Did I expect too much? CBR disappointing...

[Mooneybeams]

Here's the letter I'm putting together. I've never been inclined to complain but this time I am going to. Did I expect too much?

Dear Sirs:

I am writing to you to let you know how disappointed I was with my most recent stay on Disney property. My husband, myself, and my 7 year old daughter have been looking forward to our 10th anniversary trip to Walt Disney World since about December of last year. We scrimped, saved, had yard sales, sold unwanted stuff on ebay, etc. since then to save up for this trip. Our original reservations were for All Star Movies but we upgraded to Caribbean Beach Resort to make the stay extra special and memorable.

I made the cast member aware when we made reservations that this was our 10th anniversary trip. I faxed a room request to the room assigner 4 days before our arrival. I let them know how excited we were to be spending our 10th anniversary at the resort. I requested Martinique building 25, ground floor, corner room. When we checked in, we received none of that. We received Jamaica 45, 2nd floor, not a corner room. I asked about Martinique and was told it was full. After getting to the resort I found that to be unlikely since the place was relatively empty. Needless to say we were very disappointed. I had hoped (but did not expect) that maybe a Happy Anniversary card or something of that nature would be in our room but there was nothing.

While we were waiting to get into our room (we had checked in early), we went to the food court and had my daughter's hair wrapped. The person doing the wrapping proceeded to talk about her gay friend after which I was questioned by my daughter, who is only 7, what "gay" means. Thanks a lot for that Disney memory. I am sure my daughter will never forget that one.

On our daily trek to the food court or pool through Parrot Cay, we never saw not one parrot. We even asked several times where they were. We did see lots of parrot or bird droppings which made the morning trek unbearable. The stench was horrible especially on very hot humid mornings.

Upon check out, I thanked the person who we paid (we did check out one day early, as we could not wait to get out of there). She said "You're Welcome." Never said, "How was your stay?", "How was everything?" or "Thank you" to me.

We have reservations at Port Orleans Riverside for Thanksgiving. I will be cancelling those reservations today. We have no desire to go back at all right now. Usually I begin planning my next trip immediately, Not this time. We even bought annual passes this trip. I truly wish we had not done that, I am sure we will not get our money's worth out of them.

[Dallas_Lady]

Originally posted by Mooneybeams
I faxed a room request to the room assigner 4 days before our arrival. I let them know how excited we were to be spending our 10th anniversary at the resort. I requested Martinique building 25, ground floor, corner room. When we checked in, we received none of that. We received Jamaica 45, 2nd floor, not a corner room.

While we were waiting to get into our room (we had checked in early), we went to the food court and had my daughter's hair wrapped. The person doing the wrapping proceeded to talk about her gay friend after which I was questioned by my daughter, who is only 7, what "gay" means. Thanks a lot for that Disney memory. I am sure my daughter will never forget that one.

I have 2 comments...

First off, the room controllers at the resorts do not receive your ressie into thier system until 3 days before you check in. It is customary to fax a room request 3 days prior. Any earlier and there is a good chance you will not get you request as they have to "hold" you fax one more day (among that many they get). Second, requests are just that, requests. I am sure upon sending this you will be reminded that no room location is guaranteed. The only thing that is guaranteed is something you paid for i.e. paying more for a King bed or a waterview.

Second, I hope this doesn't offend you, but, homosexuality is a part of our culture. There are gay people out there in the world. Children will learn about these things sooner or later. Perhaps it was inappropriate for the CM to be talking about her personal life while on duty, but the fact that she was discussing a homosexual friend is no fault of the Disney company. Perhaps she herself was gay. Would you be writing with your disappointment at having your daughter's hair wrapped by a gay employee? Disney is a large and diverse place. I don't think that complaint is a valid one either.

[jennymouse]

I'm sorry that you were disappointed with your stay at CBR, but I really don't see what you're so angry about. Disney states that they can't guarantee your room request, nor do they guarantee "gifts" for anniversaries. I know we read about such gifts here on the DIS, but I think it's usually done, unfortunately, by concierge CM to concierge guests and sometimes not even then. Sometimes, I think we read all this stuff that sometimes happens to people, and we get our expectations too high.

While the hairwrapper's comments probably shouldn't have been made, and the poop at Parrot Cay would be an annoyance, I can't understand why that would ruin a trip.

Sorry, but I don't see your beef. But that's JMO.

[kylara]

Maybe it is me, but I do think that you did expect things. Room requests are just that...requests. They are never guaranteed. Just because the resort looked empty doesn't mean it was, or that the section you wanted was. When places are popular they often fill up first.

Also even though you said you didn't "expect" a card, the fact that you put it in your letter leans toward the fact that you did expect it, otherwise why complain that you didn't get one. Once again, sometimes Disney does extra things for people when they note a special occasion, but it isn't a guarantee unless you actually request and pay for something.

I don't think that the employee should have been talking to a 7 year old about anything personal, but since I do not know the situation I can not say if she was out of line. It does seem strange that she would point out that her friend was gay. I guess I would need to know the context of the conversation.

As for the Parrots...can't say what happened. Each time I have been there, I have seen them. I would have asked the front desk to have them wash down the walkway. Unfortunately the parrots are the only birds that like to use the area and it can get bad at times. Did you make a complaint to the desk or a CM about the droppings?

When you checked out, did you let them know you were unhappy with your visit? People check out early for many reasons and unfortunately the desk staff doesn't alway note that it is an early checkout.

I am sorry that you had such a disappointing stay. Sometimes we get our hopes up about a trip and it doesn't turn out the way we hope. If you still want to go at Thanksgiving but don't want to stay at Disney, there are a number of nice off site hotels in the area. However, POR is a beautiful hotel...but if you worry it won't live up to the expectations you have, do what you feel it right for you.

[opal]

I think Disney is having difficulty adjusting to the downward trends of the economy. It seems a lot of your complaints can be tied to reduced staffing. Unfortunately that makes a negative impression on the guest who is still paying top dollar and getting less. Those of us that have stayed on site for years have come to expect a certain level of service and on site perks that seem to disappearing one by one. That leaves us to decide for ourselves if staying on site is still worth the extra $$ are paying. That said I wouldn't let one bad experience wipe out all the good ones. We have gone at least once a year for the past 12 years and 95% of our time there has been positive. When it wasn't I too wrote letters to voice my disappointment. On one occasion we were offered a free night at CBR on our next visit!

As far a the hair wrapping experience, I agree that homosexuality is part of our society, but I think any discussion of sexuality is inappropriate in the presence of a 7 year that is not your child.

[dcgrumpy]

Yes you expected too much.

You got what you paid for. It would be different if you paid extra for a waterview room and got a standard view. I have never gotten any of my room requests. I was disappointed for about 20 seconds.

I don't see the big deal in not getting a card. Again, it's not something guaranteed or something you paid extra for.

I agree the "gay friend" comment may have been out of place.

I honestly don't see anything that would make me check out early, or not return.

[gepetto]

I really don't see anything there that would ruin my trip. These complaints seem so minor I can't believe you cancelled your Thanksgiving trip because of them. A lot of people celebrate special occasions at WDW. Sometimes they get acknowledged and sometimes not. As far as room requests go....they aren't guaranteed. I don't think the hair wrap person saying the word "gay" in front of a child shows the best judgment, but I don't think it's any big deal.

Did you complain about the parrot poop smell while you were there?

[SnowWitch]

We celebrated our 10th, 11th and 13th anniversaries at Disney all in Deluxe resorts, never got so much as a "Happy Anniv." We took our nieces the summer after their father had been killed in an accident and wanted to make it extra special, we had 2 rooms at the Poly for 12 nights, never got anything extra.

The point is the stories we hear about people getiing extra things leads us to want extra things. The real point is they are just that "extra". We can't assume we will get them too, maybe we will maybe we won't , but either way it doesn't matter, they are extra and we didn't pay extra to receive them.

Now about the hair wrapping girl. Yes I agree homosexuality is a part of our society I have some great friends who are gay. But my kids are 10 and 12 and are just now grasping what that means. As a parent it is my place to decide when and where my children learn about these things and during a hair-wrappin' session would not be my first choice at the ripe'ole' age of 7!!!!!!!!!! This I would have complained about before I exited the property.

There have been times I have left Disney and not felt the magic was there. After 4 trips in 2000-2001 I decided to take a disney break, I have been on hiatus for almost a year and a half just because I was getting to the "It's not the same point." But I'm going back in dec.

[disneyjunkie]

How was the rest of your trip? Did you enjoy the parks and restaurants? I hope you didn't let the problems at the resort put a damper on your whole trip.

Sorry you didn't enjoy your stay at the resort.

[CaipiraBob]

<P><i>Second, I hope this doesn't offend you, but, homosexuality is a part of our culture. There are gay people out there in the world. Children will learn about these things sooner or later.</i></p>
<P>Dallas_Lady, homosexuality is part of perhaps 2% of the populations culture. It still revolves around a subject which is completely inappropriate to discuss in front of small children, which is sex.</p>

<p>Homosexuality is only about sex. If you can pinpoint a difference between a normal hetersexual individual and a homosexual which is not based on sex alone, feel free to go into detail. Otherwise it is a highly inappropriate subject for conversation in a public area and regardless of your personal beliefs, many people feel that an open conversation about sex in front of children is reprehensible.</p>
<P>I would highly object to someone making an open statement in front of my children that say they really enjoy doing something explicit with their partner. Hetero or **** it is extremely offensive in a public area. Common decency and manners would dictate that this sort of discussion take place in private and never, NEVER in any circumstances in a place where it can be inflicted upon small children.</p>
<P>True, this can be considered a "public area" but anyone with a little sense knows it's a resort geared to entertain small children. In a public area we need to take an approach of tolerance and in this case the individual should have been tolerant of the fact that there were small children near and not inflict a known reprehensible behavior on others. I would no more expect this person to relate "gay incidents" any more than another individual to relate the details of their honeymoon.</p><P>Now does anyone want to defend someone who wants to intentionally expose small children to sex? Keep in mind we discussing a 7 year old girl! That's an arguement I would dearly love to crush.</p>:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Brer-Rabbit]

I think the only valid complaint you have is the comment about the hair wrappers friend being gay. It was inappropriate to have the conversation in front of a child. I do not think it warrants a letter to Disney though. You could have handled that situation on your own with that CM -- I am sure she would have been very embarrassed and most likely would have been more aware of what she is saying in front of children.

As for your other issues, they are really just expectations that YOU set that Disney did not meet. They had no obligation to meet any of them. They do not have an obligation to give you your room requests, they have no obligation to provide a gift for your anniversary, they have no obligation to make sure there are birds in Parrot Cay when you are walking by, they have no obligation to insure that the CM asks you how your stay was upon checkout. All of these things would be nice and most of the time happens without prompting which is what makes them so special, but they are not obligatory. Your inclusion of these issues in your letter only indicates that no matter what Disney had done, you wouldn't have been satisfied anyway.

If you were dissatisfied with your room location, you should have contacted the resort manager and given them the opportunity to fix the problem. If you were upset about the comment in front of your daughter, you should have called the resort manager and reported it. I certainly would have rather addressed these issues to someone who could fix them, instead of letting them spoil my vacation.

Sorry, I don't mean to be harsh, but sometimes I think that when we all read these boards and share our experiences, we begin to believe that we are all ENTITLED to the things that Disney occasionally does for its guests to make their trips more magical. If they did it all the time for everyone, it wouldn’t be so magical. JMHO

[Tiffany]

Hi Mooneybeams,

I also believe your expections might have been to high. You noted in your opening paragraph that you sacrificed so that you could make this trip special. This implies that because it was harder for you to save the money needed for the trip that Disney should have granted your requests. That is how it came accross to me if that was not your intent then maybe rethink the first paragraph before you send it.

Also, you go on to say that you made specific requests for room location and you were upset that you did not get them. Disney clearly states that requests are just that requests and may not be granted.

You state that you had noted that it was your 10th Ann and you state that you did not expect Disney to do anything but then you list it as a complaint. If you truely were not expecting anything how can this be a complaint? Again I think you were expecting a service that is not guaranteed. People receiving cards or small gifts when they note a birthday or ann. is a random act at best and should never be expected.

As far as the hairwrapper CM mentioning her "gay" friend I would have to know the context of the conversation that was going on.

The smell from Parrot Cay? If you let a CM know about the smell and nothing was done during your stay to minimize the smell that is a legit complaint.

I am not sure why you are not going back? If you feel that you cannot justify the money that you spent then that is a choice but I just cannot see how you not getting the "requested" island and not receiving a free gift would cause you to not come back to WDW?

I hope this does not come accross as harsh not my intention but you did ask if we thought that you expected too much? IMHO you did.

[Steffi]

Wow...I almost thought this post was satirical, like Pirate Pete's "Another Terrible Trip" post!

[Mooneybeams]

Wow, that was a little rude. I didn't ask my question to get made fun of.

[Steffi]

Mooneybeams...I apologize for any rudeness on my part. You're right; you're entitled to your opinion...that's what this forum is here for. Getting flamed for your personal opinion doesn't feel good. Thank you for sharing your honest feelings & I'm sorry that your trip wasn't everything you dreamed it would be.

[ripleysmom]

Well I for one don't like CBR either but I think you did expect too much. I also have never written Disney complaining about the place. I just did not go back to that resort. Why cancel all of your Disney trips?

I do think that the comment about her gay friend may not have been the smartest although I would have taken the opportunity to explain that sometimes boys love boys and girls love girls, not just mommy daddy love.



"Homosexuality is only about sex. If you can pinpoint a difference between a normal hetersexual individual and a homosexual which is not based on sex alone, feel free to go into detail."

Bob, homosexuality is about loving, not just sexually, a person of the same sex. Unfortunately too often people focus only on the sexual aspect of homosexuals without considering all of the emotions that go with being homosexual.

In my mind there are no differences. Homosexuals and heterosexuals both love other people. Why does the gender of those other people matter?

[TheWho]

For someone who scrapped and saved to pay for this trip, you certainly have gone and go alot. You must have some great garage sales or you're selling priceless art on e-bay. You should go on gay weekend next year, I'd love to hear your review.

[year2late]

Mooneybeams, I am sorry you had a bad trip.

One thing I see frequently on this board is people making decisions far in advance and micromanaging their stay. People plan in advance how happy they will be, often based on things such as room location - that they really have no control over.

They letter is fine but the highlight of your letter is room location - something that is more of a lotto. I recall asking for a corner room as well, didn't get it (probably because 100 others requested it as well). Oh well, I didn't get plenty of towel animals!

[Nolcrest]

All I have to say is to give Riverside a chance. It's my favorite moderate.

[Mooneybeams]

Jeez....I'm not anti gay, I just want to be the one to tell my daughter about it... when she's old enough.

[Disneydenise]

I have been going to DW yearly for the past 14 years. I have found that if you go during the summer you will most likely not be happy with the level of service you recieve. We went to DW this past April and since it was 2 weeks past Easter it seemed like the DW of years past. I think that the place is still wonderful but when you go with the hoards and masses you will be unhappy. I think that the little extras are a hit and miss thing too, mostly a miss. We went to the Poly for our Honeymoon way back in 1983 and we were on the Grand Plan(it wasn't called that then) We got nothing special not even a congratulations or a towel animal. It was not expected back then so Iwasn't disappointed. I do think that with the internet everyone thinks that this stuff happens to everyone but really it doesn't. I would go on your trip in NOv. if it is not during a school holiday. The whole world travels then and you will be setting your self up for disappointment. I really did enjoy my last trip and we are going again in Oct. this year again it is over a holiday but we will not be in the park vey much ove the weekend. It is a shme that everyone has found out how much fun DW really is.

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by Mooneybeams
Jeez....I'm not anti gay, I just want to be the one to tell my daughter about it... when she's old enough.

Mooneybeams,

As far as the gay comment goes without knowing the context of the conversation it is tough say whether it was out of line or not.

If it bothered you that much I would have reconmened that you spooke with the manager on duty about the conversation so that he/she could speak with the CM.

[year2late]

I don't like labels either! His friend being gay had no place in the conversation. Just like I would never say "my black friend, Annie". I would say "my friend, Annie". The addendum of his friend being gay was at best superflous to the conversation!

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by year2late
I don't like labels either! His friend being gay had no place in the conversation. Just like I would never say "my black friend, Annie". I would say "my friend, Annie". The addendum of his friend being gay was at best superflous to the conversation!

Why I agree with this there are many young adults up here in the Boston area that I can picture saying "my gay friend John has a shirt just like that". Is it correct? Not in my opinion but the person just doesn't know any better.

This is why I feel the best way to have handled the situation would have been for the OP to go to the manager on duty right away and explain the context of the conversation and ask the manger to speak withe the CM about the proper way to have expressed themselves. I agree that "my friend, Tom" would have got the job done without any issues.

But, by waiting and putting it in a letter that does not give dates or times and has other "complaints" that are not that legit there is no way for this CM to know that what they said could have been said in a different way. Disney and any service company for that matter cannot correct something that they do not know about.

[TheLionKing]

Disney is a corporation that expressess a willingness to try to exceed expectations. Maybe that is not ossible in every situation.

It is completely within your right to send this letter. As a customer, you have the right to make your perceived complaints known. If you state the place and time where the hair wrap was done, they can probably identify that cast member and discuss the incident with them.

The question I have for you is what are your other expectations regarding Disney's response?

I think most are in agreement that room requests are just that... requests. Maybe that part of the complex was closed due to less than anticipated attendance.

In any case, depending upon your expectation, Disney's response may further sour your perceived experience or maybe salvage it.

Send off the letter and let us know their response and what you felt about the response.

[RobinMarie]

We spent 4 nights there a week ago. I have stayed at many Disney resorts and this resort is my least favorite. I had a discount rate, which seems to translate into least convenient location. I wasn't too happy with my GF Sago Cay 5th floor room this trip either, but I still love the resort!

We were in Trinidad South, and I was told that was my only option when checking in. I did notice that several islands seemed to be not in use. The playground was not able to be used, which didn't ruin the trip, it just added a little inconvenience. When we walked to Parrot Cay we saw no parrots and did not find the playground there. I did notice the smell there and was glad I did not have to cross that bridge to go to the food court.

This place just wasn't my cup of tea. I love the POR, GF, Poly and FW but the WL, Swan and CBR just aren't places I will return to.

I am wondering if the poster appreciates a different type of hotel like I do and these things just added to it. I liked the little courtyards at the CBR, but thought the landscaping wasn't as impressive as other resorts. During our walks to the food court, we heard a generator running constantly across the lake while they were in the middle of construction of the Pop Century Resort.

People write to Disney all of the time, if you want to send the letter then send it! I do think your expectations might have been a little high but I understand your frustruation having just returned myself. I would have answered the question, 'what does gay mean' with a short and simple response of: happy! My only concern would be if she decided to call one of Snow White's dwarves.. gay! :D

CBR might be a great resort for some people but it wasn't for us. I try to make the best of situations and not concentrate on the little things. I think if I was really frustrated, my dd would pick up on it and it might affect her happiness so I usually don't do much complaining. Complaining is time consuming! I do, however, complain about issues that I feel can be fixed immediately.

I would definitely give the Port Orleans Riverside a try! We loved it there!

[jaguar9748]

Thanks for sharing your opinions of your stay at CBR. Most of us, at one time or another, have had a less than pleasant stay. Your letter to Disney comes from your heart and you should send it.

I encourage you to try Riverside. Riverside is a wonderful resort - we were just there in July (our umpteenth millionth stay). It is a family resort and we encountered just one unpleasant CM, but she was just merely grouchy at the end of her day. If you do decide to stay at Riverside, please remember that room requests are never guaranteed. They are merely requests. :p

[n2mm]

All resorts are not created equal. Keep that in mind. I have gone to WDW over 40 times now and some have been magical and some have been a vacation. Sometimes we get great rooms and upgrades and our preferences and other times we get what's leftover. I think your expectations where too high. CBR is my least favorite resort and I would only stay there if it was the only room available. While others love this resort. POR is my favorite, along with the AKL and the All Stars Resorts. I believe some of your concerns were very valid and should have been addressed when they happened. As a mother, I would have changed the wrapper's conversation very quickly if it made you uncomfortable. It's too bad that your trip was not good, but find it hard to believe that something good didn't happen. I've gone during my anniversary and did not tell anyone, because I didn't want anyone to know. We also celebrated my husband's 50th birthday there too, but nothing special happened either. I mentioned it when I checked in. We had a great time because we made our own special memories!

[PamOKW]

I think you were expecting more than was reasonable. It may have been encouraged by things you read on these boards concerning "magic" that people report receiving. I would encourage you not to expect too much in response to this letter either. Disney will take your comments and include them in their future decision-making process. You will probably receive a letter or postcard thanking your for writing. You "may" receive a call to ask additional questions. However, I would not expect to receive any type of compensation from Disney. Expecting this will only lead to additional disappointment.

As mentioned, room requests are just that, requests. Disney is very clear that they do not guarantee anything. They can't or they would never satisfy everyone and keep the hotels running efficiently.

I have had all kinds of celebrations at WDW -- 25th and 50th Anniversaries, 16th, 18th 40th, 65th and 70th birthdays. We've never gotten anything from the resorts. (A candle in dessert at some restaurants and a cake at V&A for the 50th Anniversary).

The bird smell problem on the island is nature. There are wild birds that live in the trees and bamboo. Not much Disney can do. They can't kill them or the environmentalists would be all over them in a second.

It's hard to know what the gay problem was without knowing the conversation. Discussion of gay people and lifestyles is now everywhere in our country. Heck "Will & Grace" is one long gay discussion. Whether this is right or wrong and whether a person agrees or disagrees it just "is". Especially among young people the idea to keep it "hush hush" or not discuss it in front of children is pretty much unheard of. I'm assuming the person doing the braiding was probably college age. This is just the demographic that wouldn't think twice about putting talk of their friend's "friend" into casual conversation. "That's so gay" is even an expression they, rightly or wrongly, use quite often. So, unless there was some technical discussion of sex, which homosexual or hetrosexual would have been wrong, I'm not sure there's anything that was done outside of our current norms.

It's good you let Disney know how you felt. It's also your decision whether you want to return to Disney and/or stay on-site when you do. There are lots of options.

[Disney-Kim]

mooneybeams......your original question was "did I expect too much".
my answer is yes. we all expect too much after reading about wonderful experiences on the boards.

Room requests are rarely met and I really have a hard time believing that faxing makes any difference. Its luck of the draw and how early you check in. jmho.

We stayed at the Polynesian Concierge for our honeymoon in May and we were dissappointed after reading about all these wonderful Poly experiences.

but.....we still had a wonderful trip to WDW and will continue to go back.
I think you should concentrate on the positive features of your trip. Did you have a nice time in the parks, eat at good restaurants? :)

[lvs_eeyore]

The people that do the hair wraps are not Disney Employees. They are from an outside company that rents space from Disney. You would need to contact them to complain about the hair wrap experience.

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

The fact that the hairwrap vendors are ON Disney property makes it appropriate to complain to Disney. Disney has contracted them to be there. They should know. I have a 7 yr old DD who would have asked the same thing. I don't think it was appropriate for them to discuss this in front of a child. Your other complaints are just about "extra's" that you did not recieve. I would just write the letter about the Hairwrap incident, the poop, and the rude CM's. Those are legitimate complaints.
PS- DO try PO/Riverside. We have had the best CM's each time we go there. Wonderful atmosphere and, great foodcourt! We did have a rude CM at WL, that can happen anywhere I am afraid.

[mforbach]

I agree that you should be the one to explain what gay means however you must be prepared for these topics to come up anywhere. As for rude CMs, we stayed at POR in Jan and had the worst CMs. The food court CMs were RUDE and we did not receive any towel animals even though we had two 5 year olds with us. As for letting that ruin our trip----NO WAY!! I could not imagine going to WDW 2 years in a row before going in Jan 01 but of course we are going in Jan 03. We are staying at CBR and requesting a certain building but will take what we get. I do hope we see some parrots and can't wait to see the new food court.

[Poly Pal]

To tell you the truth, these boards are full of information that raise our expectations and tips (faxing room assigners, calls to resorts, e-mails to concierges, etc.) that do serve to heighten our anticipation and expectations for our requests to be met. But, all of this information comes at a cost, usually in disappointment or a lessening of the "magic."

I won't say that you expected too much. But your expectations were high. There's nothing wrong with that!

I agree with others that if you did not like your room location you could have asked to been moved. If the hair wrapper got into an area of conversation that was uncomfortable or inappropriate, you could have politely asked her to change the subject.

For our family, we've had great service and not-so-great service at the Polynesian. Last trip my wife got a birthday cake, card, party hats and balloons for her birthday. On our 10th anniversary trip, we got a voice mail message from the Polynesian's Assistant Manager asking us to call him if he could make our stay more enjoyable. Other than that, never a towel animal, no gifts, no cards, etc. but we've always had a great time!

Hope your next trip is alot of fun wherever you stay!

[corvair]

I can see where she would have been disappointed. I started reading this forum in March. We went to WDW in JUne. I did have a great trip. We stayed at FR-QT for 5 nights. I did pay for waterveiw requesting pool veiw. We were the fartherest away from the pool you could be and could see the lake if you looked out to the side. We did ask to be changed. I said I would take standard for the same price. Could not, they said they were full. Then while there I heard people saying how great their room was because they got poolveiw free upgrade... Makes me wonder how this happens. I did deal with the room a little dissapointed. We then went on to WL. My requests were met there. We payed for courtyard veiw. I have read so many people get all the extra housekeeping stuff. We did not receive any. I did not except any but makes you wonder why some people always seem to get extra stuff. amy

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by BibbidiBobbidiBoo
The fact that the hairwrap vendors are ON Disney property makes it appropriate to complain to Disney. Disney has contracted them to be there. They should know. I have a 7 yr old DD who would have asked the same thing. I don't think it was appropriate for them to discuss this in front of a child. Your other complaints are just about "extra's" that you did not recieve. I would just write the letter about the Hairwrap incident, the poop, and the rude CM's. Those are legitimate complaints.
PS- DO try PO/Riverside. We have had the best CM's each time we go there. Wonderful atmosphere and, great foodcourt! We did have a rude CM at WL, that can happen anywhere I am afraid.

When did the OP note rude CMs? The OP stated that the checkout CM did not ask why they were leaving early but I do not find that to be rude. I am sure there are many different reasons why people need to cut their vacations short. If you need to cut your vacation short due to a personal reason would you want to have to explain this to the CM checking you out?

Other then that I did not see anything about rude CMs in the OP.

As far as the "my gay friend" comment goes. Again the OP has not explained the context of the conversation. Whithout knowing the context we have no way of knowing if the pharse "my gay friend" was out of line or not.

[mivvers]

Mooneybeams,
I have to agree with the majority of the posters here in that you do seem to be expecting too much. I can imagine that it must feel like an affront to be reading all of these responses which don't back you up. Thanks for posting your letter and I hope that you are able to take these comments in the spirit in which they are given -- it's the advice you requested.

Try not to get tied down in these experiences, it is always so much better to have a positive outlook. We all tend to spend too much energy from time to time on things we think are a big deal, but when we step back and take a look at the big picture, we can see that we are indeed lucky and blessed.

If you have a trip planned for Thanksgiving, you should go. Whatever you decide to do, I hope that your next holiday is a wonderful one! :D

[hallie]

I think you expected too much. Like people have said before me, room requests are requests. if you were unhappy about your room, you should've asked to be moved when you were there.

On the whole gay converstaion, unless they were specifically talking about the *act of sex* itself, I see no way that it's inappropriate. So the girl said her friend is gay, if you were that upset you could've asked her stop, told your daughter that meant her friend was happy(gay is a term for happy-lol) or just walked away. But I don't understand why saying somoeone is gay is offending or something that is terrible for a 7 year old to hear.

My 5 year old daughter knows what gay means, she asked me one night when I was watching Big Brother 2. A cast member, Bunky, was talking about his husband when she walked in. She asked me how can he have a husband? I said well sometimes boys marry boys and girls marry girls, she said Oh, I'm marrying a boy-lol. That was it, no big deal. I want my daughter to know and respect that people come in all shapes , sizes, colors and yes, sexual preferences because if everyone was alike the world would be a very boring place.

What do you expect Disney to do? Give you money back?

[GEM]

Sorry to agree with everyone else, but that is what I have to do.

Not getting your room location request granted and not getting a special anniversary card are not legitimate complaints, in my opinion. They never guarantee a specific location or any special treatment for anniversaries, etc. We have been nine times, and I would say we have had our room request granted about half of those times. We have also celebrated lots of special occasions at WDW (anniversaries, graduations, birthdays, etc.) and we have only gotten anything special one time - a card signed by Mickey on my birthday last year.

As for the CM mentioning her gay friend, that would not have bothered me at all. However, we have several gay friends and relatives so most of the young kids in my life know what it means and don't think anything unusual about it. I understand that some people might feel differently, though. Still, it seems to me, that it was bound to come up sooner or later - probably sooner.

As for the birds and the bird poop, that's kind of disappointing, but nothing to write a complaint letter or cancel an upcoming vacation over.

And, last time I heard, "You're welcome" was a totally appropriate response to "Thank you" - so I'm not sure what that part of the complaint is all about.

Also, I would think about changing the end of your letter. It almost sounds like you are trying to get Disney to offer to refund the money you spent on the APs. I'm not saying this is the case at all, but they might read it and think that you are just trying to get some money back by complaining about few minor details. Unless that is what you are trying to do, I would leave it off. It sort of makes you sound a little greedy. Sorry, I don't mean to upset you. That's just the first thing I thought when I read it.

Just my opinion.

[GoofysPrincess]

Guests should not be expected to walk through stinky bird poop to get to common areas. I haven't stayed at CBR so don't know the exact layout -- but that seems like a legit gripe to me.

If WDW advertizes the parrots as a resort attraction, then they should be able to provide a schedule as to when to see them. Again, haven't stayed there so don't know for sure, but that too is potentially a valid complaint. We were at WL one time and the water spout thing never went off once -- not even at the scheduled times. We were a bit bummed too -- not a big thing, but the kids had been looking forward to it...

I also agree that the gay comment was inappropriate. IMHO, cast members (Disney employed or otherwise) should err on the side of caution in these instances. JMO, but I don't think any controversial subject should be introduced to anyone, much less a child, by customer service workers.

However, I think the best time to deal with these problems was right then. Personally, I would have expected the poop to be cleaned up or I would have wanted to be moved to a room where I didn't have to walk through it to get to the food court or pool area. If that didn't happen, I would have expected to be moved to a different resort. If the parrots were a listed attraction and not provided, I would have expected something else in their place -- maybe a free water sprite rental? Or an opportunity to feed the parrots on a different day? Something. Also, I would have expected the wrap to be free -- to be sure the message got back to the vending company.

Room requests and little 'extras' can not be expected -- just appreciated when they happen. Personally, I would not include these things in your letter as they weaken your more legitimate points. I was unclear on what you expected the CM to do at check-out. If they were rude or unpleasant, that too is a valid gripe. If your only concern is that they didn't ask why you were leaving early, I don't think I'd include that in the letter either.

At this point, I'm not sure what you could expect to get for your complaints -- especially if you don't plan to return. If your goal is just to get it off your chest, send your letter and see what happens. Otherwise, you may need to modify it to include what you would like Disney to do in response.

[year2late]

Originally posted by Poly Pal
To tell you the truth, these boards are full of information that raise our expectations and tips (faxing room assigners, calls to resorts, e-mails to concierges, etc.) that do serve to heighten our anticipation and expectations for our requests to be met. But, all of this information comes at a cost, usually in disappointment or a lessening of the "magic."

I wholeheartedly agree. A little information can open up a door. Too much information may cloud your perception.

[Kim&Chris]

Hi Mooneybeams,

I can understand your disappointment regarding the room....for my honeymoon, I requested Jamaica. I requested it when I made my original reservations AND faxed it over three days prior to arrival. I noted that it was our honeymoon also. Guess what? We got Aruba, and nothing for our honeymoon. Like a previous poster stated, I was disappointed for about 20 seconds. Then, when I saw how great our room was (clean, great location, great mousekeepers), I realized that it was really not a big deal at all.

As far as the "gay" issue goes, I think kids hear so much stuff nowadays that it's definitely impossible to shield them from comments like that. Unless the girl described graphic gay issues, then I'd brush it off. Yes, the girl was out of line by stating that her friend was gay when talking to a 7 year old, but I wouldn't make a big deal of it.

I, like the other posters, would not let this stuff ruin my entire vacation. Did you enjoy the parks? The pools? The food? The characters?

It's tough to go to Disney with high expectations & have none of them met. That's why they tell you that requests are noted but never guaranteed. Dont' be disappointed & don't cancel your next trip.....just go with no high expectations and have a wonderful time!

[Tinkbell]

I agree that we (disers and internet group users) are VERY informed on what makes a great room location and what doesn't. We have tons of threads with the subject line asking, "Which building?", or "What floor? Many of us have our requests right down to specific room numbers. That's fine, just as long as you are prepared in the event that your requests are not granted.
Same goes for "special occasions". The hotel might do something special for you, but chances are that they won't. I would not complain about it because I did not pay for anything extra.
If the bird poop was that bad then you have a legitimate complaint but I don't think that a letter after the fact would do much good. The front desk should have been made aware of it. If it was reported and they STILL failed to keep the area clean, then I'd resort to letter writing.
I don't know all the details involved with your daughter hearing the term "gay". If it upset you and made an uncomfortable situation for your daughter, then I'd report it.

[bellsonmytoes]

I totally agree that alot of the information on this board causes very high expectations..... although alot of the information can make planning better, in effect allowing a better trip, but it also causes you to expect someone else to make your magic..... for that very reason, since I have been the one to plan our trips I divulge very little info to my family so that every thing is a surprise, and they don't really know what to expect.... I'm taking my DD (17) next week and it will be her first trip to WDW, she has been to DL many times, but not to the WORLD... We will be stay at WL, and eating at Whispering Canyon Cafe... and doing Hoop Dee Doo, she doesn't have a clue what happens in these places, so her expectations will be low... allowing her to enjoy what ever happens. When I went last year with my DH and DD (6) neither of them knew what to expect.... but when the vacation was over my DH told me "I don't know how much it cost, but it was worth every penny" made me feel really good.

Next week for my DD, I have ordered some flowers and birthday balloon from the Disney Florist, and I did some shoping at the Disney store... to have little Disney surprises every day.... just to help the magic along....


Mooneybeams... I'm really sorry your expectations weren't met... but I think they were too high, and you were a victim of too much information... I don't think you should cancel your next trip unless something much worse than what you wrote about happened.... I think much of DISNEY is what YOU make it.....




I'm going to Disney World NEXT week..... YeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaa:Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc :bounce: :bounce: :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc

[PamOKW]

Just to clarify on the bird situation since I've experienced it and it isn't pleasant. However, it really is beyond Disney's scope to do anything about it since they cannot kill the birds. I had a similar experience when they had Discovery Island. In the hot, humid weather the smell from the bird nesting areas can be quite unpleasant. However, it's like the Canadian geese that have invaded every park, cemetary and golf course in my area with their droppings....the problem can't really be solved unless the birds are killed. The bird smell is not always there at CBR. Certain times of the year it is stronger and certainly on hot, humid days it is most noticeable. It's not just droppings on the ground that can be cleaned. It is hundreds of birds who nest at night in the surrounding trees and it is in the leaves, etc. I'm sure if there was a solution, Disney would have done it by now. However, it doesn't hurt to continue to remind them it is unpleasant and maybe they can come up with a solution.

The parrots are not an advertised feature. There is a part of the island that juts out in a semi-circle and there are several cages where they have parrots. Actually, I thought they had done away with the parrots about 2-3 years ago. I could be wrong. There are times when the birds are not out. If it was particularly hot and humid this would be one reason why the parrots were not in these cages. Too stifling for the birds.

It's funny how some people have magical trips to CBR and others have horror stories. I feel bad when people experience the "parralel" CBR that is so unpleasant. I've always loved CBR and considered it to be an excellent value.

[CarolA]

All I am going to say is that I have written complaint letters in the past (Not to Disney, to American Airlines) and actually went out and researched how to write the most effective letters.

The points I remember were:

1. Try not to get emotional.
2. State the major issue that you want them to fix.
3. State the compensation you want (if any).
4. Stick to the facts.

Now, the reason I point that out is that purely from a letter writing complaint I would move Bird Poop up and ask if they at least rinse the sidewalks down daily. If you belive the front desk was not helpful, move that up.

Also, I have found that if you did talk to someone and got an inadequate response that it helps to include that information.

Now, for my information I was under the impression that some of the conor rooms had only king size beds. Is that true? If so, it could explain why you did not get your request.

[vickyBaby]

Did you expect too much? Yes.

Time to find a new vacation destination. :D

[CuteKatCar]

I, too, think you have expected too much.

Our family has been to WDW 4 times and my kids are only 6 and 9. Twice we got the room we requested - maybe because it was May and not as busy as summer. Never, not once, have I ever seen a towel animal (except in pictures on these boards). So, yes, these boards offer lots of info. You do have to take it in stride.

As to the gay issue - I know I would have been appalled to hear that from an employee, so I would have handled that right there and then, with that person and with Disney personnel. Shouldn't have happened.

Please don't give up on WDW. I know I view it with rose-colored glasses, I just love the place so much. Maybe try POR; everyone here seems to like it.

Good luck,

Anna

[epcotfan]

Yes your expectations were too high - especially with regard to the room request. As other posters have said, they are just that, requests and cannot be guaranteed.

You say you mentioned your anniversary and knew they might not do anything but then you are dissapointed that nothing was done. Why is this a problem if you knew they might not do anything?

I don't know the context of the conversation but
if you were that offended by the hairwrapper talking to your daughter about the "gay friend" why didn't you stop her if it bothered you that much?

The only valid complaint I see is in regard to the bird droppings - which should have been mentioned during your stay. Mentioning it after the fact doesn't do much good when it could have been handled while you were there.

As for the check out person saying "You're welcome" after you said "thank you" well it seems like an appropriate response to me. I haven't had anyone ask me how my stay was upon check out. If you wanted to make your feelings known about your stay to the front desk you could have spoken up then. Cast members aren't mind readers.

I don't see how the purchase of annual passes fits into the picture. None of your complaints have to do with the theme parks. If you don't care to stay onsite then there are plenty of other hotels to choose from.

I certainly wouldn't cancel my next trip over any of these things.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

[hulabird]

We just returned from CBR this morning and had a fantastic trip as we always do when we go there. It was our anniversary as well, and while we did not get anything special for it, we didn't expect it either...but our CM's were super and made our stay a great one. We did not get our request of building 45 in Jamaica, because we paid for a king bed and there was not a king in that building, however Disney gave us the next best thing, building 46 and in a spot that was right next to where I requested, so I felt they made an effort to please me. I love the resort and the CM's were great, but lets face it, these are human beings that work for a living, and though some go out of their way to accomodate guests, there are still some that look at it as just another job...it all really depends on what type of person you get serving you. I truly love CBR and plan to return there again next year if I don't let hubby talk me into OKW instead....

[Lover_of_Disney]

Mooneybeams,

I agree that your expectations may have been a little high but I understand you may expect them to work as hard as you did to get there. CBR is a major convention hotel so it could have seemed empty since a lot of folks could have been in meetings.

I have been to Disney several times this year with stays ranging from All Stars to BWI and YCR including stays at POR. We didn't recieve that much extra attention for our honeymoon however, recieved lots of extra attention on our other stays.

In closing, a Disney vacation is only what you make of it. Keep in mind most of your complaints were directed towards your resort which should not keep your from enjoying all of Walt Disney World. I am sorry you will not be going back for Thanksgiving. POR is one of my favorite resorts including the deluxe resorts.

Thanks for sharing.


Alicia:)

[Mackey Mouse]

I have had wonderful experiences at moderates and not so wonderful experiences.. I have also had the same thing at deluxe's... I expect what I pay for and if you fall short, you will hear about it.. I do not expect any extras but do expect cleanliness.. I stayed at the BC one time.. we arrived late for check-in.. they put us in a room on the first floor.. smelled like smoke, I had requested non-smoking..early the next morning, and I am talking early, they were outside trimming and mowing the gardens.. You had better believe my room was changed. My husband had gone to the quiet pool to relax.. there were dirty dishes on one table, towels thrown everywhere, place was a mess.. I marched myself back in and spoke with the front desk.. I will not forget Sandy for her prompt handling of the matter and she got the Manager of the BC/YC properties to come to speak to me.. He did upgrade us to Concierge status after he saw what the pool area looked like.. He actually had the woman who is in charge of the grounds come in and apologize to us.. Did I let it ruin my trip, NO, do I continue to go, YES...

I guess it is like anything else, when it is done correctly, it is incredible and when they fall short, it upsets us.. Next time, something like this happens, do not let it fester till you get home.. Handle it immediately.. and put it behind you... that way you will not feel that your vacation was not worth the money you spent.. I hope you will give Disney a try again... Have a great day..

[Dallas_Lady]

Originally posted by Lover_of_Disney
CBR is a major convention hotel so it could have seemed empty since a lot of folks could have been in meetings.


FYI... CSR not CBR is the convention hotel

[goofy4tink]

Don't give up on wdw yet. Give PO-R a try. We have always stayed there and had good times. Sometimes, when we expect nothing, that is when the 'magic' hits. We have had times when something 'special' happens. But, mostly not. I would tend to agree that it should be your choice as to when you discuss 'sex' with your child. My brother and step-sister are both gay. To my knowledge my almost 9 y/o dd has no clue that they are 'different' . It is getting to be time to discuss it, but is will be when I wish it. But, you can look on the cm's bringing it up as an opportunity to talk later. Please don't give up on wdw. Expect nothing more than what is usual and you'll have a great time. ANd, do try PO. I don't think you'll be sorry.

[markshaw]

I, too, would not let this one bad experience ruin my future trips. I've never stayed on site but have always wanted to. If this would have been my first experience I would have been greatly disappointed, but since you have been more than once you know in your heart this was not a typical stay.

I agree with Mackey Mouse. If I get bad service then I voice my disappointment on the spot. Mackey waited a little bit longer than I would have with the smoke smelling room but it turned out for the best in the end. On the same token, if I get good or really good service I am just as quick to let management and staff know. It would have truly been better if you would have addressed these problems while you were there and they were fresh on everyones mind.

If it would make you feel better letting CBR management know about the incident with the hair wrap personnel and the soiled sidewalk, then write the letter. I would not, however, mention the disappointment about not getting the room I requested (unless the room was below reasonable standards) or the fact that there was no mention of your 10th anniversary. These were your expectations and were not guaranteed, it would only make you look bad for mentioning them.

I hate that you had such a bad experience with the hotel. I hope you had a better time at the parks.

[AmyA]

Mooneybeams,
I, too am sorry that you stay was not all you'd hoped for. Like the other posters, I am also in agreement that your expectations may have been a little too high, except for the soiled sidewalks.

Now, as for the gay comment, I would really, really like to know in what context it was made. As another poster stated, unless she was describing sex acts, I don't think it was offensive. My seven year old knows all about drugs (through the D.A.R.E. program), all about kidnappings (through the "stranger danger" and Sgt. McGruff programs and the media), and some about domestic violence (via kids in her class). Yes, she has asked us what "gay" means and we answered, "Sometimes girls fall in love with girls or boys fall in love with boys." She said, "Oh, well I think I'll fall in love with boys, " and that was the end of it. It was a heck of a lot easier conversation than the one we had about why Jimmy was covered with burns and couldn't live with his mom anymore.

I do realize that you wanted to broach the topic of homosexuality with your daughter, but in today's society I think kids are exposed to all kinds of things before we (as parents) think they are ready.

I hope you don't give up on WDW. You may have a better time staying offsite and just hitting the parks next time. Again, I am sorry your vacation wasn't as magical as you had hoped.

[NHBelle]

First of all I didn't read through ALL of the reply's for this thread, and second PLEASE don't cancel any further trips based on this one bad experience. We recently ahd ressie's at CBR and upon checking in we were extremely dissapointed. The same thing happended to us as far as room location, birds etc. We just were not feeling that Disney magic at this resort. That does not mean that there is anything wrong with this reosrt, it is just a matter of opinion. Every Dis resort is very unique and each resort brings a different experience for everyone. We ended up moving (I wish you had done so as well) to the AKL and we absaolutely loved it there, but we have friends who like CBR way better, so again it is all about personal tastes and opinions. We were dissapointed as well, but we changed resorts and all was forgotten. Please try another reosrt and if you can try checking some others out while you are there. I visited several and now feel that I have a good idea about which resort I would personally enjoy and which ones I can definately rule out. Good luck!

[LisaNJ25]

I just got back from CBR and had a great time. We stayed 4 nights from 8/26-8/30.

The only requests I had was Jamaica 45 and a 1st floor room since I have my daughter in the stroller. I ended up in Jamaica 44, room 4414 to be exact. It was a great 1st floor room very close to the ice and it also had its own little courtyard of 4 table and chairs. We loved it. It was a very short walk to the quiet pool and laundry and I didn't mind the walk over the bridge to the food court. I also didn't see any Parrots but than again I did not see any otters in otter pound during out 3 night stay at WL. I loved being in Jamaica because most of the time the bus stopped their first and we were the first ones one. By the time it got all the way around it was standing room only.

I hope you give another Disney resort a try.

[kimmar067]

...I can understand your disappointment. You can read all about my recent experiences through the link below:

DAY ONE (http://disbaords.com/showthread.php?
s=&threadid=244563)

When I returned home, I immediately sent an email to WDW stating my specific concerns, to which they called me via phone. They assured me that they would address the problems that I had experienced. Was my stay less than pleasant at CBR? Yes. Did it affect the rest of our vacation(the 2nd part of our trip was spent at WL)? Heck, no! I would not give up on WDW ~ anyone can have a less-than-desirable experience. While I do agree with many of the other DIS'ers, what really should matter is how this experience affected YOU and YOUR FAMILY. Then, only YOU can decide the best course of action to take.....good luck!

[3reds]

I'm sorry but I agree that you were way too sensitive about fairly insignificant things. If those things upset you that much, I can't imagine how you handle real "trip adversity" like lost luggage, bad weather, etc. I really hope that you just meant that your trip lacked the "Disney magic" you were hoping for -- not that your entire trip was literally ruined!!

About the gay thing, though -- I don't blame you for being upset about that employee. I don't defend her in the least -- however, I have two words of advice about that: 1) it will only be a big deal to your daughter if you make a big deal out of it. You could have offhandedly said, "gay people are people with a different lifestyle" or something like that and your daughter probably would have forgotten the whole thing in 2 minutes. It will only be a bad "Disney memory" if you freaked out over it. 2) Realistically, if your daughter is 7 she is going to hear the word "gay" at school, on TV, etc. -- she won't be sheltered from it forever. In fact, it would be surprising if this was the first time she's ever heard the word. So even though I don't think Disney employees should talk about anyone's sexual orientation with 7-year-olds, I don't think they ruined her life or anything.

[nwdisgal]

I am sorry to hear your trip didn't turn out the way you wanted it to. I enjoyed our stay at CBR last April. I requested Jamaica (generically), non-smoking and received Jamaica NS with a nice courtyard view. That was just luck. I didn't do a room fax. I have been to AKL twice with requests and have not received any of them, either visit. It really is just a request - no guarantees as the people have pointed out on these boards.

That said and being the type of person who does like some control over my final room assignment....I was pleasantly surprised when I recently booked a room at the Disneyland Hotel. When I booked, the reservations person told me what kind of room I would have (based on my rate) - two queens and a day bed, non-smoking, city view, etc., etc. It was nice to check in and not have to be surprised at what type of bed I would be sleeping in. I wish WDW would do that. At least you could narrow it down to bed type and non-smoking - especially at the Deluxes where it is always a guessing game what you'll end up with.

[MrsPete]

Not everyone believes what the Bible says, of course, but it does denounce homosexuality in harsh terms in several places. Since most of the world knows this, it is inappropriate for an employee to bring it up to a total stranger -- child or not, Christian or not. The potential is there for offending the guest and making the company look bad. This is not a religous item, it's a common sense item.

I believe that I would have said quietly, "I am not comfortable discussing that subject in front of my children." I would have accompanied the statement with a look that would let the person know I was very serious. I can't imagine that any reasonable person would fail to drop the topic immediately.

Just as an aside . . . consider what the conversation would have sounded like if the employee had discussed heterosexuals: "My friend, Jane, the one who sleeps with men . . . ." Sounds pretty bad, huh? Bottom line: No one should discuss sex with strangers.

[C.Ann]

I would not expect rudeness from anyone - nor would I expect anyone to discuss sexual matters with my child..

Other than that, yes - I think you expected a bit too much..

[mrsapalm]

Just returned from CBR (29 Aug - 04 Sept) where we celebrated our anniversary and my birthday. While CBR didn't do anything for our anniversary, I didn't expect them to. It's a moderate resort, we weren't on any package deal, and it wasn't an issue at all. We did receive a bit of special treatment for our lunch and dinner that day in the parks, but even then we didn't expect anything.
DH loved CBR (the island theming, relaxed lifestyle...) but it's not my cup of tea simply because I like to be *pampered.* You can't expect to be pampered at a moderate resort... you get what you pay for.
The birdy doo and questionable conversation should've been addressed during your stay, otherwise there's not anything they can do to rectify the situation. Those issues aren't warranted any special compensation and would've been better handled in person.
Room requests aren't guaranteed beyond paying for king beds. We stayed in Jamaica 42 and I was content with the location. Sure, it wasn't too close to anything, but we were the first bus stop (assured us of a seat) to load and unload. That was a perk in my eyes!
You might want to wait a few more days before mailing that letter. Reread it then and edit it accordingly. I certainly hope your stay at CBR didn't affect your days in the parks. That would be taking it a bit too far. There are plenty of resorts at WDW to choose from, and all are different. You should give each a chance before passing judgement on all.
-MrsAPalm

[travelitis]

Well said, Mrs. Pete! I concur!

[mm6mm6]

We just stayed at the CBR in June 2002. I paid for a waterview room. On the phone I asked if this would be a room with a great view and the lady was super nice and said she would assign me the best room in her opinion. It was a wonderful view. But I paid for it up front. The room itself was spotless every day. And large and comfy and we loved the decoration. I never saw a parrot on parrot cay island but I didn't know I was supposed to. They're wild animals. I heard some noises that were probably them but they didn't reveal themselves. It rained hard every day so I guess that washed away the droppings. We could not have been happier at the CBR. Our mousekeeper left us pre-printed Disney notes (I had to look hard to notice they were not hand written) on two days which my 5 year old daughter loved. We had a magical time at the parks and were thrilled with everything else about Disney. Of course it was our first time. It seems that some of the visitors who go often (2 times a year) get very picky with Disney and come to expect a certain level that may not always be there. I don't think the hair wrapper's talk can fall on Disney in general though. You should have told that employee to please refrain from that kind of talk. If you were questioned by them, then you could have asked to see their supervisor and I am sure that would have stopped it right in its tracks. It may be a more socially accepted manner of speaking about sexual preference nowadays but so is swearing. It is so common today however, I always kindly ask anyone in public swearing where my five year old daughter can hear to please refrain. I never have a problem. Of course, I am 6'5" and 290 lbs. And I have a stern look on my face.

[mivvers]

Mooneybeams was following this thread earlier, but hasn't posted in awhile. Is anyone else wondering where she is?

If you're out there, how are you doing and how do you feel about these responses?? Just thought I'd ask....
:D

[eeyore1226]

Hi Mooneybeams,

Despite how others may feel about your concerns you are entitled to how you feel and for you this trip was not a good one. Don't let replies to your post bum you out though. I would hold off on cancelling your fall trip and give yourself time to reconsider. We had some yucky trips too but somehow always end up back at Disney. The awesome trips far outweigh the not so good ones. I can understand how you feel though and can respect your choice. Have a Disney Day :)

[wordzylady]

I tend to agree with the tone of the majority of the replies on this post. When you go in with such high expectations, no matter how your vacation goes it will be disappointing. I was at CBR for the first time last February. I found it to be a beautiful and peaceful place. It is so big and spacious that it could be very full and not seem like it. I did not see where you wrote how you liked the room and surroundings you did get. I hope this does not ruin you on further Disney vacations. I think if you tried it again with a different attitude you would see what all of us see.

[liquidsky88]

My DF and I stayed at the CBR a couple years back. We had the best time. Keep in mind Disney is a corporation run by people. As we all know, no one is perfect. I watched a crane eat a little finch while having breakfast at the CBR. That didn't ruin my trip, although my DF found it extremely disturbing.

[mewwesty]

It sounds like overall you feel like you didn't get what you paid for. So, you are certainly entitled to complain and also to take your business elsewhere as you plan on doing. We've had good and bad experiences both on an off property. Along with the magic of (usually) friendly cast members and towel animals comes the "magic" of four people crammed into a hotel room for the same price as a two bedroom condo would cost offsite and $4.00 food-court hot dogs.

I know it is hard to complain face to face to somebody (I have a hard time doing it myself), but that usually has the best chance of getting your concern resolved. No matter what one's view of homosexuality is, I am with you in that the hair-wrapper showed very poor judgement on that one. Either it was not pertinent to the conversation, begging the question as to why it was mentioned at all (would she need to specify the friend's ethnicity?) or it was pertinent to the conversation begging the question as to why it was mentioned to your seven year old. While it isn't that big a deal, it was probably worth a mention either to the hair-wrapper or management that some discretion is in order (unfortunately now it will be hard to track that particular person down). You are the best judge of your own child's maturity and readiness to handle that information. Like you, I prefer to answer my children's questions honestly, but that doesn't mean you should have been forced to answer that question at that point.

Yes, Will and Grace is on T.V. and I find it hilarious, but I don't let my grade-schoolers watch it. When they ask those questions it won't be because they heard it on Big Brother either! The same rule applies to any of the 400 violent police action shows that seem to dominate the airwaves. Who knows, maybe someday they'll ask me a question because they read it in a book! I'm done with my rant now.

[Luv2Roam]

Mooneybeams -- I have only read the first page of this thread and am surprised at the responses.
I think we all agree that room requests are just that requests. But like many other visits with negative tones, it's not just one thing, like strawberries, or whatever. It's one thing on top of another.
I think too we do read other's RAVING threads and think from their experience and our own past WDW experiences everything should be perfect and more.
I don't see that you do not have legitimate complaints. And I can see they are disappointments.
Psychologically speaking (like I KNOW what I am talking about! :jester: ) expectations can be looked at as a curve going up. (Whether it be a relationship, new job, or vacation).
The GREATER your curve in expectation, the greater your curve plummets when that expectation isn't met.
And I can understand where you are coming from. I had low expectations for ASMo. And I LOVED it, because 99.9% of ASMo EXCEEDED my expectations.
And in reverse, I expected GREAT things at POR, because of my previous resort stays and rave reviews on this board. And few of my expectations were met.
It didn't ruin my trip by all means. But we crossed POR off our list. It was a live and learn experience.
I also wrote a letter, about POR and WDW in general. I wasn't expecting a compensation, or even a reply.
It took awhile, but I did get a phone call from a very nice CM in the executive office, and a perk too. :) I plan on mailing her a Nebraska DS pin as a thank you. I am SURE she will cherish it deeply! :jester: ;)
I say thank goodness we all don't like the same resorts and have the same tastes!
Write your letter. Do what I do. I let them know the positive and the negetive. I think it does help them and lets you get it off your chest.

[eeyore0062]

Yeah, I think you may have expected too much! I know that you had your heart set on Martinique, but you made a request, and that is what is was.... just a request... not a guarantee. I would have LOVED to have stayed in Jamaica... it is our favorite spot. As for no parrots...sorry, not on the payroll, and don't have to make scheduled appearances---lol!;)


We have never been to Disney expecting special treatment, therefore when we do get it, we are pleasantly surprised and it is even more special. Unfortunately, people get their hopes too built up, and much of that is from reading other's reports on these boards...therefore making them expect the little extras, instead of having the little surprises.

I am sorry that your trip didn't live up to your expectations, and if anything I ever posted here about little extras led to that, I whole heartedly apologize.

BTW, the parrots weren't working when we walked through Parrot Cay last May, either. I think they were on strike!;)

[disneydeb]

after just returning from cbr i have to agree the smell walking thru parrot cay is HORRIBLE, that was the worst part of the trip, i wanted to puke everytime i had to go that way, i even saw people walking barefoot thru it YUCK!!!!! I DID COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SMELL , i really hope when they do the refurbising, that they pull up all those boards and replace them with new ones as i dont think just washing them down will ever get the smell out of them, otherwise the cbr was a wonderful place to stay,

[caseymaureen]

Mooneybeams
As a cast member at Port Orleans, I would like to encourage you to keep your reservations for Thanksgiving and give Walt Disney World another try and to let Port Orleans have the chance to try to live up to your expectations and help correct the negative experience you had at the Carribean Beach. It was innapropriate for the Hairbraider to discuss her personal life, but you must clarify, was she discussing her personal life with your child or another CM? If she was discussing her friend with your child she was out of line and you should have immediateky asked to speak with her manager or asked at the front desk. If she was speaking to anoher CM she may not have even realized what she was saying and you could politely inform her that the conversation wasn't appropriate around your child. I bet she would have been mortified when she realized what she had said. And as for the other post, homosexuals may be only 2% of the general population, but here at Disney they are a total of closer to 50% of the population. It isn't usually an issue, as, like you said, homosexuality is about sex and no sex or sex talk is appropriate in the workplace. I would also like to encourage you to send your letter, not only to the CarribeanBeach but also (slightly modified) to Port Orleans. I can almost guarantee you a reply from my resort. Disney does its best to recover guests who have had unhappy experiences, so please give them a chance.

[Luv2Roam]

caseymaureen -- First off -- WELCOME!! Always glad to have a CM around to tell us the ins and outs, and you did it so well! :)

Just as a little side note -- DH and I stayed at Riverside in May and were less than impressed on various issues. Overall we had a great WDW trip, as always! :)
Some of the concerns we experienced (mostly transportation) I sent off in a letter to Lee Cockerell (VP WDW Oper) and Keith Bradford (POR manager).
The issues we experienced were very easy to look into and correct, which was the reason for my letter.
My point to you -- I do have one ;) I never rec'd a response from POR. I did from the executive office. :)

I am sure they read guest's letters and I hope they act on them to help future guests.

Thanks again for posting!

[DisneyMim]

Moonbeams, I can understand your feelings and am sorry that you feel how you do. While the internet is a wonderful thing, it just isn't the same as talking to people face to face. I have been to WDW too many times to count and have had mostly wonderful experiences. I love to read about people's experiences on the Dis and elsewhere, but have learned to take things with a grain of salt. I think that reading about how some people got "special" things, like towel animals, gifts for birthdays, etc. gets everyone excited and thinking that they too will recieve those "special" things. I can tell you from experience of many many trips to WDW and everywhere else, since the 1970's that I have only had "special" things happen a few times. When it happens it's wonderful, but I have never let it make or break a trip. Also as for rooms, I could go on and on!! I think as more and more people have access to the internet and different discussion boards, people have gotten more and more specific with their room requests. I don't think this works. The more things you ask for, the harder it will be. We always ask for non-smoking and the top floor and have almost always received our requests. We have been put in some locations that according to the Dis boards you should avoid like the plague, but we actually liked them. I think attitude is everything, go in with a positive attitude and you will have a good time. Another thing I want to add is that we have had some wonderful trips at the Caribbean Resort. We just came back from WDW a couple of weeks ago and did not stay at Carribbean, but visited it while we were there. I know this isn't going to help you any, but we noticed some things that were not as they shouldbe Even my kids commented on it. We were told that the resort is going down this week-end for a major re-hab, so this could have been some of your problems. I'm not saying it's an excuse, but just giving some facts. Disney is so huge that they are constantly working on something, and from what my experience has been is that just before a major re-hab things are not quite what they should be. We just stayed in Poly concierge and the place does indeed need an overhaul. They are planning it for next year. Did this ruin our trip? Not at all. Sometimes it's just bad timing. If you had gone right after the re-hab I'm betting you would have had a different experience.

I hope if ever you go again that you have a much better expereince.

[montessori]

It really does stink on Parrot Cay. http://www.mansun-nl.com/smilies/drunk.gif

[caseymaureen]

Luv2Roam~
Thanks for the welcome! About your letters, I have talked to Keith Bradford and I can assure you that although he may not always have the time to personally reply to guests, he reads every letter and does his best to solve any problems. Although not all letters get responces, let me make it clear to everyone! WDW appreciates any comments, good or bad (but especially good! :p ) They help recognize the above and beyond efforts of some cast members and help to point out problems and issues that we pften don't recognize from the inside. I hope your next stay at Port Orleans is a great one, if you visit before January look for me in Sassagoula Float Works & Food Factory (The French Quarter food court.) :jester:

[eeyore0062]

Hi CaseyMaureen... now this is really off topic, but we will be staying at PO-FQ in October, and I look forward to stopping by to say hi!


Back to subject... I agree that the discussion that occurred while a child was within earshot at the hairbraiding station at CBR should not have occurred, and opened up a door for conversation between mother and daughter for which neither were probably ready. My only wish is that it had been handled at the time, when it would have been more likely to have been remedied than waiting until later.

Anyway, something of that nature is definitely inappropriate, and does need to be addressed.

[Luv2Roam]

caseymaureen -- GOOD Bakery! ;)

[montessori]

Okay, but Parrot Cay really does stink! http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/mangadude/smile/sm11.gif

[lilboo]

Parrot Cay really does stink

:earseek:

REALLY?

Comparable to the venerable POLY stink?-to which I've never been privileged :)

[roque]

Hi Moonbeams, ok. everyone take a breath. you asked if you expected to much. i think yes and no.
1. room requests...i think the board has beaten this to death for you
2. parrot cay, i'm with you. (i was there the first week of June...yes during THAT weekend and i was there on purpose:teeth: :eek:) it did smell a bit and some mornins the birds must of taken an ex-lax. however, when we came back in the late afternoon it was clean....but it stilled smelled. i just chalked it up to wild animals
3. the hair wrapper....everyone this is her daughter and SHE makes the decisions not us. the wrapper should have been speaking of what your daughter wanted to do and see at WDW Not her "gay" friend. I don't care what the context was or wasn't. (ok if it isn't clear yet....YEP, i am GAY). As a gay person i am rather offended the wrapper makes distinctions re her friends
4. your anniversary. well, that is a tough one. i would have like to see you recieve something. Heck, something, anything. I am sorry it didn't happen.
5. to the person who made comment you have been quite a lot.. so what. A majority of us need to save and scrimp.
6. should you send your letter?? Yes, let them know. I think you had some valid issues and they should be noted.
7. i hope you don't really cancel your next trip.
Oh, and BOB statistically more like 10% of the population.:p

[Trekker]

Hi all - this is that old familiar moderator warning!

I've cleaned off the off topic posts - if this thread strays again it will be closed.

Let's keep it on topic and friendly - Thanks......