A Wigdout Spring Break Adventure very short pre-trip report

[Charleston Princess]

Hope you feel better soon, Wigd!

Happy Mother's Day!

 

[jewjubean]

Great update..I totally missed it when I checked your PTR/TR yesterday!

 

[wsushocker]

I found this article in our local newspaper and then searched and found it on the web. Wigd and I both agreed the letter writer should have done more homework. I hope he/she was not a dis member!

A not-so-magical Disney vacation

Question: I need your help with a Disney vacation that turned out to be a disaster. My family of four joined my sister’s family and our mother at Walt Disney World recently. Even though we were on the same reservation — called a “Grand Gathering” by Disney — one of our rooms was far away from us, down the hall at the Wilderness Lodge.

Initially, we couldn’t get into the Magic Kingdom because our travel agent ordered the wrong tickets by mistake.

From there, things went from bad to worse. Our monorail broke down, making us late for a character breakfast. We had multiple problems with our dining plan, which forced us to spend hours trying to figure out the bill and leading to several embarrassing situations. The dining plan was apparently new and Disney was horribly unprepared to deal with gratuities.

All of this was complicated by problems with our hotel-issued room and park cards, which did not work multiple times at either park entrances or park restaurants.

And then there were the lines. We arrived at EPCOT, hoping to ride on Soarin’, only to find a five-hour wait for a FastPass. I expected more, and left very disappointed. I wrote a letter to Disney, but haven’t received so much as an acknowledgment after eight months.


Answer: Disney should have answered your letter. But I think I know why it didn’t. Your initial complaint (the one I published is less than half the length of the one you sent) read like a laundry list. Companies tend to ignore those because they conclude the customer is just a whiner.

Only, you weren’t. You had several legitimate problems, including receiving the wrong tickets and having a dining plan that fizzled. I think the other problems should have been left out of your letter, because they probably lessened the effectiveness of your grievance.

For example, the room assignment problems should have been handled while you were at the Wilderness Lodge, not afterward. Think about it — there’s not much Disney can do about the inconvenience of being separated after your vacation is over. Similarly, the long wait at Soarin’ could have been addressed by showing up at the park’s opening, when the lines are at their shortest, or vacationing during the off-peak season.

And the broken down monorail? That happens. Disney shouldn’t be expected to compensate you for a technical problem.

Had you narrowed your complaints down to the two or most significant problems and offered a way for Disney to make things right, I believe this would have turned out differently. Your complaint would have been taken more seriously, and you probably wouldn’t have been subjected to an eight-month wait.

Even so, Disney was a little quick to dismiss your initial letter. A review of its promotional material for “Grand Gatherings” (defined as a group of eight people or more) sets a high bar for customer service. It promises a “one-of-a-kind” experience that’s “even more magical.” Among the special benefits: a dedicated team of “Grand Gathering Travel Planners” that will handle every detail of your itinerary.

That’s not what happened to you.

I contacted Disney on your behalf. A representative called you to apologize for your less-than-magical experience. Disney refunded the $1,030 you spent on park passes and sent you a $100 gift card that can be used on your next visit.

 

[wsushocker]

Great update..I totally missed it when I checked your PTR/TR yesterday!

I wonder if it is possible that your mind was on something else........like DISNEY!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

I found this article in our local newspaper and then searched and found it on the web. Wigd and I both agreed the letter writer should have done more homework. I hope he/she was not a dis member!

A not-so-magical Disney vacation

Question: I need your help with a Disney vacation that turned out to be a disaster. My family of four joined my sister’s family and our mother at Walt Disney World recently. Even though we were on the same reservation — called a “Grand Gathering” by Disney — one of our rooms was far away from us, down the hall at the Wilderness Lodge.

Initially, we couldn’t get into the Magic Kingdom because our travel agent ordered the wrong tickets by mistake.

From there, things went from bad to worse. Our monorail broke down, making us late for a character breakfast. We had multiple problems with our dining plan, which forced us to spend hours trying to figure out the bill and leading to several embarrassing situations. The dining plan was apparently new and Disney was horribly unprepared to deal with gratuities.

All of this was complicated by problems with our hotel-issued room and park cards, which did not work multiple times at either park entrances or park restaurants.

And then there were the lines. We arrived at EPCOT, hoping to ride on Soarin’, only to find a five-hour wait for a FastPass. I expected more, and left very disappointed. I wrote a letter to Disney, but haven’t received so much as an acknowledgment after eight months.


Answer: Disney should have answered your letter. But I think I know why it didn’t. Your initial complaint (the one I published is less than half the length of the one you sent) read like a laundry list. Companies tend to ignore those because they conclude the customer is just a whiner.

Only, you weren’t. You had several legitimate problems, including receiving the wrong tickets and having a dining plan that fizzled. I think the other problems should have been left out of your letter, because they probably lessened the effectiveness of your grievance.

For example, the room assignment problems should have been handled while you were at the Wilderness Lodge, not afterward. Think about it — there’s not much Disney can do about the inconvenience of being separated after your vacation is over. Similarly, the long wait at Soarin’ could have been addressed by showing up at the park’s opening, when the lines are at their shortest, or vacationing during the off-peak season.

And the broken down monorail? That happens. Disney shouldn’t be expected to compensate you for a technical problem.

Had you narrowed your complaints down to the two or most significant problems and offered a way for Disney to make things right, I believe this would have turned out differently. Your complaint would have been taken more seriously, and you probably wouldn’t have been subjected to an eight-month wait.

Even so, Disney was a little quick to dismiss your initial letter. A review of its promotional material for “Grand Gatherings” (defined as a group of eight people or more) sets a high bar for customer service. It promises a “one-of-a-kind” experience that’s “even more magical.” Among the special benefits: a dedicated team of “Grand Gathering Travel Planners” that will handle every detail of your itinerary.

That’s not what happened to you.

I contacted Disney on your behalf. A representative called you to apologize for your less-than-magical experience. Disney refunded the $1,030 you spent on park passes and sent you a $100 gift card that can be used on your next visit.

I always feel sorry for the first time Disney travelers who do not prepare for the trip. As we all know here on the DIS, the perfect Disney vacation just doesn't happen with out many hours of obsessive planning, and fretting.... then there are no guarantees!

 

[dddisrunner]

Happy Mother's Day! Hope you feel better soon!

 

[Lady Lallie]

I always feel sorry for the first time Disney travelers who do not prepare for the trip. As we all know here on the DIS, the perfect Disney vacation just doesn't happen with out many hours of obsessive planning, and fretting.... then there are no guarantees!

That is so true, there are no guarantees with ANY kind of vacation.

 

[jillyb]

I found this article in our local newspaper and then searched and found it on the web. Wigd and I both agreed the letter writer should have done more homework. I hope he/she was not a dis member!

A not-so-magical Disney vacation

Question: I need your help with a Disney vacation that turned out to be a disaster. My family of four joined my sister’s family and our mother at Walt Disney World recently. Even though we were on the same reservation — called a “Grand Gathering” by Disney — one of our rooms was far away from us, down the hall at the Wilderness Lodge.

Initially, we couldn’t get into the Magic Kingdom because our travel agent ordered the wrong tickets by mistake.

From there, things went from bad to worse. Our monorail broke down, making us late for a character breakfast. We had multiple problems with our dining plan, which forced us to spend hours trying to figure out the bill and leading to several embarrassing situations. The dining plan was apparently new and Disney was horribly unprepared to deal with gratuities.

All of this was complicated by problems with our hotel-issued room and park cards, which did not work multiple times at either park entrances or park restaurants.

And then there were the lines. We arrived at EPCOT, hoping to ride on Soarin’, only to find a five-hour wait for a FastPass. I expected more, and left very disappointed. I wrote a letter to Disney, but haven’t received so much as an acknowledgment after eight months.


Answer: Disney should have answered your letter. But I think I know why it didn’t. Your initial complaint (the one I published is less than half the length of the one you sent) read like a laundry list. Companies tend to ignore those because they conclude the customer is just a whiner.

Only, you weren’t. You had several legitimate problems, including receiving the wrong tickets and having a dining plan that fizzled. I think the other problems should have been left out of your letter, because they probably lessened the effectiveness of your grievance.

For example, the room assignment problems should have been handled while you were at the Wilderness Lodge, not afterward. Think about it — there’s not much Disney can do about the inconvenience of being separated after your vacation is over. Similarly, the long wait at Soarin’ could have been addressed by showing up at the park’s opening, when the lines are at their shortest, or vacationing during the off-peak season.

And the broken down monorail? That happens. Disney shouldn’t be expected to compensate you for a technical problem.

Had you narrowed your complaints down to the two or most significant problems and offered a way for Disney to make things right, I believe this would have turned out differently. Your complaint would have been taken more seriously, and you probably wouldn’t have been subjected to an eight-month wait.

Even so, Disney was a little quick to dismiss your initial letter. A review of its promotional material for “Grand Gatherings” (defined as a group of eight people or more) sets a high bar for customer service. It promises a “one-of-a-kind” experience that’s “even more magical.” Among the special benefits: a dedicated team of “Grand Gathering Travel Planners” that will handle every detail of your itinerary.

That’s not what happened to you.

I contacted Disney on your behalf. A representative called you to apologize for your less-than-magical experience. Disney refunded the $1,030 you spent on park passes and sent you a $100 gift card that can be used on your next visit.

This person obviously had no clue. The problem with the park tickets wasn't WDW's fault...their TA messed up....or else the letter writer wasn't clear on what they wanted. And the 5 hour wait for a FP for Soarin'??!! You can get a FP anytime within your window. Again, obviously no clue about FPs and how they work. Maybe that was the wait in the standby line? Thank goodness we know how to plan!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

This person obviously had no clue. The problem with the park tickets wasn't WDW's fault...their TA messed up....or else the letter writer wasn't clear on what they wanted. And the 5 hour wait for a FP for Soarin'??!! You can get a FP anytime within your window. Again, obviously no clue about FPs and how they work. Maybe that was the wait in the standby line? Thank goodness we know how to plan!

I just hate seeing articles like this! It makes Disney look bad and I can't see how any of this was their fault...

Happy Mother's Day! Hope you feel better soon!

Thank you, and Happy Mother's Day to you too! I just signed on to follow your blog!

That is so true, there are no guarantees with ANY kind of vacation.

Very true, even with our superior planning skills........lol

 

[wsushocker]

Very true, even with our superior planning skills........lol

My superior planning skills first began when I planned on asking Wigd to be my wife!

 

[Lady Lallie]

My superior planning skills first began when I planned on asking Wigd to be my wife!

Awww!

Wigd, I'd be worried. He must want something.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Awww!

Wigd, I'd be worried. He must want something.

LL, you read my mind......

 

[Lady Lallie]

LL, you read my mind......

I'd check for dents in the car.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

I'd check for dents in the car.

 

[wsushocker]

Awww!

Wigd, I'd be worried. He must want something.

I only want the same thing every red-blooded American husband wants......
































.....control of the remote!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

I only want the same thing every red-blooded American husband wants......































.....control of the remote!

That will be your Father's Day gift........

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Today Marc asked me if I realized that in 3 weeks we would be at Disney! I have so much to do before school is out.

But in answer to his question, it doesn't seem real at this moment.....

19 days to go!

 

[timandlesley]

Today Marc asked me if I realized that in 3 weeks we would be at Disney! I have so much to do before school is out.

But in answer to his question, it doesn't seem real at this moment.....

19 days to go!

WOO HOO!!!!!!! that is awesome, will be here right before you know it!!!!! Good luck with all the planning in the home stretch, that's the fun part!
Happy Mother's Day!
Lesley

 

[wigdoutdismom]

WOO HOO!!!!!!! that is awesome, will be here right before you know it!!!!! Good luck with all the planning in the home stretch, that's the fun part!
Happy Mother's Day!
Lesley

If it weren't for moving to a new school and grade level I would be feeling quite ready, we haven't even put away the luggage from our March trip......

 

[Charleston Princess]

Three weeks??? Why does that sound so much closer than four weeks to me???