All Star Movies Fail

[brinkley07]

My dad chose this resort based on price, and as I love the idea of being able to say I have stayed at all resorts at least once I was game. We had a rough start when my dad, who needs a scooter, arrived and was told he couldn't park his car by check in to unload. The bell hops also didn't offer to assist with his luggage in any way. We shrugged off the rough start, and had a wonderful front desk experience. They were also able to fix the bathroom light in his room that was flickering within a few hours. However, the last day we were there DH and I found a cockroach in our room. As my dad was in a nearby room we checked and his room was clear. We tried to be discreet with asking to speak with a manager at the front desk, but the girl insisted we needed to tell her why. Unfortunately, it was a busy morning at check in and we horrified 2 other families beside us when we said as quietly as possible we had a cockroach in our room. Although the girl did go to a manager she returned stating I will give you a 50 dollar credit, and didn't have the manager speak with us. My father then nicely said I would like to speak with a manager, and the check in girl (who will remain nameless) rolled her eyes at my dad, turned around, and then shook her head a she went to get the manager. Her behavior was the straw that broke the camels back. The manager came and of course listened to us now inform her of all the problems large and small we had at the resort, and asked what we wanted. Our response was simple 1. To have the room exterminated and tended to for the next guest as we were leaving that day. 2. Have the front desk staff attend to guest issues with less attitude. 3. Allow some parking at the front door for handicap people to unload/load for check in/out. 4. Have the bell services offer to assist with luggage. I know we weren't at a deluxe this visit, but everyone at a Disney resort should have the Disney experience. It's a shame if this resort isn't striving to provide it, as there are plenty of other choices to stay. Having AP's DH and I will return with our little guy, but it won't be back to the All Star Resort.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

My dad chose this resort based on price, and as I love the idea of being able to say I have stayed at all resorts at least once I was game. We had a rough start when my dad, who needs a scooter, arrived and was told he couldn't park his car by check in to unload. The bell hops also didn't offer to assist with his luggage in any way. We shrugged off the rough start, and had a wonderful front desk experience. They were also able to fix the bathroom light in his room that was flickering within a few hours. However, the last day we were there DH and I found a cockroach in our room. As my dad was in a nearby room we checked and his room was clear. We tried to be discreet with asking to speak with a manager at the front desk, but the girl insisted we needed to tell her why. Unfortunately, it was a busy morning at check in and we horrified 2 other families beside us when we said as quietly as possible we had a cockroach in our room. Although the girl did go to a manager she returned stating I will give you a 50 dollar credit, and didn't have the manager speak with us. My father then nicely said I would like to speak with a manager, and the check in girl (who will remain nameless) rolled her eyes at my dad, turned around, and then shook her head a she went to get the manager. Her behavior was the straw that broke the camels back. The manager came and of course listened to us now inform her of all the problems large and small we had at the resort, and asked what we wanted. Our response was simple 1. To have the room exterminated and tended to for the next guest as we were leaving that day. 2. Have the front desk staff attend to guest issues with less attitude. 3. Allow some parking at the front door for handicap people to unload/load for check in/out. 4. Have the bell services offer to assist with luggage. I know we weren't at a deluxe this visit, but everyone at a Disney resort should have the Disney experience. It's a shame if this resort isn't striving to provide it, as there are plenty of other choices to stay. Having AP's DH and I will return with our little guy, but it won't be back to the All Star Resort.

I am sorry you had such a bad experience. A CM with an attitude can certainly make the Disney experience seem less magical.

Do any of the resorts offer guest parking at check in? I have stayed in several different resorts and none of them allowed people to park their cars there- not the values, moderates, or deluxes. With the huge number of people they have coming through, I would think that parking a vehicle would obstruct traffic. I think all of them are for quick loading and unloading, but they typically ask us to leave our vehicle running and to unload quickly.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Wait....cockroaches in Florida!??!?!

 

[Ensusieasm]

My dad chose this resort based on price, and as I love the idea of being able to say I have stayed at all resorts at least once I was game. We had a rough start when my dad, who needs a scooter, arrived and was told he couldn't park his car by check in to unload. The bell hops also didn't offer to assist with his luggage in any way. We shrugged off the rough start, and had a wonderful front desk experience. They were also able to fix the bathroom light in his room that was flickering within a few hours. However, the last day we were there DH and I found a cockroach in our room. As my dad was in a nearby room we checked and his room was clear. We tried to be discreet with asking to speak with a manager at the front desk, but the girl insisted we needed to tell her why. Unfortunately, it was a busy morning at check in and we horrified 2 other families beside us when we said as quietly as possible we had a cockroach in our room. Although the girl did go to a manager she returned stating I will give you a 50 dollar credit, and didn't have the manager speak with us. My father then nicely said I would like to speak with a manager, and the check in girl (who will remain nameless) rolled her eyes at my dad, turned around, and then shook her head a she went to get the manager. Her behavior was the straw that broke the camels back. The manager came and of course listened to us now inform her of all the problems large and small we had at the resort, and asked what we wanted. Our response was simple 1. To have the room exterminated and tended to for the next guest as we were leaving that day. 2. Have the front desk staff attend to guest issues with less attitude. 3. Allow some parking at the front door for handicap people to unload/load for check in/out. 4. Have the bell services offer to assist with luggage. I know we weren't at a deluxe this visit, but everyone at a Disney resort should have the Disney experience. It's a shame if this resort isn't striving to provide it, as there are plenty of other choices to stay. Having AP's DH and I will return with our little guy, but it won't be back to the All Star Resort.

So..... How did the manager respond?

 

[bumbershoot]

I've lived in Florida. My mom was the neatest cleanest most house-proud neatfreak Virgo anywhere. And they had roaches on occasion. Er, palmetto bugs. You know, the ones that fly? So charming.

If you cannot handle cockroaches, do not visit FL. They are inevitable. They are everywhere. And they sometimes fly.

Welcome to Florida.

 

[freediverdude]

If it was a big cockroach longer than an inch that could fly, that wasn't a cockroach. Those are called palmetto bugs, and they're crawling all over Florida outside, and tend to get inside by mistake or looking for water. That doesn't mean there's what you would typically think of as a roach infestation in that case, it's just a single bug in the wrong place. If however it was one of the small German roaches that can't fly, then yes that's more serious, and there's usually more than one around, and the management should be told about it.

I'm sorry you had a rough time- if it was a palmetto bug, they're big and ugly and startling, but unfortunately it's part of living in Florida. As for the bell services, I'm not sure if they offer luggage unloading from cars, I've never seen it in lots of trips to the value resorts. Once you have the luggage next to the building or inside they should help you if you want service to the room though. They also tend to need to keep the porte cochere clear for different buses arriving.

 

[Amanda999]

Sorry you had some issues at ASMo.

FWIW - which is nothing, as everyone and everyone's expectations are different - my son is disabled (with a handicap placard for our car) and no Disney resort permits us to park at the front door to unload/check in or check out. They do reserve the very closest spots in the parking lot nearest that front door (at every resort I've been to there) for check in/out and there are reserved HP spots within that area.

We once waited late at night - with dozens of other people on a Magical Express bus from MCO to ASMo - a very long time for someone to move their car away from that front door (they were checking out/packing up the car). The bus couldn't fit in the stopping area - let alone anywhere near the curb (so kids wouldn't have to cross the drive area) until that car moved.

I think there are just too many people at these resorts to accommodate what you were expecting.

Of course that doesn't excuse any poor attitude by a CM, nor the lack of an offer of assistance (perhaps via a luggage cart holding CM to help you with luggage from the parking lot).

 

[ellie05]

I've lived in Florida. My mom was the neatest cleanest most house-proud neatfreak Virgo anywhere. And they had roaches on occasion. Er, palmetto bugs. You know, the ones that fly? So charming.

If you cannot handle cockroaches, do not visit FL. They are inevitable. They are everywhere. And they sometimes fly.

Welcome to Florida.

I just have to say this made me laugh. I am a Virgo and I a neat freak. We live in the south and during the summer months we occasionally find a roach here and there mostly by the back door.

 

[ellie05]

OP we also had a terrible experience at ASMo and we won't ever go back. Our room was filthy there is an old thread with pictures. I do understand why they don't allowed people to park out front, but I feel they should have offer you help with your luggage. I never have been offer help with our luggage at a value I think they mainly handle luggage delivery from the airport, honestly otherwise I don't think they would be there because usually hotels in that category don't have bell services. I agree that what made our situation worst was when the manager gave us an attitude and said "what do you want me to do?". How did the manager handle the situation?

 

[Mousemommy1]

If it was the giant cockroach kind (aka Palmetto Bug), those are unfortunately very common down south and sometimes they get inside.
We had one in our room at the Beach Club. In all of our stays at WDW (10+ at all levels) that was the only time we came face to face with one of those bad boys in our room. It happens.
It didn't even cross my mind to tell management about it, because I knew what it was and I know it happens. And that was at a deluxe!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Our response was simple 1. To have the room exterminated and tended to for the next guest as we were leaving that day. 2. Have the front desk staff attend to guest issues with less attitude. 3. Allow some parking at the front door for handicap people to unload/load for check in/out. 4. Have the bell services offer to assist with luggage. I know we weren't at a deluxe this visit, but everyone at a Disney resort should have the Disney experience.

Okay,
1. As you've read in several responses, the single insect in your room the very last day of your trip was most likely a palmetto bug - the clean, classy, we're-not-here-because-this-place-is-dirty relative of, yes, the cockroach family (aside: it's regrettable the guest apparently wasn't able to visit ITtBaB).
2. The guest should be aware or at least consider that even a non-managerial desk clerk may very well be authorized to handle even unusual guest complaints, and that any attitude encountered could be due to the guest's continued insistence on management presence, or perhaps even areflection of attitude from the guest.
3. While some resorts do have temporary handicapped parking placeholder to Registration than others, all HP spots are required to be located so as to get the handicapped person out of the flow of traffic as quickly and safely as possible, but these spaces don't need to be adjacent to the entrance, especially if that would impede operations.
4. Luggage Assistance doesn't provide the same level of service as Bell Services, but anyone in need of assistance should ask.

 

[Hopefully]

Sorry you had a bad experience.
I think some of the disappointment is a matter of incorrect expectations.
Value Resorts do NOT have Bell Services. They provide what is called "luggage assistance" and it is a much more limited service. I suspect what you wanted is outside of the scope of their responsibility.
And as others have said, It sounds like you encountered a Palmento Bug - not the cockroach you are thinking of. I once found one IN my bed at the Poly. I just scooted it away and went to sleep.
I hope your next trip is better.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We had a rough start when my dad, who needs a scooter, arrived and was told he couldn't park his car by check in to unload. The bell hops also didn't offer to assist with his luggage in any way. We shrugged off the rough start,

It sounds like your father wasn't alone on arrival? If that's so, is there a reason why he and his luggage (or someone else and his luggage) didn't get dropped off as close to the door as possible?

Although the girl did go to a manager she returned stating I will give you a 50 dollar credit, and didn't have the manager speak with us.

No. Wrong. The manager chose not to speak with you until you insisted, demanded, whatever. In no job I have ever held have I had the authority to have anyone above me do what I tell them to do. Where do you work and what do you do that a manager will heed your request, even when you're the messenger from the client/customer?

 

[loves to dive]

Sorry you had a bad experience, as others have pointed out, it's Florida and you are just as likely to get those wonderful visitors in the Four Seasons as in a Motel 6. As far as your father's experience, I'm a little confused, if you were driving why would his luggage have needed to be unloaded at the check in any way? You park at your building so the off loading would be done then. I can understand why he would need to get himself to checking, but if he had a scooter, parking anywhere in the check in lot would have given him plenty of room to scoot to check in. If he needed assistance with his luggage at the room, I'm pretty sure you could have asked for that at the front desk and they would have helped. I will say, you handled the whole situation well in that you didn't demand they do anything unreasonable (can't tell you how many times we see people demanding they not pay for something like this). The value resorts are less than the moderates and deluxes for a reason, you don't get the same services, but you get what you pay for. I've stayed at 2 values, I usually stay deluxe, and while I'll not stay at one again, I will say the staff were always pleasant and helpful.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Yep, we've had those palmetto bugs many times in deluxe resorts, especially resorts like the Poly that sit close to water and have a tendency for people to leave their sliding glass doors open. They are gross for sure. One time I had two in the closet crawling on my clothes, they were HUGE and scary so I called maintenance and asked if they would come get them for me. I'm a chicken when it comes to bugs! The man was super nice but laughed at me as I screamed.

 

[brinkley07]

So to answer everyone's question it wasn't a Palmetto bug. My family is originally from FL, my father currently lives in FL, and yes we know the difference. It also wasn't anywhere near the door to have just come in, but in the far reaches of the room. It was truly a cockroach which we were able to kill and show the manager. Every hotel has actual cockroaches and does regularly spray the rooms, exterior, and water pipes but it doesn't always eliminate them and after spraying at times it will cause them to flee and become visible as they die. Of course if they are visible the room does need to be managed. Per the manager parking to let a handicap person load or unload is allowed where we were asking to put the car as it wouldn't block any traffic or even bus traffic. My dad and I arrived separately, but he called me when he was arriving so I met him up front in the check in area about 10 minutes after he had arrived. His scooter hadn't been delivered yet, so it wasn't available. He can walk short distances, but was/is very painful due to a torn muscle but it's not a permanent injury that he owns a scooter. In the end the manager was apologetic and as I stated asked what we wanted. I left the resort, so I hope she followed through as she said she would have the room sprayed and cleaned before allowing another guest. She also said she would educate her staff on allowing anyone who needed help that they should be able to park in the area we requested as it wouldn't interfere with the traffic flow.

Overall I think almost everyone missed the point which wasn't the fact we found a roach, or the fact he couldn't have parking, or help with luggage. The point is that the customer service wasn't at the normal Disney level. All of our issues were things we overlooked until the last cast member rolled her eyes and shook her head, and we had only gone there to attempt to let the manager know there was an issue that needed tending in the room.

Lastly @Katieeldr it's a shame if you work in those conditions. My family has owned multiple long term care facilities and we have managed them all, I have worked for other companies both in management and as staff. We have always provided the utmost care and customer service as we are entrusted with peoples lives and family members. If I have a manager under or above me that would shrug off an employee trying to resolve a customer service issue they would be educated in the fact that those customers provide our jobs. So when we politely asked for the manager as to attempt to not cause a scene and be discreet as possible, but the cast member actually caused a scene it was discouraging. The fact she felt that a monetary offer would suffice was a shame, and when the manager arrived she said it was her intention to speak with us and she wasn't sure why that wasn't conveyed. It was one problem cast member that needed some education. Again it's about having the Disney experience provided at all levels and for everyone, and that is what was missed by this person.

 

[Tigerlulu]

FWIW, I would have freaked over the roach too. Doesn't mind what kind. And 50 bucks isn't enough to wipe that nightmare from my mind. I'll have nightmares about it just from reading this. I'm glad you brought it up to them!

 

[Aurora0427]

I love how everyone just assumes the OP has no idea what a palmetto bug is, and everyone just assumes there's no way Disney could have an actual roach in a hotel room. Sheesh.

I'm sorry you had such a rotten stay, OP. I would've had to work hard to keep my cool with an eye rolling CM.

 

[Aurora0427]

No. Wrong. The manager chose not to speak with you until you insisted, demanded, whatever. In no job I have ever held have I had the authority to have anyone above me do what I tell them to do. Where do you work and what do you do that a manager will heed your request, even when you're the messenger from the client/customer?

To use your words, WRONG. If a customer asks to speak to a manager, the manager needs to get their butt out there and speak to the customer. End of story. Especially at a place like Disney.

 

[Nancyg56]

I've lived in Florida. My mom was the neatest cleanest most house-proud neatfreak Virgo anywhere. And they had roaches on occasion. Er, palmetto bugs. You know, the ones that fly? So charming.

If you cannot handle cockroaches, do not visit FL. They are inevitable. They are everywhere. And they sometimes fly.

Welcome to Florida.

LOL!! I just visited my own Palmetto Bug nightmare! I had never even seen one of those creatures, and opened a cabinet at my DH aunts house. The thing FLEW out at me and scared my sox off! Nasty critters! LOL!