Downgraded

[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?

 

[DebbieB]

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 think anyone would be upset but stuff happens. Perhaps plumbing issues, room damages, prior guest did not vacate (by law, they can't be thrown out), overbooking in error. If there is no room available, they try to accomodate but sometimes they can't if totally booked. I think it's rare to happen, I've been going to Disney regularly since 1994 and it's never happened to me. On the other hand, I've never been UPgraded either.

 

[Missytara]

It does happen; it doesn't happen all the time, but it does from time to time.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[tinkermommyof3]

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 have read on the boards in the past that a few people have paid for preferred rooms at All Stars or Pop. They were "downgraded" to regular rooms. It seemed that the resort overbooked the preferred rooms. The guests that posted stated that they asked the front desk to refund difference in room rate and they did. I would be disappointed but would definately ask for a refund (don't assume it would be given without asking) of difference in room rate and make the best of the situation. The room contract has the small print that there are no guarantees. If still not happy at current resort, I would see if I could change to another resort. Still at WDW, still happy!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Wow, downgrading, eh? I used to travel for work pretty extensively and I've only ever been upgraded. Downgrading guests, even with the difference paid back, sound like really bad business to me. You'd kinda hope that they'd pay back the difference, plus an additional discount of some sort, to make good on their mistake.

 

[maxiesmom]

I've been downgraded twice, both times at ASMu. The second time they were not even going to tell me! It was only when I pointed out that I had paid for a preferred room and not the standard they placed me in that they acknowledged that I had been downgraded. And it took an e-mail on my return home to get the price difference credited back to me. Not the best experience.

 

[pl4bby]

I've been downgraded twice, both times at ASMu. The second time they were not even going to tell me! It was only when I pointed out that I had paid for a preferred room and not the standard they placed me in that they acknowledged that I had been downgraded. And it took an e-mail on my return home to get the price difference credited back to me. Not the best experience.

Ugh are you kidding how rude was that. I would have demanded a manager right there. And said I paid for this and you have the nerve to be sneaky and not refund me.

 

[spiceycat]

I've been downgraded twice, both times at ASMu. The second time they were not even going to tell me! It was only when I pointed out that I had paid for a preferred room and not the standard they placed me in that they acknowledged that I had been downgraded. And it took an e-mail on my return home to get the price difference credited back to me. Not the best experience.

boy that was not fair at all - you actually have to write Disney to get your refund -- that is definitely bad business.

don't thinks I would stay in AS MU again if your place.

never have paid for a preferred room at a value - to me it is just not worth the extra cost.

 

[dansamy]

We stayed once in the ASMu Family Suites. That trip was the one that helped me convince DH to buy DVC.

 

[Megsie1000]

The view would not bother me so much. In fact lots of times I have wanted to book a standard view but only the "upgraded" views have been available. Somewhere like a mod or a value the view shouldn't matter too much.

Now the preferred would be a different story. I would be *very* upset about that. I would never book POR, for instance, without a preferred room available. Especially if my Mom was with us. She has mobility issues and when she is with us we choose a resort based on what she can handle.

 

[Davis2902]

I have heard of this happening but it seems to always be at a Value Resort. I myself have been upgraded 3 times at no charge. Twice at GF and once at POLY. One of the GF upgrades was to concierge sugar loaf building (Thanks to Pampered Chef having all of the standard rooms booked upon our arrival). The others were just view upgrades.

 

[bobbyshawatl]

On my stay in January, I was given a choice. I was booked into POR in a King bed. When I arrived, I was informed that they didn't have any King beds available, and I could either be downgraded to a queen bed room at POR, or be moved to a King bed at POFQ. While we love POR, we'd never stayed at POFQ, we took the move option, as we prefer the bigger bed and the corner rooms that normally make up the King rooms.

 

[Hopefully]

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?

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.

 

[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]

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]

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.