We are walking out of Japan, and both of us are trying to console the other and salvage the rest of the day. When we realized what we are both trying to accomplish, it was worth a laugh. ah,,,,,
But the manager wasn't done with us yet.
Even though, for all the help he was , he should have been.
We had almost reached the promenade, and he came half jogging up to us.
And for some reason, he was not a National, didn't look like he had a gene of Japanese in him.
"Folks, I'm sorry about the mix-up, there was nothing I could do about it though."
Now, at about this time, I had just about had it with his inneptitude.
"Well, yes there is plenty you could have done about it!"
"For starters, you could have "LISTENED" to us! And solved the problem much quicker by finding out who doubled swiped it like WE SAID!" " Instead of charging it to our card and hoping we'll just wander away in the meantime."
"I'm sorry, sir." "But I reall,,,,,,,"
"Fine, since you chose to bring it up again, (now, you have to realize, that I am fired up now, so , try to read the next bit as fast as you can to get the proper effect.)
,,,,bring it up again, You saw that we were on the dining plan. If we had Bought it, we wouldn't have had to pay. RIGHT?"
"I guess, no,,'
"But, it was free, and we were on the Dining plan, so, you could look at it like it was a free, free meal, no paying at anytime, right?"
Ok, I gue"
" But, since you know that we have already checked out of our rooms, recieved our eviction notices that morning on the doorknob, all payment is settled, AND YOU DO KNOW THIS BECAUSE YOU TALKED TO CENTRAL RESERVATIONS AND FOUND OUT EXACTLY WHERE WE ATE. But, you still wouldn't listen to us and try to figure out, or even take the time, to determine who doubled charged us for a meal."
His eyes lit up, and fear set in.
"uh, it was just a mixup, really, not my fault, I was just,,,,,,,"
"Go Away"
And we went away.
Just left him standing there.
Once again, it wasn't his fault, the problem was with Capn Jacks, but , wow, the useless word descibes him to a tee.
Our plan was to tour the Showcase gardens, including where we are right next to, and to check out Yacht and Beach Club before heading back. So, we quickly talked it over, I thought if we zip to the gateway and over to the "Place we will never be able to afford to stay", we can then take the ferry back to MGM, then the bus back to Pop. So, we went for it.
You probably never saw such B.S. spewed from each of us on the way there. I mean it. We each had the fake grin plastered on our face.
"Boy oh boy, that was sure funny, wasn't it?"
"Oh, yes, honey, he was so lost, I felt sorry for him."
"Ha ha, yes, he was lost, wasn't he?
"Chuckle, chuckle, yes he was,,,,,,, can I go back and throw him in the lagoon?" snicker, snicker.
Man, it really is a short walk to the "upper class". We have been by here before from a 3 night stay at the Dolphin last year, but not gone into the Y and B.
Checked out the lobby, then walked down a couple of hallways.
Know what? I'm not impressed. Man, not for THAT kind of money. It's over 350 a night here! I'm sorry, the WL and the AKL lobbies just blow it away. It's a little dark in here, and , well, blah. Then we went back out and thoroughly checked out the pool. Everything I read said it's the biggest and best in all of Disney.
Once again, I disagree. It is not one big pool, but a series of smaller pools, right next to each other. There is little room to walk, no real lounge chairs next to the pool, they are back up against the building, and the kicker was, you have to leave the pool area and go back outside the "grounds" to use the slide. I admit, we have never stayed here, and yes, if it was a SUPER deal, we would, but, again, not for the money. We headed to the ferry to get back to MGM.
Waiting there, and with the time on the boat, I had a chance to think.
(oh no!, is he still allowed to do that?)
What I was thinking is, wow, I can't believe we have now stayed in ALL the Disney resorts we'd like to stay in, within reason. To me, and I think dobby agrees, though we'd like to try to Poly, G.F. or the Y.and B., no way we'd blow that much money on them, and a two or three night stay just isn't worth it. You really need at least , at least, four nights at a resort to get the proper feel of it. One thing we haven't ruled out yet is the DVC resorts, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs. Hopefully, without Zombies. But it doesn't seem like you are guaranteed a balcony with a studio at Saratoga. And If I spend that kind of money, I best have a balcony. Anybody know about studios and balconies at SS?
That is why for our hopefull next trip in May, we chose to go back to CBR.
Our first Disney trip was there, but now I want to see it with this vast Disney resort Knowledge I have built up. We'd like to go back to Akl, we only stayed there 3 nights back in 'O2, our first trip back in almost ten years, but , HOLY COW! In '02 they gave us a savannah balcony room with a bunk bed, (no, not sure why they did that) but got that room for 129 a night.
Now, same room goes for 335 a night!!! And , they changed the rules. If you have a savannah balcony, you can't smoke out there, and they have security cameras to check. Since the odds of getting even a smoking room at the AKL are the same as the Cubs winning the World Series, that would be a problem if you couldn't even go on the balcony and smoke.
So, it was on the way back to Pop that I was already working on the next trip. I know, I'm sick.
That was probably the first time I hit her with, "I've been thinking".
After explaining all of the above to her, she pretty much agreed with it all.
Though the one place she would love desperately to stay is the Poly.
By the time we hit Pop, it was a driving, combo trip. The CBR, and Coranado. But she doesn't want the Rancho's, in Coranado Springs. Nope, nope, nope. We stayed in the Casitas' in '05 and it was terrific. She likes terrific. And she would try the Cabana's. Mainly due to the proximity to them and the rest of the resort, even though she thought they looked "dull" compared to the Casitas". But the Rancho's? Uh uh, no way. Rocks, sand, more rocks, more sand, and away from everything. One of the buildings is close to the main pool, but otherwise,,,,,,,,I can tell, she wouldn't be happy. I probably wouldn't be either. But you guys know what a crap shoot it is at check in, so, we'll see what happens.
Back at Pop, I went and got our carry-on bags our of "luggage", while she went to do battle with the concierge. Neither of these delightful Disney undertakings went very well. The girl I gave my ticket to , vanished in the back, never to be seen again. I could tell from the start that she was a trainee, but, I think they are still looking for her. After a while, the rest of the workers there got tired of me staring at them and finally cracked and asked me what's up. I told them, and FIVE of them ran into the back and came back out with our carry ons. Never saw the one that took the ticket in the first place again though.
This took about 20 minutes, our bus is now due in 20 minutes and I was supposed to meet Dobby, I mean Diane, by Petals, the pool bar. I thought for sure she would be back there by then. Uh un. I ordered a drink, and tried to pretend that I could see the highlights of the Bears killing the Lions on the outside TV at the bar that you can't see outside cuz of the light.
She finally showed up, and none to happy.
"Well, it's all taken care of, and it wasn't easy." "Get me a drink."
"Honey, not much time lef,,,,,"
"WHAT PART OF GET ME A DRINK DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?"
oh
"Bartender? I'll have whatever is still behind the bar. No, just one. And put it in a tall glass. Or drum."
To start with, who is manning the concierge, but our favorite Pop employee, the one who checked us in and gave us such a hard time for actually expecting to get the room we reserved.
Then, she had no idea what Diane was talking about, and said that we do now owe 82 dollars for our meal. Which we obviously bought after the dining plan wore out. So DIane had to go through the whole thing again. Plus, now concierge also had a hard time getting through to "main computer" lady. And kept trying to tell Di, it'll work out, I need to take care of other people here , though. Well, she had been all through that already, and she wasn't budging.
It was finally taken care of, wiped off our account, which, to be honest, I said, "I"ll believe it when I see it when the next statement comes."
Then, before Diane walked away, she asked, "Who can I complain to for making my last day here in Disney a total nightmare?"
"OH, that would be me. Would you like to complain?"
Ok, now, do you guys feel like you have this pressing need to just kind of bang your heads against the wall, reading this?
"Yes, I wish to file a complaint." "Are you serious?"
"Ok, and what is your complaint?"
This is one of those times that I think fate knew better, kept me away from this,,,, "encounter".
She gave Diane an E-mail address. With a name. That's it. No phone number, no solution, no reparation, no nuttin.
That's when I met her at the bar. We each had one drink, I quit trying to talk to her cuz she just kept answering in mumbles, shaking her head. Sometimes speaking in tongues.
Out front by the bus stop, there is a shortage of benches, anywhere to sit. And this one lovely family sat on one bench, and used an entire,,,, ENTIRE! bench next to them, to put all the carry-ons, bags, strollers, and tv's they swiped from the room on.
I looked around, and everybody else is either standing, milling around, or sitting on the curb. Believe it or not, my mood was still kind of decent. Certainly better than Diane's was at this point. So, I asked real loud. "Who's stuff is this?" I knew, but thought I'd go through protocol.
No answer.
All heads turned as another hunt went by.
They ignored me, pretending they couldn't hear.
So, I picked up a stroller and two flight bags at the same time, and moved them off the bench. Way off the bench. Took Diane by the arm and we both sat down.
"Hey!" "That's our stuff!"
Wanna guess who couldn't hear this time?
"Mother", kept goading this big guy to do something, she was the one with the selective hearing and the big mouth, and finally, he went and retrieved the stuff, without once giving me so much as a glance when he went by.
But they still didn't take the rest of the stuff off the bench. I kept hoping somebody else would follow the lead, but it didn't happen.
then, I focused on what's important to me at this time.
You know.
Right?
Even though he didn't ride with us on the way to Pop, he was on our airplane, and we did still see him at the resort 2 days ago.
Where is little Jimmy?
Just before I call it quits for tonight, I'd like to finish up one thing.
After the trip, Diane did get online and email that address that the wonderful girl at Pop gave her to complain to.
After a bout a week, she got an actual email back,with a phone number and a name. She called, got voice mail. Disney actually called back, got our answering machine. She called, got voice mail, Disney called, got our answereing machine, but left behind a "good" time to get a hold of her.
I happened to be home from work at that time, so I gave it a shot. Not sure, but I think her name was Heidi. Always liked that name. Good German name. Hah!
Well, 'ol Heidi and me chatted for a long time. She didn't ask me to go into it all, she had a good idea and understanding right from the start what happened.
Then she asked me what would it take to make up for it.?
"Oh, that's an easy one, we'd like to stay at the Grand Floridian for two weeks with the free dining package." "Gee, I did'nt think it would be this easy."
Hey, you gotta try, right?
Now, I expected to hear a "chuckle", maybe a " tee hee', a muffled laugh, what I didn't expect to hear was the "Earth shattering Guffaw!, that she let out with. I expected that to be followed by "YEAH, IN YOUR DREAMS, BALDY"
But she said, "Ha ha, good one, ok, now, wanna try to aim a bit lower? And remember, I can't give you any deals on rooms."
Well, room deals are what I was looking for, so, now I'm going through brain cramps. " Ok, what can you give that would make amends for us missing our flight, then not getting our luggage for the next week and me losing my job cuz I missed my flight, and then ending up in the hospital cuz my medicine was in the luggage and the seizures came on,,,,, and did I mention the hangnail?
Ok, ok, I didn't say all those things, buy wished I would have thought of it now. What I did say was:
"Ok, what can you do?"
See? At least I was honest about the first part.
Anyway, she mailed us out 4 single admission tickets to the Water Parks. Either one. Good for whenever. This is why we took the
AAA discount over the Disney upgraded ticket discount. It was still much cheaper. Two people at the water parks is worth 75 a pop! We don't need a hopper, and we don't need to do Disney Quest, so, we can keep the AAA discounts, and still go into both Typhoon Lagoon and Gizzard Beach for free if we want to .
Coming up, the epilogue, the flight home.
over your report so far!
Just kidding, we've never done the dinning plan but it would seem that it'd be an easy thing to overlook.... heck i seldom look at anything but the total on a reciept at a restaruant and I'm horrible at any other place about checking it.
And secondly...I have NOT been back in rehab but it always seems there's some teenager in line for the computer here at the lexmelinda house and although I get to read trip report installments, I have to get up mighty early on a Sunday morning to respond.
( who else could he find to play "straight man"?)
