I'm furious with Universal Special Services!

[DisneyMomx7]

Okay, here's the story. Maybe I'm over-reacting. We had originally booked HRH July 15-20 with the Mastercard Stay 5 nights pay for 4 special. We were told that the rate for the deluxe room was $269 and the fifth night was free. We changed our plans and are now only staying 3 nights. I called to change our reservation expecting to pay $269 for the three nights. Now they tell me that I have to pay $309 a night! Special services says the $269 was a special rate for the 4/5 day special, which we were never informed of and our confirmation only says room rate $269. When I explained this to the girl she was very snippy. I told her I was upset that we were not told this because I could have used the entertainment rate, and now they don't even have any entertainment rooms left. I guess I don't have a choice but to pay the $309 but it sure didn't set well for my first experience with guest relations. That and the fact that they've now changed FOTL access for onsite hotel guest is making me totally rethink trying Universal, and from now on sticking with Disney! Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[mouseRD]

DisneyMomx7 - How have they changed front of line access for onsite hotels? All of the recent trip reports I've read have suggested that they had FOL & it was great.

Maybe you could call to see if there are any AP rates left for your time period; usually fairly deep discounts & only 1 PAP required for your entire party to receive discount. Also, as some of the boards suggested, maybe you could just call back & speak w/ another person or ask for the manager. Some people go out of their way to be helpful & others.....oh well! Sorry for your trouble.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I actually just read on the boards this morning that they've changed FOTL access to only being able to use it once per hour per ride. In short you can't just ride Shrek or whatever over and over again until after 3 PM. I am going to try and talk to another manager but it's just really frustrating since this is the first time we're going to Universal. The AP won't help me now since I've already bought our tickets under the other Mastercard bonus special. We'll see.

 

[Lewisc]

Many hotel discount packages have a minimum stay requirement. You have a right to be upset, WITH YOURSELF not the hotel. You SHOULD HAVE booked a different discount without the minimum stay requirement if you thought your plans might change. You didn't and the hotel is now offering you the best available rate. You might check RPH and PBH. Although PBH is a more expensive hotel they sometimes have EC rates available when the other hotels are sold out.

You might also try the consolidators (hotelkingdom and quickbook).

 

[DisneyMomx7]

The only reason I'm upset is because I wasn't told that this was a "special rate". I was told that the Universal discount was that the fifth night was free. It's only a matter of $120 difference, it's not the money. It's just that the way they handled the matter was not at all helpful or courteous. There certainly was no "disney magic". At this rate this will be our first and last trip to US/IOA. We've never had any problems at Disney and I thought I would be dealing with people who wanted to make a good impression to get you to come back.

 

[tarmand]

Originally posted by DisneyMomx7
I actually just read on the boards this morning that they've changed FOTL access to only being able to use it once per hour per ride. In short you can't just ride Shrek or whatever over and over again until after 3 PM. I am going to try and talk to another manager but it's just really frustrating since this is the first time we're going to Universal. The AP won't help me now since I've already bought our tickets under the other Mastercard bonus special. We'll see.

I just returned from US and FOTL was fine. In fact, I rode The Mummy twice in a row. There were only two rides where they scanned my room key and one was the Mummy. The reader said that I had just gone through 16 minutes before but I had no problems going again.

I agree with the above poster. Call again and speak to someone else. Or try a different resort.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by DisneyMomx7
The only reason I'm upset is because I wasn't told that this was a "special rate". I was told that the Universal discount was that the fifth night was free. It's only a matter of $120 difference, it's not the money. It's just that the way they handled the matter was not at all helpful or courteous. There certainly was no "disney magic". At this rate this will be our first and last trip to US/IOA. We've never had any problems at Disney and I thought I would be dealing with people who wanted to make a good impression to get you to come back.

Prehaps they could have been nicer BUT you asked if you were over reacting. Go back to the website, the MC offer states the rates are based on a 4 night package price. You now want to book 3 nights so you lose the package price (discount). It was really up to you to ask or read the website to check the terms when you first booked. Booking the EC rate might have given you a higher rate for your 5 night package but better flexibility when you drop want to drop days.

You might call and see if there are any discounted rooms available at the other hotels.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

No, we're keeping our room at the $309 rate. I'm not changing this close however I can certainly see why people say there's a world of difference between Disney and Universal. I'm starting to see there's no magic and we haven't even arrived yet.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by DisneyMomx7
No, we're keeping our room at the $309 rate. I'm not changing this close however I can certainly see why people say there's a world of difference between Disney and Universal. I'm starting to see there's no magic and we haven't even arrived yet.

PBH website is showing $202 (FAN CLUB) rate available for 7/15-7/18. If you call you might actually be able to get an EC rate which would be lower. The standard room in PBH should be about the same sizd as the room you reserved in the HRH.

PBH has a lot of magic. I'd put it in the same category as POLY and the GF. In some ways better. There is a lot of "magic" in the Universal hotels. Unlike Disney you're allowed to pool hop. Don't let a mistake over your hotel rates ruin your trip.

 

[Familyof14]

How many people at that rate? I am paying FAN $254 for a Bay View but we have 5 people. The Garden view was the same price through AAA.

 

[Lewisc]

I just typed in those dates, I think I left the number of people at 1.

 

[Familyof14]

OH...that explains the great rate! Wish we could get the room for that.

 

[damo]

Don't you think this is kind of ridiculous? You changed the deal but you still want the price? I don't think so. The reason the price was lower was because you were staying a certain number of days. Disney and every other hotel chain in the world would have done exactly the same thing. You are trying to cheat the system and then you wonder why the reservationist gets upset?

Universal has plenty to offer with very low ticket prices, fotl and amazing hotels. I don't see Disney offering annual passes at two years for $169. I don't see Disney offering any perks for their onsite hotels. Let's stop complaining about Universal not offering their deluxe resorts at budget hotel prices.

Universal is a first class resort with first class hotels and first class parks. If people can't accept that, then they probably shouldn't go.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

damo -- you obviously missed the point. When I called to make the reservations I asked if there were any specials. What I was told was that there was a Mastercard special stay 5 nights/pay for 4. I was NOT told that this was special price. I understand that I changed the reservation. I was upset because I was not treated with the same courtesy that I have always been treated with at Disney. It's not a matter of the money, it's only $120 difference and I do agree that Universal tickets are muchmore reasonable. I'm just starting to think that you get what you pay for. Also it just so happened that this took place on the same day that I found out they changed FOTL access. If I had known then what I know now I would have skipped US/IOA and just stayed at the Grand Floridian which would have actually been cheaper with my AP rate. I KNOW we always received top notch service and courtesy there.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I can understand you being upset, but the same thing could happen at Disney. Maybe the CM wouldn't be rude, but the results would be the same.


If you book Disney's 5 for 2 package then back call to change the stay to 3 nights, the rate will change.

I think both Disney and Universal has nice perks for on site guest.

As much as we'd like to visit the Universal parks, the FOTL keeps us away. I'm not willing to pay what they are asking for their resorts. Since we only travel during peak times, I've avoided Universal. I think we'd spend most of our time standing in huge lines while onsite guest have the time a blast riding the rides over and over.

When I heard that they may be changing FOTL, I was happy. If it pans out, then we'll give the Universal parks a try. The new policy will have less of an impact on our visit.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Here's an update which I find even more confusing. I received an email confirmation with our new dates and the rate listed is still $269 NOT $309. Besides the "attitude" that I've encountered with SPecial Services it seems as though the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. As for FOTL access that's the reason we did book on-site at Universal. With three children under seven we thought it was worth the price for this perk. It's just like at Disney we stay on-site for their perks.

 

[damo]

Originally posted by DisneyMomx7
damo -- you obviously missed the point. When I called to make the reservations I asked if there were any specials. What I was told was that there was a Mastercard special stay 5 nights/pay for 4. I was NOT told that this was special price. I understand that I changed the reservation. I was upset because I was not treated with the same courtesy that I have always been treated with at Disney. It's not a matter of the money, it's only $120 difference and I do agree that Universal tickets are muchmore reasonable. I'm just starting to think that you get what you pay for. Also it just so happened that this took place on the same day that I found out they changed FOTL access. If I had known then what I know now I would have skipped US/IOA and just stayed at the Grand Floridian which would have actually been cheaper with my AP rate. I KNOW we always received top notch service and courtesy there.

I don't think you should go. It sounds like you've decided that you will not enjoy it before you even get there.

I feel exactly the same way about Disney as you do about Universal and I just don't go to Disney anymore. The prices and treatment that we have received at Universal are far superior to anything we have experienced at Disney including Grand Floridian.

To each his own.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I actually was excited about trying Universal and thought that next year since we're going for two weeks we would go back to US/IOA if we enjoyed it as much as we thought. I admit this does leave a sour taste in my mouth but I'm going with an open mind. I disagree with the poster who said if I booked Disney's 5/7 deal the same thing would have happened. If I booked the 5/7 deal and changed to just 5 days I wouldn't have expected any free days but I wouldn't have expected to pay a higher rate for the 5 days. I am also disappointed that just as we're going for the first time they change the FOTL access that really was a selling point for Universal that I took into account when we decided to stay on-site. The kids are excited about trying Universal so we're still going and hopefully the trip will make up for the non-courteous, confusing treatment we have received up to this point.

 

[HM]

I may be of the minority here, but I wouldn't go to Universal with three kids under 7 years of age. There just isn't enough to keep them satisfied at Univeral's parks for very long. I've waited until my kids are 9 and 11 before taking them next year (I went with my sister last year) so that they can enjoy all the park. We've vistied WDW at least once a year for the last 5 years and now we are finally ready for the more mature nature of the Universal parks.

-HM

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Well that's kind of funny since we decided to try Universal this year because of all the kid-friendly things I read here on the boards. I'm sure they'll enjoy Suess landing and the children's shows there. We don't have to do all the thrill rides to have a good time. Also I rented a cabana for the dive-in movie so we'll have some down time too. We're also going over to Disney for 8 days afterwards so they'll have the best of both worlds.