I'm curious what you think of this PR move...

[krismom]

O.K.- we all know the customer relations side of Disney has been lacking lately .... I just got a call today from some bigwig at Disney guest services who said she received my Email regarding some "unmagical" things that occurred during our last trip at the Polynesian. Basically- I found some junk under the bed and just threw it out and housekeeping pretty much was nonexistent- but the biggie was when my toddler found medication (I later found out it was a sleeping pill) next to the nightstand that was NOT from us. I brought it to the front deskin a ziploc and the guy said "what do you want me to do with it?!" I was floored by his rudeness and not wanting to ruin our trip- I just walked away. Of course, now I know I should have asked for a manager.... needless to say, sorry this is so wordy.... the message from guest relations said they apologized for any problems we incurred and would be sending $10.00 Disney dollars to us as a sign of good will. I can't believe a measly ten bucks is all they can do- I don't even want $$$- how about an apology from the jerk at the front desk? (I included his name in the letter) or maybe a complimentary dinner for our next visit (which would probably cost them LESS than ten dollars! Anyway, she left a call back # and I don't know what to say if I even bother to return the call... I am actually insulted.
Am I overreacting? Flame suit is on so fire away!

 

[*Fantasia*]

$10! Disney is so expensive.. they make billions of money... and all they can offer you is a lousy $10!

I don't know what to say... I wouldn't know what to tell them either. But I feel like telling them to keep it and not waste their 37cent stamp.

I would want the manager from that resort to call me and apologize and to make him realize that what happened was not acceptable and that it will not happen again in the future.

Something like that is asking for a law suit! What if your toddler swallowed the sleeping pill... who knows what could have happened to your child.

 

[skiwee1]

I think anyone can miss a pill next to the nightstand on the floor. I know when my kids were toddlers I went over hotel rooms with a fine tooth comb to make sure nothing like that would happen. Housekeepers are only human and I can't expect them to find every little thing that happens to be under the bed and a pill is very tiny and easy to miss. I honestly wouldn't have accepted any money or any other compensation for that matter. I would have told the person that called me that I just wanted someone to know what happened to and alert the maids that they need to be a little more diligent. It really doesn't make your case when you start complaining they didn't offer you a free meal.

 

[DiznEeyore]

I think it's odd that they're sending 10 Disney Dollars. I mean, what is that supposed to accomplish? I'd want to be assured that the CM at the front desk would be spoken to. I'd want proper procedure to be reinforced with housekeeping and front desk staff about making sure rooms are cleaned and if they're not, a notation made so that it doesn't happen again.

Sad to say, we stayed at the Poly twice and both times encountered many "less-than-magical" CMs, whether we were trying to get a problem resolved (there were several) or just interacting with them on a daily basis. The resort is soooo beautiful, but the staff leaves a lot to be desired IMO.

 

[ms.ojo]

this isn't about money...it's about them making an appropriate appology! Yes, a complimentary dinner w/ the appology might be nice...but basically they need to realize you paid top $$ to stay at the poly....and not only was housekeeping lacking....their front desk staff was totally lacking in how to respond to your dilemna! Finding a sleeping pill w/ a toddler in the room is BIG STUFF!!!!!!!!! You could have spent time at the local hosp'l if the child had ever swallowed it and you might not have even known what had happened!!! Offering you $10 ddisney dollars is very insulting.

I would call the #, explain the situation and tell them you were insulted by the $10. You might state you aren't looking for more $, you want to know someone cares...and that the situation has been improved at the Poly. That the person at the front desk was reprimanded for being so fresh, etc etc. And you want an apology.

That's my opinion.

 

[DizGeek]

I'd sue for billions and ask them to fire everyone.


Just kidding.

 

[minijeanie]

granted it is impossible to find a small pill on the floor,,,,
I too would of been insulted with no apology and the $10 would of frosted me more.

but I have seen the quality of cm's go down over the years. And quite honestly,the amount of small peanuts they pay these people, I almost can't fault them for not fawning over their guests.

That aside, I am very happy your toddler did not ingest that pill.
I guess that is the happy side to all this

 

[Sammie]

You have two legitimate complaints, one the room should have been cleaned more carefully, although I can understand how easy it would be to miss the pill, and the attitude of the desk clerk.

However when you don't deal with problems when they happen, you lose your legitimacy. It then becomes a case of you said, they said.

Always deal with problems when they happen, or let it go. More than likely if you had asked for manager at the desk, you would have gotten your apology you wanted and possibly the meal too.

Then instead of coming to this forum unhappy, you would be pleased and Disney would have been given a chance to make a wrong, right. A win/win situation for both you and them.

 

[jctwizzer]

As I read things, you got what you say you wanted--an apology.....came from Guest Relations and not the desk guy, but probably the best you could expect---they sure weren't going to have the desk guy call. And I am curious: why take the pill down to them in a baggie?? I, too, would have wondered what you wanted me to do with it. Granted, an apology should have been forthcoming, but the question was not out of line. Did you think they would save the pill?? Analyze it? Show it to the housekeeper?? You could have made your point without the pill....basically it proved nothing.JMHO

 

[cindyfan]

You basically did get somewhat of an apology when they called.
But I would have been insulted by the $10 Disney Dollar!!!
Either they should have made a better gesture... dinner for the family for next trip or something. Or just not have done anything at all if they thought the call from Guest Relations was enough.

I would have really been insulted!!!!
Kind of like they were trying to get you to go away for cheap!

"Oh, here! Have a quarter and go buy yourself something nice!" LOL

 

[denecarter]

Yes, I think you are overreacting.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

id call her and tell her to keep her 10 bucks and youll keep your money from now on to

 

[DWDreams]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I guess I don't understand what exactly is expected. Yes, the pill shouldn't have been there and the front desk CM should have reacted differently, but I can't see what more can be done than has been. Guest relations has offered an apology along with a token of good will. Frankly, they don't have to offer anything, but they have and it should be looked at in the spirit of the gesture it is.

Think about the sheer number of Disney CM's and the number of guests that pass through the World each day/month/year. Mistakes, misjudgements, and misunderstandings are bound to happen in large volumes every day. If Disney were to pay $10.00 or more for each incident of such, Disney would be out of business in very short order! It's unfortunate when these sort of things happen, but at least it's also fortunate when they're something that doesn't result in any real injury or inconvenience. One can choose to look at the small picture, or one can choose to look at the big picture -- if Disney were to offer more for each incident such as this that they receive a complaint for, we'd be bemoaning the loss of discounts and higher ticket prices.

I'm sorry you had this poor experience in your trip and hope it was otherwise a good one. It's obvious Disney is sorry also, so that would be acceptable to me anyhow. If it were me, I'd leave it at that.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Think about the sheer number of Disney CM's and the number of guests that pass through the World each day/month/year. Mistakes, misjudgements, and misunderstandings are bound to happen in large volumes every day. If Disney were to pay $10.00 or more for each incident of such, Disney would be out of business in very short order!

Sorry... I didn't mean to quote you. You made a good point. Disney will be out of business even if they don't give a cent to anyone for their mistakes because if it's that many number of mistakes in large volumes ever day, then no one will want to stay on property. I mean shame on Disney if the volume of complaints are very high. This means that Disney is doing something wrong.

 

[nanalisa]

Krismom, I think I know where you are coming from. I would have taken the pill to the front desk too. If the cm had taken it and sincerely apologized for housekeeping and acted like he understood my complaint I might have been satisfied. I'm sorry but if I'm paying 300.00 a night for a room I expect it to be swept and cleaned perfectly. It's their job. The CM was rude and having a bad day or being indifferent because he doesn't make enough money is no excuse. I think Krismom has a legitamate complaint. And the $10.00? I would send it back with a nice letter explaining that I wouldn't be back. I love Disney but I'm not going to take up for them when they are wrong.

 

[minnie61650]

You have two legitimate complaints, one the room should have been cleaned more carefully, although I can understand how easy it would be to miss the pill, and the attitude of the desk clerk.

However when you don't deal with problems when they happen, you lose your legitimacy. It then becomes a case of you said, they said.

Always deal with problems when they happen, or let it go. More than likely if you had asked for manager at the desk, you would have gotten your apology you wanted and possibly the meal too.

Then instead of coming to this forum unhappy, you would be pleased and Disney would have been given a chance to make a wrong, right. A win/win situation for both you and them.

I agree the matter should have been handled at the time the incident happened.
You have lost the LEGITIMACY of your claim.
Be happy you found the pill before your little one did and accept the call from desk sevices as it was meant to be--an act of good will. It was their way of letting you know they really do care.
As for an outright apology in this day of sue happy people they can't do that or they will be acceping the blame.
I'm sorry but that is just the way it is.
I'm so glad your little is fine and hope that aside from that incident you had a wonderful stay at Disney.
Linda

 

[cdrn1]

When we stayed at the AKL in 04, my daughter found a pill on the floor by the bed. It was a cardiac medication and we were very thankful that our DGD 11 months was not the one to find it. It made us kind of sick to think that our precious 20 pound baby could have swallowed a pill made to treat the heart of an adult. It could have been really bad. But...shame on us for not doing a sweep of the room when we checked in, and shame on the person who dropped it and didn't bother to find it. We learned a valuable lesson and now we go over each hotel room with a fine-tooth comb when we check in before we let the baby down. I can certainly see how housekeeping missed it. I did email guest relations just to let them know, and ask them to be a tad more careful. They responded with a form letter saying my comments would be passed on to AKL management, and never heard from them again.

 

[tmarquez]

Not that it's right, but...every company I've ever worked for has a policy that when something happens to a guest or customer, we (as employees) are NEVER to admit any guilt. An apology is the most common admission of guilt and it is drilled into everyone not to EVER apologize for anything. We can only ask if they are ok, if they need medical attention, or if they need anything else.

I'm sure Disney has a similar policy. I think your best bet would be to write a letter rather than return the phone call. In the letter I would state exactly what I wanted from them (special session of housekeeper training on medications, free dinner, etc.), then let them respond to your specific requests.

They don't want a law suit, so their reply might still not be what you are looking for, but at least the'll know exactly WHY you're complaining (for the safety of your children and ours) and that you're not out to get them.

Just my 2 cents!

 

[Lars624]

We had a housekeeping issue when we staye at the Poly in July......the coffee packets had some kind of gross gooey stuff on them...I took them to the desk to request more coffee.....when we got back to the room about 2 hours later there were lots of coffee packets on the table.....we then left for a few more hours at the parks & were stunned to find a big basket of fruit, crackers & cheeses in our room when we returned along with a card saying we'd just experienced a 'Magical moment'

 

[rcraw45425]

Our unmagical check in at the Poly was being left waiting in the lobby for 3 hours. WE had done a split stay (never again) and had been advised by CRO to check out of the WL early on Friday AM and go to the Poly sice we were already onsite. Our room should be ready then. HA! They almost laughed in our faces. Luckily we had our own car, we were given a card with the phone number on it, told the room would probably be ready by 1, and advised to go to DTD and shop, eat lunch, etc, then call. We called at 1, no room, 1:30, no room, 2, no room, went on over there around 2:30, check in IS at 3, right? Our dilemma was we had Halloween Party tickets for that night and a PS for Ohana at 5:45. By 4, all the other rooms in the hotel had been ready except ours. The two guys on the desk were really great, leis for all of us, the ukelele lady (can't remember her name ) came up with fresh baked cookies for us, the girls were occupied by the ladies showing them how to make leis. THe problem was DH was worn out from sitting in those hard lobby chairs/benches and concerned about us having time to get in the room, have dinner and get to the party at 7PM. Our plan had been to try to go over early and get the wristbands, then come backto rest, eat and change. Anyway, by 4, Mark, the manager was involved, came to talk to us, called housekeeping, and went over to Samoa to see what the hold up was. HE came back with this incredulous look on his face and tells us that Mousekeeping decided to make our room extra special so they CLEANED OUR CARPET! It needed at least another hour ( ) . We were getting steamed by then, but since the hotel was at capacity they had no where to move us. He asked if we had dinner plans, I explained we had Ohana scheduled. HE told us to go and eat, then bring the receipt back to the desk and they'd comp the meal. I was surprised, but pleased, as was DH. It was ahndled before we left. The entire time we all behaved ourselved, even the girls, and we were happy with the outcome. It did, however, cloud our feelings toward the Poly. Since then we have taken three other trips there, and each time I make reservations the family says anywhere but the Polynesian.