HH disappointment

[Haunted Mansion MaMa]

Hi Mai Ku Tiki,

Sorry for your troubles at the "volcano" resort (giggle). Although your visit sounds similarly frustrating as ours, it was definitely an entertaining read. Very humorous spin!!

I never said we would not go back to HH. As a matter of fact I would be willing to bet that our next visit, if ever, could be the most "magical" ever. We viewed it as a "Comedy of Errors" at the time but were disappointed that management was not more sympathetic. We have had problems (albeit small) with other resorts that were handled very well and that have been over-apologized for.

My letter does include the positives as well as CMs we appreciated, all listed by name!

I feel bad that people on this board seem to have taken my post personally and are being defensive. I am glad that the majority seem to very much enjoy HH. I'm sure I could find negative posts about each and every resort we have ever stayed at and not agree with them at all. However, I would not seek to personally attack these people. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and to express them. I have not resorted to mudslinging and name-calling and would appreciate the same respect. Again, I am *not* looking for compensation so those worried about that can relax. If that was my angle I would have made that clear during the time of my stay. Now it has become an informative matter.

One more thing, to answer the question from a couple of posts: Yes, the balloons and birthday card are a complimentary service of the resort. All you need to do is request it and give proper information. This was arranged before our visit.

 

[deerh]

Haunted M M:
I too feel your disapointment with the HHI resort. I would certainly understand your feelings, however, I had 2 of the same instances you did in July this year as well, so let me tell you the short story:

1- Lightbulb burned out in the bedroom (master), where you like to read late at night. It is a little long bulb, very hard bulb to buy I suppose, lamp is shaped like a tee. Anyway, I called front desk one day after not having it that previous night, and they said,
" would you like for us to run it up to your villa?" and I said no, I was going to ride bikes anyway, so I will pick it up later. They said "we apologize MR H..." we hope it did not inconvience your stay". Exact words they said.......

2. The Big Dipper Pool was closed the last day we were there. I think to replace the filters.. Anyway, 2 DAYS BEFORE this was to happen, under out door was a flyer saying the BDP was closing, and they had EXTENDED hours for the beach pool, and also extended hours for the van pick up , I think till 10 or 11 pm. Letter also said "we apologize for the inconve..... etc, etc.

So, I hope these "same happenings" that happened on both yours and my trip will not diminish the "magic" that happens at HHI. I am a member there, and have been there 3 times, and all 3 times has been like above. I hope your next trip to HHI is more to your liking, and DO write managment, or whoever, as they need to know that the "magic" was missing on those days..
Good luck!
deerh

 

[baileybrad]

HHM,
Someone asked awhile back but I didn't see a response but were you staying on points or paying on cash? One thing that we love about DVC is that we do not have to "deal/vacation around maid service". If staying on points we always make it a point to manage our couple of encounters with the maids by arranging when we need them. We do the same thing when we are paying cash at the Orlando Disney resorts. Most on this board do understand that you had a vacation that became subpar because of a series of events that all occurred during one stay.

But again as many have said some of the things that you encountered happen all the time and are just not that big of a deal....by trying to paint a maid banging on a door at 8:30 in the morning and you speaking with her BEFORE your family is awaken is nothing to get that upset about. As the previous poster mentioned, the one major issue that you really had was a CM that was rude to you...."enjoying" cold showers during a natural gas shortage for several days would have really been a lousy trip.

Did you call to see if you room was ready for occupancy only to go to the unit and find a maid still working in the unit? Reading between the lines, of your posts, that appears to be what happened. Most members are used to not getting in to their rooms until at least 4 ish .....that point has been really debated on these boards. I still wonder what the castmember and you got into it about?

 

[gscott8075]

Mud slinging and name calling - Hmmm, I took the time to re-read this entire thread.

I saw pro and con responses to your post. I did not see any mud slinging. I did not see any name calling.

I wonder what type of reaction you expect when you join a DVC board - which is comprised of mostly satisfied DVC members and within the first posts you make is a laundry list of complaints detailing how upset you were with your stay. Its kinda like going to the Republican convention and holding up a "GORE IN 04" sign.

I appreciate your post and the frustration which you detailed. You should communicate them to the resort. I think the trend on our board is that folks feel like they are indeed owners of their resort and do tend to defend them.

Your subsequent post appears to be an attempt to stir the pot. Some folks have surely disagreed / refuted your issues - all appear to have done so politely. You are trying to make it personal - and that is really not the case. Disagreeing with someone is not a personal attack. It is not mudslinging. It is simply disagreeing. I see where folks have provided the information you were looking for, where others have provided some common sense solutions to your issues which other posters can use, where other tales have been shared.

The only "negative" post appears to be yours accusing others of personal attacks, mud slinging, and name calling.

Please take my comments as a response - it is not an attack of any sort. Just a different perspective.

 

[deerh]

Haunted MM: Welcome to the boards! Forgot to say that in my last post.

You said the pool was closed for an entire day. On our vacation, the Big Di pool was closed for an entire day due to maintance on the filters, and sent a letter, etc. I am CURIOUS, was there any mention as to WHY the pool was closed?

When we arrived the first day there, we hit the pool and met this nice couple from Ohio, who had been there for a few days, and they said the Big Dipper Pool was closed yesterday (before we got there), and I said why? And the couple said (not really joke coming up), " winnie the POOH dropped in the pool!! LOL, so they had to close the pool for several hours to clean the "Pooh" out of the pool!

So, this proves, POOH happens!!!
deerh

 

[Regina]

baileybrad, they don't give you your key until your room is ready. It was negligent of the Front Desk CM to send them there if the room wasn't ready for occupancy.

You can certainly schedule your trash and tidy to your liking, but it's unlikely that you'll know the time that maid is going to arrive.

Haunted Mansion Fan came here for information on how to contact the appropriate person at DVC, nothing more. It wasn't until after several "what happened" inquiries that she gave us the details.

It's not up to us to pass judgement on the merit of the problems. I'd like to think that if I ran into difficulty, I wouldn't need the approval of others to determine if it was valid.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Haunted Mansion MaMa
I feel bad that people on this board seem to have taken my post personally and are being defensive. I am glad that the majority seem to very much enjoy HH. I'm sure I could find negative posts about each and every resort we have ever stayed at and not agree with them at all. However, I would not seek to personally attack these people. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and to express them. I have not resorted to mudslinging and name-calling and would appreciate the same respect. Again, I am *not* looking for compensation so those worried about that can relax. If that was my angle I would have made that clear during the time of my stay. Now it has become an informative matter.

From my standpoint, there's certainly nothing personal or anything defensive. Frankly, I'm not a big fan of DVC-HH. Sure it's a great resort but there are other resorts on HH I think are even better because of their location. Obviously you had a bad experience which you feel you need to communicate to DVC. They cannot improve on problems if they are not aware of them.

I think many of us are coming from our knowledge that when bad experiences are posted, there are many times when the complaints are trivial and seem blown out of proportion. I guess the best example I can think of is that on Deb Will site she has listings of restaurants. There was a list of antics that have happened over the years to different people at Whispering Canyon. Things like tieing the kids up, gun fights and the like. Someone read that list and went and were disappointed AND COMPLAINED (as I understand it) that every single antic didn't happen to them. I own at a resort in Aruba that has fixed weeks. They recently redid the pool which closed it for several weeks. You should have heard the grumblings then. Though I too would have been disappointed if the pool were closed the entire week of my trip, it goes with the territory.

We all realize it's how things happen as much as what. Was it handled easily, quickly and with a smile. Were you made to feel like you were important or not.

As for the fridge, I can bet you you have a fellow previous guest to blame. I bet someone flipped the fridge colder which will make the freezer not as cold. NO way they are going to know these things or check them routinely. I'm sure they have a maint schedule that includes checking the fridge every month or so but not between each guest.

 

[Haunted Mansion MaMa]

gsscott8075: If you indeed "took the time to re-read this entire thread" you may have noticed that I was reluctant to post my "laundry list of complaints", as you called it, for just this reason.

To all those that have provided me with the information I requested, thank you.

To all those that have offered your sympathy, understanding, and have tried to help, my sincere appreciation. DVCReg hit the nail on the head, thank you.

To all those that have shared your stories of disappointment, I emphathize.

I now have the information I requested and will cease responding/posting to this thread.

I hope that everyone continues to enjoy wonderful and "magical" vacations!

 

[baileybrad]

dvcreg,
I will have to disagree with your 2 responses to me....you most certainly receive you keys upon check-in. You are then told to call a number to check and see if your room is ready and in some cases find out the exact room number. Our personal experience has usually been that the CM has told us what building we got sometimes even the exact unit even when our unit was not ready. HHM has never really bothered to explain exactly what rudeness was experienced with the CM.....he or she doesn't have too but it might help other members out of future problems which I have always thought was a big reason for this particular board's existence.

Your other point about scheduling your T&T or full housekeeping...we have ALWAYS spoken directly with the fine folks in housekeeping and been really successfully scheduling the time of our service within an hour or so. Since we have been members, we have had small children who require naps and we always have been able to arrange our service with housekeeping.

I am not a judge nor do I play one on TV but if someone lists a laundry list of problems that cause a "bad" stay in a timeshare that I am a member....I will most definitely ask questions and attempt to get a better understanding of what the resort could really control and what they did or did not do about the "problems". That is what these boards are all about. And as others have mentioned there have been no personal attacks. As for you not wishing to be "validated" about a future problem that you might incur during a visit...hope you don't have any "bad" visits.

 

[Regina]

I'll rephrase that. Yes you get your room key, but you don't know what room you're in until it's ready. Clearly, the CM at the front desk gave them the go-ahead to go to their room. Obviously, the room was not fully prepared and the front desk should have been aware of that.

There are times that Housekeeping finds themselves dealing with an unforeseen situation that prevents them from arriving at a particular time if a previous arrangement was made.

I still stand by what I said. HauntedMansionMaMa did not come here with her complaints. She came here looking for a name/address of who to contact because she experienced a problem. It was only after several inquiries that she gave a few details, and she ended up in a position of having to defend her views. That was never her intent.

And now, per HauntedMansion's request, this discussion is ending.

Thank you for your contributions.