POR- nightmare (8/26-29)

[lkneller]

we only waited about 5 minutes to check in. we also came back down to change our room and again waited only 5 minutes. I am sorry that some people had such a long wait earlier in the day.

overall we had a good experience. only minor problems.

we do not use the busses. we rent a car and drive everywhere. I had a bad experience many years ago with Disney busses and have had bus phobia ever since. I can not take a bus anywhere.

but actually driving around Disney is very easy and fast.

 

[eliza61]

It's funny how strenuously people will defend WDW! They did a bad job. That's pretty obvious. They are a huge company that handled something badly. I know that people have a wonderful time there and it is a beautiful resort, and I don't think that pointing out a flaw is so out of line.

I don't get the feeling any one is overly defending the Mouse, most folks sympathize with the OP. Like you said Disney is a large company run by human beings, the potential for goof ups is enormous. I would be more worried if there wasn't the occasional gripe. For every horrible experience there tends to be a glowing review. I always tell people to take any and all post with the provebial grain of salt.

 

[quiltymom]

This is true, but I am a little surprised at the attempt to discredit the original poster. These boards are for information primarily, am I right? They aren't the cheerleaders for WDW.

Nope - not trying to discredit or start a fight. Just saying to the many people who are reading this thread that it really doesn't matter where you stay, you're going to run into problems. So, if you're booked at POR and haven't stayed there before like us, read this thread, get the info you need and move on. It's how you handle the situation and/or problems that matter. It's your vacation and how you respond will either make or break your time there. Did Disney mess up? Maybe. They aren't perfect.

And now I'm moving on.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I'm sure that if there were some kind of floating staff, help could be very quickly available.

I agree – but the likelihood of there being floating staff anywhere at what is, really, just before the changeover from Saturday graveyard to Sunday day – never mind floating staff with enough flexibility to fill in anywhere as needed, is slim to none.

This is true, but I am a little surprised at the attempt to discredit the original poster

Discredit? Not at all. We’re not her, we didn’t have her (ultimately enjoyable, by the way) vacation. We’re simply providing opposing experiences and views.

Last time I stayed at POR, the only problem I noticed was the “bus rush” – and, resultingly, some Guests who’d been waiting longest not even being able to board the bus. So, my only suggestion is that they need to redesign the bus queues to provide more order (or hand out numbers, like they do at the deli )

Also, somebody (or two) mentioned that POR should have been prepared based on prior years’ experience. Chances are, that would not have been effective.

In 2005, Free Dining started around 8/20; in 2006 it started around 8/13 (dates aren’t exact, they are available at mousesavers.com though).
In 2007, there were three offers: BounceBack Guests got Free Dining starting 8/5; UK Guests got Free Dining starting 8/12; and the General Public offer started with check-ins on 8/26. In prior years, few, if any, Guests split their stays to get Free Dining for part of their vacation. THIS year, many did because availability started so late for most of us.

Even on the other “start” dates – 2005, 2006, the two earlier ones this year, and the Guests first arriving on 8/26 – THOSE Guests were not all converging on the various resorts’ Front Desks at 7 AM en masse. They would be arriving throughout the day. So, no, I disagree that Disney could/should have been prepared based on prior experience.

 

[mrsnj91]

For those questioning about staying at the POR....I think the main thing is to realize that it Disney World but not some magical kingdom. I was all pumped up on the "Disney magic" from this board. But after getting there I found it is a regular hotel. With real people working it. It is full. It is crowded. And the staff are human. Is it worse or better than another resort? This was our 1st time at any (although I have to say I wouldn't eat in the POFQ food court. We were there and it was DIRTY!). But we kept an open mind. If it was crowded, we expected a wait. If one depot was less crowded, we headed there instead. If the buses were standing room...the adults let the kids sit and we helped eachother get them on and off. I found that patience helped a lot and laughing it off helped too. I would have liked more selection in the food court. Did the maid get a tip each night after ignoring a pillow request for a 3 days? Nope. Did I complain about the fridge? Yep. But in the end I would still stay there. I found the place clean. The staff mostly helpful. The grounds well kept. The pools beautiful. The buses I don't think have anything to do with the resort itself. It falls on Disney. But I don't think even that horriable night in that horriable line was so bad. I timed it......hundreds of people from our resort alone, sweaty, tired and lugging sleeping toddlers......35 min from the end of the line to the bus. I was told to allow 20 min normally. Hot, horriable and sweaty? OH YEAH! 35 min? That wasn't bad. I think in the end we have to realize that any resort is going to have good points and bad.

 

[bluefairy13]

I agree – but the likelihood of there being floating staff anywhere at what is, really, just before the changeover from Saturday graveyard to Sunday day – never mind floating staff with enough flexibility to fill in anywhere as needed, is slim to none.


.

Do you work for WDW? You should join their PR department you defend them well!

WDW has utilidors and cutting edge ways to do so many amazing things and ways to serve us. My husband's company went to a seminar there a few years ago and came back amazed about how efficient they are. Why you think the possibility of them able to have enough staffmembers is "slim to none" is something that we will just have to disagree about.

 

[safetymom]

Let's not turn this thread into a debate. We don't know the other side of the story of why there was a line and not enough cast members working the desk. So we will never have a conclusion unless Disney decides to post one.

 

[disneyfan67]

This is true, but I am a little surprised at the attempt to discredit the original poster. These boards are for information primarily, am I right? They aren't the cheerleaders for WDW.

If I were new to WDW I'd want to know that in a busy season things like buses can be a pain. I've stayed at POR and I've stayed at WL and the better thing about WL is that there is for example another way to get to the Magic Kindom.

If I were new and were staying at POR at a very busy time I might consider a car instead of relying on what might be very annoying bus service. I like a resort that keeps me off the buses the most, and if that isn't possible I rent a car.

It's just extra information to help them make the best decision they can. I'd rather warn someone assure them everything will be peachy keen and have them be disappointed.

Sadly, the attacking or discrediting any poster, especially one who starts a thread with a negative report on their recent stay, is alive and well on the DIS.

I love going to WDW and have been there 5 times and as my screen name would indicate, I'm a fan. After a few years on these boards, I still get surprised at how grown adults who probably would be very angry at waiting in a hour long check in line at any hotel outside of WDW, gives Disney a free pass because it's Disney. I don't believe in that nonsense and as much as I love Disney, I'm not giving them a free pass when their service needs improving. There's no call for having lines like that when trying to check in to a Disney resort. They should have floaters or extra staff to get those people processed quickly as possible. I accept long lines when in the parks and waiting to get in on a ride or show. I accept long lines to leave when the park is closing for the night. I don't accept hour long lines to check into a Disney hotel, when all I want to do is start my vacation and gladly hand over my money to Disney. A few extra CM's could easily speed up that process and help start the vacation off on the right foot. Disney is certainly charging enough to properly staff their resorts and we shouldn't be giving them a free pass because we love the entertainment and fantasy that the parks and resorts provide us.


Right is right and wrong is wrong. We shouldn't allow our personal feelings and admiration of what Disney has done in the past to allow them to keep slipping in service. They know how full their resorts are going to be, especially during a the peak season or free dining promotions. It's up to them to properly staff them. I have seen many people here on these boards defend Disney to no end. It's OK to be a fan and count me in as one of them. Lets start taking off the "rose colored" glasses though, when responding to a post like this and let the Disney corporation know that improvements are needed. We don't need to fill every post up with 10 bouncing smilies and say everything was magical and filled with pixie dust, when we wouldn't allow the Holiday Inn located in our hometowns, to get away with shabby or lack luster service.

To the super fans out there and you know who you are. It's OK to point out the decline in service while seeing an increase in prices. It doesn't make you any less of a fan. Just a fan who doesn't buy into the "flock of sheep" mentality and accepts anything Disney gives you with smile on your face and a "thank you sir, may I have another" mindset.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Do you work for WDW? You should join their PR department you defend them well!

WDW has utilidors and cutting edge ways to do so many amazing things and ways to serve us. My husband's company went to a seminar there a few years ago and came back amazed about how efficient they are. Why you think the possibility of them able to have enough staffmembers is "slim to none" is something that we will just have to disagree about.

First, no, I don't work for Disney. Cast Members who survey these (and other) forums for public opinion don't identify themselves, or defend Disney on a public forum. There are CMs who are also DISers - but it's not these people.

Yes, Disney has Utilidors. Do you know how Cast Members get from one resort to another, though? Roadways. Disney buses. Private vehicles. There are Utilidors - in the parks. This doesn't help Cast Members get from one hotel to another - and if POR was so slammed, why would any other resort be expected to have 'spare' Front Desk CMs to loan out, and yes, this would include CSR which, as a fully-reserved property would not NEED any additional/spare check-in CMs, and so would not have any to loan.

 

[bluefairy13]

First, no, I don't work for Disney. Cast Members who survey these (and other) forums for public opinion don't identify themselves, or defend Disney on a public forum. There are CMs who are also DISers - but it's not these people.

Yes, Disney has Utilidors. Do you know how Cast Members get from one resort to another, though? Roadways. Disney buses. Private vehicles. There are Utilidors - in the parks. This doesn't help Cast Members get from one hotel to another - and if POR was so slammed, why would any other resort be expected to have 'spare' Front Desk CMs to loan out, and yes, this would include CSR which, as a fully-reserved property would not NEED any additional/spare check-in CMs, and so would not have any to loan.

As Safetymom pointed out, this is pretty silly thing to debate. I respect your opinion and that of the first poster and enjoy reading everyone's opinions, whether a agree or not.

 

[luvtogo12]

Thanks for some postives! it helps.
I need to stop reading the negative reviews
about POR so that I won't get a Tainted outlook.
Also I need to look at OP review with the
fact that it was the 1st day of Free Dining
and it was an unusual Circumstance.
I'm also a pretty patient person.
It's a good thing that I'm the one checking in because
DH has no patience.
POR here we Come!

Have a great time. I just returned from the POR and loved everything about it.

 

[queenofhartz]

Sorry to hear that POR was not a good experience for you. A one hour wait to check in is completely unacceptable at any hotel (Disney or non Disney) regardless of the time of year. I am glad to hear that you had a nice stay at CBR though.

For anyone worried about their own vacations to POR-my mother and father stayed here in April, 2007. They both said they would stay again (my mother is Japanese and extremely particular about cleanliness-she inspects the corners of bathrooms and tile grout. She also turns all of the lights on in the room and inspects the sheets for any sign of hair, or worse, bedbugs. She inspects towels, and regardless of the cleanliness of the room, she refuses to walk on any hotel carpet without slippers. Ok, to be honest, she rubbed off on me here as I always wear slippers when in a hotel too. And, admittedly, I inspect sheets and towels too. Gosh, we really do grow up to be our parents. Anyways, as you can imagine, she can be quite difficult to satisfy when traveling. So, if she was happy with the POR, I am confident that room itself was nice.) My father loved all of it-especially the pools (my dad likes to swim and he had his 10 year old nephew with him who also loved the pools). My mother did tell me that the food court food was not that great (Well, to be completely honest, she said it "was awful." But, she tends to be more critical than the average person. So, I'm translating it here as "not that great." ) and it was very very crowded. She also said the POR food court staff was not friendly or attentive in the Disney sort of way that you find in other places. She said b/c of the volume of people that they serve, they just do their jobs, and she likened it to a mall food court. She didn't seem disappointed with this. I think she was just telling me not to expect Disney magic to happen at the POR food court. lol DH and I drove by the POR resort a couple of weeks ago, and it really was beautiful from the outside. DH liked the way it looked so much that he said he wanted to stay there, but we were staying at the Boardwalk Inn (should have saved the money and stayed in the moderate I guess!! We did love the Boardwalk though).

Anyways, happy vacationing!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

First, no, I don't work for Disney. Cast Members who survey these (and other) forums for public opinion don't identify themselves, or defend Disney on a public forum. There are CMs who are also DISers - but it's not these people.

Yes, Disney has Utilidors. Do you know how Cast Members get from one resort to another, though? Roadways. Disney buses. Private vehicles. There are Utilidors - in the parks. This doesn't help Cast Members get from one hotel to another - and if POR was so slammed, why would any other resort be expected to have 'spare' Front Desk CMs to loan out, and yes, this would include CSR which, as a fully-reserved property would not NEED any additional/spare check-in CMs, and so would not have any to loan.

There's no call for having lines like that when trying to check in to a Disney resort. They should have floaters or extra staff to get those people processed quickly as possible.

And once again I will ask – where do those of you who suggest this, propose that Disney get these floaters or this extra staff? Earlier in this thread, I said the resort was likely staffed normally based on 362 days of the year. The more I think about it, and about the earlier reports like this I haven’t read this month, the more I realize that POR, and probably Disney Resorts as a whole, did not and MAYBE could not expect what happened at 7 AM on 8/26, that this was the ONLY day of the three Free Dining promotions that this problem occurred.

Think about it. Has anybody read similar complaints from the 2007 Free DDP BounceBack Guests? Has anybody read similar experiences from the 2007 Free DDP UK Guests? Even based on THIS year, it’s likely Disney didn’t realize they’d need to increase 7 AM Sunday staffing.

 

[fumipappa]

my mother is Japanese and extremely particular about cleanliness-she inspects the corners of bathrooms and tile grout. She also turns all of the lights on in the room and inspects the sheets for any sign of hair, or worse, bedbugs. She inspects towels, and regardless of the cleanliness of the room, she refuses to walk on any hotel carpet without slippers.

Gosh, your mom really sounds like Japanese! Oh, no! I've never checked the room precisely like your mom! I have to check my birth certificate one more time to make sure I am really Japanese or not!

 

[kaytieeldr]

As Safetymom pointed out, this is pretty silly thing to debate. I respect your opinion and that of the first poster and enjoy reading everyone's opinions, whether a agree or not.

Fair enough - let's agree to disagree, and move on to more important arguments

 

[fumipappa]

Right is right and wrong is wrong. We shouldn't allow our personal feelings and admiration of what Disney has done in the past to allow them to keep slipping in service.

Agree. But negative comment is also based on personal feeling toward Disney, isn't it? it does not make sense to conclude that admiration is the only personal. Hate, dislike, or any kind of negative feeling is also personal.
That's why I mentioned before on this thread that we cannot conclude/judge POR as "nightmare" based on OP's comment/feeling.(and usually negative comment stands out)

 

[maxiesmom]

We just got back from staying at POR (8/29-9/3). I gotta say that I'll definitely NOT be staying at that resort again EVER. Check-in at 1pm (arrived at MCO at 9:35am. Took magical express 3 hours to pick us up and get us to the resort as the driver kept getting lost) Check in itself took another 2.5 hrs as there was only 3 CM working the desk. We were never told how to find our building or where anything at the resort was. I had asked for a ground floor room due to a person in our party with a disability- was given a room in building 39 which was in the middle of BFE. Ended up having to change rooms as it was too far for the other disabled person in our party to walk to the bus stop/food court. The CM at the check in desk were very rude and seemed rushed. Every bus was completely full every day all day. Other guests were complaining about people with disabilities and how it's not fair that the disabled person/their party got loaded on busses first, etc. The list of complaints goes on and on and on. The only positive from POR was their mousekeeping. Ours was exceptional and always did a very good job. She was definitely well rewarded!

Before you say you won't stay at POR again, I want to point out a few things.

First, Magical Express really has nothing to do with your resort. POR does not control it, it is its own entity. Sometimes you are at your hotel within an hour, sometimes not. Unfortunately you had a long wait, but that could happen at any resort.

The second thing is you can ask to get a ground floor room, but it is not guaranteed that you will get it. Disney does its best to honor requests, but room location/level is just a request. I think you can go thru a different branch (special needs?) and that they can guarantee things if it is a physical disability. I'm sure someone else hear can be of more help with that.

Neither the Magical Express or the room loacation problem is something that happens only at POR. Those are issues you can have at any Disney resort.

 

[disneyfan67]

And once again I will ask – where do those of you who suggest this, propose that Disney get these floaters or this extra staff? Earlier in this thread, I said the resort was likely staffed normally based on 362 days of the year. The more I think about it, and about the earlier reports like this I haven’t read this month, the more I realize that POR, and probably Disney Resorts as a whole, did not and MAYBE could not expect what happened at 7 AM on 8/26, that this was the ONLY day of the three Free Dining promotions that this problem occurred.

Think about it. Has anybody read similar complaints from the 2007 Free DDP BounceBack Guests? Has anybody read similar experiences from the 2007 Free DDP UK Guests? Even based on THIS year, it’s likely Disney didn’t realize they’d need to increase 7 AM Sunday staffing.

Before you say you won't stay at POR again, I want to point out a few things.

First, Magical Express really has nothing to do with your resort. POR does not control it, it is its own entity. Sometimes you are at your hotel within an hour, sometimes not. Unfortunately you had a long wait, but that could happen at any resort.

I using both of these posts as an example and not to be disrespectful or try to start a lengthy debate. I just wanted to point out something that I see on a regular basis that happens when these discussions pop up. As I said before, I think as fans or people who enjoy going to Disney resorts and parks, we should hold Disney to the high standard they themselves created. I saw this post on the Disney rumor and news board and I'm going to post part of it here, because it pertains to the discussion.

But normal people, the normal Joe Sixpack and his family, see things differently than the Princess Pack. They don't see where not having a room ready is their fault for being overly demanding on Disney. They don't see a ten hour wait for baggage as "just more time to spend in the parks". And they sure don't see a telephone res agent hunting for a lower rate as special - it's their job.

Yea, you don't care about anyone else, but you should. For Disney to survive and maintain as a business, they probably need 2,000 Joe Sixpack families at WDW for everyone here who puts twenty bouncing smiley faces in their "we had a magical time" posts. Sixteen million guests is a staggering number and you have no idea how difficult that really is to get.

I've been going to WDW for a long time now. I spend way too many nights in other hotels too. And I too used to cut Disney every possible excuse. But I can't any longer. Their hotels are substandard at best - an outrage for the prices that they charge.

This is a deliberate choice made by Disney. They are not a victim here. They have chosen to give their guests less and to charge them more. Everything is totally within their control; everything is totally at their doing.

I think we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss anything negative we hear or see on these boards because I have seen quite a few examples of these same complaints. I think if we flex our muscle as Disney fans and as consumers, we can help make changes for the better. Some of you may not like the post I quoted, but it does speak of a unpleasant truth some here don't want to admit.

 

[queenofhartz]

Gosh, your mom really sounds like Japanese! Oh, no! I've never checked the room precisely like your mom! I have to check my birth certificate one more time to make sure I am really Japanese or not!

hehe...too funny. no need to check your birth certificate, just start scruitinizing your hotel rooms. lol

 

[Sammie]

Sorry the OP considered this a nightmare trip, hope she never experiences a true nightmare. and very glad she was able to move and enjoyed CSR.

It is alot about expectations and I truly think some need to vacation elsewhere, where there are fewer crowds, etc.

7 am is not the traditional time to check in and therefore, the Front Desk is not going to be fully staffed, waits will be long especially if a ME bus just pulled up and not even Disney can magically make CMs appear at the wave of wand. Believe if they could, they "would". Your timing just stank on this one.

Standing on buses, this one I truly do not understand. No one has to stand on a bus ever, all you have to do is wait for the next bus and take a seat. It truly is your choice, go now and stand, wait and sit down.

I just think that some need to be more proactive and less reactive. If crowds bother you then avoid Disney at times when you know that this is going to be the norm, and free dining is a packed time.

But really glad you got over to CSR and had a good time.