Less than thrilled with the Boardwalk...

[birdiesunshine]

We just got back from our wonderful Disney vacation, but of course something had to go wrong, anyway we stayed at the Boardwalk from 5/31 to 6/6 and up until the last night I thought it was so beautiful that I couldn't wait to stay there again for our next trip, however on the last night as we were putting the baby down to sleep early because we had to be up by 6am for our flight back home I noticed a banging noise in the bedroom. I sent my DH to see what room the music was coming from but when he came back in the room and said it wasn't coming from the hotel I was quite perplexed. My DH called the front desk to inquire about the noise that literally sounded like a rave party in our hotel room. He was told that a big group rented out MGM studios for the night and the party would be going on until 3am! My DH said to them " you don't really expect me to listen to this noise until 3am do you? Nelson, the front desk manager said he would see what he could do about it, and he was getting tons on complaints. After an hour of getting nowhere and listening to the boom, boom, boom reverberating on my pillow I went to the front desk and Nelson was too chicken to come out and talk to me in person so he sent Lori to talk to me. Lori was very nice and gave us our points back for the night which was a very nice gesture but none of us got any sleep which was what we really needed. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm 30 yrs old and love a good party, but trust me when I say it sounded like a car was parked in the living area and the bass was banging. Some other guy was there for a convention and told them he was going to check out if the music didn't stop.
Finally at 3am there was silence. We were exhausted the whole way home yesterday and will NEVER stay at the Boardwalk again due to all the cavalier attitudes we encountered that night. I was told by Lori that it was rented out for gay week and when I asked her then since this happens every year, why weren't we forewarned that we would feel like we were staying at a Motel 6 for the night she just shrugged her shoulders.
The rest of our trip was amazing and I will post a report later. Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[timC]

Interesting...On a different thread I commented about that same party.

Oh yeah... that happened to us this trip as well. At about 11pm, what must have been a private party at MGM cranked up with booming music. I was surprised how loud it was... DW was not very impressed. At midnight, they set off a major fireworks show, very similar to the Wishes show at MK. We had a perfect view... not bad for a standard view room!

DW also complained...we didn't ask for our points back though. I was too exhausted after our long day at AK then evening at Epcot to care. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Gay weekend you say... it must have been one heck of a bash. :thewave:

 

[birdiesunshine]

I wish I had your room. The minute I put my head on the pillow I felt as though there was a drum underneath it and it sounded like the same techno song the whole dang time! I wanted to throw myself off our balcony at one point, but didn't think I was high enough up to kill myself and I didn't want to take a trip to the emergency room if I ended up just breaking something.

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

Wow!! That music must have been REAL loud. I spend roughly 200 nights / year in hotel rooms and have learned to live with a lot. A raging party and real loud music is one I have NOT learned to live with very well.

I always try to drown out hotel noise with the air conditioner/heater, fans, washer/dryer, dishwasher, whatever.... Did you guys try anything like this or was it just too dang loud and it didn't bother?

BTW: We too are staying at BWV in October and I sure hope there are no parties

 

[pumpkinboy]

A loud party at MGM, while annoying, is not really the hotel manager's fault, but is rather a WDW problem. It was Disney management who rented out MGM for the function, and Disney management who should be adressing and mitigating the repercussions. They did the right thing giving you the points back for that last night, and that is more than most hotels will do in the case that the objection is something out of their control. I do sympathize, however, and know how rip-roaring mad I would be in the same circumstance. But there is nothing the hotel staff could do, since the problem was well off property.

But WOW , that musta been some loud that you would be disturbed my it all the way over at BWV! Most reviewers note that they do not even hear the fireworks with the doors and windows closed, so that must have been a humdinger of a party!

Time to write a complaint letter to WDW management, as there really should be some limits. I hope lots of folks complain about it so others don't suffer the way you all did in the future.

 

[foofanella]

I never realized that BWV were so close to MGM - I thought it was like a 15 minute walk!

 

[sgtdisney]

We had something similar happen to us during the first weekend of June last year, except we were at OKW. It wasn't so bad there, I could just hear the noise when I was standing by the front window in the 2nd bedroom. It was, as you described, a lot like a loud boom, boom, boom. At the time I was wondering who would have that kind of party at OKW, it seemed loud enough that I thought for sure it was in another unit and was glad I wasn't in that building. I found out when I got home that it was one of the private parties for the Gay Days at Disney. I think they said it was at Typhoon Lagoon. Luckily, for us, it wasn't so loud that it kept me awake.

 

[CarolMN]

With the possible exception of New Year's Eve, I've neither read nor heard of any excessively loud after hours parties in the parks except during the first week of June. IMHO, Disney could easily solve the problem by controlling the bass decibels - it's the constant pounding of the bass that travels and becomes unbearable.

Anyway, if you don't visit at that time, you shouldn't have to worry about noise - unless of course, you draw noisy next door "neighbors" in the room assignment lottery.


Best wishes -

 

[birdiesunshine]

Originally posted by Montana Disney Fan
Wow!! That music must have been REAL loud. I spend roughly 200 nights / year in hotel rooms and have learned to live with a lot. A raging party and real loud music is one I have NOT learned to live with very well.

I always try to drown out hotel noise with the air conditioner/heater, fans, washer/dryer, dishwasher, whatever.... Did you guys try anything like this or was it just too dang loud and it didn't bother?

BTW: We too are staying at BWV in October and I sure hope there are no parties

Funny you should ask, we were running the washer and dryer for about 2 loads and the music was as loud as stated above. When the wash would stop it got worse!!!!

 

[DebbieB]

I find it ironic that Disney always goes out of their way to make it clear that Gay Days are not sponsored by them, it is not an official WDW event. But then they rent out the parks for these loud parties until all hours. I remember the Typhoon Lagoon story from a couple years ago. Surely they knew who they were renting out to and that they planned loud music which would disturb all their other guests. If any "unofficial" group was having a loud party in their hotel, they would be kicked out immediately but they allow this to go on and disturb hundreds of other guests. Shows what some $$$$$$$ will do.

There was nothing the BW manager could do, this was top WDW's management's fault.

 

[timC]

Originally posted by birdiesunshine
Funny you should ask, we were running the washer and dryer for about 2 loads and the music was as loud as stated above. When the wash would stop it got worse!!!!

That's what we did too... We put a load in the dryer. Although it didn't completely drown out the music, it seemed to work well enough for us.

I agree with others. BWV wouldn't have been able to do much here. WDW rented out the park not DVC, and they were probably responsible for the entertainment too. Still our complaints may become a topic at the next WDW management meeting.

 

[MiaSRN62]

With the possible exception of New Year's Eve, I've neither read nor heard of any excessively loud after hours parties in the parks except during the first week of June.

In '98, while staying at the WL (prior to becoming DVC Members), we were up until at least 1 am from loud noise/music coming from the MK. The next morning when we asked about it, we found out it was from Grad Night. This was the 2nd week of May.

 

[TnRobin]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I remind you to stay on topic on this thread. Any post commenting on other people's lifestyle choices are considered off topic. These type post have been and will be deleted.

Thank you

 

[Disney Doll]

There are a few of those kinds of "nights" each year at WDW. Night of JOy rents out the MK, Grad Night rents out the MK, and it seems form a couple of the posters that the gay folks rent out MGM for a night too.

Short of stopping all private group events, since you can't allow one and not the other based on folks' lifestyle choices, maybe WDW just needs to police things a little better. Not so much booming bass.

At least you got some compensation in the form of your points back. Really, the hotel manager probably did all he/she could.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by CarolMN
With the possible exception of New Year's Eve, I've neither read nor heard of any excessively loud after hours parties in the parks except during the first week of June. IMHO, Disney could easily solve the problem by controlling the bass decibels - it's the constant pounding of the bass that travels and becomes unbearable.

Anyway, if you don't visit at that time, you shouldn't have to worry about noise - unless of course, you draw noisy next door "neighbors" in the room assignment lottery.


Best wishes -

Carol is right, it's not that it's loud it's the decibels of the bass which could be lowered. It's very similar to the blast sound you get from fireworks, except the fireworks don't go on and on. It will literally shake the windows and raddle the doors.

Where I live we have some drive by teens that do the same thing and it shacks the pictures on my walls.

Sad as eventually they are all going to be deaf.

 

[Desperado]

I've seem many posts about WDW Gay days as beeing especially noisy. Info is available here regarding the dates and activities if you wish to join in or avoid.
http://www.gaydays.com/
We typically avoid these dates, but that's just our personal preference. This site lets me know when those dates are. Others may really enjoy the party.

 

[ceejay13]

In all my stays at the BWV we have never experienced any noise like you described, and yes it is a 15" walk to MGM. I would have been upset, as well. Like one of the previous posters I agree that it is a WDW problem and I wonder if the Swan and Dolphin, Yacht and Beach Club had any issues. I certainly think they need to be reasonable about the level of noise that is allowed. I would send a note to Guest Relations about your experience and see what their response is. It doesn't sound like it is at all related to Gay Days, but what is allowed at these private events, no matter what the celebration.

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by Disney Doll
There are a few of those kinds of "nights" each year at WDW. Night of JOy rents out the MK, Grad Night rents out the MK, and it seems form a couple of the posters that the gay folks rent out MGM for a night too.

Short of stopping all private group events, since you can't allow one and not the other based on folks' lifestyle choices, maybe WDW just needs to police things a little better. Not so much booming bass.

At least you got some compensation in the form of your points back. Really, the hotel manager probably did all he/she could.

I agree that it should be policed better, any group. There should be a time limit on the loud music. Like midnight. 3:00am is ridiculous. What city in America would allow a group to play loud music that could be heard a mile away until 3:00am? I just don't understand the "too bad" attitude they had (WDW management in general) when everyone has paid good money to stay in their hotels, not just the group who rented the park. I'm not saying anything against gay days in particular, I'm talking about any group.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

We were actually at MGM on that Saturday and saw everything set up for what looked like a major function. We asked a Cast Member at the Hat what it was for and he said it was a party that night from 10:00 until 4:00 P.M. We stayed at MGM for Fantasmic and it ran late due to inclement weather, but when we were leaving, the party had not started yet. I never heard the noise myself but they were really set up for a large group. The Cast Member said he heard they paid $80.00 per person to attend that party. Don't know if that is true or not.

I can tell you that from experience in the past on the very same weekend that we received a letter under our door from DVC the night before telling us what parks would be very busy on what days and that we may wish to chose other parks for those days. I guess that was the only way they could possibly warn Guests without spelling it out.

 

[mitcam]

I realize that DVC is not "WDW" but lets be honest folks, most people see the hotels/parks as one.

They do have a responsibility to their guests whether there on points or cash. They find it necessary to tell us to avoid parks but don't find it necessary to tell us about late night parties?

What about those poor families with small children? They are there for family fun -

Information such as - don't go to this park this day make alternate plans and - "sorry" about the loud music, nothing we can do! Seem to be unaceptable to me.

Honestly I don't care who they rent to. I would love to see a concert at MGM myself - not a 4AM and not at the expense of other people! Doesn't WDW have control over the level of sound?

If I rent a hall there are rules an outside vendor has to follow regarding noise etc... You can't crank your music and interfere with the hall next door? It is not like Disney to not have rules so my guess is the $$$ makes up for the rule breaking!

Glad I didn't stay at that end of Boardwalk. I didn't hear a thing, sorry about your last night!