I need to vent..

[AlbertZeroK]

I do agree that people shouldn't expect pixie dust at every turn and free upgrades. The podcast from a week or two ago had a great discussion about this. There's no question there are too many people with a sense of entitlement out there.

I think too though, that their is a difference between a reasonable request and a feeling of entitlement. But I do expect reasonable compensation when the error is on the side of the company I'm dealing with. Especially when it's something as bad as overbooking a resort by 100 rooms!

I am also a firm believer that sometimes, the only way to make a statement in a cooperate world is to cost them money. An upgrade demand of half those 100 people would put financial pressure on disney - perhaps enough to make them fix the problem. Because, and most would agree, in large cooperations, their doesn't seem to be anything but the bottom line.

 

[mr. figment]

It's funny you bring this discussion up because we are having a similar discussion about Disney on our neighborhood forums. There have been several people who swear they had an awful time on their one and only trip to WDW and will never go back. My advice to them was no matter where you go on vacation, it's all about your attitude. If you are going with a bad attitude, then you won't enjoy yourself. Things don't always go as planned (even at Disney), so it's best to try to just go with the flow. I also think that too many people set their expectations at extraordinary levels, then are disappointed in the end. We are DVC members since 2003 and have been to WDW 2-3 times per year and have never had an overall bad experience. Yes, we've hit some snags along the way, but we've never let it ruin our vacation. I don't know, maybe it's our attitude since both my husband and I have had experience working in customer service environments so we know what it is like on "the other side" so we can sympathize and think about how we would've handled the situation.

I agree completely. If you expect too much, you'll be disappointed every time. Also, how do you know that the castmember didn't just get handed a note to call the hospital where their relative just got omitted last night? I would say you if you run into a bad cast member interaction, try to turn it positive for them and for you.

 

[StacyMarie]

I think one of the reasons I like the pod cast is that Pete Rants like I do about stuff. And we both know who is really to blame for the issues.

That being said, I always make it a point to really say thanks to those who do a wonderful job on the phone with helping me, weather it's verizon wireless or disney. Then again, I'm never afraid to ask for a supervisor, but I typically phrase it as, "I understand the limits they place on helping me, can we talk with a supervisor who will have a broader set of tools to resolve this issue?"

But one of the great things about this board is that people aren't aways, "I'm Pissed". I have asked for and found some amazing information, that while not mandatory to have for our vacation, has helped us to spend our money wisely and be more prepared. I don't think it's made me spend less money or try to squeeze the last penny out, but because of a post here, I'm thinking, we'll cancel our Sea World VIP tour and pick up two other tours in stead.

So I say let people rant, as long as they don't pull the emergency slide out and delay my flight, I'm fine with it!

Thanks for the giggle!

 

[BriarRosie]

On the flip side, I've gone to Guest Relations (or, in the case of really good phone interaction to the Disney call center, I've emailed Guest Communications) to tell them about good cast members I've encountered.

If I'm going to point out cast members who need re-training in Traditions, I'm definitely going to point out cast members who have excelled in that training, as well.

 

[trivial]

I think too though, that their is a difference between a reasonable request and a feeling of entitlement. But I do expect reasonable compensation when the error is on the side of the company I'm dealing with. Especially when it's something as bad as overbooking a resort by 100 rooms!

Oh absolutely. I'm not sure that anyone is talking about such a situation here. If any company screws up, I expect them to compensate me for it, right away, with a great big smile on their face. Poor customer service is a massive pet peeve of mine.

 

[AlbertZeroK]

Oh absolutely. I'm not sure that anyone is talking about such a situation here. If any company screws up, I expect them to compensate me for it, right away, with a great big smile on their face.

LOL, then again, we have a rule on vacation. "Dad can't complain without Mom's Permission!"

 

[gkrykewy]

This is what gets me upset, though. Someone in the other thread, who says they are a CM, posted this;

After you've been nasty to the wrong CM, they'll delight in "accidentally" cancelling your Ohana or Le Cellier reservation after you walk away.

Honestly, I'm not sure I can have any sympathy for someone who's legitimately "nasty" to a call center CM. Being a jerk sometimes has consequences.

If that reservation ends up in the hands of a less nasty family, all the better. I might be sitting next to them.

 

[simonkodousek]

Honestly, I'm not sure I can have any sympathy for someone who's legitimately "nasty" to a call center CM. Being a jerk sometimes has consequences.

If that reservation ends up in the hands of a less nasty family, all the better. I might be sitting next to them.

This has nothing to do with your post, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE your Public Service Announcement in your signature! SO TRUE!

 

[gkrykewy]

This has nothing to do with your post, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE your Public Service Announcement in your signature! SO TRUE!

I appreciate your support. Go loud and proud, friend: adjust your signature accordingly!

After all, whenever someone says "ressie", a manatee dies. It's true. Do your part for wildlife.

 

[simonkodousek]

I appreciate your support. Go loud and proud, friend: adjust your signature accordingly!

After all, whenever someone says "ressie", a manatee dies. It's true. Do your part for wildlife.

 

[dansyr2514]

Thanks guys for posting your opinions without any bashing.

I didn't mean to be so negative myself. It was a long week and our trip is getting closer. I just wanted to come home home read the boards and get more excited for the upcoming trip. But the more I read, the more bummed I got. It seemed every other thread that I read turned into a complaint about something disney does, said or thought. As I said before....I do not see Disney through rose colored glasses. I have had a few not great moments in Disney...but 98% of the time...it's been pretty darn nice and a few times absolutely magical

Oh and a comment on the resort upgrade thing. Should Disney compensate you in some way for their mistake.....absolutely! But the degrees of compensation discussed started to get ridiculous. Also on the same topic....if I booked my dream resort...the place I absolutely has to stay ....and a CM called and said that resort was overbooked I would in a nice way do everything in my power to make sure I stayed there. However if the resort I booked was just a preference and I would've just as happy to stay somewhere else..I would also let them know that and let someone who's dream resort it was get the chance to stay there.

Anyway...thanks fellow dis'ers and podcast listeners. I'm generally not a negative person....but people were stomping on my pixie dust last night.

 

[whatsup]

Maybe it's just the day I'm having....but I'm so close to going off on a Pete sized vent.
So I'm just browsing the dis boards and it seems as if there are more complaints about Disney than there are good posts about Disney. I thought that's why we are all here...for our love of Disney.

Now my the 2 main things that set me off
1. Why do people expect so much? For example.. ( names, places and details have been changed to protect the complainers). A mistake has been made ....let's say with your resort. Disney has overbooked and is now offering you an upgraded room at a resort in the same category as what you booked.
Me personally...unless I had my heart set on staying at the resort..would accept. If I did have my heart set on that particular resort, I would nicely tell the cast member that and politely decline from moving to another resort if at all possible. The scenario I've been witnessing....demand an upgrade to a deluxe...demand an upgrade and a refund...demand an upgrade a refund and fastpasses. Maybe I was just raised differently or maybe I'm from a different generation ....so maybe that's why I don't understand why people feel so entitled.


Which brings me to point #2......
I see so many posts about bad Disney CM's or how Disney has declined in service. hmmmmm... do you think maybe point #1 could possibly lead to this.
When is Disney allowed to put their foot down and say "no". No to free upgrades. No to extra fast passes because someone has to wait in line 5 min longer that the posted wait time. With the attitude of alot of people these days, I can see why Disney cast members can get worn down and aren't as excited to help you have a magical day.

I know this has been discussed before and it is my personal vent. Disney is my favorite place in the world and I do not look at it through the rose colored glasses that I did on my first couple trips. Disney does not do everything right.....but they sure do a heck of alot right or they wouldn't have so many fansites dedicated to them. The funny thing is...the people complaining are the ones spending money going back year after year.

Ok ...thanks for letting me vent.
The views in this post are strictly mine and do not represent the views of all the other dis boards/ disunplugged obsessed fans like me

BRAVO! Well said!

 

[ang]

 

[snowy76]

For me, the most irritating are people with a sense of entitlement. When people post that they recieved a free dessert (or something else special) because it was their birthday or anniversary, many people seem to think they should also get some special 'free' recognition.

I look at any special thing that happens as a wonderful surprise, a little bit of Pixie Dust, not as something I deserve because I'm celebrating.

Just my 2 cents.

Your comments reminded me again of the discussion a couple of weeks ago on the podcast (how sites like the DIS have both hurt and helped Disney). I think before these kinds of sites most of us wouldn't have had a flippin' clue about towel animals and free desserts, and in this case, ignorance is bliss. People's expectations and sense of entitlement have become sooooo ramped up these days that it's unbelievable.

 

[dansyr2514]

I just want to clarify something also. My little rant...was not born from one person or one thread. I apologize if anyone took my comments as directed at them personally. Unfortunately, I used one thread that I read as an example. My frustration was from a whole bunch of things I read last night.....including the article about the woman allegedly groped by Donald Duck. I won't even go there...

So once again I would like to apologize if anyone felt my vent was directed at them....It truly wasn't

Group hug???

 

[kaligal]

People who travel on a regular basis know that sometimes you'll get bumped from the plane or walked from the hotel. It's no fun, but it happens. You live with it.

But you get stuff for free. That's the deal. THEY have inconvenienced YOU, and they pay for that. As it should be.

Disney is, in effect, walking people before they get to the hotel. I saw that thread and thought, "At least you know ahead of time and can make your own arrangements."

My own advice would have been to stay offsite and get a better place for less money. The thread was on to new things at that point and I didn't think I needed to bother.

But Disney has screwed up. They've broken their end of the deal. They have inconvenienced you. You can't stay where you had your little heart set on staying. That's not magical. That sucks. Especially if your only option is a hotel that doesn't appeal to you.

So, yeah, I see an upgrade as something not too wacky.

I also think that if you want to dump on someone's thread that you should maybe do it on their thread and not start another thread talking about it, but I know there are two schools of thought on that. Food for thought, anyway.

 

[dansyr2514]

I also think that if you want to dump on someone's thread that you should maybe do it on their thread and not start another thread talking about it, but I know there are two schools of thought on that. Food for thought, anyway.

I just wanted to mention again...this is not about oneperson's thread. My vent ...was just that ...my vent, and my opinion. I would not go onto any one thread and dump about it because it was not all about one thread.
I was expressing my feelings about more and more people feeling entitled and how it kinda diminished the Disney magic for me. I just wanted to let you know that...

 

[Allison]

People who travel on a regular basis know that sometimes you'll get bumped from the plane or walked from the hotel. It's no fun, but it happens. You live with it.

But you get stuff for free. That's the deal. THEY have inconvenienced YOU, and they pay for that. As it should be.

Disney is, in effect, walking people before they get to the hotel. I saw that thread and thought, "At least you know ahead of time and can make your own arrangements."

My own advice would have been to stay offsite and get a better place for less money. The thread was on to new things at that point and I didn't think I needed to bother.

But Disney has screwed up. They've broken their end of the deal. They have inconvenienced you. You can't stay where you had your little heart set on staying. That's not magical. That sucks. Especially if your only option is a hotel that doesn't appeal to you.

So, yeah, I see an upgrade as something not too wacky.

I also think that if you want to dump on someone's thread that you should maybe do it on their thread and not start another thread talking about it, but I know there are two schools of thought on that. Food for thought, anyway.

I completely agree.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I'm another that doesn't think an upgrade is unreasonable to expect for being displaced from your chosen hotel.
We spent $30,000 on our last trip to Disney. (yes its expensive by the time you add in flights etc from here) The only reason we stayed at an onsite hotel was because of AKL. Its not something we could experience here. Had it not been for AKL, we would have extended our time at our offsite villa and saved a fortune. Had we been moved from AKL, i would have been so disapointed. It cost me approx. $2300 more to stay at AKL and would have been a total waste of money had we been moved elsewhere.
I know that not everyone spends this amount of money on their trip, but people do spend what they can and put a lot of time deciding where they would like to stay.

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

I was thinking this rant myself!!!!!!!!
After reading about what ride do you not like, is disney going downhill , eww the values suck etc etc I just wanted to start a thread of nice things but figured people would flame me as im flaming the negative posts ... (and I get scared when the message board wolves are hungry and I get attacked ...I lost my good blogging hand that way)