Resort reservation phone cast members.

[crazymomof4]

Just wanted to give those that may not know this a heads-up about an experience I had.....
If you are trying to modify a resort ressie (in my case drop the last night's stay) and you are told by a phone CM that it can't be done, ask to be transferred to Guest Services. Some of these phone CMs unfortunately miss a few points during their training process. So they tell you something CAN'T be done when in fact, it CAN.

I was told by a phone CM that if I drop the last night I will lose my AP room discount on the entire stay. He was quite adamant about this. I asked why and he said because the requirements for the discount are an 8 night stay and if I drop the last night I will only have 7 night stay. This sounded fishy to me since I originally made the AP discounted ressie for just 7 nights. When I mentioned this to him he replied, "Well things are always changing in order to fill rooms" At this point I suspected I had a CM who was not really sure of the facts but stating things as if they were facts. I tried explaining what I needed over and over (to be sure I wasn't confusing him by not giving him clear info) and he kept telling me the same thing. So I thanked him for his time and hung up and immediately re-dialed Central Reservations.

This time got a woman. She told me that she doesn't have the ability to subtract rooms on her system, but that she can contact Guest Services and have it done for me through them. I told her what the previous CM had said and she giggled a little and said, "no, it's a bit more work contacting Guest Services but it can be done." She apologized for the incorrect info I was given. She put me on hold, spoke with GS and came back on the line saying everything was taken care of. Gave me all the info I needed regarding the modification. Easy peasy. It would have been a shame if I'd have taken the 1st CMs word as fact.

So, now more than ever, I'm inclined to not trust what a phone CM tells me if it sounds at all incorrect. I will always call to speak to a different CM and get a "2nd opinion". LOL

 

[Jessica A]

I actually ask to speak to Guest Services a little more often than a CM. They've been really great. I think a lot of times, it isn't so much the training but the experience. I had worked for Disney before and there is a lot of info to snatch on to more often than not. Plus, I know a handful of folks that haven't even been to Disney World or Disneyland, but work for them at different locations. Hopefully you have it all resolved. When in doubt, just call back. In 10 years of going, I have never had a bad experience on the phone with a CM, which is great.

 

[mickeynut1]

Just wanted to give those that may not know this a heads-up about an experience I had.....
If you are trying to modify a resort ressie (in my case drop the last night's stay) and you are told by a phone CM that it can't be done, ask to be transferred to Guest Services. Some of these phone CMs unfortunately miss a few points during their training process. So they tell you something CAN'T be done when in fact, it CAN.

I was told by a phone CM that if I drop the last night I will lose my AP room discount on the entire stay. He was quite adamant about this. I asked why and he said because the requirements for the discount are an 8 night stay and if I drop the last night I will only have 7 night stay. This sounded fishy to me since I originally made the AP discounted ressie for just 7 nights. When I mentioned this to him he replied, "Well things are always changing in order to fill rooms" At this point I suspected I had a CM who was not really sure of the facts but stating things as if they were facts. I tried explaining what I needed over and over (to be sure I wasn't confusing him by not giving him clear info) and he kept telling me the same thing. So I thanked him for his time and hung up and immediately re-dialed Central Reservations.

This time got a woman. She told me that she doesn't have the ability to subtract rooms on her system, but that she can contact Guest Services and have it done for me through them. I told her what the previous CM had said and she giggled a little and said, "no, it's a bit more work contacting Guest Services but it can be done." She apologized for the incorrect info I was given. She put me on hold, spoke with GS and came back on the line saying everything was taken care of. Gave me all the info I needed regarding the modification. Easy peasy. It would have been a shame if I'd have taken the 1st CMs word as fact.

So, now more than ever, I'm inclined to not trust what a phone CM tells me if it sounds at all incorrect. I will always call to speak to a different CM and get a "2nd opinion". LOL

Actually, the first CM was correct. Disney changed their policy a year or two ago that now makes it harder to modify a reservation when dropping nights. In the past, dropping nights was never a problem and was easily done. Disney now requires the shorter stay to be available as if it was a new reservation. If the 7 nights was not available with the discount, the CM would not be able to modify without you losing the discount. Guest services can usually override/make adjustments and modify a reservation without losing a discount, but it's not always a guarantee it can be done.

 

[wilkeliza]

What the first CM told you is true but not 100%. Making a change can cause you to lose your discount especially if the discount is no longered offered because changes are now processed like new reservarions (even if your confirmation number doesn't change). So the phone CM does not have the power to make the change themselves but guest relations who have "pixie dust power" can do it. The hope is Disney makes more money by people deciding the price adjustment isn't worth taking the one day so either stay longer or take the extra cost and means Disney has less 1 random days open in the hotels across property.

 

[crazymomof4]

Actually, the first CM was correct. Disney changed their policy a year or two ago that now makes it harder to modify a reservation when dropping nights. In the past, dropping nights was never a problem and was easily done. Disney now requires the shorter stay to be available as if it was a new reservation. If the 7 nights was not available with the discount, the CM would not be able to modify without you losing the discount. Guest services can usually override/make adjustments and modify a reservation without losing a discount, but it's not always a guarantee it can be done.

But I had originally made the 7 night reservation using the AP discount. Later added a day (9/1) That added night's stay didn't even fall under the discount anyway bc the discount only applied on stays up to Aug 31st. So if the AP discount required an 8 night stay why was it applicable to the original ressie?

 

[wilkeliza]

But I had originally made the 7 night reservation using the AP discount. Later added a day (9/1) That added night's stay didn't even fall under the discount anyway bc the discount only applied on stays up to Aug 31st. So if the AP discount required an 8 night stay why was it applicable to the original ressie?

Usually those are check in days not check out days. So if you added a room it belongs to the reservarion and discount.

 

[crazymomof4]

What the first CM told you is true but not 100%. Making a change can cause you to lose your discount especially if the discount is no longered offered because changes are now processed like new reservarions (even if your confirmation number doesn't change). So the phone CM does not have the power to make the change themselves but guest relations who have "pixie dust power" can do it. The hope is Disney makes more money by people deciding the price adjustment isn't worth taking the one day so either stay longer or take the extra cost and means Disney has less 1 random days open in the hotels across property.

Before making the call I was aware of the possibility of what you posted in bold so I asked him if this was the case (having to make a brand new reservation) and he replied "No". So..... I dunno ????

Bottom line, the 2nd CM got it done. She didn't seem annoyed at having to take the extra step. Didn't make me feel like I was asking for something that wasn't allowed. Just very friendly, knowledgeable and able. I'm glad I made the second call. It was well worth another 20 mins on hold to get her.

 

[crazymomof4]

Usually those are check in days not check out days. So if you added a room it belongs to the reservarion and discount.

I'd never heard of a discount requiring a stay as long as 8 nights so it seemed odd to me. 3 or 4 nights minimum, yes. 8 nights, no.
In fact, I have an existing ressie for that last night. We are doing a sort of "Split-stay". For the final night, the one I dropped from the Royal Room ressie, we are moving to a POR regular room. None of us have ever stayed in a POR regular room so we thought this would give us a chance to experience it. It's a totally different ressie (obviously) and the AP room only discount for the time period beginning Sept 1st is applied to it... a one night stay.

 

[wilkeliza]

I'd never heard of a discount requiring a stay as long as 8 nights so it seemed odd to me. 3 or 4 nights minimum, yes. 8 nights, no.
In fact, I have an existing ressie for that last night. We are doing a sort of "Split-stay". For the final night, the one I dropped from the Royal Room ressie, we are moving to a POR regular room. None of us have ever stayed in a POR regular room so we thought this would give us a chance to experience it. It's a totally different ressie (obviously) and the AP room only discount for the time period beginning Sept 1st is applied to it... a one night stay.

The CM may have just explained the problem wrong. The system will treat removing a day like a new reservation (many CMs don't know this or don't understand it) so the system will show 7 days with no discount because there are no 7 day reservarion available with the discount. There might be a 2 day and 5 day at the discount rate but not 7 straight. Hotel booking algorithms and systems are not as easy and going oh we are dropping a day so it should be no issue. The real problem is Disney should just be 100% open about it like all other hotel chains that say by adjusting your reservarion your room rate has to be recalculated based on rates available today. Happened to me at a Hilton when dropping a day so we chose not to drop the day just check in/out through our phone since they wouldn't know if we left a day early or not.

 

[crazymomof4]

The CM may have just explained the problem wrong. The system will treat removing a day like a new reservation (many CMs don't know this or don't understand it) so the system will show 7 days with no discount because there are no 7 day reservarion available with the discount. There might be a 2 day and 5 day at the discount rate but not 7 straight. Hotel booking algorithms and systems are not as easy and going oh we are dropping a day so it should be no issue. The real problem is Disney should just be 100% open about it like all other hotel chains that say by adjusting your reservarion your room rate has to be recalculated based on rates available today. Happened to me at a Hilton when dropping a day so we chose not to drop the day just check in/out through our phone since they wouldn't know if we left a day early or not.

OK that all makes perfect sense. Yes, I sensed that the CM was explaining wrong. His voice had a little nervousness to it, as if he really didn't understand but didn't want me to know that. I wasn't mean to him but knew I needed to speak to someone else. Even if they couldn't do it for me... needed to understand why. Not blasting CMs. Most are great and they do try. Just sometimes you need to speak with a 2nd one to make things clear or get something done that the 1st one didn't know how to.

 

[wilkeliza]

OK that all makes perfect sense. Yes, I sensed that the CM was explaining wrong. His voice had a little nervousness to it, as if he really didn't understand but didn't want me to know that. I wasn't mean to him but knew I needed to speak to someone else. Even if they couldn't do it for me... needed to understand why. Not blasting CMs. Most are great and they do try. Just sometimes you need to speak with a 2nd one to make things clear or get something done that the 1st one didn't know how to.

Oh yeah I totally get that. This being an issue is totally a training issue as well since it is a simple statement of unfortunately modifying your reservarion with me cause your rate to be charged at today's cost but if you don't mind let me transfer you to guest services to see if there is anything they can do. I think a lot of the work from home call center workers are so worried about transfering to guest services as I don't think it is as easy as it is in the Tampa nased call center.