My WDW Trip looks to be in trouble....

[Tink's Tormentor]

I need to vent, release frustration.... Sorry everyone...

My friend and I were planning a trip to WDW from May 20 - June 4. We had decided on the two week stay to be at Pop Century, hoping for Annual Passholder discounts being announced. A friend of ours, who is a Disney Cast Member, told us not to book it and to let him book it at the CM rate. Well, we said OK. I sat on the phone with our friend one night as he went over the prices of the resorts, detailing the CM discount. I settled on a week at Pop and a week at Wilderness Lodge, since splitting the trip between a value and deluxe was still cheaper that two straight weeks at a value. Mind you, this is with a CM discount. So, anyway, our friend makes the reservations, and gives me the confirmation number. Three nights later, I call Disney to verify the reservations. They had the reservation for Pop but not for Wilderness. So, I called my CM friend and we called Disney three way. The rep told us the system for some reason canceled the reservation, so she made a new reservation for me. My friend said he would call back with payment info for the one night deposit. Well, a few days later, I called Disney back to see if the reservation was still there and if payment was made. Reservation was there, payment wasn't. So I called my CM friend again and told him they don't have payment. He claimed he called, but he would call again. I told him to call me then we'll call three way. Needless to say, I got no phone call from him. My calls to him went unanswered. Anyway, my CM emailed me at work telling me all was taken care of. He called Disney, made the payment and has proof cause the money came out of his bank account. I said great. So, not trusting this, I called Disney. Lo and behold NO PAYMENT!!! So, i get on the phone yet again with my CM friend telling him they still don't have a payment, and he said he would take care of it.

Ok, so, we get to this week. My friend, who I was going to WDW with in May, makes a trip to Orlando to visit our friend. I told him while there get on our friend's back about making this payment and resolving this issue. My CM friend said all was now taken care of, he called again, gave the payment info, and all is good. So, I called Disney this past Thursday, and nothing. I emailed my CM friend asking for a phone call to me so we can finally get this done because, come Monday, November 13th, the Wilderness Lodge reservations were going to be canceled out bby Disney for nonpayment. No phone call. I called him and my other friend to no answers. Finally, Thursday night, I found my CM online. I thanked him for another night of not working with me to get the issue fixed and he continued to insist payment was made. I told him, well Disney doesn't show ANY records of that and we need to call them and fix this. I told him I was to the point to where I was now just going to let the Wilderness Lodge reservations cancel out, then I was going to call and cancel the Pop Century reservations. I told him to tell our friend, the guy I was going to travel with in May, to forget the trip, that I would make my own reservations since I am the only person I can rely on and that I cannot rely on the two of them, and that I would find someone to go with. I am at that point. I want to go to WDW in the worst way, but I cannot work with situation. I have no control over anything, and no cooperation with either of the two.

I don't know what to do. Since my calls go unanswered, I am at their mercy with a phone call. Like I said, I am just tempted to cancel out and find my own way to get there. I can't fly, so I'd have to travel alone, which I prefer NOT to do. Seems like I am stuck. My friend who I was going to travel with is not stuck cause he can take a plane, so if he wanted to go, all he has to do is hop on a plane and go. I can't do that. Plus, he has no problem using our friend to stay at his place and not have to pay for a hotel. I prefer the Disney resort so I can use their bus transportaion to the park, and I don't have to worry about being in someone else's home. Needless to say, my May trip is not looking good. And I am really PO'd about it.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Seems like you know what you need to do. Book your own room and plan on a solo trip. If things are this bad now with folks you consider friends, imagine the aggravation of actually traveling with these two! If you keep hoping the CM friend will do things for you in the future, you are in for a lot more disappointment.

I had a great time solo back in July. Even if you can't stay as long because you are not sharing a room, you can get a lot more done when you only do the things you want to do--when you want to do them.

 

[Califgirl]

I guess I'm a little unclear on some of the issues. Is your CM friend traveling with you? Did you get $$ to your CM friend to cover the cost of the payment? Your friend may not have the extra money to cover the payment right now.

I know it seems frustrating and you are in trip planning frenzy, but the trip is 6 months away and others may not feel your sense of urgency.

It sounds as though you enjoy trip planning and like to be in control, so I would agree with the previous poster. Just go ahead and make your own plans. If you can get someone to join you and split the cost, all the better.

And, I would remember to tell the CM friend "Thank you" for the wonderful discount they were able to get you for POP.
Your friend really went out of his way for you and I would hope that would be remembered with your thanks, a prompt check to cover their expenses and a really nice holiday gift!

 

[Mickey1Fan]

In order to get a CM discount I believe the CM must travel with you. I did not think a CM can give a discount to a friend.

 

[thebecka]

My vote is to go it alone. Take a peek at the budget boards for money saving ideas.
Have an awesome trip!!!!!!!!

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

The sense of urgency is if the one night deposit is not paid by November 13th, then the reservations get canceled by Disney. And trust me, he has enough money to cover the one night deposit. I mentioned payment to him and he said not to worry, when yoiu have it, then that's fine. Money is not the issue. I don't know what the issue is. If he didn't want to do this, then he shouldn't have volunteered. And no, he wouldn't be traveling with us as he lives in Orlando already and works for WDW.

I do prefer to be in control, but I also prefer to spend 40 percent less that I normally would. All I asked him for was 10 minutes of his time this week to contact Disney and resolve this issue. He claims his account was debited the money. Disney claims they received no payment. If he cannot afford it, which is highly unlikely, he should just tell me. Or at least make up an excuse to not being able to do it instead of telling me every day that he called and fixed the issue, then when I say let's call three way, he ignores it and never calls me.

I don't think I am over reacting here. He made me a promise, and has failed to keep it. I appreciate him trying to do this for us, but he was unreliable. I hate having to rely on people, but when you say you are going to do something for a friend, you do it. You don't promise, then ignore that friend after wards.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

In order to get a CM discount I believe the CM must travel with you. I did not think a CM can give a discount to a friend.

The Cast Member can make the reservation for a friend. They call the cast line, give the name of the traveling parties and their address. Then the CM pays the one night deposit. On check in day, the CM has to be there to show their employee ID and the person staying in the room checks in. The CM can go any time before the check in day to show ID to verify the reservation. They do not have to be traveling with the friend/family, and does not have to stay in the room.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

My vote is to go it alone. Take a peek at the budget boards for money saving ideas.
Have an awesome trip!!!!!!!!

I am just this close to saying SCREW IT...... I am so frustrated right now that I don't care to even book a trip for myself.

 

[Cyrano]

Hope you can work this out

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

Thanks for all your support. I will let you all know how things turn out. I am thinking of my options here. One option I was thinking was keeping the Pop Century reservation he made and paid, and letting the Wilderness Lodge cancel. Then seeing how much it would be for me if I booked it on my own. Can someone verify if I can make the one night deposit payment on the CM reservation or does the CM have to do it?

 

[bab31]

it seems odd to me that he made the value payment but not the second week...dont quite know what to make of that.I would try to be open minded and forgiving and see if it all shakes out. In the meantime make your own ressie and plans and go on VACATION!

 

[daisyduck123]

I know how you feel.
Back in May, we were going to stay at CBR, using a friend's Cast Member discount for the room & park tickets too. Well, the whole communication thing, going back & forth between the friend & Disney got to be too much....so we canceled the room we had booked with her & just payed full price for CBR & our park tickets.

(Since then, we've joined DVC, so now we won't have any more problems about room discounts .

 

[byoung]

Hope it all turns out good for you.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

Just to give you guys an update.... I spoke with a manager Darnelle, at their reservations center.. She was very helpful... Somehow their accouting department had no charges for the one night deposit... yet, we verified with my friend's bank that a charge wa sput through.. Well, my friend has contacted his bank and got his money back... He then spoke to Darnelle and took care of everything himself... Darnelle was nice enough to call me and inform me that everything was taken care of.. I felt a sense of relief... Our one night deposits are made, now we are working on paying the rest off, along with getting my annual pass... So, I AM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD IN MAY!!!!!

I felt really funny asking about comps since Darnelle was very helpful in getting this cleared up for us....

 

[Califgirl]

That's terrific! I hope you gave your CM friend a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU (and apology for doubting him).

Why would you ask for comps? The hassle was really on the side of your poor CM friend whose money was at stake.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

Honestly, it was Disney's systems that cancelled out our original reservations. And it was Disney's systems that put the charge through but never credited the reservation.