So discouraged... I need someone to sprinkle pixie dust! Even if just a kind word.

[CruisingCamper]

All I can say is WOW!

We just changed our reservation from March 27 to March 13th for the week! Just yesterday... I called and switched our reservations to that date, at Fort Wilderness Campground and then I called and canceled all my ADR's for the week of March 27th, then rebooked all the ADR's for the week of March 13th...Talk about stressful! All b/c my DH wants to go snow skiing again at the end of March, so we had to move up the Disney trip!! I had to go plead with the boss to be off two weeks earlier..with only a week's notice!!

Now, I have 5 days to buy supplies and pack! We also need a new stroller and a portable DVD player for the drive down! We have some speed shopping to do this weekend!!! And I am EXCITED...but ready to go!!! I can't wait!

Stress!!! Yes, I am stressed...but not as much as you! Just think, like someone said before, a bad day at WDW is better than a good day at work.

I also have a very bad back and WDW is tough, b/c you're not sleeping in your own bed, and you walk a million miles! Sometimes carrying little ones, you have to pack the diaper bag, etc... But my DH is helpful! And he loves DIsney! A bad DH could ruin your trip!

All of the suggestions have been a excellent way to reduce back pain...I even go as far as taking an Advil every 4 hours and then, at night I take two! A mattress pad and heating pad are also great ideas!! And always take a hot bath in the morning and before bed to soak those tired muscles! Shoes..always wear comfortable shoes!

If your dreading your trip...maybe you should cancel..and save the money to do something else your DH would enjoy too! It might make taking a vacation a lot less stressful.

Anyway, I hope you have a good time, if you do go!!!

 

[jessandalexsmom]

It will be magical beyond your wildest dreams. Trust me. Enjoy your vacation!!

 

[mommytobug]

You need to breathe. I think you are wanting everyone to run circles around you and know what you want and need. It does not work that way. If they do not make fudge, they don't make it. If we all called with request of things they did not do can you imagine the craziness it would cause? I dont understand the cake issue. We have celebrated dd's birthday there several times. I have never ordered a special cake but she always got a cupcake or something. She loved it. You can go to the dining threads and there is one for cakes with the number to call. You will pay a pretty penny for it. But, you can order it. As far as the bed, that is why we only do deluxe. I cant and will not sleep in anything less than a queen. I have chronic back pain and fibromyalgia. Disney vacations can be hard and if the bed is awful, that makes me miserable. I will stay 4 days in a deluxe instead of 7 in a value. You give and you take. Decide what is more important. I am sitting here thinking why did you not plan a beach vacation or something you could do to relax. My dd loves the beach and disney. You have to breathe, decide what is imporant, and go with the flow. I would call about an upgrade and ignore your husband if he does not want to plan. My husband HATES planning so I dont mention anything until time to go. We both are happy. I have control and he isnt bothered with minor details.

 

[bartleby1]

Oh wow. You sound really miserable and stressed about this trip. I think sometimes lots of people get really overwhelmed because they want their trip to live up to impossible expectations. In some ways, it is almost like planning your wedding! You do so much research and planning to make for the "perfect" day (or trip), but unfortunately nothing is ever perfect and sometimes things don't always go as planned. Please try to look at the big picture and try to let some of the smaller things slide on by.

As others have said, you'll be in DISNEY! Enjoy yourselves! There is plenty of happiness to be found! Don't let the smaller things get in the way of the big picture.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about the cake. I'd throw a few candles in my bag, order some pastries from the bakery in France, stick the candles in and sing happy birthday!

Your trip doesn't have to be perfect to have a great time. Perfection is way overrated!

 

[Tammy296]

A deluxe is surely nice but we are small town people who do not need big time things. If I bought a deluxe for 8 days I'd probably have to take out a second mortgage to do it. But yes I see your point. And I'm not trying to make you upset but your DD's 1st birthday -- what did you do for her? As a mother, I'm not Tori Spelling hoping to pop out a huge blast of fireworks for Amy here but a pooh cake is not a long haul. No pooh cake? ok How about any kind of fresh cake that tastes like an eclair? That was my request. And a Jessica Rabbit cake for DH is also not a big request. Both of which I got a NO on. Ok so... I DOWNSIZED heavily on fudge and still got the NO's. The point being is this...what is do-able??

Did you ever try to call through a relay service or TTY line they have? I could have posted this in any thread from the disabilities thread to the food & cake thread to the family thread to the strategies thread, the resort thread... it belongs in them all I'd say. In some way...

The point is this -- I do NOT expect disney to run circles for us NO. But common courtesy and doing what they advertise they can do IS ANOTHER THING. We paid good money hard earned money for this trip in an economy where most people are struggling (including us) We still did it for our kids. Why advertise special occasions and show all these wonderful things you can and will do on the internet but if you call and ask for them HEY ITS TOO BIG OF A DEAL. So see my ? You don't say you can have a specialized cake made for someone and then when you call you get the middle finger run around 5 times over.
Please. The point is simple. And I get the middle finger run around not only on this but almost everytime I call about every situation I've planned for since I booked the trip. And I am asking for things Im willing to pay for simple things, every day things a lot of people on here are also requesting. Hey as one poster said somewhere along the lines - it just pays to ask!

Disney, I'm doing this for my kids. You're right I could have gone anywhere else including an all-inclusive vacation in the Carribean. I have before. Would my kids have liked that? No probably not. So we picked Disney because "of the magic".

If you call the Disney Florist and get lousy service or no service for what you paid for (which someone on here reported happening to them) what would you want? If you call Disney and they shell out on an empty promise (non existent) what would you want? If you call, and get no answer - what would you want? So no, I'm not trying to be mean here just say hey where's this "magic"? Where's the customer service? Where do I find it? What can I do for baby and husband to make it special for them? That's all.

Anyone and everyone has called and getting their dining reservations - and some aren't. They don't need the relay service. They're hearing.The point is they call back like me almost daily. Some get what they want some don't. Granted! However, they don't get the five finger discount on every call because they don't have to call the helpless Disney TTY line or through the relay service. Their calls don't last half the day and their calls don't get hung up on at the beginning of "hi" because some cast member doesn't understand what the relay service is. I'm trying to educate on what it is and say where's the customer service? I'm not trying to make a mountain out of a mole-hill, just get what I paid for.

Thank you for hearing me out. To everyone, thank you so much for listening and being empathetic. If we didn't have this dis-board to vent I don't know what many of you would do it's good to share a common link with others somehow. Even if its just stress in planning. We're all going and want to go to the same place on earth - DISNEY.

-T

 

[mommytobug]

A deluxe is surely nice but we are small town people who do not need big time things. If I bought a deluxe for 8 days I'd probably have to take out a second mortgage to do it. But yes I see your point. And I'm not trying to make you upset but your DD's 1st birthday -- what did you do for her? As a mother, I'm not Tori Spelling hoping to pop out a huge blast of fireworks for Amy here but a pooh cake is not a long haul. No pooh cake? ok How about any kind of fresh cake that tastes like an eclair? That was my request. And a Jessica Rabbit cake for DH is also not a big request. Both of which I got a NO on. Ok so... I DOWNSIZED heavily on fudge and still got the NO's. The point being is this...what is do-able??

Did you ever try to call through a relay service or TTY line they have? I could have posted this in any thread from the disabilities thread to the food & cake thread to the family thread to the strategies thread, the resort thread... it belongs in them all I'd say. In some way...

The point is this -- I do NOT expect disney to run circles for us NO. But common courtesy and doing what they advertise they can do IS ANOTHER THING. We paid good money hard earned money for this trip in an economy where most people are struggling (including us) We still did it for our kids. Why advertise special occasions and show all these wonderful things you can and will do on the internet but if you call and ask for them HEY ITS TOO BIG OF A DEAL. So see my ? You don't say you can have a specialized cake made for someone and then when you call you get the middle finger run around 5 times over.


Please. The point is simple. And I get the middle finger run around not only on this but almost everytime I call about every situation I've planned for since I booked the trip. And I am asking for things Im willing to pay for simple things, every day things a lot of people on here are also requesting. Hey as one poster said somewhere along the lines - it just pays to ask!

Disney, I'm doing this for my kids. You're right I could have gone anywhere else including an all-inclusive vacation in the Carribean. I have before. Would my kids have liked that? No probably not. So we picked Disney because "of the magic".

If you call the Disney Florist and get lousy service or no service for what you paid for (which someone on here reported happening to them) what would you want? If you call Disney and they shell out on an empty promise (non existent) what would you want? If you call, and get no answer - what would you want? So no, I'm not trying to be mean here just say hey where's this "magic"? Where's the customer service? Where do I find it? What can I do for baby and husband to make it special for them? That's all.

Anyone and everyone has called and getting their dining reservations - and some aren't. They don't need the relay service. They're hearing.The point is they call back like me almost daily. Some get what they want some don't. Granted! However, they don't get the five finger discount on every call because they don't have to call the helpless Disney TTY line or through the relay service. Their calls don't last half the day and their calls don't get hung up on at the beginning of "hi" because some cast member doesn't understand what the relay service is. I'm trying to educate on what it is and say where's the customer service? I'm not trying to make a mountain out of a mole-hill, just get what I paid for.

Thank you for hearing me out. To everyone, thank you so much for listening and being empathetic. If we didn't have this dis-board to vent I don't know what many of you would do it's good to share a common link with others somehow. Even if its just stress in planning. We're all going and want to go to the same place on earth - DISNEY.

-T

Oh, you are not upsetting me at all. You are the one upset. My dd's first birthday was at home with family and very close friends. I made a ladybug cake before the ladybug theme was "in". She ran around and played and we had a blast. Nothing big but memories were made. As for your deluxe mention, we are the biggest "small town rednecks" you will ever know so please dont think we are snobs who only do deluxes. We both work and we dont have a house too big, or new cars, or dine out regularly. We like to be comfortable and so we work around what we have to in order to be comfortable. Some are comfy at the values ( and I see noting wrong with them-you have complained about the beds and also the decor). As for the cake, they have a line to call. They have cakes to offer. They have beautiful wonderful cakes that do cost a lot. They have all kinds of choices. They cant only do what they do. Have you tried using an outside service or have you asked about them decorating the rooom-they offer that now I believe). If you have a hearing problem, now is the time to ask you dh for help. HE needs to help you call if you cant get through. Also, you could consider staying off site so you can have a comfy bed.


I dont know what the middle finger run around is, sorry. I do know I have read on the cake thread and seen pictures of wonderful cakes. They can only do what they do.



I hope you find happiness in your trip and everything else. It seems that nothing is making you happy at this point and that makes me sad. Your kids will surely see your frustrations. I still do not see anything concrete that you could report as rude, only frustrations about not getting what you want when you want it. I will also say that I always plan through Dreams Unlimied if I dont use my DVC points. It is worth every penny for them to make my ressies, note special request and for me to just show up. They dont charge for this service, so you are paying as though you booked direclty through disney.

 

[Tammy296]

I did book directly through Disney. As a deaf "er" I even tried to email several times.

No, not complaining about ASSR's deco at all. Just the beds for someone w/o back problems it would prob be ok. ASSR is actually pretty cool in many ways, but with a baby included (a crib and 2 beds) I wonder about the kind of "room" we'll have. I'm afraid of "squished" and "uncomfy" and of course the beds again.

I did try and ask for just a regular cake, just not a podium cake. It was going to cost $90 for a small round white cake with a choc tinkerbell top. It was the idea of the CM to make it that way even after I sent about 5 different pictures of cakes I could live with. When I first emailed the photos and the CM said no on them because of such and such, she then asked to take my credit card to put down on a cake and then asked me how much I was willing to "pay". Excuse me? I mean something just doesnt sound right here. Don't they usually give you a quote on a cake first before asking you what you're willing to pay? So I told them oh between $40 and $100. Before they said no on the cake I wanted. Anyway it doesn't matter anymore. Whats done is done.

I've decided without the cake (only choice I seemed to have) and to go with a cupcake and bring candles.

Soooo... you're right thought My DH should be stepping up and helping out with the phone deal. He isn't involved with the planning (about like he is at home with Amy too always busy or non-existent LOL) but has plenty to say about the things I do (you're right about that). I'm a little mad at myself now and thinking I shouldn't have listened to him. I did however try to book 5 different types of resorts and couldn't get any of them. I've called Disney at least daily when before I booked and paid in full, they said "Oh we get cancellations all the time, keep calling back". I booked, kept calling back anyway. I just got the feeling like maybe Disney would have said anything to get me to book and pay for the trip? ya know?

And why have a tty number if no one picks up at all? This def belongs in a different thread but oh well. It is what it is.

Thanks for all suggestions and help! Without the board I'd have no suggestions at all so something is coming from it.

-T

 

[Sandy321]

Tammy - more hugs from me!!

I'm glad you found a place to vent, and I hope some of the posts were helpful!

I'm also surprised that you are deaf!! My son is hard of hearing, and I worked at the Deaf/hard of hearing school for a few years! so trust me when I say what you are doing and planning - AWESOME!!

let me know if you need anything, or I can help with anything! Relay calls are a big PAIN - I cant believe they (Disney) isnt working more with special needs - maybe you can go through the Special disabilities office at Disney? Talking Hands on the Disabilty thread has mentioned some helpful things in the past, and that board has posted about using that office for other needs???

dont know for sure, jsut thinking out posting...

 

[adventure_woman]

I am so sorry that you are not having a good time planning. I have no idea what it is like to have to go through the TTY. For my DDs 1st birthday, we too just had it at home. I would say that just being at WDW for her 1st b-day would have been awesome, not worrying about a cake. If you are truly going on the vacation for the kids, I would try to not stress out about it - about anything. If you are miserable, they will not have a good time either. Especially your 10-yr old, she will remember. Disney is not a 'relaxing' vacation like the Caribbean is. It is a get up and go and do stuff type vacation. If you are already stressed out before you even get there, you will not have a good time. You don't want the memory of your DDs 1st b-day to be one of stress and wishing you had stayed home and had a party. I hope you can find a way to have a great time, despite the issues you have had already, and the problems/issues you will have while you are there (and we ALL have a little something negative happen while we are there - it is just how we handle it that makes the difference).

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

The moderates have the same "small beds"

Good luck!

That's not true.

Moderate Coronado Springs has QUEEN beds. And I love them!

 

[seadd67]

So are the Beds really that much diffrent??.We have stay at the POR and at POP and again at pop In a few weekscool1 and I could not really feel any diffrence and I have a not so great back. The beds were?? how can I say this ok,,not so ok?. I need a softer bed(a slept In bed as I like to say) and theres seem a little stiff,but after 12,14 16 hours out they seem like the most heavenly beds in the world,but if I was going to go out and buy a matress this would not be the one I buy.Thats were the oK part comes IN.So do the Delux have a diffrent typ?

 

[Sandy321]

I just went to the DIsney FLorist Website -

http://www.ftdfloristsonline.com/wa...-sweet-honey-balloons-Winnie-the-Pooh/display

Its $55 for this Pooh Birthday arrangement - but for a 1 year old, you wont want the gummie candy - you can email them and just ask what it would cost to do Pooh balloons and a Pooh plush... and I would order the Kool Snack for your ten year old (its listed at $30)

check what they have for $30 - $40
http://www.ftdfloristsonline.com/waltdisneyworldflorist/category/birthday/0-40/display

We got a candy bar cake one year that was so cute! I cant find a pic of that - but here's what we like to order:

ETA - I went to the dollar store and picked up that plastic tablecloth! as well as a few "surprises" I gave to her each morning!!

 

[Sandy321]

Know that every year is different, just ask that your birthdays are included on your resservations,

when you check in make sure you tell them that you are celebrating your child's FIRST birthday and you DH's birthday...

I will say that I've read several posts on how DIsney is cutting back - so I completely understand why you are trying to arrange to pay for a special cake - I have never eaten at Tutto so I dont know what they will or wont do...

here is dd at Princess Storybook Breakfast at Norway

we didnt ask for a cupcake, they brought it... we got this at a couple of places - but again - it was last year, and I understand things change...

I posted because I thought the cupcakes had candles - but maybe you never know, they may run out... I know they used to do make your own cookies here for birthdays so I was surprised she got a cupcake!

 

[bumbershoot]

OP, are you calling the Cake line? I wonder if the numbers you have to call b/c of the relay are just getting you to the wrong people?

Though I read that the cake people aren't all that nice either, but at least they are the actual people you need to deal with.

So are you calling, or can you have your husband or a good friend call, the number(s) from the cake thread?

On that first post, it does say a Pooh cake isn't possible, but they are talking about the figures. I don't know if you can get things "painted" on cakes, but I DO know that cake people sometimes only think they understand what you are saying. Once we went to a party and a friend of the family had made this amazing stand-up Barbie cake, it was "3 dimensional" (of course everything is, but you know what I mean). My mom asked the cake-maker if she could do one like that for my brother's b'day, but with Batman. She said yes. And then made a sheet cake with some plastic Batman figures on top. Of course I realize now that the barbie cakes are from special molds, but my mom didn't know that, and the cake lady didn't understand what my mom didn't know, and thought she knew what my mom was asking for...it was a difficult situation. I discovered the same problem with wedding cake makers.

So look through that thread and call the number there (or have a close friend do it if hubby doesn't want to), if you haven't done that...and since you're talking about talking to the Conceirge services I'm thinking you're talking to the wrong people...



I'm sorry this isn't the trip you wanted.

 

[Wunderkind]

I have never found planning a vacation to be so overwhelming and just so frustrating.

I've been in the midst of planning a vacation (2 weeks from now) for the four of us. Two of us are having a birthday - my dd Amy is turning 1. I've been planning for 2 months now.

Yesterday I spent the better part of a day trying to get a special birthday cake ordered (turned out I couldn't get what I wanted - pooh & friends) and had to settle for something else at an outrageous price. I was transferred on the phone 6 times and all anyone wanted to help me with was a podium cake.

When we first booked, we couldn't get the resort we wanted. They were all FULL. We had to take a value resort (the same one we stayed in before). The whole trip last time (first time) was FUN but I was so tired after day 4 I can't believe I'm going again for 8 days sleeping on those small beds. DH and DD10 is just happy to be staying at the same place they're expectations are smaller I guess. They'll be crabbing by day 4 and it will be me who listens to it and feeling guilty cause I can't fix anything. Trust me.

Then to top it off I couldn't get the restaurants I wanted. Thankfully one person (a CM) was kind enough to change our reservations for us to an earlier time and one person was nice enough to give us one of theirs. I can't thank these people enough for helping!! We still have a lot of problems getting what we need though but that's all right. I'm trying to suck it all up and just go with NO EXPECTATIONS and forget trying to plan anything anymore.

This morning I tried to make an order with Garden Grocer and couldn't get the delivery time I wanted. This is just not my luck....

I'm just wondering - does anyone else have the same type of luck when they plan a trip to Disney? I've never planned so much and so hard for anything in all my life. It's very discouraging. Planning Amy's first birthday will have gone down in the record books for me. I'm sure I'll have the memory and never forget it.

Please tell me where the magic is even if its just dropping a penny in a fountain to watch the ripples go because I'm a very confused mother of a 10 and 1 yr old right now.

I'm not having any fun at all. Anyone else find the same thing with their trip? If so, what has made it all worth it in the end for you?

Thanks,
-T

^^^ Tammy, look at it this way. At least your family gets to go to WDW to celebrate your daughter's birthday. That will be wonderful for her and your entire family. As far as the cake order goes, I'm assuming you called them and just couldn't get the type of cake you wanted? I'm sure your daughter will love the one she'll be getting. She will! As far as the ressies go, I feel your pain; but do try to call them between now and your departure day. You never know what might open up. Don't worry too much, sometimes the best trips are the least planned. Enjoy your visit!

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh, you were asking what others did for a 1st b'day? With our son my MIL gave him a traditional Korean party. He really coudln't have cared less. We delayed solids with him so there was absolutely NO way his tummy was ready for the swirl of allergenic ingredients in a cake, so he played with the rice and I drank some soup "for" him since I was his main source of nutrition, and it was done. No cake needed, except for the adults.

Babies don't care about 1st birthdays, only adults do. And just being at Disney for a birthday, IMO, is enough for any age! Doing anything more is, ha ha, icing on the cake.

 

[bumbershoot]

Me again. I can't stop thinking about your cake ordering problems! I've started reading through the massive cake thread b/c of your post.

This post sounds like the conversation you must have had... Where you just have to come up with the exact right words to cause the person to access the part of their brain holding the info you need.

 

[Tammy296]

Hi all,

First of all I hope everyone understands what the REAL part of the problem is...

1) Disney is NOT picking up their TTY (for the deaf) line. Not even an answering service answers, not even an answering machine. This is seen as a MAJOR problem in the eyes of a deaf person. It means we do not have access to disney!! If we email, we get an automated email back and nothing more!

2) Yes the cake is part of the issue but the 1st issue is really just compounding the first.

For those on here who may think I am just "looking" for something - I feel you're saying I'm just making complaints to get something for "free". That's not the case here. I just want equal access to Disney like anyone else. To be treated with respect.

I want to do what everyone else wants to do. Make their child's birthday "special". I understand that Disney works with thousands if not millions of people daily. It's their job and they advertise "the world" to many and have a wonderful history behind them to deliver "the magic".
I understand that for people with disabilities, this is a "work in progress" for Disney. Hopefully it will get better and be better understood when I am through.

I think I am finally getting through to one cast member about my never-ending troubles (Not sure yet we'll see I should know by next week). The phone calls just compounded to many other things, one after another. Getting my questions answered there was not happening. So you can see why I was so scared that maybe this would be a HORRIBLE vacation. I'm really NOT a difficult person to please and I'm not ASKING FOR THE WORLD ON A SILVER PLATTER.

Disney is now trying to make up for the troubles I face. We'll see... all I really want is for someone to pick up that darned TTY and if they can't to have equal access to a CM like anyone else. So far I'm getting that and my questions answered so things are starting to look up here. Now what to do about the other stuff? Well I'll figure it out but I want everyone here to KNOW -- your suggestions have ALL BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND THANKFUL!!

To you Dissers... THANK YOU for being a friend. My addiction to Disney and DIS is so obvious is it not??

Thanks!
-T

 

[Laurabearz]

Tammy I would go and post over on the DisAbility section of the DIS and ask them about better TTY lines for you to call.
The peeps over there have all the hook ups!

 

[Marquis de Disney]

Tammy,

I know that you mentioned that your husband is not cooperating in terms of talking to a CM to rectify your various situations. But is there anybody else such as another family member or friend who can make the call for you?

From what I have learned after my various trip plans to WDW, everything always seems to right itself in the end. I am sure the same will be for you.