MNSSHP 2015 - Be Prepared For Chaos

[Disney Dynamite]

Yesterday, I received a call from a CM in Guest Services, following up on my email. After having me walk her through our night at the Halloween party, she went over all of my concerns with me. I explained that more than anything else, I was frustrated that we had spent so much on party tickets, only to see so many people who obviously had not. I explained that the event was chaotic, and the CMs seemed completely overwhelmed. She said she couldn't give me a refund for our four party tickets but offered me four complementary one-day passes with the park hopper option. I really appreciated the gesture, and honestly, those tickets are worth more than what we paid for the party (even though they obviously cost Disney nothing). Since the tickets can't be upgraded, my mom and I are going to use them on our two-day visit in November. We had planned on buying a one-day ticket to HS and a Christmas party ticket for the tune of $182 each. Now, we get to go to all the parks for free and avoid the Christmas party, so there's my silver lining.

 

[jpeden]

Yesterday, I received a call from a CM in Guest Services, following up on my email. After having me walk her through our night at the Halloween party, she went over all of my concerns with me. I explained that more than anything else, I was frustrated that we had spent so much on party tickets, only to see so many people who obviously had not. I explained that the event was chaotic, and the CMs seemed completely overwhelmed. She said she couldn't give me a refund for our four party tickets but offered me four complementary one-day passes with the park hopper option. I really appreciated the gesture, and honestly, those tickets are worth more than what we paid for the party (even though they obviously cost Disney nothing). Since the tickets can't be upgraded, my mom and I are going to use them on our two-day visit in November. We had planned on buying a one-day ticket to HS and a Christmas party ticket for the tune of $182 each. Now, we get to go to all the parks for free and avoid the Christmas party, so there's my silver lining.

I'm glad that you got a CM that was actually interested in listening to your problems. Mine just wanted to argue since he was also at the first party. Still not understanding why Disney isn't being consistent with what they're giving out. They told me they could not give out one day park hoppers, but they'd give me a refund. I didn't want to take the one day base tickets as they would have been wasted and of no use to my wife and I. I explained to him I didn't want to take something we weren't going to use as that seemed wasteful. Glad they came through for you though - just wish they'd be consistent on their replacement options.

 

[Disney Dynamite]

I'm glad that you got a CM that was actually interested in listening to your problems. Mine just wanted to argue since he was also at the first party. Still not understanding why Disney isn't being consistent with what they're giving out. They told me they could not give out one day park hoppers, but they'd give me a refund. I didn't want to take the one day base tickets as they would have been wasted and of no use to my wife and I. I explained to him I didn't want to take something we weren't going to use as that seemed wasteful. Glad they came through for you though - just wish they'd be consistent on their replacement options.

The CM I spoke to was wonderful. This was the first complaint email I've ever written to Disney, and I was happy with how it was handled. I can't imagine how frustrating it would have been to talk to someone who wanted to argue about my experience. On top of that, I can't believe the CM told you they did a clean sweep of the park and that he was checked for a wristband multiple times. We were checked exactly once at the beginning of the party (where we witnessed the CM let a group without wristbands just continue on their way), and we never saw anything that even remotely resembled a clean sweep.

 

[disneynutz]

The CM I spoke to was wonderful. This was the first complaint email I've ever written to Disney, and I was happy with how it was handled. I can't imagine how frustrating it would have been to talk to someone who wanted to argue about my experience. On top of that, I can't believe the CM told you they did a clean sweep of the park and that he was checked for a wristband multiple times. We were checked exactly once at the beginning of the party (where we witnessed the CM let a group without wristbands just continue on their way), and we never saw anything that even remotely resembled a clean sweep.

I expect that Disney will use the MB's to weed out non event payers in the future.

Bill

 

[bc7ate9]

Exactly this! Was there the 25th as well.

Same here...it broke my heart...I dodn't think it would be possible for me to NOT have fun at the Halloween party. I've been to rainy parties and sold out parties before and it was NEVER like it was on 9/25.

 

[Amw1064]

Same here...it broke my heart...I dodn't think it would be possible for me to NOT have fun at the Halloween party. I've been to rainy parties and sold out parties before and it was NEVER like it was on 9/25.

I wrote an email early on Sunday morning and went step by step through the night and all I got was a response email that said they were sorry and would show my email to the appropriate people. Not happy with Disney and not ever paying extra money for an event again!

 

[fitzperry]

Sadly I have to agree about not going again. It used to be a relaxed, yet slightly hectic time to enjoy the Magic Kingdom for a few hours with lower crowds, decent wait times, and a few special events to enjoy if you chose to. Now Disney just seems intent on cramming people into the park at any cost and if you add FP+ to it, it's no longer a special event - it's just an another crowded day at the most magical place on Earth.

Maybe we've just been lucky, but that really has not been our experience. I've been to MNSSHP twice (most recently last Sunday) and MVMCP 3x (if memory serves). I agree the special event lines can be long (particularly the characters) but ride lines are generally pretty short. At the Halloween party last Sunday, the mine train was 30-40 mins so we skipped that. HM fluctuated but we managed to ride when the line was short (maybe 10 mins), and the storyteller out front who you could watch from the queue was fabulous. PP was 20 mins or so, but with the new queue, we didn't mind that wait. I can't think of anything else that wasn't essentially a walk-on pretty much the entire evening. And we sat down with plenty of room in the Wishes fp+ area just a few minutes before Hallow-wishes. If the character lines had been shorter, we'd have done more of that, but overall it was a fun night.

 

[disneynutz]

I wrote an email early on Sunday morning and went step by step through the night and all I got was a response email that said they were sorry and would show my email to the appropriate people. Not happy with Disney and not ever paying extra money for an event again!

Appropriate people is probably the name of their shredder. Disney knows what they have done, they set the stage, they are in the middle of events, they see and feel the guests reactions, they see the length of the lines and with MBs they can track the movements of the crowds.

Bill

 

[jpeden]

The CM I spoke to was wonderful. This was the first complaint email I've ever written to Disney, and I was happy with how it was handled. I can't imagine how frustrating it would have been to talk to someone who wanted to argue about my experience. On top of that, I can't believe the CM told you they did a clean sweep of the park and that he was checked for a wristband multiple times. We were checked exactly once at the beginning of the party (where we witnessed the CM let a group without wristbands just continue on their way), and we never saw anything that even remotely resembled a clean sweep.

Our wristbands were checked once - while in line for the Seven Dwarves Meet and Greet. Other than that we were never asked to show our bands. Granted, we were wearing short sleeves, but there was not an active presence to actually check bands - like I said, Disney refunded the tickets so I can't really complain, but the one day park hoppers would have been nice as they would have actually been useful on our next trip, unlike what Disney wanted to offer me.

I'm still amazed they were so hard about not giving us tickets to the Christmas Party instead, simply because those were of less value than the one day one park tickets they wanted to offer us.

 

[han22735]

It is so weird how the different CM's are handling each email complaint differently. I had a lovely apologetic CM and I never once asked for any compensation and she just came right out and said "I've refunded the cost of your 5 tickets". I couldn't have been happier. But I am also done with the parties for the foreseeable future.

 

[fitzperry]

FWIW, when we were there on 9/20 I saw cast members at the hub and in Frontierland asking people without wristbands to leave the park. I also noticed cast members noticing our bands as we entered the lines for rides.

 

[lugnut33]

I went to MNSSHP last night 9-25-15 and we did not enjoy it at all. It was so crowded that the lines for candy that were being given out were so long. Because of the rain they had moved all of the candy stops in fantsy land to one spot and it was only 2 candy holder giving out. Then the 1st parade was delayed and the 9:20 was delayed. The fireworks went off on time so that was the up to the night. I don't go to the special events for the rides, I'm there for the events that they don't normally have. The crowds were just too much, I have gone to early events in past years and they were not crowded at all. Did not have a very good time because of the crowds not the rain, because rain doesn't stop us from having a good time.

Can we just blame that on people without wristbands also?

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'm kind of nervous about MVMCP now. We've never been to any parties before. This thread turned me off of trying to do Halloween next year.

 

[bc7ate9]

Can we just blame that on people without wristbands also?

I was at the 9/25 party and everywhere I turned, CMs were checking wristbands. I don't think that's really an issue anymore.

 

[shameless3]

It is so weird how the different CM's are handling each email complaint differently. I had a lovely apologetic CM and I never once asked for any compensation and she just came right out and said "I've refunded the cost of your 5 tickets". I couldn't have been happier. But I am also done with the parties for the foreseeable future.

After playing phone tag, the CM and I were finally able to speak with each other. I also had a lovely, sympathetic CM who apologized profusely and offered a free ticket with park hopper and water parks. I really wasn't expecting compensation, I merely wanted to express my disappointment with the first party and the way it was handled.

 

[puffkin]

Was there last night for the sold out party. Breezed in right after 4 with our party ticket. Got the Sorceror's card (they marked our party band). Did a bunch of rides and used our 3 FP+, and hit Columbia Harbor House for dinner right when the rain hit. Once the party started, we got asked at least 15 times to see our party bands. We were back in Adventureland enjoying Dole Whips and they asked a bunch of times.

We did not do any character meets, and the candy lines were absolutely insane. We rode rides with minimal waits during the first few hours. Most were walk ons and they did check bands quite a few times. We walked right into the hub for Celebrate the Magic and Hallowishes. No need to stake out a spot early, it's so much better with the new design. After the fireworks we did a bunch of rides in Tomorrowland, and finally hit a few treat stations as the lines were much better. Got a spot in Frontierland for the second parade about 5 minutes before it started. After the parade, hit a few more treat stations and jumped in the 7DMT right before midnight. Caught the last Castle show on the way out.

It wasn't empty, but we got TONS done with little waiting or rushing around. It was super sticky and the downpour at the beginning was a bummer as we got soaked and no Horseman, but we had s great time for sold out party!

 

[Amw1064]

After playing phone tag, the CM and I were finally able to speak with each other. I also had a lovely, sympathetic CM who apologized profusely and offered a free ticket with park hopper and water parks. I really wasn't expecting compensation, I merely wanted to express my disappointment with the first party and the way it was handled.

Are all of you emailing or calling about your visit? I attempted guest relations at the park but the line was way to long.

 

[Disney Dynamite]

Are all of you emailing or calling about your visit? I attempted guest relations at the park but the line was way to long.

I sent an email directly to WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com and received an email from a CM in Guest Services, letting me know that she received my message and would be calling me. We talked on the phone yesterday.

 

[Amw1064]

"We are sorry for the disappointments you mentioned in your email. It is our goal to create magical memories and exceed the expectations of our Guests during each and every interaction that you have with us. Please be assured that we have shared your comments with our leadership team, along with the appropriate management, as feedback such as yours is taken very seriously.
Once again, thank you for contacting us. We sincerely hope that we will have an opportunity to entertain you soon.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us."


I used a different email and this is what I received back.

 

[jhaig]

I sent an email directly to WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com and received an email from a CM in Guest Services, letting me know that she received my message and would be calling me. We talked on the phone yesterday.

Same here. I emailed first then got a call back a few days later.