Bait & Switch: Disney changed terms from proposal to paperwork?!!?

[disneynutz]

The DIS puts us on a more even playing field.

To the OP address a letter of complaint to Jim Lewis. jim.lewis@disney.com

Yes mistakes are made but why should we pay for it. You were promised the $500 so go after the $500.

Make sure that you post the outcome here for all to see.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Yes mistakes are made but why should we pay for it. You were promised the $500 so go after the $500.

I respectfully disagree.
I don't see where lowepg suffered any loss. Getting the $500 would be a windfall, not recouping a loss.

MG

 

[Brian Noble]

You were promised the $500 so go after the $500.

To what extent? Pretty soon, you've spent more than the equivalent of $500 in wasted time trying to get $500. Depending on what you bill an hour, it might not take very many letters at all before you're in the red no matter what.

I'm reminded of a long-ago Bruce Williams radio show. A caller was furious that a business acquaintance reneged on a contract, and the caller was ready to go to the mattresses to get satisfaction but wanted a cost-effective way of doing it. Bruce kept trying to point out that the right solution was to write the loss off against earnings as a bad debt and move on, because anything else would end up costing more than the expected payment was worth---and uncertain to produce the payment in any event.

Sometimes agreements are not honored---for reasons good or ill. It's best to recognize when discretion is the better part of valor.

If the amount were larger, then I'd be of a different mindset. For $500 in a $10,000 purchase? Not worth the trouble.

 

[disneynutz]

If sending a email to Lewis gets you the $500 that you were promised, are you telling me that you wouldn't do it?

I guess I am tired of a era where people are lied to and never take the time out of their day to try to make things right. I guarantee you that if you shorted Disney $1 they would not stand for it. Why should the public be any different?

I'm not trying to start a lengthy debate on the issue, right or wrong, that's just the way I see it.

 

[vandy]

As is said, break it down to the ridiculous. How many years are left on an AKV contract? 48 or 49?

$500 divided by 48 years = $10.417 per year, 86.8 cents per month or 2.9 cents per day. 49 years = $10.204 per year, .85 cents per month or 2.8 cents per day.

Is it worth cancelling? I understand the morals and priciples behind it and I would have issues as well but mistakes do happen. If you have a contract you really want, is it worth that extra $10+ per year to lose it?

If it was me and it was a contract I really wanted, I would still go ahead, but I would also be talking to management and Mr. Lewis as well, showing them your proposal their company sent and informing them of your frustration. Also agree to switch guides immediately.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I guess I am tired of a era where people are lied to and never take the time out of their day to try to make things right. I guarantee you that if you shorted Disney $1 they would not stand for it. Why should the public be any different?

Again, just my opinion...

1) They were not lied to. It was a mistake.

2) The OP was not "shorted" anything.

MG

 

[jade1]

If its the only points you will have a AKV (100), then cancel. The new "ressie enhancement" will lock you out of what you want anyway. If its in addition to say..150 (250 total or more), then take it-you may need it to get what ressie you want. Just my 2.8 cents for today.

 

[lowepg]

Again, just my opinion...

1) They were not lied to. It was a mistake.

2) The OP was not "shorted" anything.

MG

Well, if you define a lie as "to make a false or factually incorrect statement," then....... hmmm.


BUt more seriously, how do you figure #2?

What if I said I walked away from a resale oportunity (that is now gone) because this looked so enticing?

Let's say you wanted to buy a car and you were told it was $20,000, and you needed to put a downpayment down until it could be delivered. So you gave them $1500 and excitedly waited for delivery. You stop in the next week to get the car and they say- whoops- it's really $21,000. Are you feeling shorted, misled?

Im totally down with people suggesting its not worth the time to fight Disney- Im not and I agree. But its disingenuous to say it's not poor salesmanship.

Would you put up with this if it were a cardealership? A restaurant? An appliance store? I wouldnt. I wont waste time arguing with folks that will defend Disney becuase they are Disney....

I've cancelled and will review DVC again vs resale, but never with this guide.

 

[lowepg]

$500 divided by 48 years = $10.417 per year, 86.8 cents per month or 2.9 cents per day. 49 years = $10.204 per year, .85 cents per month or 2.8 cents per day.

Is it worth cancelling?

Good point. Along those same lines- try this: Take $50 out of your wallet and light it on fire. What?! A waste?



You will likely live another 40 years, that $50 is only like 1/3 of 1 penny (per day).

Sorry... just got home- 45 minutes of rush hour traffic makes me cynical.

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

I would run the numbers vs. resale and if resale is the better offer I would recommend option 3 and switch over to a reputable resale agent.

Frankly if the $500 were what sweetened the deal you can probably get resale for better that $5 per point cheaper on the resale market. the bottom line is what is your final cost, points from resale buy you the same room as points from disney

 

[Dean]

If they put it in writing and signed it, I suspect you can get them to honor it even if it was a mistake. You probably had a better chance though if you hadn't posted because one of the conditions might have been to not discuss the mistake with others. It does put them in a no win situation where if they give you that deal, others will want it also. You could certainly file a formal complaint to Tallahassee if you wanted and if you intend to buy in regardless, you may want to consider that. Did you talk to a supervisor? If not, you should up to the director of sales. I would agree that you need to decide how much effort to put in and that it's not like Disney to make knowingly false statements so I'm sure it was a mistake. And IF they do honor it, it'll likely come out of the pocket of the guide in question.

 

[JenSop]

If it were me, I'd take the contract, ask for a new guide, AND get my $500. Yeah. If it was put in writing, I'd be sure to get it. I've worked lots of retail jobs - if an item is ticketed a certain price, even by mistake, the customer gets that price.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I would also talk with a supervisor about this. If it were a typo.....say something like receiving $5000 instead of $500 that's one thing, but to be told and receive in writing an incentive and then have it taken away is something different in my book. If guides (or any sales people) aren't held to what they contract for then it becomes easier for it to continue and more people may hear - "oops, sorry, we weren't supposed to do that and you can either take the offer without it or leave it". A guide is doing a paid job and should be expected to know the in's and out's of what they can offer - I don't think it's that many different one's that are available at one time. JMO

 

[hlyntunstl]

If it were me, I'd take the contract, ask for a new guide, AND get my $500. Yeah. If it was put in writing, I'd be sure to get it. I've worked lots of retail jobs - if an item is ticketed a certain price, even by mistake, the customer gets that price.

If guides (or any sales people) aren't held to what they contract for then it becomes easier for it to continue and more people may hear - "oops, sorry, we weren't supposed to do that and you can either take the offer without it or leave it".

This would've been my course of action for both reasons stated above. In fact, I still suggest you mention it to DVC management and make it clear this was the deciding factor on the cancellation. I will say that I don't think it was a deliberate change because that's bad business and that type of regular issue usually leads to a negative reputation in the industry.

I used to be rather quiet about issues like this until I almost got burned on a car purchase. I gave a $500 deposit and, if I hadn't read the contract line by line, I would've ended up paying $500 extra because it wasn't listed on my final contract. Even if I found it after I signed, I'm sure I would've been held to that additional payment because it was in writing. Yes, in the grand scheme of things, $500 wasn't much on a $16,000 car purchase but it was my $500.

As I saw in another thread on the boards, everyone's priorities are different as this board has a lot of different users at many different stages in life and income levels (which is what makes it interesting). For the OP, the fact that the agreement was in writing and not honore was enough for a cancellation but that might not be a priority to others. This is just my take on the situation so YMMV.

Good luck to the OP on their future DVC purchase.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

BUt more seriously, how do you figure #2?

What if I said I walked away from a resale oportunity (that is now gone) because this looked so enticing?

A lie is intentional.
Webster:
To make a statement that one knows is false.

If you did walk away from a resale opportunity, than yes, I agree you may have been shorted.
If you didn't, than you were not shorted since you never lost anything.

Anyway, I think I've made my opinion known. I was only responding to your question of "Am I being unreasonable?"

Good luck with whatever you decide to do..

MG

 

[kikiq]

Would you put up with this if it were a cardealership? A restaurant? An appliance store? I wouldnt. I wont waste time arguing with folks that will defend Disney becuase they are Disney....

I've cancelled and will review DVC again vs resale, but never with this guide.

I didn't see anyone defending Disney. What I read were posts saying "is it worth it?" or "bait & switch is a little strong". Bait and switch is knowing going into the deal, you WILL change the deal.

And while there are some posters that disagree with your wording, I don't know that anyone is arguing with you. Just putting in their 2 cents or is it 2.8 cents?

 

[Brian Noble]

That's right. I don't think you're wrong, just that your chances of getting satisfaction for a reasonable amount of time and energy are low.

 

[lowepg]

Quick Update: called my guide and said I would not be taking this contract. Received a call this morning from his manager to discuss the "error."

Should be interesting.... impressed by the quick response- especially since I didnt try to escalate it myself....

 

[eliza61]

Whether or not it was a simple mistake or an intentional lie makes no difference IMO. If I go to Bloomingdales and buy a suit that has a sale tag on it, even if the suit was mistakenly tagged, they honor the sale and if they don't you can bet I'm speaking with a manager. Honest mistake, yeah maybe, hope you don't make it again and give me my 20% off.

$500 bucks is $500 bucks and I hate losing money period, be it $500 dollars, 50 dollars or 50c. If I'm entitled to, promised. offered a discount I'm going to pursue it.
when I go grocery shopping I check my receipt and I've been known to turn around for a $1.00 mistake.
Op,
Just me but I would be emailing the Jim, speaking with a manager and writing a few letters in the process especially if you have it in writting.

Is this from Steve Harvey, the comedian and radio personality? If it is, I'd be contacting their website also.
Don't mess with my money, I get mean.

 

[Laxmom]

I don't think the error was intentional but it sure indicates that DVC needs to train their Guides better! I would go after it also. The OP stated that the purchase agreement was $500 more than agreed to because of the gift card debacle so I am taking that to mean it was being used as part of the down payment. Given that, the error does cost them $500 more.

To me it is more than the money. It is about starting a business relationship out with a very sour note; a level of distrust. I don't think I would go ahead either if I felt that the situation was not handled fairly. As a representative of DVC, the guy speaks for DVC. He made a mistake but it is still his mistake and he is reponsible for the error thus, DVC is responsible or must hold him responsible. JMHO.