Pop Century Reservation Nightmare

[SparkyC]

I could not be more frustrated, or looking forward to my trip any less (that will change, but still: this vacation is off to a negative start.)

I called and made our reservation for a March Family trip last night, and spoke to a rude and disinterested man. Should I have asked for his manager? Probably. I did not.

I was booking two Pop Century rooms (room only) for 7 people (5 adults, 2 of the smaller kid types) and ordering some passes. That's where the fun stops. This man could not have been ruder or more short. I have had better customer service experiences ordering garbage pickup service, and this is booking our vacation, and I so wanted it to start off right. But that was just the start.

There are 7 names on the reservation, and I repeated them, spelled them, and asked if there were problems. I could tell he was not paying attention. He ends the conversation by giving me another long distance number to call the following morning, stating that he's not really sure if our passes were ordered, or not. arggh.

Call this morning. You bet the passes were ordered. After being on hold for ten or so minutes, I found out they were ordered TWICE. No apology, not even a firm reassurance that the credit card would be credited immediately.

Shaken, I call to see that our reservation is in order. Worst fears confirmed. Names are missing, all are misspelled, and last/first names are reversed. I spent eons on the phone and list/spell each name again to get it corrected.

I get a call back 30 minutes later, a voicemail. Please call Disney. Problem w/ reservation. Sure enough, I call back, and they are annoyed at ME, they can't figure out why I am calling again. AND---sure enough, the names are still missing, still in disarray. I can hardly believe what happens next.

After 15 minutes on hold, I am not put through to a manager when I ask. I complain, not screaming, and I'm told that, yes, there are a lot of really rude people here and that there's not a thing they can do about it, period. Also, that if it is STILL screwed up "I should just deal with it when I check in". I say this is unacceptable, and demand that it be taken care of for once and for all, now. I am told that he will "try" but won't make any kind of guarantee that the room reservation is "100% correct" but that it is "not really a big deal" since the rooms are reserved. (I HOPE!!!)

Well, I know what I have to do. I have sent emails to every WDW cust. service address I can find, and I know I must write a letter. I am bummed though, and it puts this vacation off to a unhappy start, instead of a happy one. Disney: I am a good repeat customer. This kind of thing is not going to work.

Thanks for listening. AND: what the HECK is going on in the phone reservation department?!

 

[Selket]

I ended up booking my FTP online last year because the phone folks were just terrible. And you end up spending a lot of money on the phone calls that are put on hold forever then lost. I think many people here are annoyed with the phone reservation system but I'm not sure what else you can do (other than book online or go through a travel agent). What if you use one of the travel agents (like Dreams Unlimited) that specialize in Disney? I haven't tried that but it is an option perhaps.

At least you aren't alone!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Cancel the reservations and the tickets. Once that has been accomplished (calling your credit card company to verify) call and ask to speak to the manager on duty, not the supervisor, the manager of the entire call center.

Then, start again and expect some good service!

 

[SparkyC]

They will not cancel--it's not 46 days out!

I've just finished a scathing letter. I will mail it, but I am trying to figure out where to FAX it to get immediate results. Any ideas?

thanks!

 

[DarthGoofy]

SparkyC

I am so sorry about you experience. I know that it is especially frustrating on you own dime.

So, here is some pixie dust for you, and the toll free number that I use to make my "room only" reservations

1-877-939-3732

I hope this helps, and that everything gets fixed.

 

[cmitch9999]

customer service??
I also callled yesterday to request room locations for our 1 night stay pre cruise next month. The reservation agent was nice enough, took my request and then put me on hold for about 10 minutes. Came back and said she had a problem with the names on the reservation (husband and son are both Paul) put me on hold again for another 5 minutes and told me it was all taken care of. I would call back to see if things are as they should be but don't want to be put on hold again. I understand your frustration!!
Chris Mitchell

 

[VIKKIGZ]

UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH A FEMALE CALL TAKER JUST LAST MONTH. I WISH I WOULD HAVE WENT THE EXTRA MILE AND ASKED FOR A SUPERVISOR AS OUR RESERVATION WAS QUITE SIMPLE

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I am sorry to hear about your terrible experience. I have had some agents that I felt were not very friendly and that didn't appear to know what they were doing but I have never experienced anything that bad. Disney needs to do something about that because it is becoming a major problem. I have seen repeated complaints about the reservation agents. That is not something that you want to deal with with you are dealing with Disney.....

 

[heffalump9]

I understand your frustration, we had problems with our reservation at AKL last year. Once you receive your confirmation in the mail, if all is not right, call the reservation number and ask to be transfered to Guest Relations. I spoke with Carlos at Guest Relations and he was great, it took a while to correct the error (about 30 min.), but all went well in the end. When we arrived at AKL they had to re-verify all the corrections, but with my new confirmation in hand and a copy of my credit card statement everything was okay. Good Luck don't let one bad apple spoil the fun, there is still plenty of Magic ahead.

 

[SparkyC]

2 letters and several emails have been mailed.

I had a call from someone in Guest Communications who was really very nice...but...couldn't do anything to help?!? She said I'd just have to call another number in the Reservations area, because she could not help with this. <sigh> Doesn't make sense.

But, here is the bombshell... I have received an email reply from Jay Rasulo! I really can't believe my own eyes. He promises that he is having someone that CAN fix this contact me. I hope that happens, and it gives me faith that maybe somewhere along the way Disney still cares. They have got a lot to fix, though---this experience proves that to me. This is much larger than one bad apple, this is a systemic failure if 6 phone calls can not take care of an issue this minor.

thanks for all the thoughts!

 

[Madi100]

I just don't understand it. Can someone please explain to me why I have to call long distance (at least that is what Disney expects), give my family history to a reservation person, and then them mess it up. Ours were messed up differently every time I called. I would try to change them, and they messed them up in a new way every time. They act like it's no big deal. Then why ask it all?

For those of us that are repeat customers, we know that it gets better. Does Disney not know that these unprofessional operators are not putting a good taste in the first timers mouths? I've always heard that the most important person in a restaurant is the waiter/waitress and in a store the cashier, not the managers. The managers rarely deal with people. It is the low on the totem pole people that deal with the customers. Someone really should let Disney in on this little secret.

 

[mnbrowns]

I too have had inexperienced CMs. We all have been dealing with such great service for so long we know what we're talking about. I also needed to switch a package reservation to a room only and I had to walk them through the whole process. It still was all messed up with double reservations, wrong names, etc. This is terrible because it's a lot of money they are messing with. Disney of all comapanies boasts that they have the best customer service of any comapany and it's sad to see it slipping. I also don't think they were ready to put in effect the Magical Gatherings. Those reps haven't been too knowledgable either. I did write a respectful compaint and they actually phoned me and apologized. I just think they needed to know they are making terrible first impressions by these phone reps.

 

[cathie]

Sometimes when we make our reservations we have to keep calling back until we finally get a CM who is actually pleasant & understanding & knows how to make a reservation. We deal with special needs because we travel with a handicapped friend so at times we have to repeat ourselves & call back several times before they get it straight. I mean this is our MONEY that we are spending, we should be able to get what we are paying for without any rudeness or unsocialable CM's. Isn't Disney all about FUN? Cathie

 

[mishoe01]

I know alot of people don't like to do this, but may I recommend going through a travel agent? Disney has a dedicated line of CM's who only work with TA's, and they are very knowledgeable (I am a TA who's worked with them countless times, and have never had an issue).

I know many people here have booked thru Dreams Unlimited and have had great experiences with them.

 

[antkim]

Just wanted to let you know that when I saw this thread I emailed my friend at reservations and told him to come look at it himself. He was very upset when he read what happened to you and asked me to get your ressie # so that HE could fix it. Before I could do that he emailed me to say that he had found your ressie and that it appeared to have been corrected. He wanted me to say that they do still care and that he could see who the original CM was and that he would be dealt with occordingly. Also instead of asking to speak to a manager always ask for guest communications-they deal with these issues.
Hope everything is as you need it to be!
Kim

 

[West Coast Duck]

Unfortunately there are always some bad apples, the cast member we spoke to made sure that everything was correct, and just the way we wanted it. I hope you don't let this put a damper on your expierence. It does suck though that they don't have a toll free number. Only 8 days until we escape the rain and enter the magic.

 

[DisOrBust]

I have been battling CRO with my ressie for a month. It was booked uder their "old" system and every time I call to verify it is completely screwed up! No other way to say it. I have been on the phone, my dime, a total of 2 hrs trying to get it straight. My DH is completely mystified that such a large org. that prides itself on quality coiuld screw things up so bad!! I told him its nothing new! I pray my ressie is ok when we check in on the 5th at 10pm.

 

[magicmaker]

It sounds like a number of people are having reservation challenges when calling the Walt Disney World Reservation Center. There are certain Cast Members who are unable or unwilling to provide the level of service we have come to expect from Walt Disney World. I think it is important that if you do not feel comfortable with the service you are being provided, to ask to speak with someone else.

After having my own set of difficulties with a Walt Disney World Reservation, I have the learned the following. You cannot be transferred directly to a manager. The Reservation Center has Guest Services desks staffed by excellent Cast Members that are able to provide additional service and handle challenges. If you are concerned about your reservation, ask to speak with Guest Services (also known as the help desk). If the Guest Services Cast Member is also unable to be of assistance to you, please ask to speak with a manager. The Guest Services Cast Members can locate a manager for you.

While letter writing and other forms of feedback are important, the most expeditious way of resolving challenges with your reservation, is to speak with Reservation Guest Services and ultimately a manager.

I hope that you do not encouner any further challenges with service at the Reservation Center or at the Walt Disney World Resort. But if you do, please remember that ultimately Walt Disney World is dedicated to ensuring you have the most fabulous time of your life. As a result, it is to your advantage to speak with Guest Services/Guest Relations or request to speak with a manager if you feel you are not being treated appropriately.

 

[QJ411]

I love Disney World to death...but I do have to agree that the CMs over at the reservation center a really, really, really, really rude. When we booked our Honeymoon, we booked by calling DCL instead and they were terrific...then when I called Reservation Center last year to book our room only...the CMs were really lacking the pixie dust.

There were whole discussions threads on how rude and nasty they were. I can understand your furstration SPARKYC. It's no way to start a trip. We USED to get so excited planning our trip, now...it's like...omg...PLEASE let me get a nice CM to help me w/ my ressies...PLEASE let me talk to a nice CM so she can take my money for this trip...and it shouldn't be that way. I think ONE in TEN CMs will be nice...

What the heck happened?! Where are all the friendly, knowledgable CMs. Don't even try asking for a "manager" or "supervisor", we're not sure if they actually exist...we asked for either one last time (CM was EXCEPTIONALLY RUDE...she went out of her way to be rude), we were on hold for about 25 mins. before a "supervisor" came on and we were then transferred to Guest Services...then transferred again back to the supervisor...so...you can tell how it went. I was LIVID.

Keep you spirits up SPARKYC, leave all this stress behind and ENJOY the trip!

BRING BACK THE MAGIC....SAVE DISNEY

XOXO

 

[SparkyC]

depending on how you look at it, since I haven't actually left for the vacation!

I don't have a lot of time right now to post the details, but a Guest Services manager named Holly contacted me the following day. I never received email replys to the emails that I sent via the website so truthfully I'm unsure where along the way Holly came in, but I suspect given the email that I received from Mr. Rasulo, that she is the person he or his associate contacted.

Holly has been a literal model of customer service, both taking the time to listen and also expressing that this should never happen and that this kind of treatment is not acceptable.

I spent a LONG time telling her my feelings on the subject, and that my concern was really centered on the fact that this was not a "one bad apple spoils" scenario, but rather, a total breakdown of customer service...I mean, I spoke to SIX people, including two managers, and not ONE until Hlly could correct the reservation?

More on this later, but, I feel from this experience that there are people at Disney who care VERY much and are working quite hard to change what is happening there.