How do you feel if Disney ignores your celebration?

[mjtm610]

This past week we celebrated my granddaughter's 5th birthday. She had a birthday celebration button on all day. Several people offered their good wishes. She loved it!
We made dinner reservations online. I said we were celebrating her 5th birthday on the online reservation form.
We went to dinner at Yachtsmans. We arrived 15 minutes early. We waited 1 hour and 5 minutes for our ADR. I spoke to the hostess about the delay , told her we were celebrating a birthday.....I spoke to the manager, told him how distressed I was about the wait as we were celebrating a birthday. I told our server we were celebrating a birthday. My granddaughter had on her birthday pin. We heard and saw 2 other groups singing and celebrating birthdays. We ordered desert. Nothing was ever said about the birthday. I asked the server if we could get a candle for her desert. "of course" Guess what came instead? Our check. We spent more than $400 and couldn't even get a candle to celebrate a 5 year olds birthday!

 

[baby1disney]

Omg!! I'm so sorry that happened to you and your granddaughter!! While Disney doesn't "have" to do anything for her bday, they should've made it special in some way, especially when you made the ADR and told them. Maybe you can do a surprise for her before you leave??

 

[owl0306]

I had an issue at Captain's Grille and went straight to the manager at yc (i first dealt with the incompetent manager at captains grille) and he was so appalled I got a huge resort credit.

 

[slapwhitey]

I have been to WDW for many celebrations, (wedding/honeymoon, anniversary, birthdays....you name it). We have sometimes worn celebration pins and other times not. We never expect anything from Disney. We have been surprised on occasion with a special little treat and some congratulatory remarks but it is never expected. We are of the mind that just being able to be in WDW for a celebration is special enough.

I can understand someone hoping for a little something, especially for a young child but I don't feel it is a situation that should cause anger or a complaint to be lodged. I can speak from my own experiences that it's not the "happy birthday or congratulation" comments that stay with my memory it's the time spent there with family and friends.

I get being a little disappointed but I wouldn't let it skew your memories. Ultimately you got to see a friend or family member spend a birthday, anniversay, etc. in the coolest place on earth.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Usually I go into it expecting nothing from Disney. But over an hour wait is ridiculous whether you are celebrating or not. And the fact that you ordered a dessert and specifically asked for a candle and they couldn't even do that is pretty crummy...even Applebee's will do that if you ask!

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I'm sorry you felt slighted. That is too bad for the child! But my question is, did the child feel slighted? Did she think she wasn't getting the special attention she was expecting? If so (and I'm donning my flame suit right now), then you as the adult gave her false expectations and you as the adult should feel responsible. It is not Disney's job to create a magical memory for your granddaugther. Yes, I know that people will say that Disney has created this "expectation" after doing so many special things for guests in the past. But we all need to remember that these special treats should be considered just that - special. They should not be expected and certainly cannot be planned. I am afraid that Disney has created a monster and people too often expect a healthy dose of pixie dust at every moment.

With that said, I truly hope your granddaughter had a wonderful birthday! And I bet that years from now, she will not dwell on the fact that she had to wait for dinner and did not get a candle on her dessert. And I bet if you remember her special day by stating the positive, she will take away the positive for the rest of her life

 

[North of Mouse]

This past week we celebrated my granddaughter's 5th birthday. She had a birthday celebration button on all day. Several people offered their good wishes. She loved it!
We made dinner reservations online. I said we were celebrating her 5th birthday on the online reservation form.
We went to dinner at Yachtsmans. We arrived 15 minutes early. We waited 1 hour and 5 minutes for our ADR. I spoke to the hostess about the delay , told her we were celebrating a birthday.....I spoke to the manager, told him how distressed I was about the wait as we were celebrating a birthday. I told our server we were celebrating a birthday. My granddaughter had on her birthday pin. We heard and saw 2 other groups singing and celebrating birthdays. We ordered desert. Nothing was ever said about the birthday. I asked the server if we could get a candle for her desert. "of course" Guess what came instead? Our check. We spent more than $400 and couldn't even get a candle to celebrate a 5 year olds birthday!

Maybe you *stressed* too much to too many people that you were *expecting* some extra attention by your actions. Maybe they were put off! As others have stated, they don't always give extra attention, although a lot of them do - depends on restaurant and server.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Usually I go into it expecting nothing from Disney. But over an hour wait is ridiculous whether you are celebrating or not. And the fact that you ordered a dessert and specifically asked for a candle and they couldn't even do that is pretty crummy...even Applebee's will do that if you ask!

I have to agree with this ^ .... I would be a little peeved almost anywhere (Applebee's, Friday's, Olive Garden, ect...) if we were there for a birthday, told them ahead of time and told our server and didn't get at least a dessert with a candle in it. It's not that you want something for free, but you want the birthday person to get a little special attention...at Disney or not. Yes, I know, being at Disney should be special enough, but I don't blame OP for being a little upset they didn't even bother to stick a candle in something for her granddaughter.

 

[FireDancer]

I think you have two completely separate issues. The long wait and poor service are one issue and are not acceptable anywhere. The issue with not being singled out because of your celebration is totally different though.

Being at Disney should be celebration enough without the need for a CM to make it more special. Disney in the past use to do nice little random things for people. For example when two of my friends came down to visit me while I was living in Florida a conversation came up with our waitress where it was mentioned this was their first trip since becoming engaged. It wasn't the point of the conversation but just came up naturally as part of it. When the bill came so did a little congratulatory cake. It wasn't expected and was very nice. What happens though is many people on the boards would read that and think, "wow, I should try and get a free cake too", so they go into the restaurant, bring up the engagement, and get upset when they don't get something special.

The random, special, nice, unexpected extras Disney used to do on occasion has now became expected and if I were a CM I would just stop doing them all together. No one should ever ask for these things or ask for a button announcing celebrations and stuff like that in my opinion. If in the normal conversations with CMs it comes out and they decide to do something nice just run with it.

Just my opinion.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I think you have two completely separate issues. The long wait and poor service are one issue and are not acceptable anywhere. The issue with not being singled out because of your celebration is totally different though.

Being at Disney should be celebration enough without the need for a CM to make it more special. Disney in the past use to do nice little random things for people. For example when two of my friends came down to visit me while I was living in Florida a conversation came up with our waitress where it was mentioned this was their first trip since becoming engaged. It wasn't the point of the conversation but just came up naturally as part of it. When the bill came so did a little congratulatory cake. It wasn't expected and was very nice. What happens though is many people on the boards would read that and think, "wow, I should try and get a free cake too", so they go into the restaurant, bring up the engagement, and get upset when they don't get something special.

The random, special, nice, unexpected extras Disney used to do on occasion has now became expected and if I were a CM I would just stop doing them all together. No one should ever ask for these things or ask for a button announcing celebrations and stuff like that in my opinion. If in the normal conversations with CMs it comes out and they decide to do something nice just run with it.

Just my opinion.

Seriously? Their bill was $400...and you think the issue is that they didn't get a "free" cake. I don't think when you go out somewhere for a birthday dinner that it is an entitlement issue or a "I heard Disney gave someone else a birthday dessert and now I want one" issue. It's someone's birthday and even if they are at Disney which is special enough, it's nice if they can blow out a candle.

 

[timmac]

Seriously? Their bill was $400...and you think the issue is that they didn't get a "free" cake.

But... on the other hand... the bill was $400 because they ate at Yachtsman Steakhouse. That was purely a matter or location, not celebration (cake or not).

I don't think the point was that they didn't get a "free cake", just that the "magical extras" long since became far too expected; once they ceased being something special, there was probably a lack of interest. Again, I don't think the point was that people necessarily go in expecting the cake because it's free, rather that it was an expectation of having something special happen.

All of that said, I think the absurdly long wait time and mediocre service are real issues that need(ed) addressing.

 

[mjtm610]

Let me explain....I wasn't looking for a free anything! We BOUGHT the deserts for everyone who wanted one at our group.
You are right. Disney doesn't owe me anything. I don't expect anything for free. However ----Disney is the one that asked if we were celebrating anything. Disney is the one that supplied the birthday pin. I asked for a stinking candle. And this was ON her birthday...not her birthday week or month..it was the actual day.....and she's 5!
Did my granddaughter feel slighted--NO. However she did notice that others were being sung to. She did mention that. We brushed it off.
My point is.....Disney is advertising "come celebrate" "celebrate with us". Yes the service was lousy. That's a separate issue. My disappointment came with the response to our "come celebrate with Disney".
Yes, my Granddaughter was over the moon that we took her to Disney for her birthday. All day she kept repeating that she couldn't believe she was really in Disney!

 

[timmac]

My point is.....Disney is advertising "come celebrate" "celebrate with us".
...
My disappointment came with the response to our "come celebrate with Disney".

This is an excellent point, and I personally never really looked at it that way, but I agree. Disney is pushing so hard on the celebrate thing, they're definitely part of the problem in a sense.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

This past week we celebrated my granddaughter's 5th birthday. She had a birthday celebration button on all day. Several people offered their good wishes. She loved it!
We made dinner reservations online. I said we were celebrating her 5th birthday on the online reservation form.
We went to dinner at Yachtsmans. We arrived 15 minutes early. We waited 1 hour and 5 minutes for our ADR. I spoke to the hostess about the delay , told her we were celebrating a birthday.....I spoke to the manager, told him how distressed I was about the wait as we were celebrating a birthday. I told our server we were celebrating a birthday. My granddaughter had on her birthday pin. We heard and saw 2 other groups singing and celebrating birthdays. We ordered desert. Nothing was ever said about the birthday. I asked the server if we could get a candle for her desert. "of course" Guess what came instead? Our check. We spent more than $400 and couldn't even get a candle to celebrate a 5 year olds birthday!

Something similiar happened to us during the What will you Celebrate promo. My kids birthdays are within 2 days of each other (4 years apart) so we decided to celebrate them both on the same day while we were at Disney.

We booked the Plaza.
I let them know we were celebrating 2 birthdays when I made the reservation and when I checked in. The kids wore their birthday buttons.
Several other families in the restaurant had gotten Happy Birthday sang to them and the birthday member got a cupcake with a candle in it while we were eating.

My kids birthdays weren't acknowledged. My son didn't think it was a big deal luckily but my daughter was younger and was disappointed since she saw others getting the song and cupcakes.
I told her I had a surprise in the room for them. I was very glad I had picked up a small cake for us to have in the room later and I'd bought a birthday present each for them to open in the room.

I have to admit I was annoyed and the rest of that trip every time I saw someone getting that cupcake and having Happy Birthday sung to them, I thought about my disappointed daughter and was annoyed with Disney for doing that promo and advertising it the way they did.

The kids were ok though - especially when they saw their gifts were Ipods.

And it doesn't stop me from going to Disney. I just know not to expect anything special while there.

 

[FireDancer]

Seriously? Their bill was $400...and you think the issue is that they didn't get a "free" cake. I don't think when you go out somewhere for a birthday dinner that it is an entitlement issue or a "I heard Disney gave someone else a birthday dessert and now I want one" issue. It's someone's birthday and even if they are at Disney which is special enough, it's nice if they can blow out a candle.

Not getting a candle was part of the poor service I mentioned earlier. The bill really doesn't matter as far as getting a birthday recognition.

The free cake wasn't about this particular poster but an overall attitude I see with people expecting what should not be expected. It is a nice extra that will happen randomly but shouldn't be expected for every birthday in my opinion.

But... on the other hand... the bill was $400 because they ate at Yachtsman Steakhouse. That was purely a matter or location, not celebration (cake or not).

I don't think the point was that they didn't get a "free cake", just that the "magical extras" long since became far too expected; once they ceased being something special, there was probably a lack of interest. Again, I don't think the point was that people necessarily go in expecting the cake because it's free, rather that it was an expectation of having something special happen.

All of that said, I think the absurdly long wait time and mediocre service are real issues that need(ed) addressing.

Yes, exactly. Especially the bolded.

 

[ilovemk76]

This past week we celebrated my granddaughter's 5th birthday. She had a birthday celebration button on all day. Several people offered their good wishes. She loved it!
We made dinner reservations online. I said we were celebrating her 5th birthday on the online reservation form.
We went to dinner at Yachtsmans. We arrived 15 minutes early. We waited 1 hour and 5 minutes for our ADR. I spoke to the hostess about the delay , told her we were celebrating a birthday.....I spoke to the manager, told him how distressed I was about the wait as we were celebrating a birthday. I told our server we were celebrating a birthday. My granddaughter had on her birthday pin. We heard and saw 2 other groups singing and celebrating birthdays. We ordered desert. Nothing was ever said about the birthday. I asked the server if we could get a candle for her desert. "of course" Guess what came instead? Our check. We spent more than $400 and couldn't even get a candle to celebrate a 5 year olds birthday!

If you wanted to celebrate then order a cake and sing to her yourself.

 

[WaltD4Me]

If you wanted to celebrate then order a cake and sing to her yourself.

OP said they did order desserts....they asked for a candle for the FIVE year old's birthday and the server never bothered to bring it out. It's like the OP said, Disney has been telling us to "Come Celebrate" for over 2 years now, so when you bring your child to do just that it's not unrealistic to expect a "happy birthday!" and a candle. Disney brings much of the "expectation" on themselves, if the CM's are sick of it they shouldn't take it out on the guest.

 

[monkistan]

i'm kind of amazed here at all of the negativity. if i go to any old restaurant and tell them it's my dad's birthday, or sister's bday, or whoever, and then order a dessert, i expect a candle. i've actually never been somewhere where that didnt' happen.

i don't think it's too much to assume that disney would do the same. i don't think the OP was whining about not getting free stuff. it was about alerting the CM of the kid's bday, ordering a cake, asking for a candle and not getting it.

that's just bad customer service all around. if you think it's a sign of people wanting something for nothing, i think you've missed the point.

 

[Sweetpeamd]

i'm kind of amazed here at all of the negativity. if i go to any old restaurant and tell them it's my dad's birthday, or sister's bday, or whoever, and then order a dessert, i expect a candle. i've actually never been somewhere where that didnt' happen.

i don't think it's too much to assume that disney would do the same. i don't think the OP was whining about not getting free stuff. it was about alerting the CM of the kid's bday, ordering a cake, asking for a candle and not getting it.

that's just bad customer service all around. if you think it's a sign of people wanting something for nothing, i think you've missed the point.

I agree. They received bad customer service. We just returned from a week long trip and we were amazed at how poor the service was at our table service meals. We are a party of 6 so the tip is almost always automatically added, maybe that has something to do with it? None of our service was as bad as that which the OP faced, but we were disappointed. Our drinks were slow to be refilled, if they were refilled at all. The waitstaff was not as friendly or attentive as we have experienced in the past. Nothing worth reporting to management in any of the cases, just disappointing. Actually, we have been noticing a decline over our past several trips. We are planning a trip for Spring 2013 and we will not be using the DDP for the first time in years. We are going to try eating mostly counter service. We are tired of paying 18% gratuity for sub-par service.

 

[Figment2101]

This past week we celebrated my granddaughter's 5th birthday. She had a birthday celebration button on all day. Several people offered their good wishes. She loved it!
We made dinner reservations online. I said we were celebrating her 5th birthday on the online reservation form.
We went to dinner at Yachtsmans. We arrived 15 minutes early. We waited 1 hour and 5 minutes for our ADR. I spoke to the hostess about the delay , told her we were celebrating a birthday.....I spoke to the manager, told him how distressed I was about the wait as we were celebrating a birthday. I told our server we were celebrating a birthday. My granddaughter had on her birthday pin. We heard and saw 2 other groups singing and celebrating birthdays. We ordered desert. Nothing was ever said about the birthday. I asked the server if we could get a candle for her desert. "of course" Guess what came instead? Our check. We spent more than $400 and couldn't even get a candle to celebrate a 5 year olds birthday!

I totally support you and are surprised by some of the non supportive replies. After all it is Disney that promotes 'celebrations' and you had mentioned the birthday celebration with your online reservation.