Has this happened to you???

[FWRR3]

We had a great one night stay on Halloween, where I set up my train display. I'll write a TR about that later. But Monday morning, we left the site for a while, and our friends, who had brought their TT had to leave for an early appointment, so for two hours, from about 8 until 10AM, the only thing on our site was a brand new 10' x 10' canopy with side curtains all zipped up, and inside a custom made 8' x 6' wooden table, with lots of special holes and fittings for the train display. Well, when we came back to disassemble the canopy and table, they were gone! The site was still a little wet from cleaning, but had begun to dry.

I went to check-in and inquired, and after a 30 minute wait, a supervisor arrived in a golf cart, and said,"I have your table, but I don't know anything about a canopy. Follow me and I'll take to to get the table". I asked why they would take things from a site a couple of hours before checkout time, when they were obviously too valuable to be abandoned. He said,"You'd be surprised what people leave behind", and went on about how many sites they had to clean that morning, etc. I followed him to the backstage area (by the old train roundhouse) where our table was sitting in an outside storage area. It was mostly in good shape, except one panel was damaged. Luckily, the $78 linear actuator, that dumped the candy car was still there.

There is more to this story, about the missing $150 canopy, which I plan to add when the issue is resolved with Disney. I have to say that the supervisor was pretty nice about the whole thing, and sort of apologized, but really wouldn't admit that they were wrong in removing our stuff long before checkout time. I guess we could have left a note saying we'd be back to get it, but I thought it was obvious, and that the site was ours until 11AM.

 

[big kahuna1]

Sounds like Disney owes you a tent in my opinion. If the site was not empty then they should have left it alone but since evidence says they did not, then they should pay.

 

[DaveInTN]

That's just bizarre. I've never heard of it before...especially since it wasn't even check out time yet.

I'd make a joke about the otters carrying away your tent, but I don't want to make light of your situation. I know how I'd feel if that happened to me. Hope it works out for you.

 

[FWRR3]

On second thought, maybe it's not fair to Disney to wait to tell the rest of the story. As we disassembled the table, the supervisor came back and said, "I'll have to buy you a canopy". He said he talked to the site cleaning person, and when they cleaned the site there was a table AND a canopy there. She called for someone to come and remove them, but those people claim there was just a table. He suggested that a neighbor may have taken it, but said if I will send him a purchase receipt, Disney will pay the $150 to replace the canopy. We went back to the site to look for neighbors who might have seen what was really hauled away, but of course everyone was off to enjoy the magic. SO, whoever has the canopy, let me know and I'll give you the cover that comes with it for storage. A strange ending to a wonderful Halloween at the Fort! Our first stay, but we'll be back!

 

[NMK62303]

Our kids so enjoyed your "candy train" -- so sorry to hear how it ended out! We do hope to see you at the Fort next year at Halloween, and hope you get your canopy situation straightened out! Your train was AWESOME! I got some good pictures

 

[ftwildernessrick]

I am glad to hear that they will resolve your issue. I could see the remote possiblity of a nearby camper helping himself to your shelter after he thought you discarded or abandonned it, I would never assume that though. And if you did leave it, I would call a CM about it & see if they could contact you by cell phone, if you gave them that number when you checked in.

But there is also the possibility (which is why Disney is probably paying for a new one) that a CM thought you had left or discarded it & decided to help themself to it.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I am certianty glad you got your table and the cash for the canopy.!

But....

Having run a campground, it is not a unreasonable thing to see a site empty, with the camper. trailer etc gone and figiure the guests have left.

It is a big job sometimes to have all the sites cleaned and ready for the next guests.

Just my opinion.

AKK

 

[thecplusplusguy]

if the checkout time is 11 am, the campground staff should not touch it unless the site is completely empty. Stuff should not be considered abandoned until check out time has passed.

Dan

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Not to disgree but I must............with the camping unit gone.......it is reasonable to think the folks have left.

Just my opinion

AKK

 

[Total Joker]

If there is a structure erected on the site BEFORE check out then its not right to remove it! IMO.

 

[TheLug]

Agreed. I see a lot of Motorhomes leave in the middle of the day and come back. If check out time isnt until 11. They need to wait till 11:05 before stuff is touched!

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Let me modify my position.............your of course correct with a Motorhome, but usually when a Motorhome leaves for the day,they leave some chiers BBq or connections, etc...........In this case, the campers were leaving that day.

I have many times had to empty a site of articales left by campers, and some of the items were of some value and made you wonder why they were left.

SO. the camping unit is gone and if a motorhome, nothing left to make it look like they will return, I site is cleaned for the next camper so as to minimize any delays for them

PS. anything removed was always saved until near the end of the season, incase the campers wanted them back...

Nest time your at a campground ask......AKK

AKK

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I also agree that nothing should have been touched before 11 am.

FWRR3- I saw your canopy on the 800 loop while looping on Monday morning. It was sitting on the corner of the pavement, close to the loop road, with all four sides down and zipped- the color was tan. It was the only thing sitting on the site, and I wondered what it was doing there, but it certainly did not look abandoned to me. My thought was that maybe a couple of families were camping together, and the canopy belonged to someone who was still in the process of packing up.

BTW- I also saw the loop attendant. I met her during my stay on the 800 loop earlier this month. She is a very nice, friendly and helpful Hispanic lady. I wish I could remember her name. I said hello to her, and we exchanged pleasantries. She takes great pride in her job, and she is always assigned to the 800 loop. There is no way in a million years that I would suspect her of any wrongdoing relating to the missing canopy. Unfortunately, my guess is that one of your neighbors assumed that you had abandoned it, and helped himself. However, I can't see how they thought it was abandoned when it was clearly brand new, zipped up, and looked like someone would be back for it.

I'm sorry this happened to you.

And, no it is not the norm.

TCD

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Practical operations and the rule book, EI check out time....... are often two different things.


Most campgrounds operate this way, whether they admit to it or not.

Just my experince....and end of the story, we all have our opinions.

AKK

 

[FWRR3]

Thanks for everyone's concern! I didn't mean to start a debate. Next time I would do things differently, for sure. This certainly hasn't tarnished the magic for us. Thanks, TCD for the info. I didn't mean to imply the cleaning woman may have taken the canopy. She told the supervisor that it was there when she cleaned. But she called someone else to remove it, and the question is, was it there when they came. Anyway, it was a great Halloween!

 

[NLPRacing]

We had a great one night stay on Halloween, where I set up my train display. I'll write a TR about that later. But Monday morning, we left the site for a while, and our friends, who had brought their TT had to leave for an early appointment, so for two hours, from about 8 until 10AM, the only thing on our site was a brand new 10' x 10' canopy with side curtains all zipped up, and inside a custom made 8' x 6' wooden table, with lots of special holes and fittings for the train display. Well, when we came back to disassemble the canopy and table, they were gone! The site was still a little wet from cleaning, but had begun to dry.

I went to check-in and inquired, and after a 30 minute wait, a supervisor arrived in a golf cart, and said,"I have your table, but I don't know anything about a canopy. Follow me and I'll take to to get the table". I asked why they would take things from a site a couple of hours before checkout time, when they were obviously too valuable to be abandoned. He said,"You'd be surprised what people leave behind", and went on about how many sites they had to clean that morning, etc. I followed him to the backstage area (by the old train roundhouse) where our table was sitting in an outside storage area. It was mostly in good shape, except one panel was damaged. Luckily, the $78 linear actuator, that dumped the candy car was still there.

There is more to this story, about the missing $150 canopy, which I plan to add when the issue is resolved with Disney. I have to say that the supervisor was pretty nice about the whole thing, and sort of apologized, but really wouldn't admit that they were wrong in removing our stuff long before checkout time. I guess we could have left a note saying we'd be back to get it, but I thought it was obvious, and that the site was ours until 11AM.

Had you already checked out? On our last trip, my BIL checked out at around 7:00 PM to get a head start on the way home and they had somebody in his site by 8:30 PM, even though he had it paid for until the next day. I told him about it and he called to see if he could get a refund since they were able to fill it and they said no. If you check out after checkout time, you have to pay for the whole day and once you check out, they can fill it. They basically got paid twice for the same site.

If there is a structure erected on the site BEFORE check out then its not right to remove it! IMO.

I agree, they should NOT touch a site until either the guest has checked out or until checkout time, whichever happens first.

 

[des1954]

Wow! Just, WOW! In all the years I have camped at the Fort, I've never heard of (or seen) a loop attendant touch anything on a site - check-out day or otherwise. About the only "transgression" I can say I've witnessed is loop attendants offering late leaver's some assistance in packing things up. (Kind of a polite way of saying..."Let's get moving, folks!")

On some of our longer stays I have to admit how surprised I am to see stuff left behind by campers - and not put out near a trash can. So sorry you had such an "eye-opening" experience.

 

[FWRR3]

I guess the question of if we had already checked out brings up an issue. Our friends with the TT checked in first, and maybe signed up (?) for express checkout. So early the next morning the paper work was on the windshield. Then we didn't have to check out, so there's no official communication that we had left the site for good (or not!). I guess that's a flaw with the express checkout system. Disney doesn't really know when you have gone for good.

 

[doombuqqy]

I am very sorry but am glad that Disney will atleast reimburse you. I hope to see your display again next year!

 

[FWRR3]

Wow, am I embarrassed! You regulars may remember this thread after I lost a new canopy at the Fort the morning after Halloween. A Disney manager promised to reimburse me for it. But nothing ever happened...I thought!

Thankfully, I didn't come on here and complain about Disney, but I did send several emails to the manager, and didn't hear back, which seemed strange.

I was expecting a check in the mail from Disney, and it never came. Well, I just discovered a credit on the cc that I used for my Halloween reservation, for the amount of the canopy, dated 11/11/10. Pure embarrassment! I sent him a big apology, and would like to say here (finally) how great Disney was about this matter. Gotta love the Mouse!

(By the way, I have to admit I've been hanging out, too much, on the DCL forum, after taking a Dream cruise. I really recommend it! But you can't bring your RV!)