I'll start with the good because I don't really like to post negative things regarding
DVC or WDW, as we've been happy members for 18 years and recently spent (mostly) a wonderful few days with our growing family there. 1st time for our daughter in law, 1st time for our grand baby. 34th wedding anniversary for DH and I. This is the first time in 18 years we rented cars.
We couldn't get the 3 bedroom grand villa at BWV (one of our two home resorts), even though we were wait listed until 7 days prior to arrival. Okay, no problem. The grand villa at Saratoga Springs was beautiful, of course so roomy, offering plenty of common space as well as plenty of private space.
Having the car at Saratoga was a good idea, the resort is very big and we liked being able to park right outside our building. We used the car during the week to visit the Grand Floridian, to drive over to our reservation for Chef Mickey's at Contemporary, to go over to Animal Kingdom Kidani Villas (our other home resort) for lunch at Mara and to show our first timers the giraffe and zebra. As well as to and from the airport, of course.
In true Disney Spirit we were welcomed with friendliness and "welcome home's".
Until.....we attempted to go over to the Boardwalk in early afternoon for a bite to eat, shop in the general store and get ice cream. We also wanted our daughter in law and son in law to see the model room there so they could see what options they have on the future trips where we don't travel all together.
Well, we were stopped at the gate and literally told we weren't allowed in without a reservation. No explanation, no kindness, nothing. Just "you have to leave if you don't have a reservation". Well, Big River Grille doesn't take reservations, neither does the ice cream shoppe or the model room. My kids were in their car ahead of us and were told to turn around and leave, and as they were on the opposite side of the gate leaving, I opened the window and told them to get back in line to enter, behind our car.
I explained to the Security Guard at the gate why we were coming in, that this was one of our home resorts, and that the places we were looking to go didn't take reservations. Besides the fact that the Boardwalk presents itself to all the world as an entertainment, dining, shopping (and now bars) area welcoming visits - I explained this as well. She told me we couldn't come in. Okay, so now I'm getting a little annoyed. I ask her to get on the phone with her manager because I found this unacceptable. Keep in mind she did not ask me if I was going to use Valet Parking or anything of the nature...this matters later on. We were granted a two hour visit and she
followed us to our parking spots.
I went into the lobby to speak to a manager. The manager said the same thing the security guard said, we weren't allowed in without a reservation to dine but that she was the one who gave us the courtesy two hour limit. I said the same thing to the manager that I said to the security guard, not all places take reservations. She told me they lost 200 parking spots to the construction of the skyway, I told her while that wasn't my problem, they could open the valet lot to accommodate cars. She said the free parking had to be available to conventioneers and guests of the hotel. I said I understand that, and that not all conventioneers may be resort guests, it's the middle of the day and the lot was no where near full. She said again we were allowed a two hour visit. I asked if we were to pay the valet fee can we stay as long as we want and go wherever we want with no questions asked. She said yes.
I said let me talk to my family, who were in the lobby now, watching this conversation. In all fairness, at this point, while not yelling (I don't go to Disney to argue), I was stressing my point strongly, so was she.
I walked over to my family and explained our options, which of course I was not in agreement with or happy over. Two members of my family told me the manager made a face and rolled her eyes as I walked away. I went back to the manager, got her name and reminded her that making a face and rolling her eyes was very unprofessional, which of course she denied doing. My son in law called her out and said they were watching the conversation and they saw her make the face and roll the eyes. I wouldn't accept or expect this in an economy hotel off 95, let alone a deluxe resort on property.
Okay, so we decide it's not worth visiting there since we were made to feel pretty unwelcome from the beginning, let alone childish responses (face making) from a manager. We were out of there.
I emailed DVC and explained the entire situation, along with the names of both the security guard at the gate and the manager. They did get back to me. Of course, and as expected, they defended their position of not allowing non resort guests access to the parking lot during festival time, (that was the first reason I got). I explained to the very nice woman on the phone that there were no festivals taking place during the entire time we were on property. She rethought and agreed. She further explained that new parking limitations have been placed on deluxe resorts. And that signs are sometimes posted and two hour visiting limits are sometimes put in place. I explained that none of this was told to us by either the security guard, or the manager and that no signs were posted. I also explained that when visiting Grand Floridian we were told there were two weddings, and resort was full so we may have a hard time finding parking, followed by a "welcome home" and "enjoy your visit". GF, it doesn't get more deluxe than that.
Bottom line, I was told things weren't going to change, and the two hour limit was all I could hope for when parking limits were put in place, although there was no sign stating so, nor were we notified of this. She did agree that the way it was handled was inappropriate and it would be looked into.
Quite a few minutes into the conversation with DVC member satisfaction, I was offered fast passes for a future trip. I took them and of course said thank you, although I don't really feel it was enough to compensate for such poor treatment of my family and I, or the time wasted with all this stuff. I'm not sure I expected anything, yet expected something. I just know I'm unbelievably disappointed in the way this was handled, the way we were so unwelcome and this unnecessary experience on our last day and in our favorite place on property. Of course, Disney would take our money (i.e., valet parking fee), restaurants, bars, shopping and ice cream at the boardwalk, but never offer anything worth a dime. Maybe a direct apology from the manager would help although that'll never happen.
I guess I'm just venting. I'm more sensitive than the rest of my family who already wrote this off as one bad experience in a great week. But I got a good dose of the fact that the all mighty dollar speaks volumes over customer satisfaction.
All of this being said, we won't let one bad experience change how we enjoy our membership going forward....nothing is perfect....and the nightmare in the dream, is hopefully few and far between.....
