I can't believe how mad i am!

[maxiesmom]

The OP's anger is misdirected. She should be asking Amtrak to buy her the 2 day tickets and DDP. They are the ones stranding her in Orlando after all.

I agree! This is not Disney's fault at all, even though the OP is trying to make it their fault! Sure it would be nice if they offered them the discounted tickets, but they shouldn't have to. And I don't know how you can really expect them to.

As others have pointed out, there is plenty to do while in Orlando that doesn't include going to a Disney park. Swim, golf, shop, visit other resorts. Pick any one of those activities and enjoy what little time off you have left. As one of my best friends often tells me 'it is time to pull on your big girl panties!"

 

[pilesoflaundry]

Honestly are your kids that spoiled that they have never heard stuff happens and we can hang out here and watch tv together or go to the pool? Really disney owes you something because of weather in another state?

The kids should be able to understand we went, we used our tickets and that is that.

It is posted all over here, there and the internet over there that YES tickets cannot be upgraded or changed. You buy at a discount, you take the bad with the good.

 

[disneymarie]

Ok, I know, I know, there are rules. But I have been in retail and restaurant management for over 15 years, and I know there are times when the rules need to be bent or broken for guest satisfaction.

We are snowed in, at Disney. Our train that was supposed to leave Friday night is cancelled and we can't leave until Sunday night. You might all be thinking that if you have to be snowed in, there is no place better than Disney! Yeah, I thought that too, for a few minutes.

We had to check out of Old Key West and move to a value, because OKW is just too expensive at cash rate. The concierge at OKW said that the concierge at the Value could extend my park tickets by two days for $3.20 per day! SWEET! We can't get the dining plan because it's not 48 hours in advance. Uh, what? Well whatever, no big deal. I think that's silly, but whatever.

The concierge at the value can't extend my tickets because they were purchased through the Youth in Education Series. So they are discounted tickets. Mind you, purchased through Disney, through a Disney agent, not a travel agent or another vendor. So now it's 7pm and I have been working on this at 2 different resorts for about 3 hours. The concierge at the value says I have to go to Guest Relations at a park to get it done. I check into our new room and my kids are STARVING! So I call Guest Relations instead.

They tell me they can't do it. WHAT!?!?!! What do you mean you can't do it? You're Disney! Then they say that they will be happy to issue me 2 day tickets for my entire party, at full price. I ask to speak to a manager who had to be the most condescending person I have spoken to in YEARS! He tells me no as well.

So now we are stuck at this resort with no dining plan, no car, no way to get home, and no park tickets. Try explaining to three kids under 10 that you are at Disney and can't go to the parks.

I am debating on what to do next. I'm not sure there is anything I CAN do?

I would do DTD, there is the Earl of sandwich to eat. lots of stuff down town to spend time. there is the game room and movies on site, do hotel hopping, spend the money maybe on Chef Mickey, they may have an opening. there are tours at good cost for the Epcot, tour of the growing area, maybe guest relations can get you in there. Enterprize has a Sentra weekend rental for 1/2 off. for THrurs to Monday was $55. so two days should be less. They pick you up and drop you off.

For right now to feed kids, I would call poppa johns, they have chicken tenders, mozzerlla sticks etc besides pizza, a bottle of soda, paper plates and napkins.
BUT the value has great meals for great price. DD had salmon and I had half a chicken, they were about $8.99
There as so many things to find to do out of the parks, there are a lot of sites missed because of not giving up a moment at the park, this is a great time to find and do it all.
Safe travels home.
You may want to see if a refund on the train, is possible as you can often find orbitz specials last minute to fill flights, we had oneway down for $80 all included but one one suitcase.

Deep breath and plan B mode.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Honestly are your kids that spoiled that they have never heard stuff happens and we can hang out here and watch tv together or go to the pool? Really disney owes you something because of weather in another state?

The kids should be able to understand we went, we used our tickets and that is that.

It is posted all over here, there and the internet over there that YES tickets cannot be upgraded or changed. You buy at a discount, you take the bad with the good.

I get what you are saying.

But that just has a funny ring to it. Yes, but no.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Honestly are your kids that spoiled that they have never heard stuff happens and we can hang out here and watch tv together or go to the pool? Really disney owes you something because of weather in another state?

The kids should be able to understand we went, we used our tickets and that is that.

 

[handinpocket]

The OP's anger is misdirected. She should be asking Amtrak to buy her the 2 day tickets and DDP. They are the ones stranding her in Orlando after all.

Agreed. There is so much to do at WDW that does not include the parks. We frequently take our kids to different resorts and let them shop and play in the arcades, they LOVE it!

 

[PollyannaMom]

....thanks to all of you who have been so kind to offer suggestions! I think that we will definitely go check out the Fort today. Hubby and I have often wondered what camping here would be like, so today will be the day to check it out! Now that I have had a few hours sleep, I am not so angry. More suggestions would be great, and thanks so much!

There are lots of non-park things to do at Disney:

We loved the surrey bikes at POR, and the boat ride from there to DTD. (And of course, there's DTD itself.)

There are 2 Disney-themed mini-golf courses. One is stuff from Fantasia, and the other I think is called Winter-Summerland (kind of along the Blizzard Beach theme.)

Have you been to Celebration? I was there quite a long time ago, but loved it.

I've heard great things about the Fort Wilderness movie/campfire, too. (I haven't made it yet, but I want to.)

I actually think it would be neat to just tour all the resorts.


And not Disney-ish, but I'll add it anyway. - I found some info on the Orlando Science Center, and it sounded really good, too.

 

[robinb]

Honestly are your kids that spoiled that they have never heard stuff happens and we can hang out here and watch tv together or go to the pool?

How her kids are spoiled? That's a stretch. ANY child would be disappointed if they were told that they could go into the parks two more days and then were told "never mind! We were mistaken". Don't make this about the OP's parenting .

 

[mefordis]

Well, I'll tell you that I can sympathize with you. I would have thought I could add days onto the ticket as well. I feel bad that they couldn't do anything for you in that respect, or even extend the dining plan. Sounds like they were really playing hard ball with you.

You know what, I would have never posted if I realized that people were going to reply like this. You're right, I had a choice to leave early. I could've tried to get on Thursday's train, if there was room. Secondly I did not ask for free food or accommodations, just the $3 extension on the ticket.

GEEZ! You would think this was a political thread!

 

[OceanAnnie]

OP, folks on the DIS tend to pile on at times but I don't think they are trying to beat you down like it sounds, there's just a lot of people with the same opinion on this thread.
I hope you guys find lots of fun, wonderful things to do for the next two days. Things like this can be so stressful when you're on vacation, sometimes it's hard to take it all in stride.

I think the tide has changed on this thread.

 

[bicker]

Hotels do offer special weather rates when passengers are stranded in nearby airports. They could jack things up to their maximum rack rate that's listed on the back of the door. But they don't.

Quite often, on this forum, someone posts a vent claiming some company or another is "price gouging". The vast majority of the time, the poster is wrong: The company is simply pricing their offerings consistent with what the market will bear. That is not price gouging; it is responsible management. Price gouging is when a company exploits an emergency situation, like a weather incident that closes airports, the trains, etc., and charges an unfair price, one that is not driven by the durable market supply and demand, but rather one that is driven by the instantaneous market supply and demand, i.e., the market situation that is brought about by the emergency, itself.

Hmmm ... I wonder why .

A hotel near a transportation center, charging a price during a snow emergency that it wouldn't charge otherwise, is price gouging. In most places, that's a felony.

 

[Va-bear]

Darn, you quoted me before I caught my atrocious spelling mistakes. What the heck is a "silhohoute's?"

That's ok, mine is full of them too! I should never post before having my second cup of coffee! lol

 

[Magic Mom]

How many should they do it for? As many that ask in this situation. The number of people who have non-upgradable tickets cannot be all

What about other sad situations? Should they bend the rules for those people too. DH was gone all last year so we couldn't take advantage of the military special. This years special isn't as good, and it might mean we can't go. The "right" thing for Disney to do is to give us last years special, because it wasn't our fault we couldn't use it, he was away at war supporting the country that supports WDW. I'm sure relatively speaking, the number of people that would ask for this exception is very small, so the rules should be bent for us.

I don't believe this to be true, but using your logic I should try it.

 

[Bluestars]

I think it is unreasonable for someone to expect a company to bend the rules for them. I would never expect that from a company. Sure, I might ask nicely if there was anything they can do. But I sure as heck wouldn't be upset if they didn't do it.

The great thing about WDW is that there are plenty of things to do without setting foot in the parks. There are plenty of food options without being on the meal plan. If my kids had a problem with staying at WDW without going into the parks after we had just had a wonderful vacation there, then I would have moved the family off site and spent the final days there while waiting for transportation home.

But I would have found plenty to do, so it would not have been a problem.

 

[robinb]

A hotel near a transportation center, charging a price during a snow emergency that it wouldn't charge otherwise, is price gouging. In most places, that's a felony.

My point is that they could legally charge the price on the back of the door if they wanted to as that is the maximum they can charge for the room. They can also charge "rack rate" which is below the maximum but above a discounted rate. They don't. They offer travelers a discounted rate during weather delays. They don't take advantage of the situation because they want the good will of the passengers and for those passengers to remember them in a positive light the next time they go to book a room. They would rather have the passenger say "Hilton Garden Inn ... they really took care us us during that big snow storm! Let's book with them!" and not "Hilton Garden Inn ... do you remember how they screwed us during that big snow storm? I'll stay with anybody else!".

 

[robinb]

What about other sad situations? Should they bend the rules for those people too. DH was gone all last year so we couldn't take advantage of the military special. This years special isn't as good, and it might mean we can't go. The "right" thing for Disney to do is to give us last years special, because it wasn't our fault we couldn't use it, he was away at war supporting the country that supports WDW. I'm sure relatively speaking, the number of people that would ask for this exception is very small, so the rules should be bent for us.

Apples and oranges and you know it.

I don't believe this to be true, but using your logic I should try it.

Sure, knock yourself out!

 

[lillygator]

I don't think it is....apples and oranges...at all. So there is SNOW, why should Disney be paying for that?

 

[teacherforhi]

Apples and oranges and you know it.

I think you're comparing apples and oranges. People need a place to stay when transportation has been cancelled. They don't NEED an extra two days at a theme park.

 

[crashbb]

I think you're comparing apples and oranges. People need a place to stay when transportation has been cancelled. They don't NEED an extra two days at a theme park.

And, if we actually want to do an apples-to-apples comparison, WDW did not gouge them the room price (I'm sure we would have heard about it from the OP if they did).

 

[bicker]

My point is that they could legally charge the price on the back of the door if they wanted to as that is the maximum they can charge for the room.

Last time I was stranded at MCO due to snow in the Northeast, that is indeed the rate I was charged.