blimey it was busy!!

[Jonjo]

There was a security check point with an x ray machine at the front of the Sequoia Lodge Hotel when I went in December.

I think all the hotels have them now. I've been told that the security check points at the front of the parks are more technical than they look and contain electronic chemical sniffing technology to detect explosives. Don't know if this is true or just a rumour.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Sunday last (1st of May) there was the 1 machine to the sides for the park and they were dealing with cases and anybody who wandered off donwn that lane.

The rest of us went through via the 5 guys with torches who didn't even ask me to fully open my bag and were chatting away to each other

The Village had 2 control points - The main one had a machine and a torch guy the other entrance closer to the cinema had a guy waving everone through

It really does depend on the day/time and who you get "security wise"

 

[Disney day dreamer]

We were staying at the Newport Bay Club Hotel and the x ray machine was at the front of the hotel outside so we had to have our luggage x rayed before we could go into the hotel. There was an x ray machine at the disney village and also at the park.

it was ridiculous! the person wasn't there when we arrived and we'd got half way through the door then he called us back. half of the people ignored him but i did what i was told. he insisted the pushchair when thru but not the back packs. if you intented to do harm it wouldn't be difficult to do it.

all the hotels seemed to have these machine outside now. its a token gesture i think. but as it was so poorly managed it didn't give me any further confidence in the security.
DDD

 

[Disney day dreamer]

I had an email this week from Disney and well it took them a while but i feel that they have took my complaint seriously and responded approraitely. it could have been sorted there much more easily i think BUT they have offered us some money back to compensate us for the character meal we could not have and have offered us a free return break there, 1 night and 2 day passes for us all. we'll need to pay to get there and of course its long way to go for just two days but i'm sure we'll us it. we have got 2 years to use it.

so i think i'm happy with their response. i feel its fair. we'll wait a while and go when the montanna rooms are back where they should be, maybe next summer when we plan to be in france anyway.

Thought i'd share!

Disney day dreamer

 

[lilacgems23]

Wow that was generous of Disney considering they did nothign wrong. You could still of used your HB vouchers for a character meal its just moved from Lucky Nugget. If youd researched this and the hotel refurb as both are well publicised you would of had no cause to complain. Cant beleive disney paid out due to your lack of research.

 

[DLPdaft]

I don't think you can use a half board plus voucher in the park for a character meal anymore - the character lunch at Cowboy Cookout is counter service and costs way less than the cost of a half board plus voucher.

I think Disney may have offered the free return trip because of the amount of refurbishment going on at the Sequoia Lodge at the time Disney day dreamer visited - and in my opinion, Disney should be advertising this on their website, and not assuming that somehow visitors will just find out about it in other ways, or not be bothered by it.

I hope you enjoy your return trip Disney day dreamer .

 

[otwidalepda]

I have to say that the refurbs are advertised and there is a closure list along information on the internet. However, I also feel as if there are too many refurbs going on at once and this does detract from the magic but does this mean that they are going to refund everyone who has visited this year? No and for that reason I do not feel that this was a fair move for the complaint or the result given by Disney.

 

[Disney day dreamer]

I don't think you can use a half board plus voucher in the park for a character meal anymore - the character lunch at Cowboy Cookout is counter service and costs way less than the cost of a half board plus voucher.

I think Disney may have offered the free return trip because of the amount of refurbishment going on at the Sequoia Lodge at the time Disney day dreamer visited - and in my opinion, Disney should be advertising this on their website, and not assuming that somehow visitors will just find out about it in other ways, or not be bothered by it.

I hope you enjoy your return trip Disney day dreamer .

thanks, we will.

 

[Disney day dreamer]

Wow that was generous of Disney considering they did nothign wrong. You could still of used your HB vouchers for a character meal its just moved from Lucky Nugget. If youd researched this and the hotel refurb as both are well publicised you would of had no cause to complain. Cant beleive disney paid out due to your lack of research.

well i felt they did do something wrong otherwise i wouldn't have complained. i went by the information on their web pages which they agreed was not up to date. i don't expect to have to 'research' a holiday. i take the info given to me.

 

[Lisa_C]

well i felt they did do something wrong otherwise i wouldn't have complained. i went by the information on their web pages which they agreed was not up to date. i don't expect to have to 'research' a holiday. i take the info given to me.

I think maybe the given on here is everyone is a planner, researches like mad then decides when would be best to go - most avoid the big refurbs (which IMO ARE advertised well, particularly in this forum). Those that have been before do tend to have a heads up and know what is going on as a vast majority are members of forums that give out mountains of info. I can understand from a newbie point of view being disappointed, but I knew what was happening this year and for that simple reason, have chosen not to go instead putting the money aside for a much longer holiday next year.

Maybe you feel you were just in your complaint and you got a good response, but I do know plenty that haven't. My friend who is a member here booked a hen weekend and when I found out she had done, I told her to join this lovely group to get a better understanding on what she could possible miss out on and plan accordingly. Possibly the post about "researching" could've been phrased "planned accordingly" instead

But good news that Disney acted on your complaint, they are usually pretty good. I think the moral of this story is to expect the unexpected. Though personally, I would have done a bit of research too and chosen a different time, or year in my case

 

[Disney day dreamer]

I think maybe the given on here is everyone is a planner, researches like mad then decides when would be best to go - most avoid the big refurbs (which IMO ARE advertised well, particularly in this forum). Those that have been before do tend to have a heads up and know what is going on as a vast majority are members of forums that give out mountains of info. I can understand from a newbie point of view being disappointed, but I knew what was happening this year and for that simple reason, have chosen not to go instead putting the money aside for a much longer holiday next year.

Maybe you feel you were just in your complaint and you got a good response, but I do know plenty that haven't. My friend who is a member here booked a hen weekend and when I found out she had done, I told her to join this lovely group to get a better understanding on what she could possible miss out on and plan accordingly. Possibly the post about "researching" could've been phrased "planned accordingly" instead

But good news that Disney acted on your complaint, they are usually pretty good. I think the moral of this story is to expect the unexpected. Though personally, I would have done a bit of research too and chosen a different time, or year in my case

Your response seems to offer a sensible view.

we were limited as to when we could go due to the other family we were going with and we teach, so it was then or not this year. i do plan my holidays with disney normally but as i have a 3 week one in florida this summer prehaps this has taken my time rather than our easter trip to france. as i've been here a number of times i felt i knew the place well but again things change and i maybe should have 'kept my finger on the pulse' a bit more. however i did feel the responses were rather unfriendly. maybe it felt like i was gloating or i hadn't explined things. but i guess as you say its important to keep up to date however many times you've been.

DDD

 

[Ware Bears]

however i did feel the responses were rather unfriendly. maybe it felt like i was gloating or i hadn't explined things. but i guess as you say its important to keep up to date however many times you've been.

I'm sorry you feel that way. I don't think the responses were unfriendly, I think people were just voicing their opinions which may well seem on the negative side if they differ to yours.

DLP obviously feel your complaint is justified as these complementary stays certainly don't appear to be given out lightly!

Hope you have a more enjoyable time when you take them up on their offer.

 

[mum2threemonsters]

I admit I went during a quiet time 5th-10th June but I was shocked this last week as I went to Alton towers (on a school day) and it was ten times busier than Disneyland. The queues were awful all day and there was no other entertainment or places worth stopping to eat in the park. I certainly wouldnt be returning to Alton Towers soon after visiting Disney. Apart from Crushes coaster our biggest queue was 20 minutes at Disney. In Alton Towers it was over an hour for several rides!!!

 

[DLPdaft]

I admit I went during a quiet time 5th-10th June but I was shocked this last week as I went to Alton towers (on a school day) and it was ten times busier than Disneyland. The queues were awful all day and there was no other entertainment or places worth stopping to eat in the park. I certainly wouldnt be returning to Alton Towers soon after visiting Disney. Apart from Crushes coaster our biggest queue was 20 minutes at Disney. In Alton Towers it was over an hour for several rides!!!

unfortunately this is one of Alton Tower's busiest times - its getting towards end of school term (Scottish schools are already off) and loads of schools from all over the country take their kids to Alton Towers for their school trips around this time of year (my nephew was there mid-June, we're going on Friday and I'm expecting it to be busy all day).

The pizza buffet restaurant near the Runaway Mine train at Alton Towers is great, a brill addition to the park, we always go there for lunch and fill up .