No more CRO after Jan 1, 2004!

[crushonmickey]

I just talked to WDTC about a mixup with my reservation on my FTP for November. Anyway, after clearing up some confusion on my deposit, the agent said that after the first of the year CRO will be gone and everything handled by WDTC. She said the deposit requirements and the cancellation policy will be the same as it is now for WDTC. I'm sure we all suspected it, but it looks like it's official. CRO no more!

 

[Miffy]

Deja vu all over again!

I was told the same thing in December 2002 when I was changing my reservation for January 2003, except the CM I spoke with said CRO would be gone by January 1, 2003.

It could be that it's taken them longer to phase out CRO than they thought. Also possible that the CM I spoke with had the year wrong. Also possible that the no-more-CRO rumor circulates constantly at CRO/WDTC and no one really knows.

Or maybe they're just testing to see what people on the different WDW boards have to say about it!

--miffy--

 

[nasmith]

Wow- If you are referring to the 30 day cancellation policy- then I guess my Days of staying onsite are OVER! My DH is in the military- and he can't guarantee that he'll be able to take leave for sure until about 2 weeks beforehand! I just don't understand how Disney can set a 30 day cancellation policy when the Hotel Industry standard is 5 days or less ! Guess I'll have to write ANOTHER letter to Disney! (well, maybe I'll wait awhile since I've been writing them alot lately)

 

[SnackyStacky]

I've no reason to doubt the information she posts, and Mary at mousesavers.com said that they just added 200 (I think....I know it was in the hundreds) new agents, and all were ONLY WDTC trained, so I have a feeling that it may very well happen.

 

[Castillo Mom]

I also spoke with a CM yesterday and was told the same thing. She said they're trying to phase out room only booking and will only offer packages. I'm not too sure I like that idea. The reason for my call was to ask when prices for UPH tickets for 2004 would be out and she said that I would have to change my room only reservation to a package and tried to transfer me to WDTC. I asked her whether that meant that we would have to have everything paid off 45 days prior to our arrival date. She said that they would have to honor whatever policy was in effect when I made our reservation. I looked at the back of my confirmation and it says that their policy is subject to change. She suggested that I book the Dream Maker package and I asked whether it's equal to the cost of the rack rate room and passes since I couldn't believe that I'd have to pay for the "extras." She could't really answer my question so I told her to leave my reservation as is until I make a decision. All of this is really confusing.

 

[wtg2000]

WDW hotels must be doing extremely brisk business to be able to alienate guests they way they have with their silly reservation policies. We had trouble last March getting the mess sorted out between CRO and WDTC. If you can't cancel within 30 days there's no way I would book with them. I wonder if you can still book just rooms through a travel agent.

 

[SnowWhite33]

What about AP holders and DVC members? I was planning to get the AP for our trip in Nov because of all of the "great" benefits. It seems to me like those benefits are becoming harder to see. So far we have no AP discounts, they have discontinued the AP lounges and special viewing areas, we just had the PS mess cleared up and now have this to worry over.

 

[diathoney]

I can't believe they could not offer room-only reservations - AP holders, conventions and people (like me) that like to go for the resort (and relaxation) and never go to a park! Interesting...

 

[Disney Ella]

Anybody have the e-mail address and person we should voice our concerns to in this case?

 

[Krisu]

I agee this will alienate people. I recently made several calls and asked for CRO. The standard answer was "Oh, I can help you with that" I got different info each time. One CM actually said "we can't book reservations using an AAA discount, you have to go thru your local AAA office for that

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by diathoney
I can't believe they could not offer room-only reservations - AP holders, conventions and people (like me) that like to go for the resort (and relaxation) and never go to a park! Interesting...

I think what they are saying is room only reservations will be treated as a package. It will be room only, no tickets. I can't believe they will do this. Nowhere else in the travel industry do you have to totally prepay a room only that far ahead unless it is a special low rate. Also, no one has that strict of cancellation rules, penalties at 45 days. Just like the 180 day special PS, this will be another thing that they will get many complaints about and will back down, I wouldn't get excited.

 

[SnackyStacky]

For those looking for a specific address to send an E-Mail, I don't have one. BUT, if you visit www.disneyworld.com, and scroll ALL the way to the bottom, there's a link that says Guest Services. Click it, and you can fill out a form to send an E-Mail to them.

 

[cindala]

Well, just another reason I'm glad I didn't renew my AP this year! Little or no discounts for AP holders!

Now, being forced into booking a package and changing the PS method; I wouldn't be surprised if Disney clamped down on those discount ticket brokers as well!

Me thinks that there are many official Disney spies on these boards, checking out how we get through loopholes and circumvent the system!!!

 

[princess angel]

the WDW Travel Company has the Basic plan which is room only w/free mini golf or admission to the sports complex.
I imagine that if they do away w/CRO room only, then AP holders would hopefully get discounts applied to the Basic plan.

this would have no effect on DVC members as they dont book through CRO or WDW Travel co, they book through DVC, with their own set of rules

Laura

 

[caitycaity]

i wouldn't worry too much until it gets closer -- seems like disney is always changing their "new" policies.

as for ap discounts, as a former pap holder, the discount for us was in tickets prices when we went more than once in a year. i would never buy an ap just for room only discounts unless i already had the discount secured. i think the primary benefit in ap's is the money you save on tickets; i know we saved $$$$ on ticket prices alone.

 

[Terk-1]

Just called CRO regarding this. The CM told me the following:

CRO will still be in place as of January 1st. CRO will only be doing room-only requests (including AP rooms). They will no longer be doing anything involving packages, including passes. He did inform me that CRO does have AAA room rates available in the system for 2004. All room-only's will be under the current CRO policies of 1 room night's deposit. I made sure about this, explaining that I was an AP holder and was planning on renewing my pass on my upcoming trip. He said to alienate passholders would be a big mistake, which is why they were still allowing room only's.

All other reservations will be done by WDTC and will be subject to their policies and procedures, including everything paid in full 45 days prior.

He said that the dial-in number will remain the same and that everyone at CRO will be trained the same way across the board to eliminate misunderstandings.

 

[SnowWhite33]

Sounds sensible to me!

 

[*Flower*]

Bless You, Terk-1!!!!

I was just getting ready to fire up my keyboard with a scathing e-mail to Guest Services about this issue.

We go down to WDW once a month (except for summer), and if WDTC is the only way to go..... I'll have to cut out a good portion of these trips!!!

AND........ think twice about renewing my AP!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much!!!

 

[Disney-Kim]

there are "room only" packages. Its the room and tickets to the Sports thing or minigolf. Something like that. we have booked a room only pkg in the last couple of years. I just can't remember the details. it was one of the codes.
anyway....I think that the "room only" people should be safe. the difference will be the deposit/cancellation policy

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by DebbieB
I think what they are saying is room only reservations will be treated as a package. It will be room only, no tickets. I can't believe they will do this. Nowhere else in the travel industry do you have to totally prepay a room only that far ahead unless it is a special low rate. Also, no one has that strict of cancellation rules, penalties at 45 days. Just like the 180 day special PS, this will be another thing that they will get many complaints about and will back down, I wouldn't get excited.

Actually this practice, not that I like it, is very common at other resort areas such as Beach areas on the Florida Coast. Money in full up front and very strict cancellation policies.