on Hold with ABD

[clarabelle]

Is everyone having to hang out on hold as much as I am?
This AM I waited about 25 minutes then gave up. I just called back and had to wait about 15 minutes.
And the person I spoke to -had to ask someone some questions and call me back.
I am getting short -tempered now.

[figmentfan2009]

I am waiting for the flight people to call me back from yesterday's reschedule. Apparently they are really busy right now... not sure if the busy is trying to rescheduled the cancelled people or if they are new people scheduling... :surfweb:

[clarabelle]

I finally decided on something after mine getting cancelled -and I swear she didn't want to book it. She sounded reluctant. Then I started getting testy and said maybe we should just cancel the whole thing -and she said no -she just needed to talk to someone else first.
It seems like they should be "empowered" to rebook a trip without having to talk to someone else first.

I know -I am getting whiney. Worrying about this vacation is starting to wear me out:)

[Tozzie]

I finally decided on something after mine getting cancelled -and I swear she didn't want to book it. She sounded reluctant. Then I started getting testy and said maybe we should just cancel the whole thing -and she said no -she just needed to talk to someone else first.
It seems like they should be "empowered" to rebook a trip without having to talk to someone else first.

I know -I am getting whiney. Worrying about this vacation is starting to wear me out:)

You aren't getting whiney, I have really lost faith in ABD. I would be more than furious if I had to wait over a day for them to return a phone call to plan my vacation over that they cancelled, I honestly couldn't care less how busy they are, they created this situation they need to fix it without ailienating the people still taking trips.

[Turtlemom]

Clarabelle--
I really hope something works out. Let us know what happens--
especially if they are changing the schedule of any of the other Quest for the West trips.
Good luck!

Turtlemom

[wdwsos]

Sorry for the frustration. :( The "someone else" is a senior travel specialist and all the rebookings are going through them. Because each trip only has certain room types allocated, it makes sense. You wouldn't want one AbD rep to tell you that she's moving you into the last triple room when another one is telling a different guest that he's grabbing that for their family of five.

Also, when moving you to a trip that only has triple rooms left (for example), the agent has to contact the hotel to see if they can swap that out for a single, double or quad. It's a lot of work and I really feel for them. Not only are they dealing with disappointed guests but the logistics of this must be overwhelming.

That said, you know that they're going to bend over backwards to help you get things resolved when you finally do get through! I moved around quite a few people yesterday and everyone was very happy with the outcome and with how they were treated.

I know I tend to sound like the AbD cheerleader here, but they continually prove to me that I have reason to be this dedicated. They really are a class act.

Keep us posted on your trip, and good luck!

Dotti

[clarabelle]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I haven't given up on ABD yet. The reviews of the trips have been just too positive.
But....
This part has not been so great -and I hope ABD is taking notes -and learning what they can do to improve.
Turtlemom -I think we have decided to do something else instead of Quest for the West.
I will let you know when we get it hammered out

Dotti -that explains why she was so reluctant -maybe she was worried someone else (another rebooking) had taken the rooms I was trying to book.

When I found out what I wanted had openings -I was like great -lets go! and she kind of backed off. She started asking me if I had considered other dates and other trips. I can't quite explain it -but I almost felt like she wanted me to pick something different. Maybe I just misunderstood her.

[figmentfan2009]

I know -I am getting whiney. Worrying about this vacation is starting to wear me out:)

no, you aren't getting whiney... and I can totally relate. DH is so stressed over this trip that he is sleeping about 2 hours a night. I just keep plugging away, hoping against hope that I make it to July without going crazy.

Good luck with everything... I know in the end it will all be worth all of the adventure in the mean time...
:hippie:

[clarabelle]

How long do they stay open? Does anyone know?
I am trying to decide if I should call them back. I won't be available tomorrow
I never dreamed it would take more than one day to rebook a trip

[slg]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one losing sleep over this...well not glad,but at least I'm not the only hyper worry wart. I have been having anxiety attacks over this whole trip! And now my sneaking fear is that ABD will just fold and I'll lose all my money! I don't think that would really happen, but its just a little niggle at the back of my mind that I'll show up in Dublin and there won't be anyone there to get us!

I don't like that ABD won't commit. I know right now things are still up in the air, as they juggle tours and people around but I certainly would feel better if they said that one week after final payment was the deadline on whether or not a trip would go. I at least could say whew, now I know its a go 80 days out. But since the fellow yesterday said it could be canceled up until the final day doesn't leave me with a lot of confidence. I don't think it builds any consumer confidence and in fact is a huge deterrent. I'm sure managment is in a panic right now, but so are the countless folks whose vacation plans are disrupted and ruined by worry and fear. A little note of reassurance would go a long way to making those of us still left feel a little better.

I am curious as to how many tours are actually left on the books!

[Turtlemom]

Hi Clarabelle--
Hope you are able to reach someone. For what its worth--I just called to check on my trip in early August and was told that "they are still taking reservations" and that most of the July/early August dates for Quest for the West were still available. I know you probably need to speak to the reservation agents specifically tasked with re-booking, but my call to the general ABD CM went through pretty quickly.

In talking to the CM, it seems that they are very aware of the "panic" that has set in over the cancelled adventures, but they are trying to manage the changes to the best of their ability. It is very frustrating that they are no longer able to give out information about how full a given trip is or roughly how many children will be travelling in the group. I'm very disappointed in this change in policy as it really puts a damper on the conversation and the amount of help that a CM can provide. I asked the CM to pass that along to whoever is listening higher up in the management chain.

Hopefully,this too shall pass and things will get back to the normal "disney" way of doing things.

Turtlemom

[slg]

I've been checking out other tour companies and most of them have much more assurance and some guarantee certain departures.

Depending on availability it looks like I'll be able to find another tour in Ireland with similar dates if my ABD doesn't go through. Its disappointing as we want ABD because of the family factor, but I'm trying to find a way to calm my anxiety or I won't survive until July. I at least like to know what my options might be.

[redzinner]

I've been checking out other tour companies and most of them have much more assurance and some guarantee certain departures.

Depending on availability it looks like I'll be able to find another tour in Ireland with similar dates if my ABD doesn't go through. Its disappointing as we want ABD because of the family factor, but I'm trying to find a way to calm my anxiety or I won't survive until July. I at least like to know what my options might be.

I have checked other tour companies also. CIE Ireland is one that I could do. A negative for me is the hotel selection. They don't seem to be close to town in Dublin or quite the same class as what is being offered by ABD. We're not changing our dates so if ABD cancels our tour dates we will go with CIE.:upsidedow

[slg]

Do you know how CIe are with children? I have a child that will turn 8 the day after the tour starts. They say kids must be at least 8, but he would only be 7 for one day.

I would still have to change my return flight, but I would save so much money on the tour that I would still be ahead.

[clarabelle]

Well I finally called them back -after waiting all day for a return call.
I am booked for Ireland June 17th!!

We couldn't get the dates we wanted to rebook our Quest for the West -and we
were originally thinking of Ireland -so we decided to go with that.

It seemed to really freak them out to change the airfare. The airfare dept is different than the ABD department. The system is either understaffed or needs some tweaking that is for sure. I was a bit testy on the phone -but rebooking was much harder than it needed to be. I know all the hold music by heart!!

[slg]

I wish you had booked the July 22 tour, but I'm hoping that this tour will be magical for you and all the frustration and anxiety is now gone and you can concentrate on all the fun you will have:)

[clarabelle]

Slg
She implied that the Ireland tours left were filling up. They cancelled two in June I think.
I hope the cancellations stop soon.
Maybe they are done

[slg]

I really, really hope so...I'm such a nervous wreck.

[figmentfan2009]

Well, hold was 20 min but at least I got to listen to CARS...

Airline person was supposed to call back last night... but they were too busy.

They were SUPPOSED to call back today... but they were too busy (when I got hold of anyone... they said they are just SAWOmpt lately... geeze... I don't know if the SAWOmpt is because of the herds of people making reservations, or being forced to reschedule because there aren't enough people on their tours to justify THEIR tours... counter intuitive I think but hey... but apparently they are just severly overworked)... but we are in the "fix the airline" queue and might get our call back tomorrow morning unless something more pressing comes up for them.

DH seems to think that they are trying to decide if they want to book us on the flights for the alternative dates we picked or if they want to save the $1000 that they are going to have to fork out for changing the flights if they have decided to cancel the second dates. I think he is really getting frustrated with all the stress... he is sure that they are going to completely do away with the china trip because everyone is counting on it so much.

I'm counting on the trip being all that it is cracked up to be in the end.

[Tozzie]

Well, hold was 20 min but at least I got to listen to CARS...

Airline person was supposed to call back last night... but they were too busy.

They were SUPPOSED to call back today... but they were too busy (when I got hold of anyone... they said they are just SAWOmpt lately... geeze... I don't know if the SAWOmpt is because of the herds of people making reservations, or being forced to reschedule because there aren't enough people on their tours to justify THEIR tours... counter intuitive I think but hey... but apparently they are just severly overworked)... but we are in the "fix the airline" queue and might get our call back tomorrow morning unless something more pressing comes up for them.

DH seems to think that they are trying to decide if they want to book us on the flights for the alternative dates we picked or if they want to save the $1000 that they are going to have to fork out for changing the flights if they have decided to cancel the second dates. I think he is really getting frustrated with all the stress... he is sure that they are going to completely do away with the china trip because everyone is counting on it so much.

I'm counting on the trip being all that it is cracked up to be in the end.


You have a lot more patience than I would have, I had to change my own airfare because I booked with miles and they paid the change fee. However, I now have to a Hotel near LAX because I have to fly in the night before as that is the only flight that worked. I honestly don't have any sympathy for how "busy" they are they scheduled the trips, they accepted bookings and now they are cancelling, have the staff on hand to fix the problems you created. Some might think I am being unreasonable and that is fine but I don't believe as a pp stated they are bending over backwards, If they tell you they will call you back one day that is the day I expect the return phone call.

I am happy for all of those who were able to change their vacation dates but for those of us who were stuck with the dates we had and had to find an alternative trip to fit that schedule. I don't feel they bent over backwards at all or were all that accomodating. It was basically take what we have or cancel. I will never book another ABD as my life isn't that easy to re arrange but ABD thinks it should be.

[slg]

Oh dear. I'm such a big disney fan and I'm so disappointed that this trip is going so badly for so many people.

Disney is a big, big company and one would think that they would try to salvage their reputation over all these cancelations.

I'm sure the office is in crisis management right now, but I'm afraid so are a lot of us. And since we aren't such big fish, I suppose we want some accomodation.

At the moment, I agree, another ABD will not be in my future plans until they sort themselves out. I think they will, or else just cancel this whole idea, but I can't imagine that they will continue to operate this same confusing way. Face it, most of us book Disney because of their high level of customer service. And this is not what we were expecting.

[Tozzie]

Oh dear. I'm such a big disney fan and I'm so disappointed that this trip is going so badly for so many people.

Disney is a big, big company and one would think that they would try to salvage their reputation over all these cancelations.

I'm sure the office is in crisis management right now, but I'm afraid so are a lot of us. And since we aren't such big fish, I suppose we want some accomodation.

At the moment, I agree, another ABD will not be in my future plans until they sort themselves out. I think they will, or else just cancel this whole idea, but I can't imagine that they will continue to operate this same confusing way. Face it, most of us book Disney because of their high level of customer service. And this is not what we were expecting.

I am also a big Disney Fan, I own DVC and I have 3 trips to Florida Scheduled this year and yes the reason I booked my trip with ABD is because of the Dsiney name and the trust I had in them

[redzinner]

Oh dear. I'm such a big disney fan and I'm so disappointed that this trip is going so badly for so many people.

Disney is a big, big company and one would think that they would try to salvage their reputation over all these cancelations.

Yes, they are a big company but if they manage like other big companies every 'brand' or division is on its own when it comes to sink or swim. I truly do feel for the management of ABD. They must be agonizing over every canceled tour. They just don't have the depth of reserves or capital to weather the economical woes of today. I'm sure many people are canceling their tours because of the lack of funds which leaves ABD looking like the bad guys. Then there is the mentality of 'rats leaving a sinking ship' which compounds the troubles. Not an easy situation for anybody, company and customers.

[figmentfan2009]

After finding out in a conference call (since I had to sit at home and wait for no one to call me about my flights all day) that I won't be getting a raise despite a company that made record profits because the economy is in trouble and so they don't want to take any chances with the bunches of money that they actually did make... but hey... we aren't laying any of you losers off yet so don't whine... and we haven't actually decided whether we will cut wages or not so there...

I understand that everyone is hurting.

But I do expect a high quality of customer service... because they are Disney. Yesterday when i returned the call the person 'didn't want to rush me' and I should take my time to decide and call her back in the next couple hours to tell her so they don't fill up the date I might want.

And then last night I did call them back and they were nice about the change (and acted like they were doing me a favor by changing the trip that they canceled without charging me the difference between the early booking that I had on the trip I did book) and they told me that an airline specialist would be with me last night or today at the latest.

So I took the day off so I could be home to get this call. This call that never came and that I had to make to find out what the deal is. Customer service... my conference call today we were told that we need to become even more of a customer service organization and to see what we can do to not only keep the valuable customers that we have in this economy but to entice new customers to come to our company. Even if it means taking a loss on something in the name of good will or in the name of marketing the name, we need to show the customer that they are all that matters to the company...

I guess the dichotomy between a 250 employee company and Disney (even if it is a Disney subsidiary) is striking me as odd. I don't have a problem with them canceling the trip (I understand that they need to make a profit and having 2 or 3 rooms booked on a trip like this isn't going to be profitable, it's business) so much as with being left feeling like my time and inconvenience is irrelevant to them.

I agree, usually I'm left feeling like a valued guest. Today I'm feeling like I'm an inconvenience to them.

Maybe I'm just tired and frustrated.

Tomorrow it is my husband's turn to take the day off of work and wait for them to not call.
:confused3

[dingoballs]

After finding out in a conference call (since I had to sit at home and wait for no one to call me about my flights all day) that I won't be getting a raise despite a company that made record profits because the economy is in trouble and so they don't want to take any chances with the bunches of money that they actually did make... but hey... we aren't laying any of you losers off yet so don't whine... and we haven't actually decided whether we will cut wages or not so there...

I understand that everyone is hurting.

But I do expect a high quality of customer service... because they are Disney. Yesterday when i returned the call the person 'didn't want to rush me' and I should take my time to decide and call her back in the next couple hours to tell her so they don't fill up the date I might want.

And then last night I did call them back and they were nice about the change (and acted like they were doing me a favor by changing the trip that they canceled without charging me the difference between the early booking that I had on the trip I did book) and they told me that an airline specialist would be with me last night or today at the latest.

So I took the day off so I could be home to get this call. This call that never came and that I had to make to find out what the deal is. Customer service... my conference call today we were told that we need to become even more of a customer service organization and to see what we can do to not only keep the valuable customers that we have in this economy but to entice new customers to come to our company. Even if it means taking a loss on something in the name of good will or in the name of marketing the name, we need to show the customer that they are all that matters to the company...

I guess the dichotomy between a 250 employee company and Disney (even if it is a Disney subsidiary) is striking me as odd. I don't have a problem with them canceling the trip (I understand that they need to make a profit and having 2 or 3 rooms booked on a trip like this isn't going to be profitable, it's business) so much as with being left feeling like my time and inconvenience is irrelevant to them.

I agree, usually I'm left feeling like a valued guest. Today I'm feeling like I'm an inconvenience to them.

Maybe I'm just tired and frustrated.

Tomorrow it is my husband's turn to take the day off of work and wait for them to not call.
:confused3

Very well said! We are booked on 2 AbDs this year, so I can totally understand your situation.

While you're waiting for the call that may or may not come, maybe you can kill some time by contacting Mr. Ed Baklor, senior vice president of Adventures by Disney, to let him know what's on your mind...

[Phil1019]

Hi, I too was waiting for the call from the air specialist after they canceled my Costa Rica trip on 4/18/09. I rebooked for 07/08/09. THEY NEVER CALLED ME BACK! I had to call them . I was told they booked me on the same flights as previously booked. It would have been nice for them to let me know. Ya think?

[figmentfan2009]

Apparently NOW you have to REQUEST to have them call you back with your flight information (I guess, otherwise) you just have to be surprised when you get to the airport or something.

I was supposed to get a call Tuesday night with flight information... or maybe Wednesday... Wednesday night I called and found out that I was in the queue to be helped Thursday morning.

DH figured out that we were "being helped" when he checked our old flight reservation number and it was canceled. Okay... so maybe someone will call... wait... wait... wait... 5 pm central time I got mad and called THEM again (30 min on hold) and I find out that since I never ASKED to be called back (you know.... so I would know that I actually had a flight and what number to type in to actually get the boarding passes) so they didn't figure they had to.

Great... thanks... One day vacation for me to sit at home and not get called... one day vacation for hubby to sit home and not get called only to find out we wouldn't have been able to go to china because all of our vacation would have been used up sitting at home waiting for calls that we were told would come but because we didn't ACTUALLY request that they come, they weren't going to.

I think they need to sit down and think through their customer service model after this fiasco of an adventure in booking and rebooking.

BUT... we are booked and have all relevant information and even have changed the seats that we had by default on the plane and are back in count down mode... 161 days... I hope.

:laundy:

[lakerz5]

Apparently NOW you have to REQUEST to have them call you back with your flight information (I guess, otherwise) you just have to be surprised when you get to the airport or something.

I was supposed to get a call Tuesday night with flight information... or maybe Wednesday... Wednesday night I called and found out that I was in the queue to be helped Thursday morning.

DH figured out that we were "being helped" when he checked our old flight reservation number and it was canceled. Okay... so maybe someone will call... wait... wait... wait... 5 pm central time I got mad and called THEM again (30 min on hold) and I find out that since I never ASKED to be called back (you know.... so I would know that I actually had a flight and what number to type in to actually get the boarding passes) so they didn't figure they had to.


Great... thanks... One day vacation for me to sit at home and not get called... one day vacation for hubby to sit home and not get called only to find out we wouldn't have been able to go to china because all of our vacation would have been used up sitting at home waiting for calls that we were told would come but because we didn't ACTUALLY request that they come, they weren't going to.

I think they need to sit down and think through their customer service model after this fiasco of an adventure in booking and rebooking.

BUT... we are booked and have all relevant information and even have changed the seats that we had by default on the plane and are back in count down mode... 161 days... I hope.

:laundy:
So after all the waiting and days off...what did they rebook you to???