Making Room Requests at a Disney Resort
As they say – it’s all about location, location, location.
When staying at a Disney Resort this is especially true. The resorts can be large and where your room is can have a positive or negative impact on your vacation. So you need to put some thought into where you are staying.
When booking a resort you can request a specific location. This can be an area, a specific building, or even a specific room.
Disney does not guarantee they can meet your request but they do try. So always give them your first and second preference.
The first thing I do when I decide which resort we will be staying at is to google for the resort map. Once I have that in front of me I start to figure out what is the best location for this trip.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Room
When choosing a room look at things that matter most to you and your family. Would it matter if you were…
- Close to the Lobby/Restaurants – This location is great if you know you will be making frequent trips to the lobby area for food or to refill those cute mugs. There is also typically shopping and an arcade here. Lots of times the closest rooms are classified preferred. But if you look carefully at the maps you can request a standard room that is pretty close too.
- Close to the Bus Stop – This helps if you do not have a car. And note: the bus stops may or may not be close to the Lobby/Restaurants.
- Close to the Main Pool – This helps if you know you will be coming back in those afternoon hours for a dip.
- Close to a Quiet Pool – If you are traveling without kids or with toddlers sometimes the quiet pool is the better choice.
- Close to the Laundry Room – This is great for those of you with young children and toddlers. Odds are you’ll find your way there eventually. It also is helpful if you don’t want to pay those pesky luggage fees.
- Close to a Playground – Some children need to let off steam and run around. (this was a must for mine this last trip)
- Upper or Lower Floor – If you have a preference, note it.
- Further away from High Traffic Areas – This is great for those light sleepers.
How to Make a Request
There are two ways to make a request. One is during online check in and one is to call or fax to the resort your request. Remember that either way your room requests are not guaranteed so focus on what you really want.
Online Check In
At 60 days prior to arrival you can check in online using My Disney Experience. Once logged in you will see your reservation. You can then add a credit card and make a couple (only two) basic room requests.
These are basic and rather generic. Things like ground or upper floor, close to elevator, close to transportation, etc.
Most of the time these requests will work for you. If you know you are really looking for something specific move on to option two and contact the resort directly.
For More Information
Shannon of WDW Prep School has a great article describing the online request options for each resort. She has done a lot of research that will make it easy for you.
Call or Fax Your Room Requests
The easiest way to make a room request is to call WDW Reservation at 407-939-7630. Typically you should do this greater than three days away from arrival. (The rumor is that at three days the reservations are transferred to the resort and initial room numbers are identified.)
When you call in be as specific as possible without going overboard. Don’t ask for a specific room number. Odds are you won’t get it but you can ask for a range of rooms (odd rooms 200 thru 400) or you can give general directions (room in the 70’s section facing the lake).
Request for a View of the Boardwalk from a Villa Over Big River Brewery
Also limit your requests to 2-3 with the most important being first. The more you have the less likely you will get any of them.
It used to be common to fax your resort and most resorts still accept them. But it seems that more and more don’t so I suggest calling in your room requests at this time.
At Check In
If you have checked in online your room is already assigned and you may not even have to go to the front desk. But even with that said if you want to see if you got your room request you will want to head to the front desk.
At check in you can ask about your room even if they cannot give you the room number yet. Just ask if they met your requests.
If they did not you can ask if there is a room available that does meet one or more of them. Be gracious here. Offer to check in late or move things around. (Remember the old saying ‘you catch more flies with honey than vinegar‘.)
I am sure I have missed something, so think about where you may want your room to be. It doesn’t hurt to ask and Disney will try to make your vacation the best ever!
Looks like a great place to stay, my son would love it. Great pics!
How beautiful. We will be going in May and already have our hotel. I will be looking around your blog for lots of info for our trip!!
Finding the right room is KEY! We love the ones by the pool and hate the ones near the elevator!
Ice machine is the worst!
I totally under-estimated Disney World until I took my son in December for the first time. After that experience, I am excited to go back. I’d love to plan a good room this time around and go all out on the experience.
Every time we’ve tried to make a room request at Disney (upon check-in), they’ve never been able to accommodate us. We’re usually just requesting a specific decade section at Pop Century so we can try them all out, but it seems we’re destined to always have the same one (3 times in a row!).
That is too bad. I know sometimes they can’t accommodate at time of check in but offer to let you change a day or two later. When that has happened for us we decline as we are too laze to move.
So what decade are you stuck with? We always go for the 70’s.
We just got back from our first on-property trip. None of our original requests, made by our travel agent over a year in advance, made it to the resort. I called AND our travel agent called 5 days before arrival to confirm that the requests were on the reservation – both times Disney assuring us that they were there. When we arrived at check in, none of those requests were there; only the 2 choices that were made in online check in. It was quite frustrating after 11 hours of planes, etc.
It was Riverside and we requested Alligator Bayou, four specific buildings as options. They had us in Magnolia Bend. The only reason we stayed at Riverside was to stay in Alligator Bayou. Luckily, there was ONE room left in Alligator Bayou. Phew! It would be nice to be able to confirm with the resort that they actually have the requests.
Hi Mary! I have had this happen and it can be frustrating but it is amazing what they can accomplish with a little patience. (and I am with you – love the Alligator Bayou room and not a fan of Magnolia)
One thing I did notice in your comment is that you had choices at online check in. That can be some of the problem. I have heard that online choices trump any other choice made. Basically the person putting people in rooms sees that there are multiple requests. To make it easy they default to online check in.
I have been told if you do have requests don’t put anything in online check in or just wait to check in at the resort.
Glad they still took care of you!!
This is all very interesting. I did online check in ages ago and my options were 60s, ground floor. Then I decided last minute to request a renovated room. This is for Pop and we have paid for a preferred room. Oddly when I took a look at my online checkin options again, it said “none selected.” I don’t know if it is because they were in the process of assigning the room, or as someone mentioned if you phone in requests, it is better to leave requests blank online? All I know is I had made requests?! Very odd. I went back in and once again posted my requests. We are about 3 days from arrival. I made my call for the renovated room about 5 days prior to our arrival.