Have you ever had your WDW room Downgraded?

[Babsy]

What would happen in a scenario where someone had to book an additional nights in order to get that specific room category? I wonder if this has ever happened..just curious. I'm not one to raise heck, but like I said above, in that scenario I would. It's not about the price difference if you rearrange your entire trip for a certain room.

I don't think that it would matter. the issue is that your room category simply isn't available for some reason. You could try to get them to fix tin a way to your liking and it might work. Some CM's are great, some care a little bit less and will just do what has to be done.

Although downgrades happen, most of the time you DO get what you booked. It is good to be aware of the possibility of a downgrade so that you can be less disappointed and more calm about the situation. The calmer you are, the more likely that you will have the issue resolved in your favour.

Don't worry. Be aware and have a sensible plan. Remember that the CM in front of you didn't cause the problem and may or may not be able to help.

 

[Tink415]

We were down graded from BWI to BWV. Yes, it was a downgrade as there was 1 less bed than we needed and BWI rooms were much nicer than BWV at the time. The CM checking us in never said a word regarding the change from what we had booked and I didn't notice until following the directions to get to the room. I was highly annoyed but had a very good AP rate, they were over booked, and so I let it go.

 

[Kimberly9701]

I don't think that it would matter. the issue is that your room category simply isn't available for some reason. You could try to get them to fix tin a way to your liking and it might work. Some CM's are great, some care a little bit less and will just do what has to be done.

Although downgrades happen, most of the time you DO get what you booked. It is good to be aware of the possibility of a downgrade so that you can be less disappointed and more calm about the situation. The calmer you are, the more likely that you will have the issue resolved in your favour.

Don't worry. Be aware and have a sensible plan. Remember that the CM in front of you didn't cause the problem and may or may not be able to help.

Yes, like I said earlier, I think there's a strong probability it won't happen. I'm just still bitter over the length of stay requirement..lol..so I couldn't imagine after all of that, and spending so much money on 1 more night, keeping my son out of school an extra day, myself one more day off of work, just to get a certain view- that a possibility of that view could be taken away.

 

[sfbank]

We were in that category last year. We were told because of construction we got bumped from our beloved BWI club level and to a bungalow at the Polynesian. Yes I know comparing cost it was an upgrade, but to us not being able to walk to 2 parks, be on the Boardwalk easily in the evening, etc it was a downgrade. We did not like the bungalows and we missed the Boardwalk. We found out a week before our trip they were relocating us after our trip had been booked for 11 months.

 

[PlainJane]

Not really a downgrade, but the front desk at ASMu tried to get us to switch to ASMo. The decision to stay at Music vs Movies was not made lightly, so I asked to keep the reservation as it was booked. We were checking in kind of early, so we were able to stay, but I'm assuming someone checking in later probably didn't have a choice.

I know Movies is sometimes more expensive than Music, so hopefully who ever got moved really wanted Movies but didn't want to pay the difference when booking.

 

[Hopefully]

Yes, like I said earlier, I think there's a strong probability it won't happen. I'm just still bitter over the length of stay requirement..lol..so I couldn't imagine after all of that, and spending so much money on 1 more night, keeping my son out of school an extra day, myself one more day off of work, just to get a certain view- that a possibility of that view could be taken away.

Reading your many posts here, it seems you are indeed very bitter about your extra night. I fear it could ruin your whole trip. I hope you can come to accept it is what it is and enjoy your exciting vacation.
Good luck

 

[iluvpluto27]

We were downgraded once, at CR from a theme park view room to Bay lake. I wouldn't have been bothered about a view normally but we'd moved to the contemporary for 3 nights specifically for that view and to watch wishes from the room. And it was the end of September so,not a peak holiday that I may have anticipated availability issues.

Initially we were told we'd be refunded the difference without even an apology, but when I made it clear I was very unhappy with this, the manager came out they offered us access to the club lounge for the 3 nights, so we could watch wishes from the lounge. That was a very nice perk but it didn't really make up for not getting what we'd booked and been looking forward too.

 

[AngiTN]

Yes. This past Feb DH and I booked Business Class King room at CSR. I did this not only because I wanted the lounge access but because I knew that we would be guaranteed of a room NOT looking at a parking lot
We arrived and we got a King room but not in the Business Class building. And it looked out on the parking lot.
They overbooked so they stuck us in the building next door. They did not inform me of it at check in and I didn't realize it until we walked to the room and had to pass the BC building.
I went back and was told that was the only room they had. CM told me they had keyed us access to the BC lounge so we still had the same amenities we booked. I mean, they hadn't even told us we had that access till I asked and we didn't even know where the BC lounge was at this point.
It was late so I just went to the room to sleep and went to deal with it in the morning. They still were unable to move us and since we did get lounge access they didn't refund any money. We lost out on the view, which is what we wanted more.
We were there 3 nights with 1 night at Poly. We just gave up on CSR and checked out a day early and in to Poly a day early.
I don't see us ever trying CSR again. Left a bad taste in my mouth

 

[Kimberly9701]

Reading your many posts here, it seems you are indeed very bitter about your extra night. I fear it could ruin your whole trip. I hope you can come to accept it is what it is and enjoy your exciting vacation.
Good luck

I do think a length of stay requirement was ridiculous.. But I don't know if I'd say I was "very bitter"..unless I got downgraded..then yes, I would be!!!
But I chose to extend..and it gives us an extra day in WDW so as long as I have the room I selected then all will be good. I don't know where or how I gave the impression that we won't enjoy our vacation..I'm not anticipating anything of the sort!

The main point being- A pp said that WDW is not required to give you the room category, only provide accommodations on property. If that is true then there shouldn't be a policy to have a min night requirement on certain room types.

 

[Hopefully]

I apologize, I added the word "very". But in your post that I quoted you said you were "still bitter". I extrapolated that and received this impression from the many times you have posted your displeasure and frustration with needing to add an additional night to get the room you wanted. You have posted about taking your son out of school an extra day, you have posted about a "length of stay requirement". etc. etc.
It has been all together that left that impression with me.
I am glad to hear that you are looking forward to your vacation. That is all I was hoping for.
Have Fun

 

[Kimberly9701]

Yes, I posted all of that..including a "lol" in the mix.. Because if the highly unlikely scenario of a downgrade happened, all of that would be extremely relevant as to why it shouldn't happen.

 

[PlainJane]

It seems like a lot of these situations were made a lot worse by the front desk not owning up to the switch and not offering refunds when warranted. That's really disappointing.

I use to work in a job where I had to tell customers bad news often, but it was in their best interest. It was draining sometimes, but it was a part of my job to inform and help them. If the front desk can tell in their system that there is a downgrade, which I'm assuming they can since they can see if it's an upgrade, then that's really taking the cowards way out.

 

[Serenebean]

Yes, like I said earlier, I think there's a strong probability it won't happen. I'm just still bitter over the length of stay requirement..lol..so I couldn't imagine after all of that, and spending so much money on 1 more night, keeping my son out of school an extra day, myself one more day off of work, just to get a certain view- that a possibility of that view could be taken away.

We stayed in a TPV room last December. Right before our trip this topic came up and I almost lost my mind thinking that they would do this. Honestly, it was time/stress wasted. I really don't think this happens often. But just someone saying it could drove me insane. We got our TPV room and it was great 8o) Dont worry so much about it! I really don't think this is quite a common as it may seem.

 

[dansdad]

We stayed in a TPV room last December. Right before our trip this topic came up and I almost lost my mind thinking that they would do this. Honestly, it was time/stress wasted. I really don't think this happens often. But just someone saying it could drove me insane. We got our TPV room and it was great 8o) Dont worry so much about it! I really don't think this is quite a common as it may seem.

Agreed. Downgrades happen as infrequently as upgrades do, so no use worrying about it.

Having said that, I do think it's important to inform folks that even though it's very rare it CAN happen. Had I known this before the 1st time we were downgraded, I wouldn't have wasted the couple of hours trying/arguing to get what we booked. Nevermind what it did to my blood pressure. The 2nd time it happened, I requested a refund of the difference and was on my way. Zero wasted time.

 

[Kimberly9701]

We stayed in a TPV room last December. Right before our trip this topic came up and I almost lost my mind thinking that they would do this. Honestly, it was time/stress wasted. I really don't think this happens often. But just someone saying it could drove me insane. We got our TPV room and it was great 8o) Dont worry so much about it! I really don't think this is quite a common as it may seem.

Oh I totally agree! I think I may have sounded a little too worried...again, I think the probability is extremely low. I was just surprised reading it, never even thought of the possibility that it could happen.

 

[DisneyGeekyParadise]

Thought I should share- it's not a Disney Hotel, but definitely a downgrade.
I was staying in a hotel once and there was this horrid stench. I looked in the closet and BOOM. THREE TRASH BAGS FILLED WITH GARBAGE. I requested for it to be removed, and front desk gave me baby wipes. I checked out and headed home, and had to cancel my reservation for Ohana for the next morning...(also, I checked every hotel I could for a room- nothing.)

 

[Shanti]

Hotels also have plumbing problems and similar that pull rooms from inventory by surprise.

And bedbugs. That's actually the most likely culprit.

 

[Hopefully]

And bedbugs. That's actually the most likely culprit.

Really?
Where did you get that statistic?

 

[Sue M]

In January, we were downgraded at Poly. We had paid for garden view CL and they put us in a standard view room over in Fiji but gave us a key card that let us in the Hawaii building. It wasn't an issue at first but it became a pain going from Fiji over to Hawaii for breakfast and every time we wanted a drink so we went to the front desk to complain. We were allowed to keep the club level access for the rest of our stay but they refunded the difference of the room categories to us.

Wow! If that happened you'd think at least they'd try to get you in Samoa, at least it's right next to Hawaii, or one of the other long houses nearby and not so far away. That's quite a hike around the marina. ESP if weather is bad.

 

[Marlyn]

Yes I have. I booked and paid for a preffered room and was downgraded to a standard. I wasn't happy about it. They said they had no ability to move me and gave me a discount on the room. I was there for 2 weeks and booked preffered for a reason...to be close to amenities, so it wasn't great....