At Jambo House Now-Saw a Cockroach and About to Cry

[famsen]

Ok, this is THE final straw. I posted last night about how housekeeping had not cleaned the rooms on the 5th floor of the villas when the front desk had handed out keys. Our room was gross but the room that was attached to ours was even more disgusting. We got a housekeeping manager to come in and they began working on the rooms. Fine.
I commented here yesterday about the conditions of the rooms. I said how things such as light bulbs weren't working. There are curling iron burn marks on the bathroom vanity and the shower needs caulking. Fine.

BUT.....today, just now after we have been here two nights, I opened the cabinet under the kitchen sink and saw a COCKROACH scattering about!!!!!
I am freaking out! I have not seen a cockroach since I was a child and my family moved out of a dump of an apartment in Chicago. I am so upset, I am about to cry, literally. I am terrified of most bugs but cockroaches are where I draw the line. Now I am petrified that we are going to end up bringing some back home in our bags. This is unacceptable. I called housekeeping and they are sending pest control. I asked to speak with a maintenance manager and he acted like it was no big deal. He said. "Unfortunately, we do get a lot of those bugs here in Florida." I told him I have stayed on Disney property 11 times and have NEVER seen a cockroach before. He just reiterated his first statement and said he will send pest control "a little later." I asked him to please send them IMMEDIATELY.

I can't take this. The trip to Jambo has been terrible from check-in until now.
This is supposed to be my birthday trip and all I want to do is sell my membership.

 

[ekball]

Ok, this is THE final straw. I posted last night about how housekeeping had not cleaned the rooms on the 5th floor of the villas when the front desk had handed out keys. Our room was gross but the room that was attached to ours was even more disgusting. We got a housekeeping manager to come in and they began working on the rooms. Fine.
I commented here yesterday about the conditions of the rooms. I said how things such as light bulbs weren't working. There are curling iron burn marks on the bathroom vanity and the shower needs caulking. Fine.

BUT.....today, just now after we have been here two nights, I opened the cabinet under the kitchen sink and saw a COCKROACH scattering about!!!!!
I am freaking out! I have not seen a cockroach since I was a child and my family moved out of a dump of an apartment in Chicago. I am so upset, I am about to cry, literally. I am terrified of most bugs but cockroaches are where I draw the line. Now I am petrified that we are going to end up bringing some back home in our bags. This is unacceptable. I called housekeeping and they are sending pest control. I asked to speak with a maintenance manager and he acted like it was no big deal. He said. "Unfortunately, we do get a lot of those bugs here in Florida." I told him I have stayed on Disney property 11 times and have NEVER seen a cockroach before. He just reiterated his first statement and said he will send pest control "a little later." I asked him to please send them IMMEDIATELY.

I can't take this. The trip to Jambo has been terrible from check-in until now.
This is supposed to be my birthday trip and all I want to do is sell my membership.

Sorry things are not going very well. How about calling to see if you can move to Kidani??

 

[J&JAKV08]

I am so sorry to hear this. I would absolutely be freaking out just like you. I am petrified of most bugs also. I hope things work out. Maybe they can switch your room and you can try and enjoy the rest of your trip!! Also Happy Birthday!!

 

[lugnut33]

I thought all insects were cute loveable things like Jiminy Cricket? I mean, the cockroach from Wall-e was adorrrrrable!!

 

[gkrykewy]

Yeah, that's not really acceptable. We too have stayed in numerous Disney properties over the years, including Jambo several times, and have never seen a "pest" type bug.

I don't know what else to suggest. Maybe call your guide and write a letter when you get home.

 

[Conan the Librarian]

In South Georgia and Florida we have these bugs. It is NOT a sign of cleanilness. It is a sign that there isn't enough water around so the bugs are looking for it. Mostly they are headed to the toilet or the sink where there is open water.

I am not commenting on the other issues you had, but, a cockroach (palmeto bug as we call them around here) are not signs of a dirty dwelling.

 

[famsen]

Well I just got back from the front desk. I don't know what the secret is to actually getting to speak with a manager face to face but the person I was talking to did everything he could from allowing me to speak with anyone. He was on the phone doing all the talking and going to the back room to discuss the situation with someone. I was told they could move us four doors down. I don't see what that will do since I know if you see one, there are more and they travel in the walls. The front desk person told me that the reason cockroaches come is because of open food so "maybe the people before left garbage around too many days." I told him we have garbage too. What are we supposed to do about things we need to throw out? I mean I can't plastic baggie every crumb that has to be put in the garbage can.

I feel so insulted. I am so scared that we are going to bring them back in our bags. I already missed the chance to go to Hollywood Studios tonight and we are still waiting for pest control to come.

 

[lugnut33]

Honestly, don't worry about bringing back pests in your suitcase!! Like somebody already mentioned if it's a palmetto bug they are harmless (but ugly looking). Just take your shoe and smash it.

I hope you never look in any of the areas off the paths.

 

[gkrykewy]

I would suggest that Jambo House is not, in fact, infested with cockroaches throughout the walls, since yours is the first report on the entire internet (looks like swan/dolphin have had some issues though - eek!). Moving down 4 floors should do the trick. I would definitely call your guide as well, however.

 

[famsen]

I would suggest that Jambo House is not, in fact, infested with cockroaches throughout the walls, since yours is the first report on the entire internet (looks like swan/dolphin have had some issues though - eek!). Moving down 4 floors should do the trick. I would definitely call your guide as well, however.

Just to be clear, they wanted to move us 4 DOORS down, not 4 floors. I think that's too close for comfort.

 

[gkrykewy]

lol, yeah, okay - I thought they were offering you a cash AKL room on your points. 4 doors wouldn't be good enough for me either.

Would be good to know though - was the bug small and brown or big and dark? If the former, bad bad news. If the latter, more likely to be a palmetto bug and a one-off thing.

 

[CarolA]

In South Georgia and Florida we have these bugs. It is NOT a sign of cleanilness. It is a sign that there isn't enough water around so the bugs are looking for it. Mostly they are headed to the toilet or the sink where there is open water.

I am not commenting on the other issues you had, but, a cockroach (palmeto bug as we call them around here) are not signs of a dirty dwelling.

And things are DRY here in Florida.

I am Jambo house now too. There are no issues in my room besides the hooks on the shower curtian were open. (I closed them for the next guest!)

Love it here!

(And seeing one bug does not make me cry! Sadly in a resort with "kitchens" it's just an expected hazard. No matter HOW much they clean.....I keep my kitchen very clean and I have seen them! I just kill them! To avoid the bugs I think the OP has to leave Florida... sorry!)

 

[TSMIII]

Consider too, that with the room in the condition you found it upon check in, that the little freeloader may have hitchhiked in with the prior occupants of your room and failed to check out when they did!

In other words he may not be a "Disney cockroach" but rather a "Guest cockroach". Either way, had they cleaned the room as they should have prior to your arrival, then you would likely never have met each other.

If you're so inclined, let Member Services or Guest Satisfaction or whoever it is that fields these complaints know as soon as possible. Letter, email, phone call -all three. If they are not aware of the problem, they will not know it needs to be addressed.

You said you contacted the Mousekeeping manager already but having worked in hotels before, I've found it's always good to let the General Manager and/or Rooms Division Manager (or whatever their title is) know about this type of problem immediately as well. By only notifying the manager of the area that is responsible for the screwup, it is easier to sweep it under the carpet (no pun intended) and prevent it from becoming a "teachable moment" on a more global scale as it should be.

Just my $.02

Hope the rest of your trip turns out better.

 

[jbrowna]

Yeah, that's not really acceptable. We too have stayed in numerous Disney properties over the years, including Jambo several times, and have never seen a "pest" type bug.

You've never seen love bugs? Worst "pest" type bug I've seen at WDW.

 

[famsen]

I finally was able to get connected to a AK general manager. I asked her point blank if this resort has a roach problem. She said, "I am not going to lie, we have had our cases but this is the first report we have had from YOUR room."
She told me they have a room at Kidani. We are moving now.

 

[gkrykewy]

You've never seen love bugs? Worst "pest" type bug I've seen at WDW.

Oh yeah, them - but they're outdoor wildlife, not household pests. That's what I meant.

 

[bumbershoot]

In South Georgia and Florida we have these bugs. It is NOT a sign of cleanilness. It is a sign that there isn't enough water around so the bugs are looking for it. Mostly they are headed to the toilet or the sink where there is open water.

I am not commenting on the other issues you had, but, a cockroach (palmeto bug as we call them around here) are not signs of a dirty dwelling.

Agreed!


OP I think you're letting your childhood experiences color your view of the resort...seriously, FL has 'em. My mom lived in Miami for awhile, and she was a major neatfreak, but her house had them too. The state, and WDW especially, is a built-over swamp. You're going to see small creatures.

If you have hairspray with you and see another, spray it. A whole bunch of times. Helps tremendously (even on the palmetto bugs), with the same end result as stomping, just without the gross sound/feeling. (sigh, my Buddhist hubby is so disappointed when I talk like that)

 

[emlutz23]

She told me they have a room at Kidani. We are moving now.

Yea! I hope now you can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to enjoying your trip!

 

[Chuck S]

Was it the small "kitchen" roach common in many areas (German Cockroach), or was it a large (about the size of your thumb) American Cockroach AKA Palmetto Bugs? If it was a big one, they really are common throughout the Southern states. Nothing will keep them out in dry weather. They do not have a ton of offspring like their German Cockroach cousins, and they are not a sign of anything being "unclean." These ugly bugs fly, and may have flown into an open door when you, or a previous guest, went out to enjoy the their balcony view. We've often had them here in Texas just fly into the house when we were on our way out. As icky as they are, Florida has them, just like Florida has snakes, field mice and rats, alligators an other pests. Disney really can't prevent them, as I said, they'll simply fly in or crawl though any opening to find moisture, especially in warm weather.

 

[J&JAKV08]

I finally was able to get connected to a AK general manager. I asked her point blank if this resort has a roach problem. She said, "I am not going to lie, we have had our cases but this is the first report we have had from YOUR room."
She told me they have a room at Kidani. We are moving now.

Good for you for being persistent!! Enjoy the rest of your trip!!