Guarantee doesn"t meen guaranteed!

[Fergie631]

My wife and I decided to splurge and book 2 rooms with a conecting door for our most recent trip to WDW. We decided to get a king bed for ourselves and a standard room (2 full beds) for our 2 children, this way we could have some private time once the kids went to sleep. We booked the rooms on the phone with a disney rep. and they guaranteed our requests.
When we got to the resort not only did they not have a king/standard setup, they did not even have 2 rooms with a connecting door. they suggested 2 seperate rooms. Only when we told them that our 2 children were 2 years and 10 months old did thet realize the problem.
It took them over 3 1/2 hours to find us rooms with a connecting door, and even then they were 2 standard rooms.
My advise is don't rely on the booking guarantee!

 

[plutolovr]

We booked the rooms on the phone with a disney rep. and they guaranteed our requests.

Herein lies the problem. A REQUEST is just that a REQUEST. There is no way a request can be a GUARANTEE. See the issue?
I only think they will guarantee a connecting room is if the number of little ones outnumbers the adults where it would be absolutely necessary.

I also don't believe that Disney has any King rooms that connect to a standard unless they are accessible rooms. Where did you stay?

 

[maxiesmom]

Unfortunately, the rep was wrong. Disney does not even block off your room for you until shortly before your arrival. And even then it is subject to change. Connecting rooms are not guaranteed, they are just a request.

I don't understand why there seems to be this conflict between what people are told when they book the rooms, and what happens at the resort level. Maybe it is a lack of training, I don't know. But anything other than getting a room is just a request. Location, bedding set-ups, even the resort you are staying at can be changed. And technically with 2 adults on the trip, Disney can expect you to split up into 2 non-connecting rooms. It doesn't make for a romantic vacation, but like I said, technically you could do it.

 

[RMulieri]

Sorry you had a problem, I think generally the only time they guarantee it is if the number of children outnumber the number of adults,and even then people have had some issues.

 

[jngwright]

Sounds like a suite might be a better option next time.

 

[Fergie631]

We stayed at Port Orleans-French Quarter.
The reservation we received even said "Guarantee conecting rooms King/standard" on them.

 

[RMulieri]

I am sure it does, but now you know that is not the case. CRO does not neccessarily always give out correct info.The only way they guarantee connecting rooms is if the children outnumber the adults.They don't have unlimited connecting rooms everywhere either.In any event you live you learn.I knew this going in which is why I book a 1 bdr villa to have the privacy for me and Dh and avoid this problem.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

This issue comes up frequently, and it frustrates me no end, because I do not want a connecting door, and nine times out of 10, I get one!

So irritating.

 

[BirdLegsRed]

We requested connecting rooms at POFQ on our last trip. When we got there, not only were they not connecting, but they were in separate buildings! The CM at the desk fixed the problem though and we got connecting rooms. I think they try their best to accomodate.

 

[christa112]

Unfortunately, it sounds like you got a CM who didn't know what they were talking about. I have always asked for special requests and have always been told they are just a request, not a guarantee.

 

[Mom2Nick]

I also don't believe that Disney has any King rooms that connect to a standard unless they are accessible rooms. Where did you stay?

We had king/queen connecting rooms at POFQ once.

 

[Tink415]

We stayed at Port Orleans-French Quarter.
The reservation we received even said "Guarantee conecting rooms King/standard" on them.

I've made ressies for connecting rooms myself, had the CM tell me it would not be a problem, and saw that 'Guarantee connecting rooms' notation on the printed confirmation that was mailed to me (this was before WDW emailed confirmations). But I chickened out and booked a family suite because of msgs I've read here.

Guarantee does not equal Request to me....I just don't get why WDW does this !! What a way to start a vacation

Glad you were able to get some kind of connecting rooms in the end!

 

[pinkerbell]

I too was given MIS information. I was told our stay on two ressies would not need us to change rooms. WRONG! Not just once and even when we checked in. NOT until I went to the lobby to find out how I would pick up my new room card the night before did I realize I HAD to pack up my 18 days worth of clothes and costumes and move completely across the resort! NOT HAPPY THEN, STILL NOT. Disney's reservation system is clearly sub par as it cannot accomodate the most simple requests. Since my husband comes down a couple days after I do to get a car, room set up etc he works and arrives at night, we are forced to have two ressies, this sends them into a TAILSPIN! even worse when you add free dining to the mix. Good luck to all who make requests, they are rarely met.
Silly how we are paying them and I feel like I have to settle for what I can get, not what I want, if it doesnt fit their limitied capabilities.

Still likin Disney, but not blind to their inadequacies.

 

[Amy&Dan]

OP: You are not at all the first person this has happened to. Disney has reps that know absolutely nothing about what they sell and the information they give is conflicting, confusing and often wrong. I am so sorry this happened but thank you for posting your experience so that others with this same request/guarantee/whatever know what can happen. I am glad that at least you got connecting rooms. Others haven't been even that lucky. Hope the rest of your trip was fun!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) You are guaranteed a room, not
. . . not location of room
. . . not type of room
. . . not a view
. . . not connecting rooms
. . . not adjacent rooms
. . . not king rooms
. . . not bunk rooms
. . . not name of resort (GF, Pop, etc)
. . . not type of resort (Value, Mod, Deluxe)
2) REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE RESSIE SAYS, these are not guaranteed.

3) I have seen people
. . . bumped from actual suites they reserved
. . . bumped from the resort they reserved
4) The folks might complain loudly, but it did not good.

 

[brergnat]

Isn't there a saying that is something to the effect of "the only things in life that are guaranteed are death and taxes."

Why would anyone presume that Disney can GUARANTEE anything?

How would they do that? THE GUESTS are usually to blame for Disney not being able to guarantee anything, not the "system". The Guests who make demands, the Guests who extend their vacation by "just a couple days", the Guest who finds a mouse in his room and gets comped up to the Presidential Suite, thus bumping whomever had it reserved for that night, etc. Occasionally, mishaps occur (a plumbing accident, a fire, etc.) which cause a block of rooms to be unavailable, and this could necessitate WDW needing to move guests to another room category, or another resort altogether. Overbooking occurs on occasion.

It's the travel industry. NOTHING is guaranteed. You are setting yourself up for extreme disappointment, frustration, and aggravation by expecting any specific conditions to be met.

There is hardly a need to bash Disney because you did not get what you wanted. If the OP had read the FINE PRINT on the reservation (beyond reading the part he wanted to see), he would have noticed the part that also says that there are NO GUARANTEES as to room type, location, resort, etc. The "guarantee" that was typed into his reservation was entered by a human being, who, frankly, could have entered anything he/she felt like. It could have said "Guarantee a basket full of thousand dollar bills", but that wouldn't have made it true.

 

[BrerRabbit_fan]

We have always had a connecting room in our onsite stays. The thing is, we never needed them (had one room). This trip, we do need connecting rooms. I hope we get them.

 

[pinkerbell]

Isn't there a saying that is something to the effect of "the only things in life that are guaranteed are death and taxes."

Why would anyone presume that Disney can GUARANTEE anything?

How would they do that? THE GUESTS are usually to blame for Disney not being able to guarantee anything, not the "system". The Guests who make demands, the Guests who extend their vacation by "just a couple days", the Guest who finds a mouse in his room and gets comped up to the Presidential Suite, thus bumping whomever had it reserved for that night, etc. Occasionally, mishaps occur (a plumbing accident, a fire, etc.) which cause a block of rooms to be unavailable, and this could necessitate WDW needing to move guests to another room category, or another resort altogether. Overbooking occurs on occasion.

It's the travel industry. NOTHING is guaranteed. You are setting yourself up for extreme disappointment, frustration, and aggravation by expecting any specific conditions to be met.

There is hardly a need to bash Disney because you did not get what you wanted. If the OP had read the FINE PRINT on the reservation (beyond reading the part he wanted to see), he would have noticed the part that also says that there are NO GUARANTEES as to room type, location, resort, etc. The "guarantee" that was typed into his reservation was entered by a human being, who, frankly, could have entered anything he/she felt like. It could have said "Guarantee a basket full of thousand dollar bills", but that wouldn't have made it true.

so sad you have lowered your expectaions so. (really, not being sarcastic)
I believe the OP was misinformed and that there is a degree of what should be expected and what Disney should be held accountable for. Just as I am held accountable to keep up my end of the vacation arrangement or will be penalized, rightfully so. It seems many on the boards are in agreement that Disney is a constantly changing evnvironment and the flow of information is currently not a strong point. I guess when I pay for something and it is represented being a certian way, that is what I have come to expect.

OP, I do hope your vaction was a BLAST and thanks for sharing so we can all stay informed as to the fact and fiction of vacation reservations.

 

[Elmo888]

1) You are guaranteed a room, not
. . . not location of room
. . . not type of room
. . . not a view
. . . not connecting rooms
. . . not adjacent rooms
. . . not king rooms
. . . not bunk rooms
. . . not name of resort (GF, Pop, etc)
. . . not type of resort (Value, Mod, Deluxe)
2) REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE RESSIE SAYS, these are not guaranteed.

3) I have seen people
. . . bumped from actual suites they reserved
. . . bumped from the resort they reserved
4) The folks might complain loudly, but it did not good.

I LOVE your lists.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We had king/queen connecting rooms at POFQ once.

You actually had a king/double room. No queen beds at POFQ.