# Notice from RCI: Massanutten check-in changed to 6PM!?!



## PamMo (Aug 20, 2013)

Just venting. We booked a week at Massanutten (Woodstone Meadows) this fall, and just received a notice from RCI that check-in has been changed from 4PM to 6PM. I've never heard of such a late check-in. I hope this doesn't become a trend!


----------



## chriskre (Aug 20, 2013)

PamMo said:


> Just venting. We booked a week at Massanutten (Woodstone Meadows) this fall, and just received a notice from RCI that check-in has been changed from 4PM to 6PM. I've never heard of such a late check-in. I hope this doesn't become a trend!



I recently stayed at a resort that had a 4pmcheckin and the room wasn't ready til 7pm.
apparently they were short staffed on the outsourced cleaning crew. 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2


----------



## laura1957 (Aug 20, 2013)

Just got back from Massanutten Saturday - Woodstone checkin was at 5, but there was a line of people waiting on their keys still at @5:30!!  

They were allowing those unable to check-in on time a late check-out (10:30)if requested.



I own 2 units at Massanutten - which I LOVE.  I have never had such a problem checking in, and I have never left the "owner's update" so angry

Never again will I attend one of those!


----------



## janej (Aug 20, 2013)

I got the same email for our winter exchange to Eagle Trace.   I think 6pm is very late too.   They used to offer some incentive for late check in at Massanutten.   Now they just moved everyone.    Wouldn't that mean there will be a long line after 6pm also?


----------



## tschwa2 (Aug 20, 2013)

The line will be just as long but presumably every room would be ready.  I think 6pm is too late  especially with a 10am check out. I know it is a very large resort but they just need to hire more people to clean on Fri/Sun and even a few more for Saturday.  I can't imagine that they really need the late check in during the fall/ spring / and non holiday winter as they are not that full.

I even thought 5pm which previously was only Woodstone I think, with everyone else at 4pm was late.  Most resorts either have a 4pm check in and 10am or 11am check out or 5pm check in with a 11am check out. I don't know of any other with a 6pm check in and 10am check out.


----------



## massvacationer (Aug 20, 2013)

Ding them on your RCI review card,  after your stay


----------



## janej (Aug 20, 2013)

They also could email all the guests asking for their intended check in time.   There much be people who plan to check in late any way.   They should at least let some people check in at 4 so the lines would not be that long at 6pm.   I think all the MVC resorts send these emails now.    We are at the Marriott Ocean Watch this week.   I let them know that we did not plan to arrive until after 10pm when I responded to the welcome email.


----------



## PamMo (Aug 20, 2013)

chriskre said:


> I recently stayed at a resort that had a 4pmcheckin and the room wasn't ready til 7pm...



Yikes! I sure hope that doesn't happen!

If the wait is long, is there some place to store luggage?


----------



## Luvstotravel (Aug 20, 2013)

I just checked my email, and I have one too!  On one hand, I think it's ridiculous. They should offer an incentive for late arrivals, or try to find out who can come late!

On the other hand, I'm thinking, meh, we were planning on driving some of the Skyline Drive, we can just eat supper and then go check in. Leaves should be pretty, we're going on Oct. 18th. 

I just hate being forced to change plans.


----------



## lvkcwalker (Aug 20, 2013)

yes we just received the same message this afternoon. We'll be there the week of Sept. 8. We'll probably spend time on The Skyline Drive, too, but we like to stop at the grocery and pick up a few things after we check in. This delay in check in will interfere with all of our plans.:annoyed:


----------



## tschwa2 (Aug 20, 2013)

I would probably just try checking in at arrival anytime after 4pm.  I wouldn't arrive with frozen groceries at 4pm but if that is the time I arrived I would go directly to check in and give it a try.  Combination of the fact that it is so new and that it shouldn't be at capacity occupancy levels makes me think they will take you if they can.  My guess is they would rather say 6pm and have all the rooms ready than say 4pm and have to make some people wait until 6.

The incentive that they offered this summer is if you arrived between 7pm and midnight on your scheduled check in day you would get two $10 vouchers that could be used at the Buffet, deli, or fairways restaurant.  They emailed the promotion and I would have had to print it out.  As it was I arrived around 6:30pm and there was a very minimal line to check in.


----------



## PamMo (Aug 20, 2013)

Wanted to arrive early for the Fall Festival, but not getting settled into the unit until 6:30-7PM is going to make it a _*very *_long day for toddlers and grandparents. Ugh!


----------



## WinniWoman (Aug 20, 2013)

I think that is awful! I know I was mad at Smuggs for making our check-in 4pm. Used to be 3 pm for owners. One thing- at least check-out at Smuggs is 11am, although over the years (since the stock market crashes and 9/11, which made more people travel by car and closer to home instead of flying), we have to check out early in the morning because traffic on the NYS Thruway has gotten so bad around exit 20 south.

I think 6pm check-in at Massanutten is unreasonable. People are tired from traveling and I know I myself like to shop on the way in so as not to have to go back out or take up valuable vacation time doing the food shopping. And- it is annoying to have to do other things or go other places with all the stuff in the car while you kill time until  check-in is ready.!:annoyed:


----------



## Patri (Aug 20, 2013)

PamMo said:


> Wanted to arrive early for the Fall Festival, but not getting settled into the unit until 6:30-7PM is going to make it a _*very *_long day for toddlers and grandparents. Ugh!



Hey, I don't think the grandparents will be crabby!


----------



## tschwa2 (Aug 21, 2013)

This is the response I received from my email.  I am surprised they answered so quickly.



> Hi,
> 
> I’m sorry you’re looking at this as a negative, but let me try and explain why we felt this was necessary.
> 
> ...


----------



## PamMo (Aug 21, 2013)

Thanks for posting Massanutten's response, tschwa2. (If the situation was so bad, I still think they should hire the staff to handle it, though.) I wonder if all the RCI guests being assigned the later check-in?

And Patri, if babies ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy! ;-)


----------



## ScubaKat (Aug 22, 2013)

PamMo said:


> And Patri, if babies ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy! ;-)



We have a week booked at Regal Vista this October and got the same email.  Will be traveling with a preschooler and a baby so totally agree!  Their bedtime is at 7pm so that leaves us an hour to get settled and put them to bed.. It's going to be fun!


----------



## csxjohn (Aug 22, 2013)

ScubaKat said:


> We have a week booked at Regal Vista this October and got the same email.  Will be traveling with a preschooler and a baby so totally agree!  Their bedtime is at 7pm so that leaves us an hour to get settled and put them to bed.. It's going to be fun!



Did  you read this part of the reply?  Some rooms will be ready early and people will start checking in early.  This situation is not as bad as was first assumed.



> However, this does not mean that every single unit is not going to be ready until 6pm. The option of
> coming in ahead of time and pre-registering and using the resort while you’re waiting for your unit
> is still in place. In fact, if we happen to have a unit ready early, we can let you in anytime after 1pm.


----------



## ScubaKat (Aug 23, 2013)

csxjohn said:


> Did  you read this part of the reply?  Some rooms will be ready early and people will start checking in early.  This situation is not as bad as was first assumed.



Thank you!!  Somehow missed that.. Trying to figure out this Tapatalk thing on my phone.  The fun these days timing our travel with nap and bedtime schedules!


----------



## pedro47 (Aug 23, 2013)

Check-in is now at 6PM, so check-out now must be at 12 Noon instead of 10:00 AM.


----------



## dawna (Aug 24, 2013)

*Massanutten resort*

I am here at Massanutten resort. I was able to check in at 1 PM.  there were no lines, and had no problem with check in.  Our room was ready and we are enjoying the view.  will take the tour in the morning.  don't plan to buy because I buy resale.  have any question about the resort let me know.

Dawna


----------



## laura1957 (Aug 26, 2013)

dawna said:


> I am here at Massanutten resort. I was able to check in at 1 PM.  there were no lines, and had no problem with check in.  Our room was ready and we are enjoying the view.  will take the tour in the morning.  don't plan to buy because I buy resale.  have any question about the resort let me know.
> 
> Dawna



I have 2 Massanutten units - I really love the place.  We very often do the owners update meeting.  They really, really are pushing hard to go to points.  Do NOT believe the car pass people when they tell you that so many people complained about how long the meetings were taking - they now limit them to 2 hours:annoyed:  

 We have been going for years and never had them try so hard to sell.  I will never, never do an owner update meeting again - this was the first that my husband got up and walked out of the meeting 


How did your meeting go??


----------



## WinniWoman (Aug 26, 2013)

The only issue is if you stop to do your food shopping on the way in, get there early and now your unit isn't ready and you have all this food in your car. I know when I go to my timeshare or any another, I stop on the way in so I don't have to go back out and can just relax after a long drive/flight. The next day- ready for vacation and not having to go out to food shop! If you don't know when your unit is really going to be ready, you could have a problem if you do your foo shopping this way.


----------



## aka95 (Aug 29, 2013)

*6 pm unreasonable*

I think a 6 pm check-in is very unreasonable. I agree with earlier posters that in the busy summer and holiday week periods they need to have more people working to turn these units over. I own at Massanutten and years ago we used to be able to check in early - around 1 or 2. The last 2-3 years they held you to the 4-5 pm check-in. We are from the DC area and want to be on the road by 12 noon to beat the traffic out of town. It's only a 2 1/2 hr drive so we arrive early and don't want to buy groceries along the way because of the uncertainty of check-in time. 

This is a huge customer dissatisfier and Massanutten needs to do something about this. If they get enough customer complaints maybe they will change it like when they were charging $55 a week for Wi-Fi and after enough complaints, it became free.


----------



## Twinkstarr (Aug 29, 2013)

chriskre said:


> I recently stayed at a resort that had a 4pmcheckin and the room wasn't ready til 7pm.
> apparently they were short staffed on the outsourced cleaning crew.
> 
> Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2



1st visit to DVC Vero Beach for Easter back in 2008, our 1st villa wasn't ready at 6pm, so they had us come back and switched us to another villa. The carpet had to be cleaned in the 2nd one and was still damp. So god knows what the condition of the 1st villa was in. 

I don't think it was staffing, I think that some people just pig up units so bad it takes them forever to clean. 

We're staying at Woodstone for NYE and got the email and a phone call from RCI about the check in time change. Probably aren't going to get their till around 5-6pm anyway.


----------



## shagnut (Aug 30, 2013)

Just my 2 cents  worth. By  checking in at  6 pm  you  have lost  one  whole  day  of  vacation.  shaggy


----------



## ampaholic (Aug 31, 2013)

Well, I'm not an old timer like some here and we've only been on 11 timeshare vacations so far - but on over half I have had to call the resort and tell them we would be checking in after 6:00 PM anyway.

For us it's no big deal.


----------



## csxjohn (Sep 1, 2013)

aka95 said:


> I think a 6 pm check-in is very unreasonable. I agree with earlier posters that in the busy summer and holiday week periods they need to have more people working to turn these units over. I own at Massanutten and years ago we used to be able to check in early - around 1 or 2. The last 2-3 years they held you to the 4-5 pm check-in. We are from the DC area and want to be on the road by 12 noon to beat the traffic out of town. It's only a 2 1/2 hr drive so we arrive early and don't want to buy groceries along the way because of the uncertainty of check-in time.
> 
> This is a huge customer dissatisfier and Massanutten needs to do something about this. If they get enough customer complaints maybe they will change it like when they were charging $55 a week for Wi-Fi and after enough complaints, it became free.



Post #15 points out that rooms will be available starting at 1PM.  No matter how many extra people are brought in during busy times, some rooms will not be ready until later.


----------



## dawna (Sep 1, 2013)

laura1957 said:


> I have 2 Massanutten units - I really love the place.  We very often do the owners update meeting.  They really, really are pushing hard to go to points.  Do NOT believe the car pass people when they tell you that so many people complained about how long the meetings were taking - they now limit them to 2 hours:annoyed:
> 
> We have been going for years and never had them try so hard to sell.  I will never, never do an owner update meeting again - this was the first that my husband got up and walked out of the meeting
> 
> ...



The meeting went well.  They assigned a manager to us, I guess they thought that we would buy if the big dogs pull out the gun on us.  I didn't buy a thing.  just wanted the gift card.  He was very upset that we didn't buy.  I got two units in Woodstone and a good week there so why would I want to buy from them when I got this resort from ebay at a good price.  They tried to sale us the Regal Vista for 11 grands.  when I left the meeting I went back to my villa and book the Regal Vista through RCI.

Dawna


----------



## Luvstotravel (Sep 6, 2013)

shagnut said:


> Just my 2 cents  worth. By  checking in at  6 pm  you  have lost  one  whole  day  of  vacation.  shaggy



Not necessarily. We are going to Massanutten in October, we live 3 hours away. We plan to leave home in the morning, spend the day driving down Skyline Drve and admiring the fall leaves all day. We are not the type to spend all day at the resort. We will explore the surrounding area on the day of arrival.


----------



## csxjohn (Sep 6, 2013)

Luvstotravel said:


> Not necessarily. We are going to Massanutten in October, we live 3 hours away. We plan to leave home in the morning, spend the day driving down Skyline Drve and admiring the fall leaves all day. We are not the type to spend all day at the resort. We will explore the surrounding area on the day of arrival.



Good point that many people forget or never knew, getting there is half the fun.  When we pull out of the driveway we sing to each other, "we're on vacation, we're on vacation."


----------



## lvkcwalker (Sep 8, 2013)

Checked in today at Regal Vistas at 2:30 p.m. without any problems. There were quite a few others doing the same, and it appeared that they were all given units without delayed check-in.


----------



## Luvstotravel (Sep 8, 2013)

lvkcwalker said:


> Checked in today at Regal Vistas at 2:30 p.m. without any problems. There were quite a few others doing the same, and it appeared that they were all given units without delayed check-in.



  Great!!


----------

