I guess I don't understand why you quoted my post then, when you were talking about requests, when my problem was to do with a paid for room category. So I did take offence, but it sounds like that was just a misunderstanding, which is good.
Also, as I have worked in the service industry for over 20 years I make sure I am extra nice to others who do. I make sure I say please and thank you, and don't fly off the handle when someone makes an honest mistake.. However, in the case of not getting my preferred room, it was kind of a train wreck. The Cast Member was never going to point out I had been downgraded, and in fact when I stated I had paid for a preferred room made me get out my reservation papers and show him that that was what I had booked. When I showed him my papers he went and got a manger who told me that all they had available was standard rooms, and before I could as stated that every other value resort was sold out of preferred rooms too. So yeah, mistakes were made at the front desk.
Add to that the fact that they were not even going to give me back the extra cost of the room location. I had to e-mail WDW once I was home in order to get it back. The whole thing was a big mess, and no one should have to go thru something like that. And that is what the nice lady from WDW told me when they called me to apologize. People may like to think that Disney never screws stuff up, but sometimes thy do. And it really shouldn't matter if you are kindness personified, or angry. You should get what you pay for without having to jump thru hoops.
Btw, that was the second time the Music resort made the same mistake with my reservation. And why I will never stay there again if I want a preferred room. It seems more of a way of booking rooms than an honest mistake. I let it go the first time it happened. I know stuff happens. The second time, nope. So out of 2 times booking a preferred room at the Music resort I have gotten what I paid for zero times. That seems to be more an ongoing problem than a mistake.
Which goes to show that if they can't even guarantee people will get what they pay for, how can it be guaranteed that requests will be met?
As I said, I have had much better luck not doing on-line check in. So I have no plans to use it again in the future. If Disney can't guarantee you will get the room location you have booked, then what is the point of it?
I quoted you simply to address the fact that you said "Unless you want just any old room, I would skip doing online check-in". I wanted everyone on this thread to know, not just you, that it was not necessarily a fact. Some people are very happy using online check-in. I won't pay for a preferred room personally b/c I find it to be an unneccessary expense when I can just nicely ask them if it would be possible to be a little closer since I have a slight disability. If I don't get it and I have trouble walking, I maybe would consider asking for another room or seeing if I could upgrade at that time and pay the difference. It has never been necessary though. They always look out for me. It probably helps that I send them a nice letter a week out telling them how very excited we are, and if it is at all possible, could they give me a closer room. I don't need an accessible room as I am able to walk, it is just painful after a day in the parks. I won't ever pay for preferred now since it seems to be a crapshoot as to whether you get it or not. Why pay for something you have the same chance of getting if you just request it instead? But again, some people want to pay to try and secure that type of room when I am fine with whatever, so it works for me either way. I am not saying it is the better way, it is just what works for me. So...I appreciate you adding the last little bit about it being a misunderstanding. Even when I quote someone, I am usually still talking to all the people checking in on that thread, not just that one person. If I wanted only that person's attention, I would private message them.
Having been in customer service for so many years, I am sure you understand how hard it can be when someone messes up and you are the front person having to sort out their mess. I know the people at the front desk are not the room assigners, so though maybe they did make some mistakes in how you were treated, the mistake on the room assignment was not theirs. I have never heard of a front desk person handing cash back to someone if there was a mistake made. I have always heard that it had to be handled afterward through a third party, so it seems that is a normal procedure. I agree that you should get what you paid for, but I also know that someone is going to do everything they can to help someone who is kindness personified versus someone who is angry. Again, you deserve to get what you paid for, but if there is a mistake made, it is more likely that hoops will be jumped through if the person on the receiving end of the mistake is kind and understanding. I'm just sayin'.
See bolded section: This is exactly what I have been trying to say. In fact, I have repeated it several times. Requests are never guaranteed. They never claim to guarantee requests, so I know when I make one, I may not get it. If I get a little pixie dust...Awesome!!!! I wish they would have paid more attention to what you paid for. It is more of a reflection on the person who handled your reservation and messed it up than on the fact that you used online check-in. The fact that it happened twice is odd. I have used it as many times as we have gone, and have been happy. I learned to make the distance request after our first trip though. My feet were in agony. I had a rough time getting all the way to the back of Alligator Bayou.
As with any service, there will be people that are happy, and people that are unhappy. Neither is the gold standard for how someone else's experience will turn out. Some people may not care if their room is ready when they get there, if that is you, don't use online check-in. I like it. Therefore I will continue to use it. I know it may not always be ready, but the chances are good.
I would venture a guess that the problem is within the reservation team for All Star Music. Maybe the music lulls them to sleep...I think your plan of not staying with them if you want preferred is probably the way to go. I hope CBR is as accommodating as POR was for us. We couldn't get POR unless we stayed in the royal rooms, and again, that is an unneccessary expense in my opinion. I would rather stay in a less expensive room for longer. So...off we go to CBR for 12 days...
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Watch my banana. He dances.
