Really Upset (Swan)

[wdwcustar]

Alrighty folks, here's what's up.

If you've been watching the boards, you may have noticed that I've been concerned about staying at the Swan. I've seen so many good things, though, that I had decided we made the right choice. Wrong.

I called the S/D reservation line to put my SPG member number on the ressie, which I forgot to do before. I talked to the agent and ask about the resort fee. Wow, was I shocked. As of 1/1/03 the resort fee has gone UP to $10 per night and is absolutely MANDATORY! We booked in November under the Nurse's rate. After taxes and such, the total per night was 143.19. That's the price w/o the resort fee, which I was told could be waved at check-in. Now, since both taxes and the resort fee have went up, we will be paying a total of 154.99 per night.

Now, I know that $10 doesn't sound like a lot, especially since it is still a BIG discount over the regular rate, but that's an additional $40 for our trip!! $40 which could have been used to buy Souveniers, Dinner, or an extra day on one park hopper! My mother is NOT going to like this, as she was fine with the 143 a nite, as long as we could get resort fee waved. My Dad is already upset because we are paying so much for a room when we could have a suite with breakfast at Comfort Suites... It makes Wilderness Lodge sound much better to me.... but WL is in the wrong place!!! ARG! Any advice at all?


Jeff

 

[Antonia]

Instead of thinking about the $40 as what you could have spent it on, why not try thinking about how easy you could just blow $40. Why 12 of my husband's golf balls cost $40 and he just hits them into water and out into trees and the like. So don't get too riled up over the $40 and let it ruin your trip. Just pay the $40, enjoy your trip and remember that $40 is just a drop in the bucket when you are WDW. Have a wonderful time!

 

[aahmom1]

Why don't they just add it to the normal nightly price, it's so stupid for them to tack on another $10 a night for a 'resort fee'. The whole price is a 'resort fee'.

 

[jgates]

I would maybe suggest the following (remember - be nice- you can catch more flies with honey! - although I normally blow a GASKET!)

Call and ask to speak with a reservations supervisor or the reservations manager. Kindly request since you were given inaccurate information (although it was accurate at that time), if there is any chance of making an exception in your situation. Request to have your reservation honored as it was originally booked (with the resort fee requested to be waived). If they are unwilling to honor this request, ask if they would be able to compensate you in some manner that would compensate for the inaccurate information that you were given. (Such as complimentary club level - that would give you a breakfast to help settle Dad down a little and get you some value for that $10 extra per day.) Keep calling if you feel like you are not high enough up the ladder.

I don't know if this will be of benefit to you, but the tactics can work. We were given inaccurate information on NYE about 'call ahead' seating at Outback. I was a little ornery but explained why I was upset (2 diabetics - we were told 10 minutes and then when we arrived were told way over an hour. We had waited till 7:30 to go because thats when we wanted to eat. If we had known it would be over an hour we could have gone at 6:00 so we were sitting by 7:30). Giving totally inaccurate info to a diabetic about length of time for meal can be dangerous. Regardless - they were pretty good about getting us in as soon as they could - unlike the other people who were blowing gaskets and still waiting when we were seated.

 

[dreamflight99]

jgates is correct! You can easily have this fee waived, by following her instructions. When you stress the fact you were "initially informed" the fee could be waived, the resort has an "obligation" to honor this pledge.

Please, call again-and let us know what happens.

 

[MichiganMommy]

Our swan ressie states:

Resort Fee: This resort charges a $8.00 per night service charge. Please note that this fee is charged directly by the resort and will be added to your bill at check-in. Any issues with this service charge should be directed to the hotel, and not Dreams Unlimited Travel.

I don't see how they can change it to $10 after we have a reservation.

I agree with jgates, talk nicely to the front desk and then the manager. If that doesn't work, just ask *nicely of course* if they are in the practice of changing prices and policies on existing ressies, and are there any more surprises you should know about!! I almost always get situations resolved if I keep my cool and keep going up the chain of command. It's no use talking to the front desk person if they don't have the ability to resolve your problem. Most of these people didn't MAKE the rules, so don't get mad at them. Just tell them that you think THE RULE is unfair, unwise, stupid, or whatever. Good luck!

 

[tjmw2727]

I have a February booking and an April booking at the Dolphin. When I checked online my Feb booking had the $8 fee and the April had the $10 fee. I called the Dolphin and was told that the fees had increased but they could still be waived but only at check-in. (FWIW - I thought that was already the policy).

She also assured me that if I had the confirmation slip showing the $8 resort fee for Febuary that I would only be charged the $8 not the $10. We will use the health club in Feb but won't have enough adults to use it in April.

Also - I am not sure but if you are a SPG the fee is probably waived anyway?

Don't worry - once your party sees the difference between offsite and the Swan there will be no complaints about $40.00!

TJ

 

[RLevy29]

We just returned from a 6-night stay at the Dolphin . We are SPG members and the resort fee was waived. I think that if you insist(nicely) they will waive the fee. All you are missing is free local telephone calls, newspaper , coffee(which we were given any way) and access to the health club.

 

[Tracy M]

I have stayed at the Dolphin many times and have always had an issue with the resort fee. Someone says it's waived, another says it's mandatory...whatever the case it has ALWAYS showed up on the final bill.

I've found thru these boards that it can definitely be waived. So I decided I'm not going to put myself thru senseless aggravation by calling ahead and getting different answers. My strategy....and it has worked on my last 3 trips... is to do absolutely nothing. When I go to check-out, I take my final bill to the front and say "I was told the resort fee would be waived". No problem, they always take it off. I realize it may not be the most honest way to go, but they are so incredibily inconsistent with this issue. I'm a SPG Gold member...so the newspaper is supposed to be included with those benefits. I bought the refillable mug for coffee & I don't use the gym. $10/day for those 3 perks is ridiculous. It's just my experience, but they have proven to be more accomodating waiving the fee on your way out opposed to checking in.

 

[wdwcustar]

Hey folks,

I took your advice and when I called reservations today, I asked for the manager. Let me tell you, I wish I would have got his name so I could give it to Disney cause he was VERY helpful and understanding!

He told me that, since I booked in October, the resort fee would NOT increase to $10 under any circumstances. He also said that since I did talk to my reservationist about the Resort Fee in October, and that I was sure of what priveledges I would lose, that he would note on the reservation that I am declining the priveledges associated with the resort fee and that I request it be waived. He said he couldn't actually take it off on the reservation, but that they should at the front desk.

I've talked to my parents, and it looks like we are good to go then, but if they try to charge me for it at check-in/out I don't think I'll be very happy. Thanks for all your help, I just was really upset yesterday. I talked to 5 different people at the S/D yesterday and NO ONE was helpful. This guy I talked to today was very nice. He said "Well, if your not going to use that stuff, I don't want you to pay the fee! You could take that money and eat at one of my restaraunts.... you'll prolly end up spending more money here since you had to pay less for the room!" Which is probably true... Thanks again folks!


Jeff

 

[wdwcustar]

Double Post.... sorry...

 

[dreamflight99]

WDWcustar...Please, Check the FOLIO (they slip a copy under your door early am of your departure date) prior to leaving the resort. If the FEE is noted and charged to the final bill, call or visit the front desk and have them remove it per the notations by managment in your reservation. This will be easy now, and should not prove to be a problem. If you incur any trouble with this matter, PM me immediately, and I'll personally assist you in obtaining remuneration for the errant charges. Enjoy your stay!

 

[Epcotgal8]

Ok, now I'm ticked off again. Partly at myself. We have stayed onsite all but one trip 3 years ago. We got a good deal through Priceline for the Wyndham Palace across from DD. It wasn't quite like being onsite but it was a nice place. I had read on the internet that they charged an $8 per day resort fee although I never saw anything about it in my reservation info. I had also read that you could asked to have this waived. So when my husband checked in I told him to ask about waiving the fee and they said ok and he initialed something. Got our bill for checkout that was charged to our credit card. No resort fee on it, so great! I got my credit card statement in after we were home and there were 3 charges by the Wyndham Palace on my card. 2 on the day of checkout, one being our hotel bill, and one a purchase I had made in the gift shop. Then there's a $56 charge from them dated the next day! Yes, the day AFTER we checked out. We were there for 7 nights so x $8 +$56. I was NOT a happy camper. It wasn't as much the resort fee itself (even though we didn't get the service from it, newspaper etc.) since we did get the room for a good price, it was the way it seemed very sneaky and unethical to just stick the charge on our credit card without us knowing. After all, the charges were not signed for by us. Priceline said I had to take it up with the hotel. I did write a letter and never received a response. I know I could have followed up on it it but of course time had passed and I just decided to blow it off. Too late now to cry over spilt milk, it's more the principle of the thing. Just had to vent.

 

[NHAnn]

I guess this is going off the topic of the original post, but my goodness, Epcotgal8! That's terrible! Did you actually PAY that $56 on your credit card bill? I would have disputed through the credit card company as an unauthorized charge.

To the original poster.........I hope your family enjoys its time at the Swan...IMHO it will be an ideal location for your group, even if less Disney "theming" than WL....you are truly in the heart of the "magic" in the Epcot resort area have fun!

 

[jgates]

Oh! I forgot to mention something - duh.......(actually 2 things!)

If they do agree at check-in to waive it, then you can check on your TV at any time to see your bill. It is continually updated within short periods of time - example - if you eat at Tubbi's and charge to your room, within a few minutes to a couple of hours that $ will display on there. I can't give you exact directions as to how to do it, but there is a channel on the TV and options there to view your bill. That way if it was agreed to at check-in you could verify after a day or two and get the issue out of the way before checking out.

Also - The refillable mugs at Tubbi's are great. We paid $10 for each one (anyone know-price still the same?). They are a very nice souveneir and you receive free coffee and soda refills during your stay. (Some people also have received free frozen soda - icee refills but that isn't policy). Tubbis is in the Dolphin but only about 5 minutes walk from your room. Go across the walkway to the Dolphin, turn left and go past the Dolphin fountain, right after that and you will be there in a few minutes. Tubbis is open 24 hours.

ALSO!!! If you do stay off-site at Comfort - you will be paying Disney to park each day ?$6 or $7?. At Swan, if you use self-parking you will have no parking fee. (We never used valet- it was so convenient to walk down the hall by the convention area and right out to the self-parking. To the car in minutes). That would also be a $$$ benefit for you if you have a vehicle.

If you can, call back and get the name - it would be nice to save as reference if needed just in case. I always feel safer with reference information. It won't do any good to send the name to Disney, because they are not a Dis property - unless you want to tell Disney that they should be running their hotels this way - which wouldn't be a bad idea!!!! .

Regardless, you will enjoy it there. The location is SOOOO fantastic. We were there in late July so I haven't seen a renovated room in person, but we were fine in our 'old' room! I just loved being able to get to Epcot and MGM so quickly, being able to walk to the Boardwalk, mini-golf etc.

One of these days I will get my countdown clock on for July 2004. Back to the Swan!!!!!!!!!

 

[PamOKW]

I wish I would have got his name so I could give it to Disney cause he was VERY helpful and understanding!

Glad to hear it's all working out okay for you. The advice to use "honey" usually does work. Most places want to work with their customers to keep them happy. Just wanted to add an "FYI" that if any of the resort folks go out of their way for you, it's the Starwood Corporation that is their employer, not Disney.

 

[Mainebound]

I can't resist chiming in on this one. I have/had a March ressie at the Dolphin, and called Starwood to ask a quick question about it. During the conversation, an extremely rude woman informed me that although I made my ressie in July, when the resort fee was $8, I would now have to pay $10. (FYI: she explained that it was not taxed, therefore not included in the room rate) She also told me that, despite the fact that we are staying on club level AND I am SPG gold (so I already get the coffee and paper), there was no way it could be waived. To cap it off, she said " I notice you have a govt. rate. You had better make sure you have a govt. i.d. because it WILL be checked." Getting nervous, I replied that I am a professor at a state university, and could bring my pay stub and university i.d.. She insisted that would not be good enough, as I must have a "government issued i.d. or will be charged the rack rate." Increasingly irritated, I asked her for her name, and SHE HUNG UP ON ME!

I promptly fired off a letter, cancelled my ressies, and we are now staying at the AKL.

I'm grateful for the various strategies that S/D fans have laid out for getting this fee waived, and for "proving" you are what you say you are, but frankly, I should not have to plot and plan and scheme to get what I deserve from this hotel (or from Starwood, with whom I also had to haggle get Gold status).

Sorry for the rant -- thanks for reading!

Mainebound

 

[BrianD]

That was a good move Mainebound. This resort fee stuff is rediculous. Disney manages to not charge a resort fee, so why must the Swan/Dolphin (and a bunch of other off-site resorts)?

 

[The Pluto People]

Hi folks! I just wanted to chime in here...We stayed at the Dolphin Dec.28-Jan 1 (over New Year's Eve) in a beautiful room with a balcony where we enjoyed the EPCOT fireworks every night. We payed an annual pass rate of $197.50. A room with that view in any other "Disney" resort would have been AT LEAST $100 more a night (and over the HOLIDAY week, Disney's most expensive time, probably $200 more a night). The fact that Disney does not charge a resort fee does not enter into our decision on where to stay - we look at the total cost of the room and, of course, even without a resort fee, the Disney EPCOT rooms are much more $$$. We were perfectly happy to pay the $10 resort fee rather than the extra hundred(s) Disney would've charged.

 

[dreamflight99]

Originally posted by BrianD
That was a good move Mainebound. This resort fee stuff is rediculous. Disney manages to not charge a resort fee, so why must the Swan/Dolphin (and a bunch of other off-site resorts)?

BECAUSE...the other Deluxe disney resorts offer a MUCH higher rate, AND they do not offer the PERKS included in the resort fee (Daily newspaper, Coffee and phone privs!). I am staying at a Disney owned prop this summer, prior to my visit to the Dolphin...and will most definitely MISS these perks (even though I amy receive them as I'm booked in a suite at the CR 14th floor....for hundreds more $$$ than the Dolphin).