MsDisney23
<font color=blue>Has cabin fever-induced dreams of
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2002
- Messages
- 7,135
Hello, and thank all of you, I have fell in love with these boards and most of all you the people. We all come here for the same reason, our Love for Disney! I have decided to post my letter to Mr. Roy Disney, with copies sent to Mr. Al Weiss and Mr. Michael Eisner. Please read and do not FLAME, i have had a very bad experience that has left me in tears and do still hold WDW close to my heart. I would like to add that I have met so many wonderful Cast Members in WDW, and have had many of wonderful trips there. However I now have a bad taste in my mouth. I would love for Disney to know how I feel and those of you who feel as though things are not right with the closing of The Disney Club, you must write. You wrote, they listen, we got back EE, Please again, do not flame, this letter was not intent to be negitive, but to let them know how I have been treated.
September 8, 2002
Mr. Al Weiss
President
The Walt Disney World Resort
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
RE: Walt Disney World
Dear Mr. Weiss:
I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read my letter . My name is Katrina Castellini, and I would like to tell you a little about myself from the start. I am 41, recently married on Nov. 18th. 2000(Yes "on" Mickey Mouse birthday). I have a 17 year old daughter named Lauren Brooke who is a Senior this year. She is even talking about college at Disney. I have JD, Juvenile Diabetes since the age of three. I have been taking insulin shots for the past 38 years. For the past year and half I am now on an insulin pump. After my honeymoon in Walt Disney World in 2000, and only three weeks into my new life of being married, I was diagnose with what would turn out to be the start of "FIVE" major eye disease. I was told that I most likely would be completely blind. That is just what happen. I lost all vision in my left eye, and a great deal in the right eye. This past May I underwent my ninetieth major eye operation. I have had some of my vision restored. I need more operation's, but I must now wait a year and take some healing time.
I used to do Heavy Highway Construction with The Laborer's International Union of North America. During my 15 year's I also became the only diabetic in the State of New Jersey to hold a Federal Haz-Mat License and had the opportunity to work on several major Super-Fund Site cleanup. I worked on many major bridge's and was very proud of the work that I had done and my accomplishment's for a woman with a very difficult disease. I never used my disease as a crutch and never would have thought that Diabetes would have taken my eye sight.
My husband knows my love for The Disney Company and Walt Disney World. On Dec.11th, 2001 as I was about to go in for a major eye operation, I told my husband that I had one wish. He asked what that was. I told him, I want to go back to Walt Disney World and see it for one last time, befoe all of my sight is gone. After my surgery my husband told me to go ahead and plan my trip, however he would not be able to make the trip with me. I have raised my daughter with Disney. Which I call her Disney year's. We have always taken a trip to Walt Disney World around Thanksgiving every year for several weeks. Along with another shorter trip in the early Spring.
As a young girl I fell in love with Cinderella like most young girls do. My dream was to always go to Walt Disney World and she her Castle. It was years before I was able to afford a trip. My own young daughter at the age of three started to ask me to take her to see Mickey Mouse and Pooh. I would tell her someday. Then it dawned on me, someday will never come. Being a single mother, I took on more overtime to pay for our first trip to Walt Disney World in 1990. I will never forget the feeling of going there for the first time and sharing it with my dear daughter. When I stood in front of the Castle tears came to my eye's. To this day when ever I see the Castle I shed of tear of all the beauty it holds and it's meaning to me! I have even ask God for a Castle just like Cinderella's in Heaven.
Since 1990 I have spend over $250,000.00 on vacations to Walt Disney World. This also include's souvenir, dinner show's, dining around the World, Special Event's and shows. Not to mention the Disney room in my home which has all of my collectible's, a Disney Library, every Disney movie ever made, music collection, painting, every Disney game, computer software, toye, even the owner of two Mickey Mouse Club coats! I am also the owner of a certified show cat named Ms. Disney which is not included in the price above.
I have never used the The Disney Company to book a trip, but being a member of the old Magic Kingdom Club and now a member of The Disney Club, I left my travel agent of many years to put my trust in the The Disney Travel Company with my upcoming trip toWalt Disney World this coming Nov. 22, 2002. I had made several phone calls and spoke with the cast members and asked all kinds of question's. I had explained my insulin pump and special needs do to my eye sight problems. That part was fine. I asked about discount code's, car rental, air fare,etc. I was so happy with all the wonderful information that I had recieved.
On January 30, 2002 I called and booked my trip to Walt Disney World through the Disney Club. At the time of my booking, I was not even given the Disney Club discount and was told that I would have to wait for the code to come out. I booked throught the Disneey Club for the Caribbean Beach Resort for 15 ngihts and air fare. At that time I did not book Mear's or Car Rental, since I was waiting to see what my upcoming eye operations would bring. Disney Travel told me no problem, I could always add them. I was offered at the time of my booking free miniature golf and a pass to the Wild World of Sports. My original confirmation number was 43011132. Here is where things start to go wrong, I now call in several months later with the annual passholder code, and was given a hard time by the Cast Member. I had to ask to speak to a supervisor. Now they wanted for me to pay more for my air-fare, I did end up keeping the same air fare and was able to get the annual passholder rate, at that time the supervisor had question as to why I was never even offered the Disney Club discount. I thought maybe it was due to the fact that I had booked my trip so far in advance. Anyway, I now have another confirmation on top of the very first one, so that is two. No big deal I can deal with this.
Now, I hear about the closing of Caribbean Beach Resort, I called Walt Disney Travel and asked about this. Well yet another rude Cast Member, this person got into a conversation with me about being fair that other guest will come before me and that I have to wait for Disney to call me. At that point I ask to speak to a Supervisor. The supervisor told me that it should not matter as to wear I stay at on Disney Property, that anywhere in Disney is lovely. She went on to tell me that I am paying for a room, that I will only be in to sleep. I was in total shock to hear this. So now I let a few days go by, I call back and ask to speak to another supervisor, I had explained my situation to her, she was very nice, and was able to get me to speak to the Special Caribbean Beach Relocation Team. Long and behold I am not sure who Disney has hired, but I would like for you to know that I was upset with this person and the way they talked to me. I was offered to go to another moderate resort at the same price! Then I was told I go have a cabin in Fort Wilderness, then oh no, they are gone. I was offered to go to the Animal Kingdom or Polynesian. I decided to ask about maybe going to The Contempary or The Grand Floridian, I offered to pay extra money. The person got rude and ask me just what I wanted from them. I thought oh my, I can not even asked them a question! So I was told I had to make up my mind or they would put me where they wanted and that would be the end of it. They also gave me the option of cancelling my trip and rebooking at the Polynesian and paying alot more money. So I decided on the Polynesian.. I was upset with how this was handled. So I decide to call back a few days later to Disney to discuss how upset I was with the rudeness. Long and behold I get the same Cast Member again, and all the rudeness. I told him to have a nice day hung up. Turned around and called right back and reported this person again to the Supervisor. my luck to get the same person twice.
I now decide a few weeks later to call and add a rental car to my package. I am allowed to drive a little during the day, but never at night. I was told that since The Caribbean Beach Team had taken over my reservation that I can not use the Disney Club to add Mear's shuttle or National Rental Car. I was given a phone number for National and Mear's and the Disney Club account and was told I have to call them now myself. I now also learned that they have taken away my free miniture golf and Wide World of Sports passes. OK no big deal I can handle this. What a mess getting a rental car with National. They told me that only Disney can use the account. So now I spend a day searching for a rental car, I did end up getting Alamo, which I have used many of time's.
I ordered all my annual passes and ticket's for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party for Dec. 6, 2002. on September 7, 2002. I recieved them in the mail and also in my mail that day was another piece of mail fron Walt Disney Travel Co. telling me there has been an itinerary change to my flight. Oh joy, another call to Disney. Disney had no idea what I was talking about, now I get put through to the air department for the Disney Club. They told me everything was fine, they had not send me anything and that I should call the US Airways direct and see what the problem was. Now keep in mind I have booked this trip through the Disney Club. So now two hour's on the phone with the airline, they told me what they had changed. My flight time. Now back on the phone with Disney, now the ticket's I had just purchases for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party where no good to me. Disney told me that I would have to purchase new one's as these are non-refundable or transferable. I asked if they could get me on another flight. They checked and told me the I need to call them everyday to see if they can rebook me. I called there twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, while I was put on hold and was told they where calling US Airways. After a week of this, I called US Airways myself, they told me that Disney had never called them and they switched me on a different flight. I was told that if Disney had called there would have been no problem of getting me on a different flight. No I had to call Disney and let them know of the change on my flight, at that time they did call US Airways and confirm it. I did get a confirmation from Disney with this change. I am now able to use the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party passes.
I know and understand of the cut backs at The Disney Company, I would like you to know of my cutback now with the The Disney Company. I almost cancelled my trip this coming Nov. 22, 2002 due to all of the problems with booking this trip. The price increase of dining, passes, parking, and special events, the loss of The Disney Club, etc. Please know that I have not shared with my daughter or husband how I feel at the present time with The Disney Co., as this is her Senior year trip. I do not have it in my heart to take that away from her. I am praying for it to be a magical one. I have never minded to pay the money for these wonderful thing's, but I am not sure what to expect on my upcoming trip. Mr. Weiss, please know this is going to be my last trip to Walt Disney World, I have cancelled some of my dining reservation's. Including The CandleLight Processional for Nov. 30, 2002 with Mr. Roy Disney. I do not plan on doing any shopping at the Downtown Disney Market Place. I am not buying anymore Disney stocks, etc. Mr. Weiss please know and understand I am very sadden and hurt with my recent experience with The Disney Company. It is people like myself who keep you in business. I am sure losing one person will not make alot of difference to The Disney Company. I would like to wish you and The Disney Company and very successful and upcoming year.
Again I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this very long letter. I do feel it is of great importance to hear what your guest have to say to help improve things within your company.
Sincerely,
September 8, 2002
Mr. Al Weiss
President
The Walt Disney World Resort
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
RE: Walt Disney World
Dear Mr. Weiss:
I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read my letter . My name is Katrina Castellini, and I would like to tell you a little about myself from the start. I am 41, recently married on Nov. 18th. 2000(Yes "on" Mickey Mouse birthday). I have a 17 year old daughter named Lauren Brooke who is a Senior this year. She is even talking about college at Disney. I have JD, Juvenile Diabetes since the age of three. I have been taking insulin shots for the past 38 years. For the past year and half I am now on an insulin pump. After my honeymoon in Walt Disney World in 2000, and only three weeks into my new life of being married, I was diagnose with what would turn out to be the start of "FIVE" major eye disease. I was told that I most likely would be completely blind. That is just what happen. I lost all vision in my left eye, and a great deal in the right eye. This past May I underwent my ninetieth major eye operation. I have had some of my vision restored. I need more operation's, but I must now wait a year and take some healing time.
I used to do Heavy Highway Construction with The Laborer's International Union of North America. During my 15 year's I also became the only diabetic in the State of New Jersey to hold a Federal Haz-Mat License and had the opportunity to work on several major Super-Fund Site cleanup. I worked on many major bridge's and was very proud of the work that I had done and my accomplishment's for a woman with a very difficult disease. I never used my disease as a crutch and never would have thought that Diabetes would have taken my eye sight.
My husband knows my love for The Disney Company and Walt Disney World. On Dec.11th, 2001 as I was about to go in for a major eye operation, I told my husband that I had one wish. He asked what that was. I told him, I want to go back to Walt Disney World and see it for one last time, befoe all of my sight is gone. After my surgery my husband told me to go ahead and plan my trip, however he would not be able to make the trip with me. I have raised my daughter with Disney. Which I call her Disney year's. We have always taken a trip to Walt Disney World around Thanksgiving every year for several weeks. Along with another shorter trip in the early Spring.
As a young girl I fell in love with Cinderella like most young girls do. My dream was to always go to Walt Disney World and she her Castle. It was years before I was able to afford a trip. My own young daughter at the age of three started to ask me to take her to see Mickey Mouse and Pooh. I would tell her someday. Then it dawned on me, someday will never come. Being a single mother, I took on more overtime to pay for our first trip to Walt Disney World in 1990. I will never forget the feeling of going there for the first time and sharing it with my dear daughter. When I stood in front of the Castle tears came to my eye's. To this day when ever I see the Castle I shed of tear of all the beauty it holds and it's meaning to me! I have even ask God for a Castle just like Cinderella's in Heaven.
Since 1990 I have spend over $250,000.00 on vacations to Walt Disney World. This also include's souvenir, dinner show's, dining around the World, Special Event's and shows. Not to mention the Disney room in my home which has all of my collectible's, a Disney Library, every Disney movie ever made, music collection, painting, every Disney game, computer software, toye, even the owner of two Mickey Mouse Club coats! I am also the owner of a certified show cat named Ms. Disney which is not included in the price above.
I have never used the The Disney Company to book a trip, but being a member of the old Magic Kingdom Club and now a member of The Disney Club, I left my travel agent of many years to put my trust in the The Disney Travel Company with my upcoming trip toWalt Disney World this coming Nov. 22, 2002. I had made several phone calls and spoke with the cast members and asked all kinds of question's. I had explained my insulin pump and special needs do to my eye sight problems. That part was fine. I asked about discount code's, car rental, air fare,etc. I was so happy with all the wonderful information that I had recieved.
On January 30, 2002 I called and booked my trip to Walt Disney World through the Disney Club. At the time of my booking, I was not even given the Disney Club discount and was told that I would have to wait for the code to come out. I booked throught the Disneey Club for the Caribbean Beach Resort for 15 ngihts and air fare. At that time I did not book Mear's or Car Rental, since I was waiting to see what my upcoming eye operations would bring. Disney Travel told me no problem, I could always add them. I was offered at the time of my booking free miniature golf and a pass to the Wild World of Sports. My original confirmation number was 43011132. Here is where things start to go wrong, I now call in several months later with the annual passholder code, and was given a hard time by the Cast Member. I had to ask to speak to a supervisor. Now they wanted for me to pay more for my air-fare, I did end up keeping the same air fare and was able to get the annual passholder rate, at that time the supervisor had question as to why I was never even offered the Disney Club discount. I thought maybe it was due to the fact that I had booked my trip so far in advance. Anyway, I now have another confirmation on top of the very first one, so that is two. No big deal I can deal with this.
Now, I hear about the closing of Caribbean Beach Resort, I called Walt Disney Travel and asked about this. Well yet another rude Cast Member, this person got into a conversation with me about being fair that other guest will come before me and that I have to wait for Disney to call me. At that point I ask to speak to a Supervisor. The supervisor told me that it should not matter as to wear I stay at on Disney Property, that anywhere in Disney is lovely. She went on to tell me that I am paying for a room, that I will only be in to sleep. I was in total shock to hear this. So now I let a few days go by, I call back and ask to speak to another supervisor, I had explained my situation to her, she was very nice, and was able to get me to speak to the Special Caribbean Beach Relocation Team. Long and behold I am not sure who Disney has hired, but I would like for you to know that I was upset with this person and the way they talked to me. I was offered to go to another moderate resort at the same price! Then I was told I go have a cabin in Fort Wilderness, then oh no, they are gone. I was offered to go to the Animal Kingdom or Polynesian. I decided to ask about maybe going to The Contempary or The Grand Floridian, I offered to pay extra money. The person got rude and ask me just what I wanted from them. I thought oh my, I can not even asked them a question! So I was told I had to make up my mind or they would put me where they wanted and that would be the end of it. They also gave me the option of cancelling my trip and rebooking at the Polynesian and paying alot more money. So I decided on the Polynesian.. I was upset with how this was handled. So I decide to call back a few days later to Disney to discuss how upset I was with the rudeness. Long and behold I get the same Cast Member again, and all the rudeness. I told him to have a nice day hung up. Turned around and called right back and reported this person again to the Supervisor. my luck to get the same person twice.
I now decide a few weeks later to call and add a rental car to my package. I am allowed to drive a little during the day, but never at night. I was told that since The Caribbean Beach Team had taken over my reservation that I can not use the Disney Club to add Mear's shuttle or National Rental Car. I was given a phone number for National and Mear's and the Disney Club account and was told I have to call them now myself. I now also learned that they have taken away my free miniture golf and Wide World of Sports passes. OK no big deal I can handle this. What a mess getting a rental car with National. They told me that only Disney can use the account. So now I spend a day searching for a rental car, I did end up getting Alamo, which I have used many of time's.
I ordered all my annual passes and ticket's for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party for Dec. 6, 2002. on September 7, 2002. I recieved them in the mail and also in my mail that day was another piece of mail fron Walt Disney Travel Co. telling me there has been an itinerary change to my flight. Oh joy, another call to Disney. Disney had no idea what I was talking about, now I get put through to the air department for the Disney Club. They told me everything was fine, they had not send me anything and that I should call the US Airways direct and see what the problem was. Now keep in mind I have booked this trip through the Disney Club. So now two hour's on the phone with the airline, they told me what they had changed. My flight time. Now back on the phone with Disney, now the ticket's I had just purchases for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party where no good to me. Disney told me that I would have to purchase new one's as these are non-refundable or transferable. I asked if they could get me on another flight. They checked and told me the I need to call them everyday to see if they can rebook me. I called there twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, while I was put on hold and was told they where calling US Airways. After a week of this, I called US Airways myself, they told me that Disney had never called them and they switched me on a different flight. I was told that if Disney had called there would have been no problem of getting me on a different flight. No I had to call Disney and let them know of the change on my flight, at that time they did call US Airways and confirm it. I did get a confirmation from Disney with this change. I am now able to use the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party passes.
I know and understand of the cut backs at The Disney Company, I would like you to know of my cutback now with the The Disney Company. I almost cancelled my trip this coming Nov. 22, 2002 due to all of the problems with booking this trip. The price increase of dining, passes, parking, and special events, the loss of The Disney Club, etc. Please know that I have not shared with my daughter or husband how I feel at the present time with The Disney Co., as this is her Senior year trip. I do not have it in my heart to take that away from her. I am praying for it to be a magical one. I have never minded to pay the money for these wonderful thing's, but I am not sure what to expect on my upcoming trip. Mr. Weiss, please know this is going to be my last trip to Walt Disney World, I have cancelled some of my dining reservation's. Including The CandleLight Processional for Nov. 30, 2002 with Mr. Roy Disney. I do not plan on doing any shopping at the Downtown Disney Market Place. I am not buying anymore Disney stocks, etc. Mr. Weiss please know and understand I am very sadden and hurt with my recent experience with The Disney Company. It is people like myself who keep you in business. I am sure losing one person will not make alot of difference to The Disney Company. I would like to wish you and The Disney Company and very successful and upcoming year.
Again I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this very long letter. I do feel it is of great importance to hear what your guest have to say to help improve things within your company.
Sincerely,
