Problems Checking in at Pop Century (long)

[aynt79]

We spent Jan31-Feb 1 at Pop Century for a quick weekend trip (with a nice FL resident rate).

The problem that we had was that the CM checking me in didn't really know the resort too well. He was new (had the "earning my ears" tag). When I made the reservation I had requested one of the 80's building. So he does his thing with the computer, takes a map out and says "You will be in the '70's" while pointing at the room number that is actually in the '90's building (the one with the cell phones on the side). So i said umm, ok, but I was wondering if there was anything available for the '80's? He checked and noticed that I did request that and then looked at the map and said "I will check for rooms in the 6000's" I look at the same map and asked aren't those roome in the the '70's buildings??? He said that they were both 70s and 80s and checked and there wasn't any availability. (not that it mattered cause it wasn't the right building anyway) So I said that's okay and just took the original room. (which he said once again that it was in the '70's). In hindsight I should asked him to check the specific block of rooms that I knew were the 80's, not what he thought were the 80's buildings.

One other thing was that he really didn't want to take my payment. I had already paid for one night and I had wanted to pay the 2nd night with disney dollars and then put a cc on the room for any incidentals. Twice he said that I was all set and could do all of that tomorrow. I know should have pushed the issue more, but I figured he didn't know how to do that and by then I would be there even longer if he did something wrong.

He was actually very nice (other than the payment thing, he seemed to be "passing the buck"), he just didn't seem to know all the stuff I would have thought he should know (or at least have a supervisor nearby watching the new people).

Overall I thought the resort was nice. The room we did get was nice and near the parking lot so we get to our car easily.I really liked all the decoration , although we didn't get to see as much as we liked b/c it was raining a lot of the weekend.

 

[dandave]

Hi aynt79! We just returned from our Jan 31- Feb 5 stay at PC. My check-in was horrible. Once I finally got to the CM, it took about 45 minutes to get our rooms. We had 3 rooms, and had requested smoking optional rooms. The kids were to have their own room connecting with DH and I, and my folks were to have their own room. While I usually stay in rooms with balconies so that I can smoke out there, Value resorts don't have private balconies. So, I bought and brought a big air-purifier for my room. I knew that my mother would be more comfortable being able to smoke in her room, as well.
Anyway, the CM said that we had been assigned non-smoking rooms. Nope, I said, that won't do. The CM asked if my mother couldn't just go outside to smoke. Well, I guess she could have, but I wanted this trip to be very comfortable for her.
So, I said no. She went into the back. She came back with my mother and father on one floor, and our two rooms on totally different floors. Nope. I had payed off these rooms in December, and that wasn't what I had planned. To the back again, after "harumphing" me.
Came back with 1 smoking room connecting to two non-smoking rooms. Nope. I'd like to be able to smoke in my room occasionally, too. You smoke?!! Tsk, tsk. Back to the back again. Finally, after about an hour total we had 3 rooms on the 4th floor of the nineties bldg.
This CM did not appear new. She was a witch, however. Witch, witch, witch!! Oh and even though I explained to her that the children would be in the room connecting to ours- she gave the kids' room charging priviledges, while my parents got kids' keys. I specifically asked her about this before leaving the front desk. I wasn't about to deal with the front desk again, so I just gave my parents keys to both rooms. Arrrggg!
The resort was fun, other than all that! If I didn't have to go through check-in hell, I might stay there again

 

[Imagineering or Bust]

For all of you out there that had a bad check-in experience, I'm terribly sorrie. Because as you might have noticed due to the shortage of staffing at Pop Century, we have had a lot of CM from other resorts come over from Mods and Deluxes. These CM's don't really know much about our resort or aren't very familiar with value resorts. So unfortunately I'm sorrie, you can usually tell these CM's cause they are wearing an "earning their ears" ribbon but there ribbon is white with red writing. And ribbons that the new CM's wear are red with white writing. Anyways I'm terribly sorrie that your requests were oddly handled. They only other thing I can think of is a lot of the opening cast members, including myself, have never been in resorts prior to Pop Century opening. So it would seem as though some of us are still trying to adjust to the change, anywho like I said I sincerely apoplogize for all inconvenices.

PoP Century Front Office Cast Member

Joshua

 

[SueEllen]

Dandave--how awful. I'm SO SORRY to hear about your experience there. There was no excuse for the CM to treat you that way.

I'm sending you a PM.

Sue Ellen

 

[safetymom]

It sounds to me from your post that their was attitude going on with both sides.

Most CM's are very good at their jobs. Some of them just aren't as helpful as everyone on this boards think they should be.

I wouldn't let that keep from staying at that resort again.

 

[dandave]

Imagineering or Bust, Thanks! I didn't let it ruin our vacation. I figure at least one really crappy thing is bound to happen on any vacation, and I was glad to get through that experience at the start. The rest of the vacation went perfectly.

Sue Ellen, Thank you for the PM! Please don't worry. We still had fun. Everything actually went much better than I had dared to hope for. The folks had a blast!

safetymom, The only attitude that I had with this CM was that I was prepared to stand there all day until I got the rooms that I needed. Other than that, I just bit my tongue and remained absolutely charming.
I stood my ground, but I was on my best behavior. I don't mess with people who have the power to grant my requests (or not) at their fingertips...

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

dandave,

After reading you post twice I'm still not sure about this you had three rooms where they all connecting? Two smoking optional and one non-smoking? Or all three where smoking optional?

Thanks,

 

[dandave]

Hi Magic! Three rooms- all smoking optional. But according to CM, "WDW does not have *any* smoking optional rooms. WDW has Smoking or Non-Smoking. Period."

Anyway, the kids and I were to have connecting rooms, while my folks were to have an adjoining room. Nobody smoked in the kids' room, but it was connected to my room.

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Great, I assume that because the Pop is so new that the rooms still smelled ok.
I'm planning a trip at the end of March and My Sister's family smokes but the rest of us don't smoke in the room because of the children.
I also know that standing outside to smoke also offends other guest that don't smoke so that may have been a problem.

Thank you very much for the information didn't know they had three rooms that would connect. Just what we need.

 

[dandave]

You're welcome, Magic! I wanted to make sure my post was clear, though. Two of our rooms were connecting. The third was just adjoining, i.e. no connecting door but right beside my room.

edited to add: The rooms did not smell smokey at all. The boys' room smelled like baby powder the whole time, for some reason. It was a nice smell. I also took a can of Lysol odor neutralizer for the rooms that were smoked in. Housekeeping was fantastic, too!