Opposite of Quality at Boardwalk

[Wes]

I find it very hard to believe what just happened -- twice. It is the exact opposite of Disney quality.

We are staying at the Boardwalk for a week. And it is now the 4th day since check in. So I dialed 0 to ask when our trash and towels day will be.

I reached a woman who seemed almost clueless. It is almost painful to try to recollect all the many negative aspects of this simple phone call. I told her I wanted to find out when our trash andd towel day will be. She asked for the room numbeer -- when I know that the system tells them the room number automatically. Then she asked what resort I am in -- another huge red flag.Then she asked me again what I had called about. Then she fudged arond for a couple of minutes and asked me how to spell my last name. Then she asked if I (a male) am Lisa ... by this time more than five minutes had passed in a failed attempt to get a simple answer to a simple question. And it was clear that this woman had no clue how to answer me. I finally hung up.

Then I dialed 3 for housekeeping. Instead of reaching someone, it said that I was being transferred to voice mail. Then it said that the persson at 3797 does not subscribe so that I cannot continue. Yet another anti-quality black hole ... all just trying to get a simple answer about our trash an towels ... which I sttill do not know.

 

[CarolMN]

When you call, you get a call center. Those CMs may not even be in Orlando.

Did you push the button on the room phone for Housekeeping? That should go directly to housekeeping.

If that doesn't work or you have a problem that isn't getting resolved, go to the front desk or the concierge desk and speak to a CM. That always works for me. I never use the room phone to call the front desk, but I do use the call buttons on the phone for Housekeeping and Maintenance. Those have always worked for me.

Sorry you're having trouble. And yes, if today is the 4th day of your stay (check -in day counts as Day one), today is your T & T day.

 

[tjkraz]

For many, many years, calls to the "front desk" have been routed to an off-site call center. Unfortunately the person you spoke with was probably not even in the state of Florida and may have never set foot on Walt Disney World property. Getting accurate information from those staff members is a crapshoot. This is true regardless of the resort.

We usually have good luck calling either the housekeeping or maintenance departments directly. Not sure why you weren't able to get thru. Maybe the line was busy and your call rolled-over to some mystery mailbox.

To answer your question, if your stay is 7 nights or less, T&T service is provided on the fourth day of the stay including check-in. So if you arrived Saturday, today (Tuesday) is your Trash & Towel day. If the stay is longer than 7 nights, you get the full cleaning on day 4 and T&T on day 8.

 

[hakepb]

At the Poly, I messed up and left the "do not disturb" sign on our door on our cleaning day...
So I pressed the housekeeping button so we could at least get clean towels.. The person that answered couldn't take my (simple housekeeping) request .. So they transferred me to a number with a lot of background mechanical noise, I had to repeat my room number, and got a "it that the Polynesian?" They said they would deliver towels that evening, but it never happened.

Next afternoon (still no am service) I pressed housekeeping and got a better sounding answer and then I went down to lunch. After lunch I decided to stop by the front desk and ask for towels, too.
When I got back to my room, I had new towels, and a phone message from a housekeeping supervisor.

So, it seems the phone housekeeping button is hit or miss, but the physical front desk is a better option.

 

[Wes]

The phone system is even worse. This PM, we had a unique question about the parks. So I pressed the Disney Information button on the phone in our room. It gives you three pre-recorded choices, none of which was relevant. Then it says that if you would like to speak with someone to press zero, So I pressed zero - and was told "that selection is not recognized".

So the Disney support for phones in the room has now failed -- dismally -- three times, on three different contacts, in one day.

This really is nothing even remotely close to "Disney quality". Sad but true

 

[bpadair32]

This is why I just go to the front desk and actually talk to someone.

That being said, I can't say that I would be that upset about a couple of bad phone calls. But YMMV.

 

[Simba's Mom]

For many, many years, calls to the "front desk" have been routed to an off-site call center. Unfortunately the person you spoke with was probably not even in the state of Florida and may have never set foot on Walt Disney World property. Getting accurate information from those staff members is a crapshoot. This is true regardless of the resort.

Although most of us here know this, it still seems that when you pick up when you pick up the phone in your room and press "front desk", you should GET the front desk (or a reasonable facsimile, which a call center isn't). Why should you be expected to go to the front desk? Perhaps you have toddlers napping. It kind of bothers me that Disney doesn't do better for its hotel guests.

 

[tjkraz]

Although most of us here know this, it still seems that when you pick up when you pick up the phone in your room and press "front desk", you should GET the front desk (or a reasonable facsimile, which a call center isn't). Why should you be expected to go to the front desk? Perhaps you have toddlers napping. It kind of bothers me that Disney doesn't do better for its hotel guests.

Agree that the service should be better. The setup has been as-is for as many years as we've been frequent Disney guests (nearing 15 yrs) and the off-site CMs have never been very helpful or accurate with their information.

That said, I don't think it's practical to move those services in-house. Most Disney resorts are in the neighborhood of 1000 rooms. Some are close to 3000. The volume of calls that generates could never be routed to the physical front desk where CMs are checking-in and otherwise assisting guests face-to-face. And I doubt each resort has a couple thousand sq ft of unused space which could be converted to an in-house call center.

The off-site model can work, but clearly Disney isn't putting enough effort into training or management of that staff to make it a valuable resource for hotel guests.

 

[hakepb]

Agree that the service should be better. The setup has been as-is for as many years as we've been frequent Disney guests (nearing 15 yrs) and the off-site CMs have never been very helpful or accurate with their information.

That said, I don't think it's practical to move those services in-house. Most Disney resorts are in the neighborhood of 1000 rooms. Some are close to 3000. The volume of calls that generates could never be routed to the physical front desk where CMs are checking-in and otherwise assisting guests face-to-face. And I doubt each resort has a couple thousand sq ft of unused space which could be converted to an in-house call center.

The off-site model can work, but clearly Disney isn't putting enough effort into training or management of that staff to make it a valuable resource for hotel guests.

Exactly, it could work... If a physical front desk person can call an actual housekeeping supervisor when a guest has a service issue, why can't a call center employee call that same housekeeping supervisor when a resort guest has an issue?
(If a guest would like an extra pillow or towel, that shouldn't mean a supervisor interaction so a standard service "ticket" should be assigned)

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have used the housekeeping button many times and have gotten what I needed each time. It could have been a coffee pot, or a sharp knife or a blanket that we needed.

 

[Wes]

I did go to the front desk yesterday (Tuesday - day 4 as I now realize how the counting works) and was told it was our trash and towel day.

It did not happen.

So after seeing the posts that said that calling housekeeping sometimes does work, I called, and this time they did answer and will (I hope) do our t&t today.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Another thing is to possibly call DVC. I did that one time when I had gotten T&T, but no replenishment of supplies. When I called housekeeping, they told me "T&T means just that-T&T, nothing else." So I called DVC and they told me that housekeeping was mistaken and said they'd call them. Less than a half hour later, housekeeping knocked on my door with all the supplies I needed (and then some!). I admit, though, that I sometimes wonder if calling DVC was OK.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

You are confusing Disney with a hotel company. Disney does not really run a good hotel operation they just get by on "theme" and "location"

Once you accept that the standards you expect at hotels will not occur at Disney I find it's easier to deal with.

 

[disneynutz]

You are confusing Disney with a hotel company. Disney does not really run a good hotel operation they just get by on "theme" and "location"

Once you accept that the standards you expect at hotels will not occur at Disney I find it's easier to deal with.

So accept sub standard service and accommodations because it's Disney? I find it funny that they get such high reviews when we have issues 60% of the time.

Bill

 

[bpadair32]

So accept sub standard service and accommodations because it's Disney? I find it funny that they get such high reviews when we have issues 60% of the time.

Bill

I guess it all depends on expectations. We have only ever had one issue, and it was corrected quickly and the service that we received was beyond what I would've expected anywhere to make up for a relatively minor issue. Then again, I don't go into it thinking that I am going to be staying at the Ritz Carlton. I think if your expectations are in line with those you would have staying at a Hilton or Hyatt, that you will have a great time.

 

[Sammie]

I think my expectations are pretty high, especially as to cleanliness. I do expect normal wear and tear. First I would have made sure I had her name, then I would have gone to the front desk and asked for the on duty manager to address trash and towel and then I would have called DVC Member Satisfaction.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

If I push the "Front Desk" button I'm not connected to the front desk? What about housekeeping?

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I have an issue with trays being left in the hallways. Sometimes its overnight. I just don't want to see that old food laying around while I walk by. Surely someone in housekeeping must see thes trays at one time or another.

 

[crisi]

I have an issue with trays being left in the hallways. Sometimes its overnight. I just don't want to see that old food laying around while I walk by. Surely someone in housekeeping must see thes trays at one time or another.

Once the rooms are cleaned (estimated finish at 4) - housekeeping is operating on a skeleton staff. And since checkout is eleven, they might have cleared your floor and be moving on by noon.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have an issue with trays being left in the hallways. Sometimes its overnight. I just don't want to see that old food laying around while I walk by. Surely someone in housekeeping must see thes trays at one time or another.

At most hotels the protocol is to contact room service when you are ready for trays to be picked up. That may not be housekeeping duties - probably isn't. And they wouldn't have an easy way to handle the trays. I also suspect that they often have to do it though but I'd look to room service dining as being the ones at fault.