What to do when Disney disappoints?

[disneymagicgirl]

I'm confused. This isn't your stay...how can you be disappointed in Disney, and how can you complain on behalf of other adults staying at the resort? They're grownups...if they're not satisfied with the services they're receiving, they should be the ones handling it. JMHO.

My 1st thought too.

 

[Stbissell]

Why didn't the 23 yr-old handle it????

 

[flyerwife]

As the OP, I am really shocked a how far this thread has gone and how off-topic it has gotten (hence, my ignoring it for a few days)...but since it won't die, I will make a few more points and then go back to the important things in my life....


First off, my initial post said "in a nutshell" because I didn't feel it was necessary to post that my kids had already walked down to the lobby TWICE after checking in around midnight because my daughter's magic band would not work as a room key. Yes, TWICE, because they went once and the desk clerk said she fixed it, but they went back to the room and it still did not work so they had to go down to the lobby again.


Then they get into the room to see the king bed, and call down by using ZERO as my son later told me, to be told that the hotel was booked and they'd try to change them tomorrow but would send up a rollaway RIGHT AWAY, which then took an hour and 45 minutes. They waited over an hour and called again and were told the bed was on it's way.

Their flight had been delayed by weather and yes, I asked them to text me when they got into the room. That's when I was told about the bed situation, and at nearly 2am when the bed still hadn't arrived, I did what every horrible parent would do (who, BTW, booked the room and paid for it, for those who asked), and looked up WHAT I BELIEVED THEN and still believe now to be the main # at the hotel, and reached someone who I was led to believe was the manager ON SITE who told me he only had one person in his hotel at the time to deliver rollaways.

Yes, he berated me for not specifying 2 beds. And since I have another upcoming reservation at a Disney All Star hotel, I was able to check and see that the standard rooms are ALL offered as two double beds and there is NO option for a king (as previously stated, in other trips when we wanted kings we could not get them). My confirmation also reflects the booking of a room with 2 beds.

Taking the advice of many here, I called Disney to be sure that my upcoming trip would provide me with a room with 2 double beds and was told that even though I have requested two beds, it is NOT guaranteed.

After being berated by the manager for not requesting 2 beds on my online checkin, I told him that the online checkin for that reservation was down and inaccessible to me until the morning of departure, and even once it was operational, NO OPTION is given to choose bed preference and there is NO SPACE for additional requests.

Just in the interest of full disclosure, they were never contacted about the request that was put in to move them to a 2 bed room for the remainder of their trip.

As they were in Disney to enjoy themselves, they spent every waking hour of the trip in the parks and made do with the rollaway rather than wasting more of their vacation time trying to fix Disney's mistake.

Funny how much criticism can be lobbed when the kids wanted their own bed. I can only imagine what would have been said had they slept together as many suggested they should have done The old 'damned if you do, damned if you don't', I guess...

Once again, my initial post was really to find out what others had experienced when their trip did not go as planned. I really don't need parenting tips but will certainly know where to go if I ever do. I do appreciate those who offered help and shared their own experiences. And now I have spent way too much time explaining myself to people I don't know and shouldn't care about, so I will simply end by saying thanks.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Taking the advice of many here, I called Disney to be sure that my upcoming trip would provide me with a room with 2 double beds and was told that even though I have requested two beds, it is NOT guaranteed.

Right. Nothing is guaranteed except a room. Given that only about five percent of the Value rooms have king beds, older are extremely high you'd get two full-size beeps.

After being berated by the manager for not requesting 2 beds on my online checkin, I told him that the online checkin for that reservation was down and inaccessible to me until the morning of departure, and even once it was operational, NO OPTION is given to choose bed preference and there is NO SPACE for additional requests.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least that a Cast Member wouldn't know what is and isn't possible when doing on line check in. They don't use it. The sensible way to make any request is the process that's existed for years: dial the phone and speak with reservations.

Just in the interest of full disclosure, they were never contacted about the request that was put in to move them to a 2 bed room for the remainder of their trip.

There isn't any valid reason why they couldn't have followed up. They couldn't possibly have spent all their waking moments in the parks. One could have pursued the room change while the other was getting ready. Or they could have stopped in the lobby on the way back to the rooms.

 

[flyerwife]

With close to 36,000 posts, maybe you could take a little time to read more closely:

As they were in Disney to enjoy themselves, they spent every waking hour of the trip in the parks and made do with the rollaway rather than wasting more of their vacation time trying to fix Disney's mistake.

And perhaps proofread....

older are extremely high you'd get two full-size beeps.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

With close to 36,000 posts, maybe you could take a little time to read more closely:

As they were in Disney to enjoy themselves, they spent every waking hour of the trip in the parks and made do with the rollaway rather than wasting more of their vacation time trying to fix Disney's mistake.

And perhaps proofread....

older are extremely high you'd get two full-size beeps.

My phone has mind of its own with auto correct. Likely that is the case here as such typos are quite rare for this poster.

Suffice it to say, if their sleeping arrangements continued to be unenjoyable, very easy to stop by guest services when stopping by the food court or getting to the busses. Clearly the solution worked for them to the point where enjoyment in the parks was their top priority.

I feel their pain. But ultimately, it was their responsibility to remedy the situation . It seems it was remedied to their satisifaction with the roll away.

We were assigned a handicap room many years ago with a roll in shower at an All Star. We were able to have it remedied quickly. If not, we would have been bees in the bonnet of the front desk. Because it was not what we requested and we were dissatisfied.

 

[grammaHBSR4]

OP, Sorry your KIDS had a rough start to the vacation. I think it would be bizarre for your kids to have shared a bed as others have suggested. People toss and turn at night and those saying put a wall of pillows between them would not have worked for me. I don't recall if you stated that they ever received another room with separate beds. I do agree that they should have gone directly to the lobby but understandable that they were not aware that they were contacting a call center. It's a shame that you are ridiculed by a few that your children called you to inform you of their situation upon arrival. It's interesting that a poster says they shouldn't vacation by themselves if they could not have handled this by themselves. Really? I think its nice that you have such a close relationship and you never indicated that they could not handle it. I do agree that if you were not a guest staying there you may not have had much success dealing with the situation but I would certainly have advised my children on how to handle this if they asked. I've certainly received dismissive responses regarding complaints when travelling as a mature adult. So for your children to call you is certainly understandable (especially if you helped with the expenses). Don't let a few mean responses diminish your concerns as a parent and wanting your children to have a great vacation.

Totally agree! Issue is being disappointed by Disney - only thing that deserves a response.

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Totally agree! Issue is being disappointed by Disney - only thing that deserves a response.

Amen, Sistah! Agreed.

 

[maxiesmom]

Anything that is posted is free game to be commented on. That is how places like this work. I think anyone who has posted for a while hasn't liked all of the comments they have received. But anything you put out there for the public to see is going to be commented on. Again, that is just how it works.

The issue was not being disappointed by WDW, the OP wasn't even on the trip. The issue was the OP wanting to handle something from afar that is best handled by the 2 adults on the trip. Disney guarantees nothing when it comes to your room, not the bedding situation, not the location of the room, not even that you will get a room at the resort you booked. They didn't get the requested 2 beds. And the roll-away was slow coming. Problems, but not end of the world type problems.

The OP asked what we would have done. I would have let the adults on the vacation handle it. They are fully capable.

Hopefully some posters have learned that if there is a problem, it is always better to walk down to the desk than to call down. Always.

 

[gogo]

My 19 year old son gave up his aisle seat to a whiney woman on a southwest flight that I paid an early bird fee to obtain. I watched my 6'2 son sit with his knees close to his chest for a 2 hour flight. I was furious ! Not with my son but that woman who told the flight attendant that she wouldn't sit anywhere but an aisle seat.

Op, good for u in attempting to teach your children they r within their rights to complain or even ask to B moved to accommodate their sleeping arrangements.

I asked my son later why he gave up his seat to someone who clearly didn't need it except for her own comfort he shrugged and said something to the effect she kept going on and on. Point being kids r kids and I bet not too many seasoned travelers would have given up there seat or accepted a roll away bed for the duration of their trip.

I get it op!!!!

 

[cjbcam]

You paid for the trip of course you would feel the need to call. I have bought my parents stuff and stuff has been wrong and guess who called? Me because I PAID not because I did not think they could handle it.
I also think managers would be more likely to do something from talking with an older person than listening to a young adult. Fair? No but I've seen it happen countless times.
Since you paid you also have every right to be disappointed you didn't get what you paid for. Disney obviously needs a better system in place that will let their check in cms know weather two beds are needed.

 

[kaytieeldr]

With close to 36,000 posts, maybe you could take a little time to read more closely:

As they were in Disney to enjoy themselves, they spent every waking hour of the trip in the parks and made do with the rollaway rather than wasting more of their vacation time trying to fix Disney's mistake.

And perhaps proofread....

older are extremely high you'd get two full-size beeps.

Thank you for the critique regarding beeps.

As for them having spent every waking hour enjoying the parks, this is only possible if the slept directly outside the park gates. They didn't. They had time to call you, so they had time to call the hotel. Or they could have stopped at the front desk on returning to the resort. Impossible to get directly from from the transportation seat to the bed.