Changes to room (and presumably campsite) requests

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Saw this today and though I would share here. I do not know for certain if this new set up will apply for the Fort but from the way things are described is sounds like it will. It's about halfway down the page but I copied the section here. 

https://www.portorleans.org/room-requests.php

 

Quote

Confirming your requests in writing by fax — now up to 30 days prior to arrival

If you telephone the resort — even from a guest room during your stay — please be aware that your call will initially be answered by an off-site switchboard that handles calls on behalf of all of the Walt Disney World hotels, so you may need to ask to be connected directly to the team at Port Orleans if you want to discuss specific details.

There is currently no guest-accessible phone number, email or other internet method for contacting the room inventory management team directly. Longer term there are plans to improve the content that can be entered into the Online Checkin system, however (and somewhat bizarrely) sending a good old-fashioned fax is still the best way to confirm your requests in writing — especially if you want to explain your reasons in more detail.

 

 

[Travisma 1,317]

1 hour ago, Katman1356...Jason said:

Saw this today and though I would share here. I do not know for certain if this new set up will apply for the Fort but from the way things are described is sounds like it will. It's about halfway down the page but I copied the section here. 

https://www.portorleans.org/room-requests.php

 

 

Then they can send you a reply on your pager! 

How 1980s that they still use faxing!

But so do we at the PO and I hate trying to support them.

And just today I had to FAX paperwork to Blue Cross.  They don't accept scan to email.

 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

The thing that strikes me as pretty hilarious is that years ago "on that other forum" there were loud voices that swore repeatedly that faxing didn't work and if you sent a fax request they were put straight in the trash.  😎

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

When we went in late May we faxed a request.  When we arrived the CM that checked us in acknowledged unprompted that they were able to give us the site we requested.  We got the primary site we requested not just one in our general description.  We have had good luck through the years getting a site similar to our request.  We believe faxing works more than it doesn't.

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

I would add we typically check in on a Saturday and I fax on the Monday.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

43 minutes ago, YENSIDCAMPER said:

I would add we typically check in on a Saturday and I fax on the Monday.

I have in the past as well used that time table. I guess now they added a new department that is handing the requests and taking the faxes up to 30 days ahead. 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

14 hours ago, YENSIDCAMPER said:

When we went in late May we faxed a request.  When we arrived the CM that checked us in acknowledged unprompted that they were able to give us the site we requested.  We got the primary site we requested not just one in our general description.  We have had good luck through the years getting a site similar to our request.  We believe faxing works more than it doesn't.

We've faxed a request every year we've gone for 10+ years now.  We usually give them our top 3 sites and we've gotten what we asked for every time with only 2 exceptions. In one case we were upgraded to premium and in the other we got a site a few down from where we wanted which was still a really good site.

We usually fax about 5 days out from our arrival.

 

[ftwildernessguy 778]

I usually fax my loop preference a week ahead of time.  I have noticed upon checkin that my fax has been clipped to the paperwork