What is the process to “ask for a specific room”

[Beca P]

Arriving at Pop in 6 days. Party of 6. Want to know the exact process in requesting a specific room at Pop.

Looking for 2 joining rooms (#1 priority),
close to lobby and transportation (#2),
ground floor (#3)
and at least one of the rooms - tub for the toddlers (#4).

How soon can I call to ask? And is calling the right/only way to contact Pop?

What “wording” should I use?

Currently signed up for “touring plans” so I researched and found a few rooms they recommend as “best” (#4114-4115) — but it doesn’t give me the option to select “joining rooms” as a pref.

Thanks for the suggestions. Sooo excited I’m going to POP ;P

 

[rwdavis2]

Call or fax.

 

[kaytieeldr]

1A) Determine and request in order of importance.
1B) Keep requests to a minimum - no more than three, and in order of importance.
1C) Avoid requesting specific rooms.

2) You want connecting, not (ad)joining rooms.
3) Call; most resorts ignore faxes.
4) If you paid for Preferred (location) rooms, you will be close to translortation/lobby. If you fpdid not, you will be less close.
5) Wording: "i need (,or would like) rooms that are ____, ____, and ____. "

 

[Beca P]

Call or fax.

Can I call already? 6 days out?

 

[Beca P]

1A) Determine and request in order of importance.
1B) Keep requests to a minimum - no more than three, and in order of importance.
1C) Avoid requesting specific rooms.

2) You want connecting, not (ad)joining rooms.
3) Call; most resorts ignore faxes.
4) If you paid for Preferred (location) rooms, you will be close to translortation/lobby. If you fpdid not, you will be less close.
5) Wording: "i need (,or would like) rooms that are ____, ____, and ____. "

Thanks! That’s a wealth of info.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Can I call already? 6 days out?

Yes, you should call now. Rooms are assigned 3ish-5ish days out. I wouldn't wait.

 

[mickeynut1]

And is calling the right/only way to contact Pop?

I agree with GADisneyDad to call now, but I wanted to mention that you can't call Pop directly. You need to call the regular reservation number and tell the CM you want to add requests to your reservation. Any calls made to the number associated with a resort are routed to a call center. The CMs answer as if they are at that resort, but they are actually at a call center and not at the front desk of that particular resort.

 

[Mome Rath]

And do remember that they are only requests, you may get some, all, or none of the requests. The only thing guaranteed is that you'll have the category of room you paid for, or they'll refund that portion of the room cost. (In other words, if you pay for a preferred room, then that is what you are owed, if they downgrade you, then they owe money back for the preferred rate.)

 

[Lynne M]

You can add a request to your reservation at the time you make the reservation, or anytime thereafter. You're getting very close to the time when room assignments are made, though, so I would suggest calling today.

As for how you do it, you just call the reservation line and say "I'd like to add requests to my reservation, please. I'd like connecting rooms, close to lobby, first floor, non-HA." Keep it short and concise, they have a limited amount of space to type in.

A couple of notes:

If you want two rooms with a connecting door between them so that you don't have to go out into the hall to go from room to room, you want "connecting rooms." To a hotel room assigner, "adjoining" means rooms that are near each other. That might be across the hall, or down the hall, or next to each other, but not necessarily with a connecting door. So be sure to ask for connecting rooms.

Also...you have a lot of requests. To some extent, requests are a matter of math. The odds of you getting what you want depend on how many rooms at the resort fit your criteria. With every additional request you make, you reduce the number of rooms the room assigner has to choose from. You may want to consider shortening that list. For instance, most rooms are non-HA, so the odds are very good that you will get a tub. If you get there and find that you've been assigned a handicapped-accessible room, you can ask at the desk if any other rooms are available.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

And, to be honest, assigning is a matter of both Jenga, and efficiency. The more you ask for, the more likely the assignor picks one thing, and moves on.

 

[kaytieeldr]

"I'd like to add requests to my reservation, please. I'd like connecting rooms, close to lobby, first floor, non-HA."

Not clear enough, at Pop now. About 1/3 of the rooms have shower-,only since the renovations.

 

[tobikaye]

Can I call already? 6 days out?

FYI: Most call as soon as they make their reservations and add requests. Then call back about 2 weeks out to confirm, if requests are really important to them.

 

[Beca P]

Called the main DISNEY line yesterday afternoon. They confirmed the details of my reservation and that I have connecting rooms. And the other two things (near transportation and ground floor) were confirmed as requests already on the reservation. The CM could not assign me a room. Said it’s all done day of check in at the resort.... couldn’t give me a room number at this time. I’m not sure if I believe that. There’s no way they leave it open and floating around until day of check in. Either way that’s all she was willing to do. So what now? Wait till day of?

 

[Disneylover99]

Called the main DISNEY line yesterday afternoon. They confirmed the details of my reservation and that I have connecting rooms. And the other two things (near transportation and ground floor) were confirmed as requests already on the reservation. The CM could not assign me a room. Said it’s all done day of check in at the resort.... couldn’t give me a room number at this time. I’m not sure if I believe that. There’s no way they leave it open and floating around until day of check in. Either way that’s all she was willing to do. So what now? Wait till day of?

Relax. Stop worrying. You’ve done all you can at the moment. There is nothing more you can do now. They will not give you a room number ahead of time. If you are not happy with your room assignment once you get it, you can always ask for a switch. They will try to accommodate you to the best of their abilities.

 

[Mome Rath]

Yes, that's all very standard, and as far as I know, the truth. They have to wait to see what happens with all guests checking-in, checking-out, problems with rooms, etc... No one ever gets a room told to them ahead of time. You just go, get your rooms, and as Disneylover says you can asked to be moved, but it's not guaranteed. Try to be excited, not anxious.

 

[Beca P]

Cool. Great advice. Thanks. Will do just that

 

[HopperFan]

Called the main DISNEY line yesterday afternoon. They confirmed the details of my reservation and that I have connecting rooms. And the other two things (near transportation and ground floor) were confirmed as requests already on the reservation. The CM could not assign me a room. Said it’s all done day of check in at the resort.... couldn’t give me a room number at this time. I’m not sure if I believe that. There’s no way they leave it open and floating around until day of check in. Either way that’s all she was willing to do. So what now? Wait till day of?

They will not guarantee connecting rooms unless there is only 1 adult and multiple minor children requiring two rooms. If that is not the makeup of your party then your connecting rooms are a request just like the other two requests you made. They likely "have it" as your top request. It has always been that way and I don't see it changing because their goals are no empty rooms. Disney only guarantees you "a room" somewhere on property, it's in the fine print.

They absolutely can not give you the room number now, they do not give out in advance until your room(s) have been vacated and cleaned. Even if you arrive early and they have assigned your room, if it's not been cleared by housekeeping supervisor they will not give you the number. They will text you, email you or you can come back to the desk later.

Once the room is cleared and you have the room numbers you can accept the location and go look at them for the tub, or you can discuss with front desk a new location. In my 35+ stays at POP, in the times I asked to be moved to my requested location, I was refused.

Honestly: just relax and get excited about your trip. All the open POP rooms are brand new, it's a great resort and you'll have a good time.

Here is a map of room categories, so based on what you booked category wise ... you can get an idea of where you might be.

 

[nkereina]

They confirmed the details of my reservation and that I have connecting rooms.

I'll echo PP that they do not guarantee connecting rooms. The more you read the boards, the more you'll understand how woefully ill-informed the phone CMs can be. It sounds like it is noted as a request on your reservation though, which is the best you can do.

Said it’s all done day of check in at the resort.... couldn’t give me a room number at this time. I’m not sure if I believe that. There’s no way they leave it open and floating around until day of check in

As PP said, its true they will not give you a room number. Even though the rooms division will assign you a room a day or two in advance, the room is not yours until day-of when you receive the room is ready text. This is because rooms can be taken out of inventory at any time due to mechanical or housekeeping issues, or even due to an upset guest that needs to be moved around. The room assignments are tentative until day-of, and they won't provide you with the room number until its cleared and ready. This is also why requesting specific rooms is not a good a idea. Its luck of the draw if the room will be available or if other guests will still be occupying it.

 

[Dug720]

I'll echo PP that they do not guarantee connecting rooms. The more you read the boards, the more you'll understand how woefully ill-informed the phone CMs can be. It sounds like it is noted as a request on your reservation though, which is the best you can do.



As PP said, its true they will not give you a room number. Even though the rooms division will assign you a room a day or two in advance, the room is not yours until day-of when you receive the room is ready text. This is because rooms can be taken out of inventory at any time due to mechanical or housekeeping issues, or even due to an upset guest that needs to be moved around. The room assignments are tentative until day-of, and they won't provide you with the room number until its cleared and ready. This is also why requesting specific rooms is not a good a idea. Its luck of the draw if the room will be available or if other guests will still be occupying it.

This!

Staying in a hotel is not like a cruise ship where everyone is embarking and disembarking on the same days. For a cruise ship, yes - you are selecting a specific cabin (unless you do a guarantee where you let them assign your cabin) and unless there is a major problem with that cabin, that is where you will be.

A hotel has people checking in and checking out every day, so as has been said, it's like playing a giant game of Tetris for the assigners to fill as many rooms as possible every day with leaving the least number of "orphan" rooms. Sometimes you get all your requests, sometimes you get none. It's luck of whatever is available for your stay that will determine which request or requests - if any - you get.

 

[Deb & Bill]

They will not guarantee connecting rooms unless there is only 1 adult and multiple minor children requiring two rooms. If that is not the makeup of your party then your connecting rooms are a request just like the other two requests you made. They likely "have it" as your top request. It has always been that way and I don't see it changing because their goals are no empty rooms. Disney only guarantees you "a room" somewhere on property, it's in the fine print....

Even a single adult with multiple minor children isn't a guarantee for connecting rooms. A post a while back on the DIS confirmed that. There are no guarantees for connecting rooms at all.