Downgraded

[Missoutandabout]

I had the worst "Garden View" view on our last stay at YC. Though, because there were trees (albeit dead ones) between us and the bus stop, I guess that counts as garden.

(Mind you, I love YC and we didn't care since we weren't in the room often enough to mind... though I can imagine people probably would complain about that particular room and its supposed "garden" category.)

[pl4bby]

Originally Posted by Hopefully

My Dad taught me many years ago that life isn't fair. I taught my kids this as well.
I would be upset, but I wouldn't stress about whether it was fair to me.
Neither would I "demand" relief, but rather work with the CM's to reach resolution.

Yes but the lady that wasn't told and had to fight for a refund was bad.

[Mom loves Disney]

I had it happen twice at ASMusic.

[Rileyf]

Originally Posted by mickeyway

Recently I heard of families being downgraded at check in. They paid for a certian view garden, courtyard but upon arrival they were told no rooms were available and down graded them to a standard room and gave back the difference. I don't know about anyone else but depending on the resort I would be upset if this happened to me. My understanding is that when you reserve a room you are only reserving a place to stay on Disney property not anything more. So in essence they can move you anywhere. But is it fair to down grade someone after they paid? Who else would be upset if this happened to them?

I would never accept a downgrade. I would not get upset, but I would make sure that a resolution was reached that I was satisfied with.

[wilkeliza]

It seems that this happens at the value resorts more often then at the moderate or deluxe. I believe it would be because if for some reason the room you booked is no longer available and the preferred rooms are at max then there is nothing to do but downgrade. Now I'm sure if it really ruined someone's vacation that they were in a room next to the biggest pool and the food/shop area then they would perhaps be able to upgrade to another resort.

Disney runs so many hotels with a mass amount of rooms that unfortunately downgrading may be their only option if say the room was quarantined for sickness cleaning or needed to be sprayed for bugs or upon safety inspections found out there was something wrong or the plumbing went out. They try to do things as quickly as they can but some times the window between check out of the previous guest and check in of the current guest is not enough time to do what needs to be done and then there is no where else to go but down at the Values.

[Sue M]

I would be upset if I had to fight for a refund for the difference. That is very poor business, and I would have spoken to the manager.

[aubriee]

Originally Posted by spiceycat

which WDW resort did this?

most of the time disney upgrades not downgrades.

they just sell (especially at the new prices) more in standard views.

A few years ago we were downgraded at Pop. I paid for a preferred view, but was given a standard view. If I hadn't known where the preferred rooms were, the CM was not even going to tell me. When I mentioned it, he nonchalantly said, "Oh yes, you did book a preferred room. Sorry, we're overbooked, so had to put you in a standard. That happens alot." He then just kept on checking us in, like it wasn't a big deal. When I told him, I wanted the price difference refunded then, he gave a giant sigh, told me a manager would have to be called, they were all busy, and did I really want to go to that much trouble since the price difference for a week really wasn't all that much. When I told him what I actually wanted was the room I paid for, but if that was not possible, at least wanted the price difference refunded, he finally got a manager over there to approve it. We were defintely downgraded, not upgraded. I had booked a preferred room because I had my elderly mom with me and wanted her to be close to the food court and buses. We didn't get the room we paid for and had to argue to even get the price difference refunded.

[tinkbyday]

Once visit, we were checking in to POR and told that they were sold out and needed to move us to one of the All Stars (can't recall which) - I very nicely told them that was not acceptable and after about a half hour of the CM running back and forth to her Manager, they told us we could stay, but the next family wouldn't have a choice.

[sigepmike]

Like others, I have been downgraded at a Value. However, when we checked in, the CM immediately told us and they had already processed the refund earlier that day. I just chalked it up to "stuff happens" and went on about our vacation.

However, I certainly wouldn't stand for a downgrade to a lower level resort.

[karly05]

I'm just back from my first stay at POFQ, and my "downgrade" turned out to be a big plus. This was my first moderate stay after being used to interior corridors, and I had a river view booked - not for the view, but for complicated and silly reasons involving feeling more secure being able to see the whole side of the building before I got to it and not wanting to be put somewhere where the building was obscured by too many trees/growth that I would have to venture through to get there (hey, I said this was silly).

Anyway... My CM at check-in was very nice; she explained that they did not have a river view available for me and they had given me a garden view and credited me the difference (she volunteered this info right off the bat, I did not have to ask). Turned out I had gotten a wonderful location: Bldg 5, 3rd floor, in the section nearest the main building and facing the lawn where they show the movies. Out my door in the morning, turn the corner, straight ahead to the stairs, and a few more steps to the "back door" of the food court.

I LOVED POFQ, by the way; no longer worried about feeling insecure about the exterior corridors, and next time would just book Garden in the first place.

[maxiesmom]

Originally Posted by Hopefully

My Dad taught me many years ago that life isn't fair. I taught my kids this as well.
I would be upset, but I wouldn't stress about whether it was fair to me.
Neither would I "demand" relief, but rather work with the CM's to reach resolution.

In my case I didn't demand relief. Just the difference back for the upcharge to the preferred room I didn't get. And as far as working with the CM to reach a resolution goes, I was told before I could even ask that all the Value resorts were booked and none of them had preferred rooms available. It was definitely take it or leave it.

Life isn't fair. But you should still get what you pay for.

I want to add that the second time I was downgraded I had used On Line Check In right at the 10 day out mark. And that experiences is a good part of the reason why I don't bother with OLCI. I would have thought they could have looked and known I was coming and made sure I had the room type I had booked. Because I am sure that not every person who checked into a preferred room that day had used OLCI. Seems it should give you some sort of leg up.

[momto3gr8boys]

Originally Posted by karly05

I'm just back from my first stay at POFQ, and my "downgrade" turned out to be a big plus. This was my first moderate stay after being used to interior corridors, and I had a river view booked - not for the view, but for complicated and silly reasons involving feeling more secure being able to see the whole side of the building before I got to it and not wanting to be put somewhere where the building was obscured by too many trees/growth that I would have to venture through to get there (hey, I said this was silly).

Anyway... My CM at check-in was very nice; she explained that they did not have a river view available for me and they had given me a garden view and credited me the difference (she volunteered this info right off the bat, I did not have to ask). Turned out I had gotten a wonderful location: Bldg 5, 3rd floor, in the section nearest the main building and facing the lawn where they show the movies. Out my door in the morning, turn the corner, straight ahead to the stairs, and a few more steps to the "back door" of the food court.

I LOVED POFQ, by the way; no longer worried about feeling insecure about the exterior corridors, and next time would just book Garden in the first place.

You stayed in my favorite building! I like to stay deluxe but if I go moderate it's POFQ building 5!

I have been upgraded, never downgraded. But then again I only pay for standard view. I would be fine moving categories within a resort. I would not be very happy though if I had to change resorts, which I have read about on here.

[ThreeBeans]

Originally Posted by carly chloe

I know it happens but i would be extremely upset. Most people plan and research where they want to stay for months or years and then to have it switched on them would be terrible. Would not be feeling Disney magic for the trip.

Your trip would be ruined because you didn't get the view that you wanted for the very few waking hours you'd spend in your room? Really?

I can imagine a passing few moments of irritation, but geez louize, minor in the grand scheme of things, yes?

[ThreeBeans]

Originally Posted by Sue M

I would be upset if I had to fight for a refund for the difference. That is very poor business, and I would have spoken to the manager.

Now this, I agree with. The difference should be credited immediately at check in. That is absurd.

[maxiesmom]

Originally Posted by ThreeBeans

Now this, I agree with. The difference should be credited immediately at check in. That is absurd.

Ok, I'm not sure if this is true, or just what they told me at the time.

When they didn't have my paid for preferred room available, they did offer to move me if and when one opened up. However, I was there with the dining package and only for 4 nights, so I didn't want to deal with the hassle and the possibility of my dining being screwed up somehow. So I declined the offer. Apparently to them that means they don't owe you back the difference. At least that is what they told me when I questioned a few days in why I didn't get the upgrade amount back.

I sent off an e-mail once I was home, and received a phone call back. According to the nice lady I spoke with, they are not supposed to downgrade people, and they are not supposed to keep the extra charge, even if they offer to move you and you decline. Too bad the resorts don't seem to know that.