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[Lawrence Cooper]

Way to go...somethin for nothin...the way this country seems to be going.

Oh, I forgot your extreme hardships ie: planning a trip and going to WDW without the dining plan!

Yes...as opposed to taking responsibility for your screw-ups? I think our country (and too many corporations) seem to also be getting away from trying to provide customer service. While I think the $1000 is excessive (and the $650 would have more than been acceptable), I can't begrudge the OP for sticking with it. Too many people (myself included) just let these things slide. I always believe and accept that screw-ups will sometimes happen (e.g., unclean room at check-in, etc), and it is the way that it is dealt with that shows the true charachter of a person/business. Especially in a case like this where it seems as though OP was initially trying to prevent what happened. Here it may have been over the top, but I don't see the crime in that.

 

[vascubaguy]

I am not jealous. I feel that something was given that should not have been and if it is paid for my from dues, then that is wrong. I and no other member should have to give more to our dues to pay for another member. People always get upset at extra calls to ms, well this is alot more expensive than these calls are.
If you want the $1000 taken out of your dues, then call and offer it to ms. I don't want any part of it taken from me. Those should never had been offered, mistake or not. the op is getting something for nothing. There was no dining plan at that time and it was a mistake, but if you were to go on this vacation,you would have to pay for whatever dining you want out of your pocket anyway. If you are a member, then you should get your DVC mailings, use of the member web site and information here to know what perks are available and which are not. Once ms told you that this option was not available, then you could have easily looked it up to verify the information to find out it was not an option. It sounds like you were hoping to get something for this, when you really should not get anything. I would not expect this if it happened to me. Sure, I would be upset if it happened to me, but you make other plans. Things happen and you adapt to these changes, not expect to get things handed to you that you did not earn .

I would imagine that this mistake would be handled on the DVD side, not from our dues. This was a mistake made by a guide, not someone in MS. I would imagine that DVD is going to put out the $1k and that this issue will be addressed in the guides performance review.

 

[MiaSRN62]

There was no dining plan at that time and it was a mistake, but if you were to go on this vacation,you would have to pay for whatever dining you want out of your pocket anyway. If you are a member, then you should get your DVC mailings, use of the member web site and information here to know what perks are available and which are not.

I'm not jealous either....just suprised. Just expressed my feelings on the matter. Not everyone is going to agree with the OP 100% in this matter.
I mean it would be different if the OP booked airfare and all, and found out (i.e.) that they weren't in the DVC system and their guide told them they were. Now, in that situation they'd be losing airfare ? I just feel the OP and their party weren't really losing anything in this situation besides getting a discount on their meals ? They were going to pay $38/person/day and did this really end up being $1000 in savings ? I'm like wow. The plan only pays for 1 sit down meal, 1 counter meal and 1 $3 snack a day ? And they ended up getting $1,000 worth of free food. There's another thread on these boards where a Member can't even get DVC/MS to honor a lousey 10% discount on a princess boutique for her dd's even though it is clearly stated in the Member newsletter. They are denying that it is for her dates. I couldn't get points put back into my account in light of a family emergency a couple years ago, despite asking very nicely & explaining the entire situation. It was actually a very traumatic time for us & something as simple as DVC putting our points back instead of in holding would have been appreciated. Another thread on this board was about a Member checking into a really dirty room that was also in need of repair. They asked to be moved and could not be accomodated. Not even 1 free meal comp'd by the resort---or anything. Now this is a case where I feel the guest really deserved some sort of recognition for their troubles. It wasn't just a little maintenance/housekeeping issue.....it was a bit more substantial than that.

It's just such varying treatments that Members receive that confuses & suprises me ? What are the standards that MS/guides etc are held to. Or are these things taken on a case by case basis ? I know after reading of the OP's experience, I will definitely "push" a little more when/if I feel I've been wronged in a situation (and I'm not that type of person at all...but fair is fair). I'd bet a good amount of incorrect information is given out by guides from time to time.....the OP's experience just makes me think in a different way I wouldn't have before.

Things happen and you adapt to these changes, not expect to get things handed to you that you did not earn .

This is a little more how I feel about the situation as well. I mean, the free food for the 8 people is great for the OP and I wish them a great vacation, it's just that I thnk it could lead to somewhat of a trend with Members ? I guess I'm just perplexed by DVC's decision to pay out this amount, that's all. I think even the OP was, because their subject line was : UNREAL ! Guide gets us $1000 So I think even they were pretty blown away by it all

 

[bounceliketigger]

Just my 2 cents. No offense to the OP and this is not personal, just my opinion on the situation.

I think they opened a can of worms, that they will regret. Where will it end?

Of course and I have said this many times. They might not regret doing this, but they might regret it made the forums here.

No doubt, I already do. I only put it here to commend the guide, as he has been such a sincere, nice guy who just really went out of his way to help us. Without even being asked, he called us at night, on weekends, etc. just to let us know he was working on a way to help. That kind of service is just so rare....

I had no idea folks would get so flamed about this. I think I'm converting to just being an observer on the Dis for awhile!!

 

[bounceliketigger]

No flames here, I'm just curious, how much would you have paid for the Dinning plan? Perhaps this is nothing more than a free dinning plan.

For 7 adults & 1 paying child we would have paid $1385 + tax. They say, and we have exerienced, that you save an average of 40-50% by doing the plan.

 

[disney junky]

Mario is a guide not MS. He made this promise in conjunction with a sale. My guess is that the $1000 came from his commission. Disney probably made him cover this to save his job. If he gives out false information during a sale again (even accidentally) he'll probably be gone.

This makes a lot of sense. I hadn't read this that closely. I do agree that something was probably done on a personal level to fix this situation. There is little chance that a promise like that will be made again....

 

[bounceliketigger]

I am not jealous. I feel that something was given that should not have been and if it is paid for my from dues, then that is wrong. I and no other member should have to give more to our dues to pay for another member. People always get upset at extra calls to ms, well this is alot more expensive than these calls are.
If you want the $1000 taken out of your dues, then call and offer it to ms. I don't want any part of it taken from me. Those should never had been offered, mistake or not. the op is getting something for nothing. There was no dining plan at that time and it was a mistake, but if you were to go on this vacation,you would have to pay for whatever dining you want out of your pocket anyway. If you are a member, then you should get your DVC mailings, use of the member web site and information here to know what perks are available and which are not. Once ms told you that this option was not available, then you could have easily looked it up to verify the information to find out it was not an option. It sounds like you were hoping to get something for this, when you really should not get anything. I would not expect this if it happened to me. Sure, I would be upset if it happened to me, but you make other plans. Things happen and you adapt to these changes, not expect to get things handed to you that you did not earn .

Listen, I am more than open to the opinions expressed here & really just wanted to post happiness that a guide worked so hard for us. However, before replying with out & out nastiness, I suggest knowing the whole situation. I was not a member before this, did not get member mailings, etc. This promise was made in connection with the SALE. I was already planning to book a trip in March & decided to buy under F &F at the last minute. I TOLD the guide I thought the plan wasn't avail unitl April & he said NO, IT'S AVAIL. NOW. Again, I would have been OK with all of this, but the other members of the party were not. They budgeted for the plan, which saves a great deal. I guess no one really wanted to cook during vacation & wanted to be able to enjoy all that Disney has to offer.

But, the joke is on me because I posted on the board to commend the guide & now I'll probably wind up apologizing to him instead.

 

[Tinky]

bounce,
Go and enjoy your trip and have fun! You had great intentions with this post and yet AGAIN, the meaning was overlooked by some and appreciated by others.

DO NOT FRET!! Go and enjoy your first time HOME and dont look at this silly thread every again!

 

[DisneyBaby!]

It looks like they are simply giving the OP the difference (approximately) that they would have saved. Without the plan, they now are paying cash for all of the meals, and as many people have noted, they save a good percentage by using the plan. This $1000 is spread between 8 people, or $125 pp for how many days? 5, that is only $25 a day. Do people save $25 a day by using the dining plan? Seems like a pretty reasonable assuption that you can.

The guide, incorrectly, told the OP the plan was aviliable and they based their travel on that assumption. Once the air travel is booked, it gets very expensive to change the reservation. We tried to change our reservation when we found out the POTC was going to be closed when we get there (long after we made the res) we wanted to change it by 2 days and the cost went up 100%, almost 150% for only one day (the ride reopens the day AFTER we get back)

IF we made those reservations after talking to someone from Disney who insisted the ride was going to be open, after we told them we read online it wasn't, I would be upset and want to be compensated in some way. It is the same situation. What if you put a deposit down on that new Pontiac Solastice, and the salesman told you that, yes, there is a V8 option, he orders the car, and tells you oh, by the way, can't get the V8, sorry. I would expect to get my deposit back. Same thing, it was sold to you under false pretenses, intentional or not. Anyone who is against compensating you are whiners and crybabies. It's called good customer service. I guess people are satisfied with getting bad service, they expect everyone to get it as well.

Finally you can not equate and unfortunate circumstance that forces you to cancel your reservation with this, they are completly different situations. The cancellation policy is clearly stated (I am not saying this is right or I agree, I think there needs to be some lattitude for emergencies), and in the case of the OP, there was bad information.

 

[sajetto]

YES!! A wonderful example of how to disagree in a civil manner. Does not happen very often.

Make this thread a sticky (and close it before it gets yucky!)

Uh oh...looks like Muushka's prediction came true.


All I hope for is that Mario gets to keep his job. Everyone is entitled to a slip up so I hope Disney keeps that in mind.

As far as opinions go you know what they say "everyone's got one" Mine is that I believe this is over-compensation. I'm surprised they went from $600 or $650 to $1,000. However, congrats to the OP for getting so lucky, I just hope other DVC members don't expect the same result for future mistakes b/c Disney could really be in for a mess.

 

[LIFERBABE]

OP, I've been thinking this more and more lately. There is a thing as Too Much Information, and this is one of those cases.

I know what your intentions were (to praise your guide) but I think sometimes we need to put ourselves in the Disney CM's places. If you messed up on your job, or made a mistake, or did not clean a room properly, had an off day and was snappy, etc. would you want your name broadcasted?

Even if you made it right and apologized profusely?

This is why it is harder and harder for any of us to receive service, because we have homogenized their responses by telling everyone every detail. We in turn want the same response when we feel we are wronged. We come to expect it and what was once an extra bit of magic (like towel animals, waking up Tink, Birthday Wishes, 1000 Disney Dollars etc) are now expected by the masses.

I love the Dis, but I see the DIS-Affect more and more on my WDW vacations. For every poster there are many more lurkers and we really need to keep that in mind.

Please dont take this as a flame, and I really hope you and yours have a wonderful vacation and WELCOME HOME!!

 

[sajetto]

I love the Dis, but I see the DIS-Affect more and more on my WDW vacations. For every poster there are many more lurkers and we really need to keep that in mind.

I feel exactly as you do. I truly love the DIS, I'm addicted to reading as many threads as I can. At the same time though, it has really affected my vacations, mostly in good ways, but not always. I think a lot of us take the "magic" for granted and I like many others, need to learn not to expect the little extras so that I am pleasantly suprised if I happen to be so lucky as to get one.

 

[rogerram]

IF we made those reservations after talking to someone from Disney who insisted the ride was going to be open, after we told them we read online it wasn't, I would be upset and want to be compensated in some way. It is the same situation. What if you put a deposit down on that new Pontiac Solastice, and the salesman told you that, yes, there is a V8 option, he orders the car, and tells you oh, by the way, can't get the V8, sorry. I would expect to get my deposit back. Same thing, it was sold to you under false pretenses, intentional or not. Anyone who is against compensating you are whiners and crybabies. It's called good customer service. I guess people are satisfied with getting bad service, they expect everyone to get it as well.

you are wy off here. In you example, you can walk away from the car and get your money back. The car would be the DVC membership and if they wanted to try to get out of the contract, like not getting the car,then that would be something else. Disney made a mistake here, but it doesn't mean you should get compensated for something that is not available. No money was lost. They didn't get a discount because it is not available. This money will be paid for by somebody, so it is not free. It will affect someone. Even if it is from Disney, they will make it up from someone else. So if you think I am being a crybaby, then so be it. I had a sutuation much worse than this with Disney and I didn't get any kind of compensation. I argued my point for a long time and decided that I felt I should have gotten something for a reimbursment that I paid for already, not got for free or not offer to me, and the services I got were not what I paid for. I decided to not do it again. That was my choice, but you have no right to this because you didn't lose any money. The people who are going with you should realize that if this is not available, then you go to another option. No one gets anything from Disney for free. Someone will pay for it. Hopefully it is not Mario, but it probably will be.

 

[rinkwide]

I am not jealous...

...I'm not, I'm not, I'm not.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

Bounce - Hello fellow Jersian!

I bet you wished you never posted

I think you wanted to praise an employee which is wonderful. So often we only here the negatives of a situation, and not the positives. In hindsight it would have been best to leave out the compensation, but who knew such information would blasted?

Anyway, I hope you and your family have a wonderful time at WDW.

 

[bounceliketigger]

Bounce - Hello fellow Jersian!

I bet you wished you never posted

I think you wanted to praise an employee which is wonderful. So often we only here the negatives of a situation, and not the positives. In hindsight it would have been best to leave out the compensation, but who knew such information would blasted?

Anyway, I hope you and your family have a wonderful time at WDW.

You are soooo right. But you know what they say about hindsight. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[Juliet25]

I'm not jealous either....just suprised. Just expressed my feelings on the matter. Not everyone is going to agree with the OP 100% in this matter.
I mean it would be different if the OP booked airfare and all, and found out (i.e.) that they weren't in the DVC system and their guide told them they were. Now, in that situation they'd be losing airfare ? I just feel the OP and their party weren't really losing anything in this situation besides getting a discount on their meals ? They were going to pay $38/person/day and did this really end up being $1000 in savings ? I'm like wow.

ITA. I don't think people are jealous...I think we're scratching our heads going, "Huh???"

 

[4mcbjCtr]

Do people really plan their Disney vacations on dining accommodations? That is a first for me. I go for the magic, not the food.

 

[bounceliketigger]

Do people really plan their Disney vacations on dining accommodations? That is a first for me. I go for the magic, not the food.

I have met a surprising number of people who are all about the food. For us it is a matter of liking to eat decently, not cooking while on vacation, and being on a budget. The meal plan saves about 40-50% off the cost of purchasing & you can get whatever you like on the menu without batting an eyelash over the cost.

 

[boatboatboat]

your "meal plan" saved you 80%.