Help!!!!!

[aubriee]

A co worker just called me last Thursday and told me she had just booked her first ever trip to WDW for July 28th-August 4th (yeah, Monday-Monday ). Anyway, I don't really know her, she works on another unit, but someone told her I went to WDW several times a year and could help her. She called me just to ask if there were soap and toothpaste in the rooms, since they want to use only carry ons. Anyway we got to talking and I found she had apparently used the little travel agency here in town. They know nothing about Disney, but sold her the DDP and told her she could make reservations once she got down there. Of course, they also told her that Disney sold some kind of refillable mug that would be great for her to use in the parks . She didn't seem to be the least concerned that she had the DDP and had no idea how to use it or even what she was going to be allowed. When I told her about ADRs, her response was, "How would I know where I want to eat three weeks from now and besides I have no idea even what restaurants are down there". Anyway, I got on the internet and printed her off information on the DDP, her resort (Pop Century?), Disney Magic Express (which she's not sure her travel agent even booked for her ), told her about WDW transportation (she thought they were going to have to take a taxi to each park), talked to her about EMH and gave her a list of good restaurants with a link to AllEars, so she could look at the menus, then gave her the 1-800 number to call Disney Dining with instructions to do alot of praying and then call immediately. That morning she was stuck here at work for awhile, so I told her to stay put, then I ran home, grabbed my old PassPorter, old Unofficial Guide, and old planning DVD, and brought back up here to her.

She just called me and was so greatful, for all the information (and sooo mad at her travel agent). However, while we were talking I found that while she had went online to find out the EMH, she still had not made a single ADR. She asked if it would really be that big of a problem for the last week of July-first week of August if they just walked up and agreed to wait for a table, although her son would like to do several character meals. She asked me if that would be a problem. This is their very first trip and they have absolutely no clue about anything. She wasn't even sure which resort they were staying at. She said the travel agent said he thought it was the newest Value, so I'm just guessing it's POP. I asked her and she said she had no idea . She had an emergency over on her unit, so had to hang up just now, but she wanted to know that since I thought them walking up for character meals might be a problem, would I help get them into some nice restaurants. We're going out for breakfast Thursday morning (next time she is working is Wednesday night) and wants me to give her some ideas on how to use their DDP and any other tips I can think of. HELP!!!

 

[Nancyg56]

I would send her an email with a link to the DIS. Explain that she may get lucky with a character meal it is more likely that she will not. I would also explain that she should book some meals now in order to ensure that she is able to at least pay for her DDP. It would be a shame if she entered the parks fully expecting to be able to have a meal and see that pesky sign announcing that all TS restaurants are filled for the day. Then let it go.

 

[christa112]

Definately send her here. I know there is a complete list of menus on this board somewhere which she could look to see what her and her family would like to eat. Also, make sure she knows that if need to have the Park Hopper if she plans on eating at a restaurant in a Park, but then wants to go to another park later.

I can't really give you any hints how walking up to a restaurant because we always have ADR's. I guess my suggestion would be either late breakfast or early dinner or lunch if she doesn't want to do ADR's that would be my best suggestion.

 

[Satisfactualfam]

You poor thing!
I feel worse for you! I think you were super nice to give her your books and tell her what to do--BUT--it seems like your coworker isn't getting it & is depending on you to take care of it now...

It seems like a 'you can lead a horse to water...' kind of situation.

Good luck & back away slowly

 

[caresy]

You poor thing!
I feel worse for you! I think you were super nice to give her your books and tell her what to do--BUT--it seems like your coworker isn't getting it & is depending on you to take care of it now...

It seems like a 'you can lead a horse to water...' kind of situation.

Good luck & back away slowly

I agree completely with this - I have lots of people who ask me to help, but in a situtation like this, where you have given her so much info already, I'd say let it go too...

 

[cymbaldiva]

I agree completely with this - I have lots of people who ask me to help, but in a situtation like this, where you have given her so much info already, I'd say let it go too...

Yep .... walk away while you can

 

[catne]

unless you have a lot of extra time, I'd say it's a good idea to let her make her own reservations (and she can pay the long-distance charges for the calls, too!) You've already gone above & beyond...shown yourself to be a true-blue Disney fan. If she really wants to get her money's worth out of that travel agent, she should insist the TA get her the reservations she wants, since it's the TA that sold her the deal in the first place.

Thank heavens for this board...I have a good AAA travel agent, but she doesn't know near as much as I do...course I spend way too many hours getting edumacated on this board, too!

 

[aubriee]

Sorry, but I can't back off. She's going alone with her 10 y/o son and neither have ever been to Disney. I can't stand the thought of that poor kid having a bad trip. I want to get them into at least one character meal. However, with them leaving in just 2 1/2 weeks and with her just working part time here at the hospital and me not having that much time with her, I don't know how much information she will be able to absorb. Again I don't really know her that well, as she only works part time and works on another unit. This poor woman didn't know anything about her trip other than she was flying American Airlines, Disney is supposed to have some bus down there at the airport to pick them up, she's staying at the newest value resort, and all of her food is supposed to be paid for by the DDP. Again she thought they were going to have to take a taxi to get to the "park" everyday. I don't think she even knew there were four parks,

 

[Aliceacc]

Pushy New Yorker here:

If you really want to help, and have lots of time, how's this:

Come up with some suggestions that YOU think will be appropriate, and may have a shot at still being open. I mean a specific list, in order of importance, each one worth only 1 table service credit.

In fact, if you're really in a good mood, make those ADRs for her this morning... she can always cancel them if they don't suit her.

But it sounds as though she doesn't know enough to make any concrete plans herself, and as though you really want her and her son to enjoy their trip.

The pick up a copy of the Unofficial Guide, (or if you don't mind her destroying the one you gave her)and direct her to the touring plans in the back. Direct her to rip them out and bring them along. I'm pretty sure the touring plans website will fill her in to which parks are the best for which dates without any additional cost.

And let her know about DME, although shouldn't she already have her luggage tags for that?? (We're leaving 8/13 and my travel agent says ours are late, but should be in today.)

If you can do all that, she'll have her ADRs, and she'll have a logical approach for hitting each of the parks. She'll be eternally grateful once she gets there and sees what you were talking about.

 

[Shooby doo]

Actually from the outside looking in,how did the TA even know that the DDP would suit the client? To me she has been mis-sold,does she even want to have a "sit-down" meal every day?
I think that you have done enough already,I understand that you now feel resposible but how bad will you feel if they have a terrible time because of something you have done!
I've found in the past that friends & friends of friends have asked for advice then just ignore what you tell them!A couple of years ago a group of friends went for the first time,fully expecting to party & drink everynight,I tried to tell them that it really wasn't that type of holiday & that after touring the parks all day the last thing on your mind is partying! Did they listen......
I would advise her,even give her the No.,to ring reservations & leave it at that,some people just have to find things out for themselves!
SD

 

[bmderd2]

We just returned from on Sunday fro 8 days at WDW on the dining plan. I think your coworker will be okay. I don't think Disney is as busy this summer as they have been in the past. If they are willing to eat an early or late dinner they should be able to get reservations. While I planned my ADRs months in advance I saw people get a reservations for the same day at Crystal Planace, SciFi, and 50's Prime Time Cafe. I would just try to make all the reservations you can for her before she leaves and then give her some recomendations on places she could walk up and try. I was pleasently surprised how busy Disney was not. I was expecting huge crowds and long waits. But as long as we g0t up early and hit the parks at opening it was great! Good luck helping your firend!

 

[hkeller27]

deleting, and apologizing

 

[aubriee]

If you are really busy and desperate to get her off your back (I know it's not the easiest thing to do!), I would be happy to help her out myself - I am an independent contractor selling Disney vacations. I'd be happy to talk to her on email or phone and explain things to her and help her get her trip in order. I agree, I can't imagine their first trip together being a terrible one, for the love of Disney that just can't be And I'd also would love to be her Disney travel person in the future - it sounds like she got an absolute raw deal this time and that just stinks. You can PM me for my email - I really wouldn't mind helping her out!

Whoa!!! How did I ever give you the idea she was on my back? The night she called, all she wanted to ask was if there was soap and shampoo in the rooms. We got to talking, and that's how I found out she didn't know anything about Disney. I have no problem helping her, it's just the fact that they're leaving in about 2 1/2 weeks totally unprepared that has me flustered. I told her to call her travel agent and find out for sure if he's registered her for DME and gave her the DME number to call just in case he hadn't. I told her about the two different envelopes she'd be getting (the one about DME and the blue and white one with all the paperwork and vouchers). I verified she had not received them. I explained that her DDP and park tickets would be on her room key, explained how to get on the DME bus and what time they'd probably be picking her up on her last day, talked to her about the Disney transportation system, fast pass machines, EMH, showed her the touring plans in the back of the Unofficial Guide and PassPorter that I gave her, told her to call the travel agent and find out for sure which hotel he booked her in, gave her a packing list, talked to her about the importance of really comfortable shoes, told her a little about each park and DTD, talked to her about the refillable mugs, printed her off alot of info about each park, the DDP, DME and gave her a list of restaurants from Allears with the website listed so she can look at menus, and gave her the 1-800 number for dining. I also gave her my cell phone number, in case she had any questions. The only other thing I plan on doing is helping her come up with some good ADRs. She really appreciated the information I gave her, but she's not demanded any of it.

 

[danielle.st]

My advice is just from reading the boards, but I would tell her she might want to have a couple of character meals in mind and call disney dining and ask if there is any availability at all on those dates. Make sure you tell her about the restaurants that take ddp but not ADRs (Beaches and ESPN, I think?) because they could be back up TS meals. Also, if she knows ahead of time which parks she'll be in, she could call and ask if there are any TS restaurants with lunch or dinner openings that day, etc. Again, from my reading, there are people who are flexible enough who call in the morning and get an ADR for a day at a park because of cancellations.

 

[hkeller27]

Whoa!!! How did I ever give you the idea she was on my back? The night she called, all she wanted to ask was if there was soap and shampoo in the rooms. We got to talking, and that's how I found out she didn't know anything about Disney. I have no problem helping her, it's just the fact that they're leaving in about 2 1/2 weeks totally unprepared that has me flustered. I told her to call her travel agent and find out for sure if he's registered her for DME and gave her the DME number to call just in case he hadn't. I told her about the two different envelopes she'd be getting (the one about DME and the blue and white one with all the paperwork and vouchers). I verified she had not received them. I explained that her DDP and park tickets would be on her room key, explained how to get on the DME bus and what time they'd probably be picking her up on her last day, talked to her about the Disney transportation system, fast pass machines, EMH, showed her the touring plans in the back of the Unofficial Guide and PassPorter that I gave her, told her to call the travel agent and find out for sure which hotel he booked her in, gave her a packing list, talked to her about the importance of really comfortable shoes, told her a little about each park and DTD, talked to her about the refillable mugs, printed her off alot of info about each park, the DDP, DME and gave her a list of restaurants from Allears with the website listed so she can look at menus, and gave her the 1-800 number for dining. I also gave her my cell phone number, in case she had any questions. The only other thing I plan on doing is helping her come up with some good ADRs. She really appreciated the information I gave her, but she's not demanded any of it.

I am so sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, I just wanted to offer help. Again, very sorry if I offended you.

 

[imthatgirl]

in 2006 we stayed in the parks for the first time during free dining and had tyhe ddp for the first time. we didnt make a single adr before we left. we were able to walk into liberty tree tavern, coral reef, chef mickeys, rose and crown and tusker house. all with about a 30 minute wait. so of course it can be done.

oh and why is it so bad for her to go monday to monday? arent flights cheaper on mondays?

 

[cymbaldiva]

Sounds like everything is now well in hand then ... I think?

 

[Satisfactualfam]

And if she can't find any ADRs for character dining on the dining plan the Garden Grove at the Disney Swan has a character breakfast on the weekend & character dinner weeknights...

 

[aubriee]

I am so sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, I just wanted to offer help. Again, very sorry if I offended you.

Hey, no offense taken and I really appreciate your offer. I just didn't want you to think I resented helping her. In fact, I told her I loved planning Disney trips (especially when I wasn't paying for them ). It was just the fact that they're leaving in a little over two weeks with no idea of what a trip to WDW entails that flustered me. She just seemed so nonchalant about not even knowing the name of her resort or how she was going to get from the airport to the resort. I sort of panicked for her. When she told me she had '"some sort of dining plan', I just wanted some suggestions on some good restaurants that they may still be able to get ADRs for.

However, she's taking her 10 y/o son to WDW for the first time. How can they not have fun? I guess I just want their first trip to be extra special and want them to love Disney as much as some of us do. I want to make sure I didn't forget to let them know something important and want her to have a stress free trip.

 

[hkeller27]

Hey, no offense taken and I really appreciate your offer. I just didn't want you to think I resented helping her. In fact, I told her I loved planning Disney trips (especially when I wasn't paying for them ). It was just the fact that they're leaving in a little over two weeks with no idea of what a trip to WDW entails that flustered me. She just seemed so nonchalant about not even knowing the name of her resort or how she was going to get from the airport to the resort. I sort of panicked for her. When she told me she had '"some sort of dining plan', I just wanted some suggestions on some good restaurants that they may still be able to get ADRs for.

However, she's taking her 10 y/o son to WDW for the first time. How can they not have fun? I guess I just want their first trip to be extra special and want them to love Disney as much as some of us do. I want to make sure I didn't forget to let them know something important and want her to have a stress free trip.

Phew - thanks, I really didn't mean any ill, and probably just didn't read thoroughly - imagine that, not reading every word with a 1 and 3 year old running around my feet I just can't believe what a raw deal she got as far as her agent goes - not so much for her package, but it blows my mind how her agent could leave her so clueless like that! I make sure my clients know every detail of their trip, and I make their ADR's as well as plan an itinerary for them - and it's not like I'm getting paid to do that....but if Disney vacations is all that I do, I do it all the way! If she ever needs someone to book her in the future...