at Blizzard Beach in 2016 (long story) and I was stunned at how poorly Disney handled it. They told us at "lost children" that they communicated to all staff and lifeguards to look for her and that there was a coordinated effort, but as I literally ran around the park looking for her (my son was stationed with our stuff and my husband and I looked), I did not encounter one single CM that was aware of the situation and was already keeping an eye out for her. I eventually found her myself, no thanks to Disney staff. Longest hour of my entire life.

Sorry, I have been lurking throughout this entire thread as this is a topic of great concern to me, but had to throw my thoughts in about that...

 

[HopperFan]

For the most part, these checks are all so utterly useless.

Just got back from 7 nights at Grand Floridian. No one entered our room while we were in it, or asked to, the entire seven days we were there. Housekeeping came every day. We assumed they "checked" our room, whatever that means.

After we had just checked in and had entered our room, I looked at my sister and said..."you do realize, that both of us could have packed an arsenal in our suitcases, no one checked our bags from our car to our hotel room, and we could have loaded up our weapons, walked to the lobby, and done some damage to dozens of lives, and by the time security got to us, well, you know the answer." Not that we would, of course. We both agreed that was an EASY scenario to pull off!

It's nice that they do these room checks, but they accomplish nothing. It's nice that security checks you before you enter the park via monorail, but WDW is only fooling itself. There are many gaping holes in their security system. There were loopholes in their "stay-out-of-the-water-there-are-alligators" warning, too. You see what happened there.

I am 99% of the time a positive person. I'm feeling a little negative about all of this lately. I know that security does come across knives and sometimes guns, so that's important. But WDW is not thorough by any means with regard to our safety.

That is if you believe these room checks have anything to do with guns, weapons and Las Vegas. I don't.

Also not my experience...lost my daughter at Blizzard Beach in 2016 (long story) and I was stunned at how poorly Disney handled it. They told us at "lost children" that they communicated to all staff and lifeguards to look for her and that there was a coordinated effort, but as I literally ran around the park looking for her (my son was stationed with our stuff and my husband and I looked), I did not encounter one single CM that was aware of the situation and was already keeping an eye out for her. I eventually found her myself, no thanks to Disney staff. Longest hour of my entire life.

Sorry, I have been lurking throughout this entire thread as this is a topic of great concern to me, but had to throw my thoughts in about that...

YEAH ... know enough, seen enough, been in conversation enough, know in house folks, DD worked there ........................ Disney is not a place I want to lose a child or have an emergency that needs CMs (EMS are good once there) or need security or been a victim. No one should let down their guard in a place with tens of thousands of people from all over ........... and an overworked staff comprised by a high percentage of minimally trained college kids.

NOTE: I am not being negative about CMs. I believe they work hard for little, they put up with a lot from guests, they have very strict constraints on what they can do and they are often a temp with minimal training.

 

[snappy]

I am really sorry you had you endure that. And I apologize for my flippant remark. I should know better.

Not Disney, but we couldn’t find our 2 year daughter at Chuck E Cheese 26 years ago. I am not sure how long we searched for her but we did find her (seemed an eternity) and she had been busy playing and was fine. My best friend was looking after her at the time and felt awful. We still talk about it. Not good memory.

 

[oceanmarina]

QUOTE="TheFloatingBear, post: 59325980, member: 572095"] Also not my experience...lost my daughter at Blizzard Beach in 2016 (long story) and I was stunned at how poorly Disney handled it. They told us at "lost children" that they communicated to all staff and lifeguards to look for her and that there was a coordinated effort, but as I literally ran around the park looking for her (my son was stationed with our stuff and my husband and I looked), I did not encounter one single CM that was aware of the situation and was already keeping an eye out for her. I eventually found her myself, no thanks to Disney staff. Longest hour of my entire life.

Sorry, I have been lurking throughout this entire thread as this is a topic of great concern to me, but had to throw my thoughts in about that...[/QUOTE]

OMG so scary, how horrible for you! You must have been in a state of terror and panic until you found her....sigh. Yes you would think since Disney caters to families that bring small children the majority of the time would have a better system in place.

 

[Auroraborealis18]

That is if you believe these room checks have anything to do with guns, weapons and Las Vegas. I don't.



YEAH ... know enough, seen enough, been in conversation enough, know in house folks, DD worked there ........................ Disney is not a place I want to lose a child or have an emergency that needs CMs (EMS are good once there) or need security or been a victim. No one should let down their guard in a place with tens of thousands of people from all over ........... and an overworked staff comprised by a high percentage of minimally trained college kids.

NOTE: I am not being negative about CMs. I believe they work hard for little, they put up with a lot from guests, they have very strict constraints on what they can do and they are often a temp with minimal training.

Hopper ,what do you know about the room checks or suspect?

 

[Nancyg56]

I am really sorry you had you endure that. And I apologize for my flippant remark. I should know better.

Not Disney, but we couldn’t find our 2 year daughter at Chuck E Cheese 26 years ago. I am not sure how long we searched for her but we did find her (seemed an eternity) and she had been busy playing and was fine. My best friend was looking after her at the time and felt awful. We still talk about it. Not good memory.

My lost child was 38 years ago at Mystic Aquarium in CT. My liitle girl was swept away from my sister when the doors to a show opened. They refused to announce anything, just wanted us to look for her! It was a nightmare I will never forget.

 

[snappy]

It’s truly a parent’s worst nightmare. Even when the child is found and is fine you feel guilt.

 

[bdgrbckr13]

I wonder if you would have had the same, uninterrupted, pleasant vacation had you declined housekeeping.

We have had two stays since the policy was implemented. 15 nights total, value resorts, have never used the sign, declined housekeeping both stays. We choose no housekeeping because it is the just the two of us and the gift card comes in handy.

We were "interrupted" one time during both stays. On the next to last day of our second stay, we came back to the room about 2:30 and about 4:30 had a knock on the door; "Disney security check." We didn't get up, I know, we should we have checked for an ID, but just said, "come in." Young man took a few steps into the room, explained who he was and why he was there, and was gone in 15 or 20 seconds.

The result of the change has had no effect on us or our decision to stay onsite in the future.

 

[Lisann]

That is if you believe these room checks have anything to do with guns, weapons and Las Vegas. I don't.

I said, "for the most part".

 

[KarenP64]

Hopper ,what do you know about the room checks or suspect?

Maybe something like this: http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2018/...yees-arrested-in-child-pornography-sting.html And that's only the latest of its kind....