CSR... Great Resort, Bad Experience!

[PLibster]

We just returned from 9 days at CSR. The resort is beautiful. We loved the Dig Site and the Pepper Market. We were in the Cabanas 8b section, second floor room 8602. Room was clean and reminded me of CBR.

Now for our experience...

When we arrived on Friday we checked into our room in Cabanas 9a first floor. I wanted first floor and the Cabanas section so I was happy. Well after about 15 minutes we heard kids running and screaming outside our door. We look out and they are having a water gun fight. I decided we better ask to be moved because I did not want to have to deal with this all week. No problem, I called front desk and we were moved. I was not happy about 2nd floor, but the view was better, and it seemed quieter, so we moved.
It is important to say that I have two children DS8 and DD6, and when we go to a resort I make them walk the hallways and whisper when they talk, especially early AM or late PM. We take afternoon breaks everyday between 2 and 4. Everyday we could not rest because of housekeeping slamming doors, kids running the halls and toilets flushing non stop. One morning at 7am two kids were right outside our door banging on the railing and screaming. My husband opened the door and looked at them and they went back in their room. It gets worse because on Tuesday, Cabanas 8b was being painted and we got to hear them talk loudly right outside our door and scrap paint off our window as we tried to nap. My husband finally went to management and they offered us a dinner at the Maya Grill.

On Wednesday, we had friends that were staying at PC come visit us at the Dig Site. My girlfriend and I walked back to the room to get ice and on the way back we had to hear the painters whistle and yelp like dogs. I was so mad! I could not believe this was happening at a WDW Resort. I went straight to the manager and he said he would look into the matter. I got a call later from the paint company and he apologized and said he would either move us to another room or move the painters off our building. I told him that I did not feel like packing up again and moving (we were going to La Nouba and dinner) and so he said he would move them. Well, the next day they were still there. I just decided not to go anywhere else by myself and just let it go.

So, the last few days we did not get much rest. Everyday, kids running and screaming, housekeeping slamming doors and toilets flushing. We decided to use our dinner coupon for Maya Grill on our last night. The manager says we cannot use the coupon because the front desk manager didn't fill it out correctly and they could not except it. I was so upset! I went up to the front desk again, and got it worked out, but come on already! By the way, dinner was ok, but we had a wonderful waiter. We have never had any problems at the WDW Resorts. This was our 12th trip in the last 11 years! Our trip was fun, I just feel like our resort was nothing but a hassle. We could have had so much fun at CSR, but as I have heard others say on the DIS; this resort does not hold the Disney Magic for us. We will never return.

Maybe others here will have a better experience with CSR.

 

[ciera321]

We just returned from CSR on 6/11 after 8 days and I know what you mean about the kids running down the halls and screaming. I totally blame the parents for letting the kids act that way. I know Disney is for kids of all ages, but some common sense needs to be used. I have DS11 and DS18 who have been going to DW since they were very young and they know to be considerate of others. At 7 or 8 in the morning you should assume people might be asleep and be curtious of them. We were at the Hard Rock Hotel for 2 days prior to CSR and we had adults in the next room at 4am playing loud music and talking loudly. SOME people just don't seem to care about other people. I know it's not just at Disney since this seems to happen at any hotel we stay at any more.....We went on a cruise in Europe last summer and kids were running up and down the halls all the time. I guess it's going to happen just about everywhere!!

 

[georgina]

We stayed recently in the casitas section, right next to the cleaning supply storage, so the only thing I heard every morning was the carts being rolled out to do housekeeping. We weren't usually in the rooms mid-afternoon, but I guess casitas had more convention goers and fewer kids. I think I'll continue to request casitas if we go back, based on your report.

 

[DonnaSue]

We stayed at the Grand Floridian in February and we ahd the same problem with kids running and screaming at un-Godly early hours and also late in the evening. I have two boys as well (ages 14 and 17 now) that have been going to WDW since they were infants. They KNOW better than to behave like that in ANY hotel room (or public place for that matter!). It was very disturbing and did put a big damper on our "restful" vacation. I did not complain to management. DH said, "What are they gonna do? Move you and put you in another room that probably has rude guests nextdoor. Just try to ignore it." Looking back, I should have complained. We payed a lot of money for that room and did not find it enjoyable because of our neighbors at all!!! It really makes you stop and think about your own "noise" as you walk through the halls. People are usually on vacation for a relaxing trip - not aggrivation and unnecessary noice from unruly kids (or unruly adults for that matter!!!).

Donna

 

[Sammie]

Seems to me that your experiences could have happened anywhere. It really is not the resort or it's staff it was the people you encountered. Even the painters were probably subcontracted.

The only problem with CSR staff was the mixup on the free dinner. Which while annoying that you had to follow up was resolved.

As to the noise housekeeping makes, I am sorry this bothers some, but there really is not a good time for them to get it done. If they don't do it, people complain.

We have stayed at CSR and never had the situations you described only to have similar ones at the Polynesian.

Never would I blame the Polynesian for loud neighbors and roudy children. I blame those responsible.

 

[pamlet]

I agree that loud kids can happen anywhere - might even concede about housekeeping, but they certainly can refrain from slamming doors.

BUT - the painters - subcontracted or not - that IS the responsibility of the resort. I'm sorry but that is totally unacceptable. Something should have been done about that.

 

[Tnkrbl2199]

Sorry about your bad experience. We love CSR and have never had a problem with noise levels, flushing toilets, painters, housekeeping or children. We have been there in May and JUne at busy times as well. We stayed in the Ranchos-loved it! And this last time Casitas-even better!!
In my opinion, it isn't really CSR that is the problem with the exception of the dinner voucher mix up. Anywhere you go you will find inconsiderate people who allow their children to do whatever they please or they are rude themselves.
There is a good chance you will hear toilets at any moderate or value resort (though I have not) and being in Disney, there is a really good chance you will encounter loud, laughing, even screaming children. You can't fault the resort. This is no different than a neighbor at home mowing his lawn early in the morning.
Hope your next trip is better!

 

[mars315]

It seems that all of the noise problems could be solved by Disney putting the money into soundproofing when the resorts are built. Of course, that is not going to solve any problems now, but I have stayed in plenty of hotels that cost little compared to what Disney charges, and the noise was non-existent compared to Disney. Once I stayed at a motel off of an interstate in New Jersey, and shared the room with my sister. It was for our cousin's wedding. The first night, before the wedding, I slept like a baby. Very peaceful. The next night, I dreamt that 18 wheelers were whizzing by my head. Only I woke up to find out it was not a dream. My sister had decided that she needed fresh air while sleeping, so she had opened the outside door to let some in. The room was extremely quiet with the door shut, but with it open you could really tell we were on an interstate. The point is, this motel was built to keep the outside sounds out of the rooms.

Regarding my sister, when I complained to her about how unsafe she had made the room by leaving the door open while we slept, she said that it was OK because she had placed a chair in front of the door. If someone had "broken" into our room they would have tripped over the chair, thereby alerting us to the fact that a stranger was in our room. And we would have ...???

Michelle

 

[TDC Nala]

If you do this, take note.

My only noise problem at Pop Century was due to the family next door propping the door open with the swinging bolt to allow the kids to run in and out, apparently while the parents were busy getting ready to head for the park at 7 AM. The door would swing back and hit the bolt: Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud. If you're going to do that to let the kids run around, at least tell them to hold the door so it won't swing back against the bolt (like kids will remember to do that).

 

[n2mm]

Sorry to read about all of the things that happened to you. I would've been a nervous wreck waiting to see what was going to happen next. As for the kids and noise at the resorts, nothing Disney can do about that. In fact no matter what resort I've stayed at, I've experienced that, except POR--Mansion Side and South Wing CR (the only 2 quiet places I've ever stayed). With the noisiest being WL, and value resorts.

As for the construction crew--totally uncalled for. Those are grounds for termination and sounds like the manager did not follow up on your complaint. Had that happened to us, my husband would have located the superviser of the crew and complained and took the name of the company doing the work and phone number.

I think CS is a beautiful resort and we have stayed there once, but decided it was not a resort we felt "at home" at. Too much activity and business-suits for us and did not like pepper market or any of the food choices there. (food options high on our list)

Hope your next trip is better, but as a warning, I find management to be less and less responsive to the issue of noise at the resort.

As for disruptive kids, my last stay at the A/S Movies I was hit in the head with a football in the LOBBY as a father and son where throwing the ball back and fourth (between the food court entrance and the store entrance). Why did management let this go on??? The father apologized, but I let him have it...ouch.

 

[Disney Debbie]

Sorry you didn't enjoy your experience there.

As for the rowdy kids - I'm afraid that is indicitive of the state of common courtesy in society today! I can't remember the last time I stayed at ANY hotel or resort (Except for the Venetien in Las Vegas!) that there weren't running kids, loud talking adults, people shouting from one floor to the other - at any and all hours. They have absolutely NO consideration for anyone else. It's the same as people who apparently think they're in their living room watching TV at the movie theater!

I'm leaving in an hour to go to CSR but I'm not too concerned. I always request a room on the top floor to avoid stomping, bed jumping upstairs neighbors and I bring my "white noise" machine to block out everything else. Plus I always sleep with ear plugs to drown out my DH's snoring!

 

[webray]

We just spent a long weekend at CSR...this was a second chance for this resort for us, and we will never stay again.

We didn't have any noise problems, but..this resort is obnoxious....you can be close to pool/close to main building..only a few rooms are convenient to both..and yet..not all that convenient. The food at pepper market is not good at all..low quality and way over priced. Food at all star sports beats the heck out of the pepper market. We had breakfast buffet at maya grill..again...13.95 per adult..and not good..it shouldn't be any more than $8 at most.

 

[Disney's Deluxe Princess]

Maybe you should have stayed with the first room? Those children would not have been outside your door 24/7. You also had no way of knowing how long that family was staying. When you travel, you take the risk of having noisy neighbors. You really can't expect complete and total silence at a WDW resort. Hope your future stays are more enjoyable.