Disney gave my room away after I was in it

[Took]

Totalia, the issue has very little to do with leaving valuables in a hotel room. We've all acknowledged that this is not necessarily the best thing to do. But that's for a whole other thread (of which there are plenty). However, there was a lot more at stake then a purse and some money. I was thinking more about personal safety for both parties involved.

Ali

My sentiments exactly as I read through these posts. This situation didn't involve a safety issue (just two really nice people) but could have. I, too, think Disney's reaction was insensitive.

Took

 

[Scoootch]

I have to agree with some of the other's here. The issue isn't so much that they're upset about not being compensated enough - although under the circumstances, it would have been nice. The fact is, what COULD have happened could have been beyond awful and thank goodness it didn't end up worse than it was. My problem with what I'm hearing is how the situation was handled. To have just sent out a CM on a segway who just hands them new keys and barely any apology if any at all - and doesn't even offer to get them assistance with their luggage to the new room which is on the other side of the resort from where they are presently standing late at night - after seeing them standing there with a half asleep child and a pile of luggage - is just wrong! At the very LEAST, they could have made sure to have given a sincere apology - not an "oh sorry" like they could care less and then left them to get to the new room with out a care in the world! I too understand that the CM's who work the front desk and everywhere else are only human but there's no excuse for how they handle things when they have problems - whether it's their fault or a computer glitch. At least not how they handled this particular situation.

 

[aubriee]

I think the scary thing is not so much what happened but what could have happened. If this sort of thing happens all the time, as you say, perhaps hotels should look at fixing that problem.

Ali

I agree. I'm making a solo trip to WDW in May. This scares me. If I come back to my hotel late at night or if someone opens the door while I'm alone in the room, I'll be screaming loud enough that they'll hear me at the front desk. Also I always have a small can of tear gas (not just pepper spray or mace, but tear gas), the stuff police depts use--CS Military Tear Gas Oleoresin/Red Pepper/plus UV dye. Don't ask where I got it, but a friend got it for me due to some large dogs occasionally being out in my neighborhood. He told me to be really careful with it, because the only time he's ever had to use any of it was last year on a 16 y/o boy. The boy quit breathing and the cops had to do CPR on him. How do you think a WDW visitor would react if he innocently unlocked/tried to unlock what he assumed was his hotel room and was met with a screaming woman and then got sprayed with tear gas? For that matter, how do you think I would feel if I sprayed someone with tear gas and then found out it was just an innocent mistake on their part? Do you think WDW would try to make amends then?

 

[Gillian]

Also I always have a small can of tear gas (not just pepper spray or mace, but tear gas), the stuff police depts use--CS Military Tear Gas Oleoresin/Red Pepper/plus UV dye.

Using the inside bolt on your door would probably work better! It would be very difficult for someone to open it when bolted. If you travel solo, it's a good habit to always double lock the door while you are in your room. There are also alarms you can put under the door to alert you if someone tried to get in.

I understand your point (that someone could get seriously hurt by disney's error), but carrying something like that is a big responsibility!

 

[shellybaxter]

Also I always have a small can of tear gas (not just pepper spray or mace, but tear gas), the stuff police depts use--CS Military Tear Gas Oleoresin/Red Pepper/plus UV dye.

I'm not sure if you are flying or not, but you should know that Tear Gas can not be carried on or checked according to the TSA

Shelly

 

[Hippychickali]

Our ordinary folk such as ourselves legally allowed to own tear gas? Yikes.

Ali

 

[erinz]

It's very simple and hotels with even tell you, don't put your valuables in your room. Give them to the clerk to lock in the safe, leave them locked in your car (not the best option) or keep them on your person. Hotel rooms are NOT 100% safe and likely never will be.

Should have's are not going to help any. As I said, hindsight is 20/20. Though why should they receive an apology from the CM and then another one the next day from a manager? I have never heard of that. One apology is enough (which I have already said should have been done).

From now on, don't leave anything valuable in your room. It's to protect YOU as much as it is to protect the property.

You're right, hotel rooms are not 100% safe. But hotels, 100% of the time, should not be giving out your room key to someone else.

Also, I've been in customer service for 13 years, and even in my first week of training, I learned that giving a follow up call to a customer even after the initial apology is good customer service. Actually it's closer to standard customer service. This was bad customer service, how ever you look at it.

I think one of the problems, as I read many threads about problems with CMs at WDW, is that the consequences for the resorts when they offer bad service, is minimal if anything. They still get their hotels packed, no one is canceling over bad service. There is no incentive (other than basic integrity, and a genuine caring for people, which I'm sure 90% of the staff have) for some of the staff/management to go above and beyond the "acceptable.....or mediocre.....or just bad..."

Anyway, just my opinion.

 

[cbusby]

So exactly how many keys are per room..........I thought there were usually just 2 keys.....How did so so many keys get handed out.

When I go to POP in June I am going to make sure my door is double locked.

These all are very frighting experiences........and I just had a dream the other night that my room had 3 connecting doors with no locks....I certainly hope this is not a sign of things to come.....................Yike!!!!!!

 

[mjatgoofy]

.

I think one of the problems, as I read many threads about problems with CMs at WDW, is that the consequences for the resorts when they offer bad service, is minimal if anything. They still get their hotels packed, no one is canceling over bad service. There is no incentive (other than basic integrity, and a genuine caring for people, which I'm sure 90% of the staff have) for some of the staff/management to go above and beyond the "acceptable.....or mediocre.....or just bad..."

Anyway, just my opinion.

I absolutely agree.

 

[PrincessofQuiteAlot]

When I checked into the hotel at 3:00, their system was down, so they gave me plain keys without our names printed on them. They told me I would have to come back later when the system was up to get the keys with our names printed on them. They wrote the room number on the map and away we went.

If you ever check into a hotel and their system is down, watch out!!

 

[Scoootch]

So exactly how many keys are per room..........I thought there were usually just 2 keys.....How did so so many keys get handed out.

They print and re-program the keys at check in so I'm sure if they're not reading the computer right they can probably encode as many as they want. It's up to the CM to make sure the room hasn't been given to someone already first before encoding more keys and handing them out to more guests.

 

[cbusby]

I absolutely agree.

It's been soooo long since I've been to WDW I thought the keys were issued like a standard hotel/motel...........When I arrive and the computer is down, I think I will wait til the computer comes up to get my room!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the info

 

[LibertyLover]

Boy that reminds me a bit of the first time I went to WDW. I had reservations at the CR for me and my 3 godchildren. We were supposed to have arrived in the early evening, but thanks to plane snafus in Atlanta we didn't get there until after midnight. There was one desk clerk on duty and boy was he a supercilious clod. He was annoyed that he actually had to do any work like checking us in and let it show. I had prepaid the hotel portion of the trip and he actually asked me if I had enough money to do WDW properly. In retrospect, the fact that I did not hand him his head speaks well for my mother's training of icy politeness in the face of stupidity. Anyway, we finally got checked in and were handed key cards and went off to our room. He didn't even ask if we wanted help. We got up to the room and I inserted the card in the slot and nothing happened. I tried again. Still nothing. So I turned to the kids and said that one of several things were happening - either it was the right room, wrong key, or right key, wrong room or wrong key, wrong room and that I really hoped there was nobody on the other side of the door thinking someone was trying to break in. I simply could not bring myself to deal with the desk idiot again, so I sent the 2 14 year old boys to handle the problem. They came back a few minutes later with new cards and said the desk idiot told them that he had realized after we left the desk that he given us the wrong keys. He never made any attempt to call us back or come after us. I have to say that I was not impressed with WDW at that point. Luckily things got better after that.

 

[ljones]

Happened to us at a Casino hotel in Biloxi, MS. Me, DD, and my mother had checked in, swam in pool, etc.,were getting ready for dinner, when our door opened. A man had checked in after us, and was given keys to our room. We were stunned to day the least, he apologized and said he was sorry and would go back to the desk and get the right room. About 10 minutes later, he knocked on our door and told us that the hotel was comping him for one night of his stay and he suggested that I do the same. When I complained, I was also comped the room and given a 2 for 1 buffet coupon also stamped comp. The front desk called a few minutes later to apologize. I understand human error, and they made steps to rectify the situation. I don't suggest to my friends an family to stay at this hotel, but if someones aks, I tell tham of my experience. To paraphrase someone else, another hotel is just down the street.

 

[totalia]

Horrible as it may be, accidents happen. Including the wrong keys being given out. I realize the problems this can cause and even the fears of the guests BUT accidents still happen. If you don't want them to happen, ask them to have robots working. Maybe they will have better luck since they are programmed.

Please people, show some understanding. None of us is perfect.

 

[maxiesmom]

Totalia, I think you are missing the point. The main point is the CM's lack of caring, not that an error was made. If an apology was made, if anyone had gone out of their way to help, the experience would have felt totally different, I am sure.

 

[Scoootch]

Totalia, I think you are missing the point. The main point is the CM's lack of caring, not that an error was made. If an apology was made, if anyone had gone out of their way to help, the experience would have felt totally different, I am sure.

Exactly! It's the way the situation was handled - or not handled

 

[Imagineering or Bust]

So exactly how many keys are per room..........I thought there were usually just 2 keys.....How did so so many keys get handed out.

When I go to POP in June I am going to make sure my door is double locked.

So first of I would like to apologize to PrincessofQuiteAlot & Catbad. I agree though that should not have happened. And to clarify on cbusby's comment, like what PrincessofQuiteAlot said when they checked in the "systems" weren't operating properly; so that just means that you were given a key that is specifically produced for that room. Unlike the keys you get when you check in, that can be programmed for any room, the one you got at check in is originally manufactured for that room. So they gave you that key and instructed you to come back at a later time, when the computers worked, to get the proper "normal" keys. So to clarify those are the keys that you got originally, and subsquently that's also how they produced a key for your room after you had checked in. Unfortuately, when the computer wasn't working that day, the person that was assigning rooms for the resort could have made a clerical error. By this I mean that normally the computers keep track of which rooms are empty, and which rooms are not. Well obviously if the computers are experience difficulty then the rooms are tracked manually, like in the ole days. So that's honestly what probably happened, a simple clerical error.

But on the other hand the follow-up/solution to that dilemma could have been dealt with a bit more seamlessly. So as I said before, I couldn't be anymore sorrie for what happened. And I do understand both sides of the coin, because that day the same computer issues occured at Pop Century, and I was the individual assigning rooms. So yet again I apologize, and agree a delicate situation like such could have been followed through in a different manner. I do assure you though, that the people involved have been notified and the manner in which it was handled will be rectified. Hopefully we will see you again soon, and most definitely on better terms :0) If you have any questions feel free to write, I always delight in assisting when I can.

 

[cbusby]

So first of I would like to apologize to PrincessofQuiteAlot & Catbad. I agree though that should not have happened. And to clarify on cbusby's comment, like what PrincessofQuiteAlot said when they checked in the "systems" weren't operating properly; so that just means that you were given a key that is specifically produced for that room. Unlike the keys you get when you check in, that can be programmed for any room, the one you got at check in is originally manufactured for that room. So they gave you that key and instructed you to come back at a later time, when the computers worked, to get the proper "normal" keys. So to clarify those are the keys that you got originally, and subsquently that's also how they produced a key for your room after you had checked in. Unfortuately, when the computer wasn't working that day, the person that was assigning rooms for the resort could have made a clerical error. By this I mean that normally the computers keep track of which rooms are empty, and which rooms are not. Well obviously if the computers are experience difficulty then the rooms are tracked manually, like in the ole days. So that's honestly what probably happened, a simple clerical error.

But on the other hand the follow-up/solution to that dilemma could have been dealt with a bit more seamlessly. So as I said before, I couldn't be anymore sorrie for what happened. And I do understand both sides of the coin, because that day the same computer issues occured at Pop Century, and I was the individual assigning rooms. So yet again I apologize, and agree a delicate situation like such could have been followed through in a different manner. I do assure you though, that the people involved have been notified and the manner in which it was handled will be rectified. Hopefully we will see you again soon, and most definitely on better terms :0) If you have any questions feel free to write, I always delight in assisting when I can.

Thanks for addressing the issue of the extra keys.........Can't wait til June
to check into POP.

 

[momof2inPA]

So first of I would like to apologize to PrincessofQuiteAlot & Catbad. I agree though that should not have happened. And to clarify on cbusby's comment, like what PrincessofQuiteAlot said when they checked in the "systems" weren't operating properly; so that just means that you were given a key that is specifically produced for that room. Unlike the keys you get when you check in, that can be programmed for any room, the one you got at check in is originally manufactured for that room. So they gave you that key and instructed you to come back at a later time, when the computers worked, to get the proper "normal" keys. So to clarify those are the keys that you got originally, and subsquently that's also how they produced a key for your room after you had checked in. Unfortuately, when the computer wasn't working that day, the person that was assigning rooms for the resort could have made a clerical error. By this I mean that normally the computers keep track of which rooms are empty, and which rooms are not. Well obviously if the computers are experience difficulty then the rooms are tracked manually, like in the ole days. So that's honestly what probably happened, a simple clerical error.

But on the other hand the follow-up/solution to that dilemma could have been dealt with a bit more seamlessly. So as I said before, I couldn't be anymore sorrie for what happened. And I do understand both sides of the coin, because that day the same computer issues occured at Pop Century, and I was the individual assigning rooms. So yet again I apologize, and agree a delicate situation like such could have been followed through in a different manner. I do assure you though, that the people involved have been notified and the manner in which it was handled will be rectified. Hopefully we will see you again soon, and most definitely on better terms :0) If you have any questions feel free to write, I always delight in assisting when I can.

I know that Disney doesn't want to make a precedent of giving out freebies when people have complaints, but this time, they should. They inconvenienced this poor woman to a ridiculous degree and should compensate her accordingly. Implying that she caused the incident by not returning to the desk for new keys is a complete cop out. This was the fault of the hotel, 100%!