Resort: Contemporary
Room Category: Garden Wing Garden View
Room Request: 6323
Method used: TP request at the 30 day mark
Result: 5326
I’d asked for 3rd floor, which I got. I had wanted more of the lake view in the building perpendicular to the center, BUT I discovered that the middle section was less of a walk than the building I’d requested in, so that was good. It was a connecting room (I noted that in the email I sent with room view pics as it is listed as not connecting) but no real noise from that. A few times I heard kids running in the hall, but that can happen anywhere.
The couple of things that were kind of UGH were walking to the Garden Wing you go past what is some kind of mechanical room that puts out some heat through vents - not super fun in the August heat, and also you have to pass two smoking sections - one just next to the door into the Garden Wing. The first elevator is right at the door and often it smelled like cigarettes - not sure if it was from being open while people were smoking or from people coming directly into it after smoking. But I quickly learned to walk to the elevator in the parking lot entrance lobby and that didn’t smell.
I hate that Disney has put all the smoking areas in places where people need to walk past.
Yeah. These were the two most “Are you KIDDING me??” areas I’ve seen. One is literally on the side of the path to the Garden Wing. If you want to stay under the cover, you have no alternative.
The one next to the building entrance was ugh too. I didn’t investigate to see if there was an entrance in the building closest to the lake - or if that was a smoke-free entrance - but again, that is out from under the cover and a longer way to walk outside (especially gross in the current heat).
Question for the Room Request pros on here. Here’s my situation. We’re traveling with extended family to WDW at the end of September (29 days!). Our entire party is staying at Caribbean Beach Resort in 5 separate rooms. Here’s the room request I filled out:
- Resort: CBR
- Room type: Water or Pool View - 5th Sleeper
- Request via: Touring Plans
- Room request: Room 5121
- Additional Information: We’re traveling with our extended family. In addition to this room request there are 4 more reservations. We’d all like to stay in building 51 (or 52). Here are their details…
For each of the 4 others, I included their Reservation #, Room Type, Name on Reservation, and dates.
Do you think this is the best way to handle our situation? I know that nothing is guaranteed but I want to give ourselves the best shot at getting what we want. Is there anything else we should do? Is there any way to check that CBR has requests for our whole party?
Thanks for any advice you may have!
Question: would you rather be together or would you rather get your requested building? I would be clear about this preference, because they will likely try to keep you together at the expense of putting you in 51/52 without clarification.
Did your room have a balcony?
Do all garden rooms have a balcony or patio?
You should call and get a “travel with” number for all 5 reservations. This will tell Disney from the start that you are one party and should be near to each other.
No. The second and third floor don’t have a balcony. The first has a patio, but there is no separation for the patio between two rooms.
I was ok with that though. I don’t want first floor because of critters, and I don’t go to Disney to spend time on a balcony. Plus with the heat and humidity, I doubt I would have used it anyway.
Thanks.
You’re welcome!
We’d rather get requested building(s). We don’t have to get the same building. We’d like to be in the same area, generally: buildings 51/52/45. How do I clarify? Just update my existing request, call the Disney reservations phone number, etc?
I would update your request to put your priorities in order, for example:
“We would like a room with the following characteristics, in order of priority:
- a room in building 51 or 52
- a room near members of our traveling party (list names, etc.)
We are ok being separated from our travel party if there are insufficient rooms available in buildings 51 or 52.”
Something like that.
Booked Contemporary Resort main tower theme park view
TP fax requested room #4647 floor 10
Result floor 8 room 4429
It was further down from where I requested but it was just as amazing! I was very happy with the room. They offered to move us the next day if I wasn’t happy. No need, the view was spectacular.
We originally had 5 nights booked at Jambo House in a standard view DVC studio. I requested room 5232 or any Kudu Trail room via TP. We then were lucky enough to add on a night ahead of our trip in a value studio. I did not make a room request and fully expected that we would have to move. I was thrilled that they were able to put us in the same room for all six nights! (I did not request this, they just did it.) We were in room 5346. This room is on Kudu Trail but TP has it listed as savanna view. We were happy with it but I would be disappointed if I had booked savanna view. This room is tucked back in a corner by one of the barns. We saw a lot of animal action early and late. But view of the savanna was restricted and for most of the day there were no animals in the area. Still for a standard view, it was better than a pool view!
We then moved to the Poly for two nights in a standard view studio. I requested room 3915 via TP. We were in room 3948 and it was amazing! Peekaboo view of the castle and slightly overlooking the quiet pool. Highly recommend.
Fail based on what I requested, but we will have a rental car and will be by the main entrance, so win?
Requested 4th Floor in the Paddock 6500 building. Ended up on 4th Floor in the Carousel 7500 building. We don’t mind extra walking our stairs. More exercise to work off the food 
Can’t wait to see it …still on a plane will arrive in Orlando shortly.
Have a great trip! Is there a report somewhere?
I really liked my stay in the Carousel section. It was right by the 2nd bus stop and was so quiet and peaceful.
I should do one 
This is likely my last trip for awhile, AP expires and right now don’t plan to renew because we want to go to Toyko Disney in April.
Just had dinner at Raglan Road, love that DS is so close to Saratoga. First time here, delicious.
Super fail with regard to the room for the first part of my trip…
Booked: Poly DCV studio standard
Request: Tokelau bldg, room 3915
Notes: asked to not be in that bldg, not on first floor, near pool if possible
Received: Pago Pago bldg, room 3112
This is basically the worst view you can have at Poly, and it costs the same amount of points/money as a pool or garden view studio, when a parking lot view would generally be cheaper at other DVC resorts.
Not only is it a poor view, it’s also loud with lots of parking lot noise and TTC noise, and it’s very far from everything.
My room wasn’t ready until nearly 5pm, and having the drawer under the bed would be great if they weren’t underneath the floating nightstands. I’m also in the last convenient room in the building, because we’re right at the top of the stairs, but that also means that to use the elevator we have to walk all the way to the opposite end of the building and then walk back to where we started once we get to our floor.
They really should designate those rooms in a different category