MNSSHP Oct 11 NOT so great...long...anyone else have problems?

[20yBWDW]

As Disney continues to raise prices so do people's expectations of what they are getting for that money. I don't see Disney putting a stop to raising prices and people are going to keep raising their expectations whenever there is a price increase.

Therefore, if I were a castmember I would expect more rude people in the parks and I would expect more people to be upset by little things. If somebody pays a lot of money to enter the park and really want to ride Pirates, imagine how they feel when they show up and it's not working? While it doesn't justify them being a jerk, I can see how it happens.

It's like sports teams. They have raised prices through the roof and people expect them to field a winning team. When they don't field a winning team the fans will boo.

I don't understand the sentiment I bolded. My grocery prices increase every year. I do not expect to receive more than 12 eggs in a carton just because I am paying more than I previously paid.

Then again, I do not understand the mentality that the guests are entitled to be pissy about having expectations they made up on their own not being met, but the cast members who are being paid a piddly amount are not entitled to be anything less than cheerful or chipper.

 

[20yBWDW]

The problem with this mentality is that it cannot ultimately work. Here is the problem: people have high expectations regardless if Disney raises prices or not...ok, that's fine, I am not saying you shouldn't expect quality. But they expect every ride to be operational 100% of the time because, as you put it, they paid prices that have been raised through the roof. They expect those rides to be in tip top shape without ever breaking down, without paint ever fading, without there being a speck of dust. How does the expectation remain logical without the rides shutting down? Now I realize there is a difference between a ride breaking down and a ride being closed for refurb and that you are not arguing against refurb closures. But the mentality is still there..."I paid x amount of money and I wanted to ride Pirates! Boo Disney!" No matter what ride is schedule to be closed for refurb, you will inevitably find someone just as upset as someone who experienced a ride breaking down. So you basically just have people who throw fits if the rides break down...but then throw fits because Disney closes the rides to make sure those issues don't continue happening. They want to have their cake and eat it too. It just doesn't work that way. The rides cannot operate 100% of the time. If we want to see rides operating as intended, that means they have to close sometimes...and that means someone, in the end, will not be able to ride it...which only leads to a different complaint thread..."Ugh, I can't believe it will be closed during my vacation!!" And I have seen plenty of those complaints. Disney gets the complaints when the rides break down and for when the ride is going through rehab to make sure it doesn't break down. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium.

It is not logical to believe that the parks will operate smoothly 100% of the time without ever having to be worked on. If people are spending so much that they need to have impossible expectations me to feel they got their money's worth, maybe they need to rethink whether they can actually afford that vacation.

 

[lugnut33]

I think it's one thing to show up knowing a ride will be down, and quite another to show up and have the ride down unexpectedly. Like I said, it doesn't give anybody carte blanche to be a jerk.

As for the egg prices going up, how much are a carton of eggs and do many people get riled up over an extra 10 cents? Also, have you heard nobody complaining about the cost of food going up? Now just imagine coming to the store and sections of the lights being turned off, yet they are raising prices. That is a more appropriate example.

 

[WDSearcher]

Just one comment regarding the whole, "We've gotten so many complaints, we're not taking any more" thing ...

The OP was wanting Disney to take her name and complaint so that they would contact her and tell her what happened or give some sort of resolution. Based on what the CM said, she'd had many many complaints. So at the point the OP complained, it was highly unlikely that Disney was going to be able to get back to everyone who complained. This is likely what the CM was trying to say, but wasn't communicating well. Plus, once the complaint has been made -- unless you're planning on asking for money back or whatever -- Disney doesn't really make "informational calls" back. Can you imagine how many calls they'd be making per day if they did that for everyone who sent a letter or e-mail? It would be insane!

OP -- if you want Disney to specifically read your complaints and respond directly to you, then you need to take the advice of others and send them an e-mail or letter. Request a response, provide a valid daytime number, and then wait a reasonable amount of time. Remember that they get a lot of mail and e-mail every day, and are probably not going to call you back the next day for a generalized complaint about a party that they already know was an epic fail. But if you really want to talk to someone about your experience, write the letter or e-mail, ask for a response and be patient.

It will also help a great deal if you go back through your night and really think about what Disney truly did wrong. Closing the candy lines at midnight for a party that ends at midnight isn't really something they did wrong, KWIM? Also think about the elements of the party you enjoyed -- fireworks, character greetings, parade, whatever. If you can balance out your complaints with a mention of something you enjoyed, it will help Disney see that you're not in it just to complain, complain, complain. You attended the entire party, you enjoyed several things, you had a lot of disappointments. A laundry list of things that went wrong will be kind of skimmed over. A few well-written lines of disappointments that you thought could have gone better will get you a lot more interest.

If you want compensation -- refund, whatever -- ask for it. Make your case and request your compensation. If you don't want anything other than Disney's time in looking over your concerns and a chance to speak to someone about it -- say that too. Disney can't read your mind. If there's a result you want, let them know.

Good luck!

 

[WDSearcher]

I think it's one thing to show up knowing a ride will be down, and quite another to show up and have the ride down unexpectedly. Like I said, it doesn't give anybody carte blanche to be a jerk.

As for the egg prices going up, how much are a carton of eggs and do many people get riled up over an extra 10 cents? Also, have you heard nobody complaining about the cost of food going up? Now just imagine coming to the store and sections of the lights being turned off, yet they are raising prices. That is a more appropriate example.

My grocery store has posted on the doors that, in order to save money and energy, lights will be low during the day and turned up at night. A lot of PetCo stores are doing this too. Prices are still going up at normal rates though.

Just sayin' ...

 

[mking624]

I think it's one thing to show up knowing a ride will be down, and quite another to show up and have the ride down unexpectedly. Like I said, it doesn't give anybody carte blanche to be a jerk.

As for the egg prices going up, how much are a carton of eggs and do many people get riled up over an extra 10 cents? Also, have you heard nobody complaining about the cost of food going up? Now just imagine coming to the store and sections of the lights being turned off, yet they are raising prices. That is a more appropriate example.

Yes I did say there is a difference between a ride breaking down and a ride being closed for refurb. That said, the mentality some people have is still the same. There are people who will complain if the ride isn't up and running 100% of the time, regardless of the reason behind it. We find people complaining here about break downs...and we find people complaining here about scheduled refurbs. There are always disappointed, and sometimes angry, people no matter what because there will always be someone who misses out on the ride. That is why I don't think the mentality of "I paid x amount of money and can't even go on x ride" is logical. Especially when you take into consideration that there are plenty of people who don't know refurb schedules...so for them it may come as a shock when they arrive and the ride isn't running. And ultimately you are right: it is not license for bad behavior.

 

[rosebud4]

I am taking my daughter to the party on the 31st. I fully expect it to be crowded and merchandise to have sold out. I prepared ahead for the merchandise to be gone from the party and the Halloween merchandise by using a personal shopping service I found on Facebook. She's a great personal shopper, posts all the pictures of the available merchandise and will deliver to your resort or mail home for you. I found this to be a better solution than being disappointed that I was unable to get something I truely wanted.

 

[gator girl]

One question remains though, besides increased frequency of MNSSHP's have they increased the number of tickets sold per party?

While Disney does not release that proprietary information, anecdotal evidence says yes.

 

[jesswindsor]

I hate that you had such a bad time. Rides break down, it sucks, but it happens. And if getting a t-shirt or pin is important, they put them out at 7, by the end of the party the bigger size shirts are going to be gone. They only put a few out every party. I don't agree with trying to get your money back from the party seeing that you stayed for the whole thing. But I do wish that you would have had a better time.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Is OP for real! Seriously. You couldn't get more candy or a t shirt and you think that is a reason for a refund?


You appear to be older then a toddler, but this post was a toddler having a fit because the world does not revolve around him.

 

[MoonFaerie]

I think it's one thing to show up knowing a ride will be down, and quite another to show up and have the ride down unexpectedly. Like I said, it doesn't give anybody carte blanche to be a jerk.

As for the egg prices going up, how much are a carton of eggs and do many people get riled up over an extra 10 cents? Also, have you heard nobody complaining about the cost of food going up? Now just imagine coming to the store and sections of the lights being turned off, yet they are raising prices. That is a more appropriate example.

That's not really a valid comparison. It's not like Disney is purposely breaking the rides.

When we were at MNSSHP on the 12th, without the kids, I wanted to ride Splash, since DS won't ride it. It was down though. I can't imagine getting made and demanding a refund. I shrugged my shoulders and just headed on to the Haunted Mansion instead. It was hardly a crisis.

We usually go to Disney in late Dec. The year specific stuff is always already gone with the new stuff out. Should I have been complaining all these years? I was tempted to buy a 2012 pin or shirt this year though, just because I could. LOL

 

[Mad-Jasper]

And that fact that it did enter the OP's mind leaves me with no sympathy for them whatsoever. To stay the whole party, and then complain when they shut everything down right at Midnight, when the park closes?

Wow. When Disney stops being nice and giving out compensation for their non-refundable parties, we will all know why. Too many people with this kind of thought process. I can't understand enjoying a vacation someplace, and then taking advantage of them at the same time.

I think the OP made it clear that his/her attempts to complain were thwarted. I also think he/she made it clear that she did not expect a refund and that by refuting the charges, her credit card company is was acting as a proxy for her.

Service is a bit subjective due to perception, but 5 malfuntioning riders is inexcusable. On our first MNSSHP, it rained for two hours or so (no fault of WDW), but we stayed until 11ish. We were given rainchecks that we used the following year.

Whether the OP is handling it correctly or not, I don't know. But the OP has a right to expect exceptional service on each and every visit to WDW as WDW charge's a premium for tickets.

Not sure why that was so difficult to understand.

 

[larryz]

The problem with this mentality is that it cannot ultimately work. Here is the problem: people have high expectations regardless if Disney raises prices or not...ok, that's fine, I am not saying you shouldn't expect quality. But they expect every ride to be operational 100% of the time because, as you put it, they paid prices that have been raised through the roof. They expect those rides to be in tip top shape without ever breaking down, without paint ever fading, without there being a speck of dust. How does the expectation remain logical without the rides shutting down? Now I realize there is a difference between a ride breaking down and a ride being closed for refurb and that you are not arguing against refurb closures. But the mentality is still there..."I paid x amount of money and I wanted to ride Pirates! Boo Disney!" No matter what ride is schedule to be closed for refurb, you will inevitably find someone just as upset as someone who experienced a ride breaking down. So you basically just have people who throw fits if the rides break down...but then throw fits because Disney closes the rides to make sure those issues don't continue happening. They want to have their cake and eat it too. It just doesn't work that way. The rides cannot operate 100% of the time. If we want to see rides operating as intended, that means they have to close sometimes...and that means someone, in the end, will not be able to ride it...which only leads to a different complaint thread..."Ugh, I can't believe it will be closed during my vacation!!" And I have seen plenty of those complaints. Disney gets the complaints when the rides break down and for when the ride is going through rehab to make sure it doesn't break down. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium.

Back in the days before CEOs made $52 million in total compensation, Disney managed quite well in keeping the rides running, repainting the chipped paint overnight, replacing the burned-out light bulbs before the next day, and ensuring there were enough CMs and busses (and monorails) to keep the guests moving after park hours.

These days, it seems they're reluctant to spend maintenance money because it might cut into somebody's bonus.

But don't take my word for it -- ask the Yeti.

 

[mking624]

I think the OP made it clear that his/her attempts to complain were thwarted. I also think he/she made it clear that she did not expect a refund and that by refuting the charges, her credit card company is was acting as a proxy for her.

Service is a bit subjective due to perception, but 5 malfuntioning riders is inexcusable. On our first MNSSHP, it rained for two hours or so (no fault of WDW), but we stayed until 11ish. We were given rainchecks that we used the following year.

Whether the OP is handling it correctly or not, I don't know. But the OP has a right to expect exceptional service on each and every visit to WDW as WDW charge's a premium for tickets.

Not sure why that was so difficult to understand.

Actually she said she didn't expect a full refund. Maybe she just meant a refund in general, whether full or partial. But since I can only read what is typed, then I have to see that the word full was added, quite possibly indicating that perhaps a partial refund is expected. I might be wrong, but again, I can only go by what was typed. Service is not subjective due to perception when it comes to the party. Disney clearly lists on the ticket that they are not liable for rides closing, changing, etc. To give ANY compensation at all is simply a courtesy, not a requirement, considering they specifically say the tickets are nonrefundable and again, that they aren't liable. Does having malfunction rides suck? Yes. BUT that does not mean the services weren't rendered. The party STILL went on, she STILL got to be in the park during special event hours, she STILL experienced rides (even if not all of them), she STILL had the opportunity to experience the other party offerings. Those are the services she paid for. Those are the services she received. To refute a charge is to blatantly lie to the credit card company by acting as though she didn't receive the service. She not only received the service, she stayed for the party's entirety to continue receiving service.

Let me propose a scenario...
I go into a store and buy some clothes. While I was at the store, I was unable to go into certain dressing rooms because they had unexpectedly been closed off. The salesperson was rather cranky. I still purchased the clothes and walked out. When I get home, I am rather upset about the salesperson's attitude and the lack of dressing rooms. I decide that while I did buy clothes, I am going to refute the charges because I didn't like the service. In other words, even though I received what I paid for, I am going to claim I didn't. Service is subjective, right? No. The credit card company would laugh in my face. They would also probably view it as a fraudulent claim. How is the party any different? You buy a ticket for a special event, you get to go to the special event and stay for its entirety, then claim that the services you enjoyed weren't at all rendered...that just isn't an honest claim.

Whether or not she actually attempted to go through her credit card, or was just speaking on an idea, I don't know. But THAT seems to be the biggest problem people have. If you have a problem with Disney, bring up the concerns to Disney while also realizing they are not obligated to compensate you (the goal should be problem solving anyway if that is the true concern). But refuting charges is way out of line.

 

[mking624]

Back in the days before CEOs made $52 million in total compensation, Disney managed quite well in keeping the rides running, repainting the chipped paint overnight, replacing the burned-out light bulbs before the next day, and ensuring there were enough CMs and busses (and monorails) to keep the guests moving after park hours.

These days, it seems they're reluctant to spend maintenance money because it might cut into somebody's bonus.

But don't take my word for it -- ask the Yeti.

You know there are posters that will freak if one ride closes down for refurb during the week they happen to be on vacation. And watch out if it goes longer than planned.... People have had their theories on the Yeti for some time...from why it can't be fixed to how long it would take to fix it. Regardless, there would be no shortage of people complaining about it if they had to shut it down for maintenance.

Besides, what would you refer to as "back in the day"? How far back are we talking? Because it is also easy to say that things might have been easier to maintain when there was only 1 park. Or 2. Or 3. Or when there were only a few hotels as opposed to several. Or when there weren't as many attractions. The list can go on. Yes, I get that there is some greed...which can be found everywhere...but there is also a very relevant issue of people expecting more and more without having to pay the price they do, and to have everything available 100% of the time. That kind of logic is, well, illogical.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think the OP made it clear that his/her attempts to complain were thwarted. I also think he/she made it clear that she did not expect a refund and that by refuting the charges, her credit card company is was acting as a proxy for her.

Service is a bit subjective due to perception, but 5 malfuntioning riders is inexcusable. On our first MNSSHP, it rained for two hours or so (no fault of WDW), but we stayed until 11ish. We were given rainchecks that we used the following year.

Whether the OP is handling it correctly or not, I don't know. But the OP has a right to expect exceptional service on each and every visit to WDW as WDW charge's a premium for tickets.

Not sure why that was so difficult to understand.

OP's single attempt to get an explanation for a few relatively petty complaints was refused. Despite multiple suggestions here, she hasn't indicated any intention to contact WDW in writing to express her disappointment and obtain the desired explanation. Instead, she's jumping directly to the drastic credit card dispute.

She hasn't made it clear she doesn't want a refund. She said she doesn't expect a full refund. She said there were problems with five rides, but only names four. SpaceMountain stopped a few times? How many is a few? For how long? Whether it was a malfunction or simply to allow extra time for some guests to get into/out of the rockets, WDW owes no guest an explanation or a refund. Ditto for the Buzz Lightyear scoring - and if there was any malfunction in her spaceship, it would be that her daughter-in-law's gun was firing and scoring even when it wasn't being fired. But nobody's entitled to a refund because some members of there party got maximum scores. Pirates was open intermittently and Splash not at all? Yeah, that stinks - but I'm sure there's some type of "___ subject to change" disclaimer on the tickets or the website or in print.

Som candy spots closed before midnight, the rest closed at midnight/the end of the party, guests not being allowed to request specific candy, some clothing sizes not being available at the end of the party? Minor annoyances - not refund-worthy.

And NONE of these minor issues, even combined, is a valid use of any bank's credit card dispute process.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I think the OP made it clear that his/her attempts to complain were thwarted. I also think he/she made it clear that she did not expect a refund and that by refuting the charges, her credit card company is was acting as a proxy for her.

Service is a bit subjective due to perception, but 5 malfuntioning riders is inexcusable. On our first MNSSHP, it rained for two hours or so (no fault of WDW), but we stayed until 11ish. We were given rainchecks that we used the following year.

Whether the OP is handling it correctly or not, I don't know. But the OP has a right to expect exceptional service on each and every visit to WDW as WDW charge's a premium for tickets.

Not sure why that was so difficult to understand.

What OP is doing is raising YOUR costs..... It costs a credit card company money to investigate foolish complaints. (And once the ticket was used this became a 'foolish' complaint) And those costs get passed on to everyone, not just to OP.

And since I have never heard of Disney not allowing a complaint I expect there is more then we are getting here.... (Maybe the two year old act didn't play well at Guest Services LOL!)

 

[DanMedix]

We, too, were there on the 11th. While I'm not raising a huge complaint, and we did indeed have fun, we did see a few things worth mentioning (mind you, the only comparison I have is our MNSSHP experience from '07):

The candy was indeed less plentiful. This isn't a major point for me at all. However, I did have one CM give each member of my family ONE box of raisins each. (....like I said in my trip report.."I mean, really??")

POTC broke down twice while we were on it. My only complaint here is that the CM's that talk to everyone on the P.A. system during a breakdown were talking too fast, and must have had their mouths right up on the microphone. We couldn't understand a word they were saying. It was reminiscent of Charlie Brown's teachers....

Yes, I whole-heartedly agree that the crowds this year (and not just at the party) were a bit more ill-mannered and more rude than in years past. Shoving me and my family out of the way (the spot we'd been sitting in for 30 minutes) in order to get a spot for the parade? Is it REALLY that important to you? Yes, I feel for the CM's who have to deal with these idiots.

We did enjoy ourselves, despite these minor points. But it definitely wasn't the same party as it's been in years past. The vibe truly wasn't there. We'll be skipping it from here out, I think.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

11 of us attended the MNSSHP on Thur.,Oct 11, this is our 9th year in a row. This is our Son and Dauther-in-laws Honeymoon/1st Anniversary. They became engaged 2 years ago at the party, and quite a few of the wedding party came along this year to celebrate. We had major problems, rides down or malfunctioning, candy stations closing early, rude CMs, low merchandise/no merchandise available, and transportation problems...

The first ride we did was Space Mountain, and it went down while on the ride, several times. Next we did Buzz Lightyear, and the guns were not working... we had 4 cars of people, 3 of us got 999,999 points...The car I was in my daughter in law got the highest score, my gun added points to her score-we saw me hit a target and she was not shooting and the points were added to her score. Pirates was never up, it has been up and down all week, and Splash was down. So at a major event there were 5 rides not performing correctly, or down.

I was there that night...Space Mountain was working when I got on it...wait was about 10 minutes. Buss Lightyear was the same...while I was disappointing with my score I firmly place blame on my 5 year old son who thought it would be more fun to spin the entire ride. Pirates worked....got on right after we met Jack Sparrow...actually it was the best it has sounded in years...seems like they have improved the speaker system. I rode Splash mountain earlier (6ish) so there may have been an issue later on.

The candy lanes closed early in the back, and the rest closed exactly at midnight. This might be new, we have always been able to hit the candy on the way out. Not this year. And it was at the Splash candy lane that our Daughter in law asked a CM,"May I please have 1 Sour Patch, it is my favorite and this is the first we have seen them." The CM replied, "NO,better luck at the next station, you might be able to get one there. Or not." She was not joking. We were to shocked to get her name, which was our mistake. There were several CMs that did not care, they were "Tired". We asked a few if they were alright, or have had a good evening, that was the answer we got from them.

The CM's all were very nice when we got candy...we even had one that we passed twice (the Splash Mountain Candy line) that gave us a second handful. My youngest asked for some Candy Corn and the CM gave him 5 bags. It may be because they were small children and CM tend to treat them differently, but overall it was a pleasant experience.

When we left the party I tried to buy an event T-shirt in 2x, they were out of all sizes that we larger then a Medium in or Large in the several places I checked. A manager said they started the evening with only a few of those sizes. (On Sat. we saw a man in 3x, he said they told him at the Mon. party stock was low and he got the last one...)

As a larger man I tend to expect many places to run out of the larger sizes....price I pay for not exercising more.

When we exited the party there was no candy at the exit, shocking to me, but it did take 30 minuets to exit the park. We saw that the only Monorail was the Resort line, no express, and that was backed up to the exits/boat lines. So we went with the big boat...major mistake. After loading, about 1:30 am, we waited at the dock for the other boat to go off line. It took over 1 1/2 hours to reach the tram to the cars.

We left at 11:45 to avoid the mad rush after midnight...when we left we noticed they were low on the peeps, but we were all still able to get a couple each I'm sure those that left after midnight were out of luck.

On nights were the crowd generally leaves at the same time I would expect major issues with getting back to one's car or hotel room. It's one of the reason I will leave a little early and never leave right after Wishes.

I went in to Guest Services and asked to write a complaint out. I was refused...the CM last night(Sat, Oct 13) said they were aware of the problems on the 11th party. I asked her to take my name and she said that Disney would not respond to a complaint from people about the party, but they were aware of the problem. When I asked what they were going to do about it she shrugged and said "Look into it". What good will that do me? I asked, she shrugged again....

The CM handled this poorly, but at least she was honest. Disney most likely gets thousands of complaints a day and would be impossible for them to respond to each of them. What would you want them to say? They said they were addressing the issue...did you expect a formal apology?

At this point I am glad I paid with a credit card- I plan on refuting the charges on the ground we did not receive the service we paid for. I know I won't get the money back, but our credit card company will at least let Disney know they have a problem and maybe that will get attention.

This is pointless....you are wasting your credit card company's time. I took my family to a movie recently that was just not good...should I dispute the charges? I mean I expected the movie to be excellent, but I didn't enjoy it at all.

This is the first time we have had major, major problems... I am now questioning why I bothered renewing my Premium Annual Pass!

We do understand that problems occure, but this was on a much larger scale then we have ever incountered...and we had CMs attending the party with us, they were even more upset then we were! And they have no power of any of this either....

I would chalk this up as one bad experience and leave it at that. Not every time is going to be perfect and magical. CM's will get tired (again they are poorly paid and many are college/high school kids) and may get frustrated. Rides have thousands of moving parts and will go down....most are over 30 years old. I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but it sounds like you are making a "mountain out of a mole hill"....

 

[lugnut33]

That's not really a valid comparison. It's not like Disney is purposely breaking the rides.

When we were at MNSSHP on the 12th, without the kids, I wanted to ride Splash, since DS won't ride it. It was down though. I can't imagine getting made and demanding a refund. I shrugged my shoulders and just headed on to the Haunted Mansion instead. It was hardly a crisis.

We usually go to Disney in late Dec. The year specific stuff is always already gone with the new stuff out. Should I have been complaining all these years? I was tempted to buy a 2012 pin or shirt this year though, just because I could. LOL

I can't imagine demanding a refund for that either, but you do have a right to expect a delightful experience for the money you spend. Keep in mind, your idea of delightful could be different than somebody elses. That does not invalidate their opinion.

I'm really shocked so many people are willing to let Disney slide by. That is not the best thing for the parks. You let Disney slide by on upkeep and they will do that to increase shareholder value. Look at the Monorail and now keeping Splash open during EMH, those are two expensive rides and by shutting them down early they save tons of money.