Saratoga Springs disappointing!

[hag7]

We just returned from DVC Saratoga Springs for 5 days before Christmas. This was our 8th trip and 3rd DVC trip. The other 2 DVC trips were at OKW. Saratoga Springs is our home resort so we were very excited about the trip. The proximity to DTD and the resort itself are beautiful. Our room experience was however horrible. I requested a room with a view of lake / landscaping. We received a parking lot view. The 2 BR lock-off smelled of syrup, smoke and a burnt smell- horrible smell. 10 cigarettes in a cup remained on the porch from prior occupant (NO SMOKING AT DVC by the way). Both tubs had hair, rings and had not been cleaned. Both toilets were dirty and had not been cleaned. Mousekeeping and management could not have cared any less about our situation. They changed the sheets after 4 calls, did not do a thing for the smell. If our guests had not already unpacked we would have changed our room. We had to follow-up multiple times with housekeeping and were forwarded to a centralized help desk a few times--poor responsiveness..... The ping pong table was broke and the caricature artist "available all day" was never to be found for 2 days. The manager was helpful and consoling on our way out but I did not feel like the housekeepers would be held accountable, base on other posts here prior. I hope this was an aberration.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

Were you preassigned to a room? Why didn't you change it at check in(because it was parking lot view)
or were they difficult at the front desk? In any case you should not have been put in a dirty room. I would have been at the front desk and it would not have been pretty. We are going to be at Saratoga on Sunday and I will go crazy if this happens to me. You need to write a few letters. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

Sorry for your bad experience.

We have stayed at SSR quite a few times. Only had minor issues and everything was always dealt with very quickly and efficiently. We are fairly new to DVC but based on three stays a year for the last number of years, I would say this was truly an aberration.

 

[LSchrow]

just curious (not meaning to sound snaky ), but i see you just joined today, & this is only your second post (tho you reference other posts, & this was posted almost immediatedly after joining)........
did you have another username before?

i am sorry to hear you had such troubles, & hope your next DVC trip goes more smoothly

 

[fishermouse]

Sorry to hear you had some problems... Don't think I would have unpacked in a room as bad as you describe.. Can't imagine any one would, I tend to question the validity of things that don't add up and something in OP IMO does not add up. I'm not an expert and it's just my way of thinking. We spend most of our stays at SSR and except for a few times not getting the view we wanted every experience has been good, not perfect but pretty good.. On the times we did not get the requested view I found the view we did get to actually be nice. My only demand is I will not stay on a ground floor this is usually what causes me to not get the view I want. Like to have my door open when hanging out in the room, except when it's just to hot.

 

[dizney4us]

sorry to hear of your negative experience. we love SSR and had a great stay with there in a 2 bdr for 6 nights in busy april.

 

[3DisneyKids]

We, too, have always had clean rooms and great experiences. So sorry you had a bad one! Don't give up on your home resort, though.

 

[hag7]

Believe me I would have been back to the desk in a hurry but our friends had already settled in the lock-off studio and we didn't want to inconvenience them. I also thought that they would clean carpet and spray the room to kill the odor- but it couldn't be killed.....

Re: Sorry to hear you had some problems... Don't think I would have unpacked in a room as bad as you describe.. Can't imagine any one would, I tend to question the validity of things that don't add up and something in OP IMO does not add up. I'm not an expert and it's just my way of thinking. We spend most of our stays at SSR and except for a few times not getting the view we wanted every experience has been good, not perfect but pretty good.. On the times we did not get the requested view I found the view we did get to actually be nice. My only demand is I will not stay on a ground floor this is usually what causes me to not get the view I want. Like to have my door open when hanging out in the room, except when it's just to hot.

I have been using the board for 5 years and it has been a real blessing. I really hadn't posted and just joined to share my experience. I am sure the next Welcome Home experience will be like my other two. If not I learned my lesson to make it right asap.

Re: just curious (not meaning to sound snaky ), but i see you just joined today, & this is only your second post (tho you reference other posts, & this was posted almost immediatedly after joining)........
did you have another username before?

i am sorry to hear you had such troubles, & hope your next DVC trip goes more smoothly

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hey, hag7, you can quote other posters by clicking on the Quote button at the bottom of the message before you try to respond. And you can quote multiple posters by clicking on the "+ button right next to it. Makes it easier to follow what you are trying to say.

 

[hag7]

Hey, hag7, you can quote other posters by clicking on the Quote button at the bottom of the message before you try to respond. And you can quote multiple posters by clicking on the "+ button right next to it. Makes it easier to follow what you are trying to say.

Great! Thanks for the advice!

 

[tjkraz]

Mousekeeping and management could not have cared any less about our situation. They changed the sheets after 4 calls, did not do a thing for the smell.

(snip)

We had to follow-up multiple times with housekeeping and were forwarded to a centralized help desk a few times--poor responsiveness.....

Although you didn't specifically say so, I get the sense that most, if not all of your communications were via telephone. In the future, I would highly, HIGHLY recommend that you voice those complaints in person.

Calls to the "front desk" from ALL Disney resorts actually go to a call center. The poor responsiveness you experienced could have been due to the resort staff...or the fault could lie with a call center operator sitting miles and miles away. Sadly the type of disconnect you experienced seems all too frequent at every single Disney resort. I realize that Disney resorts with hundreds and thousands of guest rooms generate a ton of telephone traffic, but the system they are using now often seems terribly lacking.

Even if it takes you 10 minutes to walk / drive / bus back to the front desk, it will be time well-spent. Dealing with such issues in person gives you the opportunity to look someone in the eye, voice your complaints, allow them to forumlate a plan to address the issues, and then you can hold them accountable. Don't settle for anonymous voices on the other end of a telephone.

Hope your next trip goes better!

 

[5 for WDW]

Sorry for the negative experience.

We were thrilled with our stay at SSR in September. Our room was immaculate!! I hope your next stay is more enjoyable for you.

I agree with going down to the front desk in person by the way. I think things get addressed much quicker that way. That is what I would have done anyway.

 

[mikesmom]

For the room view, I think you just can't expect to get a request that close to Christmas. The place is just too full to make that possible.

For the other issues, I would agree they is inexcusable. I would also agree with the previous poster that sadly, a trip to the front desk for a face to face complaint was necessary.

Hope the next trip is MUCH better!

 

[tomandrobin]

Sorry to read of your bad experience. The house keeping is WDW resort problem, not just SSR. Room condition and cleanliness is similar to the bus situation, it's hit or miss.

I just returned from a 7 day stay at SSR and had no problems. We checked in at noon, room was ready and got our requested building. We needed more blankets, called house keeping. They sent someone with our requested towels withing 20 minutes, plus she gave us extra towels too.

 

[LIFERBABE]

We are at SSR now and I am happy to report that the Ping Pong Table is up and pinging since we've been here (checked in on Dec 28th)

We've not had any reason to go to the front desk, but we did call maintenance and had all our concerns and a special request addressed within the hour.

The resort is full! We are trying to extend our stay by a day and it is very tight. Im sure there are many with undesireable views, when every room is utilized.

We were fortunate enough to get the only room left in Congress Park on our check in day.

Hope your next stay is better. Dont even get me started on our AKV Concierge stay

 

[hag7]

Although you didn't specifically say so, I get the sense that most, if not all of your communications were via telephone. In the future, I would highly, HIGHLY recommend that you voice those complaints in person.

Calls to the "front desk" from ALL Disney resorts actually go to a call center. The poor responsiveness you experienced could have been due to the resort staff...or the fault could lie with a call center operator sitting miles and miles away. Sadly the type of disconnect you experienced seems all too frequent at every single Disney resort. I realize that Disney resorts with hundreds and thousands of guest rooms generate a ton of telephone traffic, but the system they are using now often seems terribly lacking.

Even if it takes you 10 minutes to walk / drive / bus back to the front desk, it will be time well-spent. Dealing with such issues in person gives you the opportunity to look someone in the eye, voice your complaints, allow them to forumlate a plan to address the issues, and then you can hold them accountable. Don't settle for anonymous voices on the other end of a telephone.

Hope your next trip goes better!

I agree. Did that before we left and mgt. at least listened. What was disappointing was that there was no apology, concern, or care- he actually appeared calloused and cold, like I had the problem even though I was cordial and business like. I think they get many complaints about the Mousekeeping and Smoking. I don't see the accountability or action to do anything about it yet however.

 

[hag7]

For the room view, I think you just can't expect to get a request that close to Christmas. The place is just too full to make that possible.

For the other issues, I would agree they is inexcusable. I would also agree with the previous poster that sadly, a trip to the front desk for a face to face complaint was necessary.

Hope the next trip is MUCH better!

I made the ressy 11 months in advance. That is pretty sad if so. We were actually there 10 days before Christmas and it is not so busy. Face to face is the only way next time. Thanks!

 

[hag7]

We are at SSR now and I am happy to report that the Ping Pong Table is up and pinging since we've been here (checked in on Dec 28th)

We've not had any reason to go to the front desk, but we did call maintenance and had all our concerns and a special request addressed within the hour.

The resort is full! We are trying to extend our stay by a day and it is very tight. Im sure there are many with undesireable views, when every room is utilized.

We were fortunate enough to get the only room left in Congress Park on our check in day.

Hope your next stay is better. Dont even get me started on our AKV Concierge stay

Good news- my son is an avid ping pong player and we had been looking forward to it- no apologies from management either. Have fun!

 

[lisaviolet]

Dont even get me started on our AKV Concierge stay

Hey LIFERBABE! Stop the teasing. Is there a thread?

Anyway, hope you and your family are having a wonderful time at SSR. Enjoy.

Lisa

 

[tomandrobin]

Hey OP, what time of day did you check-in?

I know that the earlier your arrival, the more likely you are to get the better room and view. As I metioned above, we checked-in at noon and got our room request.

Only once did we arrived late in the evening and was stuck with a very crappy parking lot view. Almost all of arrivals have been early and we have been very fortunate with our room requests.