is there a kind of unspoken snobbery between resorts?

[bumbershoot]

Extreme case-
but say you're staying at all stars -"that's great "says cm.
Staying at grand floridian-"how wonderful "says another.

I don't see the difference between great and wonderful. Both sound really nice to me!

I don't think it is unspoken. It is simple fact that the Grand Floridian is a better resort than the All Stars.

Your opinion. The only reason I go to the GF is for tea. I cannot imagine ever staying there (first off, I would be having flashbacks to Somewhere in Time, LOL). We have stayed at various resorts, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with our stay at All Star Sports; in fact we loved their pool! It was the best for actual swimming, instead of just splashing around, that I've found yet.

... Disney is making assumptions about our economic wherewithal based on the category of resort we are staying in.

I see it differently. I see it that having a higher charge limit is an extra value for guests of that resort. It's not a judgment, it's a bonus. Pay more, get more.


A charge of under $6 at SSR sent our CC company into a tizzy, and fraud called us. This was a problem because we had set up charging at WL, and because the CC had freaked on the SSR charge, it was causing problems with the WL charge. I discovered this while looking at dvcmember.com on my phone while waiting for (terrible) service at (terrible) Via Napoli and saw this short list of negative balances on my home page once I logged in. SO weird! So each charge we had made at WL *that day* was not actually being put to the room charge CC, but was showing as negative. It was wild.

Weird things happen with charging sometimes!

I honestly can't recall a time where a cast member has ever asked where I was staying.

Neither can I.

I've been asked at every restaurant when we check in at the podium. They ask if you're staying in a Disney resort and if the answer is "yes" they ask "which one?" and then they inquire as to whether you are on the dining plan.

That's so odd! I have never once been asked where we are staying, not when checking in at a podium. And I haven't been asked about a dining plan at the podium, either; that's for the servers to do in my experience, and I've never had them ask me where I was staying. Weird!

I attach my credit card to the room key (just in case) but I also carry that credit card with me. That way, no limits.

If the room charge thing bugs you, don't do the room charge.

Interesting story.

Reminded me of a friend in a jewellery store.
He had ordered his fiancee ring,he went straight from work-suited and booted.received impeccable attention,couldn't do enough for him.
Returned to order wedding rings,in his sweats,still the same man,as pp said,nothing else was different about him,but he was treated with disdain.
He left and went elsewhere.

My jeweler almost learned that the hard way way back when the Microsoft employees were numbered in the low hundreds. Had a whole story about him judging the earrings the casually-dressed man wanted to buy (the guy said "1 karat studs" and jeweler brought out 1/2 k because he thought the guy meant total weight), then waiting for a check, and the guy coming back, etc. Thankfully the jeweler went with his gut instead of his "that guy's not dressed right" judgment, because he was one of the very low numbered M'soft employees who was a millionaire thanks to stocks... Got a LOT of business from that guy, the jeweler said....

She looked at the woman and said " I am staying in a motor home and do you have any idea how much one of those things cost, I could stay at the Grand Floridian in the best suite for a month for less that the cost of the RV I am staying in"

And at the end of that month, you still own the RV!

Slightly off subject but this thread reminds me of how rudely I was treated at a Louis Vuitton store by a sales person. I guess my shorts and t-shirt were not up to snuff. However, what did Julia Roberts character say in Pretty Woman?? Big mistake. My sister ended up spending quite a large sum of money that day. And guess who was NOT the commissioned sales person? You never know and should never make assumptions about people. Plus it's classless.

Oh see I wouldn't have bought from them at all. Not even if I really wanted the LV. That sort of culture is often coming from management, not just one employee, and I don't want to take part in it.

Back in the late 80s I used to shop at Nordstrom as a teen. That was in the halcyon days when mom could give me her Nordstrom CC and a note saying I could use it, and, well, I could use it. "Use your best judgment" was her only advice, and there was only one time that I didn't (and that only involved a too-trendy necklace). When I went to college, I moved to WA (home of Nordstrom) and she moved to Miami (NO Nordstrom), and she only kept the card for me.

When I go to buy clothes, I go prepared to try on some clothes. I am casual, in clothes that are easy to deal with in the dressing room. I had my mom's CC, "best judgment" as the rule, and I could spend. Well, the employees up in Tacoma and Seattle had a mystifying judgy thing happening, and they would ignore me. Back home in the Bay Area, even an employee I had never seen before would treat me nicely. But up here, awful treatment.

Junior year I went in to buy some shorts and shirts. Bought them in the grown person section instead of Brass Plum. Wore one outfit once, just hanging around college, not doing anything weird or athletic...and strings were coming out, seams were opening (and they were not tight clothes), it was awful. I went to return the whole purchase, the same week I bought the clothes, because the quality was so bad, and I got HUGE attitude. From the company that accepts returns from decades ago without a question, I got flack for returning items because they were falling apart after ONE wearing. I was even going to go right over to Brass Plum to buy the "junior" clothes with the refund.

I got the refund, but I never went back. I'd had enough. My mom closed her CC account with them and they lost my business (and hers) forever.

 

[Missytara]

The issue is that they clear the charges to the credit card overnight, and not when you hit the limit, so it's feasible, even likely, that you'll hit your limit mid-day and have your card declined. It's not the end of the world, but it's still a hassle. We've only stayed in Deluxes, but after the first time having that happen to us, I now go to the front desk every few days and ask them to proactively sweep the charges to avoid the issue.[/QUOTE

Our whole family stayed at the GF RPC last fall, courtesy of my parents. They paid for all three rooms, park passes for 7 people at check-in and dinner every night. On our third day. Mom and I were buying $40 worth of soap at Basin White when her card was rejected. We were mortified, but the CMs explained that this was a pretty standard. We paid cash, called the desk and found that the card had been swept. It is not a big deal, but it was embarrassing.

Several years back, before the new computers where you could load in multiple credit cards, it was very hard to do. But the CM agreed to load in both my credit card and my mom's.

I use my card for everything and pay it off at the end of the month with rewards; my mom has a minimal card to use in case of emergencies.

Well, the CM loaded in my card, then my mom's and unfortunately we did not know until we made the first purchase that loading the second one obliterated the first one. My first purchase was declined, so I used my direct card, in lieu of my KTTW card.

Second store, same thing.

We went back to the concierge desk that night; and lo and behold figured it out. My mom had never made so many purchases and out-of-state to boot! We took her card off my account, loaded mine back on and she just used it and paid me back.

We still laugh about it every time we go on a cruise; she has made several charges in Bermuda with no problems - she has been using her charge card more now.

 

[Tanyabeth8]

I've stayed at deluxe, moderates and values and I've never noticed anyone treating me any different due to which one I was staying at. I, myself, did have a hard time hard time the first time I went from a deluxe to a value. It doesn't bother me anymore though.

 

[pigletto]

When we moved out of the Boardwalk for our last night at Allstar Music (I don't see the point in paying 300 for the night when I'll be getting on Magical Express at 5 in the morning) the bellman actually said "Wow.. that's a downgrade. You really aren't going to be happy there".

We said.. nothing. Just looked at him and off we went. I mean really? Save it. It's none of your business. And in all honesty it was more than fine and the first thing my dd said when we were walking around the resort was "It would be fun to stay here for a trip!". So yes, I am sure some think it, but it really doesn't effect the level of service IMO (and absolutely shouldn't). I just happened to run into someone with no tact I guess.

 

[mefordis]

When staying at POR and visiting the GF for dinner, I always feel those guest who are staying there are lucky. IMO it is a better resort than POR or POFQ.

 

[Missytara]

When staying at POR and visiting the GF for dinner, I always feel those guest who are staying there are lucky. IMO it is a better resort than POR or POFQ.

I feel the exact opposite. I think GF tends to be overrun with curiousity seekers, while POR is much quieter.

However, I love eating at the GF Cafe every year.

 

[Bob NC]

Talk about snobbery.

Now many of the snobs are working their butts off to top each other with stories of higher and higher snobishness.

Oh, and a couple weeks ago I walked into the Rolls Royce dealership wearing last seasons Manolo Blanhik's. I could see the sales people rolling their eyes, so I went to the RR dealership down the street.

 

[married2mm]

Talk about snobbery.

Now many of the snobs are working their butts off to top each other with stories of higher and higher snobishness.

Oh, and a couple weeks ago I walked into the Rolls Royce dealership wearing last seasons Manolo Blanhik's. I could see the sales people rolling their eyes, so I went to the RR dealership down the street.

Oh no,how could you even consider wearing anything last season?!
We're into fall 2014 now!

 

[VAfamily1998]

This thread reminds me of a time I went to Nordstrom to buy a pair of boots. I was looking at one of the higher end boots (in the "salon shoes") section and the salesman noticed that the shoes I was currently wearing was another "salon shoes" brand. He told me that he "really respected" me for wearing nicer shoes. I thought that was odd--if I had come in wearing a pair of tennis shoes from payless would he have not "respected" me?

 

[kmb584]

Slightly off subject but this thread reminds me of how rudely I was treated at a Louis Vuitton store by a sales person. I guess my shorts and t-shirt were not up to snuff. However, what did Julia Roberts character say in Pretty Woman?? Big mistake. My sister ended up spending quite a large sum of money that day. And guess who was NOT the commissioned sales person? You never know and should never make assumptions about people. Plus it's classless.

I can relate. I'm a couture handbag snob and before DD was born I alternated my WDW trips with Las Vegas (my grandparents were and my grandmother still is part of the high roller circle out there; we're treated like royalty and our casino host has gotten us comped front row Elton John tickets, we were allowed into a special preview of LOVE and then attended opening night, etc). Anywho, back to the handbags: when we visted Vegas I was consistently shopping at the Forum Shops in Caesar's Palace and my brand of choice at that time was Dior.

I distinctly remember walking into Dior one afternoon dressed in a Lacoste polo and a pair of high end denim and was 100% ignored by 2 associates. A 3rd was kind enough to point me in the direction of their "sale section". I was more interested in a pretty hobo bag with a pretty high price tag but turned around and proceeded to walk out. It wasn't until sales associate #1 noticed that I had a brand new Dior on my shoulder did I hear, "M'am, m'am, can I assist you?" My reply? "Had I not been ignored then pointed to the sale section, I'm sure you could have. No, you cannot help me." Her jaw fell and I was satisfied. Chanel received my business that afternoon.

As another poster said, people are odd creatures. We're so quick to judge when we know nothing regarding other's finances and means, if they're a spend thrift or frugal, and ever since that afternoon I have found myself not judging people period. Who am I to deem another person worthy or unworthy?

 

[susy]

Now how could I have forgotten this story!!!!!

When my son was about 9 we went on a quick trip to CSR...it had been awhile since he'd stayed in the values or mods...well, we arrived at night and went inside to check in. Of course, we had to walk back out to our car to drive to the room.

My son asked, "Why are we going back to our car?" I said, "We have to drive to the building where our room is." He replies, "WHAT KIND OF A HOTEL IS THIS?" I guess this was a far cry from Casey, the concierge manager at the BC coming down to the car, shaking his hand and saying, "Marcus! Welcome to the Beach Club!" Geesh!

 

[princessallegra]

Now how could I have forgotten this story!!!!!

When my son was about 9 we went on a quick trip to CSR...it had been awhile since he'd stayed in the values or mods...well, we arrived at night and went inside to check in. Of course, we had to walk back out to our car to drive to the room.

My son asked, "Why are we going back to our car?" I said, "We have to drive to the building where our room is." He replies, "WHAT KIND OF A HOTEL IS THIS?" I guess this was a far cry from Casey, the concierge manager at the BC coming down to the car, shaking his hand and saying, "Marcus! Welcome to the Beach Club!" Geesh!

This is hysterical! My kind of kid!

 

[mefordis]

Now how could I have forgotten this story!!!!!

When my son was about 9 we went on a quick trip to CSR...it had been awhile since he'd stayed in the values or mods...well, we arrived at night and went inside to check in. Of course, we had to walk back out to our car to drive to the room.

My son asked, "Why are we going back to our car?" I said, "We have to drive to the building where our room is." He replies, "WHAT KIND OF A HOTEL IS THIS?" I guess this was a far cry from Casey, the concierge manager at the BC coming down to the car, shaking his hand and saying, "Marcus! Welcome to the Beach Club!" Geesh!

Thank you for keeping it on the topic of WDW resorts.

 

[captsparrow]

I have not heard of any comments with regards to where you are staying,

I think people choose resorts for different reasons. We are a family of 5 and there are only certain resorts that will fit all of us in one room. I have heard people say that they don't spend much time at the resorts so why pay more just to sleep. Makes sense to me.

We like staying at the Beach Club because we love EPCOT and it is very convenient to walk over. Plus the rooms fit the 5 of us.

One thing I do feel is that the "decor" of some of the value resorts is definately more kid friendly or "Disney like" as they actually incorporate some characters in the themes. I think that is great! While all the resorts are nice I do feel that they all do not offer this.

All in all people should never be judged by where they stay. Disney is magical for what you make of it.

 

[Sue M]

The bus stop at Epcot for Wilderness Lodge is the farthest away stop on the far side of the circle. And buses for the deluxe resorts usually share with other deluxes, which isn't always a benefit.

Yes, I know the deluxe do share, aside from Pop, AoA, CBR, CSR, OKW & SSR, I think all the other wdw resorts share.
I don't remember WL being that far at Epcot, but then I never remember where the stops are, even though I'm there twice a yr . They do seem to be in different spots from time to time though!

I myself have never ran into snobbery but my sister did in 2007 when she and her husband stayed with us at FW in my RV. She was wearing a FW t-shirt one day. Some woman in one of the lines made a comment that it must be hard to only afford a camping vacation at Disney and not be able to get a room at a real resort. She looked at the woman and said " I am staying in a motor home and do you have any idea how much one of those things cost, I could stay at the Grand Floridian in the best suite for a month for less that the cost of the RV I am staying in"

love it!!

I feel the exact opposite. I think GF tends to be overrun with curiousity seekers, while POR is much quieter.

However, I love eating at the GF Cafe every year.

Shhhhhh, I think GF Cafe is a hidden gem, not many have discovered! Don't tell them!!!!

 

[LindyN]

Plenty of affluent people stay in Disney Value resorts; take a look at the parking lot and there are lots of nice cars in there that are not rentals.

Deluxe resorts have people in there who saved for years and will never see anything so amazing in their life and don't understand triple sheets on the bed.

BTW, the resort is printed into the numbers on the KTTW cards. Unless you're staying Club Level at a Deluxe resort no one in the parks know where you're staying unless you mention it or you hand over the card and the CM knows the resort code.

For me personally, I can take 4 trips a year if I'm in a Value resort or just 1 trip in a Deluxe. I figure all the beds are comfy and it doesn't really matter where I sleep as long as its clean and safe and in a Disney hotel. We've all got a story and I don't concern myself with others unless they impinge upon my trip in a negative manner.

fwiw.

 

[married2mm]

Plenty of affluent people stay in Disney Value resorts; take a look at the parking lot and there are lots of nice cars in there that are not rentals.

Deluxe resorts have people in there who saved for years and will never see anything so amazing in their life and don't understand triple sheets on the bed.

BTW, the resort is printed into the numbers on the KTTW cards. Unless you're staying Club Level at a Deluxe resort no one in the parks know where you're staying unless you mention it or you hand over the card and the CM knows the resort code.

For me personally, I can take 4 trips a year if I'm in a Value resort or just 1 trip in a Deluxe. I figure all the beds are comfy and it doesn't really matter where I sleep as long as its clean and safe and in a Disney hotel. We've all got a story and I don't concern myself with others unless they impinge upon my trip in a negative manner.

fwiw.

If I had the option of 4 trips v 1 trip,I would take quantity every time- no contest.

 

[Aliceacc]

By both guests and cms?

Extreme case-
but say you're staying at all stars -"that's great "says cm.
Staying at grand floridian-"how wonderful "says another.

Anyone had any experience of this?

One cm says "that's great" and ANOTHER says "How wonderful."

It's entirely possible that each is using his/her standard response.

 

[bluejasmine]

Stayed in all levels including GF CL and Poly CL & the only thing CMs have ever commented on was the "gold" KTTK card, they would just say they hadn't seen gold & ask why it's that color. We would just tell them it's CL & they would just be like oh ok, good to know..

ASMU/POR Dec 16-22, 2012 & BWI Sept 8-15, 2013

 

[Maxie86]

I don't know if I would call it snobbery, but I was taken aback last June when we stayed in an AoA suite and I had attached my CC to my KTTW for charging privileges. We ate at CP and I gave my KTTW to our server to pay the bill. He then came back to tell me there was a problem with the charge and I needed to speak with someone on the phone. I then had to go back to the kitchen and ok the charge - it was very embarrassing. It was then I learned Disney has set a limit on the amount you can charge to your room based on what category of resort you are staying in - apparently it's $500 for values (even family suites for which you are paying close to deluxe prices), $1000 for moderates and $1500 for deluxe. So it may not be advert snobbery, but Disney is making assumptions about our economic wherewithal based on the category of resort we are staying in.

This happens more than you may think and it has nothing to do with the level of resort you stay at. I have had this happen staying CL and no where near my limit. It happened a couple times in January staying BWI CL, I just went to the desk and had them straighten it out. Some restaurants will "push it through" and others decline altogether. I carry a credit card with me for those occasions. It happens so often that I don't think most places think anything of it. Annoying but I don't get embarrassed about it any more.

This has been the case for as long as I can remember. And, if I do remember correctly, the amount that can be charged up to, is listed on the checkin paper that you sign, when you leave a cc. I have had that happen at BC before. Before we traveled, I had my dh make sure the debit cards had a high enough daily limit to allow us to check out of the BC easily. Okay. Well, seems he forgot that he was leaving a few days before my dd and I were..and he didn't increase the limit on my card!!!! Duh!!! So, had to call him (thank heavens he was still at home), he went to the bank and fixed it and called me back. The manager at the BC was more than a little snooty at that point. He just refused to believe it was a simple oversight.
When I've stayed at a value, I've almost always had to call the resort to authorized further charges..usually the end of the stay!! It's just not a problem...I figure it's going to happen and am prepared.

There is a reason all our room keys (except for concierge rooms) are the same. There is no easy way to look at a room key and figure out where that person is staying. It's all in the code.
And yes, deluxe resorts do have closer bus stops. That's one of the reasons they are deluxes...somewhat better transportation. But only somewhat. An addtl 40' isn't going to make a huge difference to me.

I've stayed at almost all the resorts. The only ones I have yet to stay at are the GF, CSR, CBR and POFQ. Stayed at all the rest. And each one has it's great points. The one that I have zero interest in staying at? GF. It just doesn't appeal to me. Yet, we have friends that stay only there. They stayed at the YC once.....almost liked it. But went back to the GF and are now hoping to buy DVC there.
I find lots to chat about when discussing all the various resorts.

Concierge room keys are the same now, you may still see some gold keys until they are used up, but they will be the same. When we checked in the YC they said they don't have the gold cards any more. When we checked into the GF we were given gold cards but mine didn't work...they tried with four different cards and none worked, DH's worked fine. They finally got us new blue cards and they worked. The manager said they are all going to be blue now, that the blue cards have better chips in them.

I have never experienced any snobbery at Disney, nor do I feel we have received any better tables in restaurants because of where we were staying. We stay deluxe because we do spend a lot of time at the resort and we are not taking kids now. The values were not built when DS was little so it wasn't an option or we probably would have stayed in them for the theming. He would have loved Pop and AoA.