Free breakfast at Crystal Palace ... or was it?

[ntz4disney]

My MIL just returned from a "girls only" trip to WDW on 12/11. She was telling us how much fun she had, and she mentioned that on 12/8, which was also her birthday, she was having breakfast at Crystal Palace and when it came time to pay the bill, she was asked if they had a voucher? She asked what was meant by voucher, and the manager on duty came to their table. He informed them all that they were given a complimentary breakfast and that there was no bill and to have a "magical day". The left a tip for their waitress and left.They were all so excited to get a free meal on Disney and wondered if it was paid for by my husband and I as a birthday treat to my MIL. She called afterwards asking if we had arranged it, and when we told her no, she wondered how she got that treat. Without thinking any more about it she went on with the remainder of her trip. On the day before she left she received a message at the hotel to call the front desk and a cast member informed them that it had indeed been an error and that they were now required to pay for their meal ... 2 days afterwards! She could not believe it,they all chipped in and paid the bill but all had a bad taste in their mouths from the situation. My MIL insistes she asked both the waitress and the manager more then once if they were serious and were told to have a "magical day". Now my MIL wants to contact someone within Disney to complain about it. Like she told me, she was so excited to get a free meal and if it was a mistake then its on them, she just said she wanted to express her opinions about it to someone within the company. I know she was calling and going up the chain of command ... so far nothing from them on the subject dispite messages.

I am just wondering what any of you would have done in that situation? Would you have paid it after the fact or tried to talk to someone about it at that time?? I say tehir loss was my gain so why put the money out??

Any opinions?

 

[TiggerPiglet]

If your MIL did not pay, how were they able to contact her? I would think they would have no way of knowing who she was, let alone know where she was staying without a credit card.

 

[ntz4disney]

I asked her the same thing, she mentioned that when she made her ADR's way back when, they ask what Disney resort you are staying at and she provided them with that information. She also asked what would have happened had she not called them back about it and was told that the meal would have shown up on her check out bill at departure and that she would have to contest it with the front desk on check out. She said the room was in her name and the reservation was as well.

 

[TiggerPiglet]

I forgot they ask you all of that info when you book a dinner reservation, I guess we know why now
To get to your question though about what would I have done, I would not have paid it. Like you said, it was their error. The manager even said it was free and to be told two days later I have to pay, is just plain ridiculous. I remember when I worked in retail, if something was priced at a lower price than it should have been, we would have to honor that price, even though it was a mistake. I'm really surprised they went back on giving her the free meal, that's too bad.

 

[Melissa_E]

I agree with the previous poster, after two days? I'm shocked that they didn't just write off the free meal. In the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't have hurt Disney.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

I guess I would have had to pay it, but I certainly would have fought it , made phone calls etc. IMHO, that's just not right....to tell someone their meal is free and to have a magical day, and then tell them later they have to pay, that it was a mistake...gee, Happy Birthday! ....sounds like there have been a lot of similar mis-charging issues.

We had an issue ourselves.....I was in the Chrisrmas store in DTD...when I went tp check out, I was told that my Resort charge was invalid. I had just bought something 10 min. before, so that made no sense, but there was not much I could do. The CM called her manager, but the manager told her she was "closed" and wouldn't come check it out. There was nothing I could do but go bacl to WL and have them check what was up with the card. They checked, and it was working fine...they were nice enough to cal the Christmas store and have the things put on my card and shipped to the resort. The next day, we went down to check our balance to make sure we weren't overspending, and the charge was there from the Christmas store...TWICE!!!! Apparently, my card was NOT invalid, b/c the sale had gone through They would not take the first charge off, b/c I did not have a reciept. How can I have a reciept for a charge that I was told would not go through??? Finally, a mgr. at WL got it taken care of, but I spent 5HOURS of my vacation dealing with this. I wish there was someone in guest relations that I could contact so this doesn't happen to someone else. It could have all been avoided if the manager came out to look at the transaction like she should have....Sorry for hijacking your thread...I guess I needed to get that off my chest!

 

[just another guy]

If your MIL did not pay, how were they able to contact her? I would think they would have no way of knowing who she was, let alone know where she was staying without a credit card.

When you check in at any restaurant, you give your full name. Disney can EASILY search that, and track you down. You would be surprised at the number of people who think the "checking in" at a disney restaurant some how pays the bill. When they are done, they just disappear. You think disney is going to just forget all these charges? Nope, they bills are simply charged to their rooms.

That being said, I would fully fight against paying it. Not only a server, but a manager told the person to have a nice day. That right there seals the deal.

 

[ntz4disney]

My MIL informed me that all 6 of the girls who went on the trip have written letters and sendt them priority mail so they can be sure it was received. Not sure what will come of it since no messages left have been returned but it made them feel better to write something to plead their case. I'll keep you posted on what happens next for them.

 

[polkadotminnie]

I tried to buy 5 pirate party tickets on my debt card last year and the CM said their system was down so she kept trying. I ended up receiving 20 tickets in the mail a few days later. I was . It took 3 days of phone calls to get that money back.
I hope they make your situation right.

 

[annie_in_wonderland]

I'd pay but SHEESH! I can't believe they called and asked her to pay!

For heaven's sake couldn't they just have called it a Year of a Million dreams surprise?

I love WDW, but sometimes their customer service just is surprisingly bad.

 

[TiggerPiglet]

My MIL informed me that all 6 of the girls who went on the trip have written letters and sendt them priority mail so they can be sure it was received. Not sure what will come of it since no messages left have been returned but it made them feel better to write something to plead their case. I'll keep you posted on what happens next for them.

Yes, please let us know what happens. I still can't believe they made her pay after telling her it was free.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I would have tried to dispute it at check out but I think WDW is the master of the last minute stall. A majority of people are flying out and don't have hours before a flight to fix a charge.

My BIL had 5 Mickey Bars charged to his room charge from a cart instead of using the snack credits. He spent hours on his cell phone at the airport trying to get it fixed and couldn't because they kept telling he checked out already there was nothing they could do, blah, blah. He was transferred all over the place, put on hold. If he didn't have unlimited cell phone service it would have cost more in phone charges then the bars were worth. He eventually had to give up because they were boarding the plane. I'm sure they didn't mean to stall him until he had to give up.

 

[scrump]

I probably would've just paid it, but I would've been royally ticked off, too.

I am so surprised they didn't just let it go. How much $$$ difference could've it have made in the end, at the cost of sending people home unhappy?

 

[tink too]

Wow - that's just awful!

A few years back now, my parents were chased after they left the sit down restaurant in China in Epcot by their server. She was really ticked off that they hadn't added a tip to their bill which they paid by credit card. It's a pity she hadn't looked on the table first - they'd left an overly generous cash tip!

She's just lucky I wasn't there with them that day - I would've given her another "tip" - don't be rude to customers if you expect a decent tip.

 

[Disneychix]

I probably would've done my fighting while I was there but now what's the use? They probably tracked them down becuase CP probably made the manager and server pay for the 6 meals OOP for the error. I'm sure the manager and server then went to try and get their money back. And even if WDW did do something about it now what would it be? A voucher to go back and ultimatley spend more money at the restaurant or in the parks.