disney needs to get it together.....

[Tissa]

I'm sorry that your friend got a rude and uninformed cm, that would upset me too.

What I do not understand is, if she is worried about construction noise then why doesn't she just switch to another resort? No hotel is worth staying at if I'm going to be worried that my kids can't nap because of possible construction noise. Unless she wants a free upgrade to another more expensive deluxe resort.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Many many guests have been called and given a choice of another resort during the same time frame, but the OP has not been contacted and is concerned, as I think any of us would be.

I think she just wants to find out if anything can be done for them as has been offered to so many other guests.

A stressful situation. Think the suggestion to try to contact the AKL manager is a good suggestion. Sure hope s/he can help.

 

[livie1205]

I'm sorry that your friend got a rude and uninformed cm, that would upset me too.

What I do not understand is, if she is worried about construction noise then why doesn't she just switch to another resort? No hotel is worth staying at if I'm going to be worried that my kids can't nap because of possible construction noise. Unless she wants a free upgrade to another more expensive deluxe resort.

if they are still moving people why shouldnt she get moved for free? TONS of other people are...why should she be the only one paying to move herself?we have alot of people on this board that are worried about their trip...when it is your vacation that you put alot of time and energy into planning you tend to get a little upset...and it is not just this that has made me want to go somewhere else next year, it has been going a little downhill for a while, also I did not say that i was never going to go to wdw again...just give it a little rest and go somewhere else,I took the kids to universal last year and stayed at royal pacific and i have to admit...it was fun and i loved to resort, i got a great resort for the price i would pay for a mod at wdw AND front of the line pass...the only thing i dont like about universal is the food...yuck lol but the dinner show at royal pacific was the best i have ever been to with the best food i have ever had!

 

[Dis Ohana]

It would probably work to Disney's advantage if they would formally release an informational update regarding ongoing construction at the AKL. They probably receive so many calls a day from concerned guests that are trying to figure out what's going on. I'm sure it's frustrating for the CM's, they seem to be in the dark and a lot of times gathering their information from rumor too. Disney seems to have really dropped the ball on this one.

That said, I've never got a rude CM on the phone, but I have had ones that were just not helpful or didn't seem very interested in what I was asking. I immediately hung up and called back. Works everytime.

 

[brodyjen]

I'm sorry that your friend got a rude and uninformed cm, that would upset me too.

What I do not understand is, if she is worried about construction noise then why doesn't she just switch to another resort? No hotel is worth staying at if I'm going to be worried that my kids can't nap because of possible construction noise. Unless she wants a free upgrade to another more expensive deluxe resort.

If only it were that easy!

I've called three times, and been given 3 different answers. The first CM told me that the construction would be on the 4th floor lobby area, we could be moved if we wanted to, and offered the Poly or WL. I ended up telling her I'd have to call back, since I hadn't researched other deluxes enough to decide. The second CM (5 days later) told me that the construction was going to be outside only, should impact us at all, and there were no other deluxes available. The third CM (today) told me that she wasn't sure about the construction after September 1st (we're going Sept 22-29), and I might be able to be moved to a DVC but would have to pay the difference.

The thing is - we live an hour from DLR, and are AP there. We aren't flying across the country and spending $$$$ to be in the parks all day - we are saving and splurging to stay in a nice resort, enjoy the food, and have fun with our kids. We chose AKL because having animals off our balcony is what we wanted, and the room type suits us (2 queens instead of two doubles). Our AR's are based on staying at AKL. We have a rental car based on staying at AKL. If the construction is going to bother us, or mean no animals on the savanna, then I'd like to know that *now*, and I'd like to be moved to an equivalent resort. Period. I don't want to get there after a whole day of travelling, and be moved to wherever they happen to have room (and hope our bags make it safely), and try to move our AR's then.

I've probably spent 20 hours online and on the phone this week trying to get it all worked out - which is ridiculous for the kind of money we're spending. I'd just like a definitive answer, so that I can finish my planning and worrying and start enjoying.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Disney has 50,000 employees. Educating every single one of them on the construction at one resort isn't an insignificant task. Educating just the ones who answer the phones -- is still pretty difficult unfortunately. The Florida labor market is extremely tight and Disney doesn't pay well enough to solve all their labor needs. With turnover, bad apples and a rapidly changing situation on the grounds of AKL.. it's a logistical nightmare. Could they do a better job? ABSOLUTELY. Can they do a better job given the labor market in Florida and they pay scales they have to work with? Maybe, maybe not.

If you think they should pay their employees more, be prepared to pay more for every aspect of your vacations.

Sometimes I think the DISboards causes worries and concerns to be amplified beyond all reasonable expectations and they spin right out of control.

I'm rambling.. Unfortunately.. it comes down to this ...

1) If you are very concerned about the potential for problems with the construction, you can move or cancel your reservation today. You don't have to wait for them to contact you. If Disney feels your trip will be affected, they WILL contact you. You may wish they would contact you NOW, but they are doing this with a specific order and plan in hand.

2) Construction is a fluid thing. Disney has a pretty good handle it for now -- but you might show up at the resort and STILL find out you have been moved to another resort. It's unfortunate but it could happen. Disney is pretty magical I'll admit, however they can't control many variables that can easily affect construction timelines.. like the weather, or unforeseen circumstances (ie: Large rock must be dynamited) etc..

3) My recommendation to EVERYONE since January has been : If you are even slightly concerned that you think the AKL construction could be a disruption for you or your family -- do not book there. Save AKL for another trip.

4) I personally have no intention of staying there until this mess of construction is complete. And yes, I know that means I won't stay at AKL till 2010 probably. I'd LOVE to stay there and see the animals etc. But I value other things higher than that and won't even consider taking the chance till I know this mess is DONE.

---

As for the previous poster - Nobody here has had to pay the difference for being moved when contacted by Disney first. So that is flat out incorrect. If you wish to be moved PRIOR to being contacted by Disney -- yes, you may have to pay the difference.

I know you want to know now. Just last week they were still moving people with August reservations. I know that doesn't seem fair. Sometimes life ain't fair.

My own personal opinion is that it seems VERY unlikely Disney will be moving guests during your trip timeframe -- they are now actively taking reservations for bookings after 9/15 at AKL. I wouldn't expect you'll have to worry about moving when you take that tidbit into account.

However, to address your concerns, my suggestion is that you call the Disney Reservations Center (Formerly CRO) and ask immediately for a supervisor or even Guest Services, because you have concerns about your stay in September at AKL. Be polite but firm.

I bet you'll get the answers you need.

Good luck~

Knox

 

[brodyjen]

I understand what you're saying here. However, the fact is that I booked this vacation in this resort, and was not informed of any construction (booked in late May) going on. I wasn't reading DIS or any other Board, which I think is the case for *most* people booking WDW vacations If I'd known, I wouldn't have booked at AKL.

In the meantime, I have paid for the airline portion of the trip, as required by WDW (non-refundable), made AR's, and tried to get things in order so that we can just get on the plane and *enjoy*, as we did on our last trip 2 years ago (the main reason we're going back). I can't simply cancel the reservation at this point; nor can I move my reservation, since according to CRO, there are no deluxe resorts to move to during that timeframe. I cannot change the dates, both because of that week being the only week we can go, and losing free dining.

So my choice, at this moment, is to stay where I'm at and hope that either they decide to move us to a nice hotel if construction dictates that, or hope that the construction isn't intrusive enough that it ruins our trip. Or I can wait until 45 days out, pay for the rest of our trip, and hope that someone else decides not to pay and we can call at just the right moment, and CRO will move us to their room. For the amount of money that I'm paying out, those aren't ideal choices - and that is what is bothering me.

{I worked in Human Resources for a corporation with well over 40K employees, and I realize the logistics in educating that many people. However, a simple memo, sent by email and/or hardcopy to the employees who are actually *expected* to know the information as a part of their daily tasks in dealing with the public, is not in any way, shape or form a hardship. It doesn't take any extra training. Our policy is X. If A happens, then do B. If this is unclear, call your supervisor.}

Disney has 50,000 employees. Educating every single one of them on the construction at one resort isn't an insignificant task. Educating just the ones who answer the phones -- is still pretty difficult unfortunately. The Florida labor market is extremely tight and Disney doesn't pay well enough to solve all their labor needs. With turnover, bad apples and a rapidly changing situation on the grounds of AKL.. it's a logistical nightmare. Could they do a better job? ABSOLUTELY. Can they do a better job given the labor market in Florida and they pay scales they have to work with? Maybe, maybe not.

If you think they should pay their employees more, be prepared to pay more for every aspect of your vacations.

Sometimes I think the DISboards causes worries and concerns to be amplified beyond all reasonable expectations and they spin right out of control.

I'm rambling.. Unfortunately.. it comes down to this ...

1) If you are very concerned about the potential for problems with the construction, you can move or cancel your reservation today. You don't have to wait for them to contact you. If Disney feels your trip will be affected, they WILL contact you. You may wish they would contact you NOW, but they are doing this with a specific order and plan in hand.

3) My recommendation to EVERYONE since January has been : If you are even slightly concerned that you think the AKL construction could be a disruption for you or your family -- do not book there. Save AKL for another trip.

4) I personally have no intention of staying there until this mess of construction is complete. And yes, I know that means I won't stay at AKL till 2010 probably. I'd LOVE to stay there and see the animals etc. But I value other things higher than that and won't even consider taking the chance till I know this mess is DONE.

---

As for the previous poster - Nobody here has had to pay the difference for being moved when contacted by Disney first. So that is flat out incorrect. If you wish to be moved PRIOR to being contacted by Disney -- yes, you may have to pay the difference.

I know you want to know now. Just last week they were still moving people with August reservations. I know that doesn't seem fair. Sometimes life ain't fair.

My own personal opinion is that it seems VERY unlikely Disney will be moving guests during your trip timeframe -- they are now actively taking reservations for bookings after 9/15 at AKL. I wouldn't expect you'll have to worry about moving when you take that tidbit into account.

However, to address your concerns, my suggestion is that you call the Disney Reservations Center (Formerly CRO) and ask immediately for a supervisor or even Guest Services, because you have concerns about your stay in September at AKL. Be polite but firm.

I bet you'll get the answers you need.

Good luck~

Knox

 

[CanadianGuy]

BrodyJen:

Problem is -- the construction at this point is not expected to affect visitors in September.

Thing is - nobody wants to hear that. They want to hear in some cases what they want to hear.. That expectation colors their interactions with the CM's at DRC.

The construction could end up affecting those guests, however the official policy at this point in time for guests arriving after 9/15 is that it won't affect lodge guests. Hence the taking of reservations for Sept arrivals.

As for unforeseen construction circumstances, what we all DO NOT know is if Disney is keeping any rooms in reserve at other resorts should just such a situation arise. I'd bet they are.

-- The Three Answers --

I've called three times, and been given 3 different answers. The first CM told me that the construction would be on the 4th floor lobby area, we could be moved if we wanted to, and offered the Poly or WL. I ended up telling her I'd have to call back, since I hadn't researched other deluxes enough to decide.

It's possible at the time you called this information was correct.

The second CM (5 days later) told me that the construction was going to be outside only, should impact us at all, and there were no other deluxes available.

It's possible, five days later, a new directive indicated no moving of guests after September xx. And those resorts may well be booked except for 'rooms in reserve'.

The third CM (today) told me that she wasn't sure about the construction after September 1st (we're going Sept 22-29), and I might be able to be moved to a DVC but would have to pay the difference.

That would jive with answer # 2 -- no more free moves. You wanna move, you pay the difference.

If you are sincerely and understandably concerned.. Call and forget the first CM you speak to. Ask for a Supervisor or even better, Guest Services. Be clear, direct and concise. I've yet to see a guest who doesn't get the correct information they require this way. I'd be interested to hear how you make out. Please post back here.

Good luck!

Knox

 

[eliza61]

my b friend who is going to akl in sept. just got off the phone with someone at wdw who told her ALL construction will be done by sept. 1st.... and the lady was VERY rude about it.I think next year our familys will spend our money with universal and their hotels...we used to go to wdw because of the good service, no one could compare to disney NOW not so much.anyway had to vent...she was really unpset when she got off the phone and she just wanted to make sure she would not hear alot of construction sounds.ok go ahead ...I am readyfor the people who think disney does no wrong...but I think alot of people are tired of the overall bad cust. service

Nope, I never defend bad customer service or rude treatment anywhere. I just don't try to blame all of disney for 1 lousy experience. I pretty much think customer service overall is declining, hotels, department stores, amusement parks, fast food restuarants, the list goes on and on.
Whenever I get a rude cm on the phone, I simply ask for her/his name, hang up and get some one else and then report the first instance.

 

[imatoad]

Disney is not immune to a continually growing problem in the US, and that is finding employees that care about their job and want to give good customer service. Save the flames, I've worked and still do work in the cs industry and I have seen the decline over the past 5 to 10 years. Anyone can interview great, but their performance on the job is a different story, this is not to defend Disney at all but to point out that bad customer service is all around us. Sorry to sound so cynical but it's not going to get better, only worse. Disney can fire those bad employees but it's a crap shoot that the next one will be any better. Overall I've had great experiences at Disney, in fact at only one restaurant was service consistently bad, the San Angel Inn, and I contacted Disney last year regarding the problem and got an email from the restaurant mgr. that something will be done. We dined there again this past May in an effort to let them redeem themselves and they dropped the ball, we won't be going there again.

 

[redkelley]

Ok, I haven't had to deal with this mess as we are staying at POR, but I am going to play devil's advocate for a moment.

I work in a Call Center and have for 5 years. I am the Administrative Assistant and send out all the informational memos. INFORMATION CHANGES CONSTANTLY. I cannot tell you how many times I have sent out an email with directions from a client on how they want a specific detail handled, only to have the directions change 10 minutes later because they want it handled a different way! It is just as frustrating for the csr who has to deal with the callers as it is for the callers. Does this excuse rudeness? NO! But, the csr's are human too. Also, I know from personal experience that not everyone reads their email! Yes, they are supposed to. But, when you are answering 20-30 calls per hour, it does not always leave a lot of time in between. A csr may be basing their answers on the last information they received....not realizing that a new email with NEW information has been sent. It is not always possible to check email between every call to make sure you are 100% up to date.

Joi

 

[tinklvr64]

Brainstorm!! Why not have a bank of reps that ONLY handle concerns about AKL?? They would always be up to date on the construction information and Disney wouldn't have to inform mass CM's who may quit, be new, on vac on the latest info. Sorry to all that are anxious about their vacation...I wouldn't want that either when planning and spending your money to relax and have fun.

 

[pilferk]

I think all of us would be more tolerant of the CRO service if it was a tollfree number and we didn't have to answer 3 minutes of THEIR questions before we can ask our question.

I am so put out with the website right now because you cannot test ANY 2008 dates room only or pacakge - I'm sure this has to do with the new pricing strategy making every day a unique price ... I'm a shareholder so I appreciate maximizing the gain for the company BUT if I can't make a reservation efficiently then I cannot spend my money with Disney.

It probably has a lot to do with the fact Disney has not yet released 2008 room rates, package pricing, or DDP info.

Which is pretty much par for the course. Over the past few years, that info has been released in mid to late August.

 

[lustergirl]

wow!! Good luck on this one. I guess I am fortunate because I have never had a rude CM helping me, everyone has been quite magical. I should count my blessings...

 

[BroadwayGirl]

Sometimes I think the DISboards causes worries and concerns to be amplified beyond all reasonable expectations and they spin right out of control.

Knox

I could kiss you! This is the truest statement I have ever seen on the DIS boards. Although most people will rail against me, I firmly believe that the DISboards definitely creates monsters and magnifies issues which 99.9% of the time are non-issues into huge debacles.

 

[lustergirl]

 

[BroadwayGirl]

Brainstorm!! Why not have a bank of reps that ONLY handle concerns about AKL?? They would always be up to date on the construction information and Disney wouldn't have to inform mass CM's who may quit, be new, on vac on the latest info. Sorry to all that are anxious about their vacation...I wouldn't want that either when planning and spending your money to relax and have fun.

They do have this and they are calling guests who will be impacted as DISNEY deems it necessary. Unfortunately the "sky is falling" mentality prevailing here at the DISboards over this issue has put some guests into such a tizzy that they are unwilling to wait for someone from the team that is handling the AKL moves/issues to contact them IF/WHEN it becomes necessary. Then the entitlement mentality crowd jumps in and feeds the frenzy by telling anyone who is impacted that the should DEMAND a move to the GF concierge plus free meals if they will need to be moved. If people would just relax and remain calm instead of succumbing to the frenzy I feel confident that Disney will handle the moves appropriately.

 

[goodferry]

I have to agree that CRO is a constant issue for Disney, if you aren't a family of four booking a standard room, it's russian roulette! I have gotten soooo many half true/completely untrue statements from cms at CRO it's ridiculous. I realize that everyone can't know everything about every resort, but for goodness sakes, how tough would it be to have departments? Then once codes come out, forget it, it's a free-for-all. The system of you call in and get whoever isn't on the phone isn't working for them. IMHO CRO needs to be divided into CMs who handle the value resorts, CMs who handle the moderates, CMs who handle the deluxe resorts etc. That way everyone doesn't need to know everything from what pools are going to be shut down at the All Stars and when to how many people can fit in a deluxe room at the BWI. Then training on codes isn't SOOOO overwhelming. That way too, the CMs who handle the deluxe resorts would know the situation with Animal Kingdom. It would make the very confusing system of options at the Disney resorts a bit more manageable.

 

[maxiesmom]

my b friend who is going to akl in sept. just got off the phone with someone at wdw who told her ALL construction will be done by sept. 1st.... and the lady was VERY rude about it.I think next year our familys will spend our money with universal and their hotels...we used to go to wdw because of the good service, no one could compare to disney NOW not so much.anyway had to vent...she was really unpset when she got off the phone and she just wanted to make sure she would not hear alot of construction sounds.ok go ahead ...I am readyfor the people who think disney does no wrong...but I think alot of people are tired of the overall bad cust. service

If you get a rude CM, it is easy to hang up and call back. People do have bad days, and I would never let one rude person dictate where I will spend my vacation. I'm sure Universal has its share of rude people in the work force.

 

[brodyjen]

They do have this and they are calling guests who will be impacted as DISNEY deems it necessary. Unfortunately the "sky is falling" mentality prevailing here at the DISboards over this issue has put some guests into such a tizzy that they are unwilling to wait for someone from the team that is handling the AKL moves/issues to contact them IF/WHEN it becomes necessary. Then the entitlement mentality crowd jumps in and feeds the frenzy by telling anyone who is impacted that the should DEMAND a move to the GF concierge plus free meals if they will need to be moved. If people would just relax and remain calm instead of succumbing to the frenzy I feel confident that Disney will handle the moves appropriately.

1. Only the person going on the vacation/paying the bills can determine if something is going to bother them or not. I chose a specific resort and was booked in that specific resort. If that specific resort is not going to be available, or conditions at that specific resort are not OK with me (ie, planned construction or closures), then I do believe that Disney should handle it to my satisfaction. In no way, shape or form am I asking for anything more than what we paid for - a 2 queen bed room, in a deluxe resort, with a great view. I am not asking for concierge, club level, money backk, free dining, or anything else. What I am asking for is consistent information, so that I can decide how to proceed. If the information *today* is that after September 15th, everything will be hunky-dory, well, that's good news! Stay at AKL!! But, if in 2 weeks (or, on arrival), the information is "sorry, construction will impact you but we don't have any other (acceptable) rooms available", then that is not OK. That is why I'm trying to get it worked out now.

2. If you look at the boards, only a week or so ago, people in late August/early September were being told construction wouldn't be an issue. Now it is, and many are being moved. I really do understand about construction and delays! But that's why I'm trying to be pro-active. It does impact other decisions (AP's, Kids Nite Out, etc), and we are very close to our 45 days.

3. Yes, any Board can get out of hand - I think it's just the nature of people talking. But, I'm glad for the information as otherwise I would be totally unaware of *any* of the construction at AKL.