Question: Service at POFQ

[fumipappa]

There are several posting indicating the quality of Customer services(incl. mousekeeping, food court, front, etc,,,) are lower than before at POFQ.

Do you think it is because:

1. These posts were based on recent visit, meaning busy time. So CM cannot handle the situation.
2. It is all same at any Disney resorts because of short stuff.
3. People visiting WDW have too high expectation to "Disney magic".

I can see the answer as "it's a combination of all three" but I woud like to know that which one you feel strongly more as the reason...

 

[schwaa]

I don't think it's any of the above. I think it's because of perception. Everyone perceives things in different ways according to how they are feeling at that moment. It's like when you go back to visit something that you've been to before, and you say "it doesn't feel the same". Of course not. Your now 5 years older. You've lived through 9/11. You battled breast cancer. You found a new job after your layoff. You found out your son is gay. Whatever your situation is, life changes. We all change as the mintues pass. And these changes change our perception of things.

All the reviews of everything at disney are each person's perception of it. It doesn't mean it's fact. It just means that this is how this person perceived what happened. You may perceive it totally different.

With that said, you can never predict how humans will behave. You may get awesome CMs. You may get a CM having a bad day. You may get a CM who's about to be fired for being so bad for the past week. There's nothing you can do about, except for if you don't like how the CM is treating you, politely ask for the manager and ask for another CM to help you.

 

[Buzz2001]

I think its a combination of many things. WDW is outsourcing more, they cut back on their training provided to the CM's and guests expectations are too high in some cases.

 

[famsen]

I've been to WDW 8 times and have stayed on-site everytime we've gone since 1993 and we've stayed at a different resort each time.
I found that the service we encountered at POFQ last October to be the worst. I'm not even talking about mousekeeping. It was the staff at the food court and outside pool bar. In my opinion these people had the attitude that they did not want to be there and that guests were a bother to them.
This is just poor customer service traiining and the fact that they act that way towards guests and get away with it (ie: still employed) reflects badly on the managerial training. Also, at the time we were there is was not a busy time at all so using the excuse that they were just overwhelmed with crowds is not valid.

Being veteran of WDW resorts, I expect the same higher level of service that I have grown accustomed to over the years given that I am shelling out A LOT of money to spend my vacation time there.

 

[Carol D]

I feel that guests are too demanding because of the stuff they read on the DIS and other WDW sites. Look how popular towel animals have become but prior to these types of sites, no one knew much about them. If you got one you were happy and if you didn't, you didn't know any better.

People getting upset if they don't get an upgrade and faxing in preferences instead of just taking what you get. A lot of the disappointment is they build up the resort so much with all the info they collect prior to their trip that some times what's in your mind is better than reality.

 

[alldiz]

I truly think it is hit or miss.....

I stayed at POFQ in Jan....I thought the CM's were some of
the friendliest around....
In the food court they gave my DD beads...
Mousekeeping was good efficient and left towel animals...
Checkin was speedy and room ready at 11am...

Fortunately I've always been lucky.....
Kerri

 

[TinkerbellTris]

My first trip was in 1993 I went with my family and we stayed at Contemporary. I was 15 at the time and I don't remember a lot about the cast members, I do know I remember being treated well and we were happy, so I'd stay there again for sure.
In 2003 we stayed at POFQ and we will not stay again. The hotel was great, but CM's were the worst we'd ever encountered.
In 2006 we stayed at ASMU and we'd go back in a heart beat, we loved it. The most friendliest staff ever.
And this year we will return but to stay at the WIlderness lodge for the first time.

 

[skipperkim]

I've never had any problems with the CM's at POFQ. But I also don't use the food court or the pool bar. The front desk and concierge was always fabulous to me. One day I didn't get more cups from Mousekeeping, but I called and there were more there within a 20 min. I didn't need them till the next morning so it was no big deal. I could have gone to the front desk and got them.

The shortage of workers and outsourcing is costing Disney, and not just at this resort. Valet services is also contracted out and so is Mousekeeping. At some point nobody will be an actual CM.

I think sometimes people are asking for "the world" to be perfect. When something goes amiss, they are shocked. CM's are only human and make mistakes. To fix the problem as it occurs is what should be done. After you are home there is little recourse to make a change to correct the problem.

 

[maciemouse]

I've stayed on Disney Property for the last ten years. I base my opinion on what you should get when pay over $200 dollars a night for a hotel room. I do not expect Disney to give me anything for free. What I do expect is to be treated like a paying visitor and to have a clean room. I did not have this experience at POFQ this May. I agree people have different feelings about different resorts. I for one love Pop Century. There are people who hate it. I've stayed at all levels but for some reason I feel the magic there. I can tell you that for me when I stayed at POFQ, I had to practically beg for the bellman to take my luggage (which took over 30 minutes). They were just standing around laughing and talking to each other while we waited. It also took over 30 minutes to check in. (It was not busy). And the food court was horrible. The people working behind the counters looked miserable. The place was a mess. We also had to call housekeeping to clean our room two of the three days we were there. We would come back to our room around 3 or so and it still was not done. Needless to say, we will not return to POFQ anytime soon. I do not think it is to much to ask for to have clean rooms and treated with respect when you are a paying visitor. Maybe Disney is understaffed at this resort, I don't know. We go to Disney 3 times a year. We have never experienced what we experienced at POFQ at any other resort we have ever stayed at.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

Well, here's my 2 cents. We stayed at POFQ at the end of April of this year and loved it. We didn't encounter anyone rude, the food court was great, the CMs at the gift shop and food court were very nice and helpful, our room was spotless, etc. We'd stay there again in a heartbeat.

 

[skipperkim]

I've stayed on Disney Property for the last ten years. I base my opinion on what you should get when pay over $200 dollars a night for a hotel room. I do not expect Disney to give me anything for free. What I do expect is to be treated like a paying visitor and to have a clean room. I did not have this experience at POFQ this May. I agree people have different feelings about different resorts. I for one love Pop Century. There are people who hate it. I've stayed at all levels but for some reason I feel the magic there. I can tell you that for me when I stayed at POFQ, I had to practically beg for the bellman to take my luggage (which took over 30 minutes). They were just standing around laughing and talking to each other while we waited. It also took over 30 minutes to check in. (It was not busy). And the food court was horrible. The people working behind the counters looked miserable. The place was a mess. We also had to call housekeeping to clean our room two of the three days we were there. We would come back to our room around 3 or so and it still was not done. Needless to say, we will not return to POFQ anytime soon. I do not think it is to much to ask for to have clean rooms and treated with respect when you are a paying visitor. Maybe Disney is understaffed at this resort, I don't know. We go to Disney 3 times a year. We have never experienced what we experienced at POFQ at any other resort we have ever stayed at.

Bell services is now outsourced as well.