Less-than-great check-in VWL

[rocketriter]

Originally posted by sueg
My point is that I question the value of those phone surveys for catching some of the problems that only develop sometime after the phone call is made.

Yes, of course, a survey is only as good as the information you give it, and some thoughts don't come clear for a while. If it's important to you, you can still send your thoughts to MS or PS or whomever they concern, even months later. They'll still go into the hopper and come up on the next round of internal customer service reviews. A complaint is never wasted, expecially if it's expressed in a pleasant or at least a professional way.

 

[jarestel]

Originally posted by Sammie
Sometimes the "Magic" we receive, is a reflection of what we give.

Yikes!!! So now anyone who receives any kind of bad service can blame it on karma!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Yikes!!! So now anyone who receives any kind of bad service can blame it on karma!

I agree---praticularily in the case of the OP

We arrived late, about 11:20 PM. Front desk was almost empty. CM does not give us a welcome home--oh well, its late. Then she tells me that I don't have 2 nights as one reservation, but rather I have two one-night stays, linked. I show her my letter. She ignores it & insists that we have to check in again, before 11 AM,

I can totally understand your disappointment sueg. Looks like you were ok with shrugging off the lack of "welcome home" greeting, but the other things should have gone more smoothly. The CM had to have known that checking in late with little ones has to be stressful and then they did nothing to make things any better.

 

[Granny]

Though we have been fine with the check-in at WL/VWL, I would not hesitate to express a concern to DVD management in a courteous, professional way intended to help them educate and train their employees.

I do think that the DVC system is complex and that some CM's don't fully understand it. And of course, there are some CM's that might just be having a "bad day".

I hope your check-in experience is much better during your next DVC stay.

 

[BigDisneyKids]

Although we are new to DVC (SSR-04), I hope my comments are not taken the wrong way, so please hear me out.

From reading a lot of posts, the trend seems to be that perks for DVC members have slowly eroded with time. (Maybe Roy Disney is right after all.) But we (all of us) have paid a lot of money to "own a piece of magic," even if for only 50 years.

Again, I cannot compare the current DVC perks to past ones. But I know for a fact that CM's at other WDW resorts don't treat paying guests this way either. I would hope that DVC members deserve a little better.

Finally, the "welcome home" greetings may be trival, but I want to be treated better than the average Joe, I want all the perks I can get for my $20k.

P.S. I hope Mr. Lewis reads this board too.

 

[poohj80]

Originally posted by sueg
Then she tells me that I don't have 2 nights as one reservation, but rather I have two one-night stays, linked. I show her my letter. She ignores it & insists that we have to check in again, before 11 AM, the following morning.

I'm new to DVC and haven't stayed as a member yet so was just wondering if this is standard procedure when reservations are linked at any DVC resort? We have a reservation in November that is linked between points and cash reservations - will we have to check-out and recheck-in?

Thanks!

PJ

 

[sueg]

Thank you, MiaSRN62 & others who don't support the idea that somehow the Magic (or lack thereof) that I did (or didn't) receive during my VWL check-in was somehow linked to the Magic that I was (or wasn't) giving. I went to the check-in with the expectations of a simple check-in for a two night stay. This was the latest that we've ever checked-in, but I only thought this would make matters easier, i.e. less crowded. I'm not now suggesting or did I ever suggest that this check-in experience RUINED OUR WHOLE VACATION (Shouting intended) It was a wonderful vacation, despite starting off on the wrong foot. I posted this experience mainly to hear if other DISers had a problem with "mysterious" linked ressies.
As an OKW ownwer, I do think that the CMs at OKW have a more clearly defined job, in that they are solely dealing w/ DVC, members or not. I think that it's easier to train well for DVC when it is not combined with "regular" hotel stays. I refuse to accept responsibility for my VWL check-in experience & resent the suggestion that I failed to "give Magic", thus I got what I deserved.

 

[SimbaCub]

I have had "linked" ressies before and was told at check-in that it might be necessary to come back and do the "check-out of one room and into another" but to ask at the front desk first before packing up my stuff. I was lucky on 3 of my linked ressies in that I didn't have to go through the process each time, just go down to the front desk and fill out another piece of paper and get the parking permit for the extra days. I guess it depends on who is working the desk and how long that person has been working with DVC in particular.

As for VWL check in, I have been SO LUCKY with my experiences. Some took a while but for my last one the CM asked me if I had been there before and when I told her yes she asked me if she could skip the "long description" for me or would I prefer to hear it. I liked having the option as I had my "little" sister waiting for me in the car I just told her to make it as quick as possible.

I now take the names down of ALL the CM I see in the resort as I check-in/out to make sure I can let Disney know who made my stay a little brighter. I received a survey after my most recent trip and wrote up a few things on 3 CM I encounted including the 2 ladies at the front desk who made my trip wonderful--and yes the lady who checked me in was 1 of those who I mentioned by name.

I would "make note" of the incident and if the CM won't/can't get the manager then pass on your concerns as it will help make things easier for all of us. I am sorry to hear you had an experience that was not fun for you and your family. I have had similar problems over at BWV so I can understand your concerns. I hope your next stay is better!!

SimbaCub
BCV May 2004

 

[DSNY FN]

Our stay @ VWL in 01 was ok the resort doesn't thrill me to stay at it was nice to go and visit but I will not stay there again. The front desk service was good I do not expect to hear Welcome Home actually it kind if seems strange to hear it I am actually on vacation not at home. I want to hear welcome home from my family when we return home from holidays. I have always found that the check in area @ WL is usually very busy anytime we have been over there for a meal etc there is always 4 or more staff at the counter and the line is usually 8 to 10 people so that can explain some of the short answers from CM's not an excuse but I know working in a customer service environment that after a day like that it can be taxing on you and sometimes even when you are pleasant to people you really do not recieve the same in return. As for the comment about recieveing more than the average cash paying guest I really don't think that is fair we laid out the money up front for a club as we wanted to go to Disney every year but the cash paying guests if you look at it are paying alot more for a room than we do if you break it down so they should be the ones getting something extra in the grand scheme of things. We do get spoiled with DVC and I can honestly say I quite enjoy all my perks and privelages but why do we get to pool hop and somone paying a lot more than we do for a night in the same resort does not get to just a thought we are not above any other guest and really shouldn't expect to be treated any differently than anyone else regardless of how much we have paid for our membership.

 

[DVC Jen]

I have checked into WL 3x(the villas twice). And each time I have received AWESOME service..except the most recent trip last June.

Now it can NOT be blamed on me being less than "magical" I went to the counter with a smile on my face..happy as a clam to be there. I was polite, nice.. but the grumpy old man who checked us in was not. He was at one point downright rude and condescending. I responded to him in a firm but not nasty tone..to get the point across that I did not appreciate they way he was talking to me. Didn't change anything, but I felt better and chalked it up to him being a grumpy old man having a bad day (don't we all). Then I proceeded to the magic kingdom and honestly I had forgotten all about it...until I read this thread.

 

[DSNY FN]

Exactly DVC Jen somedays you just have a bad day it happens to us all and there really is nothing we can do about it. I just smile and be polite and hope that is will help the other person maybe feel a little better or realize they were maybe not very nice. SOmetimes it works sometimes it doesn't all you can do is try.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by jarestel
Yikes!!! So now anyone who receives any kind of bad service can blame it on karma!

My comment was made to the comment made by Jade1, not to the OP. If you had read my orginial comment that would be understood. However you took it out of context.

This is no reflection on the situation of the OP, but I have found in my own personal experience, that when I have no patience with others, they have no patience with me. If I snap at them, they snap back. If I get short or sarcastic, it's returned to me. Likewise I have found if I am patient, kind and understanding, they try hard to do the same.

Also I have found that at times I am tired and outside influences have affected my judgement and the poor person on the receiving end has no idea what they did to make me get upset. I do know that the OP mentioned the time of the check-in several times as it was late at night. That was not the fault of the person at the desk, but it could affect the OP's mood simply due to the fact they were tired.

Also at times the front desk CM is only doing what he/she has been trained to do and is dealing with information given to her/him from an outside source such as CRO or Member Services. It is not that person's fault if there is a mixup they are just the poor messenger.