how can a "free upgrade" cost me $388?

[crisi]

I wonder if your "free upgrade" was not actually a "free upgrade" but a case of miscommunication - an upsell presented as an upgrade with either you or your TA understood as "free."

 

[debraW76]

Oh and I do not think it is the dining plan they charged me for. I was using a pincode I received from an email. It expires October 11. So adding them should have still been under the free dining period.

I asked my TA about how much it would cost just to stay at the YC. I am thinking of taking money out of savings just to not move. But with the economy, I really want to keep as much as possible in my savings.

The other concern of mine is that after two days at the YC, we will really, really like it and not want to leave. I can just imagine them having to call security on us to escort us off property. What a bummer to go from YC to ASSp. Now, if it was the other way around. I am sure I would be thrilled to leave ASSp to go to the YC

Waiting to hear back from my TA...

 

[LilyWDW]

The upgrade was due to fault of their own. I can understand that. But the original charge was for changing one room to a preferred which we did not request. That is what I think should be taken off.

Then tell your TA you expect her to take care of it. When they changed the room the TA would have had a chance at that point to question it. Instead of doing so, she okayed it. She was not forced to do so.

 

[kim929]

When you check in ask for late check out I was able to check out at 1 on our trip in Aug. This way you can hang around the resort, then maybe explore the YC. You never know your room might be ready since you would be checking in around 2, it's worth a try.

 

[CherylA]

Honestly you should be THRILLED with that upgrade even for the add on price and PrincessSuzannes numbers work out amazing perfect don't they. Whether you should or not have been charged for the things she listed I think you were and you need to talk to your travel agent and have each dollar of that broken down. You need to know the exact cost of 1 day tickets and the room upgrade for 1 and then make your TA account for the rest. I will bet you they are charging you for dining for them, it just is the only thing that makes sense. You should try to get it lowered but that said I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, Yacht and Beach club for about $400 total more than all stars, sign me up!

 

[debraW76]

My TA said she requested a late checkout at the YC at 1:00 which they ok'd. She also requested an early checkin at the ASSp but that is a request only and not guaranteed. She said that since we were already on property our room 'should' be ready.

I also asked for a detailed breakdown of the vacation cost. She sent me an email listing only the total cost. I didn't think that was very detailed so I will try again this time explaining I am wanting the cost of room 1, room 2, taxes, tickets, etc. I just want to see where the difference in cost is coming from.

I guess I feel better about it now. The 1 o'clock checkout makes me feel a lot better. We will still be packing and moving all of our stuff. Grandma went on a cruise a few months ago and they lost her bag with her meds in it. Can't risk that happening again.

 

[tlbwriter]

I wonder if your "free upgrade" was not actually a "free upgrade" but a case of miscommunication - an upsell presented as an upgrade with either you or your TA understood as "free."

That's what I'm wondering. I was "accidentally" changed from standard view to club level at the BC when I called to make a change to my reservation.

And I disagree with those who say you absolutely must be thrilled at this "great deal." If it wasn't what you wanted and it's inconvenient for you, why are you required to be thrilled?

 

[poohfriend]

Your TA can speak with Disney again.

If she has records of standard rooms being booked with connecting requested b/c of small children, Disney has records of that too. (If she happened to book online and FORGOT to deselect prefferred room, that might clarify that issue!)

Did your TA send you a confirmation of the two rooms and the price? (Before you added gradma?) If you received that and it did not indicate preferred, you have an arguement! Sometimes non-preferred rooms are not available....NO MATTER WHAT YOU REQUEST, but your TA should have outlined that for you! ASK specifically for the TA to speak with TA guest services to resolve this.

Disney will have records of the original reservation. Disneys system does not detail out for us or TAs each component of a package -- Especially with a PIN code which discounts some aspects of that package. I'm not surprised she couldn't get that for you. However, she should ASK Disney to detail for you the increase!

I would try to be firm...I want connecting rooms throughout my stay...preferably without moving...is this possible? And because my PIN code does not expire until Oct 11 I want you to assure me that I am not being charged for dining for anyone in my party.

 

[debraW76]

I asked my TA for a detailed breakdown of the cost. Line by line of rooms, taxes, and tickets. This is her reply:

"We can not break it down by tickets, room tax etc due to Florida tourist laws because of the way packages are taxed as opposed to separated items. I can off the record give you an approximate but not exact. I can break it out by room as far as how much each room packaged cost and ticket costs. But you wont get the exact."​

Since our family is so large we usually stay in a condo offsite or rent a house. I just wanted to try staying onsite and with the free dining pin I couldn't pass it up. This has been so aggrevating I am not sure we will bother staying onsite again. I am not saying we won't... just saying we will really have to consider is it worth it.

BUT WE ARE STILL GOING TO DISNEYWORLD EVEN IF WE HAVE TO CHANGE RESORTS, EVEN IF OUR ROOMS ARE NOT CONNECTING AND HUBBY AND I HAVE TO STAY IN SEPERATE ROOMS, EVEN IF WE FALL MADLY IN LOVE WITH THE YACHT CLUB AND THEY FORCE US TO LEAVE, EVEN IF IT IS STILL $388 MORE, WE ARE STILL GOING TO DISNEYWORLD AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME!!!

 

[Momto4boys]

I wouldn't be thrilled at all. There shouldn't be any extra charges and moving in inconvenient period let alone with the # of small children and grandma. I would try to call Disney if I were you and explain it. So difficult with having a middle man!

 

[ILUVPOOH1]

and you're actually accepting that answer from your TA? I never ever ever use a TA...only deal straight through Disney, go 3x a year and they ALWAYS can give me a complete breakdown (I have asked a few times).

Please do not let this experience discourage you from staying onsite again. just next time book through Disney. Avoid the middleman. You still get great deals!
And if you need larger accomadations, you can always look into the DVC resorts or Fort Wilderness Cabins.

Either way...good for you! Your attitude is great! You ARE going to Disney and YOU WILL have a blast!! Enjoy! And may lots of magic and pixie dust be sprinkled upon you!

 

[sammi6]

I asked my TA for a detailed breakdown of the cost. Line by line of rooms, taxes, and tickets. This is her reply:

"We can not break it down by tickets, room tax etc due to Florida tourist laws because of the way packages are taxed as opposed to separated items. I can off the record give you an approximate but not exact. I can break it out by room as far as how much each room packaged cost and ticket costs. But you wont get the exact."​

Since our family is so large we usually stay in a condo offsite or rent a house. I just wanted to try staying onsite and with the free dining pin I couldn't pass it up. This has been so aggrevating I am not sure we will bother staying onsite again. I am not saying we won't... just saying we will really have to consider is it worth it.

BUT WE ARE STILL GOING TO DISNEYWORLD EVEN IF WE HAVE TO CHANGE RESORTS, EVEN IF OUR ROOMS ARE NOT CONNECTING AND HUBBY AND I HAVE TO STAY IN SEPERATE ROOMS, EVEN IF WE FALL MADLY IN LOVE WITH THE YACHT CLUB AND THEY FORCE US TO LEAVE, EVEN IF IT IS STILL $388 MORE, WE ARE STILL GOING TO DISNEYWORLD AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME!!!

I think all of your aggravation is a result of your TA. If you were to have booked with Disney you would have been able to get a break down of everything, actually everytime you make a change they email and snail mail an update of everything and every detail is broken down. I have stayed both on and off site and I love on site and wouldn't do it any other way. I am sorry you are having such a hard time with this, but like you said in the end you will still have a wonderful time!

 

[CherylA]

Good for you Debra you will have a wonderful time. I have to say that I personally prefer to book by myself directly through Disney, it's really hard trying to work through a 3rd party when there is an issue!

 

[debraW76]

Good for you Debra you will have a wonderful time. I have to say that I personally prefer to book by myself directly through Disney, it's really hard trying to work through a 3rd party when there is an issue!

Amen, Lesson learned (the hard way of course).

 

[debraW76]

Good for you Debra you will have a wonderful time. I have to say that I personally prefer to book by myself directly through Disney, it's really hard trying to work through a 3rd party when there is an issue!

Hey Cheryl, We are arriving the same day you are. Maybe we will run into each other. We will be the family with grandma and all the kids and one of them will probably be having a meltdown I will be the one pulling my hair out

 

[maryliz]

I would be telling the TA to conference in WDW while you are on the phone. And have the CR run down everything on your package. Adding the one day base ticket for 2 additional people is only around $150. So somewhere you're still paying an extra almost $250 ... for what? 2 nights at the YC instead of ASSp? This is not a free upgrade ... someone has messed something up. I agree with the PP that said you have been charged the dining rate for the 2 add-ons. And only WDW travel can verify that. Insist that WDTC fax a copy of your package to your TA so that you can see it. If you had booked directly through WDTC, you would have received this, so there's no reason your TA can't get it for you.

I'm glad that you have such a positive attitude about it. I've done split stays and we always joke that we have to have the "nicer" resort at the end. LOL You will love SAB, and the proximity to EPCOT and the Studios.

have fun.

 

[TnTWalter]

Since the deal doesn't expire until October 11 can you 'fire' your TA and book through WDW or would you be out money?

Best of luck. Great attitude. I would not want to move personally.

Trish

 

[tlbwriter]

If you were to have booked with Disney you would have been able to get a break down of everything, actually everytime you make a change they email and snail mail an update of everything and every detail is broken down.

By price? I get the updates and they list every single little thing, but they never break it down by price.

 

[debraW76]

OOOO I like that idea.
I called Disney and they said they do not have any rooms available for our stay with that code. Using other codes they did not have anything but rack rate. So our choices are

• fire the TA and book rack rate (not going to happen since we can't afford rack rate)
• keep the sports ressie but our rooms will be in different buildings - not my idea of a vacation being without hubby.
• or take their offer of the YC for two nights, then move to the sports on day 3.

Given my choices I am going with the third option. I have asked and asked about the money but all my TA does is point out how much of a bargain I am getting. And I guess on some level she is right - we are getting free dining, we are getting two nights at the YC. Yes, I could keep calling her and insisting she take off the difference or cancel altogether but I think at this point I just want to enjoy our vacation. I'm done worrying with it.

I may give the onsite resorts another try but next time I am calling myself. I should have known I was too much of a control freak to let someone else handle my vacation.

I love the disboards You people are the best! Thanks so much for letting me vent.

 

[CherylA]

Hey Cheryl, We are arriving the same day you are. Maybe we will run into each other. We will be the family with grandma and all the kids and one of them will probably be having a meltdown I will be the one pulling my hair out

You are SOOOO lucky you got to use a code with the Oct 11 arrival date. Every time I called with the pin code I got and the free dining visa offer there were no rooms. Now I'm really jealous! Hey maybe we'll run into each other, I'll be pulling my hair out too. Isn't it fun though!