Just got back from WDW, 1st trip as adults a few thoughts

[momof2n2]

as far as staying off property with your own vehicle - I have to say while I have never stayed ON property, I would rather drive for five more minutes in my own car, than sit in a area waiting for a bus in possible uncomfortable weather [too hot, too cold] with a crowd of other people

I haven't stayed on property ever. But I can share that on our last trip we'd packed up lunches at our vacation home and went to DQ all morning. We headed over to BB for the afternoon and took our picnic lunch and sat near one of the bus shelters. After about 10 minutes of eating a family joined us coming out of BB. We ate for another 15 minute before a bus came to pick them up. I have no idea how long it had been since a bus had been by BEFORE we got there, but I can attest to the fact that there was at least 25 minutes without service. Disney transportation has pros, of course, but it comes with cons, too.

 

[timandheather]

as far as staying off property with your own vehicle - I have to say while I have never stayed ON property, I would rather drive for five more minutes in my own car, than sit in a area waiting for a bus in possible uncomfortable weather [too hot, too cold] with a crowd of other people

I haven't stayed on property ever. But I can share that on our last trip we'd packed up lunches at our vacation home and went to DQ all morning. We headed over to BB for the afternoon and took our picnic lunch and sat near one of the bus shelters. After about 10 minutes of eating a family joined us coming out of BB. We ate for another 15 minute before a bus came to pick them up. I have no idea how long it had been since a bus had been by BEFORE we got there, but I can attest to the fact that there was at least 25 minutes without service. Disney transportation has pros, of course, but it comes with cons, too.

Both of us are going to return but it will be off site as we get great rates on hotels, our car rental was cheap $250 for the two weeks, we will eat a good breakfast, pack a light lunch eat a dinner at the park alternate a TS, CS.
We are thinking about going Sept-Oct next year.

I got too much negative feedback from guests using the transportation .

 

[Yubbie]

1. If DH hurt his foot from a scooter encounter, and was down for a whole day, perhaps your DH didn't have good, protective footwear on. I collided with a man who had sturdy athletic shoes on and although I ran over the front of his foot, he was not hurt. BTW, he walked into my scooter in broad daylight, he didn't look and see me coming.

Ummm...I certainly wouldn't classify athletic shoes as good protective footwear when referring to an encounter with an ECV. As someone else already pointed out steel-toed boots would be the only footwear in that class and even with that I wouldn't test it.

Clearly, footwear isn't the issue here.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Both of us are going to return but it will be off site as we get great rates on hotels, our car rental was cheap $250 for the two weeks, we will eat a good breakfast, pack a light lunch eat a dinner at the park alternate a TS, CS.
We are thinking about going Sept-Oct next year.

I got too much negative feedback from guests using the transportation .

Man, Disney has me hooked. I know it is cheaper to stay offsite but I just can't bear the thought of leaving my Disney cocoon! I want Disney themed lobbies, Disney on my room TV, Disney voice wake up calls etc.

Heck - I even ride the busses because it is a break from the normal grind of driving everywhere with my clan...I can just sit back and relax and let someone else drive. But I am rethinking that one. Maybe for the 2011 trip I will rent a car.

 

[Jonell]

Ummm...I certainly wouldn't classify athletic shoes as good protective footwear when referring to an encounter with an ECV. As someone else already pointed out steel-toed boots would be the only footwear in that class and even with that I wouldn't test it.

Clearly, footwear isn't the issue here.

If I get ran over with a scooter wearing my flip flops on my trip in March and this disrupts my trip I'm gonna be some kind of

 

[declansdad]

Jonell, you are not rude. And I don't wish to argue. I feel that your opinion about steel toed boots being your only protection from a scooter wheel is false. The heaviness of a scooter is distributed by the 3-4 wheels on it. I have had two encounters between my scooter and a walking person. Both people had athletic shoes on that my tire had tried to ride up the side of and failed. The tire glanced off the stiff, high side of the shoe. On the other hand, a sandal or simple Keds sneaker would be very easy to run over.

I realize how heavy a scooter is. I use mine in my daily life. In my last paragraph, I stated that scooter encounters can be blamed on the scooter driver or the walker. So the walker may not be "run-down" by a scooter, as you say, but the walker may have "run-in" to the scooter by not looking where he/she was going.

Wear whatever shoes you choose for personal comfort, but it's better to wear sturdier shoes for comfort and protection in crowds. WDW sidewalks are full of all sorts of things besides scooters. There are those Pargo utility/luggage trucks, trash and landscaping trucks, food carts, stock carts, Segways, and lots and lots of people of all ages and abilities. It's a congested jungle on the Disney sidewalks!

I own plenty of sneakers but nothing that has a stiff upper side that would stop a scooter from running over my foot. That must have been one heavy sneaker.

 

[dpmfloyd]

Man, Disney has me hooked. I know it is cheaper to stay offsite but I just can't bear the thought of leaving my Disney cocoon! I want Disney themed lobbies, Disney on my room TV, Disney voice wake up calls etc.

Heck - I even ride the busses because it is a break from the normal grind of driving everywhere with my clan...I can just sit back and relax and let someone else drive. But I am rethinking that one. Maybe for the 2011 trip I will rent a car.

i'm with you 100%. i have family that swear to staying off site. they dont mind renting a car, and finding their way to wherever they go. my fiance and i love getting off the plane and getting on the magical express. we love the on site hotels and the transportation. we love knowing our biggest worry is waiting for a bus. it really doesnt get any easier. the simplicity is worth the extra $$ in my opinion. when we get older, i'm sure staying off property will be a certain...but for now, we're on property kinda folks

 

[maxiesmom]

I do understand its there policy but I know many retailers that will make exceptions! Why cant Disney. We asked two diffrent cast members it was a flat out NO without any explaination so when we return we will not use the DP or even stay on site. We where new to the DDP ect so we thought this would not be a big deal!

While it is nice when any business can make an exception to the rule to make the customer happy, it should not be something you expect.

As someone else explained, your meals are tied in with your room stay. There is no way to make them usable after you have checked out. They are tied to you being currently at a Disney resort. There is really no way for a Cast Member to make them usable after you check out, and no benefit for Disney to come up with a system that will make it so.

 

[timandheather]

While it is nice when any business can make an exception to the rule to make the customer happy, it should not be something you expect.

As someone else explained, your meals are tied in with your room stay. There is no way to make them usable after you have checked out. They are tied to you being currently at a Disney resort. There is really no way for a Cast Member to make them usable after you check out, and no benefit for Disney to come up with a system that will make it so.

My last thoughts on this then I hope the flames stop on this subject. I was more upset on how the CM responded with her eyes batting saying "NO they end at midnight of your check out NO exceptions"

If we got a response like "I am sorry these credits expire at midnight of your check outdate, unfortuanlly our system" will not make exceptions I would of not even brought up this issue


But thanks for the Flame

 

[kmvand1]

Not to be rude but I don't think that anything but maybe steel toe work boots will protect your feet when you are being run over by a scooter. Those scooters are heavy. Anyways, I don't thing many people take into consideration being run down by a scooter when selecting comfortable footwear for WDW.

Seriously! Good point.

 

[maxiesmom]

My last thoughts on this then I hope the flames stop on this subject. I was more upset on how the CM responded with her eyes batting saying "NO they end at midnight of your check out NO exceptions"

If we got a response like "I am sorry these credits expire at midnight of your check outdate, unfortuanlly our system" will not make exceptions I would of not even brought up this issue


But thanks for the Flame

Not trying to flame, but explain. However you sarcasm is noted.

However the CM phrased it, that is how dining credits work. No way around it. And by your first post it doesn't sound like it was the phrasing that upset you, rather the fact that they wouldn't break a rule for you.

I have only used the dining plan a couple of times, so I know how overwhelming it can be. But it is up to us to understand the parameters of the plan. Blaming Disney because we don't understand or we mess up while using it is a bit silly.

 

[timandheather]

Not trying to flame, but explain. However you sarcasm is noted.

However the CM phrased it, that is how dining credits work. No way around it. And by your first post it doesn't sound like it was the phrasing that upset you, rather the fact that they wouldn't break a rule for you.

I have only used the dining plan a couple of times, so I know how overwhelming it can be. But it is up to us to understand the parameters of the plan. Blaming Disney because we don't understand or we mess up while using it is a bit silly.

but someone else did explain this before you! This was something that I was upset about and I don’t need about 5 different posters to explain this too me.

 

[maxiesmom]

but someone else did explain this before you! This was something that I was upset about and I don’t need about 5 different posters to explain this too me.

I'm truly sorry that you are feeling picked on. However I have found that when we expect someone at Disney to bend the rules or make magic for us, that is when we are the most disappointed. You were upset that someone wouldn't bend a rule for you. It is really better all around when you approach it from the opposite end-- be happy if someone goes out of their way and can make magic or bend the rules for you. Don't be mad when they don't or can't.

As much as I think message boards such as this one are a great source of info, I also think they lead to such increased expectations that Disney can't help but disappoint people every so often.

 

[Laketravis]

I can't help but chuckle about this thread - we've got a scooter person from "Wheeling" of all places who freely admits to having run over two people, no big deal because they were wearing proper scooter-mishap-approved footwear, while several others are simulatenously scolding the OP about their comment in regards to the leftover meal credits.

I think the Disney Magic makes some people Goofy.

 

[maxiesmom]

I can't help but chuckle about this thread - we've got a scooter person from "Wheeling" of all places who freely admits to having run over two people, no big deal because they were wearing proper scooter-mishap-approved footwear, while several others are simulatenously scolding the OP about their comment in regards to the leftover meal credits.

I think the Disney Magic makes some people Goofy.

I don't see anyone "scolding" the OP. People just trying to explain that there was truly nothing the CMs could do to fix the situation for the OP.

 

[Laketravis]

I don't see anyone "scolding" the OP. People just trying to explain that there was truly nothing the CMs could do to fix the situation for the OP.

All the while completely missing the point that the OP wasn't complaining about what the CM could or couldn't do, but how the CM responded.

Having just returned myself, I can attest to the fact that some of the responses received from a couple CM's after asking sincere and innocent questions were less than, let's say, enthusiastic.

WHOOAAA! Watch out for that scooter.........

 

[timandheather]

I'm truly sorry that you are feeling picked on. However I have found that when we expect someone at Disney to bend the rules or make magic for us, that is when we are the most disappointed. You were upset that someone wouldn't bend a rule for you. It is really better all around when you approach it from the opposite end-- be happy if someone goes out of their way and can make magic or bend the rules for you. Don't be mad when they don't or can't.

As much as I think message boards such as this one are a great source of info, I also think they lead to such increased expectations that Disney can't help but disappoint people every so often.

Ok you said it well on this post and I thank you for it! This rule was a minor set back for me thats all! Our bad dinner/experience at Chef Mickey's and Maya Grill trumps this policy on our dining plan. As stated above most of our other meals/service where outstanding!

I manage a bank and our company is extremely customer focused, we make exceptions all the time to make the customers happy so to me this was not too much to ask for on the DDP. DH has the same feeling as you on this, therefore I am not allowed to bring this up to him anymore.

It was just something that bugged me that’s all, otherwise our trip was everything I expected to be. What happens if a family gets a 24-48hr bug and misses ADR's? I am sure I am not the first person upset over this policy.

 

[timandheather]

All the while completely missing the point that the OP wasn't complaining about what the CM could or couldn't do, but how the CM responded.

Having just returned myself, I can attest to the fact that some of the responses received from a couple CM's after asking sincere and innocent questions were less than, let's say, enthusiastic.

WHOOAAA! Watch out for that scooter.........

Thanks laketravis for understanding! If my husband read the response suggesting to where better shoes he would of blew up! He is going into the Dr. tomorrow still after 10days his foot is sore.

If this accident did not happen with this scooter we would of made our ADR to Yachtsman and the DDP issue would of not surfaced!

 

[BBandDisney]

Their-There Where-were

 

[johnGorski]

As other posts explained to you its policy, get over it!

It seems like you expect to be treated like royalty everywhere you go right? We can thank the government with handout/entitlement programs to make people like you think they are entitled to everything.


Oh one more thing just noting your dates I bet you got the free dining offer! Are you upset about your free dining?