Room Downgraded in MDE on Check-in Day? (Update on page 7, post #122)

[jcjen519]

I suspect Disney does not make it a policy to call when something like this happens because they don't want to turn it into a dozen rounds of "Let's Make a Deal," but clearly many people do.


Outside of a very small handful of things - tragic accident, room being destroyed by fire/flood/plague after your arrival, alien invasion, I cannot imagine what FOR ME would warrant a free room. "Free room" wouldn't even cross my mind for a single circumstance described in this thread.

I'm not debating what warrants or doesn't warrant total room compensation. That's subjective and there's no right or wrong. When things are so bad that it's been determined by all parties that compensation is warranted I don't see that as a windfall. It baffles my mind how often on here this type of compensation is seen as a positive. It's not. It sucks.

 

[beesly]

Some people are getting very worked up here while OP is probably off having the time of her life...
It's unfortunate, it's not ideal, she was downgraded, she was compensated, they all lived happily ever after. The end.

OP here, and you were right. I got home on Saturday and was surprised to see where this thread went!

Did they at least give you a partial savannah view for your standard room rate?

The standard room we were assigned (3210) did have a partial savanna view and, to Disney's credit, they still honored my only room request from online check-in, which was to be near the lobby. We were literally the very first room in the Kudu Trail wing off the lobby, on the same floor as the lobby. My grandmother has difficulty walking long distances, so this was important to us. When we got to the room shortly after 10pm, there was only one antelope out. In the morning, we saw a marabou stork before we left for breakfast.

To the OP did you get anything beyond the room difference credit? Extra FP , free breakfast? I have savanna room booked especially because we'll have the grandsons with us. Looking at zebras or looking at a parking lot is more than just the cost difference. I would be tears if I told the kids we are going to see this and that animal and get to the resort and find out it's standard view.

I did not receive anything beyond a refund/credit for the difference in cost. Since it was one night (literally maybe 10 hours in the room, 8 of which we spent sleeping), and we still had a partial savanna view, I really wasn't too bothered. I do wish they had called to notify me earlier in the day instead of having to stop by the front desk at 10pm, but that was a minor inconvenience. If we had been downgraded for more than one night, I definitely would have spoken to a manager to see if there was anything else they could do for us because the savanna view was the major reason we stayed at AKL.

Upgrades (fortunately) and downgrades (unfortunately) sometimes happen. I would be disappointed, but I wouldn't let it bother me for one night as long as I was refunded the difference in cost.

You could spend time fighting for extra compensation, or you could shrug the situation off and enjoy your time in WDW. It's nice when they offer, but that doesn't seem to happen anymore.

I would expect to get my booked SV when I moved to CL the next morning though...

Enjoy your trip, OP!! You will love AKL CL!

Exactly this. We had an amazing savanna view on the Zebra Trail when we moved the next day. And again, our online check-in room request was fulfilled - we were in the closest room to the lobby in the new wing. The rest of the trip was fantastic, and definitely not ruined by a short night in a room with a lesser view for which I paid the appropriate price. We will definitely be back to AKL CL!

 

[Disneylover99]

If we had been downgraded for more than one night, I definitely would have spoken to a manager to see if there was anything else they could do for us because the savanna view was the major reason we stayed at AKL.

I'm with you there! Glad you had a great trip.

 

[disneydeegs]

I don't think anyone here is advocating yelling at cast members or stomping feet to get what they want. I find it interesting that some consider it an entitlement to simply want to be compensated in some way for a downgraded room. Calmly stating what has you unsatisfied and offering a suggestion for what would make you satisfied (within reason) is in no way whining and shouting. Reasonable accommodations like a meal voucher or some extra fastpasses could go a long way to improve a guest's experience and encourage them to return in the future, and it costs Disney very little or nothing to do so.

A huge part of customer service involves doing more than the bare minimum to keep customers happy. If the bare minimum makes you happy, that's fine. If you feel it is adequate to only be credited back the difference between room cost, fine. I'd be aggravated due to interest/time value of money and would not be satisfied with a simple reimbursement of the room cost, but I still wouldn't request anything big (like a free night's stay or free dinner at Le Cellier or something.... but by golly if it was offered I would accept graciously and likely alert Disney that the cast member really helped make my trip special.) If the cast member offered nothing more than the bare minimum, it wouldn't ruin my trip, but if they offered something, that could greatly improve my experience.

 

[baler31]

I do want to point out that the OP was not compensated. She received restitution and was satisfied with the outcome. However, there once was a time that she would have known ahead of time and been compensated in some form automatically. Those days don't exist with Disney anymore. Most of the management are more concerned with how far, how fast (how far they can climb and how fast) than the legendary service Disney was once known for. And, how far how fast is greatly increased by meeting your margins, leading to no compensation until asked for.

There are very few cast members left that actually understand the level of service Disney was know for but they are under pressure to exist in today's corporate climate. I doubt you would find anyone that would go out and hand dry the lawn themselves as George Kalogridis (current WDW President) did as the GM of the Grand Flordian for a wedding event many years ago.

Yes, people complain and receive compensation for things they should not. However, it is very unfortunate that something was not offered to the OP. I understand her situation was unique with the one night. But one of the safari tours could have been offered, a fast pass for the safari, free night goggles for viewing the animals, etc. These all would have said "we care" without going to the level of a free room.

Whenever we travel for business or leisure we always have a backup hotel. Some hotels if full will walk you to an entirely different brand because of hotel ownership and we always want a choice if we are walked. At Disney we always have another resort in mind if we need to move or if necessary off property places as well.

 

[maxiesmom]

I do want to point out that the OP was not compensated. She received restitution and was satisfied with the outcome. However, there once was a time that she would have known ahead of time and been compensated in some form automatically. Those days don't exist with Disney anymore. Most of the management are more concerned with how far, how fast (how far they can climb and how fast) than the legendary service Disney was once known for. And, how far how fast is greatly increased by meeting your margins, leading to no compensation until asked for.

I have to disagree with you, unless you are going far far back. As few as 6 years ago Disney was not notifying guests of any changes or construction at the resorts they had booked. I know, because it happened to me. And I was told by the manager that Disney didn't feel they had to notify guests of any closures or construction. The fact that they are now reaching out to guests of resorts like CBR is a huge step in the right direction.

 

[baler31]

I have to disagree with you, unless you are going far far back. As few as 6 years ago Disney was not notifying guests of any changes or construction at the resorts they had booked. I know, because it happened to me. And I was told by the manager that Disney didn't feel they had to notify guests of any closures or construction. The fact that they are now reaching out to guests of resorts like CBR is a huge step in the right direction.

I am talking of LONG ago. Before dining plans, and magical express buses, and every ride attraction having to be tied to IP. The only reason they are notifying guests was the amount of compensation given out during previous constructions over the last few years.

The resorts need to work together instead of as individual profit centers if guest satisfaction truly matters. We were told at BC that not only was our suite unavailable but no others were available on property. I assume they did not think we would check but just accept what they assigned us. We were eventually offered the room we booked (it suddenly became available) as well as a MK resort option. However, we wasted valuable time and nothing is more precious to us than time.

 

[robinb]

Most people are happy being refunded for the difference when downgraded. Things happen, life goes on...for most people. They certainly aren't whipping out the cash when getting upgraded because of an "if...including but not limited to" thing happening, right?

I see where you are saying that people don't expect to pay extra for an upgrade, but I think there is a vast difference between an upgrade and a downgrade even though you are getting a different room type than you booked with both. I, for one, would NOT be happy with a refund of the difference in price. I think that I would have to get more compensation to reach "happy".

I'm curious how many people would be "happy" being refunded for the difference when downgraded so I started a poll: https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...refunded-you-the-difference-in-price.3587734/

 

[aprincessatlast]

I do want to point out that the OP was not compensated. She received restitution and was satisfied with the outcome. However, there once was a time that she would have known ahead of time and been compensated in some form automatically. Those days don't exist with Disney anymore. Most of the management are more concerned with how far, how fast (how far they can climb and how fast) than the legendary service Disney was once known for. And, how far how fast is greatly increased by meeting your margins, leading to no compensation until asked for.

There are very few cast members left that actually understand the level of service Disney was know for but they are under pressure to exist in today's corporate climate. I doubt you would find anyone that would go out and hand dry the lawn themselves as George Kalogridis (current WDW President) did as the GM of the Grand Flordian for a wedding event many years ago.

So I am the furthest thing from a WDW cheerleader. In fact I have no desire to go back anytime soon but read here for fun as well as reading up on other parks/cruises we are going to. I want to cheer you on and say yeah Disney customer service stinks because I do not like the way they have changed the place and all the money grabs etc.

However with that said when it comes to the hotels, I must admit our trip late last year at on property resort does not agree with the statement you made. We had spectacular service. They went above and beyond several times. In fact refunding half the nights stay $$$ at rack rate. (we did not pay rack rate). It was an inconvenience for sure and on their end but I never once asked for anything. They checked in on us and personally took care of things. I was a bit blown over to be honest as I thought those days had ended at wdw but alas it is still there. We dealt with several managers so it was not just one who took an interest.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm not debating what warrants or doesn't warrant total room compensation. That's subjective and there's no right or wrong. When things are so bad that it's been determined by all parties that compensation is warranted I don't see that as a windfall. It baffles my mind how often on here this type of compensation is seen as a positive. It's not. It sucks.

It's better than NOT being brought to "even".

they still honored my only room request from online check-in, which was to be near the lobby.... My grandmother has difficulty walking long distances, so this was important to us.

And there's the likely reason you got that room.

(literally maybe 10 hours in the room, 8 of which we spent sleeping), and we still had a partial savanna view.... the savanna view was the major reason we stayed at AKL.

Fwiw I've had a full on savannah view two or three times now and haven't seen all that much more than you saw on your one night in the partial view.

For a one night stay with maybe two hours being awake and looking at the view I would have gone standard (save myself points or money) and gone to the lobby.

free night goggles for viewing the animals, etc.

Wonder how many times they tried that and had the guests walk away with them?

 

[beesly]

And there's the likely reason you got that room.

Are you saying you think the online request was why we were chosen for the downgrade over someone else, or that you think that's why they still honored our room request? If it's the latter, I didn't tell them why we wanted a room near the lobby, so I don't think that played a part.

 

[Nancyg56]

So I am the furthest thing from a WDW cheerleader. In fact I have no desire to go back anytime soon but read here for fun as well as reading up on other parks/cruises we are going to. I want to cheer you on and say yeah Disney customer service stinks because I do not like the way they have changed the place and all the money grabs etc.

However with that said when it comes to the hotels, I must admit our trip late last year at on property resort does not agree with the statement you made. We had spectacular service. They went above and beyond several times. In fact refunding half the nights stay $$$ at rack rate. (we did not pay rack rate). It was an inconvenience for sure and on their end but I never once asked for anything. They checked in on us and personally took care of things. I was a bit blown over to be honest as I thought those days had ended at wdw but alas it is still there. We dealt with several managers so it was not just one who took an interest.

THese days are in fact still there, but we do not always hear the positive outcomes. A few years ago I booked a much needed vacation at the BWI. I had been so lookign forward to that stay and really needed the getaway. My friend was joining me and I was meeting my friends, all who were staying in EPcot resorts. A few weeks before my trip I recieved a call from Disney because I was being moved to the Grand due to construction. Oh no! I told the CM I was disappointed and why, and she said "It really is a nice resort". Well I was sad for all of 2.2 seconds, realized it was THE GRAND! And thanked her. This was truely a gift, and I told her that. She heard me though, and called back to tell me that I had been compensated one free night. Again, I told her I had just been caught by surprise, and no compensation was needed, I should be thanking her for the change. She insisted it was already done, and it was....the change had been made on MDE as was my view...Theme Park. This was the trip I got Cinderella Castle View...dead center! Oh no....Disney customer service is alive and well.