Aggressive DVC Housekeeping Checkout Day

[holyrita]

Have never experienced this at AKV Jambo House and we always checkout right before 11am. I do always have the do not disturb sign on the door when we're in the room.

A few weeks ago I spent 80% of my day in our hotel room and the front desk called to say they needed to do a security check but saw we had the DND sign on our door. They scheduled a time that worked for us

 

[Pens Fan]

For now, I guess I would put out the "do not disturb" sign when you go to bed.

Trust me, I would have had one been provided. It was the first time that we didn't have one in the room. We were doing a split stay that trip and moved to CCV where we did have one. I don't know if it was just missing from our room or BLT doesn't have them as that was our first time staying there.

 

[Genie+]

Have never experienced this at AKV Jambo House and we always checkout right before 11am. I do always have the do not disturb sign on the door when we're in the room.

A few weeks ago I spent 80% of my day in our hotel room and the front desk called to say they needed to do a security check but saw we had the DND sign on our door. They scheduled a time that worked for us

Is it still a Do Not Disturb sign? I thought they changed it to Room Occupied or something like that.

 

[tjkraz]

Is this less common for cash stays?

Probably, but not unheard of. Search trip advisor reviews for the word "knock" and you'l find reviews going back years where people report they had housekeeping checking to see if they had left.

Cash resorts have a lower average occupancy so the reality is they don't need every room, every day. They can keep housekeeping staff until 7-8:00 at night cleaning rooms which won't be needed until the following afternoon.

They’re struggling to hire an adequate amount of staff but still need to be professional. It’s not good hospitality to let it appear guests matter less in their last hours. Because that’s how it looks even if not intentional. Something’s not working right if people are getting inconveniently locked out in the last hours, or made to feel less than welcome before 11am check out.

Staffing may be an issue at times, but I'm not inclined to give Disney a pass anymore.

This is more about the housekeeping challenges which exist throughout the timeshare industry. In some timeshares, guests have to clean their own rooms. 10am check out time is becoming more and more common.

DVC currently has a 5 hour cleaning window: 11am to 4pm. Some percent of guests tend to arrive late, which pushes that end-of-day back to maybe 5pm. But it's still difficult to attend to all the rooms in that window. Forget about trying to hire a large housekeeping staff willing to work 11am - 5pm, a 30-hour work week.

Instead the day starts around 8am. They begin with rooms they know have been vacated and then attempt to locate rooms where the guests left early without reporting.

How would we react to a story where a guest gets forceful trying to check in at 2pm? If that’s wrong it should apply in both directions. Maybe the check out portion of the app should include notes like the checkin part. Then guests can put it right in the system that they’re leaving between 8-9am or sleeping in after a late night and plan to checkout just prior to 11am.

I think most people agree there are no grounds to demand a room at 2pm. That's a non-starter.

Disney has been rolling out a check-out notification feature on the parks app. I don't think it's available at all resorts, but it is expanding. It only works when people choose to use it. When they do, the incidences of door knocking should only decline.

 

[MICKIMINI]

There is no excuse for this and it has been going on for many years. Our first experience was at OKW in the late 1990's. We were in a 3 BR GV and hosting family members. We were going three different directions and were finalizing our packing...and cleaning up the kitchen and having that last bit of magic together.

The knocking began at 10 am. There was a large golf cart outside and mousekeeping spent the next hour hovering outside our villa despite us nicely letting them know we'd be out before 11 am. Talk about ruining the mood for our guests!

I'm sorry this happened to you.

 

[Genie+]

DVC currently has a 5 hour cleaning window: 11am to 4pm. Some percent of guests tend to arrive late, which pushes that end-of-day back to maybe 5pm. But it's still difficult to attend to all the rooms in that window. Forget about trying to hire a large housekeeping staff willing to work 11am - 5pm, a 30-hour work week.

Housekeeping has other things that can be started before the 11am room turnovers too. Keep the common areas clean, stock supplies, maybe laundry related stuff, 4 and 8 day room cleanings, etc. I guess when most of that is completed early they like to start flipping rooms.

 

[robinb]

For now, I guess I would put out the "do not disturb" sign when you go to bed.

The old "do not disturb" signs did nothing to solve this long running problem in the past. We would still get phone calls (which hung up when we answered) and knocks on the door. They really don't care to find out if you're still there. They want you OUT of the room so they can clean.

 

[Simba's Mom]

One time the housekeeper suggested that I put the "Room Occupied" sign on the door, then take it in when I leave. She was very happy about that. Since then, I always put the "Room Occupied" sign out (put it out the night beforehand), then take it in when I leave, and I never get the knock on the door.

 

[Genie+]

It can be a frustrating job trying to balance demands between guests and management. The problem is the obnoxious tone of early repeatedly knocking and crowding the exit with supplies to convey the message they need you out.

 

[jo-jo]

I don't think knocking on any door should start before 9 am. Doesn't matter if it 's your checkout day or not. How many people to go late night hours and plan a resort day the next day?

I'm curious how many rooms and how long housekeeping are told each room should take?

 

[Matty B13]

I like to keep posted-notes when we travel, and leave a note for the housekeepers when we will be checking out that morning, but we are usually up by 6:30 am to 7:00 am most days even during vacation.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Acceptable if there is no “room occupied” sign on the door; many people will leave very early to catch a flight and they want to turn over the rooms ASAP. Unacceptable if the “room occupied” sign is there. We will always have the sign on the door and this has never happened to us, which is good because if it did it would make me think twice about the $20 tip we generally leave on checking out (usually a GV).

 

[lowlight]

Next, we will get complaints about room not ready until after 6pm. Can't have it both ways.

Why can’t you? Disney is all about flex staffing. That’s why they love park reservations. You have from 11 to 4 to get all DVC rooms ready. You can adjust staffing for that period to get it done. This isn’t some complex task like landing an autonomous rocket ship on a barge in the middle of the ocean, it’s staffing. You ever been to a Chick-fil-A at lunch time? They get it done, with crowds that would crush a McDonald’s.

 

[lowlight]

DVC currently has a 5 hour cleaning window: 11am to 4pm. Some percent of guests tend to arrive late, which pushes that end-of-day back to maybe 5pm. But it's still difficult to attend to all the rooms in that window. Forget about trying to hire a large housekeeping staff willing to work 11am - 5pm, a 30-hour work week.

Having done shift work my entire life, there is something called an overlapping shift, also a split shift. Again you always like to act like cleaning DVC rooms is akin to exploring the Titanic. Mop, broom, pair of hands. It can be done, stop making excuses.

 

[dioxide45]

I have discovered the removal of do not disturb signs to be the biggest issue. How is housekeeping to know when you have left? Give us back the DnD signs!

 

[RichVIII]

I am glad they have added the check-out app, but how many people actually do it? Before it, I would try to call when we would leave early so staff could get started. Like everyone who arrives early, we always hope our room is ready. How many times do people forget and leave the DND sign on the door when they have left. I don’t think a polite knock at 9am is unreasonable, I bet they find many more times than not, that room is vacant.

 

[Leight19]

Maybe I’m missing something but is there any reason they can’t have the app check in include both your anticipated arrival time and anticipated departure time? I like the idea of checking out in app but I imagine part of problem is they can’t tell who left out and forgot to check out vs who is still in room. Including a estimated departure time would give them a idea of when you plan to leave for all guests and feel like that should greatly reduce these issues.

 

[New Mouse]

Next, we will get complaints about room not ready until after 6pm. Can't have it both ways.

Sure you can. Staff properly. Problem solved.

 

[sndral]

I fly in cross country, I never arrive before 6 p.m., thus I’m not one of those I need my room before 2 p.m. drama queens. I do, however, expect to be allowed to stay in my room & to sleep in a bit w/out a phone call hang up (AKV) or door knock (VGF) waking me up at 8 a.m. (5 a.m. west coast time) on check out day. VGF is especially notorious for the aggressive very early a.m. housekeeping door knocks IME. And this predates Covid/staffing shortage issues. I recall one stay where the housekeeper started knocking at 8 a.m. we told her we’d be out at 11 a.m., she returned 2 more times at 9 & at 10 - knocking on the door.

 

[jppeek]

Wow glad to hear I’m not the only one. Last trip we had a split stay first half at VGF and we’re woken up at 8, told them we would be checking out right at 11 and they still checked again at 10.

Disney needs to come up with some way to fix this, cause it’s not cool waking people up.

I’m gonna order a big bright board next trip and write on it I’m checking out at 11 please go away lol