Am I just being unrealistic?

[eliza61]

Hi all, I wonder if any of you can maybe point me in the right direction about who I should discuss the condition of my room with. This is our first stay onsite, and I have ALWAYS wanted to stay at the Yacht or Beach Club resort. We're at YC. My room, although pretty, has some really funky things going on, like cracking peeling "brass" coloring on the doorknobs to and from the bathroom. Mysterious hot pink paint on one side of it also. There are various deep dents, scratches and long (what looks to be) marker marks around the room too, especially on the doors and some furniture. It definitely looks like it needs love and new paint, well, in some cases wallpaper. The carpet looks super clean, though, which is a relief for me! This is our 3rd day, and thankfully whoever cleaned our room today got rid of the hair on the walls and bathroom floor that was here when we checked in. Other people's hair grosses me out.. I don't want to be a nitpicky pestering guest, but I wonder if I should talk to someone about the state of disrepair the room is in. I understand sometime in the future there will be a renovation, but in the meantime, these rooms still cost a pretty penny to stay in. I'm sure mine is not the only one.

Ok this is going to sound cynical op but unfortunately the last five years or so have proven to me a few things.

disney does not care a flying fig about their resort guest and their comfort. their sole purpose is to get you in and get you out so some one else get fill the room.
They are not going to act like any other hotel on the planet. save you breathe and your frustration.

So yes if you go to wdw and think that a deluxe hotel is going to be a deluxe hotel you are expecting to much
If you go to wdw and think that Disney's policy is to make sure you have a clean room, you are expecting to much.
If you have an issue and think that the staff will give you any thing outside of enough to get you from in front of the desk, you are expecting too much.

I have a dvc membership and I'm happy if I don't have bugs in my room. that's about the best that I expect anymore.

I mean that in all seriousness. they simply do not care anymore

 

[ryansstitch]

Ok this is going to sound cynical op but unfortunately the last five years or so have proven to me a few things.

disney does not care a flying fig about their resort guest and their comfort. their sole purpose is to get you in and get you out so some one else get fill the room.
They are not going to act like any other hotel on the planet. save you breathe and your frustration.

So yes if you go to wdw and think that a deluxe hotel is going to be a deluxe hotel you are expecting to much
If you go to wdw and think that Disney's policy is to make sure you have a clean room, you are expecting to much.
If you have an issue and think that the staff will give you any thing outside of enough to get you from in front of the desk, you are expecting too much.

I have a dvc membership and I'm happy if I don't have bugs in my room. that's about the best that I expect anymore.

I mean that in all seriousness. they simply do not care anymore

That's sad

 

[ryansstitch]

Issues like this are unacceptable, especially at a "deluxe" resort. While the manager may have been understanding and comp'd you a night's stay, the bottom line is that they did not take whatever step was necessary to get the issue fixed. If the issue wasn't fixed after talking to the manager, I would have demanded to speak to the next level of manager. If they would have refused to allow you to do that, I would have considered that to be my last stay at a Disney Deluxe resort of any kind and would have made sure enough high level managers received my hand written letters when I got back home.

I've decided the typical hotels have been better experiences for me. So aside from a conference I have next year, we will not stay on property again. Back to Bonnet Creek for me!

 

[ryansstitch]

If I were as upset as you sound, I would first take some pictures with my phone, then walk down to the concierge desk and discuss it with them and show them the pictures. That said, the only thing you mentioned that I would probably even notice would be the hair.

I'm pretty sure you would notice the mystery gunk on the doorknob once your hand touched it! Honestly,in the beginning I was confused that such a lack of care would happen at the yacht club. Then I was mad after the room was obviously not addressed per the managers plan. I turned livid after the plate for the magic band reader was suddenly removed from my door minutes after I "interrupted" her cleaning to get clothes for my child.

 

[eliza61]

That's sad

it really is, I enjoy wdw but my expectations are so low with them regarding customer service that I don't get upset. Now I have a dvc which really makes it worst but seriously, I'm more surprised if I get a clean, functioning room now.

 

[ryansstitch]

it really is, I enjoy wdw but my expectations are so low with them regarding customer service that I don't get upset. Now I have a dvc which really makes it worst but seriously, I'm more surprised if I get a clean, functioning room now.

I had so many great experiences being a parks only guest, I thought this would be even better. In fact, I was hoping to convince my husband to buy dvc if we had the great experience I thought we would have. Have you considered selling your points? Or did you buy back when it was relatively cheap?

 

[honeybunches]

OP, I'm sorry that your experience was so bad. We've always had terrific on-property rooms that are very clean; I'd have issues staying at that particular hotel again after such problems. I have to wonder what kind of people stay in a hotel room and leave gunk on a doorknob, splash stuff on a curtain, and all. We just stayed in a hotel in Gatlinburg this week, and no one would probably be able to tell we'd been in the room. Whether we're in a hotel or at home, we try to pick up after ourselves and clean up obvious messes we make. Although housekeeping should have taken care of those messes, it's also a shame that hotel guests would leave a room in such a disgusting state.

 

[ryansstitch]

OP, I'm sorry that your experience was so bad. We've always had terrific on-property rooms that are very clean; I'd have issues staying at that particular hotel again after such problems. I have to wonder what kind of people stay in a hotel room and leave gunk on a doorknob, splash stuff on a curtain, and all. We just stayed in a hotel in Gatlinburg this week, and no one would probably be able to tell we'd been in the room. Whether we're in a hotel or at home, we try to pick up after ourselves and clean up obvious messes we make. Although housekeeping should have taken care of those messes, it's also a shame that hotel guests would leave a room in such a disgusting state.

May I ask where you stayed?

 

[eeyoreandtink]

We have stayed at POP, POFQ, CSR, and AKL over the course of the last 5 years and never had a room not be clean every day, to an acceptable standard. We have never had an experience like you are describing in 5 years on property at all levels, value to deluxe. I can see how it could happen though. We spend a fair amount of time at our resorts, and I see the pressure housekeeping is under to turn over rooms and do it quickly, at all the resorts we have stayed at. I really think that it isn't so much that the individual housekeepers don't care about doing a good job, but that management is pushing too hard for productivity over throughness.

 

[honeybunches]

May I ask where you stayed?

We've stayed at WL, Pop, POR, and CSR. This fall we are staying at CBR. Of these, our favorites were Pop and CSR.
Out of all 4, I cannot remember one time that I didn't feel that the room was clean and orderly. My DH is vigilant about checking for bedbugs and other grossness, and he's always satisfied as well.

 

[Aurora0427]

May I ask where you stayed?

We've stayed at Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Beach Club, Yacht Club, POFQ, WL, and Polynesian. The only place we had an issue with housekeeping was at the Poly. The bathroom was dirty. We haven't been back.

I just don't want you to think Disney Hotels are filthy across the board. But given your experience, I totally get the reluctance to stay on property again.

 

[lwc]

My DGF will go in with a flashlight before we take anything in the room and rip the bed apart and check for bed bugs. It's not nitpicking, it's making sure we're safe and things are clean.

But...but...but...You are nitpicking.

Like, literally, actually nitpicking.

 

[eliza61]

I had so many great experiences being a parks only guest, I thought this would be even better. In fact, I was hoping to convince my husband to buy dvc if we had the great experience I thought we would have. Have you considered selling your points? Or did you buy back when it was relatively cheap?

yes to both counts. I brought when it was still very cheap, so now any vacation we take is still pretty cheap, which is the main reason I haven't sold yet. My annual dues are around 1000 dollars and I have enough points to stay 7 nights in a one bedroom, more or less depending on the season.

would I purchase a membership today? absolutely not especially not at the asking price they want for the Poly or the Grand Floridian. I cannot say the room issues are the only reasons we're contemplating selling, we really spend less and less money at the world. food quality is decreased so we eat offsite or Cs more and more, and we don't like fp+.

But my home resort is the BCV's which we love, we've gone five times in the last 6 years and almost every visit there were little issues with the room. now nothing to "ruin" my vacation but stuff like, burners not working on the stove, bathrooms not cleaned, cigarette butts on the floor of the balcony. I've been told by some here that I should stop "whining" that these are "little" things, but when these things become the normal not the exception, that indicates to me that things are slipping. I will totally admit that, that concerns me.

Definitely take my views with a grain of salt. 1) I'm a hotel geek, lol I never was one who could say hotels are only a place where they shower and sleep. since I go when it's generally Africa hot in Florida, I'm at my resort alot. and 2) during my real life I'm frugal (ok cheap. lol) so vacations I tend to go all out. I'm the gal that will eat cheeze-its for a month so I can spend 700/night on a hotel. So when things aren't nice I guess I do get upset because a lot of times I've made sacrifices to be there.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

This will be our 20th trip and we've only had one trip where mouse keeping was less than satisfactory. That was at the GF and when I brought it to their attention they fixed it. And I'm a clean freak!

 

[Aurora0427]

yes to both counts. I brought when it was still very cheap, so now any vacation we take is still pretty cheap, which is the main reason I haven't sold yet. My annual dues are around 1000 dollars and I have enough points to stay 7 nights in a one bedroom, more or less depending on the season.

would I purchase a membership today? absolutely not especially not at the asking price they want for the Poly or the Grand Floridian. I cannot say the room issues are the only reasons we're contemplating selling, we really spend less and less money at the world. food quality is decreased so we eat offsite or Cs more and more, and we don't like fp+.

But my home resort is the BCV's which we love, we've gone five times in the last 6 years and almost every visit there were little issues with the room. now nothing to "ruin" my vacation but stuff like, burners not working on the stove, bathrooms not cleaned, cigarette butts on the floor of the balcony. I've been told by some here that I should stop "whining" that these are "little" things, but when these things become the normal not the exception, that indicates to me that things are slipping. I will totally admit that, that concerns me.

Definitely take my views with a grain of salt. 1) I'm a hotel geek, lol I never was one who could say hotels are only a place where they shower and sleep. since I go when it's generally Africa hot in Florida, I'm at my resort alot. and 2) during my real life I'm frugal (ok cheap. lol) so vacations I tend to go all out. I'm the gal that will eat cheeze-its for a month so I can spend 700/night on a hotel. So when things aren't nice I guess I do get upset because a lot of times I've made sacrifices to be there.

Is housekeeping worse for DVC?

 

[eliza61]

Is housekeeping worse for DVC?

Housekeeping is a little different. we don't get daily housekeeping. We get something called trash and towel service on the 4th day (i think) and then if you are staying longer than 7 days you get a full cleaning on the 7th. you can request more cleanings but it's an additional expense.

So you can see that if you have a dirty bathroom when you first check in, it can be a major issue because no one will be in to clean it for quite a number of days..

 

[jani3]

I always bring some Clorox wipes with me whenever I stay at a hotel. But there's no way I'd bring my own vacuum, rags, and other cleaning supply.

Now I have a dvc which really makes it worst but seriously, I'm more surprised if I get a clean, functioning room now.

I'm about to make an offer on a dvc resale so what you said is concerning.

 

[Aurora0427]

Housekeeping is a little different. we don't get daily housekeeping. We get something called trash and towel service on the 4th day (i think) and then if you are staying longer than 7 days you get a full cleaning on the 7th. you can request more cleanings but it's an additional expense.

So you can see that if you have a dirty bathroom when you first check in, it can be a major issue because no one will be in to clean it for quite a number of days..

So basically plan on potentially cleaning your room when you arrive.

 

[AngiTN]

Ok this is going to sound cynical op but unfortunately the last five years or so have proven to me a few things.

disney does not care a flying fig about their resort guest and their comfort. their sole purpose is to get you in and get you out so some one else get fill the room.
They are not going to act like any other hotel on the planet. save you breathe and your frustration.

So yes if you go to wdw and think that a deluxe hotel is going to be a deluxe hotel you are expecting to much
If you go to wdw and think that Disney's policy is to make sure you have a clean room, you are expecting to much.
If you have an issue and think that the staff will give you any thing outside of enough to get you from in front of the desk, you are expecting too much.

I have a dvc membership and I'm happy if I don't have bugs in my room. that's about the best that I expect anymore.

I mean that in all seriousness. they simply do not care anymore

Wow, and you continue to go back. Amazing.

Thankfully, we have had 100% opposite experiences on our trips. We felt treated like royalty on our Disney trips. So much so that we no longer vacation anywhere else. If I felt like you do I can't imagine anything that would ever make me go back. I wouldn't want to give a company that made me feel like that one more cent of my money or time.

 

[ryansstitch]

Wow, and you continue to go back. Amazing.

Thankfully, we have had 100% opposite experiences on our trips. We felt treated like royalty on our Disney trips. So much so that we no longer vacation anywhere else. If I felt like you do I can't imagine anything that would ever make me go back. I wouldn't want to give a company that made me feel like that one more cent of my money or time.

I wish I had your experience. I was SO excited to stay onsite finally, but no magic. In fact, it was more like a curse on the last day!