ASMu woes...update (p.8) and HELP!

[taximomfor4]

Obviously I did not make myself clear in my post. If she has spoken to the ADA and they determined that Disney somehow violated her dd's rights, THEN she could perhaps push the issue and gain more compensation. My point after that was that if she really wants to take this further (not focusing on $$$), then she should push Disney to look at their policies in regard to communication between special svcs and their hotels. (which is something that will help future guests like myself and MANY others.)

As far as I can tell this is not about noisy neighbors or the ability to be near the mug refill station. The issue is that although Disney USUALLY goes above and beyond for families with disabilities, they failed this family even though the OP had coordinated every last detail with special services.

Thanks! And that is how I took your advice. I said in my most recent email to WDW that I want their policies looked at. Prevention of future happenings like this is important. With disabled people, there is not much room for error.

 

[lewdyan1]

I am sorry to hear this whole saga...I would still consider sending copies of all correspondence to your credit card company (as previously posted) and ask them to consider a claim, as you did not get the services you contracted i.e. reservation for.

 

[puggymom]

I traveled to WDW with a special needs child several years ago, it was my friends daughter. Unfortunately the lack of training regarding special needs was so wide spread in our trip my friend will NEVER return to WDW. I don't even mention my trips to her, it upsets her so. When we were there and when we returned we documented the issues we encountered. We did not get one response from anyone we contacted. We were staying at CBR and I even arranged a private meeting with a manager one morning in the middle of the trip and he just stared at me with a blank face and at the end just looked at me said, "Don't really know what I can do for you". It even turned me off from Disney, it was 5 years before I returned, that's how bad it was. We had done so much research about traveling there with her daughter, we even had a CM that I knew work there help us with planning. Like the OP, we just wanted an apology and to let them know they need to better train their CM's to serve special need guests and to recognize that not all disabilities are visible to the naked eye.

 

[taximomfor4]

I traveled to WDW with a special needs child several years ago, it was my friends daughter. Unfortunately the lack of training regarding special needs was so wide spread in our trip my friend will NEVER return to WDW. I don't even mention my trips to her, it upsets her so. When we were there and when we returned we documented the issues we encountered. We did not get one response from anyone we contacted. We were staying at CBR and I even arranged a private meeting with a manager one morning in the middle of the trip and he just stared at me with a blank face and at the end just looked at me said, "Don't really know what I can do for you". It even turned me off from Disney, it was 5 years before I returned, that's how bad it was. We had done so much research about traveling there with her daughter, we even had a CM that I knew work there help us with planning. Like the OP, we just wanted an apology and to let them know they need to better train their CM's to serve special need guests and to recognize that not all disabilities are visible to the naked eye.

...Totally understand!! (I am the OP). My opinion is that it is very nice of WDW to offer what they do for Guests with Disabilities. If they are going to give what they promise, they should definitely better train and/or inform CM's who will be helping these guests. If they don't want to do that, they should just not promise the services that they offer! All I put here was what happened at the hotel with our "special services" ... I did not go into what happened in the parks quite a few times, when we attempted to use our GAC. Note that I said "use," not "abuse."

 

[eeyore45]

...Totally understand!! (I am the OP). My opinion is that it is very nice of WDW to offer what they do for Guests with Disabilities. If they are going to give what they promise, they should definitely better train and/or inform CM's who will be helping these guests. If they don't want to do that, they should just not promise the services that they offer! All I put here was what happened at the hotel with our "special services" ... I did not go into what happened in the parks quite a few times, when we attempted to use our GAC. Note that I said "use," not "abuse."

I too agree with you, I certainly hope every poster that is experiencing difficulties get thru the red tape - I just get this feeling that Disney is 'afraid' of people taking "advantage" , unfortunately that has happened too many times to Disney, but COME ON - you are not being unreasonable, and I for one am grateful for your time and courage to continue to try and see this through, again I hope others (I'm remembering posts by Sally, and Talking Hands) that have negative experiences band together to educate Disney - I have not read one post on the DisABILITY thread that comes across as anyone trying to get something for nothing, just as you posted, provide the services they do offer!

and educate each and every CM, surely they have some sort of training on how to deal with the public, how hard is it to include Disabilities, seen and unseen... deaf and hard of hearing may not be visible!!

>>> stepping off of platform,

 

[taximomfor4]

YAY! Got an answer about CM training in GAC issues. Nothing specific, but my dh had sent an email about the problems we had in using the GAC in the parks. Separate issue, separate email from the resort one. Got a call yesterday from someone at WDW who sounded quite concerned. She listened, asked for specific examples of less-then-helpful (read: rude) cm's. There were only a few, but those few were really bad.

Anyway, she listened. Seemed like she REALLY listened! I thanked her for being so receptive to what we wanted to say, and explained that what we really want is CM's to be informed (in general) about GAC users. She extended 1-day tickets for the 4 people in my party who were there on regular tickets (I had AP, and youngest dd was only 2). Again, I thanked her, told her it's completely unnecessary, just loved that she listened better than the person I'd spoken to about the resort issues (from this thread). She asked "Why, what happened?" I gave her a hugely abbreviated rundown, because this was not her issue to deal with. Well, she said she'd give us 2 rooms for 1 night in any All Star resort anyway. I was shocked and flabbergasted. Then she called back 2 minutes later, said she looked into my previous complaint and saw that we were already comped one night. I pointed out that I had told her we dealt with this already, and anyway it was a 50% off one night comp. She said, "Oh yeah, I see that. OK then!" Don't know that we will use that free night, since she said it cannot be applied to any other WDW resort. But the offer was soooooo nice!

Thanks, all! I feel much better now, somebody valued what I was saying and did not minimize it all. Amazing what someone with good, solid people skills can do to get a customer to chill out!

Beth

 

[eeyore45]

Yeah that someone listened. and yeah that you felt "valued"...

and of course how sad that she called 2 minutes later thinking that she had been "had"... and of course YOU had to point out that wasnt correct at all!! That is what is so sad with some of these legitmate complaints, that so many have taken advantage of Disney,

oh well, time to stop

 

[riu girl]

taximomoffour,
being the parent of a special needs child also, I have been reading this thread from the beginning. I am glad that you finally received some satisfaction. Due to what you have gone through with the vacation, I'm sure your next WDW vacation can only be better!!!!!

Happy planning!!
Suzy V.

 

[LAS]

I've been reading this thread since the beginning. Thanks for continually keeping us updated. I'm so glad someone finally seemed to care. I don't have a special needs child but I have learned some things from this and I appreciate your posting. Good Luck!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

im glad that someone besies Lucreia called you
hopefully this will help disney improve

 

[fizz13]

have read this thread through and feel sad for the lack of basic common sense, tact and human emotion in some of the CM's, sad for how it affected your trip and sad that it may affect your decision about future ones.

Finally a CM has taken the time to try and rectify some of the situation and I am pleased that this may calm your feelings but isn't it a shame that it happened at all?

I am sending pixiedust your way for many future trips,
Claire

 

[taximomfor4]

have read this thread through and feel sad for the lack of basic common sense, tact and human emotion in some of the CM's, sad for how it affected your trip and sad that it may affect your decision about future ones.

Finally a CM has taken the time to try and rectify some of the situation and I am pleased that this may calm your feelings but isn't it a shame that it happened at all?

I am sending pixiedust your way for many future trips,
Claire

Totally agree (I am the OP). It would be wonderful if this had all not happened, it was a good feeling to finally be heard, and future trips are affected. BUT...DH said all along, no WDW until we can afford deluxe. (2 rooms??? Yeah right!) Now that the other CM gave us the free 1-night stay at any All Star, I have POSSIBLY talked him into a split stay between All Star Sports (DH is a teacher/coach, and ASsp gets on + off the bus first) and WL.

If any of this stuff happens this time, he might just blow a gasket, lol...and he is one of those people that NEVER complains, gets embarassed if he overhears anyone else doing it.

 

[taximomfor4]

So here is the headache. And I haven't even left yet. Sorry, gonna be long.

Due to the issues we had over our Easter trip, we were given incentive (minor) to book at the All Star Resorts again for this trip. We hemmed and hawed, then booked it for half the stay (8/11-8/15). On 8/15, we transfer to WL . Problem is, our ASsp ressie had to be booked through a special number, directly to All Star corporate offices. When I added ME to our ressie after getting our flight booked, I reiterated MORE than once that we are flying in on 8/11, going to ASsp. Was put on hold, so agent could, I suppose, get help entering this. (They could not access the All Star ressie because it is direct with the resort. We had been warned that it would be this way.) DH would ONLY let us fly when I explained that we would not be dealing with our luggage after curbside dheckin in cleveland.

Agent came back, read back all our info. Flying in on flight 2071, on 8/11, going to All Star Sports. YES!!

Got my luggage tags for ME. Says we are flying in on flight 2071 on 8/15, going to WL. No! ARRGGGHHH!

So I called ME. They cannot fix this. Said we can't use those tags, even if we cross out WL and marker in there All Star Sports. And they cannot send us correct luggage tags.

So we called the direct All Stars number that we had used to reserve our room. Left a message, got called back today, AND.....(DH is fuming)...they told him that I had never MENTIONED that we are staying at ASsp first. He re-capped our conversation when reserving ME. But this woman was pretty snotty. Insisted that we never told them. (Anyway, how would she know? she wasn't who we spoke with!) She tried to tell him that, anyway, they will get our luggage for us. They would "send someone to the airport to pick up our bags." DH said that sounds like it's not foolproof enough, leaves too much ambiguity...like WHO will come get them, and WHEN? So couldn't they just send us corrected ME tags. Nope, the woman started rattling off all kinds of specific instructions on how this could be made to work. Like stick really noticeable stickers all over our bags. He got frustrated with the long list of specific stuff, told her to call back after 4:30 so I could talk with her. She agreed, but nobody called back.

I have class mon-fri (VERY tough course load right now, finals next week) 8-4:00. I just need this FIXED! Quickly! I don't know who to call anymore. Lucretia, who is supposed to give us numbers for "Personal Reservation Assistance" at each resort, one week before our trip? I just don't know!

Advice, anyone? DH is ticked off at me, because I talked him into giving WDW another shot...and I really talked him into flying...with 6 people's luggage for 9 days, he did NOT want to deal with the baggage claim junk, getting held up at the airport, etc.

 

[juliepav]

We are going down in one week and I have not received my tags. My daughter is an advanced intern in weddings and she made all the reservations. She has called numerous times to try to straighten this out. Apparently because it was not a "normal" reservation wires were crossed somewhere. Finally, she was told that we should physically take our luggage to the Magical Express check-in, explain the situation, and they would physically put the luggage on the bus. A little inconvenient but at least I know it will get there.

 

[kaytieeldr]

>I have class mon-fri (VERY tough course load right now, finals next week) 8-4:00. I just need this FIXED! Quickly! I don't know who to call anymore. Lucretia, who is supposed to give us numbers for "Personal Reservation Assistance" at each resort, one week before our trip? I just don't know!

Advice, anyone? DH is ticked off at me, because I talked him into giving WDW another shot...and I really talked him into flying...with 6 people's luggage for 9 days, he did NOT want to deal with the baggage claim junk, getting held up at the airport, etc<

My understanding - and please keep in mind I have not used DME yet - is that when you get to MCO and go to the DME counter to check in, the CMs there will have a binder showing photographs of MANY different suitcases/bags. You pick out which your luggage resembles and they WILL be able to pull your bags behind the scenes and transport them with the tagged luggage.

Putting something on your luggage making it easier to ID - a rainbow-colored strap, red yarn pom-poms tied to the handle (NOT stickers, which might be hard to remove later) will enable them to pick out your bags even more easily. Another suggestion I've seen it to take a picture of your luggage to show the CMs. You could do this in advance with a regular camera so there's enough time to get the roll developed, or with a digital camera you can just store the photo and show that to the CM.

Good luck!

 

[wdwfan]

Taximomfor4 I feel so badly for you. Going on vacation should not be this hard. I thought that I have read on other threads that people used DME without their yellow tags from DME and the luggage still got to their resort room. I may have read this on the transportation board.

After reading through this whole thread starting with your trip in April and dealing with Lucretia who was a big nothing, maybe you could tell them that they must fix this problem and make it their top priority or the letter writing campaign that you recently undertook will seem like child's play when you get finished this time. It is a shame to have to be like this, but sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Take their names and tell them you are documenting your communications. Whatever level of kindness they use dealing with you, or lack of, use the same amount back on them.

I hope you can get the help you need and that the "Happiest Place On Earth" sprinkles the much needed pixie dust on you and your family.

 

[riu girl]

taximomoffour,
What a situation you are in. If it ws me, I woudl simply phone this Lucretia person and tell her the DME situation and tell her that since she is supposed to be handling your ressie, that she should fix it.

Also: did you post last week or so that an article was coming out in a national newspaper about your last WDW holiday? If so, could you post the article link? If it is difficult to do (or if you are too busy) , don't worry about it since I know you are extremely busy right not. Due to the situation you encountered on your first WDW holiday I will never book with special services. I have a current ressie at POP for Dec/Jan and I think I will transfer it to Dreams Unlimited. They seem quite on the ball.

Good luck with your current DME situation. Hopefully it will all be a bad memory soon, once you are in WDW looking at the smiles on your kids faces. Its such a big effort to plan a vacation like this (for families with special needs kids and also for all families) but the expressions on the kids faces once at WDW makes it all worth it, I think.

Good luck
Suzy V

 

[taximomfor4]

taximomoffour,

Also: did you post last week or so that an article was coming out in a national newspaper about your last WDW holiday? If so, could you post the article link? If it is difficult to do (or if you are too busy) , don't worry about it since I know you are extremely busy right not. Due to the situation you encountered on your first WDW holiday I will never book with special services. I have a current ressie at POP for Dec/Jan and I think I will transfer it to Dreams Unlimited. They seem quite on the ball.

Suzy,
yes, the reporter that was on here in June looking for stories contacted me, we swapped experiences. Well, he called a couple weeks ago to let me know that this article was going to be in the paper, and that the paper would be calling me to verify facts. They called the next day, we verified everything, and they said the article would be in the NY Times Travel section on Sunday 7/24. I have been searching their site, but no luck finding it. I just emailed the reporter, hopefully he will get back to me and let me know where to find it.

When I find out, I will post it here!
Beth

 

[Sher]

Taximomoffour let me join in with my sympathy for you and your family. Your experience is the opposite of what a Disney vacation should be.

I admit that I did not read all 8 pages of this thread. I did read 3 or 4 pages and I began to sense a trend in thought that I wanted to address. I apologize if someone has already presented the same ideas on a previous page.

Several people were starting to advise against staying at the All-Stars and the implication seemed to be that problems similar to yours happen all the time there and so anyone who doesn't want to deal with these problems should steer clear. I have stayed at the All Star Movies on 3 different trips at 3 different times of year (including spring break) and have not had a bad experience yet. I have gotten the rooms I requested, been allowed to check in early and have not encountered any large groups of unruly high school students. I'm not denying that problems occur, but it is not a certainty at the All-Star Resorts.

What bothers me is the implication that one should not expect to get good service at a value priced resort. Are we really saying that only those who can afford to stay at a deluxe resort are entitled to a problem free stay at Walt Disney World? I don't have the figures to back me up, but I suspect that the families that are filling those value priced rooms make up the majority of the Walt Disney World guests on any given day. Those of you who are able to afford mulitple trips each year to a deluxe resort, I suspect, are in the minority. For that matter, any of us who are so Disney-obsessed that we frequently visit a website devoted to Walt Disney World trip planning are most likely in the minority as well. Are we comfortable telling anyone who happens upon this site that they should not consider staying at a value resort unless they want to encounter one problem after another? Are we condoning this idea by warning against staying at the value resorts?

I still believe that Disney is an affordable vacation destination for families. I have been able to plan trips for under $2500 long before the MYW program. Threads like this one, along with the rumors I'm hearing about reserving the fast pass benefit for deluxe resort guests give me pause. I hope that the powers that be do not allow Walt Disney World to become so class-oriented that young families feel priced out of the magic.

Just my thoughts,

Sher

 

[letterdavidman]

Taximomoffour let me join in with my sympathy for you and your family. Your experience is the opposite of what a Disney vacation should be.

I admit that I did not read all 8 pages of this thread. I did read 3 or 4 pages and I began to sense a trend in thought that I wanted to address. I apologize if someone has already presented the same ideas on a previous page.

Several people were starting to advise against staying at the All-Stars and the implication seemed to be that problems similar to yours happen all the time there and so anyone who doesn't want to deal with these problems should steer clear. I have stayed at the All Star Movies on 3 different trips at 3 different times of year (including spring break) and have not had a bad experience yet. I have gotten the rooms I requested, been allowed to check in early and have not encountered any large groups of unruly high school students. I'm not denying that problems occur, but it is not a certainty at the All-Star Resorts.

What bothers me is the implication that one should not expect to get good service at a value priced resort. Are we really saying that only those who can afford to stay at a deluxe resort are entitled to a problem free stay at Walt Disney World? I don't have the figures to back me up, but I suspect that the families that are filling those value priced rooms make up the majority of the Walt Disney World guests on any given day. Those of you who are able to afford mulitple trips each year to a deluxe resort, I suspect, are in the minority. For that matter, any of us who are so Disney-obsessed that we frequently visit a website devoted to Walt Disney World trip planning are most likely in the minority as well. Are we comfortable telling anyone who happens upon this site that they should not consider staying at a value resort unless they want to encounter one problem after another? Are we condoning this idea by warning against staying at the value resorts?

I still believe that Disney is an affordable vacation destination for families. I have been able to plan trips for under $2500 long before the MYW program. Threads like this one, along with the rumors I'm hearing about reserving the fast pass benefit for deluxe resort guests give me pause. I hope that the powers that be do not allow Walt Disney World to become so class-oriented that young families feel priced out of the magic.

Just my thoughts,

Sher

Wow. I do believe this is the most cogent, well-organized, well-thought-out, most succinct post that I've read on these boards. Ever.

Your point is a valid (and, by me, valued) one.

Keep the thoughtful, erudite posts coming, Sher!