Caution CRO (need to vent)

[mkymouse4ever]

Called yesterday to firm up our dates, had to drop 1 day of poly stay, and the CRO was very interesting. Started out this (I swear) a script, (hopefully she was really new?). Told her that I wanted to change a date, just dropping this day, etc.. Next thing she tells me, "ooh sorry its not available" "the poly is booked...no ap discount... I said wait 1 second (blood pressure sky high) I am dropping 1 day, not adding anything, I already have it.... CRO says "well its gone now" she starts talking about getting a package.. (migraine starting..) I asked "is this cro or wdtc" response "what is cro?" (now really nervous)! Lets start over I am only dropping a day not adding not changing anything around... she puts me on hold to get help...(finally) comes back on says Ok its fixed... I have her double check it with me again.. CM response "well its your own fault you have changed your dates before and and room category etc... I asked if that was a problem, cause you sound like it is... (getting really nervous) she pulls out her ace card "oh, here is the comment screen, I need to fill this in...) I am quiet sure says client raving lunatic... It's my own fault for not hanging up as soon as she started, remember always call back, till you get someone who know's what's going on! (anxiously awaiting yellow envelop, to recheck...). :confused: MKY (thanks, needed to vent):rolleyes:

[Luv2Roam]

Been there. Done that myself. ;)
I truly feel your pain.:)
Hope all goes well. You may want to call back and verify....

[mkymouse4ever]

I thought about calling back but I'm worried they'll write down, raving lunatic called back again! I think I'll hold out till poly concerige call me? unless the yellow sheet is incorrect. :) MKY

[Luv2Roam]

I found out from personal experience those yellow confirmations don't mean a thing.:p
And in my case calling back and verifying didn't either.
Which is pretty much why CRO is on my Do Not Bother Calling list.
Good luck (again).

[Disneycrazymom]

mkymouse4ever, go ahead and call so that you feel better. It is amazing to me how CRO manages to intimidate us, when they are not doing their job correctly. It upsets me that they do not have an 800 # and seem to always mess things up and then find a way to make the caller feel responsible. Let her type raving lunatic, at least you won't really be because you will know everything is correct! That is one of my reasons for liking the Swan so much, I do not have to talk to CRO!

[B3LM]

Feel free to vent!

I'd also call back if it was me. I don't care if they think I'm a raving lunatic, the CM was obviously confused and I'd want to be sure that my ressie didn't get cancelled completely.

Beth

[Demosthenes]

"oh, here is the comment screen, I need to fill this in...) I am quiet sure says client raving lunatic..." :D

Considering the number of times I change resorts, views, requests, etc., I'm pretty sure I'm on the CRO list for the most annoying guests.

[DNSDisney]

Look at the bright side. If they put raving lunitic down maybe they will give you everything you request for fear of you causing a scene. :):crazy:
Actually you should of said "yeah really your comment screen is coming up here too, it is called a letter to your supervisor".

[Minybear]

Sorry to hear what happened to you with CRO :(. This is why I have DU :) do all my cash reservations. I have dealt with CRO and some of them are very unprofessional or just new and unexperienced and some are really great and really help you out. Let DU handle all your reservations on your next reservation instead of you dealing with CRO. It's less stressfull on you.

[mrsltg]

Definitely call back! You don't want to find out that you have no reservation. I remember a while back on these boards a woman had WL booked and called to make a change (view, I think) and they changed her reservation to a month earlier and charged her one night's stay when she didn't show up! Moral of this story... CALL BACK!!!

Good luck!

Erin :)

[mkymouse4ever]

Thanks for the support! MKY:wave:

[Eno]

Keep any yellow copy confirmations, write down who you spoke to and when. I had trouble with my December reservations - the person I spoke to was nasty and started yelling at me. I asked to speak to her supervisor and was given an e-mail address. I sent a complaint and when I got to Disney my reservation was changed - instead of a rate of 84.00 for the moderate she changed it to full rack rate! Because I had my original confirmation I got the low rate but only after it was faxed to a different location and after an hour waiting. All records of my original rate were removed from the system but they honoured it due to my receipt. I then called and complained when I got back and was told that "I'm sure it was all an accident".. I dont' think so!

[Nuts4Disney]

I feel your pain! :eek:

I have also experienced the trials & tribulations of cro/wdwtc!

I would also call back & very nicely ask them to verify the info, for my own piece of mind. It's a lot of $$$, & I wouldn't want any surprises or disappointments.

I was also voice my complaint, because they need to know what's going on at cro & wdwtc. I have noticed a dramatic change in service & ATTITUDE recently. I have been insulted several times recently, & after being very nice to them!

Originally posted by Luv2Roam
I found out from personal experience those yellow confirmations don't mean a thing.:p
And in my case calling back and verifying didn't either.
Which is pretty much why CRO is on my Do Not Bother Calling list.
Good luck (again).

Luv2Roam:
I am genuinely curious, if you do not mind, why you say those yellow confirmations don't mean a thing? I was under the impression that WDW honored those confirms?

Thank you! :)

[eeyore1226]

It's your vacation and it's your money being spent ( a lot of it ) so don't let CRO make you feel guilty about "bothering" them. I've called to make changes severl times - mostly changing resorts - and sometimes I get the BEST folks on the line and other times - uh-oh - I don't trust them to understand what I want so I tell them I need to call back later. Then hang up and start over until you get something you have confidence in. Part of the fun of traveling to Disney is all of the planning and anticipation :)

[Disneydenise]

I had an interesting conversation with the WDTC yesterday also. I am trying to find a discount for July 30 thru August 6 and they seem to not be able to find a room if it isn't in a package. I use to like the old CRO. They were always nice and would not need to know everything about your family including names and ages of each person. They now have a profile on me that is ridiculous unless they intend to make some sort of a concerted effort to ensure the lowest possible price for my future trips to Disney. I think most likely not. I think that frankly all this so called enhanced service is to see what type of trips you have taken to WDW in the past and I don't think they require this knowledge about me personally. I never hald 3 and 4 reservations at one time but even if I did it would not matter. They would be holding my cash for several months. Well I think I need to get a new name and address and childrens ages etc.

[MermaidsMom]

I really hope that SOMEONE in power sees this thread!! As an onsite "guest" since 1984, I am very upset with the attitude and lack of knowledge at CRO these days. I have been researching a split trip at the BC and Universal and am liking the Universal operators better!! People who know me to be a Disney fanatic would laugh so loud to hear me say this!!

[jwfla422]

I have also noticed that lack of experience and "people" skills many of the CRO CMs have today. I wouldn't even refer to them as CMs anymore, just employees. I think there are many NEW employees at CRO who have not been properly trained nor trained like DISNEY used to train.

If you feel you're talking to one who hasn't a clue or is rude, just tell them thank you and hang up. I've done this and don't worry about what they think of you, who cares, as many posters have said it's your vacation and your money.

Case and point, lack of experience. I asked about Junior suites at the WL, the CRO person told me they have a queen bed and that's it. Sure, you're going to tell me a suite has less places to sleep than a standard room, makes a lot of sense...must have been looking at the wrong info and for the record they are no longer called Jr. Suites at WL they are Deluxe rooms now. Why didn't she know this, because she was probably just put on the phone after a day or so of listening to someone else answer calls.

With all of the cutbacks from last year, WDW has probably lost a lot of good CMs and has had to replace them quickly. In the past their screening process of future CMs was very in depth, now I think that's changed.

[Nuts4Disney]

It is true, as you may have seen from my prior post here, that CRO/WDWTC CMs, for the most part, has become a real challenge, to say the least. And it is not my intention to discount anyone's feelings who is/had a hard time w/ them.

And I, too, have heard that CRO/WDWTC was very understaffed, w/ CMs working lots of OT, & lots of newbie CMs.

At one point, I was so disgusted, I was not going to go! I thought, [to quote Zazu from TLK], "if this is the direction the Kingdom is going, you can count me out!" I will vacation elsewhere. I even started signing my posts "Not-so-Nuts4Disney!" :eek:

Well, for any of you who might feel or have felt this way, I just want to reassure you that this may be a problem specific to CRO/WDWTC! We went to WDW & we had a GREAT time! :) As in years past, 99% of the CMs were wonderful & had not lost that magic touch. There's always that 1% we wish we hadn't met, but I never let them reflect all of WDW or the other wonderful CMs.

Hope this helps anyone going thru the "craziness" with CRO/WDWTC now. :)

[MermaidsMom]

Thanks, Nuts4Disney, I needed that!!

[Nuts4Disney]

Anytime, MermaidsMom! :)

Hakuna Matata! :)

[Boots]

Hope that you get everything straightened out. I too think I would call back and just reconfirm everything!

[dreamflight99]

Oh MKY...The last time we stayed in a Disney-owned resort, we needed to drop two days in the midst of the reserved stay. I called the CRO to inform her of the minor change/ammendment (thinking it would be NO BIGGIE). She placed me on hold no less than five times during our brief conversation. Finally, she informed me the confirmation # remained the same, and we were all set (famous last words).

When I received the new confirmation in the mail reflecting the changes, it also reflected an INCREASE in the room charge for the remainder of the stay (after the intermission of two days at another resort). The room increased by more than $55 per eve! They also charged another night to my Amex card for the second half of the stay. I immediately phoned the CRO's again, and they adamently refused to reduce the room charge to the original amount reserved/confirmed. She kept repeating that due to the changes, a NEW reservation had to be made for the "return" to WDW...thus-the increase in the room charge (the other rate was no longer available due to occupancy/reservations).

I was so frustrated with these people...they must have written raving lunatic on my profile! I decided NOT to get upset. We enjoyed our visit, and when I returned home-I took measures to "amend" the error made by the CRO. I phoned American Express, and explained the situation in full detail. She asked me if I had a copy of the original confirmation, reflecting the intended dates of stay-and the rate. I faxed this to her, and she promptly credited the difference between the original confirmed price, and the erroneous increase! She touted this as an illegal tactic used by business, and even had a name for it (which I can't recall).

Thank goodness for American Express, as the CRO's were useless, and trying to explain/correct the problem with them proved futile and exhaustive. I learned my lesson. Never leave home without it! :D

[Terk-1]

I had to change my ressies from September to November. I had AP rates for September and knew the one's for November were not out yet, but I did not want to keep a ressie from someone else. When I spoke with this girl, she told me that I would have to cancel the reservations completely, have refunds issued, wait for the refunds to arrive, then rebook and pay new deposits. She kept insisting I want until the 1st of September to cancel. I told her to leave everything alone. I called back the other night and spoke to a gentleman and he changed the ressies with no problem. He told me that the new ressies are under the value rate, but to call back next month to receive the AP rate. I also asked him his opinion of CS and he was very informative. I've had a few winners at CRO, but have been fortunate to mostly receive great one's.

[tar heel]

We finally decided that we're going in July instead of June b/c the rates are better and we'll have an extra two days. Yesterday, I called to cancel our six nights at PO for June. I was hoping to transfer the deposit to our July YC reservation. I was on the phone for more than 30 minutes. Turned out I had TWO reservations at PO, one for a time we had never even considered going. On closer inspection, it appeared that I had made that reservation for someone else(of course no such thing happened). So, if you live in Louisiana and plan to check into PO-R on June 10, you might want to confirm your reservation!

[eeyore0062]

Sounds like you got a new CM.. sorry that it was a headache for you. You are right, though, you probably should have just gotten off of the phone and tried again.

[trishy]

Gosh, I just don't get it. This is such a surprise. I do agree about one specific thing: get their name. It's very important to do that right at the beginning of your call. And call them by their name when giving/requesting information. It's more personal. We made ressies at AKL for 6/21-23 (CIF code), then changed to 6/28-30 (CFQ code), then changed again to the new FPZ code for Annual Passholders. Never had a problem changing anything. We have been very fortunate to deal with very nice people: Glenda Rivera was the greatest. Logan was nice, too. I have all three of my "yellow" slips (the most recent one was red & white) and plan on bringing them all just in case.

[mkymouse4ever]

Thanks for the support, I have had occassional problems with ressies in the past, but I really have never encountered a castmember like her before, had to be definatley new, and I agree they must of changed there hiring strategy! Are the most recent confirmation letters not of the "yellow" variety? That last one was in a red & white envelope/ stationary? :) MKY