Just back from POFQ, problem with housekeeping

[My princess Livy]

We just got back from a long weekend a wdw. Stayed at the french quarter for the first time. We have stayed at riverside several times and loved it. French quarter was beautiful, clean and dd loved the pool. Bus service was very good. We arrived at 10 am and our room was ready, so we just took up the snacks and diapers, bottles/sippy cups, I quickly put them away in the dresser and off to the park we went. We left the big suitcases in the van figuring we didn't need them till that night. We came back around 3 pm for nap time, and the room had obviously been recleaned , beds remade and all of our snacks(bread, bananas, granola bars, poptarts, nuts, jerky, fruit gummies, chips and all unopened) and 2 packs of diapers(size 1 and 4's) my box of wipes, and sippy cups and bottles were GONE! I thought I might have a heartattack We called the front desk right away and were told a manager would call us back, meanwhile my 2 year old is crying because he can't go to sleep for his nap without a bottle, so I end up running down to the giftshop, after an hour we call the front desk again, same answer, so finally around 5:30 a manager calls, we explain again, and are told that we have to go get what we need for the night, and they would check into it and call us back the next day. So instead of going back to a park,, we had to load the kids up and find a grocery store, by then it was pouring rain, I was not happy! It was 7:30 by the time we got back, really to late to take the kids out then and frankly I was frazzled by then. The next day another manager called and we had explain again, and he said he would reimburse us for what we had spent the night before, but we only bought smaller packs of diapers, wipes , milk and sippys. So then he said he would reimburse us for all the food and diapers, but didn't seem very apologetic for what happened or the fact that we spent a whole evening of our vacation dealing with their mistake. So we told him we were not happy, and he finally apologized and said our room would be half off for that night. I thought that was fair. Other than that whole incident, we had a wonderful time as usual.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

But what happened to your stuff?

 

[My princess Livy]

They said housekeeping recleaned our room, that housekeeping didn't realize we had checked in early, and thought our stuff had been left behind , and that they allow housekeeping to keep or dispose of stuff that is considered perishable. I think that considering it was all unopened that it would have raised an eyebrow, plus they told us that the previous people in the room had just checked out early that morning so why housekeeping ever came back in is a mystery to me.

 

[skiwee1]

You handled it much better then I would have! I would have went to the front desk and sat there until I spoke with a manager. I would not have left that front desk until someone gave me money to replace the stuff that was stolen. Giving you money the next day and half off a room is not acceptable to me. I am one that thinks it is horrible to try to get something out of it but not this time. This was a major inconvenience! I would write the guest relations and tell them what happened.

 

[disneyfor3]

I also think it was very poorly handled and they should have comped you an entire night's stay, not just half, as well as reimburse you for all your lost items. I personally think they should have had someone on staff get a list from you and go get the items for you (not everyone drives their own car to Disney and this option should have been offered to you).

I know when we stayed at the WL concierge (we upgraded at check-in) we had a small flooded area in front of the sink when we got back in the afternoon from the parks because of a leaking pipe behind the sink. I personally went down to speak with someone at the desk and told them what happened (I'm not much for calling on a phone - I like to speak face to face with someone if there is a problem). They comped us an entire night's stay, kept apologizing, cleaned the area immediately, and the concierge manager himself showed us a new room to see if it was acceptable, and then helped carry our luggage to the new room, as well as having our son choose a pin from his lanyard.

I think the service you experienced was totally unacceptable and I would write guest relations also. The maid should have checked to see if someone had checked into the room since all of the items were new and unopened.

 

[averysmom]

Management lets mousekeeping keep "perishable" items, but your sippys, bottles, wipes and diapers aren't perishable! Those weren't taken mistakenly, those were stolen!!! Even if the people who had checked out before you had left them, they should have been put in a box and returned to them. I am appalled at Disney's reaction to this. I would contact the General Manager and let him know what happened - they should have compted your entire stay!!!

 

[My princess Livy]

Thanks for the support, I WAS really upset the first day, I too thought they should have to go and replace everything and bring it to us, but that didn't seem to be an option, and I couldn't wait any longer for diapers/wipes. We just wanted to get on with our vacation and tried to shake off the bad feelings, but I think I will write a letter. Luckily, we did have our vehicle, but I wouldn't want this to happen to anyone else, and honestly, no one acted appalled.

 

[samnbilly]

I would follow up with a letter to the GM of the hotel. Why would it take the mgr. over 2 hours to look into it, and then you still had to go out and buy all new things. It's not about wanting to "get" something out of it, its to know that you and others who follow you are able to leave things in the room (not valuables) and have them when you return. This is another example of poor management. Hope the rest of your vacation was better!

 

[Lou-Ann]

This si not the first time housekeeping at Disney has been unaware that someone new has checked into a room. Seems to me like they need to devise a new system of alerting housekeeping when a room is ready (therefore has allready been done) . Do they not have a check off list which is then checked by a HK manager before it is assigned to someone else???

 

[fun & fancy free]

I am glad to see that I am not the only one who thinks that Disney needs to appreciate our time as much as theirs. I had an incident with phone reservations for PS's. All in all after a letter to disney with a copy of my phone bill I was reimbursed for the bill(w/disney dollars) and given my itinerary along with conf. #'s in a nice disney holder. This made that pill a whole lot easier to swallow. So I support the response to send a letter with what had happened. Good luck!

 

[Mickey's Sister]

I too would have planted myself at the front desk - but would have insisted upon speaking to the manager in charge. If things like this go on, the manager needs to know. As a former retail executive - different than a resort but still service oriented - I would rather hear of something like this right away and fix it, than to have the problem grow. I've found if the service person I'm dealing with doesn't want to do their job - and service IS their job - than I will continue up the 'chain of command' until I find someone who does. It's not even necessary to be rude or pushy.

Definitely write that letter!!! If I was the GM, there is no question that I would want to know.

I'm so sorry something like this happened to you. It is especially difficult when they inconvenience our children! But if you write the letter, maybe something good can still come out of it.

Jessica

 

[Disney Ella]

I agree with Lou- Ann. This kind of thing shouldn't happen. There should definitely be some sort of system to let housekeeping know the current status of the rooms. I also think they should have given you cash that night to buy the things you needed.

 

[liznboys]

I'm sorry that happened to you...as a mom of 3 little ones, I can imagine what a headache that was. It seems like I've been reading a lot of negative things about POFQ mousekeeping lately... We stayed there last year and had no trouble, and are staying there again next year...hoping for the best!

 

[cutesnoopy]

Sorry to hear about what happened. Thanks for sharing though. Why would the mousekeepers think people had checked out the room if your other belongings (e.g. luggages/travel bags) were still there??

I will be staying at PORQ for my upcoming trip to WDW. I guess I need to put everything back to my luggage and lock it before I leave to the parks. (Would they think I had checked out the room already and moved my luggage away? )

liznboys, what other negative things you have read about POFQ?

 

[Kimberle]

Wow! What if you didn't have a car. We never have a car at WDW, I couldn't imagine if that happened to me.

 

[liznboys]

Originally posted by cutesnoopy
liznboys, what other negative things you have read about POFQ?

It just seems like there have been several threads over the past few months (since POFQ reopened) where people have complained about mousekeeping at POFQ...not doing a good job, not responding to repeated requests... Maybe I just notice them more since we are POFQ fans and I pay more attention to those threads. Meaning, there are probably problems at all the other resorts with mousekeeping sometimes too...

 

[Yardbird]

I agree that this was handled poorly. I expect better customer service from ANY Disney hotel. They should have immediately replaced the missing items, and given some compensation for your inconvenience.

We stayed at POFQ in June, and though I do like this resort, our bathroom was well below standard for cleanliness. I'll admit, I am a bit picky, but when I stay at a hotel, I like it to be at least as clean as my own home.

We will be visiting again in September. This time we are staying a WL.

 

[helenk]

What I do not understand is why would housekeeping go back into the room? Your are not given your room until it has been cleaned for the next guest. If your room was prepared and then put into the system for them to assign to the next guest, there is no reason for housekeeping to go back into that room until the next day.
It seems strange that someone went back into the room. I would have management check on that aspect of it .
I hope you get this straightened out.


cutesnoopy
We stayed at the POFQ in June and were very happy with housekeeping. The room was clean, we had towel animals, always had plenty of towels and wash clothes. I enjoyed the resort so much I'm staying there again in December.

 

[imadisneyfanatic]

a "Do Not Disturb" Sign?

Several threads like this over the past 6 months have me worried. Does anyone think that if you check in and plan on going to the parks putting up a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door will keep mousekeeping away?

I would have been up a creek because we don't take a car and I wouldn't have been able to go to a store.

Management at the resorts doesn't seem very responsive either. It seems to me they should have the power to make resort guests happy. After all, we really all do understand that mistakes can happen. When you complain and get the "run around" or rudeness it just turns a minor mistake into a really big deal - especially when you have spent thousands of dollars to take a vacation and they treat you like you are an inconvenience when you complain.

I wonder if they have recently hired a bunch of new people for the busy Summer season and they aren't quite up to speed. I have always felt safe and secure at any WDW I have stayed at and always had wonderful mousekeeping experiences. I sure hope that's what I find in October.

 

[skiwee1]

I haven't had a DND sign on my last 4 visits. I think they are far and few between. I did have one during my stay at the WL. I forgot to take it off when we went to the park. Not to worry though as housekeeping must have ignored that sign and cleaned our room anyway. I imagine they pounded on the door for a while and finally went in.