"IF I WERE A FRAGGLE..." BACKSTAGE MAGIC TRIP REPRT; Mar28-APR 3rd '10- W/PICS &VIDEO

[izzie-wizzie]

Hi! can i just say i just found/read this thread and its so informative and exciting

Me and dbf have planned to visit California for the first (and probs only!) time next year - all we knew is wanted to do Disney and see the sights. So this morning i came across ABD as I was researching the Disney Studios (and how its near impossible to get into) - that ABD offered a tour there!

Since reading what this behind the magic trip offers - I have been so excited, and have decided that we are 100% going to do this.

Can't WAIT to find out more how you enjoyed the trip - obviously your still there now, so have a WONDERFUL rest-of-trip!

Izzie

[knewton64]

I regrefully inform all of you that I have encountered a Disney Grand Californian hotel /ABD issue (from yesterday afternoon on) that has sytematically destroyed any memories I have had of this adventure - resulting in me just wanting to get the heck out of here (I am still at DGC & dont leave until 3:30pm today) & GO HOME.

One would think that home would be DGA but I get the impression that their front desk has absoutely no clue as to how to service the Guest.

Then - to add insult to injury. I asked one of our ABD guides for assistance on this issue & had also asked for a follow up voice mail yesterday - which would then allow me to enjoy my last full day in the Disney parks so I would then have everything all set & ready to go for today with no delays.

GUESS WHAT?

NO VOICE MAIL was left for me.

I have spent way toooooo much time on this positive challenge as this has gone on now for the last 2 1/2 days and I feel enough is enough. This needs to go to Disney Corporate offices!
I should be having fun at the parks and SPENDING MONEY AND HAVING FUN but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I am having to fiddle with this silly issue and having to coach Disney CMs HOW TO DO THEIR JOB! So in addition to my issue, here are some additional things have have also occured to me while this issue was occuring:


1) For example, and for a slight bit of negative humor here this am, 2 front desk CM's (Jason & Nicole) refered to me as "MR NEWMAN."

They have acess to my guest information, yet they refer to me as "Mr Newman?"


WHAT GIVES????


2) a Disneyland shoppe on Main street told me that should what I have purchased happen to be a duplicate from what you have already purchased, just let the Disney hotel know about it and they will get your monies refunded.

Sure enough, I had a duplicate. So off I went to DGC guest services this am to have a refund take place.


Funny thing, Guest services at DGC said JUST THE OPPOSITE of what the Disneyland store had said just the other day!!



AND YET TO THINK.....I AM A FIRST TIME VISITOR TO THIS PARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


And yet my dream job is to go to work for the Disney corporation so they can see how servicing the Guest is actually done. Seriously, I would love to be a ABD guide for "Quest" or "Splendors" that would be what I would love to shoot for.

But I digress - that's minor. A little irratant but minor.




So I through my hands up in complete despair and & am leaving the House that Walt built with tears running down my face and am in one depressed state of being & mind.

I JUST WANNA GO HOME! TO TEXAS!

Like from 8am to right now in Dwntown Disney (12:48pm on 04-03-2010) I too also walked around both Disney parks yesterday in such a daze that it was obvious to me that after a while, I was realizing that the Magic was gone. For example, all I was seeing was NOT MARY POPPINS NOR THE DAPPER DANS but enstead I was seeing young boys and girls dressed up COSTUMES portraying the above mentioned characters!

1)I tried to go to San Adreas faults & get a milkshake.

i could not, I just wasn't in a Disney mood.


2) I tried to go to Ritas and have a margarita

I could not. the Disney spirit was just GONE.



3) I tried to go to the Wine tasting place as well inside DCA but just wasnt in the mood. I felt the magic was just gone. I was trying - I was putting forth effort - I just felt that the Disney magic was shot down the drain all thanks to three Disney CMs and no....I will not reveal their names.


4) Morevoer, I tried to get a pretzel and a sundae and the Coke soda shoppe at Disneyland but I just couldn't recapture the Disney magic.

So it should be pretty obvious to you the reader that I was hungry but the magic was just shot outta me as I just felt like I was walking around in a daze.

So, I thought possibly some shopping would pick up my spirits.



NO.


I couldn't bring myself to do any shopping either.


So I staggered onto the Matterhorn.

BIG WHOOP.


I was there I realized that I need to go back to the hotel and just call it a day - a day that I hope NO ONE OF YOU E-V-E-R have to experience.


THATS SAD & quite embarrassing WHEN A D-I-S-N-E-Y branded hotel systematically ruins the magic for you by the incredibly poor customer service and a ABD guide doesn't do her job either.


This is why everyone, I have asked that ALL OF THIS BE FORWARDED on over to Disney's corporate offices. I am extremely upset and very dismayed that this is an acceptable level of customer service and that a ABD guide has no idea how to do her job either & provide a Guest adventurer a return voice mail.

But she has gone on to her next adventure. So I guess I don't matter to her nor the Disney company anymore.


So here I am, still stuck at the lousy hotel, wishing I could be jetted back to Dallas Texas ASAP so I can mentally/emotionally & logically get back to work & show to myself how servicing the Guest is SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.

I know! going to work right away just after a vacation??


yes - that is correct.





So - I am supposed to be departing from this "5-star hotel" around 2pm today & meet with some higher ups who will be discussing with me their lousy customer service and how they plan on saving this Guest.

Now, Am i saying that DGC is a bad hotel? NO I AM NOT.


I am saying that for this particular experience, it was a horrible one for me.


AND I AM A F-I-R-S-T time visitor not only to the state of California but to Disneyland and such.




I just feel that I am not in the mood to continue on with this blog. I feel that I need to delete all pics / video that & have taken (& I have taken alot) & throw away any memory of this "adventure" & just move forward. I feel very disheartned by this whole mess and just am not in a Disney mood. Which is very rare for me because I am such the kid at heart.

But yes - I don't feel like moving forward with this blog.



Will I ever come back to the state of California & Disneyland??


I will answer it this way - I am meeting with some Disney higher ups at 2:30pm today and will listen to what they have to say. I get the feeling that their response will be a BBUUSSIINNEESS answer and not an answer that will be condusive for me to feel welcomed back into Walt's World.

Not because of my actions but because I get a feeling their responses will be NO to what I have to say. And I have already said it overnight when I was on the phone with the overnight hotel phone person for well over 2.5 hours VERY early this am.


you would think that this company would be interested in saving me as a Guest since I average approx 3 hours a sleep a day while on this adventure (I was out and about SPENDING MONEY AND HAVING A NICE DISNEY TIME) but hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....


I just get a suspicion otherwise.

So to wrap up here, hopefully I will be given an opportunity for a "DO OVER" on this vacation. I am trying to remain positive on this issue. It is my hope that one day I can pick back up this blog and begin again recapturing the Disney magic that has just left my heart.



Time will tell -


Kris N-E-W-T-O-N

P.s. Anyone reading this from Disney Travel services or DGC, I am also requesting that this be forwarded onto Disney's Corporate offices so they can see what this hotel (DGC) & that ABD guide has done to this 1st time DL/ DCA visitor as this is also ONLY MY 2ND visit to a Disney park overall as well.
Furthermore, please make a copy of this and read this letter to all new hires as they need to see what damage can be inflcited onto a Disney guest when YOU THE CM, don't do your job.

[izzie-wizzie]

Oh my gosh! Soo sorry to hear that you have had a less-than-magical time,

I truly hope you get issues sorted out and they can buck up their ideas - I've defo heard quite a few reports how service at disney california hotels does not match the standard at WDW and I hope this is something Disney will finally notice and fix (although Im just speaking from other TRs).

[knewton64]

Originally Posted by izzie-wizzie

Oh my gosh! Soo sorry to hear that you have had a less-than-magical time,

I truly hope you get issues sorted out and they can buck up their ideas - I've defo heard quite a few reports how service at disney california hotels does not match the standard at WDW and I hope this is something Disney will finally notice and fix (although Im just speaking from other TRs).

...you bring up a good point. I read about that as well as I have tried to give them every benefit of the doubt as well since I am spending approx $25-$30 and hour on this trip for R&T alone; not including incidentals.

But for some reason, the "LOVE AND SHOVE" mentality is alive and well here at Disneyland / DCA.


To be continued....



Kris Newton

[aspen37]

Hi Kris! I'm sorry you had a less than Magical Time.
I will be on this tour on April 13th and was wondering what happened at the GC. From your post I'm not sure what happened. I hope the Disney higher ups tried to fix the problem.

I hope you have a safe trip home.

[Failecub]

Originally Posted by knewton64

I regrefully inform all of you that I have encountered a Disney Grand Californian hotel /ABD issue (from yesterday afternoon on) that has sytematically destroyed any memories I have had of this adventure - resulting in me just wanting to get the heck out of here (I am still at DGC & dont leave until 3:30pm today) & GO HOME.

One would think that home would be DGA but I get the impression that their front desk has absoutely no clue as to how to service the Guest.

Then - to add insult to injury. I asked one of our ABD guides for assistance on this issue & had also asked for a follow up voice mail yesterday - which would then allow me to enjoy my last full day in the Disney parks so I would then have everything all set & ready to go for today with no delays.

GUESS WHAT?

NO VOICE MAIL was left for me.

I have spent way toooooo much time on this positive challenge as this has gone on now for the last 2 1/2 days and I feel enough is enough. This needs to go to Disney Corporate offices!
I should be having fun at the parks and SPENDING MONEY AND HAVING FUN but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I am having to fiddle with this silly issue and having to coach Disney CMs HOW TO DO THEIR JOB! So in addition to my issue, here are some additional things have have also occured to me while this issue was occuring:


1) For example, and for a slight bit of negative humor here this am, 2 front desk CM's (Jason & Nicole) refered to me as "MR NEWMAN."

They have acess to my guest information, yet they refer to me as "Mr Newman?"


WHAT GIVES????


2) a Disneyland shoppe on Main street told me that should what I have purchased happen to be a duplicate from what you have already purchased, just let the Disney hotel know about it and they will get your monies refunded.

Sure enough, I had a duplicate. So off I went to DGC guest services this am to have a refund take place.


Funny thing, Guest services at DGC said JUST THE OPPOSITE of what the Disneyland store had said just the other day!!



AND YET TO THINK.....I AM A FIRST TIME VISITOR TO THIS PARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


And yet my dream job is to go to work for the Disney corporation so they can see how servicing the Guest is actually done. Seriously, I would love to be a ABD guide for "Quest" or "Splendors" that would be what I would love to shoot for.

But I digress - that's minor. A little irratant but minor.




So I through my hands up in complete despair and & am leaving the House that Walt built with tears running down my face and am in one depressed state of being & mind.

I JUST WANNA GO HOME! TO TEXAS!

Like from 8am to right now in Dwntown Disney (12:48pm on 04-03-2010) I too also walked around both Disney parks yesterday in such a daze that it was obvious to me that after a while, I was realizing that the Magic was gone. For example, all I was seeing was NOT MARY POPPINS NOR THE DAPPER DANS but enstead I was seeing young boys and girls dressed up COSTUMES portraying the above mentioned characters!

1)I tried to go to San Adreas faults & get a milkshake.

i could not, I just wasn't in a Disney mood.


2) I tried to go to Ritas and have a margarita

I could not. the Disney spirit was just GONE.



3) I tried to go to the Wine tasting place as well inside DCA but just wasnt in the mood. I felt the magic was just gone. I was trying - I was putting forth effort - I just felt that the Disney magic was shot down the drain all thanks to three Disney CMs and no....I will not reveal their names.


4) Morevoer, I tried to get a pretzel and a sundae and the Coke soda shoppe at Disneyland but I just couldn't recapture the Disney magic.

So it should be pretty obvious to you the reader that I was hungry but the magic was just shot outta me as I just felt like I was walking around in a daze.

So, I thought possibly some shopping would pick up my spirits.



NO.


I couldn't bring myself to do any shopping either.


So I staggered onto the Matterhorn.

BIG WHOOP.


I was there I realized that I need to go back to the hotel and just call it a day - a day that I hope NO ONE OF YOU E-V-E-R have to experience.


THATS SAD & quite embarrassing WHEN A D-I-S-N-E-Y branded hotel systematically ruins the magic for you by the incredibly poor customer service and a ABD guide doesn't do her job either.


This is why everyone, I have asked that ALL OF THIS BE FORWARDED on over to Disney's corporate offices. I am extremely upset and very dismayed that this is an acceptable level of customer service and that a ABD guide has no idea how to do her job either & provide a Guest adventurer a return voice mail.

But she has gone on to her next adventure. So I guess I don't matter to her nor the Disney company anymore.


So here I am, still stuck at the lousy hotel, wishing I could be jetted back to Dallas Texas ASAP so I can mentally/emotionally & logically get back to work & show to myself how servicing the Guest is SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.

I know! going to work right away just after a vacation??


yes - that is correct.





So - I am supposed to be departing from this "5-star hotel" around 2pm today & meet with some higher ups who will be discussing with me their lousy customer service and how they plan on saving this Guest.

Now, Am i saying that DGC is a bad hotel? NO I AM NOT.


I am saying that for this particular experience, it was a horrible one for me.


AND I AM A F-I-R-S-T time visitor not only to the state of California but to Disneyland and such.




I just feel that I am not in the mood to continue on with this blog. I feel that I need to delete all pics / video that & have taken (& I have taken alot) & throw away any memory of this "adventure" & just move forward. I feel very disheartned by this whole mess and just am not in a Disney mood. Which is very rare for me because I am such the kid at heart.

But yes - I don't feel like moving forward with this blog.



Will I ever come back to the state of California & Disneyland??


I will answer it this way - I am meeting with some Disney higher ups at 2:30pm today and will listen to what they have to say. I get the feeling that their response will be a BBUUSSIINNEESS answer and not an answer that will be condusive for me to feel welcomed back into Walt's World.

Not because of my actions but because I get a feeling their responses will be NO to what I have to say. And I have already said it overnight when I was on the phone with the overnight hotel phone person for well over 2.5 hours VERY early this am.


you would think that this company would be interested in saving me as a Guest since I average approx 3 hours a sleep a day while on this adventure (I was out and about SPENDING MONEY AND HAVING A NICE DISNEY TIME) but hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....


I just get a suspicion otherwise.

So to wrap up here, hopefully I will be given an opportunity for a "DO OVER" on this vacation. I am trying to remain positive on this issue. It is my hope that one day I can pick back up this blog and begin again recapturing the Disney magic that has just left my heart.



Time will tell -


Kris N-E-W-T-O-N

P.s. Anyone reading this from Disney Travel services or DGC, I am also requesting that this be forwarded onto Disney's Corporate offices so they can see what this hotel (DGC) & that ABD guide has done to this 1st time DL/ DCA visitor as this is also ONLY MY 2ND visit to a Disney park overall as well.
Furthermore, please make a copy of this and read this letter to all new hires as they need to see what damage can be inflcited onto a Disney guest when YOU THE CM, don't do your job.

Sorry if I misread and missed this, but I don't think you ever said what your issue was. Do you mind if I ask what it was that happened, or didn't happen as the case may be?

[corky441]

So much drama... But you never say what happened! I can't begin to fathom what they could have done to set off such a rant.??

[Icemann]

What did ABD do to you that was so bad.You did a good job of trashing them now what was so bad that you are scared for life.

[TheTXTaylors5]

DH and I depart in 8 days for our ABD Trip. Your post has me curious as to what exactly happened to ruin your ABD Tour. We will be on the tour in a week and I don't want the same thing (whatever it is) happen to us too. Can you please be a little more specific on what happened????????

I have read and reread your post and still don't get "it".

Jennifer

[TotallyAngelic]

Oh no ..... this sounds very serious. I am also wondering exactly what happened to make such a great Disney fan have such a profound change of opinion. What exactly did they do to make you so upset as it mut have been catastrophic. So sorry you have had such a disappointing and upsetting trip

[Tozzie]

It sounds like it is an issue with the Hotel and not with ABD. I went on this trip last year and it was fantastic.

[flafan]

OH NO- This makes me so sad. There is nothing worst then being soooo excited for an adventure and have several people ruin it for you. It does not seem fair. Please keep us updated on your progress with getting this reconciled.

Have a peaceful day.

[hgrajales]

OMG!! I've read and re-read this thread or should I say "ridiculous rant" and nowhere in the posting does this person state "what went so wrong"? What was soooo devastating that they would want "DO OVER". Or, is that they are just setting the stage for a "free trip"?? I am sure that any issue encountered at any of the Disney Parks would be resolved immediately and promptly.

TELL US WHAT WENT SOOO TERRIBLY WRONG THAT NO ONE IN THE ENTIRE DISNEY ORGANIZATION COULD NOT CORRECT. Or are you complaining that 1 or 2 employees pronounced your name incorrectly?? OMG, the end of the world is near!!!

[hgrajales]

Also, it's not fair that someone would come on this board and trash the trip that so many people are looking forward to and NOT provide details as to what went wrong. So, please let us know, so we can determine if it's the end of the world and cancel the trip.

1. Did anyone else in your group experience the same issues? Were their issues resolved and not yours?

2. How was the trip up until you experienced your issue?

[WeLoveABD]

I have to agree with the above posts--need more specifics, if you can. We can't imagine the ABD guides not being all over any issue that came up--what did they have to say about what happened (and the corporate folks you met with?) The Grand Californian is our favorite Disney hotel--I'm biased being on the West Coast, but while we have enjoyed WDW properties, there is something really solid and relaxing about the GC. (Unfair probably to compare the huge WDW park to Disneyland--so different in size, in location--so urban here, so green and wet in Florida...the crowds are huge in Florida, but can spread out, unlike the crowds here...). In any event, I am sorry to hear you left unhappy--especially having such an upbeat start, and with prior very upbeat adventures...do conclude your story and let us know how things worked out!