Horrendous resort experiences & compensation?

[Cindy B]

We were thinking of staying here our next trip.Could you explain further on your stay..

Horrors:

1) On the first day of free dining with hundreds of guest checking in, there should be more than 2 agents working. The check in line went all through the lobby, down the hallway, past the bar/lounge and into the CS restaurant. It took over an hour (close to an hour and a half ) to check in. This was at 7:15 am.

2) Bus transportation: the absoluete worst I have ever had! I've stayed onsite 19 times in all levels of hotels (deluxe, mod and value) and POR transportation is the absoluete worst I have experienced.

2a) POFQ and POR should not share busses at all during busy times. By the time the bus pulled up for Riverside, it was packed to the gills... and then the bus driver tried to get others on the bus.

2b) The queue line for returning for the MK is awful for this resort. The lines were so long they extended out of the metal chutes, down the hallway and nearer to the end of the entire bus depot! (It was past the halfway mark-- I would say closer to 3/4 out of the bus depot). Due to this, there were angry upset individuals that were bailing the lines and calling a cab!

3) The refurbishments during that time (Pool area/main bridge) were impeding traffic flow. The space was so narrow that traffic could flow in a single file line one way only. People were shoving and pushing on the bridge just to get by.. (people may have been angry at the bus situation and it just spilled over to this_

 

[JungleJim]

The calm woman answered and told me that they had bed bugs and that her teenaged niece also had some kind of issue (I forget what it was, so I won't name anything -- but it was a mental health related thing)...and that her niece was absolutely covered in bug bites from the bed she had been sleeping in - and was now freaking out about it. She said that they had been calling the front desk and asking to be moved to another room, but were not being cared for.

Bed bugs!!??

Is there more of a chance of bed bugs at the value resorts?

If they didn't immediately respond, I wouldn've gathered up the sheets, took them to the front desk, and threw them at the manager. Then I would've told them they would have me in a different room within the hour.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We were thinking of staying here our next trip.Could you explain further on your stay..

Ah, but how do you know Fate hasn't extended your life by X hours, to make up for all the lost hours during your life?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Bed bugs!!??

Is there more of a chance of bed bugs at the value resorts?

Not at ALL. Bedbugs are an equal opportunity pest. It depends ENTIRELY on whether a previous Guest happened to bring them in, unknowingly.

 

[Knavey]

Not trying to be rude, but I just wondered what you didn't like about this view? I think it looks great! You can see the animals out and about. May I ask which savannah this was?

This is the Sunset Savanna. We were upgraded to this last time when we booked a standard room. The "problem" with this view is that there are better ones out there. If you are paying for a savanna view (and know what the other ones look like) you will probably be disappointed with this view.

It is a good savanna, but right now with the construction going on (you cannot see it in this picture, but it is to the right of the camera shot) I would only think this is a "savanna" view on an upgrade.

See the links in my sig for writeups on the different views at AKL.

 

[Clotho]

Okay, so my trip last September was tricky on many levels.

The main issue was my back. I am a dance instructor, and while teaching workshops in New Orleans over the summer, my back somehow went out (never had that issue before, and it wasn't *during* the workshop). I was seeing a chiropractor and a physical therapist 2-3 times a week, and I told them my goal was to be better in time for DISNEY!!

And I was mostly okay. I had to be very careful, and couldn't ride coasters over and over. But my back didn't end up being the big issue. Despite breaking in my Crocs 6 months before the trip, I got WICKED blisters on my feet--I am talking kumquat sized blisters on both my feet! I tended to them each night as best I could, and tried changing shoes, but nothing worked, and I kept getting more. By the 4th day, I had to rent an ECV to get around the parks, and was in pain from both my feet and back. UGH!

I was so exhausted from pain every night, we had to sleep in, and had to take frequent breaks throughout the day which interrupted the flow of things. We didn't get to do nearly everything we had planned, and I was grumpy and sad a lot during a time when I wanted to be so happy and unfettered.

Additionally we had issues with the Polynesian desk staff.

We had heard all this great stuff about Aunties meeting you with leis and Aloha's. We got nothing of the sort. Service was very slow. The guy who checked us in made some snarky comments about it just being "a job" and a way to make money for the summer. No leis or welcome home, but "Meh, I don't really like my job here" comments! We wanted those leis!! and a warm Aloha!

Then when we tried to arrange our cards to be our Keys to the World, we got two different stories about access for ourselves and my sister, who didn't want to be on the same charge bill, though we were sharing a room. We were told we could (and it took a lot of running into the back room mysteriously...returning, going back...wait wait wait...no apologies or explanations), and handed the cards. Ready to go right?

We were also told they had a limit on the card where once you reached it, we would be contacted and told we were at that limit, and would authorize going beyond it. We were thrilled t have a built-in monitor like that, so if we lost a card for instance, nobody could just ring up thousands of dollars on it before we recovered it. There was a loss liability limit. And we could stay informed about our limit without having to do math every day. (we know this not to be true now, but at the time, this is how it was explained to us)

Then at the end of the trip we found out we actually could NOT have two cards, and that no there is no such thing as having to approve any additional limit; and they had pushed ahead with all our charges when we went over the limit they told us (us thinking we hadn't because nobody had told us so as they said they would), and all this time my sister's bank account was being drained by us! She was overdrawn, bounced bills, and they scoffed at us like we were supposed to know we couldn't have two cards on one account. So basically when we had my sister added her card, it replaced the primary card on the account. Not apologies for the misinformation! We also mentioned the limit thing, and they said no they don't do anything like that. As we now know, what they do is wait until you have accumulated so much in charges, then they charge it all at once. Then they start over.

We spent two hours on our last day trying to sort this out and no one apologized. It took a week for my sister to get the money situation figured out, and to their credit, they did reimburse her for the overdraft charges on her bank account that resulted.

Bottom line? We were disappointed in the desk staff.

BUT we had great housekeeping! And the gentleman that drove us to our room in the cart was energetic and kind. He noticed a bulb was out when we walked in, and he went and got one himself and changed it right then and there. The grounds were amazing, the rooms were huge, the pool was beautiful, the location was unbeatable. I bet we would get a different desk experience another time, and would totally go again even with that rigmarole.

But definitely that trip was not all we had hoped, and I didn't think I would get back for another three years (it had been three years since our previous trip), but it turns out my BFF is getting married on a cruise in December, so we are meeting her and her family down there the first week and will get 10 days of "do-over". Pray for nice weather in December!! We have only ever been in September so this will be very different, indeed!

 

[twinklebug]

1) It does make a difference to whom you write.
2) A general letter does not do much good.
3) Our problems were actually almost trivial
. . . one phone extension didn't work the whole trip
. . . some bathroom mold
. . . a stick balcony door
4) Like anything else, it all depends on how you complain.

Also note, Rusty had said this was for a GF stay. GF is VERY good about comping for 'difficulties' encountered during the stay as they are rated among the very best resorts in florida. The comping seems to drop as you go from deluxe+ to deluxe to mod to value. What will satisfy most consumers staying in a mod as inconvenience comp (say a dinner out) will seem like a joke to many GF guests.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Then at the end of the trip we found out we actually could NOT have two cards, and that no there is no such thing as having to approve any additional limit . . .

1) Both statements are blatantly false.
2) You got BAD, BAD, BAD info from the Poly.
3) Both of these items are done all the time at WDW!

NOTE: In fact, everyone in your room can have their room key charges applied to a different credit card, and the charging limit on their key card can be different from everyone else in the room.

 

[dawz1026]

Horrors:

1) On the first day of free dining with hundreds of guest checking in, there should be more than 2 agents working. The check in line went all through the lobby, down the hallway, past the bar/lounge and into the CS restaurant. It took over an hour (close to an hour and a half ) to check in. This was at 7:15 am.

2) Bus transportation: the absoluete worst I have ever had! I've stayed onsite 19 times in all levels of hotels (deluxe, mod and value) and POR transportation is the absoluete worst I have experienced.

2a) POFQ and POR should not share busses at all during busy times. By the time the bus pulled up for Riverside, it was packed to the gills... and then the bus driver tried to get others on the bus.

2b) The queue line for returning for the MK is awful for this resort. The lines were so long they extended out of the metal chutes, down the hallway and nearer to the end of the entire bus depot! (It was past the halfway mark-- I would say closer to 3/4 out of the bus depot). Due to this, there were angry upset individuals that were bailing the lines and calling a cab!

3) The refurbishments during that time (Pool area/main bridge) were impeding traffic flow. The space was so narrow that traffic could flow in a single file line one way only. People were shoving and pushing on the bridge just to get by.. (people may have been angry at the bus situation and it just spilled over to this_

that stinks..we usually do the Beach and to save money we wanted to try POR because we loved the atmosphere.Maybe we should take our car to the parks and go at a downtime..did u enjoy the room and food.I liked the food court..tried it once.Any good things at all?The Poly is my next pick and it is even pricier than the Beach

 

[kaytieeldr]

Then when we tried to arrange our cards to be our Keys to the World, we got two different stories about access for ourselves and my sister, who didn't want to be on the same charge bill, though we were sharing a room. We were told we could (and it took a lot of running into the back room mysteriously...returning, going back...wait wait wait...no apologies or explanations), and handed the cards. Ready to go right?

Eh, I dunno - I'd probably think long and hard about the accuracy of any information given to me by someone who's admitted to the customer that "this is just a job". Please note, this comment is in NO way a criticism of the OP's actions/post/trust/anything - merely my opinion.

 

[Cindy B]

that stinks..we usually do the Beach and to save money we wanted to try POR because we loved the atmosphere.Maybe we should take our car to the parks and go at a downtime..did u enjoy the room and food.I liked the food court..tried it once.Any good things at all?The Poly is my next pick and it is even pricier than the Beach

Hate to say no --the only good thing about POR was when we left and got to CSR.

 

[kaytieeldr]

1) On the first day of free dining with hundreds of guest checking in, there should be more than 2 agents working. The check in line went all through the lobby, down the hallway, past the bar/lounge and into the CS restaurant. It took over an hour (close to an hour and a half ) to check in. This was at 7:15 am.

Reasonably - given that check-in time is 3 PM, and any arrivals at the Front Desk before that are considered preregistration (yes, even if you're checking out-and-in in a single transaction), two people staffing the Front Desk at 7:15 AM is more than sufficient 364 days a year even if, prior to that day, Cast Members are telling Guests they can complete said transaction as early as 7 AM.

 

[Cindy B]

Reasonably - given that check-in time is 3 PM, and any arrivals at the Front Desk before that are considered preregistration (yes, even if you're checking out-and-in in a single transaction), two people staffing the Front Desk at 7:15 AM is more than sufficient 364 days a year even if, prior to that day, Cast Members are telling Guests they can complete said transaction as early as 7 AM.

I understand that most days that 2 agents would be more than sufficient. When we finally got to the desk, the CM stated that the hotel was full to capacity. If you knew the hotel was at capacity AND the start of free dining I would think more than 2 agents would be scheduled.

 

[DisneyMomJen]

During the timeframe that Hurricane Katrina hit which was August 2005 (I think it was 2005) we were staying 3 nights at the Grand Floridian, my favorite place in the world, and then moving to the Beach Club Villas where we are DVC owners. We knew from the weather reports that there was a bad storm coming and we were going to be rained out over the next few days. We checked in, went to our room and put our suits on thinking this was going to be our only pool day while at the GF. We go to leave the room and DH notices that the door does not lock. I tell everyone to go to the pool and I will call the front desk and wait in the room. The front desk tells me they will send someone right up which never happened. I called again and then again over a 3 hour timeframe. I am so upset knowing I am missing our only pool time at the GF with my kids and we have dinner reservations in less than an hour. I finally decide to go to the front desk in the main building. Just as I begin my walk over, the wind starts blowing so hard that branches are breaking. My kids start yelling to me and I tell them to run into our building. Then starts the torrential downpour. I walk to the front desk in the main building soaking wet. As I am waiting in line and water is dripping all over a Manager takes notice and asks if there is a problem. I am doing all I can at this point not to cry. I go through the whole story about no one showing up to fix our door for hours and that I missed our only pool time. He apologizes and is completely understanding, arranges for us to move to the room next door and comps us one night of our room. The weird thing with this storm was that it lasted all of 10 minutes (which was supposed to last for days) and left the Disney area heading right towards Louisiana.

The next year we stayed at the GF again. I was wondering for awhile why every time any of my kids walked into the bathroom they fell flat on the floor. I figured out that the carpeting was soaking wet from what I am guessing the carpet being cleaned. I never complained, but was disappointed in our room and I think from this and a few other things, disappointed in the GF in general. We did not go back to the GF last year but are giving it another try this summer.

 

[323sarg]

I remember one time my wife and I drove to DW in July for our anniversary. We knew we would be arriving around 3am or so. I had several phone calls to the resort to confirm my arrival at that time as was told it was not an issue. So we drove all night took our time and really had a little adventure. When we arrived I gave the guard my name my reservation and was told that I would have to go away!!! I explained to him that I had talked to the staff about my early arrival and was told it was ok and he could call the desk to confirm. I was told no to turn around and come back after 6am. After driving all this time we turned around and called the front desk to tell them and where told they had no record!!!! My wife and I pulled into a parking lot and slept for a couple of hours and returned to the CB. When we checked in, different guard and was let right in. When I checked in I explained to the CM what had happened the night before and she apologized over and over. She checked the system and saw where we were suppose to check in early. She called the manager over and my wife and I were told they were very sorry and were given park tickets for our stay.

 

[THUNDERMOUNTAINMOMMA]

When we checked in at POR there was a big spider on the registration desk. When I pointed it out to the CM he smashed it with a brochure. Then in the room, I pulled down the sheets to examine the bed, and another big spider in the bed! I didn't freak out. I didn't call to complain. I know there are a lot of trees there, and bugs & spiders like trees. But it was just a bit icky for me.

 

[ireland_nicole]

You missed the point... every hour that is wasted now or anytime in the future is one hour you will never get back... That time is gone... simply because you lost the time years before you died doesn't change the fact that you lost the time, it is the same as meeting your maker sooner than later.... in fact losing it before you're on your death bed is probably much worse since you could still enjoy the time now.

So how do you justify the time you just spent writing this post?

 

[twinklebug]

When we checked in at POR there was a big spider on the registration desk. When I pointed it out to the CM he smashed it with a brochure. Then in the room, I pulled down the sheets to examine the bed, and another big spider in the bed! I didn't freak out. I didn't call to complain. I know there are a lot of trees there, and bugs & spiders like trees. But it was just a bit icky for me.

for my sanity... please tell me you made this one up (even if it is the truth)

 

[Disneyaunt4]

When we checked in at POR there was a big spider on the registration desk. When I pointed it out to the CM he smashed it with a brochure. Then in the room, I pulled down the sheets to examine the bed, and another big spider in the bed! I didn't freak out. I didn't call to complain. I know there are a lot of trees there, and bugs & spiders like trees. But it was just a bit icky for me.

 

[bluwater]

Not at ALL. Bedbugs are an equal opportunity pest. It depends ENTIRELY on whether a previous Guest happened to bring them in, unknowingly.

I agree with this. We were in the ajoining room for 10 or 11 nights (I forgot how long we were there - but it was a LONG time for Free Dining) and we never experienced a bug of any kind.


We had a great stay, aside from this one issue.

Our housekeeper was fantastic and kept the elaborate towel animals flowing and would stage our room so that our window area was decorated with our souveniers when we got back in the evening - and she left us notes with blessings and well wishes. It was like having a fairy godmother. There were a couple of days when we had someone different- and the room was still cleaned...but not to the degree of the housekeeper we had and there were no animals on those days....

I had read about bed bugs at plenty of the resorts. They don't seem to infest the building they are in ... just a single room. The threads say to pull the fitted sheet off of the corner of the bed and check the seams where the mattress ribbing meets the sides. This is where the bugs hide.

We have never had a bug problem at any hotel, Disney or otherwise.