I spoke to someone in the Disney executive offices today

[Planogirl]

Back in July, I wrote a letter, via the Disney website, expressing concern about the difficulties I had with transportation during our trip in June. I explained that we stayed at the Allstar Movies and that often our waits were VERY long and it concerned me to see so many people standing up on the buses.

A CSR type person called me first of all to tell me that someone would be calling me which was rather odd but nice. Then at the beginning of August, a lady left a message asking me to call her concerning my letter. We played phone tag for a while and a few weeks ago she sent me a certified letter asking me to call and say when I would be available and she would call during that time period. I just found the time to be available today and she called this morning.

She was extremely nice and thanked me for my letter. She said that Disney loves getting friendly letters, e-mails or calls concerning problems at Disneyworld and that the transportation issue has been of top concern to Disney. She said that Disney had recently started a new system called Disney on Demand and that I was there while they were instituting it. They apparently have had a lot of trouble with it but think that they have almost all of the bugs worked out now. She also said that some people had called recently with praise for the better transportation so they're hopeful that most of the problems are behind them.

The lady went on to explain that the enormous number of hotel rooms had basically overwhelmed the bus system and that Disney had been a bit slow in keeping the transportation updated. (Not her exact words but translated from Disneyese. ;) ) They hoped to have everything working and in place so that all resorts would have better transportation. Apparently, 25 minutes is the current maximum allowable wait for a guest and the Disney employees you see standing around at the bus stops are timing the waits.

I liked this a lot. I've written other letters to Disney but other than a form letter, I've never had much feedback. I've certainly never had several calls and a certified letter! I would be interested in knowing if the transportation does actually seem improved now.

I may just have to bum a ride in another car now. :)

[olena]

Well, if nothing else, someone in the company believes in a little follow-though. That's great to hear.

[johare]

One phone call changes your opinion enough to 'change cars'?

Great, Disney just discovered how to save money on transportation...just hire some people to make phone calls and people will consider it to be magical and it will make up for waiting 45 minutes for a bus 7 days in a row. Much more cost effective than actually hiring bus drivers or expanding the monorail line.

[HorizonsFan]

Great, Disney just discovered how to save money on transportation...just hire some people to make phone calls and people will consider it to be magical and it will make up for waiting 45 minutes for a bus 7 days in a row. Much more cost effective than actually hiring bus drivers or expanding the monorail line.
So is it better not to call people? Are the CMs at the bus stops with the handhelds just a clever ruse to make us feel better? Are the new busses just figments of our imagination? What exactly do you want?
It seems like Disney is damned if they do and damned if they don't...

[HBK]

So is it better not to call people? Are the CMs at the bus stops with the handhelds just a clever ruse to make us feel better? Are the new busses just figments of our imagination? What exactly do you want?
It seems like Disney is damned if they do and damned if they don't...

How about fixing the problems which cause the calls? No calls = No need to have an employee making followup calls.

I agree that a followup call goes a long way in making someone's complaints feel alieviated....but what did the rep say in that call that made the complaint corrected?

I don't know as someone telling me they "feel my pain" is enough to make me feel different about my trip. I'd rather they work on the problem which made me complain in the first place.

[HorizonsFan]

Agreed; a phone call is not enough to resolve a complaint. My response, however was to johare who seems to imply that Disney is making phone calls in lieu of actually fixing things. I don't believe this to be the case. Additional busses have been added, CMs are monitoring the stops and IMO bus transportation has improved between this summer and last. I think the problem is being addressed, maybe not to the satisfaction of all but addressed.

BTW, do you think there was ever a time or will be a time when Disney receives no complaints?

[johare]

How about fixing the problems which cause the calls? No calls = No need to have an employee making followup calls. Exactly. I'd rather not have to complain to begin with.

I agree that a followup call goes a long way in making someone's complaints feel alieviated....but what did the rep say in that call that made the complaint corrected? Good point. I had a complaint at IOA back in July and they gave us 1 day/2 park comp passes. I went to the movie theaters several months back and it was VERY cold in the theater. I sent an email to Regal cinema's and they sent back an apology and 4 free movie tickets. Last year we had bad service at an Outback Steakhouse. I wrote a letter to them and received a certificate for dinner for 2. Disney on the other hand feels a phone call is enough to make everything better. btw: Did they call collect?

[HorizonsFan]

Sigh...
I'll ask the question again: Do you think there was ever a time or will be a time when Disney receives no complaints?

I had a complaint at IOA back in July and they gave us 1 day/2 park comp passes. I went to the movie theaters several months back and it was VERY cold in the theater. I sent an email to Regal cinema's and they sent back an apology and 4 free movie tickets. Last year we had bad service at an Outback Steakhouse. I wrote a letter to them and received a certificate for dinner for 2. Disney on the other hand feels a phone call is enough to make everything better. btw: Did they call collect?

I see now. Attempting to fix the problem is not enough. Disney has to give you something too...

[Planogirl]

Very amusing. :rolleyes:

I personally think that ANY company taking an interest in a situation is a good sign. Call me an optimist but I like to believe that when they show an interest, it means that they truly have an interest. I received SEVERAL phone calls and a certified letter so I did not receive just one phone call. That was the reason for my endless post.

And I certainly don't need or want to be compensated for something like this. I am not in it for what I can get out of the company. I have complained about things in the past and received some type of compensation and guess what? The situation was never corrected. I am ONLY interested in seeing that Disney is paying attention and is providing good feedback. That was done in the case and I am satisfied for now. I thought that I would share this glimmer of hope but I suppose that it is possible to see only the bad. I personally want to see hopeful signs (maybe I'm grasping) and I assumed that others might too.

Besides, maybe I want to switch cars because some of the riders are a bit too negative in some of the other cars? :mad:

[dmermod]

Johare - seems like you know how to work the system.

Is that a gift or do you have to work at it.

Corporations (good ones) calls it QA - Quality Assurance. Can't fix a problem if you don't know it exists. I would much rather let someone know that there is a fault with a process (but have a potential fix to offer when I call), than to compain about a problem with the expected result of getting a freebie out of it (because that fixes nothing for me or the next person). That's how a process works - Create the process - Refine the Process - Check the Proceess - Repeat

For HorizensFan - I would hope that there is always going to be feedback on a processes at Disney. That's how we the consumers are going to make it better each other.

Cheers
:bounce::bounce::bounce:

[Carl]

I think that by contacting her and telling her what they were doing, they indicated they are interested in solving the problem
I'll give you an example of a company which at first was interested and now ISN'T. I contacted Blue Bunny Ice Cream Co. (Wells Dairies) about a year ago about some quality problems with the ice cream I was getting from Walmart. They answered my letters and even sent some coupons to replace the poor ice cream I received. Now, since that time the ice cream has varied in how good it has been - until recently. Recently it became much worse. So, I have written to them 3 times to complain. Now they do NOT answer the letters and the ice cream does NOT vary in its quality - it is always BAD.

So, my take, is that if a company is contacting you and discussing with you its efforts, you can be sure they are making an effort to address the problem. When they do NOT respond to you, you can be equally sure that they are NOT addressing the problem.

[TXDeb]

I got a call from WDW corporate offices today, too. I had emailed them a week or so ago about my concerns with possibility that they were going to open Adventureland an hour later than the rest of MK, and some other issues dealing with their cost cutting measures vs guest satisfaction (Disney 'magic').

I got a call earlier this week saying I would be getting another call from someone about my email. I was really surprised when the woman from the executive offices actually did call today. She was very pleasant, and assured me that my comments were being passed along to the higher ups. She also told me that the plan for the later opening of Adventureland had been scrapped for now. She did admit that there was always a chance they would consider it again at some time. (Perhaps a CYA statement!?!?)

Of course, I don't know whether my concerns are truly being addressed, but I was pleased that there was follow-up on my email. I can't help but hope that if they get enough of these kinds of calls on similar issues from different people, that the complaints will get some attention. There is usually power in numbers.

[Planogirl]

Wow, TxDeb! Disney ISN'T going to keep Adventureland closed an hour later than the rest of the park?! That is great news.

Now, someone tell me that they're not listening! I'm getting VERY hopeful now. :p

[MickeyMoose15]

MousePlanet just posted that on Friday.

Check out the entire story about it. http://www.mouseplanet.com

[JeffJewell]

...that it's "Joan" everyone is talking to?

Jeff

[HBK]

Agreed; a phone call is not enough to resolve a complaint. My response, however was to johare who seems to imply that Disney is making phone calls in lieu of actually fixing things. I don't believe this to be the case. Additional busses have been added, CMs are monitoring the stops and IMO bus transportation has improved between this summer and last. I think the problem is being addressed, maybe not to the satisfaction of all but addressed.

BTW, do you think there was ever a time or will be a time when Disney receives no complaints?

OK Here we go. I can't say whether the transport system has been improved. I'll have to take a raincheck until October.

And no, I don't think there will ever be a time where Disney doesn't receive a complaint. Someone will always feel the rain is Disney's fault.

btw: Did they call collect?

ROTFLMAO!

I see now. Attempting to fix the problem is not enough. Disney has to give you something too...

We've given Disney something. If there was a shortcoming which compelled me to complain...well yes, I'd expect Disney to do or give something to / for me.

If I've complained, the problem obviously affected my vacation experince. The least they could do is offer to give something back. It's called customer service.

I personally think that ANY company taking an interest in a situation is a good sign. Call me an optimist but I like to believe that when they show an interest, it means that they truly have an interest. I received SEVERAL phone calls and a certified letter so I did not receive just one phone call. That was the reason for my endless post.

An interest? Yes. A solution? No.

Corporations (good ones) calls it QA - Quality Assurance. Can't fix a problem if you don't know it exists. I would much rather let someone know that there is a fault with a process (but have a potential fix to offer when I call), than to compain about a problem with the expected result of getting a freebie out of it (because that fixes nothing for me or the next person). That's how a process works - Create the process - Refine the Process - Check the Proceess - Repeat

How about this?

I paid a premium for tickets which allow me to park hop. Disney tells me by paying a premium for my hotel, they will provide all of the transportation I need.

So then, I'm trying to hop from park to park, and each trip takes an hour.

I'm miffed, since I know if I rented a car, I could have made the trip in 15 minutes....but I'm stuck at a bus stop for 30 minutes just WAITING for a bus. It finally comes, and a 20-30 minute bus trip later, I'm at my final destination.

I get home, and I'm so bothered this problem, I complain. I know I won't be able to go again for a few years, but I feel so mad that I paid a premium for this "service".

Do I feel good that I get a phone call back telling me that Disney's working on the problem? Sure. Do I think that's where it should end? No way. I feel it's only fair Disney makes ammends for charging me a premium price for a sub par service.

I think that by contacting her and telling her what they were doing, they indicated they are interested in solving the problem

Once again, an intererest is not a solution. Two different things.

Now, someone tell me that they're not listening! I'm getting VERY hopeful now

Yeah, Disney backing off of a proposal which was never annouced officially. Yeah, I'm hopeful. Why don't you ask why more rides are closing earlier & earlier....why parks & hotels are costing more and more? Why there hasn't been a meaningfull attraction built in the past few years?

Let's see how the callbacks flow from that one.

[johare]

Do I feel good that I get a phone call back telling me that Disney's working on the problem? Sure. Do I think that's where it should end? No way. I feel it's only fair Disney makes ammends for charging me a premium price for a sub par serviceI agree...an extra 30 minute wait for a bus every day adds up to nearly half a day over a 1 week vacation. If someone takes the time to complain Disney should be providing them with more than a
courtesy call.

[HorizonsFan]

I paid a premium for tickets which allow me to park hop. Disney tells me by paying a premium for my hotel, they will provide all of the transportation I need.
So then, I'm trying to hop from park to park, and each trip takes an hour. I'm miffed, since I know if I rented a car, I could have made the trip in 15 minutes....but I'm stuck at a bus stop for 30 minutes just WAITING for a bus. It finally comes, and a 20-30 minute bus trip later, I'm at my final destination. I get home, and I'm so bothered this problem, I complain.

I guess I missed the part where Disney promised to take you wherever you want, whenever you want. It's BUS service that is used by EVERYBODY. Why would you expect not to wait? No matter how many busses and drivers Disney hires, you will still have to wait at a bus stop for some period of time.
The service promised is being delivered. You may not like the level of service, but it's being delivered as promised. If you have a complaint, it's that the service didn't meet your personal expectations. That's the kind of complaint that can be handled by a phone call alone and nothing else. If you are stranded at the MK and no busses come for several hours, then you have a legitimate complaint and may require more than just a phone call.
Maybe you should just save yourself some heartache and stay off site and rent a car...

[dmermod]

Let me get this straing HBK - you don't want to fork out an extra amount of cash so you can rent a car because you already forked out some extra cash to get a premium service by a bus?

Why bother with the bus service then, get the car. I agree with an earlier post about the expected perk vice the actual perk. The bus is being provided, there are always options. Get out there a half an hour earlier than you expected to go. Why would you expect to get an extra perk (by complaining) for something that was not even implied (Disney will provide transportation via bus service). I've read those brochures and they don't imply an expedience in their transportation service. The bus service has improved greatly, and the fact that there are monitors even portrays even more concern with making it better.

A little more work on your behalf would have even yeilded a better outcome. After the first day of your visit, when you discover the service is so deteriorated, you go to the front desk, complain on the spot, pull your premium services and rent a car. Now that makes a statement that will get attention. It's immediate.

I've been going to Disney since I was 9 and I have never heard so much complaining (not directed at you HBK) until I got to this forum.

Cheers
:bounce::bounce:

[Planogirl]

Jeff Jewell, I've been speaking to a Kimberly and I have a last name if you want it. I never talked to a "Joan".

Oh well, at least this has been a fairly interesting discussion. I'm still cautiously optimistic though.

[HBK]

Maybe you should just save yourself some heartache and stay off site and rent a car...

That's not all I'll save....

I guess I missed the part where Disney promised to take you wherever you want, whenever you want. It's BUS service that is used by EVERYBODY. Why would you expect not to wait? No matter how many busses and drivers Disney hires, you will still have to wait at a bus stop for some period of time.
Tell that to Planogirl..she must have felt differently since complained.

Let me get this straing HBK - you don't want to fork out an extra amount of cash so you can rent a car because you already forked out some extra cash to get a premium service by a bus?

A) If I'm forking out the extra cash for a hotel room which promises all of the transportation I'd need....I've already forked out the extra cash. Why should I pay a premium twice?

B) If Disney didn't position their own transportation system so prominently in their vacation planning materials, I probably wouldn't have much to squak about....but since Disney doesn't want you to leave the property, they discourage car rentals by pushing their "included" option.

A little more work on your behalf would have even yeilded a better outcome. After the first day of your visit, when you discover the service is so deteriorated, you go to the front desk, complain on the spot, pull your premium services and rent a car. Now that makes a statement that will get attention. It's immediate.

You're kidding me right? The first line is a beauty. I'M ON A VACATION FROM A HIGHLY STRESSFUL JOB. You want me to WORK while I'm on Vacation? You need to really remove your blinders.

Oh well, at least this has been a fairly interesting discussion. I'm still cautiously optimistic though.

Yeah, you gotta love a post where people defend their arguments by telling you that you should "work harder while you're on vacation" and you should never complain....because aw shucks, Disney can't do no wrong.

I'm taking a deep breath and basically lurking on this post. Flame away.

[JeffJewell]

...I mentioned Joan's name because she was the terminally perky CM who I talked to concerning the letters I wrote in June. It sounds like they've got a set of 'em.

She was nice enough, and sent me a hundred Disney Dollars for my "inconvenience." Yes, I was glad to get some kind of response, and yes, the Disney Dollars will come in handy when we go down in December; but no, I did not get the feeling that Disney was concerned about correcting the mind-set that led to the problems that prompted my letters.

It's the customer service version of asking permission vs asking forgiveness: Disney believes it is cheaper for them to toss a few Disney Dollars to the folks who'll bother to write a letter than it is to meet customer expectations in the first place.

Their calculations do not take in account the loss of customer loyalty this policy is truly costing them.

Jeff

[HorizonsFan]

I have never suggested that people not complain.
I have moved to car 2 because of the confusing direction of current managment so I don't think that Disney can do no wrong.
The only reason I'm even in this discussion is because I thought it was unfair of johare to suggest that Disney was only making phone calls and not actually working on the transportation problem. I don't believe that to be the case.
A bus system is not the most ideal transportation for a place as magical as WDW, but that's what they have. It's what Disney advertises and it's what they deliver. That they are trying to make it better is evidenced by new busses, additional CMs and shorter wait times (in my experience).
I still don't understand how calling a guest and personally addressing their complaint is such a problem for some.

[johare]

Their calculations do not take in account the loss of customer loyalty this policy is truly costing them. Which is unfortunate for them...for ever customer who writes a letter there are probably 2 (or more) customers who won't come back for quite a while.

A bus system is not the most ideal transportation for a place as magical as WDW, but that's what they have. And if the bus system is not the most idea for a place like WDW, then why do they rely on it so much? Could it be because they are too cheap to expand the monorail line or provide other alternative modes of transportation? Guess that's another reason I prefer Universal. I can walk just about anywhere in half the time it takes to wait for a bus.

I still don't understand how calling a guest and personally addressing their complaint is such a problem for some.It's not a problem...it's just not enough.

[HBK]

I still don't understand how calling a guest and personally addressing their complaint is such a problem for some.

It's not a problem for anyone. Kudos to Disney for following up so agressivly with their customer complaints. But it's not where it should end. Adding more and more busses is fine for the short term. But they should be working on a new transport system.

Look at it this way. Compare the transport system to an open wound. By adding more and more busses, the company is putting band aids on the wound....when it needs some stitches.

[Another Voice]

It’s perhaps sad to say this, but both sides of this issue are correct in a way – Walt Disney World knows there is a serious transportation problem and wants to find a solution, but The Walt Disney Company does not intend to fix it.

WDW’s original master plan called for the place to be a masterpiece of transportation. Stoplights were forbidden on property, intersections were seamless and a family could leave their car for a week and still visit every part of the property quickly and comfortable. And through the 1980’s, it all worked great. As with the opening of EPCOT Center, transportation was supposed to be included in each new development.

But, that costs money. In the rush to build hotel rooms, any planning or accommodation for moving people was eliminated as a “non-revenue” luxury that could wait until later. WDW knew that the bus system would not work even before the opening of the Disney/MGM Studios. Until Corporate would invest some real money, busses were seen as a cheap and quick “temporary” fix. In what has now become an annual event, a new master transportation system plan gets drawn up which includes monorails, light rail and water craft (including one plan for boats from Dixie Landings to Pleasure Island through EPCOT to the Studios). Each time the plan would be killed by Corporate (too much money) and WDW would have to throw another quick fix at the mess (lease more busses).

With the bus system at the breaking point, WDW came up with yet another master plan last year. That too was killed by Corporate who considered the return to be below their standards (even though the transportation system would have turned a profit because guests would be charged). This year’s fix, the “Busses on Demand” system was not really designed to improve guest service, its real goal is to keep things from getting worse as quickly as they used to. The system simply redirects underutilized capacity to where the demand is. Based on the idea of “the great good for the greatest number”, the system is wonderful if you’re with a busload of people at Animal Kingdom, but it does make you wait longer if it’s just the two of you at the Old Key West Resort. It’s the best solution that’s possible given the situation - at least until next year.

Yes, the folks at WDW know they have a serious problem and they know it causes the guests immense problems. But when the decisions have to be made, many people on the other coast that would like you to stay at home and watch The SoapNet Channel instead.

[YoHo]

Another Voice, thankyou for interjecting here. People we're dealing with about 3 different Issues here. Apparently we've all forgotten how about two month's ago WDW had a big callback day where everyone's letters and emails and phonecalls were responded to. This was done by the WDW president's secretary if I recall correctly. WDW still takes customer service very seriously and the Message left, that we are trying to fix this and we think we have it better is the exact right impression to leave. Had more complaining happened, perhaps the Disney dollars would have flowed.
Walt Disney World is doing everything it can. If I recall correctly, Each bus queue has an expected wait time and that is usually posted at around 20-25 minutes which means 25 minutes is acceptable. 45 minutes is not!

Walt Disney corporation Managment is screwing things up and that is where the problem lies.

[HorizonsFan]

Once again, AV and YoHo are the voice of reason.
Thanks guys!