PDA

View Full Version : Disneyland Hotel Requests?



jazzysmom
01-18-2006, 08:15 AM
So if there is a possibility of requesting a specific area/room type at check-in, what would you reccommend?

3 Adults (one is my mom with a bad knee)
1 7 year old
1 2 year old (stroller)

Thanks everybody!

MsYumiBr
01-18-2006, 08:33 AM
I would want the Sierra Tower, 9th or 10th floor (concierge is on 11th and I don't like the traffic) resort view with concierge. I stayed in the Marina tower last trip and although we didn't have a view of DTD, the view of the pool was pretty cool. The pirate ship is lit up with lightbulbs. I would not recommend, by any means, the city view even if you can see the fireworks over the parking garage. You may as well stay at another way less expensive good neighbor hotel. In my opinion.

Susan L
01-18-2006, 08:43 AM
You can request all you want but, that doesn't mean you will get what you want. Its all about availability. If they got what you requested when you check in you will get it, if they don't have it you are out of luck.

Having said all that, I would request a room in the Sierra Tower with a DTD view.

MsYumiBr
01-18-2006, 08:44 AM
Susan is right. However, I did request the same room we stayed in from our February trip in July and got it. I did go through AAA with a package though.

jazzysmom
01-18-2006, 08:45 AM
I agree, but have learned that it never hurts to ask.

Minnie66
01-18-2006, 04:56 PM
I would suggest requesting ahead of time as your odds would improve.

Burnt Toast
01-18-2006, 05:12 PM
I would want the Sierra Tower, 9th or 10th floor (concierge is on 11th and I don't like the traffic) resort view with concierge.

Those are not requests, those are actual room categories that you book your reservation with.

Requests would be tower requests, smoking/non-smoking, connecting/adjoining rooms, number of/types of beds in the room, close to or away from elevator/ice machines, corner room, etc. etc. Be aware that requests are also NEVER guaranteed (I don't know where people get the notion that they are) and it is based on availability.

View type is not a request (other then a request for either Resort or Pool View if you book the appropriate room and pay the appropriate rate) and access to the concierge lounge is definately not a request.

Best thing to do if you want a premium view room (it's actually called "Resort OR Pool View" as the actual name of the category) is to book it as such. My suggestion is not to book a "City Standard View" room and expect to get an upgrade to "Resort OR Pool View", no matter how many times you request it. Premium views are a higher rate so if you want it that bad, book it as such.

Burnt Toast
01-18-2006, 05:40 PM
I just totally realized that I never answered your question. I used to work for the DLH Front Desk so I'll tell you of my favorite places to stay at the hotel were.

Anyways, if you book a "City Standard" view room... I would probably put in a request for the 2nd or 3rd floor, facing the pool. Now because it's the lowest two floors, those rooms are considered to be "City Standard". I really like the two corner rooms in the Marina Tower (2034 and 2134) and the two corner rooms in the Sierra Tower (2036 and 2136), but generally any rooms close to those two corners are really neat because you're still facing inward. I used to put my nicest Guests in those rooms if they booked "City Standard" and if it was available for their length of stay.

There are "City Standard" view rooms in the Sierra Tower facing DTD, but the view is almost completely blocked by trees or partially obstructed by the concierge elevator.

Again, requests are subject to availability and your room assignment will most likely not be done UNTIL you are checking in. For most Guests, the Cast Member checking you in will be assigning your room so be extra nice to them and ask them to put you in a good place. 8:)

Minnie66
01-18-2006, 05:44 PM
While everything "Burnt Toast" says is true, there are a few ways that you can up the chances of having your requests "honored". For example, if you have a need to be in a totally smoke free enviroment tell the reservationist this and they will most likely put you in Seirra tower as it is the only smoke free tower. With medical documentation they WILL guarantee it, the ventallation in the other two towers is not good enough to remove the smoke from the other rooms. For people with lung problems either of the other two towers would cause them problems. People have been upgraded to the 10th floor DTD view that have booked through Get Away (city standard), but as she said if it is a must for you it's probably best to pay for it and packages like this don't give you that option. Be carefully of putting to many requests on your reservations. For example, if you need adjoining rooms, it may not be fesiable for them to honor your request of a higher floor DTD view, so choose what is most important to you. While they may move you to a different room when you check in, DLH assigns their rooms prior to your arrival so it is best to make your request ahead of time for the best chance of having your requests honorned. And lastly, just enjoy your trip, there are pro's and con's to each of the towers/rooms so don't put to much emphasis on what others have said, you'll be happy if you allow yourself with where ever they place you.

Minnie66
01-18-2006, 05:52 PM
I see that Burnt Toast used to work at the front desk so she probably does have a different handle on room assignments, however, the last three years we have been given our room assignments when we have made our reservations. We made them directly with the hotel and did have "medical" needs but I was told by them that room assignements are done prior to arrival. You might try both ways, fax your request ahead of time and then ask nicely at check in thereby covering both.

Burnt Toast
01-18-2006, 05:55 PM
While everything "Burnt Toast" says is true, there are a few ways that you can up the chances of having your requests "honored". For example, if you have a need to be in a totally smoke free enviroment tell the reservationist this and they will most likely put you in Seirra tower as it is the only smoke free tower. With medical documentation they WILL guarantee it, the ventallation in the other two towers is not good enough to remove the smoke from the other rooms. For people with lung problems either of the other two towers would cause them problems.

Incorrect! Marina is also a smoke-free tower. Bonita is the only tower with smoking rooms, which is the 3rd floor only.


People have been upgraded to the 10th floor DTD view that have booked through Get Away (city standard), but as she said if it is a must for you it's probably best to pay for it and packages like this don't give you that option

That's because WDTC and travel agents that book through WDTC (like AAA) is the only travel package that offers premium views for their rooms. Places like Get Away and Expedia only offer "City Standard" because that's all that is offered to them by Inventory Control. Like Minnie said, if you really want a certain view, you should book it that way and not expect an upgrade. Upgrades usually only happen if they are too many folks booked under a certain room view type and moving has to be done... and it's obviously better to upgrade folks then to downgrade them. 8:)


While they may move you to a different room when you check in, DLH assigns their rooms prior to your arrival so it is best to make your request ahead of time for the best chance of having your requests honorned.

Also incorrect, most rooms are NOT assigned until you check in. It's only when you have special circumstances (like you are travelling with another party or you booked more then one room) or if you booked a suite... then your room assignment will be done prior to check-in. It is also done for most rooms if the hotel is in a high occupancy situation as well. On low to medium occupancy rate periods however, room assignments are mostly done when you check in by the Cast Member checking you in... so like I said, be extra nice to them. 8:)

AND OMG what is this "SHE" business? 8:O Anyways, giving out room assignments (like giving you the actual room number of where you are staying) is incorrect and the reservationist doing so is doing something that they are definately not supposed to do (I also used to work for WDTC) as they are not to assign rooms, but to leave that up to the hotel. Reservationists can put in room numbers in their reservations all they want... the Room Assignors at the hotel have the ultimate final say in the matter anyways and most of the time those room assignments change unless it's a very special circumstance.

For your instance, Minnie... you have a special circumstance and that's why exceptions were made for you. If you call the Front Desk directly after making your reservations, then most of the time the Cast Member that answers your call is clearing your room request with a Lead (hence you probably being put on hold). Usually we were told not to do so unless it's just a few days away, as the Room Assignors might need to move you if the situation arises... but within three days or so of your arrival, you should be okay. FYI, those are also not guaranteed and the Cast Member should be advising you of that.

Anyways, faxing requests is cool.... calling is better. Also, there is no need to do it more then a week in advance. About four or five days before you arrival is prime, as that's when availability and inventory is checked by the Room Assignors and depending on your case, a room can be assigned at that time (however again, they are not supposed to give you a room number). Any earlier then that (like more then a week), then you risk your request getting "lost in the system" or lost at the fax machine.

Minnie66
01-18-2006, 06:04 PM
OK.....so I stand corrected.....it must have been the room assigner and not the reservationist because I just booked, and they did give me the room number, but try it however it works for you. Just telling you how it works for us.

MsYumiBr
01-18-2006, 07:48 PM
I am certainly glad to see in print what I have been experiencing as a guest trying to get my favorite room. I have jumped through hoops to get it and have yet to *score* the perfect room I want. It involves lots of prayer. lol. As an aside, I want to tell you two with reservation and reception experience that in the entire time I have been reading these boards, this is the most and best advice I have seen with regard to this subject. I know it is the policy to never guarantee a tower or view. They go so far as to tell me resort/pool or city view. Never DTD, even with concierge. I am just hoping because it is my 40th birthday and we will be there for 4 days they will be able to accomodate me. We were there just a couple weeks ago and even with concierge and a suite they gave us a suite in the Marina, which was fine. It just wasn't the same as the experience we had in the Sierra. It's my favorite and while I have the money to spend, would like to have it one more time. We are moving in 6 months and I may have to quit my great job and my husband is retiring. So, no more extravagant trips to Disneyland. Thanks for your detailed advice on the best way to go about these reservations (which I made 3 months ago). I'll make sure to start checking on my arrangements a week before we arrive.

Opus1guy
01-18-2006, 08:35 PM
So if there is a possibility of requesting a specific area/room type at check-in, what would you reccommend?

3 Adults (one is my mom with a bad knee)
1 7 year old
1 2 year old (stroller)

I would recommend you book a room for:

2 Adults (one is your mom with a bad knee)
1 7 year old
1 2 year old (stroller)

...and then book yourself a room at the Four Seasons Maui.

;)

Minnie66
01-18-2006, 08:38 PM
I would recommend you book a room for:

2 Adults (one is your mom with a bad knee)
1 7 year old
1 2 year old (stroller)

...and then book yourself a room at the Four Seasons Maui.

;)

good one!

Burnt Toast
01-19-2006, 12:55 AM
Heh heh... nice.

Anyways, forgot to mention (before I finally hit the sack so I'm not totally dead tired for my flight to WDW later this morning)... reservations are not done by the hotel. Lot of folks think that reservations is the same as calling the hotel and that the hotel books it, that is totally incorrect. Central Reservations is located completely off-property and is operated by Walt Disney Travel. The hotel (Front Desk or otherwise) does not make future reservations at all, all those calls are transferred to Central Reservations.

SandraVB79
01-19-2006, 01:58 AM
What is the difference between the three towers of the DLhotel? I have never stayed there, will never stay there, but I am curious about why one tower is so much better than the other :D

fidoprincess
01-19-2006, 10:59 AM
I just called and made reservations yesterday and it is really confusing. The CM gave me all different "levels" of room types and my understanding was I booked a specific tower and a specific view. First she said city view/standard was (with 10% off) was $216. Then she said she had "pool view" rooms in both Sierra and Bonita or Sierra DTD lower view or Sierra DTD upper view. Naturally, I chose Sierra Tower, DTD view, upper level and then she proceeds to tell me they are all the same price of $248/night! She led me to believe that we were guaranteed the room in the Sierra Tower, upper level with the DTD view. Was she wrong? Could we end up just about anywhere?

We are staying 8 days so the difference between standard and view room is close to $300! I would simply pick the city/standard view and hope for an upgrade if we are not guaranteed. We had a city/standard view this past weekend and were assigned the Marina 4th floor parking lot view but she moved us to the Bonita waterfall view 2nd floor. Great view, but it was smoking, we just got candles and it was okay but we only paid 89/night AP rates!

Hard to decide if we don't get our "guaranteed" view room because Candy Cane Inn is only total of $1076 deluxe with RollAway, standard view DLH is $2080, and DTD view is $2374-hard to justify those prices! Can anyone help me? Are we booked into the SIerra Tower DTD upper level room or just resort/pool view and could end up anywhere?

Disneygirl65
01-19-2006, 11:05 AM
Is one of the adults a senior by any chance? Disneyland hotel offers seniors pretty good rates if they are available.

fidoprincess
01-19-2006, 11:10 AM
Also, I found out that you are not guaranteed bed types! For example, the first time I called it was for 2 kids & 2 adults. My kids are 5 years apart and opposite sexes so they don't want to share a bed. Ds loves the sofa beds. They would not guarantee a room with 2 Queens and a sofabed! We could end up with 2 DOuble beds-no good at all since DH is 6'4".

Next time I called, we had 3 kids! Same price-guaranteed a sofabed!