Question About Complaint- Wilderness Lodge Dock Closure

[foodiddiedoo]

For what it's worth a few years ago we were staying at Riviera during the annual skyliner refurbishment in January. For what it's worth as I recall, the refurbishment was a week earlier than usual and also was announced later than normal. We asked for some points back due to the inconvenience and because the refurbishment wasn't announced until after we booked. Granted, we were in a tower studio so we didn't pay a ton of points to begin with. We were told that because the resort was offering bus service to the affected parks, it was not eligible for a points refund.

Could we have been a squeaky wheel and gotten a token 2 points or something a night back? Maybe, but we decided it wasn't worth making a stink because we really wanted to stay in that room.

Yeah I truly wouldn't have even cared if I hadn't used more points than a week's stay at BLT to do 3 nights. I'll just be happy with the hot tub haha.

 

[muppets3d]

Yeah I truly wouldn't have even cared if I hadn't used more points than a week's stay at BLT to do 3 nights. I'll just be happy with the hot tub haha.

As the saying goes, if you don't ask the answer is always no. So you have nothing to lose by asking.

 

[davidhr]

they claimed it probably was an emergency (that needed to be solved 2 months from now?)

TBF, while I don’t work in the hospitality sector, I’ve worked in the industrial sector and we have had emergency repairs that had to wait until the replacement arrived, the schedule allowed it, etc. Depending the impact some things need to be fixed ASAP, but not right now.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

TBF, while I don’t work in the hospitality sector, I’ve worked in the industrial sector and we have had emergency repairs that had to wait until the replacement arrived, the schedule allowed it, etc. Depending the impact some things need to be fixed ASAP, but not right now.

Fair enough!

 

[Sandisw]

I can say that on the cash side of things, guests are struggling with the same issue for trips planned awhile ago and so far, the offer has been to advise them to consider switching.

It isn’t just DVC who found out last minute.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

I can say that on the cash side of things, guests are struggling with the same issue for trips planned awhile ago and so far, the offer has been to advise them to consider switching.

It isn’t just DVC who found out last minute.

Remember back in the old days when if there was construction at your resort you got real Pins in your room with a sorry for the “noise” or “state of things” type message? I got a set of two once for construction while staying at Port Orleans French Quarter. Even something as simple as a “we’re sorry the dock is closed for construction” note, and a pin or some chocolates would probably make guests feel better.

 

[PolyRob]

Remember back in the old days when if there was construction at your resort you got real Pins in your room with a sorry for the “noise” or “state of things” type message? I got a set of two once for construction while staying at Port Orleans French Quarter. Even something as simple as a “we’re sorry the dock is closed for construction” note, and a pin or some chocolates would probably make guests feel better.

I loved those! I actually have a set from WL when the CCV conversion was happening in 2017! Disney abruptly closed Roaring Fork and had Geyser Point serving breakfast. It was annoying, but still a great trip!

 

[VGCgroupie]

I loved those! I actually have a set from WL when the CCV conversion was happening in 2017! Disney abruptly closed Roaring Fork and had Geyser Point serving breakfast. It was annoying, but still a great trip!

View attachment 1027622

For these I’d book a resort under construction on purpose!

 

[PolyRob]

For these I’d book a resort under construction on purpose!

There was a time I would chase resort construction for discounts and pins on mini weekend trips. It was fun!

 

[Girlstar30]

They paid for our uber when the Kidani bus to Disney Springs never came, but thats their only mode of transportation and they were a little bit reluctant at first...

The only other time we had a refund is because we were being forced to move because the room we were in had plumbing issues that needed to be fix.

I personally don't think they will give a refund when there's another mode of transportation readily available, but you can for sure try. They may offer to move you to a different resort which is what they did with okw.

I feel like I would have been in my right to complain about the huge bush view at bwv that we got that was actually obstructing any type of view, but I didnt, so I dont know how that would have gone

 

[zackiedawg]

I see from later updates that you did contact Disney - an offer to switch to OKW doesn't seem worth it. I think the suggestion to do most of your MK related business on the BLT days, and do the other parks while at the cabins, is your best bet.

If you DID need to get to MK, or over to Contemporary, where you would have traditionally used the boat, while at Wilderness - the option I'd probably take would be to take the very short internal bus over to the campground, then walk over to their boat. I'm like you - I will avoid busses as much as humanly possible. I never drive to parks, but I seek out any alternative transportation available, with a strong preference for boats, walking, and monorails/skyliner as a backup. If I was at Copper Creek and wanted to get to Steakhouse 71 for a dinner res while the boat dock was closed, I'd much rather deal with a less-than-5-minute bus ride to Fort Wilderness, a short walk through Settlement, and hop the relaxing boat from the campground over to Contemporary and back. Ditto for getting to MK. Sure, the bus ride from Wilderness Lodge is reasonably short to MK, but the boat ride gives me a little dose of zen and relaxation to my day, so I'd do anything in my power to include it, even taking another short bus ride.

 

[M0005]

Hi! I'm a bit new here, but I thought I would encourage you to contact the resort manager, directly, when you check in. I won't mention the time frame or resort, but in the past we have been inconvenienced by unexpected construction that actually impaired our stay, similar to your issue. Like yours, ours too was a known issue prior to our check-in, but not known long enough for us to really do anything about it. And, like yours, our specific room category/resort was not cheap. We were very polite and reasonable, but firm, about how the construction impacted us and the resort manager was sympathetic. After escalating the issue, they decided to refund a number of points equal to one night in the room we were in. No guarantee that will happen for you, but just know it is possible if you are polite, persistent, and reasonable.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

Hi! I'm a bit new here, but I thought I would encourage you to contact the resort manager, directly, when you check in. I won't mention the time frame or resort, but in the past we have been inconvenienced by unexpected construction that actually impaired our stay, similar to your issue. Like yours, ours too was a known issue prior to our check-in, but not known long enough for us to really do anything about it. And, like yours, our specific room category/resort was not cheap. We were very polite and reasonable, but firm, about how the construction impacted us and the resort manager was sympathetic. After escalating the issue, they decided to refund a number of points equal to one night in the room we were in. No guarantee that will happen for you, but just know it is possible if you are polite, persistent, and reasonable.

Thanks! Were the points returned to their previous UY or did they stay current so you had a chance to use them?

 

[M0005]

It was a couple of years ago (maybe 2022 or 2023), so I don't recall for sure, but if I had to guess, I would guess that they were returned to where they came, as if I never booked the night. With that said, based on the tone of the conversation as I remember it, if doing so would have been a pointless exercise, we would have tried to come up with another solution. I used the points.