I was just told CRO doesn't exsist anymore!!!

[Tinkbell]

Honestly, I have never seen a business as confusing as the Disney reservation system. 50 of us could call at the same time and get 50 different answers. Unbelievable. I'm booking room only unless they come up with another FTP. I'll gladly change over to package then, but they will not rip me off!

 

[johnnyr]

Tinkbell - I agree, and it’s getting worse instead of better. The people they are putting on the front lines to sell are just not as knowledgeable as in the past. Heck, I feel as I know more than some when I call. I find myself calling back three and four times before I get someone that really “cares” about helping me with my reservations. I’ve never had the problems I have experienced recently with making a reservation by phone or just requesting a quote. It’s bad enough with all of this talk about CRO being phased out, and AP holders (myself included) being neglected, but they need to have positive, professional people on the phones, and a decent offerings to repeat customers. It’s getting way too confusing. Who knows, maybe they want it that way. Part of a Disney vacation is the planning. I really enjoy looking at the various options that were available in the past. Now, with the packages they are offering (if they continue), I’m not so sure it is even worth being an AP holder. Friends of ours are DVC members, and they were upset that the FTP was a better deal than what they were able to get. It was actually cheaper for them to book the FTP than use their points! You would think that Disney would want to keep their loyal customers happy, but with the recent events, I’m starting to doubt it.


John

 

[FloridaCat]

I booked a two night stay room only at WL for 9/12 this Monday. I got my confirmation today and the cancellation terms are the same, 5 day notice to cancell. This is my second trip as I was just there 7/7.

They go to package deals only for FL Residents, then they put me back off site and a lot better restaurants.
SW & US will jump on this when they get wind of it. One year SW gave us a free AP and when we had out of state visitors, it was SW baby.

It's their call

 

[Choppertester]

DW just called to make a room only reservation for 1 Jan to 8 Jan and asked for CRO specifically. The CM that answered stated that they are all merged now and CRO doesn't exist. Booking a room requires a deposit of $200 US immediately by credit card followed by FULL!!!!! payment 45 days in ADVANCE of check-in.

Cancellation fees and change fees apply. No more cancel up to five days before with no fee & no more 1 night only deposit.

Packages are no good to us. Being from Canada they usually have from Oct 15 to Mid May buy one 7-day park hopper get the the second one at 50% off. They also have Canadian-at-par for the room as well from time to time.

Also, we need a room with a roll in shower. You can't get that type of service through a TA or on-line, you have to book directly. Also if you make a ressie though a TA and they @#$^ up Disney won't talk to you, you have to go through the TA (This has happened to us with CAA Travel).

Should we keep calling to get someone in the know?

What are our chances of having open rooms the 1st week of January if we wait until mid November to book?

Cheers,

Chopper

 

[SnackyStacky]

Folks, keep trying. Call and request CRO, and if you can't get someone, try again.

Their website is booking using CRO policies. (1 night for deposit, cancellation 6 days prior to arrival for full refund....it doesn't mention anything about changes, and when balance is due, however)

I don't doubt there could be an error in the online booking information, but try again on the phone.

And in the meantime, E-Mail Disney World and tell them everything you're posting here. If you plan to stay off-site, let them know, and tell them why!

 

[DebbieB]

I would ask for a supervisor next time you call.

 

[johnnyr]

I have received the "I can do both" answer from a number of CM's when asking for CRO. Also have been getting, "I can help you" (with an attitude) a lot. I've lost all trust in the booking process. I feel like it's a bother to them anymore. Do you trust answers like these, or do you insist on speaking with CRO?


John

 

[Choppertester]

U'r right, their own web site still has the 6 day policy if you book on-line. DW will try again after supper.

Another thing. When you call the automated answer asks you to key in your phone number (for file call up I assume) and then how many nights you want to stay. This time we'll say 1 night instead of 7 to stay away from any package sellers at WDTC (thats if they use it that way).

We're booked for 3 nights at Dolphin (29, 30 & 31 Dec) and it was looking as if we would have to extend our stay there. Lost $$$ for Disney!!!

Thanx

Chopper

 

[FloridaCat]

All in one week this is amazing. Like I said, I paid one night deposit and rest due at check in, the same conditions I had when I stayed on site in early July and same cancellation policy. I compared both confirmations and both are the identical. Still you get an entirely different story.

You know Off site Hotels are monitoring all this and have got to be laughing themselves sick. They also will be waiting for the dust to settle and make their move.

It is curious to me due to the fact they are rehabbing rooms, adding rooms and opening new resorts that they can’t seem to get their act together. Coupled with the PS fiasco you wonder who is minding the store and signing off on some of this stuff.

With the Sports Complex bust, ABC with its concerns, Epcot never hitting its potential, the WD=Paris problems, it appears someone better get a hand on the tiller before the good ship Disney hits a rock.

 

[thessaly]

For what it's worth, I got AKL with "old style" deposit/cancel terms just a few days ago, like this:

"Hello, I have my dates and resort picked out, but I cannot make the reservation right now unless I can pay the balance on check-in."

That did the trick.

I didn't say anything about CRO.

 

[q21701]

Does anybody have the e-mail address of the reservation customer service. I think its time for me to vent a bit in the right spot.

 

[Choppertester]

Must have been the same guy/gal who had the brain far_ about cancelling early entry only to have to bring it back to encourage resort reservations.

If your rooms are empty, and are worried about clients cancelling reservations or changing reservations to get a better deal why perturb new clients with draconian ressie policies.

I know what happened...

Disney Cruise Lines now has the 6 day cancellation policy. Darn, that memo from the "bean counter" got sent to the wrong e-mail address.


Cheers

Chopper

 

[Lisa3]

This is all very frustrating. I am a Disney stockholder and I really do want Disney to make money. However, I agree that there seems to be no rhyme or reason to some of their outrageous policies. With all the "brains" running this company it would seem to me that the light would have gone off in someone's head that if you keep your loyal clientele happy they will in turn bring in more business by word of mouth alone (very cheap advertising).

Disney resort rack rates are among the highest I have ever seen. Even with a 45% off AP rate you are paying the same amount as in many other four star hotels. This really is only a small portion of what you are ultimately spending on your Disney vacation. Once you are there they have a captive audience. You will buy park passes, eat at their restaurants, buy souveniers, etc., etc., etc. I know if I get a "good deal" on my room I certainly am more likely to buy that extra something my kids just can't live without. Also, with more lenient cancellation policies, families will be more comfortable making early reservations. There are alot of variables when traveling with children.

If they insist on promoting only package deals they might as well do away with APs. There will be no benefit to having one and people will not feel compelled to take that second or third trip to the same place they just visited. Let's be honest, I love Disney but I want my kids to realize that the "magic" comes from being with their family and exploring new things together. There are many places in this world that can be magical.

 

[FloridaCat]

A major business mistake in my judgment is to have several different pricing lists for the same product. The Airline industry has had hard times, but a large majority of it they brought on themselves with the completely unintelligible pricing programs. There is not one of us that has flown that we did not wonder what the person next to us paid.
This forced people back into the car just as much as any other reason. You only have to spend some time on the transportation thread to bear this out.

There is no way you can provide perk for one set of consumer, AP, DVC and not offend another. Disney needs to establish a fair price for their resorts, based on their seasons and profit margin and let it go at that. They gain in the long run as more customers for the resort dining, gift shop, and food courts.

If they feel a need to entice more customers, it should be done through the pricing of park tickets. The Florida Play 4 did more to get us locals back to the parks then any thing they have done for years, It should not be by offering “package deals” that no one really understood what they were getting and no sure way of costing it out.

Sure they love package deals, why wouldn’t they? You book months, years in advance and they make more off using your money then they do on the package.

 

[q21701]

With the way the discounts and reservation policies work, I feel like I'm dealing with the typical used car sales-silmball. I can't understand why they seem to be using a "buyer beware" service policy. Where's the Disney magic in the Disney resorts? Good customer service is a pet peve of mine, because I strive to meet and exceede my customers expecations every time. I can't comprehend running a buisness that has several different rate structures and several different policies depending upon whom you speak with!
If they are going to deliver on being a magical place, you would think you would start with great and accomaditing policies and outstanding customer service. You cant have a good buisness without them. They seem to have forgotten that.

I was always told to meet the customers expectations and then go one step further. They really need to think about their customers first before their bottom line. Thats the reason they are in buisness in the first place. To serve the customer!

 

[Sunshine2U]

In hopes that this thread is indeed monitored by Disney...

I can say with complete honesty that we would not have spent 4-nights at BC over Spring Break at rack rate, nor would we be returning for 3-nights at CR this month, if a 45-day cancellation policy was in place. As soon as I heard the cancellation policy, I would say no thank you. There are too many variables in our lives not to be able to cancel without penalty if something comes up. Period.

Listening to everyone figure out CRO vs. whatever is what set my mind to using Dreams Travel. I get my room-only ressies with 5-day cancellation, my room requests, PS ressies, all I need. I realize that the changes that we are discussing today will probably affect everyone including the travel services (who BTW should quit pushing Disney if it's not a fair deal for their clients) but for now, I don't have to deal with the headache of uninformed, sometimes inpolite, and always confusing ressies through WDW.

 

[PamNC]

Disney is about to loose a LOYAL Disneyphile. I'm about sick of it. Does anyone care if I vent?

Okay - 45 day out. Ridiculous! I can't do that. It's impossible. My husband is self-employed and sometimes we'll have to cancel. It hasn't happened very often but it has happened. And, it can be a week or two notice is all we have. i don't like packages.

We have been going 2x a year (most years anyway, went 3x one year) since 1994 when we honeymooned at WDW. Packages aren't good for me and my husband because we don't visit the parks every single day. and, we don't do water parks. We either buy 5 day passes, or APs. I'm very upset about this and I am about to the point of becoming an x-disney frequent guest. Believe, nobody had enjoyed or loved disney more than me and my husband. When we were first married and didn't have much $$, my husband worked 3 jobs so we could take our trip. Well, now we have more $$, and they are this close to losing us.

You can't go to a nice restaurant anymore for less than $100. We use to get out for $60-$80 which was fine. But, I'm not that comfortable paying $100 a night for a nice meal. Dining is one of the things we've always looked forward to on our vacation.

The ticket prices have gone up! It's getting crazy.

here's a comparison for you - in 1996 we booked a package - 7 nights/8 days at CBR. Guess how much? $1,050.00. Then, we discovered that we could do better booking room only and buying tickets or AP's separately. For years our vacation ran $2,000 - $2,500 (we stay at Deluxe but have never paid rack rate). Now, we can't get out for less than $3,000.00. And that's pushing it.

Sorry to vent - but this is about the last straw. I love Disney too and I'll bet I'll get backlash but I had to get this off my chest.

PamNC

 

[SnackyStacky]

No backlash here Pam.

Take your post, copy it into an E-Mail and send it to Disney. Let them know that they're about ready to lose you.

I agree 100% with everything you've said.

 

[Choppertester]

Took your advice and tried calling again.

This time we were cut off twice but each time we called we keyed in two nights instead of seven and each of the three times we got someone with the CRO policies (1 night deposit, 6 days prior cancellation). Went ahead and made romm only ressies for 7 nights.

That may be the ticket to avoid getting directed to a WDTC travel rep with the $200 up front, in full 45 days prior policy.

Makes sense. Can't charge a $200 deposit for a one or two night $70/per night AS stay even if they merge WDTC and CRO. At least for now.

Cheers chopper

 

[crusoe2]

PamNC, you won't get any flaming from me. You said some of the things I've been thinking. At this point I'm not sure it will make any difference to us what they eventually do regarding CRO and WDTC. I'm sick of all the inconsistency. I realize that they have to make changes from time to time due to rising costs, lower park attendence, etc. but there have just been too many changes the last couple of years and some have been with little or no warning. One of the things that got me hooked on going to Disney was the ease and enjoyment of planning the trip. Now there seems to be no point in planning in advance because so many things may be different by the time our trip actually rolls around.

As for the possibility of only being able to book thru WDTC with their current deposit and cancellation policies - well, that would definitely end our days of staying on-site. We, too, have children and jobs that may require us to cancel just a week or two before the trip. We simply cannot afford to risk losing hundreds of dollars if we have to cancel or change our trip plans. And we don't do packages because all the packages we've seen include LOS passes (or whatever they are calling them now). We buy parkhoppers because we usually take at least one day off from the parks. We have also had to leave early once or twice and had a child to get sick in the middle of one trip. For us, parkhoppers are the only sensible option. Besides, I honestly believe they make much more money off of us making return trips to use the rest of the days on our parkhoppers. I'm certain that some of our trips would never have been made if we'd had to buy packages each time.

And while I'm venting, does anyone else think that Disney needs to just go back and adjust their resort rates across the board? Of course I know it will never happen and I'm no economist or financial wizard, but it seems to me that if the only way they can fill their resorts is to release one discount deal after the other that maybe that means their rates are higher than the market can bear. I admit I'm stepping out on a limb with this one because this is not my area of expertise. But all these discount codes started way before 9/11 which leads me to believe that they have had trouble getting people to book at rack rate for quite a while.

I agree with others who have posted that they think Disney is only thinking about the bottom line. My bottom line, tho, is that if they make a Disney trip too difficult to plan (and even more expensive than it already is) we will have to choose other vacation destinations no matter how much we love the Disney parks.