Do I write and complain?

[100percentDisney]

For vacation this year (Jul 26 - Aug 06), we stayed at the BWV. On the last day, we checked out (express) and had our luggage stored since we had a late flight. We left the room around 11:15am. We went straight to the boat and rode over to MGM to have lunch. As soon as we entered the gates, my future DIL realized that she had left her engagement ring on the bathroom sink. I looked at my watch and it had only been about 15 minutes since we left. I called the hotel on my cell phone as we rushed back to the boat (that had just pulled away) and explained to the front desk our situation. I was forwarded to housekeeping who forwarded the call to Lost and Found. At no time did I get an answer of what to do or where to go as soon as we returned. Matter of fact, I got no where making the phone call. By the time we got back to the hotel and into the front lobby, it was approx 11:40. I went to the front desk and DH went to the elevators to the 5th Fl to our room. As I was explaining to the front desk, my DH called me and said that the maid was in the room and let him in. So we took off up to the room. DH told me that the maid was not going to let him in even with him explaining the situation. She just kept saying "I already looked in the room and it is not there". He pushed his way in and started looking. When I got there, I noticed the room was just the way we left it except for the bathroom where the ring was left. It was the only room cleaned (bathtowels in shower room was still on floor, bed still not made, pull out sofa bed still out and tea cups still on table). The maid continuously said " I didn't steal it! It is not here, I looked. You lost it." My DH said many times back "we are not accusing you of stealing it. We just know that less than 45 minutes ago it was here in the bathroom and therefore it is in this room." We spent approx. 15 minutes with the four of us going through everything including the towels on the floor and the roll out bed and even on our hands and knees feeling around for it. Finally we gave up with the room and decided to contact the manager and security to report the ring missing and my FDIL was bawling her eyes out. (DS had just proposed on Jul 27 at MK and the ring had been too big so we had put layers of medical tape around it to keep it secured while wearing it which she had for the approx 2 weeks). I decided to check out the luggage in storage just to see if it was there. I went to the luggage and my DH went to the front desk to speak with the manager to file a lost item claim or whatever was needed there. After checking the luggage for a few minutes, my DH came and told me that while he was talking to the manager, the maid called down and said that she found the ring. My DS and FDIL went immediately to the room and after knocking several times and then finally using the room key that still worked, they walked in and the maid to say "Oh here it is. I found it in the bed". When she handed it to my DS, the medical tape had been removed. Upon examining it, there was a gash in the metal. DS and FDIL came straight down and showed us the ring that now had tape residue and gash. My DH thought it would be a wise thing to let the manager know this. So the manager came out again and DH asked him to step to the side because now there were several new guests in line. He told the manager that we were very glad to get the ring back but also showed the ring and explained the tape residue and gash mark and our concern of what had happened. The manager said "At least you got the ring back. To the maid's defense, she didn't have to give it back". I was so dumbstruck about this statement that I could not even respond. My DH said "well I though you would have liked to have known that you had a maid problem but apparently not" and the manager then just walked away.

We didn't want anything from the hotel or WDW. We was just reporting the suspicious activitity. We didn't even ask for the maid to be fired or anything of the sort.

I have told my sister and co-workers this story and they all say that we should have asked for the manager's superior or at the very least need to write to WDW and inform them of the poor attitude of the manager in dealing with the situation. I am not the type to make scenes and therefore I am a little hesitant in contacting WDW since we did get the ring back but I do think the manager handled this poorly and I am concerned that had we not returned so quickly (less than an hour) we never would have seen the ring again that we absolutely knew where it had been left.

Sorry for the long post. What do you think I should do about this?

 

[mrsR123]

Did the CM actually say that you were lucky and that the maid didn't have to give it back?

Yeah, you need to write. You need to report it to BWV's general manager and DVC member satisfaction and I'd go so far as to write to the VP of WDW resort.

It's one thing to calmly toe the company line regarding "lost" items, but this was suspicious at the most generous appraisal, and the CM's comments were completely out of line.

 

[Cinderella37]

I too think the manager handled the situation very poorly, but WDW has a reputation for admitting nothing for fear of a lawsuit. Now, in my opinion, something fishy was going on. How the ring got into the bed sheets is a mystery to me. I would have been having a fit if it would have been me, as would my fiance. If you hadn't called and returned to the resort in 45 minutes, who knows what would have happened.

For the maid to have immediately said she didn't take it and the fact that the tape was off of the ring is strange. The only other thing I can think of is that the maid knocked the ring down the drain (if it would've fit) and had to call someone to retrieve it. That would account for the missing tape and the gash.

I'd definitely call and speak to someone about the incident. It's clear that you don't expect anything in return, but someone in management needs to know how the situation was handled. I'm so glad your FDIL got her ring back - I'd be devastated if I lost mine. A friend of my fiance's left his Rolex on the sink in the men's locker room at our country club and when he returned, it was gone. He never got it back.

 

[currycook]

Hard situation

But after thinking I would

1. Just be happy I got it back

2. I would take the time to write whoever is in authority of the situation and the response. That really should be done.

 

[thatdarncat]

I haven't even finished reading your post and my first reaction was "Gee, I really hope these people write a letter to disney or something about this" I can't believe what the front desk said to you about this. "AT LEAST YOU GOT THE RING BACK"??!! PLEEZE, what he should have said was...thank goodness you're here, we have something you left in your room. I don't think that all people and all places are honest, but at the same time, it's not like the maid found five dollars on the floor. This is an engagement ring for goodness sakes!!! If she had any decency she would have put that ring in lost and found, and NOT tried it on (with plans to take her new untaped ring home). I'm sure the maids aren't watched, but maybe they should be checked of their belongings before leaving work for the day just to fix this little "problem" they obviously have.

 

[tiggersmom2]

OMG! I am so glad you got the ring back but ***? The attitude from the manager was unacceptable! I would definitely write!

 

[kmchar1]

Wait. So housekeepers need to be checked because they have a "problem"????? By that do you mean all housekeepers are theives???? Geeesh.

I'm so glad you got your ring back!!! Definately complain to management about the manager who spoke to you in such a rude manner! That is not acceptable.

If a guest leaves a room after 11am, it is considered after checkout and will NEVER be allowed back into a room. I'm surprised you were allowed back into the room, but it's a good thing you were able to do so! Perhaps the maid would have never: a) known you even lost a ring or b) realized you knew she took it.

Also, if a guest leaves anything behind in a room, it is given to lost and found (accept perishables or anything left near the garbage..those they can keep or throw away). I think you might have gotten a housekeeper that was planning to keep the ring, but I guess we'll never know the real answer. Had she kept the ring, it would have been illegal..but we'll never know the answer to that.

I'm just so glad you got that ring back!!!!

 

[thatdarncat]

I had to edit this cauz at first I was really angry that i got "Geeshed" by a total stranger, haha!! Now i think it's pretty silly and funny. I guess that's what these boards are all about, sharing Disney info, opinions and even geeshing strangers. Well, I still have the opionion that there's something wrong there. Write your letter about the maid, the manager and everything. Who knows, you may get results.
P.S. - and NO I don't think all housekeepers are theives!!! (geeshing silenlty). They do need to address this somehow and hope it doesn't happen again. It's too easy, it seems, to get away with something like that.

 

[Selket]

I can see why the tape was off perhaps - if she planned to steal it - but what would have caused the gash? Just trying to think of some other reason for the strange reappearance of the ring in that condition.

I agree you should write a letter to the management as the comments made were unacceptable.

 

[Poohlovr]

Cutting through the layers of tape could have caused a gash in the ring.

 

[my3kids]

Yep, I also figured a slash through the tape also gashed the metal.

 

[disneyfor3]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the home away from home resorts including the Boardwalk Villas have a check in of 4 pm and a check out of 12 noon.

 

[DISUNC]

For the manager to say "At least you got the ring back. To the maid's defense, she didn't have to give it back", deserves a letter sent certified/return receipt to Eisner.

Where does he get off saying "she didn't have to give it back"?

Does this hotel now go by "finders keepers" rules? It was apalling how you were treated.

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by disneyfor3
Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the home away from home resorts including the Boardwalk Villas have a check in of 4 pm and a check out of 12 noon.

Checkout is 11:00am, just like the other resorts. They do not offer a late checkout option.

 

[zurgswife]

I would right a letter to the GM of the BW....He is a great guy...unfortunatley I can't remember his name right now....Call the BW front desk and reqest his name and right him a letter DO NOT MAIL it to Box 10000 make them give you an actually address for the lettter...

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

Very sorry about your situation. In the past I have used Disneyworld.com to register either complaints or problems that have occurred. They always respond in e-mail, sometimes in writing, and twice I have received telephone calls from the Executive offices of WDW to go over the situation.
By all means get online now and explain what took place. Be specific and give them your name, address, and telephone number. Someone will get back to you for more details or with questions. Hopefully they can then make sure something like this never happens again.

 

[dg39]

I would write the letter just as wdwgoofeee said. Be specific letting them know date,time and by all means if you have names include that. Let them know that you are aware that after checkout no one is allowed back in the room, but for certain situations, such as this one, this rule can/should be set aside. Thankfully the ring was returned and all is well.

 

[tnkrbell]

First off Im so happy you got your ring back!!
I cant believe how the manager spoke to you!!!!!!
I had an experience at the Wl I left a Tiffany (silver) necklace on the nightstand. when we changed hotels, when I remebered my necklace I called the hotel well no one found it.
I do admit it was my fault for forgetting it.

 

[StitchGirl]

I would definitely write a letter to Disney and relay your experiences (just be truthful about everything you did-- honestly, a near cut and paste of what you wrote here would work well!)

The manager definitely handled it poorly-- he will never admit that there was a possible theft by an employee-- this statement could be used as an admission and a possible lawsuit. This is the same reason so many people don't receive "I'm sorry's" Those are admissions, and since we love in a sue happy society, the hotel has to avaoid saying things like that because it could spur lawsuits. That said, what the manager said was ridiculous. He should have said something like "Well, it's unfortunate you had to lose the ring, but I'm glad you got it back." The "she didn't have to give it back" comment was probably meant to mean that if she had it, no one would know becuase things are lost all the time, not finder's keepers losers weepers. But, it was a really stupid comment for him to say!

I think that this situation looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck-- the housekeeper was probably planning to steal the ring, and then got guilty (although her "I didn't steal it" comment could be because they are accused of stealing all the time-- they did a 20/20 or something program on this, and found that housekeepers at all degrees of hotels (Super 8 to the Ritz) steal stuff EVERY day!!). However, you have absolutely no proof that is the case-- therefore, the hotel and Disney will most definitely 1) not say the housekeeper is guilty, 2) not do anything to the housekeeper, and, unfortunatel, will probably not even apologize to you when you write!

I'm sorry for your experience!

 

[dizcrazy]

Write the letter!
Write the letter!
Write the letter!

the treatment you recv'd was against all of the Disney customer service policies that they are always talking about - every time my mother goes to an HR conference, Disney attends and trains them in "going the distance at all costs."

The maid's reaction, the tape being removed and the manager's response were all unacceptable. Anywhere!

My guess is you'll get a letter of apology and nothing else. But I say write the letter and hope they look into it and protect other guests.