Overbooked at Boardwalk and moved barely without asking?

[OverbookedDave]

Any time you book through a third party you have to go through them for changes. Book through Travelocity, go through them. Book your tickets through the Frog, you have to go through them for changes. It is not just a Disney thing. If you book the Dolphin, which is Marriot, through say Costco and you need to change it, you have to go through Costco.

Op I know you bowed out but it really sounds like you just want to blame it all on Disney and not your TA, who really is the one who dropped the ball. They should have explained to you from the get go that as your agent, anything you wanted to change had to go through them. I've booked air line tickets through TAs and needed to change them and had to go through the TA to do so, they were very clear about this up front.

I had no ideal that the TA was so in charge of the process. My problem occurred when Disney made changes that affected me and I wasn't directly contacted. I've learned that they cant talk to the person actually going to the park, but had to do some round the tree process. I fix problems all the time as a business owner, was an Officer in the Army. I go to the problem and fix it. I don't go to the neighbor down the street.

TA fault? Disney fault? Communication problem with the client?

YES, someone dropped the ball and I felt left out of the process. The TA should have done a conference call with all three parties and it would have been fixed. I was a financial advisor and did it many times just to help control the situation before it ever got out of hand.

Its all good now and moving on.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I had no ideal that the TA was so in charge of the process. My problem occurred when Disney made changes that affected me and I wasn't directly contacted. I've learned that they cant talk to the person actually going to the park, but had to do some round the tree process. I fix problems all the time as a business owner, was an Officer in the Army. I go to the problem and fix it. I don't go to the neighbor down the street.

TA fault? Disney fault? Communication problem with the client?

YES, someone dropped the ball and I felt left out of the process. The TA should have done a conference call with all three parties and it would have been fixed. I was a financial advisor and did it many times just to help control the situation before it ever got out of hand.

Its all good now and moving on.

Lots of people have pointed out here that this one wasn’t Disney’s fault. They literally cannot talk to anyone but the reservation owner, who in this case, was the TA. Your TA dropped the ball. A conference call may have been nice, but your TA would have had to initiate that.

I use a TA for Disney trips and she communicates with me via email, and ALWAYS gets confirmation from me before doing ANYTHING to my reservation. That’s what a good TA should do. Unfortunately, it seems like your TA wasn’t the best. I think it would be wise not to work with that person again.

 

[DebbieB]

Do you really want to be at a resort in the middle of renovations?

 

[tjmw2727]

I had no ideal that the TA was so in charge of the process. My problem occurred when Disney made changes that affected me and I wasn't directly contacted. I've learned that they cant talk to the person actually going to the park, but had to do some round the tree process. I fix problems all the time as a business owner, was an Officer in the Army. I go to the problem and fix it. I don't go to the neighbor down the street.

TA fault? Disney fault? Communication problem with the client?

YES, someone dropped the ball and I felt left out of the process. The TA should have done a conference call with all three parties and it would have been fixed. I was a financial advisor and did it many times just to help control the situation before it ever got out of hand.

Its all good now and moving on.

You are out of the process!

Disney doesn't even know who you are.
The TA made a reservation and then sold it to you.
Disney won't have your information until you check in.

As far as Disney is concerned, Company XYZ booked a room reservation and that room is now out of service, Disney called Company XYZ and told them the situation. Company XYZ said that's fine, blindly accepted the change and then contacted you.

IME, Company XYZ should have asked if there were any alternatives, including staying at BWI just in case their client was unhappy with the solution. Then ideally XYZ company calls you with a variety of alternatives including some of the other deluxe resorts.

Disney didn't drop the ball, again they have no idea who the TA sold the reservation to. The TA dropped the ball and then I speculate called Disney back when they realized how upset you were to see if you could be moved back to BWI.

 

[missingdisneymore]

I had no ideal that the TA was so in charge of the process.

This. This is the root of the issue.

You made an uninformed decision and choice. Disney did make the direct contact that you were expecting, they contacted your travel agent.
It was your choice to put someone else in charge of your vacation. The responsibility to communicate remained with Disney, which they made good on. You just didn't like who they communicated with.
You can't step in and take charge of a situation that you previously relinquished all authority and control over to someone else, regardless of your professional résumé.

 

[SirDuff]

I had no ideal that the TA was so in charge of the process. My problem occurred when Disney made changes that affected me and I wasn't directly contacted. I've learned that they cant talk to the person actually going to the park, but had to do some round the tree process. I fix problems all the time as a business owner, was an Officer in the Army. I go to the problem and fix it. I don't go to the neighbor down the street.

TA fault? Disney fault? Communication problem with the client?

YES, someone dropped the ball and I felt left out of the process. The TA should have done a conference call with all three parties and it would have been fixed. I was a financial advisor and did it many times just to help control the situation before it ever got out of hand.

Its all good now and moving on.

Your travel agent is not "the neighbor down the street". Disney did "go to the problem and fix it" by calling your TA.

The issues are that (a) you didn't/don't understand what it means to use a travel agent and (b) your travel agent didn't do a very good job (or, at least, didn't react as you would have reacted).

 

[OKW Lover]

The issues are that (a) you didn't/don't understand what it means to use a travel agent and (b) your travel agent didn't do a very good job (or, at least, didn't react as you would have reacted).

I'd agree with this. You should have a discussion with your TA as to your expectations and preferences so this doesn't happen in the future.

Another suggestion is to have your TA push back on this with Disney if you really want to stay at BW. Or perhaps get some kind of compensation for the involuntary move.

 

[SteveMouse]

I haven’t used a TA for any personal travel in a LONG time. My employer requires me to for company travel. The TA I used to use has been a family friend for 45 or so years and lived two doors down from us for 30 years and was a house guest of my mother’s literally for the last wee. Needless to say, there is very little she doesn’t know about my family. She took care of all travel arrangements for my honeymoon, which was at Disney over 25 years ago.

She would ALWAYS confirm any changes suggested by the vendor (hotel, airline, etc.).

The ONLY times she didnt was when I asked her explicitly NOT to for our honeymoon. We purposefully discussed, in advance, several options that were all good with me and she arranged it all, including any changes. We did that expressly to be surprised. Neither my wife or I knew exactly what to expect. I trusted my agent and Disney to do what what going to be in our best interest (this was back when Disney may have been a bit more committed to making sure things didnt go bad, from a guest’s perspective.

I‘d consider Beach as a bit better than BW, with the exception of Jellyrolls. The distance between the hotels doesn’t really matter, unless it is raining, in which case Id rather be at the BW because of access to restaurants and other facilities without going out into thw rain.

 

[fla4fun]

I have seen a lot of posts saying push back and they’ll move the next person. What happens if you are the last person on their list? Do they still accept a no answer and go back through the list again, or are you simply stuck?

I know with many hotels, the people who book directly with them are usually contacted first so they have the best option to remain in place. After that, generally there is a hierarchy of third party travel agents that they work down through. I’m thinking some group has to be at the bottom of the list, and there’s no way to know who.

I seem to remember a similar situation when AKL was undergoing renovations to turn part of it into DVC. There were a lot of people angry about being moved with no recourse there too, even though many of them ended up in places like Poly and GF. At least being “walked” at Disney is better than being “walked” in the real world. You can end up in a totally different part of town or downgraded substantially sometimes. I have never heard of an on property guest being sent off property due to overbooking.

So sorry you had to deal with the stress OP.

 

[OverbookedDave]

That is how the system works. Contact the TA if there is one. However I have gotten 30 emails from disney saying how happy they are we are coming down to be with them. Great me too. If I can get 30 emails on what to do and spend money on, let's do the important things too.

Again, if the system can be improved, improve it. Make a clause so solve these little issues.

 

[focusondisney]

That is how the system works. Contact the TA if there is one. However I have gotten 30 emails from disney saying how happy they are we are coming down to be with them. Great me too. If I can get 30 emails on what to do and spend money on, let's do the important things too.

Again, if the system can be improved, improve it. Make a clause so solve these little issues.

You realize those are auto generated & have nothing to do with your issue?

 

[HopperFan]

That is how the system works. Contact the TA if there is one. However I have gotten 30 emails from disney saying how happy they are we are coming down to be with them. Great me too. If I can get 30 emails on what to do and spend money on, let's do the important things too.

Again, if the system can be improved, improve it. Make a clause so solve these little issues.

Disney could use improvement in lots of areas but in this instance it worked how it is supposed to work.

If you booked with Disney you would have gotten a call direct from them to work it out to your satisfaction.

If a TA booked with Disney they get the call and it's on them to work it out to your satisfaction.

There really is no issue to solve here.

 

[nw6675]

Is it just me or does this whole thread feel like it should be a FB post and not a first time DIS one? Unless it is a veteran DISer knowing how to rile the apologists (well, most of us aren't)?

Oops, just pondering out loud. Carry on. It's been a weird day all around. I try not to think out loud.

 

[kylenne]

Is it just me or does this whole thread feel like it should be a FB post and not a first time DIS one? Unless it is a veteran DISer knowing how to rile the apologists (well, most of us aren't)?

Oops, just pondering out loud. Carry on. It's been a weird day all around. I try not to think out loud.

It feels bait-y for sure, but there is value for people lurking in the sense that it’s a reminder to do your homework before working with a TA and to understand what you’re getting into.

 

[nw6675]

It feels bait-y for sure, but there is value for people lurking in the sense that it’s a reminder to do your homework before working with a TA and to understand what you’re getting into.

Agree!

 

[Dug720]

we got moved back to BW.

Enjoy a room possibly in the middle of renovations.

And have a discussion with your TA as to how she should handle these things in the future. It is her fault this whole kerfuffle happened in the first place by not contacting you. (And you need to take responsibility for "just going with a TA because you had no time to plan" as well. You know when Christmas is. It's not your TA's fault you waited until the last minute to figure out you needed to get your wife something.)

 

[tjmw2727]

That is how the system works. Contact the TA if there is one. However I have gotten 30 emails from disney saying how happy they are we are coming down to be with them. Great me too. If I can get 30 emails on what to do and spend money on, let's do the important things too.

Again, if the system can be improved, improve it. Make a clause so solve these little issues.

This would be related to your park reservations and dining. The TA owns your resort reservation Disney can only contact them regarding the resort stay.

/out

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

Is it just me or does this whole thread feel like it should be a FB post and not a first time DIS one? Unless it is a veteran DISer knowing how to rile the apologists (well, most of us aren't)?

Normally I would say yes. But I think the OP truly was upset by the move....enough where I think they would have cancelled the trip. And honestly the his/her logic makes sense in many ways. It just isn't how the travel industry works.

I do get the sense the OP "gets it" now. My guess if they do another WDW trip w/ a TA they will in no uncertain terms let them know being moved is NOT acceptable.

I think this thread is a good reminder if you use a TA really understand what benefits you are getting and what control you are giving up.

 

[Boopuff]

I can't help but think we'll see a follow up to this complaining about the renovations going on all over the resort!

 

[HopperFan]

This would be related to your park reservations and dining. The TA owns your resort reservation Disney can only contact them regarding the resort stay.

/out

So much this! This morning as I booked a new WDW hotel reservation and went in and cancelled another it made me remember a video made by a TA.

She said she spent something like 6 months working hours upon hours for a big expensive WDW trip for a family. They were booking every extra etc. Sounded like as far as commissions go this was a big one. Well as it got close to trip time the client asked her to help with something the TA was not comfortable with, told the client no, that it could not be done. The client's response was inappropriate. The TA said even with all the hours she put in and the commission she would lose ................. she told the client she would no longer be working for her, and SHE RETURNED THE HOTEL RESERVATIONS BACK TO DISNEY. The client had no control over the hotel reservation, only the TA .......... and now the client had no hotel.

EDIT: To add fellow poster says the reservation just gets returned to Disney, not cancelled. I don't know, the video led viewer to believe it was cancelled. My hope is TA reported the woman to Disney, what she wanted was fraud and would lead to a permanent ban from Disney.