Disney Travel Asking AKL reserv. to Move!!!

[robinb]

I have been all over the world, and been to Disney many times (probably more then most on this board, despite my young age). I am not saying Disney has to make me have a good time, but they have the responsibility to provide what is being paid for. And if they fail or are unable to do so, they have the responsibility to ensure one is compensated accordingly by going out of their way to go above and beyond to achieve this.

I have also been around the world (at my advanced age ) and I have to disagree with you somewhat. When a hotel guest is "walked" they are entitled to the same level of accommodations or better. The OP (and others like her) are being "walked" ahead of time. It is not Disney's "responsibility" to go above and beyond providing equal or better accommodations. If Disney offers her a Deluxe or a Home Away From Home resort in exchange for her stay at AKL, then they have done all they legally must do. She does not deserve to be compensated in any additional manner. She paid for a Savannah View Room at AKL with a rack rate of $335 and she was offered a $440 1-Bedroom at SSR. Like I said, the upgrade-fairy must have smiled down on her when she was able to score the Polynesian. I am genuinely happy for her (although I would have taken the 1 bedroom having stayed at both resorts) but I don't think she is entitled to anything else from Disney.

 

[Cmbar]

Yes!!!! We love SSR and can't believe people who have never experienced it would be given opinions about it. Although, if everyone who has a negative opinion about it stays away, the better for those of us who love it.

I do hope OP has a great trip and that some will try SSR and love it as much as we do!

I think you are definitely entitled to love your SSR! It is beautiful but for those of us who never intend to go "HOME"(Please not kitchen!) for a vacation, a room in a themed resort shouldn't be condsidered "lesser" room than a DVC room. I for one would Never book SSR or OKW at rack rate because they are deluxe prices. But in my opinion SSR and OKW is a moderate location. I could CARE LESS about being anywhere near DTD. Yuck, we never go there. If I want to buy things, I buy them in the park, but I am not a shopping kinda gal, so that explains that. BWV, BCV and VWL are lovely but other than location, I found them uncomfortable. Yes I had a Microwave in my Studio but my children had to sleep on a pullout couch. Same with the one Bedroom. What is so great about that? Now like those who own DVC, they vacation to relax at their resorts and use all the extra ammenities. We go to go to the parks . Going to the parks means getting to them and getting to them easily and quickly so that is why I would pay Deluxe prices (if I could afford them without a major discount!!).

Now AKL is the only exception. I have never been there, but the theme of seeing the animals is definitely a draw. But due to its location I am hesitant to pay a deluxe type cost for this. Again just my opinion!!

To the OP and other poster who believe in demanding the upgrades for their inconvenience, I say that while I totally agree that you should insist that you won't settle to be moved someplace you aren't willing to stay, I really don't get this demanding for Disney to fix every part of your trip. Do you really think kicking someone else out of a reservation at a restauraunt is owed to you? See the problem is that if you approach it as "Disney is a corporation" then you forget that you aren't the only person there. Don't you think someone is getting bumped from Poly because you were so adamant about getting the Poly and possibly they weren't trained in the "New York" way and quite possibly their vacation that was planned will now be gone when they arrive?

I am glad you got it and I think that definitely Disney should have given you an upgrade when kicking you out of the hotel you had planned, but I agree with another poster that said the ADR is seeming a bit greedy. Goodness how many people get upgraded to a monorail resort and get a Fireworks whatever thrown in. I for one would love those upgrades and would easily throw away my one night reservation anywhere. Just go to the food court or goodness there is tons of great restaurants on the monorail. Ohana's is not the one and certainly not the type rest. you want after traveling all day. We went once and hated our meal because it was so late at night and all that heavy stuff was awful. I would do a buffet. Also, somehow I think you are adjusting other parts of your trip to now fit in that fireworks thing, so think of it as a trade off for switching things around.

Hope you have a magical trip!

 

[deej696]

Oh how I love threads that give me a little reminder of why I am no longer in the hotel business!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I have also been around the world (at my advanced age ) and I have to disagree with you somewhat. When a hotel guest is "walked" they are entitled to the same level of accommodations or better. The OP (and others like her) are being "walked" ahead of time. It is not Disney's "responsibility" to go above and beyond providing equal or better accommodations. If Disney offers her a Deluxe or a Home Away From Home resort in exchange for her stay at AKL, then they have done all they legally must do. She does not deserve to be compensated in any additional manner. She paid for a Savannah View Room at AKL with a rack rate of $335 and she was offered a $440 1-Bedroom at SSR. Like I said, the upgrade-fairy must have smiled down on her when she was able to score the Polynesian. I am genuinely happy for her (although I would have taken the 1 bedroom having stayed at both resorts) but I don't think she is entitled to anything else from Disney.

Again, we're not talking money, we're talking quality. SSR is not a Deluxe resort, plain and simple. It has more SQF, sure, but beyond that it is still a moderate.

Legal and responsibility are two things. Legally, Costco doesn't have to take returns for a year or more, but they do so because they are about the customer! If Disney wants to be about the customer, this is the same mentality they need to always keep in mind. Trust me, they do well most of the time, but they slack off in certain areas. You cannot be the resort destination of the world without going above and beyond, just what you are minimally legally responsible for isn't going to make you the best.

 

[Lewisc]

SSR is a home away from home resort which Disney characterizes as deluxe. It has a sit down restaurant, spa, queen sized beds and all the other amenities Disney promises in Deluxe resorts.

I'd prefer one of the other deluxe resort to either OKW or SSR and certainly would prefer POLY.

Again, we're not talking money, we're talking quality. SSR is not a Deluxe resort, plain and simple. It has more SQF, sure, but beyond that it is still a moderate.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Home away from Home resorts are Deluxe resorts... SSR is a deluxe resort..

 

[jlewisinsyr]

SSR is a home away from home resort which Disney characterizes as deluxe. It has a sit down restaurant, spa, queen sized beds and all the other amenities Disney promises in Deluxe resorts.

I'd prefer one of the other deluxe resort to either OKW or SSR and certainly would prefer POLY.

It may have the same ammenities, but even on Disney's website, Deluxes are listed differently then the Vacation Club resorts.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I also think SSR is a deluxe but if i was paying for AKL I dont if I would have wanted that. It seems they keep pushing AKL and OKW to upgrade people.

 

[robinb]

Again, we're not talking money, we're talking quality. SSR is not a Deluxe resort, plain and simple. It has more SQF, sure, but beyond that it is still a moderate.

Huh? Have you stayed at SSR? I have. It is not a moderate resort by any stretch of the imagination. Large rooms, deluxe themed pool, full sized private balconies (the Poly does not boast that!), proximity to DTD (we walked!) all add up to "Deluxe" and not "Moderate". OK ... it lacks inside corridors, but I usually find them to be louder when everyone and their dog walks past your room v/s only a few people in your building. You are absolutely allowed not to like SSR, but it is comparable with AKL IMO. The rack rate on the room was also more expensive *and* they were willing to discount the room about $150 off what she was paying for a AKL. Now that's going "above and beyond".

You cannot be the resort destination of the world without going above and beyond, just what you are minimally legally responsible for isn't going to make you the best.

That is one of the things that we Disney-o-holics love about Disney. They do work their magic all the time. In this case they did work their magic in upgrading her to a 1-bedroom .

ETA: I just wanted to point out the the OP didn't have to change resorts. She could have said "no thanks" and stayed at AKL. Given that the amenities of AKL were so important to her in addition to the fact that she says she stays in the parks from early morning until late at night, she probably should have just stayed there. She wouldn't be around for the construction and would not have been bothered by it.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Huh? Have you stayed at SSR? I have. It is not a moderate resort by any stretch of the imagination. Large rooms, deluxe themed pool, full sized private balconies (the Poly does not boast that!), proximity to DTD (we walked!) all add up to "Deluxe" and not "Moderate". OK ... it lacks inside corridors, but I usually find them to be louder when everyone and their dog walks past your room v/s only a few people in your building. You are absolutely allowed not to like SSR, but it is comparable with AKL IMO. The rack rate on the room was also more expensive *and* they were willing to discount the room about $150 off what she was paying for a AKL. Now that's going "above and beyond".

That is one of the things that we Disney-o-holics love about Disney. They do work their magic all the time. In this case they did work their magic in upgrading her to a 1-bedroom .

We could argue this until we are blue in the face. But the quality is not the same at the SSR compaired to the AKL or any of the other Deluxe resorts. You can disagree with me, but been there done that, not the same class. It may have some of the same features, but in the end its not the same class.

Again, the amount is not the problem, it's the quality. I am a Disney-o-holic as you graciously mentioned, but again, I think they failed miserably in offering the SSR. They should have initially offered one of the other Deluxes first, this would have been going above and beyond. They did go above and beyond with the Poly, but only after much aggravation.

 

[robinb]

We could argue this until we are blue in the face. But the quality is not the same at the SSR compaired to the AKL or any of the other Deluxe resorts.

You didn't answer me. Have you stayed there? Visited the resort? Or are you just going by something else?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

You didn't answer me. Have you stayed there? Visited the resort? Or are you just going by something else?

Maybe your old age is catching up with you...

but been there done that

 

[Kae]

Hey can I make a first night suggestion. how about Capt Cooks & hang out at the pool, then watch the Electric Water Pagent Parade. The kids can burn off some energy & you can enjoy the Poly it is a great resort. And my kids prefer kona to Ohana. And Ohana always seems to have an Endless wait.

Or Room Service my kids think Room Service is the greatest.

Kae

 

[robinb]

Maybe your old age is catching up with you...

Sassy young whipper snapper!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Sassy young whipper snapper!

Hey, what can I say...life is too short to always take things seriously!

 

[tidefan]

Again, we're not talking money, we're talking quality. SSR is not a Deluxe resort, plain and simple. It has more SQF, sure, but beyond that it is still a moderate.

WHAT? No offense, but we stayed at CSR back in April and toured the SSR and AKV DVC locations before we bought. Both were waaaay better than CSR (Moderate) and we liked SSR better than AKV (too dark) and SSR has the golf course (big points for me)...

 

[Lewisc]

It may have the same ammenities, but even on Disney's website, Deluxes are listed differently then the Vacation Club resorts.

I guess you're no longer claiming SSR is a moderate resort.

 

[PEANUT1]

I'm sorry that this sounds kinda negative, but I think you are taking this whole "When they hear my story" thing too far. First the upgrade to the Polynesian instead of SSR (which took many "squeaky-wheel" phone calls), now it seems that you might get an upgrade to a Lagoon View (a double upgrade) and you also want them to find a table for 5 at 'Ohana which has been sold out for months. It just seems to me that you were blessed by the Disney pixie-dust-upgrade-fairy already. Asking for more seems greedy to me. Sorry .[/QUOTE]


I kind of have to agree here....let's not get all crazy and be whoah is me..have fun and count your lucky stars..you are going to LOVE the polynesian.

 

[PEANUT1]

oops..that last post was supposed to quote robinb....i agree with everything you said.

 

[eeyore3847]

WOW, look at what happened when I went and had dinner!
ok, since I started this let me help by answereing for myself.
ok everyone I flat out told the First person I spoke with when they mentioned SSR that we were looking for a "themed Experience". I think everyone forgets it is not about the quality of the SSR. it is not about the monetary value of which Resort to go to! I wanted a kid "Happy Themed" Resort. When we picked the AKL it was for the "atmosphere and the experience". Do you honestly believe the SSR would give me that! I was then told "we could move you to another resort if there is an opening, let us know what we can do to help you out and move"!!!! That is what he said. on that note I told him I needed to talk with my hubby and get back to them. Ok, then made my 2nd phone call and gave my 4 options that I thought would have the same type of "experience" I wanted for the Kids! I was then told they had to check availability and get back to me. Well out of those 4 choices only the POLY was available. NOW we did not kick someone out of there reservation. You don't think that they keep some rooms open in every hotel just for these types of things. We were offered to try another hotel besides the SSR! I went wiht that and chose another. And I was flat out told that there was a 80% that we would get moved the day of our reservation. So I thought I would control the move now before July 7th when I would have no control!
I too have traveled and expect either the reservation I paid for or a equal second. I paid for an EXPERIENCE not a spacious room. If that was the case we would have booked a suite. Which we tried at AKL and in Sept they were already booked! Guess they got moved anyways!
Oh and "deluxe" is different to everyone. A kitchen and washer to me is not deluxe it is convience. I will not use the jacuzzi, don't like them! Animals at teh AKL are up early morning and at night and that is when we planned to see them! Not during the day!
The best suggestion I have heard is from Kae! THink we will go toCapt Cooks & hang out at the pool, then watch the Electric Water Pagent Parade. The kids can burn off some energy & enjoy the Poly !! Great idea!

Lori