Interesting conversation with Disney today...

[princessvacg]

I called Disney to get rate quotes for our upcoming vacation. The CM I spoke to said that because of the 50th Anniversary there would most likely not be any codes or discounts for the rest of the promotion. Not sure if he knew what he was talking about. Just an FYI...looks like I may be buying an AP.

 

[Servants of Evan]

I've noticed that with my last few calls to Disney the CMs have had a bit more "pushyness" to them. They're still friendly, but they definately want to "close the sale." I wonder if they are a new batch of CP CMs or Disney is offering a sweet incentive to the employees and they want you to book NOW...

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

I've noticed that with my last few calls to Disney the CMs have had a bit more "pushyness" to them. They're still friendly, but they definately want to "close the sale." I wonder if they are a new batch of CP CMs or Disney is offering a sweet incentive to the employees and they want you to book NOW...

Funny, I was thinking the very same thing. I tend to believe what people on these boards write more than what some CM says on a dialed-in call to Disney. Although I do believe that the 50th PR has paid off, I continue to believe that there will be some new promo. around the corner (just might not be as appealing as a general public code).

 

[Marthasor]

I've noticed that with my last few calls to Disney the CMs have had a bit more "pushyness" to them. They're still friendly, but they definately want to "close the sale." I wonder if they are a new batch of CP CMs or Disney is offering a sweet incentive to the employees and they want you to book NOW...

I TOTALLY agree! When I last called CRO to check AP rates for early March, the CM put my reservation on hold and then asked me when I would make a decision as she "didn't know if she could hold my ressie past 10 p.m. that night"! My husband and I decided not to book, but I later got my hold confirmation/deposit request in the mail stating my hold would be cancelled if no deposit by Feb. 11 - exactly 14 days (not three hours!) after I put a hold on the ressie! Talk about pushy!

I am surprised there are still no AP rates past mid-April! Do you think they won't even release any AP codes??!!!

 

[boomhauer]

I'm sure they will. Us passholders always wonder about this, and they always release codes.

The resort discounts are the greatest perks to the AP holders, and Disney knows this. Regardless if they NEED to have promotional codes to fill the rooms, I think they still will have them, as they are well aware just how big of a cliental their annual passholders are.

 

[tmt martins]

My understanding is CRO has been farmed out .

They have the Reg. Cro and an overflow that goes to NOT REALLY CM's so if you get them then you are just talking to a booking agent and thats it .I stopped using CRO along time ago because they started to go downhill and I could do everything they could on the WEB with out the additude that went with it sometimes(like they are doing me a favor by taking my money).

Now that I'm DVC MS seems to be way better .

 

[SAWYERMAW1]

When I called about our January trip, I asked the CM where she was. She was in Salt Lake City!! I work for a catalog company and we had a call center in SLC several years ago. They were a disaster!! Don't know if it is the same group or not.

 

[boomhauer]

I always think that when I call Disney World, I'm speaking to someone who works at Disney World who has at least as much knowledge of the place as I do. I wouldn't want to think I was talking to someone who lived on the other side of the country who had no idea what they were talking about.

 

[Tissa]

Call centers are everywhere. Just because they aren't sitting in Orlando doesn't mean they can't get the job done. You can now call and order from your local Pizza Hut and be talking to someone in another state. It can work if the people are trained right. The key here is trained right, which I don't think CRO is. That's why I use a ta to deal with them. I want to stay in my happy place not want to curse it

 

[bkcwilliams]

When I made my room only reservations for November last week they were also were pushy "Why don't you want the dining package? Are you sure?" This went on for about 5 minutes when I finally told him if he didn't want to book my reservations, they I would call back and speak with someone else! He did eventually take the reservation, but not before he hung up said "If you change your mind about the dining, make sure you call back"

Not looking into this or anything, but are package ressies down?

 

[mommykds]

There was a reference to a new hot deal in Mousesavers last month..I have my fingers crosses that they know something....

 

[CarolA]

I called Disney to get rate quotes for our upcoming vacation. The CM I spoke to said that because of the 50th Anniversary there would most likely not be any codes or discounts for the rest of the promotion. Not sure if he knew what he was talking about. Just an FYI...looks like I may be buying an AP.

LOL! The CMs KNOW very very little in advance... I can't count how many times I have read... "CM said NO discounts" only to see a discount the next week or "CM said Tuesday for AP rates" only to see Tuesday after Tuesday come and go with no AP rates.....

Disney does NOT release the info to the call center CMs in advance....

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

Disney does NOT release the info to the call center CMs in advance....

..and even if a CM did manage to hear something, they could be fired for releasing it to the public before it was official.

 

[dawgsgirl]

I think they have a certain dollar quota per hour for new bookings or they get fired. That's why they don't like calls that have nothing to do with a new booking!

 

[EEyorelover22]

My understanding is CRO has been farmed out .

They have the Reg. Cro and an overflow that goes to NOT REALLY CM's so if you get them then you are just talking to a booking agent and thats it .I stopped using CRO along time ago because they started to go downhill and I could do everything they could on the WEB with out the additude that went with it sometimes(like they are doing me a favor by taking my money).

Now that I'm DVC MS seems to be way better .

I'm sure that some of these CMs are the new Best Guest call center in Utah. The catalog call center is closing down where it was before and Utah is the new home of Best Guest personal shoppers. I know the personal shoppers took calls before too because I got one on the phone when I call into ask a dining question. It happened more than once too. So...new group of CMs is right. They know NOTHING about the catalog

 

[Puffy2]

Their "50th" whatever is no big deal...I've been doing this Disney thing for years now and EVERY year there is some sort of made up "celebration". The Swan and Dolphin has that reasonable rate of $129 for late summer - maybe some of you can jump on that.

 

[Servants of Evan]

I had a PM from another member who said that these people were comissioned employees and that's why they wanted to "close the sale." Here is what I responded:


I understand that -- however when I'm calling Disney Dining a year out to make a HDDR reservation, I wasn't expecting the lady to go into "hard sell/ I can book your Resort NOW" mode. I'm calling Disney Dining after all! I told her I wasn't yet sure on which resort I wanted, and that I'd want to check AAA rates, and hadn't even finalized which days we'd be there, ticket options, etc. "I can do that -- it'll be $.... and she started to rattle off prices." She wouldn't take "No, not now" for an answer. She WANTED that sale. When she was finally finished she said, "Well, if there's nothing else..." and I had to reply -- "Yes, there is: I'd Like to book the HDDR -- the reason I called you in the first place!" She then told me I could only book it 90 days out. Uh, no young CM, check again.

 

[skbasnett1977]

When I made my room only reservations for November last week they were also were pushy "Why don't you want the dining package? Are you sure?" This went on for about 5 minutes when I finally told him if he didn't want to book my reservations, they I would call back and speak with someone else! He did eventually take the reservation, but not before he hung up said "If you change your mind about the dining, make sure you call back"

Not looking into this or anything, but are package ressies down?

To be honest, if one of my clients immediately says no to getting the dining, I do talk to them and want to know why they say that right away. Once I explain it to them ... they 99% of the time get it. But if you were constantly saying no and he wouldnt move on in the reservation, that is just wrong!

 

[WDWRC]

CRO is still Disney Travel Company. We used to book in two offices...now all consumer agents book both room only and packages.

I think a lot of agents (like myself) ask "why not?"when a Guest says no to the dining b/c we know it's such a good deal! Many times, Guests don't really have a great understanding of it.....you should see how many reservations where a Guest calls to add it on after their initial booking.