We just came back from our second trip to WDW. Our first trip was last April. We had such a magical time I couldn't wait to repeat the experience. Such a letdown the second time. We came back two days ago and I still feel miserable. I think the next time we vacation it will be somewhere else.
My first problem was the hotel. We stayed at Holiday Inn DTD. We got it on Hotwire for $36 per night. The last time we stayed at the Polynesian and I certainly didn't expect the Holiday Inn to be an equivilant hotel, but I did expect a clean room. Actually, we were pleased at first. Our room was in the "annex" or whatever its called. Its a six-story building behind the main tower. The rooms are very large with large closets. They even gave us two roll away cots for no extra charge and we still had plenty of room. However, by the second day my son had developed a bad cough and we all felt under the weather. I happened to look at the ac filter--it was filthy! Also, the light fixture in the bathroom had a rim of mold around it about an inch thick. We insisted on another room, which they couldn't do the first night because they were all booked. They did come and change the filter and clean the lights, etc. The next day we got another room in the tower, which was smaller but better maintained. By that time none of us felt too well.
My second problem was my attempts to use handicapped parking. I have arthritis and have a permit, so I thought it made sense to park in the handicapped space. Only problem, the tram which took people from the parking lot to the parks didn't service the handicapped areas. We were told there were wheelchairs available and I should use one of them, or re-park in the main lot for the tram. Especially at the MK, its quite a hike from the parking lot to the main gate. Pushing a wheelchair is difficult because there's an up and down slope. I argued with the tram driver to pick us up without having to repark. He replied, "If you can't walk from the parking lot in, how do you expect to get around the park?" Then he drove off. Well, if you're not handicapped, it makes sense to have a lift from the parking lot to the gate, but if you're handicapped you're SOL. I found the parking situation the same in all the parks. We finally found our solution by parking at the Contemporary and using the monorail. Parking at AK and MGM was similar, but less of a hike. My first night I still hadn't figured out the parking (it shouldn't be such a mystery) and walked quite a distance into the MK. I felt exhausted and needed a place to rest, so I had the nerve to sit in an empty space on the stone circular seating in front of the castle. The "lady" next to me immediately informed me that that seat was taken by her husband who would be back shortly. There was enough space on that bench for a dead horse between us, but she didn't want me to sit there. I told her I was tired and needed a place to sit. She continued to argue with me that I should move. I informed her that I was disabled, tired, and needed a place to sit (which was obvious, another lady said I looked like I was going to pass out). She then practically screamed at me that she was pregnant! I said "So what? I'm not asking you to get out of your seat!" I then informed her that this was public seating and if she didn't like my sitting there she should call a security guard. She kept arguing with me and I finally told her if she didn't shut up I'd call a security guard. Well, she finally ran out of hateful things to say and "let" me sit there. Apparently, WDW isn't very accomodating for disabled people.
We had a bad incident with the water taxis from the Swan to the Boardwalk. Everything went fine until we wanted to come back. We were waiting at the lighthouse pickup area and two boats dropped off passengers but left without us, even though we were in plain sight. It was about 10 pm and I was afraid we'd miss the last boat, which we almost did. The last boat dropped off passengers but I had the impression he was going to pull away without picking us up also. I informed him that we were NOT going to be left behind. He was quite rude in his attitude but did "let" us on the boat. However, he started the boat before I had a chance to be seated and I almost fell. Its obvious I'm disabled since I walk with a cane, you'd think he'd give me some extra time to be seated, especially since we'd waited for almost half an hour in forty degree weather. I did manage to register a complaint against him that I think was taken seriously through transportation security. A sympathetic clerk at a nearby hotel helped me find the right number, not just Disney's general number.
Let's see, what else? Rude waiters, pushy crowds, the usual. I fell in love with Disney the first trip, but after this trip I'd think seriously about returning. There's other places to spend my hard-earned money, and I might just enjoy myself there.
My first problem was the hotel. We stayed at Holiday Inn DTD. We got it on Hotwire for $36 per night. The last time we stayed at the Polynesian and I certainly didn't expect the Holiday Inn to be an equivilant hotel, but I did expect a clean room. Actually, we were pleased at first. Our room was in the "annex" or whatever its called. Its a six-story building behind the main tower. The rooms are very large with large closets. They even gave us two roll away cots for no extra charge and we still had plenty of room. However, by the second day my son had developed a bad cough and we all felt under the weather. I happened to look at the ac filter--it was filthy! Also, the light fixture in the bathroom had a rim of mold around it about an inch thick. We insisted on another room, which they couldn't do the first night because they were all booked. They did come and change the filter and clean the lights, etc. The next day we got another room in the tower, which was smaller but better maintained. By that time none of us felt too well.
My second problem was my attempts to use handicapped parking. I have arthritis and have a permit, so I thought it made sense to park in the handicapped space. Only problem, the tram which took people from the parking lot to the parks didn't service the handicapped areas. We were told there were wheelchairs available and I should use one of them, or re-park in the main lot for the tram. Especially at the MK, its quite a hike from the parking lot to the main gate. Pushing a wheelchair is difficult because there's an up and down slope. I argued with the tram driver to pick us up without having to repark. He replied, "If you can't walk from the parking lot in, how do you expect to get around the park?" Then he drove off. Well, if you're not handicapped, it makes sense to have a lift from the parking lot to the gate, but if you're handicapped you're SOL. I found the parking situation the same in all the parks. We finally found our solution by parking at the Contemporary and using the monorail. Parking at AK and MGM was similar, but less of a hike. My first night I still hadn't figured out the parking (it shouldn't be such a mystery) and walked quite a distance into the MK. I felt exhausted and needed a place to rest, so I had the nerve to sit in an empty space on the stone circular seating in front of the castle. The "lady" next to me immediately informed me that that seat was taken by her husband who would be back shortly. There was enough space on that bench for a dead horse between us, but she didn't want me to sit there. I told her I was tired and needed a place to sit. She continued to argue with me that I should move. I informed her that I was disabled, tired, and needed a place to sit (which was obvious, another lady said I looked like I was going to pass out). She then practically screamed at me that she was pregnant! I said "So what? I'm not asking you to get out of your seat!" I then informed her that this was public seating and if she didn't like my sitting there she should call a security guard. She kept arguing with me and I finally told her if she didn't shut up I'd call a security guard. Well, she finally ran out of hateful things to say and "let" me sit there. Apparently, WDW isn't very accomodating for disabled people.
We had a bad incident with the water taxis from the Swan to the Boardwalk. Everything went fine until we wanted to come back. We were waiting at the lighthouse pickup area and two boats dropped off passengers but left without us, even though we were in plain sight. It was about 10 pm and I was afraid we'd miss the last boat, which we almost did. The last boat dropped off passengers but I had the impression he was going to pull away without picking us up also. I informed him that we were NOT going to be left behind. He was quite rude in his attitude but did "let" us on the boat. However, he started the boat before I had a chance to be seated and I almost fell. Its obvious I'm disabled since I walk with a cane, you'd think he'd give me some extra time to be seated, especially since we'd waited for almost half an hour in forty degree weather. I did manage to register a complaint against him that I think was taken seriously through transportation security. A sympathetic clerk at a nearby hotel helped me find the right number, not just Disney's general number.
Let's see, what else? Rude waiters, pushy crowds, the usual. I fell in love with Disney the first trip, but after this trip I'd think seriously about returning. There's other places to spend my hard-earned money, and I might just enjoy myself there.
