Nightmare at Norway

[OceanAnnie]

Pat's Dragon, how is your sister doing?

I hope other aspects of the trip went a lot better for her and your family.

 

[DVCconvert]

it was DVCConvert that made the comment doubting the OP's veracity!

Sara--where on this thread do you see that? Please read my post #36 if I had not expressed my thoughts clearly enough in my first post on this thread.

In post # 17 --someone responded to me by saying 'why would the OP lie?' -- I never said (nor intended to imply) that I thought the OP was lying

Matt- I don't know if I'm "one of the couple of people who jumped in"; but I hope that you too understand my position better after my post #36

"Can't we all just get along?"

 

[msmayor]

Its certainly unfortunate that the planning for such a special event was thwarted. While the circumstances surrounding the meaning of the event are very personal, and perhaps more significant than someone else's situation, it wasn't the first time something like this has happened and certainly won't be the last.

When dealing with as many dining reservations as Disney does on a daily basis, a certain percentage must regularly get mixed up. I don't care what safeguards Disney puts in effect, the law of averages says that some percentage will be messed up, and I'm sure (being a business) that there is some level of acceptance by Disney management that this will happen.

I have to believe that a portion of the problem comes from guests who continually call Disney Dining to 'fine tune' their ADR's. How many times have I read posts on this board by folks who've changed their minds dozens of times, in short time spans, from the 90-day mark all the way to departure day. Multiple ressies, changed confirmation numbers, adding, cancelling....all that activity and mistakes are bound to happen.

Was there space in that restaurant? Could it have been made? Maybe...chances are their were ressies made that no one intended to use, or ressies cancelled that never got processed. No one knows.

Were there other large parties that the manager showed with ADR's on his list, and there simply wasn't the availability to 'squeeze' that party in? Who does he disappoint? Who's to say that any other party, regardless of size, shows up and is delayed and misses one of their personal planned memories in order to fulfill the OP planned memory? No matter what, someone gets disappointed...where is the line drawn on who's vacation is more important?

Please understand that I in no way wish to diminish the hurt the OP must have felt...I would have been just as disappointed. I also think that I would have escalated the matter as high as possible while I was still present at WDW, in an effort to gain satisfaction...hotel manager, concierge, even marching into the employment office there on site to get the attention of a higher-up there.

The single most important lesson here is to check the reservation list upon check-in, so that problems can be dealt with immediately. With an official Disney print-out, restaurant managers would have a more difficult time brushing off a guest than if all you had was your own piece of paper with a number typed/written on it.

 

[Matt]

Yes... we get that they make mistakes. Mistakes are acceptable. Apathy to correcting a mistake is not.

However, none of this is what the thread is about. Some here miss the point entirely.

 

[msmayor]

Yes... we get that they make mistakes. Mistakes are acceptable. Apathy to correcting a mistake is not.

However, none of this is what the thread is about. Some here miss the point entirely.

According to the OP, another table was offered, albeit much later. While the time was not acceptable to the party, the solution offered at that time doesn't seem completely apathetic to me.

It's impossible to satisfy one guest without irritating and annoying another in this case. While personal circumstances differ in severity, it shouldn't be up to Disney employees to come up with a rating system to decide who is more worthy of help.

 

[undertheradar]

Back to the point. OP was a group of 13? That would change when you could fit that seating in. You would be displacing 4 tables that seat 4, so it sounds as if the manager was trying to accommodate the Op without displacing numerous diners.
In defense of sensitivity, there are many people who attempt to distort facts. I'm not saying that the OP did that, but how many visitors to WDW have "birthdays", "anniversaries" and other "special" situations. I understand the frustration with the ADR, where was the ADR # the OP for? Perhaps the manager could have seated a smaller group and that was not acceptable to the OP?
Mistakes do happen, and I don't understand why the manager had knowledge of the medical condition if the ADR didn't exist. The OP must have mentioned this to the manager after the problem arose. Sorry for the problem, but I would focus on the good, not dwell on the bad.
In reflecting upon online ADRs, remember why cc#s are required! The same way that breakfast in the castle was manipulated, the same would occur with online ADRs. Imagine the lack of available seatings and empty tables as people fail to cancel ADRs after cancelling trips.

To the OP, sorry that this took place.

 

[Pats Dragon]

Thanks again for all the kindness reflected toward my family.

 

[hsmamato2]

I would be careful to differentiate between "cold," which is an emotional evaluation, and "realistic," which is an objective evaluation. There is no way to gauge someone's sympathy without meeting them eye-to-eye, so it is best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt in that regard.

Well, let's be careful. I would like to believe everything the OP said, and would like to share in the outrage for the alleged rudeness, but I've been burned many times over my almost-25 years online by people reporting something that was so far distorted from the truth as to be close to a lie. I highly doubt that is the case here, but what years online has taught me is to allow for there to be "another side of the story" whenever we read only one side of the story.

Rather, I would interpret his intent as a helpful warning for all of us to never expect anything for which we don't have an explicit guarantee in writing. WDW is a wonderful place, and problems are few and far between, but they do happen, and sometimes we just aren't going to get what we hoped for. The message I get out of this is to be ready to adjust to things like this, and not allow them to significantly affect my enjoyment of my vacation.

For the OP, I'm sorry you had such a troubling experience, and hope you have a great time at WDW otherwise.

I think some posts are written for the express purpose of being unkind, and that remark about having cancer making no difference? I don't believe it was written in the spirit of helpfulness. yes all guests should be treated well, and accommodated. A story like this one however has no excuse, I don't care who made the mistakes at the computer.
Bicker, I think the reason some are taking issue with your post is b/c you're not necessarily "against" the OP, but some of your statements indicate that ,for you, it's just as easy,or easier to believe in the good intentions of some negative posters, but the Op, you'd "like to believe." (your words)
I see it this way, this IS a rotten story. They're looking for some change, maybe some compensation(I wouldn't blame them for that) but it seems they were asking most of all for a sympathetic(or empathetic) ear.
So, yes, YOU are correct, arguing the merits of one NEGATIVE posters trustworthy motives vs. an OP's original intentions are not really helpful. I realize you are, in your way, wishing her wellness and a positive time ahead.

 

[bicker]

I think trust and motive are important things to discuss, but again, given the obvious concern in this thread by everyone for the OP, is such meta-discussion what the OP wants in this thread? Was I wrong in what I put forward before, that such discussions should be taken off-line or to another thread?

 

[sara74]

Sorry - I must've skipped over #37 in which you explained the hard to believe comment. Please accept my apology.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

...there are many people who attempt to distort facts. I'm not saying that the OP did that, but...

I would focus on the good, not dwell on the bad.

Last edited by Pats Dragon : Today at 04:21 PM. Reason: I decided to not prolong this discussion. It is painful and pointless.

I think the fact that this woman is saying that we're causing her pain is enough. The whole thing is heartbreaking.

I am printing her story out and delivering it to the Manager in the Norway pavillion next week.

I suppose that is the least I can do. No, wait, the least I could do would be to sit here and tell her that this wouldn't have happened to ME, because I would have printed out my ADRs and then tell her that I would handle it better than she is.

I give up.

 

[undertheradar]

...there are many people who attempt to distort facts. I'm not saying that the OP did that, but...

I would focus on the good, not dwell on the bad.

Last edited by Pats Dragon : Today at 04:21 PM. Reason: I decided to not prolong this discussion. It is painful and pointless.

I think the fact that this woman is saying that we're causing her pain is enough. The whole thing is heartbreaking.

I am printing her story out and delivering it to the Manager in the Norway pavillion next week.

I suppose that is the least I can do. No, wait, the least I could do would be to sit here and tell her that this wouldn't have happened to ME, because I would have printed out my ADRs and then tell her that I would handle it better than she is.

I give up.

My statement was edited to twist the facts. I stated that people distort facts: i.e. birthdays, anniversaries, etc. WDW is inundated with these. I did not state that the OP distorted the facts. Please read before misquoting!

 

[M*2]

Hi Pats Dragon. I'm sorry to hear of your sad experience at Norway. I adore Disney, and enjoyed all my restaurant meals, but eating at Norway was probably my least favorite. Not horrible (your experience sounds just awful!), but I found the service to be not particularly friendly or helpful on the day I was there. I do adore Disney, though, and have had mostly very positive experiences.

I wish you and your family all the best.

 

[Kaycee]

The OP stated in her last post that she has decided not to prolong this discussion any further, so I am closing this thread now.