Popular Hotel Brands Are Reconsidering "Do Not Disturb" Signs

Walt Disney World has recently swapped "Do Not Disturb" signs with "Room Occupied" signs at a handful of its hotels in Orlando, Florida. Disney is also allowing housekeeping and maintenance staff to enter the rooms on a daily basis. They will knock and announce their presence before entering, according to the company, as part of a new safety protocol. "The Disney Resort hotel and its staff reserve the right to enter your room, even when this sign is displayed, for maintenance, safety, security or any other purpose," read the new signs.

Disney isn't alone in this switch. Hilton Hotels and Resorts also changed its policy in November 2017. The hotel chain said the new policy recommends that staffers alert a security or duty manager after 24 hours of consecutive Do Not Disturb sign usage.

The changes follow the tragic events at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas last year. Gunman Stephen Paddock rented a room on the 32nd floor and shot into a concert on the ground below, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Paddock spent several days moving 10 suitcases containing 23 weapons into his room. He reportedly put a "Do Not Disturb" sign on his door, though housekeepers visited the suite and didn't see anything amiss.

Disney and Hilton wouldn't say whether the mass shooting at Mandalay Bay prompted the policy change but that it was based on safety, security and guest experience. Without a doubt, we will be seeing a lot more of this. Nationwide, hotels are going to implement whatever they think is best to keep guests safe.

The Orleans hotel and casino, located on Las Vegas' famed Tropicana Avenue, along with Boyd Gaming's 23 other properties nationwide -- changed its "do not disturb" policy in late October, a spokesman said. Under the revised policy, a "welfare check" is conducted after two consecutive days of a "Do Not Disturb" sign on a room door. Wynn Las Vegas, located a couple miles up The Strip from Mandalay Bay, also changed its "do not disturb" policy in October to allow staff to check on rooms every 12 hours.

We are interested in seeing how this change integrates into each hotel brand's operations as time goes on. This is definitely something we will watch for and share information on again. We truly appreciate these properties taking significant measures to ensure guest safety and look forward to devouring the details of a getaway at any one of these hotels for that very reason. And you should too.