Peeved with ABD management (again)

[Grifdog22]

After our second trip with ABD, (we just returned from Peru with ABD) my wife commented about how she liked the pan pipe music ABD uses on it's Peru web site. We asked for the name of the song, or artist.

The response dealt with whether we had completed our trip or not. Once it was determined we had already traveled, Disney's answer to the inquiry of the name of the song was "this information is proprietary and cannot be released."

This thread is a continuation of the discussions posted on this site in January about how the management of ABD and Disney is far less interested in customers, and the legendary "details." Whether or not I had completed my trip has nothing to do with the inquiry - but appears based only on the momentary bottom line. I think the management that was fired for the Wall Street debacle has found a new home in ABD management.

Was our question really that hard? Is the name of the song really so proprietary that telling a fan about it (which helps promote the trips) that it will strip the company of its research and development and financial future?

This also follows my pre-trip inquiry where I was given all types of incorrect information about our trip. At least Tauck Bridges is honest with you.
Don't look too hard for "magic" with ABD these days.

Maybe I'm missing something completely - I welcome your comments.

 

[battenburg]

Who did you call?

 

[Grifdog22]

Thanks for correcting the unpleasantness in your post. No I don't work for Tauck Bridges. I have taken two family ABD trips.

I first called the concierge at ABD who wanted to know if we had already completed our trip. She directed me to submit an e-mail, but to include we were already back from the trip. The e-mail was to the general questions portion of the ABD web site. It took four days to get a reply, so it wasn't a quick response to a pretty innocuous inquiry.

 

[tina95]

I do not know if this will work for you. My husband can use his Iphone to record a song off the computer or radio and the Iphone will search for the name and artist online.

 

[redzinner]

It's unfortunate ABD couldn't answer your request to your satisfaction. If the music is indeed proprietary maybe they will never be able to give you exactly what you want.

I personally feel it is a giant leap from lawful copyright protection to wall street greed.
Everyone has their personal feelings about situations and since you were the one denied information I understand your frustration.

We have also been on two ABD tours but haven't run into any of the problems that you and some others have experienced. In fact we have been nothing but satisfied with the details of the trips.

 

[kjd469]

I'm sorry to hear that you have had another unpleasant experience with ABD. I hope that you at least enjoyed your trip to Peru...I know we enjoyed ours immensely. I'm sure if you checked your local music store they would have a section on international music, and perhaps you could find something similar to what they play on the ABD website. It sounds to me like you are ready to try another tour company, and if that is the case, I wish you all the best and hope you continue to have wonderful vacations.

 

[kristilew]

I thought El Condor Pasa was the only tune for pan flute, period. That's what it all sounds like to me!

 

[TDC Nala]

Not sure whether you are not pleased with the answer, with the fact that it took so long to get an answer, or that they wanted to direct your question to someone based on whether your trip was completed or not.

I am afraid I didn't question the last part when I called after my trip to try and get another copy of the photo montage DVD they give everybody - they sent one to the friend I traveled with, and she and I live in different states so we couldn't actually share it. (Obviously if the trip hadn't happened yet they wouldn't have a DVD to copy - but I think they have different teams to deal with different stages of their relationship with customers)

The response (after a gap of several hours before someone called me back from a different department than the one I spoke to originally) was a categoric and complete refusal to provide a second copy for any reason. That wasn't due to copyright issues because they did tell me I could have the DVD copied at my own expense (or rather have my friend copy it because she had it and lives about 700 miles away from me)

I'm an (non-practicing) attorney and I can see situations in which they might be given a legal reason to not release information about copyrighted material they are using under some sort of agreement with the artist, if that is the case - but I am afraid I didn't understand why they can't do another photo montage DVD. It sort of makes me feel that ABD doesn't value its non-family customers (few as they are) as much as it does the families.

 

[sayhello]

The response (after a gap of several hours before someone called me back from a different department than the one I spoke to originally) was a categoric and complete refusal to provide a second copy for any reason. That wasn't due to copyright issues because they did tell me I could have the DVD copied at my own expense (or rather have my friend copy it because she had it and lives about 700 miles away from me)

Did they give you a reason for the refusal? That just seems patently ridiculous. If the issue is not copyright, how ridiculously cheap is it for them to refuse to copy it for you? That just seems so counter-productive for them PR-wise, I just can't imagine.

Sayhello

 

[knewton64]

After our second trip with ABD, (we just returned from Peru with ABD) my wife commented about how she liked the pan pipe music ABD uses on it's Peru web site. We asked for the name of the song, or artist.

The response dealt with whether we had completed our trip or not. Once it was determined we had already traveled, Disney's answer to the inquiry of the name of the song was "this information is proprietary and cannot be released."

This thread is a continuation of the discussions posted on this site in January about how the management of ABD and Disney is far less interested in customers, and the legendary "details." Whether or not I had completed my trip has nothing to do with the inquiry - but appears based only on the momentary bottom line. I think the management that was fired for the Wall Street debacle has found a new home in ABD management.

Was our question really that hard? Is the name of the song really so proprietary that telling a fan about it (which helps promote the trips) that it will strip the company of its research and development and financial future?

This also follows my pre-trip inquiry where I was given all types of incorrect information about our trip. At least Tauck Bridges is honest with you.
Don't look too hard for "magic" with ABD these days.

Maybe I'm missing something completely - I welcome your comments.

....while riding on their CBR bus system to the parks everyday (Jan 2009). The music was being played on the bus' pa system and the tunes/music were very upbeat & caribbean-like and just put me in the right WDW mood. The bus rider didn't know (the names of the songs, artists,etc) so....
Well....did some sluething and found out the music was on one of their promotional cd's they gave out to Castaway Cay members a few years ago.
So......did some more sluething here and was able to get a copy of the music as I listen to it now everyday to and from work.
It just puts me in the Disney mood.

So what I am trying to say is what one of the other posters said....which is record the music on your i-phone and see if it can locate the name of it and or take it into a cd store near you and see what they can do for you. And if not, then to me please try and find some similiar music. either which way - its a win win for you. But yes - it will take some sluething / follow up on your part. And please remember what is for personal use does not violate any copyright laws. Now if you were to do anything different with it, then that's obviously a copyright violation.

Moreover.....here is what I am doing come Aug 1st 2009 when next years rates and dates open up for ABD. And that is that I am buying some Irish Music and loading that also up on my Ipod. As yes, I am putting down a nice downpayment for the "Emerald Isle" trip for either late May or early June 2010.
That reminds me.....I've gotta look again at that Muppets You Tube video of "Danny Boy" . NOW THATS GOOD IRISH MUSIC .

THANK YOU REDZINNER FOR THE IRISH MUSIC SUGGESTION.....MUPPET STYLE.

But all in all - please cheer up and hang in there cuz from someone who has been there done that and gotten the t-shirt.....please be patient with ABD - there is a lot of good in them. Hope this helps .


Kris Newton

 

[TheEvilQueen]

I understand why you feel slighted Grifdog22, but I have some information that might help you understand why you got the answer that you got.

I used to work for the park, and when guests would ask us what songs we played on the park website, we were told (by legal) that we couldn't give that information out. That it was proprietary.

The reason it was proprietary, was not because Disney was afraid that people would start using their music, but it was because the artist made the song JUST for use on that website and it was not allowed to be distributed elsewhere.

Most of the songs used on the company's websites are like this. They don't even have names to the songs.

I bet this is why you got the answer that you got, and I'd be surprised if the "Shazam" program on the iPhone or a CD store can find that song. I bet it, like all other songs on Disney websites, was just made for that one site and can't be found anywhere.

 

[sayhello]

I understand why you feel slighted Grifdog22, but I have some information that might help you understand why you got the answer that you got.

I used to work for the park, and when guests would ask us what songs we played on the park website, we were told (by legal) that we couldn't give that information out. That it was proprietary.

The reason it was proprietary, was not because Disney was afraid that people would start using their music, but it was because the artist made the song JUST for use on that website and it was not allowed to be distributed elsewhere.

Most of the songs used on the company's websites are like this. They don't even have names to the songs.

I bet this is why you got the answer that you got, and I'd be surprised if the "Shazam" program on the iPhone or a CD store can find that song. I bet it, like all other songs on Disney websites, was just made for that one site and can't be found anywhere.

Oooo... Good to know! Thanks, TheEvilQueen!

Sayhello

 

[candizfan]

There are a few different types of pan flutes. Yes it might be hard to believe.

The song sounds like a bit that was maybe written for the web site because it is so short.

 

[OSUChad]

I do not know if this will work for you. My husband can use his Iphone to record a song off the computer or radio and the Iphone will search for the name and artist online.

That app is called Shazam. It is easily my favorite iPhone app and it is free. I tried it on the music from the Peru trip on the ABD website, but it was unable to recognize it.

Chad

 

[OSUChad]

I do not know if this will work for you. My husband can use his Iphone to record a song off the computer or radio and the Iphone will search for the name and artist online.

That app is called Shazam. It is easily my favorite iPhone app and it is free. I tried it on the music from the Peru trip on the ABD website, but it was unable to recognize it.

Chad

 

[ABDLilly]

Hi GrifDog- I am the Marketing Director for Adventures by Disney and saw your post. I'm sorry for your experience and understand completely where you are coming from. That said, I wanted to set the record straight. A few of the people on this thread gave very accurate information about proprietary Disney music... all true.

In this case, I believe the concierge agent you spoke with tried to locate the answer and was told by someone (we are not sure who) that the artist in this case was proprietary. I just did some digging and the real story is that our online team purchased some web stock music by an unknown artist, so as much as we would love to tell you who it was, we dont know. I hope you know from your experience on Adventures by Disney vacations that our Guests are our #1 priority and we do everything possible to make sure each Guest gets exceptional personal attention. I hope this helps make things a bit better. Thanks for understanding and feel free to call with any other questions.

All the best and hope to see you travel with us again soon, Lilly

 

[pipch]

Dear ABDLilly

Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to reply and also for showing us that adventures by Disney can still "listen".
As an ex Hotel executive I more than most appreciate that you cannot please all of the people all of the time (especially when they are spending their hard earned money on a vacation) But most people feel less aggrieved if they feel they are getting the "real reason" from the top.

A large hotel chain in the USA now replies to guest comments on Tripadvisor and I think its a great policy.

Anyway just wanted to thank you for taking the time to show you followed through.
We are off on our 2nd adventure in a few weeks and think this is a fabulous product of which you should be extremely proud.

 

[redzinner]

Thanks Lilly for taking the time to explain to the original poster. It helps us all understand things a little bit better when we hear it from Disney management.
Happy Adventures!

 

[sayhello]

ABDLilly, I'd like to chime in with the others and thank you for taking the time to clear things up. It really does help to know that we're being listened to!

Thanks!
Sayhello

 

[ImprovGal]

Lilly, thank you for your insightful response to the OP. It's always nice to see that a company is listening. It was also a pleasure meeting you on the 5/23 Magic cruise. Thank you so much for those lovely surprises sent to my friends and I.