LIve from CSR...first a fiasco, but now I don't want to go!!!

[Crazy4mandms]

Just extended my stay for a night! I have to tell you, the first night was a TOTAL FIASCO and I wanted to just leave and not come back. I drove down and was so close that I figured I would check in a night early.....called..yep no problem (my mom is FL res but they let me check in w/o her on the deal that she would be there early next am so I got the FL res rate for extra night).....then the trouble began......I checked in at 9pm....went to room..it is already occupied!! It is just me and 2 10 yr olds, 7 bags....flag down a golf cart..not enough room for us but ask the guy to radio front desk...he doesn't have the capability ( )...call from my cell phone...they apologize say they'll get right on it...i tell them that i will wait at dig site...1/2 hours goes by...45 mins...I call them back..."oh, well we sent someone to get you outside the room and u weren't there"...so you couldn't call me back on my cell to find out where I was?? Apology...we will send someone right over with new keys...I tell them I have 2 children and lots of bags..no problem help is on the way....well, 11:00 and still NO HELP!!! Call again!! Finally, someone arrives at pool to help me get to my new room....remember, 7 bags 2 small kids and me.......they send a tiny little woman on a BICYCLE!!!!! That is when I lost it! I just couldn't figure out why they couldn't send a golf cart!!! So a very nice gentleman (convention guest) helped us with our bags (If I were the hotel manager at this point I would be totally embarrassed at the incompetency and that a resort guest is doing their job!!). I HATED my room..i requested close to digsite (I know, not guaranteed) and I was in Ranchos away from everything! I got to the room at 11:48 woke up at 5 am and called the front desk...I told them that after last night moving me to a better room was the least they could do (I didn't ask for a free night or anything...just make me happy after the crap I went through!). They moved me to Cabanas 8B (100 steps from digsite and 75 steps to bus stop..I counted ) and upgraded me to waterview.

Now that I got that off my chest!!! I am in total awe of this resort! My mom was floored by the landscaping, I was floored by the view from every angle and my kids were floored by the pool, arcade and even the bunnies, ducks and birds that are happily roaming about. The room is spacious enough for 2 adults/2 kids.......El Centro is pricey but they give you a lot of food for the price ($12.95 for enough meat to make 3 good sized fajitas + serving of beans and rice). I'm addicted to the fajitas and I was happy to see that they served lattes (iced, too!!). The only time we had more than 5 people on a bus with us is after WISHES last night and it was not crammed full.

We were supposed to check out today but love it so much we are staying an extra night so that we can truly enjoy the resort! Heading off to a quick morning at EPCOT right now and will be back online later...let me know if you have any questions!!!

 

[CarolA]

Having stayed there several times... if you expect service from that front desk staff you will be disappointed.... That's why I don't stay there unless there are no other moderates open. I have had the occupied room, the maid service where I watched her "rinse" the glasses used by the last occupant and put them back as clean, the room where NOTHING worked (phones or lights and I was told that "we can't do anything until tomorrow... WHAT THE ROOM HAD NO LIGHTS???), the key card set up incorrectly so I either couldn't charge or was shown checking out early. (Considering I think I have only stayed here three of four times, that is quite a list! I have had exactly ONE problem with CBR and none with POR)

Now what I don't get is why you didn't load the luggage back in the car and go pitch a LOUD screaming fit in the lobby. Surely your two kids could have made enough noise to get someone's attention! LOL! Actually I have discovered in my numerous problems here (see above) that phone calls to that front desk are USELESS.

 

[MandaPerry]

Having stayed there several times... if you expect service from that front desk staff you will be disappointed.... That's why I don't stay there unless there are no other moderates open. I have had the occupied room, the maid service where I watched her "rinse" the glasses used by the last occupant and put them back as clean, the room where NOTHING worked (phones or lights and I was told that "we can't do anything until tomorrow... WHAT THE ROOM HAD NO LIGHTS???), the key card set up incorrectly so I either couldn't charge or was shown checking out early. (Considering I think I have only stayed here three of four times, that is quite a list! I have had exactly ONE problem with CBR and none with POR)

Now what I don't get is why you didn't load the luggage back in the car and go pitch a LOUD screaming fit in the lobby. Surely your two kids could have made enough noise to get someone's attention! LOL! Actually I have discovered in my numerous problems here (see above) that phone calls to that front desk are USELESS.

Haveing stayed at mutiple resorts both moderates and deluxes and CSR is our resort of choice - have stayed there many times and have always received nothing but the best service from everyone there. Never a problem, but have really never encounterd a big problem at any resort. Just lucky I guess. Sorry your stays were less than magical.

 

[Crazy4mandms]

Now what I don't get is why you didn't load the luggage back in the car and go pitch a LOUD screaming fit in the lobby. Surely your two kids could have made enough noise to get someone's attention! LOL! Actually I have discovered in my numerous problems here (see above) that phone calls to that front desk are USELESS.

We didn't do this because I parked where the front desk lady told me to (mistake no. 1) and it seemed like we walked 1/2 mile to get to our room and didn't seem smart to me to walk all the way back to the car when the The little golf cart driver said the dig site was 'just around that corner' so I figured the kids would be occupied there and it would be a much shorter walk than returning to my car. The guy's just around the corner seemed like anohter 1/2 mile walk!!! If I would have known that I WOULD have returned to my car and not the pool but I figure..pool closer/kids occupied while problem being quickly resolved. If I had another adult with me I would have just walked back to El Centro. Gets kinda tough when only 1 adult

But besides that mess I have had a wonderful stay. We've had towel animals, spotless room and additonal, little requests (extra coffee packs, shampoos) honored. The staff has been wonderful. I feel the problem I had could have happened at any resort, just my bad luck this time around and I haven't let it ruin my vacation nor the idea that this is a great resort. I actually was proud of myself for containing my anger and frustration over it all......wasn't going to let anything ruin this vacation!!

K....off to the dig site!

 

[Buzz2001]

But besides that mess I have had a wonderful stay. We've had towel animals, spotless room and additonal, little requests (extra coffee packs, shampoos) honored. The staff has been wonderful. I feel the problem I had could have happened at any resort, just my bad luck this time around and I haven't let it ruin my vacation nor the idea that this is a great resort. I actually was proud of myself for containing my anger and frustration over it all......wasn't going to let anything ruin this vacation!!

K....off to the dig site!

Glad you are having a great time after the mishap the first day. These things can happen anywhere. I feel you can get more accomplish the way you handled it rather than storming off and having a "screaming fit".

The staff has always been great for us.

Have a great time!!

 

[F4disneyfan]

Having stayed there several times... if you expect service from that front desk staff you will be disappointed.... That's why I don't stay there unless there are no other moderates open. I have had the occupied room, the maid service where I watched her "rinse" the glasses used by the last occupant and put them back as clean, the room where NOTHING worked (phones or lights and I was told that "we can't do anything until tomorrow... WHAT THE ROOM HAD NO LIGHTS???), the key card set up incorrectly so I either couldn't charge or was shown checking out early. (Considering I think I have only stayed here three of four times, that is quite a list! I have had exactly ONE problem with CBR and none with POR)

Now what I don't get is why you didn't load the luggage back in the car and go pitch a LOUD screaming fit in the lobby. Surely your two kids could have made enough noise to get someone's attention! LOL! Actually I have discovered in my numerous problems here (see above) that phone calls to that front desk are USELESS.

CSR has by far been opne of the best on property resorts for front desk attentiveness we have encountered at Disney you must be one of the unlucky ones that has been flagged as a problem guest we hear about. We have had better service from CSR than WL or CR.

 

[PamNC]

I guess it really could happen anywhere though. We've stayed at CSR twice, not recently though. Nonetheless, both times we encountered great service.

PamNC

 

[Sammie]

Ok first of the treatment of th OP was absolutely not acceptable.

That said I can offer some suggestions for others to help possibly avoid this.

When you call in route to the hotel and add an additional night your previous requests are going to be lost to you and you are going to get at 9pm or this case much later due to the confusion on the staff's part, any room still available. Which bascially means most rooms others don't want.

If you have lots of luggage get help at check in, I would never set off to a room by myself late at night and especially with kids. They should be helping you. Then if there is mixup, they are right there to take you back to the desk and deal with your luggage.

I am so glad the moved you and everything worked out.

 

[robinb]

I'm sorry you received such bad service! They should have sent someone to help you much earlier.

 

[CarolA]

CSR has by far been opne of the best on property resorts for front desk attentiveness we have encountered at Disney you must be one of the unlucky ones that has been flagged as a problem guest we hear about. We have had better service from CSR than WL or CR.

Sorry, but I am NOT a problem guest. I guess YOU would have stayed in the room with NO LIGHTS or telephone... ...... (Things I learned, the phone system at Disney needs power to work.. the girl at the front desk told me that and then said "but there is nothing we can do until tomorrow" When I asked her find a manager she huffed and puffed and FINALLY deemed it worth her time to "see if there might be one around" The manager then gave me the "we are full" line and said "don't you think you could live with it tonight??? HUH? I think power and phone are BASICS in a hotel. I asked him if HE wanted to spend a summer night in this room and he shut up in a hurry and after some more "huffing and puffing" found me another room. I was never offered an apology etc.)

I travel every week and have a very high tolerance. However, this was just PLAIN stupid.....I don't do room inspections, I don't expect a room next to the pool, front desk etc. (I don't really care where it is) I don't care if its a handicapped room. (I do however NOT want to share it with other guests I don't know... guess that makes me a problem???) I make generally only one room request, non smoking and don't complain if I don't get that .... And now I am your idea of a problem guest????

Now that said I had better service at CSR then the GF..... That place was a joke.

I however, do no subscibe to your "If it's Disney it's WONDERFUL" theory apparently.

 

[clonetothebone]

When we checked in in 2003 my wife went to use the restroom immediately and found a deposit in the comode from someone and it was obvious that if she tried to flush it we were going to have a flood. Apparently either mousekeeping didn't report it or the repairs were overlooked. Anyway, we called down to guest services and within 5-10 minutes we had a cast member at our door ready to take us to another room. He handled the bagage and situation very well. We went to a room in the next building which we liked better anyway(view of courtyard instead of parking lot)and never had another problem the entire trip.

I agree with a previous poster that getting mad and in someones face doesn't do much good and the OP handled herself very well.

 

[Crazy4mandms]

Ok first of the treatment of th OP was absolutely not acceptable.

That said I can offer some suggestions for others to help possibly avoid this.

When you call in route to the hotel and add an additional night your previous requests are going to be lost to you and you are going to get at 9pm or this case much later due to the confusion on the staff's part, any room still available. Which bascially means most rooms others don't want.

This is one of the reasons I stayed calm...I really felt like they were accomodating me when I called at 8ish and got a room, and they did give me the FL res rate even tho my mom wasn't checking in until the next morning (that is a tough one since they are very strict about using that FL discount!). I think I would have been fine withe the original room if I hadn't gone through what I had gone through. I just felt like it was handled so poorly that they 'owed' me something (which of course is not true, but I was angry and that was where my mind was at the time!). The most important thing to me was that I kept telling myself that I was NOT going to let it ruin my vacation and I was not going to get all upset and scream and yell in front of my kids and ruin their vacation.

Does anyone have any ??? I can answer for them while I'm here? We're heading off for one last night swim at the awesome pool but I'll be back before check out! Thanks all for letting me vent up there!!!

 

[Buzz2001]

Does anyone have any ??? I can answer for them while I'm here? We're heading off for one last night swim at the awesome pool but I'll be back before check out! Thanks all for letting me vent up there!!!

Have a margarita poolside for me!!

 

[F4disneyfan]

Sorry, but I am NOT a problem guest. I guess YOU would have stayed in the room with NO LIGHTS or telephone... ...... (Things I learned, the phone system at Disney needs power to work.. the girl at the front desk told me that and then said "but there is nothing we can do until tomorrow" When I asked her find a manager she huffed and puffed and FINALLY deemed it worth her time to "see if there might be one around" The manager then gave me the "we are full" line and said "don't you think you could live with it tonight??? HUH? I think power and phone are BASICS in a hotel. I asked him if HE wanted to spend a summer night in this room and he shut up in a hurry and after some more "huffing and puffing" found me another room. I was never offered an apology etc.)

I travel every week and have a very high tolerance. However, this was just PLAIN stupid.....I don't do room inspections, I don't expect a room next to the pool, front desk etc. (I don't really care where it is) I don't care if its a handicapped room. (I do however NOT want to share it with other guests I don't know... guess that makes me a problem???) I make generally only one room request, non smoking and don't complain if I don't get that .... And now I am your idea of a problem guest????

Now that said I had better service at CSR then the GF..... That place was a joke.

I however, do no subscibe to your "If it's Disney it's WONDERFUL" theory apparently.

Well by the look of your initial post you make it sound like every time you go to CSR you have nothing but trouble and put up a fuss about things. You know the old saying you catch more flies with honey and a smile and pleasentries goes much further than yelling and screaming wether you are the customer or employee.

 

[CarolA]

Well by the look of your initial post you make it sound like every time you go to CSR you have nothing but trouble and put up a fuss about things. You know the old saying you catch more flies with honey and a smile and pleasentries goes much further than yelling and screaming wether you are the customer or employee.

I have NEVER raised my voice at those idiots working the front desk (which is saying something....) I am more then a little tired of you assuming the "customer is WRONG" for expecting service. However, I have a limit and the OP was well past it.

I went to the front desk after TWO hours of dealing with the power/phone issue in my room. The maintenance guy had admitted it could not be fixed and gotten on his radio to tell the front desk. An hour later no one had shown up to do ANYTHING so I hiked over there. (Even he was amazed at the reaction he got "Well I guess we will try to work something out" was said over the radio. He was very embarrassed looking at the reaction he was getting to our issue) I stood in line for another half hour only to be told "we can't do anything" I nicely told the idiot that I was NOT leaving the counter until we did SOMETHING. She then got a ROYAL attitude with me and told me I had no right to make other guests wait... (She also wanted to know why I didn't just call.. after pointing out two minutes before that "your phone doesn't work if you don't have power" ) At that point I did get a little angry. I told her that I wanted a manager NOW and I was not leaving without one. And the manger was a real piece of work. (He actually told me that he didn't really like dealing with guests.. WHAT IS HE DOING IN THAT JOB???)

If I had been the OP after an hour I would have NOT been nice. Let's get real... they treated her like DIRT, but she should be "little miss nice" There is a point at which standing up for yourself is not only acceptable BUT the only way to go... It sounds to me like she had been more then nice and they took advantage of nice...

(None of my other issues have even been worth getting upset over.. I just figure it's incompetence that I have learned to expect at CSR. I go stand in line, get a new key a new room etc. If I got upset every time a hotel did a bonehead stunt I would have died of stress by now. )

I will stay there, I just have very low expecations.

 

[F4disneyfan]

I have NEVER raised my voice at those idiots working the front desk (which is saying something....) I am more then a little tired of you assuming the "customer is WRONG" for expecting service. However, I have a limit and the OP was well past it.

I went to the front desk after TWO hours of dealing with the power/phone issue in my room. The maintenance guy had admitted it could not be fixed and gotten on his radio to tell the front desk. An hour later no one had shown up to do ANYTHING so I hiked over there. (Even he was amazed at the reaction he got "Well I guess we will try to work something out" was said over the radio. He was very embarrassed looking at the reaction he was getting to our issue) I stood in line for another half hour only to be told "we can't do anything" I nicely told the idiot that I was NOT leaving the counter until we did SOMETHING. She then got a ROYAL attitude with me and told me I had no right to make other guests wait... (She also wanted to know why I didn't just call.. after pointing out two minutes before that "your phone doesn't work if you don't have power" ) At that point I did get a little angry. I told her that I wanted a manager NOW and I was not leaving without one. And the manger was a real piece of work. (He actually told me that he didn't really like dealing with guests.. WHAT IS HE DOING IN THAT JOB???)

If I had been the OP after an hour I would have NOT been nice. Let's get real... they treated her like DIRT, but she should be "little miss nice" There is a point at which standing up for yourself is not only acceptable BUT the only way to go... It sounds to me like she had been more then nice and they took advantage of nice...

(None of my other issues have even been worth getting upset over.. I just figure it's incompetence that I have learned to expect at CSR. I go stand in line, get a new key a new room etc. If I got upset every time a hotel did a bonehead stunt I would have died of stress by now. )

I will stay there, I just have very low expecations.

LOL sorry don't mean to laugh at you but your story makes me laugh. I have had service worse than that but teh thing I do is smile speak nicely to teh employee etc and be courtious. Not only does it get you further in teh long run but it makes people take notice of the attitude you have and your cemenor and you are more respected for that. It also makes the person with the attitude look like the idiot. I work for Visa so I have had my share of idiot customers in my time and the nicer you are to them the more idiotic they feel after you resolve the issue that they yell and scream about for an hour when all they needed to do was ask about it and have the problem corrected promptly LOL.

 

[dolphin01]

I have NEVER raised my voice at those idiots working the front desk (which is saying something....) I am more then a little tired of you assuming the "customer is WRONG" for expecting service. However, I have a limit and the OP was well past it.

I went to the front desk after TWO hours of dealing with the power/phone issue in my room. The maintenance guy had admitted it could not be fixed and gotten on his radio to tell the front desk. An hour later no one had shown up to do ANYTHING so I hiked over there. (Even he was amazed at the reaction he got "Well I guess we will try to work something out" was said over the radio. He was very embarrassed looking at the reaction he was getting to our issue) I stood in line for another half hour only to be told "we can't do anything" I nicely told the idiot that I was NOT leaving the counter until we did SOMETHING. She then got a ROYAL attitude with me and told me I had no right to make other guests wait... (She also wanted to know why I didn't just call.. after pointing out two minutes before that "your phone doesn't work if you don't have power" ) At that point I did get a little angry. I told her that I wanted a manager NOW and I was not leaving without one. And the manger was a real piece of work. (He actually told me that he didn't really like dealing with guests.. WHAT IS HE DOING IN THAT JOB???)

If I had been the OP after an hour I would have NOT been nice. Let's get real... they treated her like DIRT, but she should be "little miss nice" There is a point at which standing up for yourself is not only acceptable BUT the only way to go... It sounds to me like she had been more then nice and they took advantage of nice...

(None of my other issues have even been worth getting upset over.. I just figure it's incompetence that I have learned to expect at CSR. I go stand in line, get a new key a new room etc. If I got upset every time a hotel did a bonehead stunt I would have died of stress by now. )

I will stay there, I just have very low expecations.

I bet they love seeing you coming... And for someone who hates the place so much, you seem to stay there alot. But as you say, there is no sense in arguing with idiots.

Never had any of the CM's treat me badly. Keep up the good job CSR staff!!

 

[Lilolvr]

I have NEVER raised my voice at those idiots working the front desk (which is saying something....) I am more then a little tired of you assuming the "customer is WRONG" for expecting service. However, I have a limit and the OP was well past it.

I went to the front desk after TWO hours of dealing with the power/phone issue in my room. The maintenance guy had admitted it could not be fixed and gotten on his radio to tell the front desk. An hour later no one had shown up to do ANYTHING so I hiked over there. (Even he was amazed at the reaction he got "Well I guess we will try to work something out" was said over the radio. He was very embarrassed looking at the reaction he was getting to our issue) I stood in line for another half hour only to be told "we can't do anything" I nicely told the idiot that I was NOT leaving the counter until we did SOMETHING. She then got a ROYAL attitude with me and told me I had no right to make other guests wait... (She also wanted to know why I didn't just call.. after pointing out two minutes before that "your phone doesn't work if you don't have power" ) At that point I did get a little angry. I told her that I wanted a manager NOW and I was not leaving without one. And the manger was a real piece of work. (He actually told me that he didn't really like dealing with guests.. WHAT IS HE DOING IN THAT JOB???)

If I had been the OP after an hour I would have NOT been nice. Let's get real... they treated her like DIRT, but she should be "little miss nice" There is a point at which standing up for yourself is not only acceptable BUT the only way to go... It sounds to me like she had been more then nice and they took advantage of nice...

(None of my other issues have even been worth getting upset over.. I just figure it's incompetence that I have learned to expect at CSR. I go stand in line, get a new key a new room etc. If I got upset every time a hotel did a bonehead stunt I would have died of stress by now. )

I will stay there, I just have very low expecations.

Never, in any of my stays at WDW let alone CSR did we ever experience CM's like the picture you try to paint.

Why continue to stay at CSR if you hate it so much? Sounds to me like the CM's are not the issue.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I don't understand why posters are attacking CarolA? Do you think she is lying? She was not complaining about a dust bunny in the corner of her room or lack of soap or something trivial...everything she mentioned was a true problem that needed to be addressed. She was open minded enough to give CSR several tries. Why are you coming down on her for that? I personally love CSR but have only stayed there once. CarolA's posts don't really make me question CSR, I am sure I will be staying there again. I do think she just had REALLY bad luck each time, and I cannot say I blame her for not wanting to go back.

 

[cxcelica]

I don't understand why posters are attacking CarolA? Do you think she is lying? She was not complaining about a dust bunny in the corner of her room or lack of soap or something trivial...everything she mentioned was a true problem that needed to be addressed. She was open minded enough to give CSR several tries. Why are you coming down on her for that? I personally love CSR but have only stayed there once. CarolA's posts don't really make me question CSR, I am sure I will be staying there again. I do think she just had REALLY bad luck each time, and I cannot say I blame her for not wanting to go back.

I dont think she is being attacked because her issues were not real, but just the way she handled them.

She is referring to everyone as idiots. She apparently was just raging at everyone, and there is a time to scream and a time to be calm. Like the old saying goes, Sometimes it is easier to catch a fly with honey than with vinegar.

The only thing I can say that would upset me is that she would not move aside from the desk when she was in the lobby. If I had been waiting in line to check in and was being held up because a woman would not step aside from the check in desk, I would not be happy about that. If the person could not help you ask for a manager and then step aside. Don't stand there screaming at the check in person and calling her an idiot. I am surprised someone did not say something to her.