JR6ooo4
<img src=http://www.wdwinfo.com/dis-sponsor/images
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2006
- Messages
- 11,152
This report is long but it reads quick. It is my first.
DW added some comments in italics
I replied in brackets
Disney Trip Debacle August 06- good or bad you tell me
We had just been to WDW in March 06. But free dining sucked us right back in for a birthday trip for me, the weekend of August 27th. A six day trip, Park Hopper Tickets, Magic Your Way Express, Resort Room (All-Star Sports), Free Dining and Airfare. All for only $120US, per person, per day. How could we not?
Thurday August 24th
Alin from our work has offered to drive us to OHare Airport, Chicago, Illinois
Tickets are in the car trunk
We tell him United Airlines
It is an early flight to get a longer first day, everyone here knows the travel day early alarm clock calling
It is also raining and there is no roof over the drop-off area. Huh???
Our Magic Express reservation is on actualy on American Airlines First Doh!
We get a cart for the suitcase, 2 duffels, 2 laptops, 2 camera bags and CPAP
(night breathing machine so DW does not snore and we both can sleep)
DWs back hurts
Down an elevator, across a hallway, back up another elevator then over to American
Electronic check-in works for us for the first time ever
Cheap upgrade to first class is available, so we bite
if you have the means I highly recommend it!
We are flagged SSSS on our tickets. Super Special Security Search, Yay!
Just a pat down and we are thru to the gate, no arguments from us on airline security.
This rain in Chicago must be bad, because the flight (with our crew) coming from St Louis does not take off.
Half hour delay, then one hour. Then two. Finally three and a half hours later we are on the plane. No problem long vacation still ahead
I pay to log on to local WiFi while waiting. Every page I try hangs up at 38% sigh.
No problems while on the plane. Big seats, Robin Williams movie, nice meal for a lunch that was supposed to be breakfast
ps. DH, dont forget CHEESE quesadilla?????
[hehehe, they offer us a cheese quesadilla. But it is cheese and egg! I do not like eggs but I still had two bites]
We are behind schedule, by the time we get to Disney it is late enough for resort check-in.
In line at registration they invite us over to the concierge counter for check-in
I forget to ask for king bed until after the door card keys are cut
She checks for King room and finds one for us, then recuts new cards
But manager says go to bleep bloop screen and blah bah to cut the cards
she says no, its been working this way see
And we get our new cards
We go to get a snack and the cards do not work (free dining package) luckily the CM at the register lets us eat the food while it is hot while she tries to get someone on the phone to help her
Her shift ends and she leaves...
We go back to check-in and stand in line to get new cards recut
manager says "just forget about the snack" "the charge may show up but don't worry if it does not"
We get to the room and it is two double beds, not the king .
No fridge either, even though it is shown on our reservation
Room is OK but a moldy shower curtain and the shower keeps dripping.
cobwebs on the ceiling
[some remains of decorations still taped to the walls]
So we leave a note for the maid. We did not mention the cigarette butts outside our door. (We do not smoke)
Off to MGM for a quick dinner at Hollywood & Vine, which was very good.
Never had a bad Disney buffet!
My camera is too fogged up for any pictures without waiting 30 minutes going from air-conditioning to outdoors, or back. I probably have mold growing in my lenses now
100% humidity 90+ degree temps the whole trip
Friday August 25th
I had signed us up for Keys to the Kingdom Tour
Latest start is 9:30 am
DW and I are actually about 20 minutes early
Time enough to dump some stuff into a locker, grab a water bottle and then check in for the tour (we had taken this tour almost exactly 5 years ago on our honeymoon)
Our guide was a young lady from Texas
(I guess at some point, this is only my fourth trip, you may know more than some of the guides)
The park was pretty empty and during the main street walk I got some architecture shots with no people in them
She VIP-ed us onto three rides, coool
Re-vamped Pirates was fun. I think it is the same track. The waterfall that the boat goes right through is ooogy.
After lunch was the Haunted House ride.
Stories about the roses and grave stones and hidden mickeys and ladies faces and ladies voices, most of which I did not know.
When the ride is over, we exit and it is pouring rain.
And the rain does not stop. Our guide vamps with more stories.
None of the other riders are leaving the exit canopy, so
The Haunted Mansion CMs announce they will have to stop the ride if nobody moves because those on the ride have nowhere to get off.
As a group we decide to run, in the rain, back to Columbia Harbour House where we ate lunch, to wait for the rain to stop.
There our guide tells us that getting the tall ghost as a hitchhiker is known as bad luck
She admits that she got the tall ghost, that is probably why it started raining. She asks if anyone else got the tall one.
Nobody raises their hand and she says come on, nobody admitting it?
So I raise my hand and say I am not admitting it!
you got the tall ghost
No, I am not admitting it
I got the biggest blankest stare .. again. But others laughed.
It does not stop raining so at this point it is considered a wet race
We proceed with the tour in the rain
It is warm outside, but it is cold when you are wet and then go into air-conditioned areas
We went backstage and down to a first floor utilador,
We are shown some historical pictures hanging on one of the walls.
Then we walk to a t-intersection in the utiladors, and stand their, and the guide plays a video, on a tv.
No costume room or wig room, etc.
Those areas are under significant areas of the park and since 9/11, are restricted.
We go to a parking lot and she shows us the landing zone for tinkerbell.
After the tour we spent the rest of the day at the park
Then back to the room
Cig butts still outside the door and a pizza box! The moldy shower curtain stil resides. Towels replaced and bed straightened is all that we can see done
I notice a big, old ketchup blotch on my bedspread. Not the worst type of blotch I guess
Still no fridge
floor wasnt vacuumed either!
I call the front desk and she says well a fridge has to be paid when checking in. It can not be prepaid. At check-in they did not ask us to pay, though it was on our registration. And we did put a credit card on file for charges!
They promise a VIP cleaning tomorrow
and give us 1 day passes to Disney Quest (30 yr expiration)
Saturday August 26th
Slept late, on purpose.
Housekeeping knocks on the door 4 times though we have the do not disturb sign posted.
When we leave for epcot we forget to remove the privacy please tag from the door. Second DOH!
Lunch at the Coral Reef, which has downgraded their menu and now only charge one meal wish per person
Only two out of the eight meals are seafood!
No crab legs, no lobster?
Might as well get hot dogs on Main Street.
DWs back is worse
I ordered the sirloin and it looked like pot roast. DW said it looked like what they cut off the pot roast! Our server agreed and we were not chraged for the meal
"The cream of lobster was very good" says DW
30 minutes of sun and blue sky when we finished at the reef only reminded us of what we were missing, sunburns!
But Soarin was awesome. We fastpassed past a line of 75 minutes!!!
And returned from a rainy, hot, cold, grey day at Epcot to an untouched room.
No towels, messed up sheets, full garbage cans and no fridge
Our fault
Message to our room saying they are honoring our request for privacy
I guess in all the years Disney has been running theme parks they never-ever had the need to contact a guest and therefore dont ask for a cell phone number.
Especially, in light of the situation leading up to the VIP cleaning need!
I called and explained the situation to housekeeping and the manager immediately offers a room upgrade to Coronado Springs resort.
Again it was my fault, but since the whole week was rainy and with the incoming hurricane they had plenty of rooms. So we moved, with two nights to go.
Did I mention that I/We had decided to leave early because of the Hurricane. We were scheduled to leave late Tuesday, to get a full last day.
But I imagined problems with hurricane rain and winds and sleeping in the airport and DWs back was not happy. (It was my back complaining last trip)
So $50 each, to move our flight a day earlier (airline fee), and $50 to Disney travel to change our package.
Disney sent a van to move us to CS and even took us to Walgreens offsite so we could buy a heating pad, very nice.
Never will we go economy again!
We are now in the room at CS after help with luggage, pargo to the room and the gentleman offers to take us to the local clinic the next day if her back is not any better.
We ordered room service at 10pm and slept on very comfy beds until 2pm the next day (no knocks from housekeeping) when Alin called offering to pick us up on return.
Sunday August 27th Birthday Day
This is what I remember Disney to be. Like our honeymoon at Caribbean Beach
Palm trees, white sand beaches, ceiling fans!
Island music in the walkways to the restaurant, and it was finally not raining
But it was our last day
We were so spent we did not even go to any parks, We had breakfast at 4pm
CS food court is really neat! Id like to spend a week just eating there well maybe not but it was good!
DW spent lots of money in the gift shop while I took sunset photos over the water .
Then .. travel day
Monday August 28th
12:30pm flight
7am alarm for 8:30am magic express baggage pickup and 9:15 bus
At the resort baggage check-in, we are again flagged for the super special security screening
Which means we can not check our magical bags and must schlep them through the airport, with DWs angry back.
While in line for the bus a young man rushes by, says " 'scuse me" and hits DW and the coffee she is holding with his backpack. But it had a lid. He does not apologize, and even makes a face at us.
No express checkout either. Leaving a day early I must go through checkout because we had a package deal and they can not change it they say. Even though Disney travel took $50 to change my package to reflect leaving a day early when we changed the flight
Again first class is available from American Air, and we opted
Chicago is backed up. One hour delay waiting at the terminal gate
We board the plane and back away from the gate, the pilot taxis, then parks on the tarmac, and notifies us of another one hour delay, due again, to Chicago delays
We are served warm nuts and drinks while watching a movie
Once airborne there was some turbulence along the way but a smooth landing
The meal was even better than the trip out
Alin picked us up and drove us home
I met my mom to pick up our two puppies, 10 months and 2 years
Had some dinner and a beer(s)
Processed some of the few photos I got between rain drops
posted one here
Marcie went to bed and I started typing this,
good thing you added the (s)to beer, 2am bedtime boy!
[hehehehee,it was 2:30. and I went to work the next day. But not till 10. It was still a scheduled vacation day]
Disney came through with the upgrade,
and we learned much this trip.
Mikeeee and Marcie
Next trip- spring break '07
Fingers crossed- on her company dime!
DW added some comments in italics
I replied in brackets
Disney Trip Debacle August 06- good or bad you tell me
We had just been to WDW in March 06. But free dining sucked us right back in for a birthday trip for me, the weekend of August 27th. A six day trip, Park Hopper Tickets, Magic Your Way Express, Resort Room (All-Star Sports), Free Dining and Airfare. All for only $120US, per person, per day. How could we not?
Thurday August 24th
Alin from our work has offered to drive us to OHare Airport, Chicago, Illinois
Tickets are in the car trunk
We tell him United Airlines
It is an early flight to get a longer first day, everyone here knows the travel day early alarm clock calling
It is also raining and there is no roof over the drop-off area. Huh???
Our Magic Express reservation is on actualy on American Airlines First Doh!
We get a cart for the suitcase, 2 duffels, 2 laptops, 2 camera bags and CPAP
(night breathing machine so DW does not snore and we both can sleep)
DWs back hurts
Down an elevator, across a hallway, back up another elevator then over to American
Electronic check-in works for us for the first time ever
Cheap upgrade to first class is available, so we bite
if you have the means I highly recommend it!
We are flagged SSSS on our tickets. Super Special Security Search, Yay!
Just a pat down and we are thru to the gate, no arguments from us on airline security.
This rain in Chicago must be bad, because the flight (with our crew) coming from St Louis does not take off.
Half hour delay, then one hour. Then two. Finally three and a half hours later we are on the plane. No problem long vacation still ahead
I pay to log on to local WiFi while waiting. Every page I try hangs up at 38% sigh.
No problems while on the plane. Big seats, Robin Williams movie, nice meal for a lunch that was supposed to be breakfast
ps. DH, dont forget CHEESE quesadilla?????
[hehehe, they offer us a cheese quesadilla. But it is cheese and egg! I do not like eggs but I still had two bites]
We are behind schedule, by the time we get to Disney it is late enough for resort check-in.
In line at registration they invite us over to the concierge counter for check-in
I forget to ask for king bed until after the door card keys are cut
She checks for King room and finds one for us, then recuts new cards
But manager says go to bleep bloop screen and blah bah to cut the cards
she says no, its been working this way see
And we get our new cards
We go to get a snack and the cards do not work (free dining package) luckily the CM at the register lets us eat the food while it is hot while she tries to get someone on the phone to help her
Her shift ends and she leaves...
We go back to check-in and stand in line to get new cards recut
manager says "just forget about the snack" "the charge may show up but don't worry if it does not"
We get to the room and it is two double beds, not the king .
No fridge either, even though it is shown on our reservation
Room is OK but a moldy shower curtain and the shower keeps dripping.
cobwebs on the ceiling
[some remains of decorations still taped to the walls]
So we leave a note for the maid. We did not mention the cigarette butts outside our door. (We do not smoke)
Off to MGM for a quick dinner at Hollywood & Vine, which was very good.
Never had a bad Disney buffet!
My camera is too fogged up for any pictures without waiting 30 minutes going from air-conditioning to outdoors, or back. I probably have mold growing in my lenses now
100% humidity 90+ degree temps the whole trip
Friday August 25th
I had signed us up for Keys to the Kingdom Tour
Latest start is 9:30 am
DW and I are actually about 20 minutes early
Time enough to dump some stuff into a locker, grab a water bottle and then check in for the tour (we had taken this tour almost exactly 5 years ago on our honeymoon)
Our guide was a young lady from Texas
(I guess at some point, this is only my fourth trip, you may know more than some of the guides)
The park was pretty empty and during the main street walk I got some architecture shots with no people in them
She VIP-ed us onto three rides, coool
Re-vamped Pirates was fun. I think it is the same track. The waterfall that the boat goes right through is ooogy.
After lunch was the Haunted House ride.
Stories about the roses and grave stones and hidden mickeys and ladies faces and ladies voices, most of which I did not know.
When the ride is over, we exit and it is pouring rain.
And the rain does not stop. Our guide vamps with more stories.
None of the other riders are leaving the exit canopy, so
The Haunted Mansion CMs announce they will have to stop the ride if nobody moves because those on the ride have nowhere to get off.
As a group we decide to run, in the rain, back to Columbia Harbour House where we ate lunch, to wait for the rain to stop.
There our guide tells us that getting the tall ghost as a hitchhiker is known as bad luck
She admits that she got the tall ghost, that is probably why it started raining. She asks if anyone else got the tall one.
Nobody raises their hand and she says come on, nobody admitting it?
So I raise my hand and say I am not admitting it!
you got the tall ghost
No, I am not admitting it
I got the biggest blankest stare .. again. But others laughed.
It does not stop raining so at this point it is considered a wet race
We proceed with the tour in the rain
It is warm outside, but it is cold when you are wet and then go into air-conditioned areas
We went backstage and down to a first floor utilador,
We are shown some historical pictures hanging on one of the walls.
Then we walk to a t-intersection in the utiladors, and stand their, and the guide plays a video, on a tv.
No costume room or wig room, etc.
Those areas are under significant areas of the park and since 9/11, are restricted.
We go to a parking lot and she shows us the landing zone for tinkerbell.
After the tour we spent the rest of the day at the park
Then back to the room
Cig butts still outside the door and a pizza box! The moldy shower curtain stil resides. Towels replaced and bed straightened is all that we can see done
I notice a big, old ketchup blotch on my bedspread. Not the worst type of blotch I guess
Still no fridge
floor wasnt vacuumed either!
I call the front desk and she says well a fridge has to be paid when checking in. It can not be prepaid. At check-in they did not ask us to pay, though it was on our registration. And we did put a credit card on file for charges!
They promise a VIP cleaning tomorrow
and give us 1 day passes to Disney Quest (30 yr expiration)
Saturday August 26th
Slept late, on purpose.
Housekeeping knocks on the door 4 times though we have the do not disturb sign posted.
When we leave for epcot we forget to remove the privacy please tag from the door. Second DOH!
Lunch at the Coral Reef, which has downgraded their menu and now only charge one meal wish per person
Only two out of the eight meals are seafood!
No crab legs, no lobster?
Might as well get hot dogs on Main Street.
DWs back is worse
I ordered the sirloin and it looked like pot roast. DW said it looked like what they cut off the pot roast! Our server agreed and we were not chraged for the meal
"The cream of lobster was very good" says DW
30 minutes of sun and blue sky when we finished at the reef only reminded us of what we were missing, sunburns!
But Soarin was awesome. We fastpassed past a line of 75 minutes!!!
And returned from a rainy, hot, cold, grey day at Epcot to an untouched room.
No towels, messed up sheets, full garbage cans and no fridge
Our fault
Message to our room saying they are honoring our request for privacy
I guess in all the years Disney has been running theme parks they never-ever had the need to contact a guest and therefore dont ask for a cell phone number.
Especially, in light of the situation leading up to the VIP cleaning need!
I called and explained the situation to housekeeping and the manager immediately offers a room upgrade to Coronado Springs resort.
Again it was my fault, but since the whole week was rainy and with the incoming hurricane they had plenty of rooms. So we moved, with two nights to go.
Did I mention that I/We had decided to leave early because of the Hurricane. We were scheduled to leave late Tuesday, to get a full last day.
But I imagined problems with hurricane rain and winds and sleeping in the airport and DWs back was not happy. (It was my back complaining last trip)
So $50 each, to move our flight a day earlier (airline fee), and $50 to Disney travel to change our package.
Disney sent a van to move us to CS and even took us to Walgreens offsite so we could buy a heating pad, very nice.
Never will we go economy again!
We are now in the room at CS after help with luggage, pargo to the room and the gentleman offers to take us to the local clinic the next day if her back is not any better.
We ordered room service at 10pm and slept on very comfy beds until 2pm the next day (no knocks from housekeeping) when Alin called offering to pick us up on return.
Sunday August 27th Birthday Day
This is what I remember Disney to be. Like our honeymoon at Caribbean Beach
Palm trees, white sand beaches, ceiling fans!
Island music in the walkways to the restaurant, and it was finally not raining
But it was our last day
We were so spent we did not even go to any parks, We had breakfast at 4pm
CS food court is really neat! Id like to spend a week just eating there well maybe not but it was good!
DW spent lots of money in the gift shop while I took sunset photos over the water .
Then .. travel day
Monday August 28th
12:30pm flight
7am alarm for 8:30am magic express baggage pickup and 9:15 bus
At the resort baggage check-in, we are again flagged for the super special security screening
Which means we can not check our magical bags and must schlep them through the airport, with DWs angry back.
While in line for the bus a young man rushes by, says " 'scuse me" and hits DW and the coffee she is holding with his backpack. But it had a lid. He does not apologize, and even makes a face at us.
No express checkout either. Leaving a day early I must go through checkout because we had a package deal and they can not change it they say. Even though Disney travel took $50 to change my package to reflect leaving a day early when we changed the flight
Again first class is available from American Air, and we opted
Chicago is backed up. One hour delay waiting at the terminal gate
We board the plane and back away from the gate, the pilot taxis, then parks on the tarmac, and notifies us of another one hour delay, due again, to Chicago delays
We are served warm nuts and drinks while watching a movie
Once airborne there was some turbulence along the way but a smooth landing
The meal was even better than the trip out
Alin picked us up and drove us home
I met my mom to pick up our two puppies, 10 months and 2 years
Had some dinner and a beer(s)
Processed some of the few photos I got between rain drops
posted one here
Marcie went to bed and I started typing this,
good thing you added the (s)to beer, 2am bedtime boy!
[hehehehee,it was 2:30. and I went to work the next day. But not till 10. It was still a scheduled vacation day]
Disney came through with the upgrade,
and we learned much this trip.
Mikeeee and Marcie
Next trip- spring break '07
Fingers crossed- on her company dime!
really enjoyed them, thanks for posting.
(And no back pain! That's the worst. . .)
