Saturday Disney dining reservation CM's not so nice?

[branv]

Here's a question:

I haven't called to do anything for WDW in a long time -- just been using travel agents to handle it for me. However, I remember when you used to call, you were always prompted to hang on the line after talking with a CM to complete an automated survey. Now maybe that was just for making room ressies, but I was wondering -- do they no do that anymore?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Please remember that WDW is terribly understaffed.
2) They can't get people to work for them.
4) They run full page ads every Sunday in the Orlando Sentinel.
5) And, when they do hire, the turnover is absolutely horrendous.

6) DRC (the old CRO) and reservations are also understaffed.
7) They used to run training classes twice per year.
8) Now they run them every 6-weeks.
9) Two weeks ago, a class of 70 (!!!) were graduated.
10) And they still can't get enough due to turnover.

NOTE: Right now, DRC people put in more forced overtime than other departments, even parks. Each week, they MUST work at least 50-hrs and sometimes up to 14-hrs per day. Plus, the pressure is huge!. With the new quota system, if they don't make their average-sales-per-hour-per-month, they can be fired after three missed months in a year. So, let's try to cut these folks some slack for a bad day. Sure they should always be nice and sweet, but people are still people.

 

[Clubhouse Mickey]

Just thought I would add my 2 cents worth.. I've called dining many, many times over the past 6 weeks. I can completely relate with how some are very nice and helpful and others act like you are a major pain in the neck.. I've just tried to roll with the punches. However, I had one issue that really upset me. I called earlier in Oct for a Planet Hollywood ressie, and several times was told there was no availability until after 10:30 pm at night (waaayy too late for us to eat!). So one day I called and was told there was a spot at 4:45 or 10:30'ish, and I asked for the 4:45. Thinking that was all set, I found out by accident last week (was going thru our list of ADR's w/ a CM to confirm everything) that my ressie was sched in OCT and not NOV (so why do they ask us our check in date if they are going to sched for a date earlier than we even arrive??)... Omg... I was floored! I honestly did not know what to say. So I asked if there was anything else available, and was told NO. After a sleepless night, I called early the next am and got a WONDERFUL CM who told me that 1. PH does not take ADR's the week of Thanksgiving from the hours of 5-10 pm, which no one had ever told me before despite multiple calls to request this place and 2. that he could get me in around 3'ish any day of that week I wanted.. actually named off several times on many of the days. I couldn't believe it! Why the CM from the night before who had to of known that my bubble had just been burst when she told me my ressie was for OCT and not NOV did not tell me, I have no clue.... Just goes to show you that it DOES matter which CM happens to answer!!

sorry for the ramling.. this has been the first issue I've had and I was just waiting for a great thread like this to sound off!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

So there you are, innocently planning your next family vacation.... you call up the phone # you saw on one of those "Come experience _____ State" TV commercials and unbeknownst to you it's answered by the "nice folks" serving LIFE SENTENCES in PRISON!!!!!!! YIKES!!!! Who woulda thought? You think they let them take your credit card information too?)

Unlikely (in both cases). More likely, the inmates doing this job are in prison for much shorter periods, and for crimes that would not incur a life sentence. As for the credit card part - no, also unlikely, in case any of the employees' crimes involved identity theft, credit card theft, etc.

I just booking BWI and there rules and prices just get me.I wanted to go for 6 nights, wanted to go 3 at the poly and 3 at BWI but Noooooooooooooooooooooo, that could not be done because you had to buy tickets, what the freak is that

"That" is a package - the default booking, since you are calling Walt Disney Travel Company. Did you specify you were looking for room-only rates? Did you indicate you wanted to include the Disney Dining Plan for both parts of your reservation? These make a difference.

And, RustyScupper - thank you VERY much for this explanation!!!

 

[branv]

I have the greatest sympathy for people doing a hard job, but really...you think there is any excuse for just telling a caller that something is booked without even checking?

 

[MulanMom]

I called on Saturday, too. Fortunately did not get anyone with attitude.

I've been calling a lot since 10/31 and every time have been asked to stay on the line to take part in a survey. Other than the one time I went from hold music to the survey without talking with a rep, I was fortunate to have good CMs and made sure my survey answers reflected their good service.

Knocking on wood as I'm usually the one having the unmagical experience.....

 

[goodferry]

I called to extend our reservation on Saturday and got a simply wonderful CM, called back twice on Sunday while tweeking our dining, and got two horrible ones, snappy and rude, I got the same "and don't call back every day looking for a cancellation". Undertrained? Possibly. Overworked? Possibly. An excuse? No.

 

[fla4fun]

I called to extend our reservation on Saturday and got a simply wonderful CM, called back twice on Sunday while tweeking our dining, and got two horrible ones, snappy and rude, I got the same "and don't call back every day looking for a cancellation". Undertrained? Possibly. Overworked? Possibly. An excuse? No.

I totally agree! Wow! On the one hand, the nice CM's are telling guests to call back, and the snippy CM's are telling guests not to. Gotta love that consistency!

 

[Linus Van Pelt]

I called to extend our reservation on Saturday and got a simply wonderful CM, called back twice on Sunday while tweeking our dining, and got two horrible ones, snappy and rude, I got the same "and don't call back every day looking for a cancellation". Undertrained? Possibly. Overworked? Possibly. An excuse? No.

I would've asked to speak with their manager, and, as stated earlier, made a note of the time, date, and the name of the person I was talking to.