We’ve beforehand addressed Walt Disney World housekeeper shortages in What’s Up with Mousekeeping? That prompted a number of questions on safety checks and different insurance policies. This takes a deeper dive into considerations about “hassles” visitors are having in resort rooms. (Up to date February 21, 2025.)
The newest growth comes courtesy of a submit on reddit that has gone viral, which shares a horror story about what’s just about the worst-case situation with room inspections. The refrain of prime feedback there provide their very own experiences. All of this sounded acquainted. That is basically considered one of two widespread complaints about housekeeping, with the opposite being early-morning knocks on departure day.
In actual fact, if you happen to learn via the feedback right here, you’ll discover related tales. One other widespread criticism is early morning departure day door knocks, waking them up previous to their 11 am checkout time. Over the previous couple of years, readers have reported points with this as often because the room inspections.
Many different followers have been skeptical of those claims, sharing that they’ve carried out many Walt Disney World resort stays through the years, and have by no means skilled something like this. Others prompt placing up the “Do Not Disturb” signal as a easy method to resolve the issue and as a standard courtesy to housekeeping employees. As at all times, it’s foolish to imagine that simply because one thing has by no means occurred to you, it’s not occurring.
We thought it’d be value revisiting this matter as of 2025 to see how issues are going. We’ll begin with departure day early wake-ups, and comply with that up with room inspections…
Early Morning Departure Day Door Knocks
Through the years, we’ve additionally skilled the ~9 am knocking on our departure day. This has occurred regardless of having the “Room Occupied” signal on our door. (Walt Disney World now not does “Do Not Disturb” indicators.) Every time this has occurred, it has been rapidly and simply resolved by considered one of us politely letting the housekeeper know after we deliberate on leaving.
In each single circumstance, they had been overly apologetic. My assumption was and is that it’s more and more widespread as a result of housekeepers are being anticipated to show over extra rooms resulting from labor shortages. That coupled with rising occupancy numbers ends in precisely this–housekeepers needing to scrub extra rooms earlier than 11 am.
We’re glad to report that this has not occurred to us as soon as within the final year-plus. After all, we’re a pattern dimension of 1, so we’d be well-advised to level to our personal sentiment on the prime of this submit that it’s foolish to imagine that one thing not occurring to us means it’s not occurring to anybody.
However, however we will’t assist however marvel if whether or not there’s been some reduction. Revenge journey has exhausted itself, and Disney has acknowledged that resort occupancy has been decrease within the final yr. On prime of that, staffing shortages have been resolved, that means that there must be extra housekeepers and fewer rooms to scrub.
On prime of that, Walt Disney World launched “Categorical Room Checkout” within the My Disney Expertise app. When you have a bank card on file—or you could have a zero-dollar stability—it’s straightforward to take a look at of your room, without having to cease by the Entrance Desk. We’ve reliably acquired push notifications by way of the app prompting us to checkout, and extra folks utilizing this function means housekeeping ought to have higher perception into which rooms are empty with out knocking. They will then prioritize these rooms for cleansing, and depart the others till later within the morning.
All in all, it could appear that circumstances have advanced to a degree the place these early morning knocks aren’t as “obligatory” for housekeepers to make it via their large slate of rooms to scrub. We’re not suggesting it by no means occurs anymore–once more, pattern dimension of 1!–but it surely does appear far much less widespread than at its peak in mid-2021 via early 2023. (To that finish, we’d love to listen to additional suggestions from readers who’ve or haven’t skilled this–it’d be good to have anecdotes past our personal.)
Our expertise on departure mornings has been downright optimistic within the final yr. There have even been occasions after we’ve been working behind on checkout day and didn’t depart our rooms till shortly after 11 am. In these situations, not solely did housekeepers not rush us out of the room, however they weren’t even lingering round within the hallways close by. We most likely might’ve stayed till nearer to midday with out concern. (To be clear, we’re not endorsing a casual late checkout as a method!)
The large cause we’re not endorsing it’s because that it creates much more of a possible burden from already overburden housekeeping Forged Members. There’s a cause they’re (or had been) doing the early morning knocks, and it was out of necessity–to not agitate or anger visitors. (It’s at all times a good suggestion to consider the why of one thing earlier than being upset about it.) Suffice to say, it was not the Forged Members doing the knocking who had been/are the issue.
It’s value underscoring that housekeepers have robust jobs. Housekeepers all work one shift, from 8 am to 4:30 pm. They’re assigned to scrub a set variety of rooms relying upon the resort tier, starting from 16-18 rooms on common. Checkout time is 11 am, which is midway via that shift, so merely ready for all rooms to empty with the day’s departures isn’t a viable strategy.
Though many visitors depart earlier and do the Categorical Room Checkout, there’s typically no approach of understanding who has left and who’s opting to sleep late except Forged Members can see into the room via the window or truly witness the visitors departing their room. The “Room Occupied” signal is a sign, however even empty rooms can nonetheless have this up, making it an inconclusive one. Presumably, that is one unintended consequence of Disney’s Magical Categorical ending and why there was an uptick of those incidences. In any case, housekeepers are anticipated to have all of their rooms cleaned by 4:30 pm, regardless.
In an illuminating Twitter thread, Ben Wszalek, former WDW Housekeeping Supervisor (at Grand Floridian, Fort Wilderness, All Star Motion pictures & Sports activities) shared that housekeeping is without doubt one of the solely jobs at Walt Disney World that requires no English language information in any respect. A majority of housekeepers are from Puerto Rico or Haiti, many are older, and a few have minimal formal training.
Wszalek put it finest with this tweet: “Hskp are among the most joyous, loyal, laborious working folks you’ll ever meet. Hskp affords nice hours, first rate pay, Disney advantages, and requires little training/expertise. But it surely’s additionally a particularly demanding job. You most likely couldn’t do it.”
To anybody who has interacted with housekeepers, most of that is possible apparent. As somebody who drinks an excessive amount of espresso, I’m typically searching for their carts within the morning/noon/afternoon and asking if I can have extra Okay-cups. Our conversations aren’t precisely lengthy, however they’re at all times exceedingly pleasant and chipper. Similar goes after we alternate morning pleasantries.
As Wszalek additionally factors out, all of this is usually a recipe for “messy interactions.” Whereas we’ve by no means–not as soon as–had something however optimistic experiences with housekeepers, I don’t doubt that this occurs. You mix a language barrier with visitors who may not precisely be nice about being woken up early and really feel like they’re being pushed out of a room they paid $500+ per night time for…it’s straightforward to check situations the place that ends poorly.
Whatever the specifics of those interactions between visitors and housekeepers, that misframes the problem. No matter the issue and potential answer, the fault lies with Walt Disney World’s protocol and procedures. And as we’ve additionally stated earlier than, the frontline Forged Member with whom you’re interacting isn’t the one who carried out the insurance policies with which you are taking concern, nor are they those pocketing the nightly room charge.
The housekeeper didn’t make the choice that resulted in them knocking on the door of occupied rooms at ~9 am. It’s honest to say they don’t get pleasure from confrontation with visitors or waking folks up early…they’re simply attempting to do their job. The foundation trigger is administration, which establishes requirements, even unworkable ones, and fails to provide you with artistic options when it’s clear that there are points.
So what are the potential options right here? The primary and most evident is restoring the “Service Your Manner” reward card for declining housekeeping that started in ~2017 when the housekeeper scarcity first cropped up.
That was discontinued when the motels reopened post-COVID. That call made sense on the time; occupancy was low and rooms didn’t have to be turned over the identical day as departure. That’s now not the case, so this incentive must be introduced again.
Walt Disney World might incentivize early checkouts or use of that Categorical Room Checkout app function with reward playing cards. Most individuals most likely wouldn’t modify their checkout occasions because of this, however sufficient would voluntarily report after they could be leaving their room with that carrot to make a distinction, and enhance issues for housekeepers and people sleeping in.
Once more, this isn’t consistent with the “spirit” of latest adjustments at Walt Disney World, however it could cut back friction and enhance visitor satisfaction for among the firm’s costliest merchandise. It’s a really small worth to pay within the grand scheme of issues, particularly if it improves satisfaction or probability to return/suggest metrics.
Room Inspections
We’ve additionally acquired a number of questions in regards to the “Room Occupied” indicators and room inspections at Walt Disney World resorts. That is truly nothing new. This coverage began again in December 2017, and was first rolled out on the Polynesian Village Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Modern Resort, and Bay Lake Tower.
On the time, the corporate declined to touch upon why it swapped “Do Not Disturb” with “Room Occupied” indicators at that handful of motels. Walt Disney World solely indicated that they made the choice for a wide range of elements, together with security, safety and the visitor expertise.
Walt Disney World has by no means formally acknowledged the explanation for this variation–even when it’s apparent primarily based on the timing. The tighter safety measures got here a few months after the Las Vegas bloodbath, the place a gunman progressively assembled an arsenal of weapons over the course of a number of days earlier than killing 58 folks from the thirty second flooring of the Mandalay Bay casino-hotel tower.
Shortly after that, Hilton Motels additionally modified its safety coverage. That chain now recommends that staffers alert a safety or obligation supervisor after 24 hours of consecutive Do Not Disturb signal utilization. Wynn Resorts made an analogous coverage change, as did many others on the Vegas strip and in different high-rise places that now require “welfare checks” after a sure period of time. Disneyland Paris had already modified its coverage to scan all baggage upon getting into its motels by way of airport-style x-ray machines.
The Room Occupied hanger itself says that the “Disney Resort resort and its employees reserve the proper to enter your room, even when this signal is displayed, for upkeep, security, safety or another function.” When the change was introduced, the coverage was {that a} resort staffer should knock and establish themselves earlier than getting into if the “Room Occupied” signal is out. Arriving visitors are/had been speculated to be notified in regards to the new right-to-entry tips, per the corporate.
At any time when the subject of those room inspections come up, Walt Disney World visitors inevitably say that this occurred regardless of them having the “Room Occupied” indicators up. In actuality, they’ve it backwards: the room inspections are occurring as a result of they’ve these indicators up!
Room inspections happen within the occasion that housekeeping stories being unable to service a room for a set period of time. To the most effective of my information/recollection, that is two days. It’s not at all times constant, and as with something, a component of human error is feasible. That means that possibly you didn’t have the join, however a housekeeper marked that you simply did.
It additionally doesn’t assist that almost all Walt Disney World resorts now not have every day housekeeping. For those who’re staying at a Worth or Reasonable Resort, even temporary use of the “Room Occupied” signal may lead to a room inspection. At a Disney Trip Membership resort, it’s possible you’ll discover that the security checks are actually unavoidable.
Regardless, the simplest method to keep away from triggering a room inspection is by not utilizing the “Room Occupied” signal–or by utilizing it sparingly. When you have young children who will wish to take noon naps, this may be tough. You is likely to be inclined to place up the signal to make sure that your room isn’t being cleaned whenever you return to it. However alternatively, you additionally ought to wish to keep away from having a room inspection interrupt naptime.
Again when the “Room Occupied” signal change was made and the random safety inspections started, it was a scorching and controversial matter amongst Walt Disney World followers. Some contended that security must be the highest precedence, trumping privateness and all else. Others argued that the inspections had been intrusive, occurred at inopportune occasions, and had been typically not dealt with in a tactful approach by safety.
That is only a temporary abstract of among the many various arguments for and in opposition to safety checks. The debates spanned a whole lot of pages on Walt Disney World boards, eliciting many impassioned responses. That is hardly a complete recap of the professionals & cons, however I’m not significantly eager on relitigating all of that.
What I’ll say is that I can see either side of this. Safety is paramount, however an unsupported cry of “safety” can not merely shut down all additional dialog or counterpoints. It’s okay to have wholesome skepticism, particularly given how a lot of America’s post-9/11 historical past is dotted with safety theater masquerading as precise security measures.
There’s additionally the unlucky actuality that many company insurance policies quantity to authorized legal responsibility CYA greater than the rest. Implementing such insurance policies at floor degree rooms within the bayou at Port Orleans Riverside inside steps of the parking zone doesn’t strike me as narrowly tailor-made to perform any significant security targets. That’s not the identical as a theme park view room in Bay Lake Tower.
Past the safety coverage on its face, there’s the human implementation. We have now been topic to those safety checks extra occasions than I can rely at Walt Disney World. With out fail, they nearly at all times appear to coincide with noon breaks or afternoon naps.
They’re often completely nice and temporary, however about 1 of 10 occasions, that’s not the case. (Throughout the final yr or so, we’ve had a couple of Forged Members politely inform us that they’ll’t examine the room whereas it’s occupied, which is ok by us. We’ve given them a time we’d be out of the room and, presumably, they returned then.)
Greater than the rest, my quibbles with this coverage are its ham-fistedness and inconsistency. To my recollection, we’ve by no means been suggested of the coverage at check-in. It typically happens through the center of the day. The approaches fluctuate extensively, as does the demeanor of these doing the checks. (I don’t doubt visitors are often impolite to those Forged Members, however we’ve by no means been, and just a little graciousness when demanding entry to our room could be appreciated.)
In a whole lot of resort stays since October 2017, we’ve actually by no means had a difficulty with this wherever however Walt Disney World. The checks have occurred in different actual world motels, however they’ve by no means been even a distant trouble. In relation to each of the problems on this submit and so many different issues, I believe it’s honest to ask: why is that this not a widespread concern with motels exterior of Walt Disney World?
Finally, that’s the place we land with each of those subjects, in addition to many different resort insurance policies and protocol at Walt Disney World. For an organization with such a large room stock and a repute for visitor service, Disney is surprisingly unhealthy hotelier. There’s minimal consideration to element from a hospitality perspective, as the main focus is often on effectivity above all else.
I like a number of issues about Walt Disney World, however don’t view it as one of many world’s nice operators of motels. Whenever you pay the large bucks for a resort at Walt Disney World, it’s for theme, location, transportation, and perks–not luxuriousness. Even the Deluxe Resorts can not compete with similarly-situated actual world motels in that regard.
Hopefully this helped you perceive how a few these housekeeping insurance policies work, and methods you’ll be able to try to keep away from working into the worst of the problems. Once more, it’s not the fault of the frontline Forged Members who’re merely following the orders of their leaders–it’s a top-down drawback. Administration sees spectacular occupancy numbers and is aware of that they don’t have to do higher, even when there are apparent and remediable factors of friction for visitors.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What are your ideas in regards to the “Room Occupied” indicators, safety checks, and ~9 am departure day door knocks? Suppose Walt Disney World might provide you with higher and extra guest-friendly options to all of this, or are the complainers overreacting? What have been your latest experiences with housekeeping or safety in motels at Walt Disney World–and past? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
