So what causes a miserable trip anyway?

[colleen costello]

There is a woman posting over on the Resorts Board who is in the middle of a truly hellish visit to BCV. First their room wasn't clean, then the a/c wasn't working. No soap in the laundry rooms, noisy maintenance men, obnoxious managers. I feel so bad for her! It got me thinking about what makes for a miserable trip and WHY. I have stayed at BCV and the room was pristine, staff was great, a/c worked fine, no noise. What is it that happens to make some trips so miserable, and what do you do when you find yourself in the middle of one of these excursions?

I think it's probably just bad luck/ coincidence. Can't really "blame" a resort when others have great visits. I do get mad when I hear about managers being rude, suggesting a guest with a problem to report is "just wanting free meals." What do you all think?

 

[floridafam]

I do think part of a bad trip is just awful luck.

I do feel badly for her. She will probably think about this trip for quite a long time and it is too bad her memories of the BCV won't be fond ones.

I CAN"T STAND rude comments from employees or managers of any company, including Disney.

That would have been it for my DH-when they mentioned the free meal comment. That is absolutely unacceptable. Sure, the other things can happen to anyone and should be fixed immediately but one problem after another and then comments and unprofessional behavior from employees and management makes for an awful trip.

 

[spiceycat]

I don't think you can compare someone here to someone at the resort boards. Many of them have saved for years to come to WDW and it really hurts when something goes wrong. Most DVC's have something go wrong - so what - we have 38 more years to enjoy WDW - thing do go wrong. No hotel or DVC resort is going to be perfect all the time - but DVC's can go with flow easier than people who saved for years for this trip.

I have several things go wrong on all my trips - you go with it - the only time I get upset is when I have guest (non-family) and they are the ones having the problems. but that happens - I too am sorry that lady is having such problems!

 

[Pa@okw95]

The air condition problem may have been that the a/c at BC has a motion sensor and there have been compaints from people waking up in a sweat about them. A lot of people over plan these trips and when something goes wrong they get thrown off course. This could be the case here. As far as no soap in the laudry, I thought you had to buy your own soap?? If she is at BCV for the first time, maybe she does't know about the towel and trash situation and expects the room to be cleaned everyday. Many people also are paying a price for rooms that are way over their heads and like one person said before they have saved for years, they expect the A/C not to be on motion sensors, soap to be free, and the rooms to be cleaned everyday.

 

[Granny]

Honestly, some trips can be awful because of weather....because people in the group get sick, because of lots of reasons. But....

It got me thinking about what makes for a miserable trip and WHY.

I also see people who get so worked up about every WDW trip being the "perfect" vacation that when something goes wrong, it seems to really ruin their trip.

So to me, one of the great trip killers, is being married to really high expectations.

We've read stories from people who've had some pretty bad experiences and yet still say they had a great vacation. So one person's nightmare would be someone else's mishap.

 

[JOC]

As far as no soap in the laudry, I thought you had to buy your own soap??

The OP was trying to buy soap out of the soap dispenser in the laundry room (she's staying in a studio unit). The machine was empty, she called housekeeping (or management or someone else) and no one came to fill it until at least an hour later. Here's the original thread:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=363871

 

[Pa@okw95]

I just came back from the resort board, read what this woman has to say, and must say this--there was a time when I used to talk about the downgrading of WDW, but I do not anymore, it just isn't worth the flack I got when i did, but I must say this should not be happening to that woman. WDW has fallen a long way down over the years, and this is one example. She thinks that DVC is a top notch resort, that is her first mistake, not here fault but her mistake, it is not a delux resort, the service she is getting is outrageous. But I will not go down this road like I used to, but I must say all this is the result of WDW cutbacks over the years, believe me.

 

[JOC]

She thinks that DVC is a top notch resort, that is her first mistake, not here fault but her mistake, it is not a delux resort, the service she is getting is outrageous.

Pa@okw95,
Are you saying that DVC isn't a top notch resort and isn't comparable to a deluxe resort? Longtime owners seem to think that DVC is comparable to the deluxe resorts (I'm a new owner; haven't taken a trip home yet).

 

[imgoingtodisney]

last minute change in plans
and frame of mind

 

[msdis]

 

[RobDoc]

It does appear that some of the preconceived expectations weren't met.

The laundry soap is also available for sale at the resort store- I'm not sure that an hour is unreasonable to restock a vending machine (that's not necessarily a housekeeping job), but obviously it was felt to be in this case.

A BCV (or VWL or BWV or OKW) studio is a little smaller (50-75 sq. ft. at most) than a Poly room- but certainly not 50% smaller. In this case, she admits that she usually stays in a 1 or 2BR villa. The studio (or Poly room) is certainly a LOT smaller than those- at any DVC resort.

The broken a/c can happen anyplace, but it was repaired in what seems to be a timely fashion and they were comped some meals besides. A call to housekeeping could have supplied some extra trash bags to cut down on the "hourly" trips to the trash room with those dirty diapers.

The only part I found to be disappointing was that their first room hadn't been cleaned yet, but that seemed to have been remedied in short order with a room in a great location.

As Granny expressed, we sometimes create really high expectations and then are disappointed when reality doesn't quite match up.

I hope the rest of her BCV stay is more enjoyable!

 

[TDC Nala]

If you read the actual posts, what's going on is truly awful. It doesn't have anything to do with the AC sensors; her AC was actually broken.

Part of these problems is having four people in a studio. I'll have four people in a studio in November and it's going to be intersting. Part of it is that she has children in diapers and really could have used laundry, housekeeping and trash carryout.

It's hard to say that the resort is generally run badly. I've stayed at BCV three times since it opened and the only problem I've ever actually had is that someone mixed up where to pick up the luggage for transfer to the Disney cruise. So I can't say that BCV is a horrible resort or a low quality resort because none of this has ever happened to me. I'd recommend BCV to anybody.

However, the OP now has a long string of folks posting to her thread that are now reluctant to keep their plans or even their actual reservations to stay at BCV. She has praised the Polynesian and a lot of them now want to transfer there. I can't blame them for saying so. It looks like because the management at BCV has chosen to deal with her the way they did, they're going to lose some business. There's even some DVC members expressing concern that they actually bought BCV points and have now read a story like this. I hope she writes to Disney or BCV management and tells them the story.

 

[Simba's Mom]

As a DVCer who had a hellish trip on my first trip "home" (to VWL), I think I know what is by far the biggest factor-CM reaction. OK, so we didn't get the express check-out we were told. But when I called the front desk and their comment was "How bizarre! I wonder why someone told you that. You don't have express check out." OK, so my resort key didn't work for the charge after I stood in line for 1 1/2 hours to buy Lilo and Stitch opening day pins and I had no cash to pay for the pins. But what really angered me was when they let me call the resort and I got "[sigh/shrug]I don't know why it won't work..." with the unsaid "and I don't really care either...it's not my problem." It's all about attitude, caring. Yes, I've had things go wrong at BCV-got the wrong suitcase for example-but the CM, bless his heart, gave me a big apology, and hustled right back to get me the right one.
No, CM attitude wouldn't make it "all better" for her, but it makes a big difference.

 

[colleen costello]

I think Simba's Mom is right. When we go to WDW, I try hard to put on an attitude that says "I am at WDW and all is right with the world." Small things are not to be freaked over on vacation. But the "feel" of a place does matter and when CM's are rude or even indifferent, it can be gut-wrenching. OP obviously had a great time at the Poly (good staff AND good luck!) so the negative effect at BCV was all the more appalling.

Our stay at BCV was lovely. The place was brand new and gorgeous and while we WERE shoved 4-in-a-studio, I was so enamored of the place I hardly noticed. I had brought my OWN laundry soap, thank goodness, and when the tv didn't work a nice man showed up very promptly to fix it. I was "lucky" I guess! It's a shame that people are now being scared off, but who can blame them? Air conditioners break, and sometimes places run out of laundry soap, but rude cast members is unforgivable. When I read her post the first time, my initial reaction was I have an answer to her problem: Old Key West!

 

[floridafam]

Regardless of what we think of her situation the comments by the CM's are totally out of place and should not be tolerated.

Her a/c was broken, room not clean, laundry room was not properly stocked. Yes, these should have been taken care of.

Whether management thinks her particular problems are minor or not she should be treated with respect.

Shame on the CM who made the remark about her wanting more free meals. He did not represent DVC well.

 

[RobDoc]

Originally posted by colleen costello
Air conditioners break, and sometimes places run out of laundry soap, but rude cast members is unforgivable.

Just curious, where is the reference to a rude CM? In the <a href="http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=363871">thread referenced</a> it appears that the manager apologized, personally checked the cleanliness of the 2nd room and comped some meals... and then provided more comps when the a/c had to be repaired.

It appears that most of the disatisfaction revolves around the "tiny" room compared to the Poly and the 1/2BR villas they usually rent. I see no reference to any rude treatment by a CM in that thread. Did I miss something?

 

[SamSam]

I also don't see where there was ever a rude CM. The manager seemed to handle things nicely and the comps were certainly a nice touch.

We've stayed in BCV studio's 3 times and each time was enjoyable. The rooms were clean, the cm's pleasant, the view great. It's true the water pressure was abysmal, but thankfully that was the only problem we encountered.

 

[DebbieB]

I think this is what she was referring to:

Also, when the second manager came yesterday evening to talk to us about the broken a/c and our laundry issue he said, "Well what do you want, more free dinners?". My dh was so mad. He told the guy that we can buy our own dinners just fine, we just want a cool room for our one and three year old children. Can you believe he said that?? Did he think we were just trying to get free stuff?? He actually offered us park tickets, which we could have accepted and then sold or something, but we were honest and told him we were already annual pass holders. What is wrong with these people???

When things start going wrong, every little thing becomes magnified. Like the maintenance men talking in the hall in the middle of the afternoon. You may have normally just blown that off, but when you are already in a bad mood it becomes huge.

There is some adjustment to staying at DVC resorts. You don't have daily housekeeping unless you pay for it so you have to do things that you don't have to at deluxe resorts, like taking out the trash, washing towels, cleaning up after yourself. It is your "home away from home" not a deluxe resort.

 

[jdkdorn]

I have traveled a lot over the years and can have a great time at any hotel from a motel 6 to the Plaza as long as the room is clean. If I have to wear shoes on the carpet because the floor is dirty I am going to leave. The one thing I will be checking when I go home for the first time is cleanliness. I have a small child that will pick up and eat what is on the floor so I want to make sure what is there. I expect a room to be completely clean when I get there. I have read other post where people excuse a dirty room and clean it themselves. I don't think so!! I paid for a clean room just like the person who had it before me and the person who will have it after me. I may have paid all upfront but they also get the use of that money upfront. I don't excuse lazy mousekeepers or shoddy management. I am very nice about any problems and I do not want extras, just a clean room.

The situation that made us decide to buy was a stay at CSR last Jan. My DH and I went by ourselves and had a dirty room and we were not used to the moderates. The management cleaned the room and fixed the problems but I liked the feel of the deluxe resorts better.

Sorry so long, but I really think that the cleanliness of all WDW rooms have gone down. We have stayed 3 times in the last 3 years and had major problems. Missing sheets at AKL, Bedspread and floor covered with fresh ink at CSR &Fridge with moldy food at WL.

So I am not being picking just want what I pay for

Judy

 

[VickiVM]

I feel I need to chime in here in Erica's defense. Erica visits WDW several times a year and is a vet at the WDW resorts. She's stayed in GF, YC, Poly and even OKW. BTW, she came back just raving how wonderful OKW was last year. However, I think her issues are not so much each individual problem, but how management reacted to her complaints:

Her room wasn't cleaned upon check-in...manager even acknowledged that.

She called down for laundry soap to be refilled in dispenser and waited like an hour before someone came, gave her some, but didn't bother to refill the dispenser. (Why go to all that trouble and not refill while you're there??)

A/C broken (not the other thing, but really broken requiring an electrician to come in and repair it)

Several requests for bedrails for her children's bed and never receiving it until the second day of calling. (It was even in her faxed request.)

By her second or third talk with management about getting her issues resolved, she was getting the "attitude". I'm sure she would have rather not have these problems and not have to deal with management altogether. But nonetheless, they have no right to be anything but pleasant and accomodating. She was not, in my opinion, behaving in a "high maintenance" manner.

Erica herself acknowledges that the studio was probably a poor choice for her and her family:

Don't let my experience scare you off. I think it's good to try the resort for yourself. I just wouldn't recommend a studio for more than 2 people. It's very small. I'm sure things would have went better for us if we'd rented a one bedroom or two bedroom like we usually do. I chalk it up to a mistake on our part. Except for the problems with the dirty room, a/c breaking, the laundry episode, etc. I blame those on the management. I don't feel like I'm in a deluxe resort.

But the real issue here is not high expectations, but how management dealt with her issues. A manager worth his/her salt would be able to comprehend the big picture...being that a guest was having a series of bad luck with their visit to BCV and management needs to find a way of rising above these no-fault issues and minimize the disappointment of the guest.

So...to answer what makes a trip miserable. I think its feeling like your being at a resort is of no significance to managment. Don't we all feel special when we're greeted warmly and genuinely? When mistakes happen and someone sincerely apologizes for them? When someone takes a moment to ask how your stay is?? It really isn't that hard.