Advice needed on a strange circumstance during our booking....

[bonjovi]

I called on Jan. 3, used the spring offer, and booked 6 nights at the poly for the end of April.

I got insanely cheap flights from our airline about 10 days later and booked those. Last tuesday, our flight schedule was slightly altered but the email came from the airline that said "if you are upset by this, you can change your flights with no penalty".....so we did and added a night to our vacation.

I changed the flights first, called Disney to add a night at the poly. Cast member comes on the phone , pulls it up right away, and says, yes, here it is. she proceeds to quote me what felt like a great price for the extra night (I didn't have time to number crunch before calling). I immediately said yes but asked "are you sure , it sounds low". she said "Of course, the longer you stay, the cheaper by day it will be". she starts to book it , the phone goes quiet.....and then "oopsie, I lost it." I was like , huh? she said, oh it is gone from my screen.

she goes to pull it all up again. and no std. rooms left at the poly for our additional night. she offers the 'princess suite' for 10K then says, "think positive thoughts, keep checking the site and calling us". three days have passed- I have called 7 times, been online all day pulling up and trying to find availability on the site.

DH said "this is insane-they are making you waste so much time for their "oopsie". call and talk to a manager."

so, do I have grounds to raise the issue another level?

 

[dansdad]

I don't know what another level will do if there is no rooms available for that extra night.

All you can do is keep checking for cancellations.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If the room was sold while she was asking you if it was okay, that's the way things go. Hardly the CM's fault; what would you expect a supervisor to do? Just keep checking.

 

[bonjovi]

there are room available....just not under the spring offer/discount.

is it really "normal" for the conversation to go like this:

"yes, I have availability for that night with a std room."
"great, I would like it"
"ok, lets add it on. oh, my screen is gone, let me pull it back up. nope, it's gone. oopsie"

seems like a horrible way to offer guests availability?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Unfortunately, you changed the flights FIRST.
2) Since you selected the dates, the resort can only tell you availability.
3) Just keep calling and hope for an opening.
4) If not, maybe a night at a Value or Moderate to make the extra day.

NOTE1: If the CM made a ressie and you booked a flight based upon
that info, then you have an argument. They might not be able to get
you into the Poly, but other arrangements might be done. But, since
you make the flight changes, THEN called for an added say, their only
responsibility is to tell you what is open.

NOTE2: . . . "this is insane-they are making you waste so much time
for their "oopsie". call and talk to a manager." I do not understand the
thought here.

 

[bonjovi]

I totally understand your points. And, in the end, I know we will stay somewhere that night. but as far as #2 is concerned, she did tell me it was available, I agreed immediately and was then told no, not available. that is what seems so bizarre to me. there was no hesitation at all on my part (I knew what I was already paying for 6 nights, so adding the 7th wouldn't really require me to "think about it")

my DH's point was wasting the time to "keep checking" , which is what she ultimately told me to do. That is, after offering me the princess suite or telling me to change resorts.

I came here for honest opinions, and I value them. I think the crux of my concern is being offered something, agreeing to the offer, and them retracting said offer. to me , it similar to going into any retail store, choosing an item clearly marked at a specific price, going to the register and being told you can not have that item, at that price. I think most consumers would argue against that type of transaction, no?

1) Unfortunately, you changed the flights FIRST.
2) Since you selected the dates, the resort can only tell you availability.
3) Just keep calling and hope for an opening.
4) If not, maybe a night at a Value or Moderate to make the extra day.

NOTE1: If the CM made a ressie and you booked a flight based upon
that info, then you have an argument. They might not be able to get
you into the Poly, but other arrangements might be done. But, since
you make the flight changes, THEN called for an added say, their only
responsibility is to tell you what is open.

NOTE2: . . . "this is insane-they are making you waste so much time
for their "oopsie". call and talk to a manager." I do not understand the
thought here.

 

[MrRomance]

I totally understand your points. And, in the end, I know we will stay somewhere that night. but as far as #2 is concerned, she did tell me it was available, I agreed immediately and was then told no, not available. that is what seems so bizarre to me. there was no hesitation at all on my part (I knew what I was already paying for 6 nights, so adding the 7th wouldn't really require me to "think about it")

my DH's point was wasting the time to "keep checking" , which is what she ultimately told me to do. That is, after offering me the princess suite or telling me to change resorts.

I came here for honest opinions, and I value them. I think the crux of my concern is being offered something, agreeing to the offer, and them retracting said offer. to me , it similar to going into any retail store, choosing an item clearly marked at a specific price, going to the register and being told you can not have that item, at that price. I think most consumers would argue against that type of transaction, no?

It sounds to me like while you were on the phone another CM was taking a booking and took the last room. I don't think you can blame the CM, if she was processing your request but another CM took someone else's booking, it's just bad luck. At any given time, there are an unknown number of people making bookings with an unknown number of CM taking calls. The same would apply in any situation, once the products are sold, they're sold out. I've had this happen on many occasions. I completely understand your frustration but I don't see that you have reasonable grounds to complain in this circumstance.

 

[mericletwins]

Is it possible it was the last room available and someone else snagged it while you were mid conversation?

We had a similar situation once where we booked at the Poly and then got our airfare a day longer than our original booking. When I called the Poly to add a night, there weren't any rooms available. Since we needed to stay somewhere else, and I always wanted to stay at the GF, we booked that. We figured since it was only one night we would go all out and book a TPV room. When we went to check in, we were upgraded to a GF TPV CL room! It was so fabulous!!!

Maybe book a hotel for that one night that you always wanted to try. (Maybe another hotel as that spring special rate!) You don't really need to unpack since it is only one night and then just head on over to the Poly the next day.

 

[tabbytrekker]

I use to work in reservations for an amusement park - not for Disney - and unfortunately it does happen. Screens can show the room one second, but once you get into the reservation, another reservations worker can "steal" the room. If I remember correctly, with the software we used, the room wouldn't get held for whomever we were talking to until we were through the address screen and seems like another screen. Don't know what Disney uses.

It sucks. I'm sorry it happened to you!

 

[trewin]

I don't know if there are "managers" available. But it couldn't hurt to *ask* and nicely explain the situation. See if they offer another solution - or see if a manager thinks you should keep trying. Maybe large group reserved a block of rooms and some may come available soon. It can't hurt to try! I just wouldn't get too upset if it doesn't work out.

 

[nkereina]

I had this happen to me with Southwest once. I was trying to book a "Wanna Get Away" fare on their web site and I kept getting an error message. I thought it was my browser at work (old version of IE) so I called. They said that the flight was sold out, even though the web site was showing all levels of prices still available. As annoying as it was, I had to pick a different flight.

Definitely keep checking back though. Worst case, you'll have to add the night not on a discount or at another resort.

 

[lililoo12]

Why dont you do a split stay for that one night? disney will move all luggage for you

 

[oasispaul]

C'mon, Bonjovi - pony up the $10K for the princess suite. Everyone here knows you made a killing off the "Slippery When Wet" album..

 

[Disneylover99]

C'mon, Bonjovi - pony up the $10K for the princess suite. Everyone here knows you made a killing off the "Slippery When Wet" album..

Love this!!!!! Can't stop laughing!

 

[Allison]

I don't think it is similar to a retail store. I think it is like an online transaction. Occasionally, something will sell out from the time you choose it to the time you are ready to check out. I have had it happen to me before while trying to book an Illuminations cruise. The cm saw it but it was gone before she finished the transaction. There wasn't anything to be done about it.

 

[aaarcher86]

I have been on the phone with a CM getting quotes and while I was debating with my husband the room sold. Twice on the same call in fact.

Super frustrating - not the CMs fault. The probably got a blank screen because it sold while she was on it and it wasn't letting her move forward.

I do agree, it was a bummer the way it happened but it's not her fault and there's nothing to gain from Disney other than someone from GS telling you that you could book a room at rack rate since they're available and explaining the same thing.

I don't think the retail analogy applies - you have something in your hand. It's more like putting a sale item in your basket online and by the time you go to pay it's no longer available. Lots of people can be doing the same thing at once - whoever processes it the fastest wins. You were offered something available, and by the time you said 'Sure, wait, is that right? Seems low? Okay do it' the room sold to someone else.

 

[Mynamewastaken]

I would totally book another hotel for the night for the experience somewhere else its only one night

 

[bonjovi]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I think I was a bit put off by her as well. after that happened she kept saying :

"I just love Jersey people. yes, they are so cool"
"oh, don't worry. you have to be positive. THINK positive. tell yourself, "yes, i will find a room" and keep repeating that " (it was a this point in the conversation that I made sure to look at my handset to know for certain that I had called disney!)

right now, they only have them park view rooms under the spring promo, for that night. it would be close to $600 for a one night stay......with the spring promo, we could spend that $600 to upgrade the full 7 nights and stay at GF for the week! 7 year old DD and 5 YO DS can't stop talking about "Hawaii" and the volcano pool....on and 40 YO DH