Expecting too much?

[dominiondad]

Wondering if I'm expecting too much from WDW. We just returned from a 7-night WDW trip. We stayed at CBR and went into the parks each day. I wanted to purchase a 17" Simba stuffed animal as a gift for somebody back home. We searched every gift shop we could find, especially those in AK, and even one called Lion King. They were all out. Each time we asked a cast member, they said they couldn't find any. Finally, we checked the gift shop at the resort. They were out as well. I asked if they could search their computer system to see where we could find one. She indicated every store in WDW was sold out. We then looked at the Disney Shopping website that showed they had them, as did a local mall. The cast member suggested I take a cab to the mall to buy the toy. I explained that would end up costing me a lot of money and time. I asked if I could order one online, have Disney ship it to my house, and have Disney waive the shipping costs since I was standing on their property prepared to walk away with it but couldn't because of their supply issue. She siad she couldn't help me and that I would have to pay the shipping. AI then asked if WDW could have one sent to the resort and I could buy it here. Again, no. Am I crazy to think after paying thousands of dollars to visit WDW I shouldn't have to pay shipping on an item they are out of? especially a very common item that is one of their headliners?

 

[kiramay]

They’re different entities. You can’t return or exchange items bought at WDW to shopDisney and vice versa, so I wouldn’t expect a CM at WDW to be able to waive shipping for shopDisney.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

I think its perfectly appropriate for you to ask them to pay the shipping in these circumstances. But when they say no, I think you should expect it and not be upset. Items sell out. It happens. There have been trips when they were out of a specific item I was looking for. Ultimately, I think its not worth getting worked up about. I mean, as you said, you spent thousands of dollars to visit WDW. Is spending a couple extra bucks really going to break the bank for you? I assume the answer is no. So either forget the gift and move on, or just shell out the couple extra bucks and return to enjoying your vacay!

 

[FCDub]

I, personally, believe you are being unrealistic.

 

[SaintsManiac]

When we went in March we could not buy the Kevin plush anywhere. CMs looked in every store on property for us. I never considered asking for more. I felt they went above and beyond searching for us. I waited until the Disney site had free shipping and ordered it from there a few weeks later.

Yes, I think you expected too much from this situation.

 

[lanejudy]

Depending on the reason for wanting that specific product, I would either get another Simba or a different Lion King character.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[kiford]

Two different divisions - an employee in one division has no authority over what another division can or cannot do. Because they can't make the other division waive the fee, they would have had to effectively reimburse you for the shipping charges or absorb the cost out of their budget: (a) a CM is not likely to have the authority or system ability to do so; and (b) the gift shop is likely a profit centre and this would change their performance numbers while increasing the performance numbers of the online store (yes, I know it's only one item but if they do it for one person, they end up having to do it on a wider basis). Anyone who has ever worked in an organization with multiple profit, revenue or cost centres will know that penalizing your division at the expense of another, even if it's ultimately good for the customer, is a good way to get your budget cut or your bonus or promotion prospects imperiled. It's sad that divisions in the same organization can end up working against each other but you have to manage the potential chaos and measure performance somehow and it has to be done consistently; while many organizations such as Marriott give employees some latitude and budget to make customers happy - Disney too I believe, there have to be limits on what they can do and this may have been out of their limits (I'd personally hate to be the person doing the financial close out that night if they did do it).

Chalk it up more to lack of logistical ability than lack of desire to accommodate.

 

[glvsav37]

IMO, yea I think you were asking a bit much. Regardless of how much any of us spend on our trips, its not guaranteed what store inventory is there, attractions are open or anything. Frankly, if i was the CM, the more you persisted and expected a low-level CM to readjust the Disney retail system b/c you wanted that one exact opposite item, the less pixie dust effort I would be sending your way. Sorry, its sold out, move on.

 

[Liljo22]

Don't take everyone's answers as Disney fans backing up Disney. There is no way a CM would even be able to do what you are asking. Disney treats all its different entities as separate from each other. Disney Stores and Online retailer are not the same as park shops.

 

[eco-muse]

Yeah, you are expecting too much (and also crazy). You're not the only one that pays thousands of dollars to visit Disney World. Expecting any special treatment on that factor alone will gain you more scorn than favors. It sounds like the cast member did everything she could to help you, and I don't get the impression that you appreciated her efforts very much.

 

[glvsav37]

Big Thunder was down for refurb during my whole trip last time. I should have demanded that WDW flies me down and so I could ride once it opened. I mean, flying back down myself would have cost me more money. I mean, its a very common attraction and I can't believe why the attractions CM couldn't book me a flight right then and there

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Wondering if I'm expecting too much from WDW. We just returned from a 7-night WDW trip. We stayed at CBR and went into the parks each day. I wanted to purchase a 17" Simba stuffed animal as a gift for somebody back home. We searched every gift shop we could find, especially those in AK, and even one called Lion King. They were all out. Each time we asked a cast member, they said they couldn't find any. Finally, we checked the gift shop at the resort. They were out as well. I asked if they could search their computer system to see where we could find one. She indicated every store in WDW was sold out. We then looked at the Disney Shopping website that showed they had them, as did a local mall. The cast member suggested I take a cab to the mall to buy the toy. I explained that would end up costing me a lot of money and time. I asked if I could order one online, have Disney ship it to my house, and have Disney waive the shipping costs since I was standing on their property prepared to walk away with it but couldn't because of their supply issue. She siad she couldn't help me and that I would have to pay the shipping. AI then asked if WDW could have one sent to the resort and I could buy it here. Again, no. Am I crazy to think after paying thousands of dollars to visit WDW I shouldn't have to pay shipping on an item they are out of? especially a very common item that is one of their headliners?

Why should that statement only apply to you? Why would paying thousands of dollars make you more important than that single mother with two kids who worked her butt off to get them all to Disney and wanted this same stuffed animal you did, but couldn't get it. Should she then not get the same rights as the person paying thousands of dollars?

You are asking a lot. If you wanted the stuffed animal as bad as you make it appear here on your post, you would have simply gone to the website, ordered it and had it shipped to the hotel, depending on how long you had left on your trip. or simply to your home. Or gone to the local mall. You already paid thousands of dollars for your Disney trip....but a cab was going to cost you a lot of time and money? Haven't you already given those things in planning your trip and then being there? Time planning, time going from park to park, from resort to park, from ride to ride, from onsite to offsite (if you ever chose to do this), or time just getting up and getting ready for your day. Money....spent on your flight there or gas in your car to get you there, on the resort, on tickets, on your meals, your snacks, souvenirs, or special treats? Yet you couldn't do a simple cab ride to a mall? That says to me, and my thoughts could be wrong as they sometimes are, the stuffed animal wasn't really that important to you.

Very simply, sometimes the answer is no and whether we like it or not, we have to accept that. Sounds to me like the CM did do more than she had to in this case. And as others have said, what can be done in a resort gift shop, may not be the same in a park gift shop. What can be done in Disney Springs cannot be done within the Disney parks. Yes it's all Disney, but each has it's own Network they have to "answer" to daily. I'm speaking from experience so when I say this understand it's not meant to be insulting, so I apologize if it comes across that way. You SHOULD be thankful a CM took the time to help you search for this item you wanted. Once the phrase "Every store in WDW is sold out" came out of her mouth...her job was done. At that point, YOU should have done the research and found a way to get the stuffed Simba. If she found it on the website, I bet you could have too. If she found it at a local mall, I can almost guarantee you, you would have eventually found a link for it yourself.

It's been said to me and as much as it irritates me to hear, it's the truth. Sometimes, it's not all about me....

 

[vacationer1954]

Don't take everyone's answers as Disney fans backing up Disney. There is no way a CM would even be able to do what you are asking. Disney treats all its different entities as separate from each other. Disney Stores and Online retailer are not the same as park shops.

It goes further than that - is true of most places, not just Disney. It is relatively rare for a brick-and-mortar store to be willing to ship something to you because it is out-of-stock. They'll sometimes try to track it down, and help you understand where you can go to get it. Some might even make arrangements for it to be delivered to your local store at a later date, but even that is unusual and should be considered remarkably great service. However, acquiring it from another district or division of the company is generally beyond the scope of excellent service, and having it shipped to you by another district or division of the company for free, when there is typically a significant cost to shipping, is way beyond that.

 

[dominiondad]

Got it. To be clear, I never persisted with any WDW employees, I simply asked and always thanked them for their time. I recognize I could order it, but when I give somebody a gift I get them from WDW, I feel like there is a difference between "I got you this in Disney" and "I ordered this from a catalogue after my WDW trip". I just found a different gift.

I guess I see it a little different. WDW is going to order more of this item and those will need to be shipped to WDW. The price for that item is currently $29.99 in the parks, which presumably covers WDW's cost to ship the item to WDW. I'm simply asking that I pay the price WDW charges for that post-shipping.

 

[Justplainchy]

Got it. To be clear, I never persisted with any WDW employees, I simply asked and always thanked them for their time. I recognize I could order it, but when I give somebody a gift I get them from WDW, I feel like there is a difference between "I got you this in Disney" and "I ordered this from a catalogue after my WDW trip". I just found a different gift.

I guess I see it a little different. WDW is going to order more of this item and those will need to be shipped to WDW. The price for that item is currently $29.99 in the parks, which presumably covers WDW's cost to ship the item to WDW. I'm simply asking that I pay the price WDW charges for that post-shipping.

Like others have said, there was literally no way that cast member, or likely any cast member could have given you what you were asking. They treat their stores as different entities than Disney Parks. They were out of stock at the parks. They were in stock at a Disney Store. You had the option of taking a lyft to go and get it, but chose not to, which is your prerogative. Disney has no responsibility to make sure a certain item is in stock when you are there--obviously they want to make their customers happy, but the CMs are dependent on the stock being restocked when Disney Corporate has it restocked. Again, they CM could look it up for you, but there's no way for her to have it ordered to the resort or to your home and waive the shipping. She doesn't have access to the PoS to waive the shipping. Now, I know that if you go to a Disney STORE they will often give you a coupon to waive shipping if the item is not in your size/out of stock/etc, but again, that's an entirely different entity. Imagine if they ordered every item for every person that wanted it whenever they wanted it no matter if it was in stock at the parks-- the CMs would do nothing else all day! You're right they will have to order more of this item, but it will come in a bulk order of a lot of other merchandise so expecting them to bend over backwards to have it shipped for free, separately to you is a bit beyond the realm of feasible and reasonable. I hope the other gift you found was as neat!

 

[dominiondad]

Thanks all for your perspective. For the record, you've changed my mind. So to close the loop, I think I was expecting to much. Thanks for the reality check.