Sorry Universal but never again

[jcanary]

I can not believe that RPR would put people immediately below where they are renovating. This was our first on site visit,( after 15 years of multiple visits to Disney) and we requested tower 1, that's all. We were put on the third floor, loved the convenience, at first. We didn't get in until almost midnight. We get up early to go to the parks and come back around 11 to take a little nap. Well all we heard were noises like jack hammers right above us. Called the front desk and they apologized but did not know that they would be working on Friday - DUH!!! It's a normal work day. They offered to move us but we did not want to pack up when we were going to be leaving the next day anyways (yea back to Disney). I mentioned it again when we checked out and they offered breakfast but we had already eaten. That was it. I could not believe they would do what they did. I know disney has moved most of their guest out of the whole Animal Kingdom lodge so their guests weren't disturbed while construction goes on for the villas.
I was so looking forward to enjoying Universal and IOA but I guess it will take another 15+ years to pay that money to go there again.
I know there are many of you who love it there, and I can appreciate it. I guess I am spoiled by my disney vacation club and the way we are treated even in the value resorts. I thought i did a lot of research and never thought they would be working on the 4th floor on August24. I did love the ability to walk everywhere. I just wish they had either put us up in a renovated room above the noise or in another tower.
I wish all of you luck that are staying at RPR, just make sure you ask about the location of the renovations before you accept a room.

 

[ky07]

don't want to sound mean but they did offer to move you and I thought that was nice.
I mean just cause you don't want to pack up and move to another is your own fault and don't see how you could blame the hotel when you was offered a different room.

 

[wicket2005]

Well that is a shame for you, that hotel is lovely. We stayed on the same floor, same tower in August for 2 weeks. We did hear a bit of tapping going on during the day but nothing to disturb us. We wouldn't have any hesitation about going back again.

 

[jcanary]

I appreciated them offering to move us but why did they put us in that position to begin with. They are the ones that told us after we complained that there was construction on the 4th floor. Besides why would i want to sit around 2-3 hours and wait for another room to become available? I was also told at check out that we weren't the only ones that complained. they had a lot of complaints. I just don't understand why they did it to begin with.
I loved the convenience, etc. The hotel was very nice up until around 11am when we returned. Besides the noise there was also a terrible odor from paint and they said floor glue that penatrated down to the 3rd floor.

 

[yaytezIOA]

So because of a bad experience at a hotel that is owned by Lowes, you're not going back to Universal......
I didnt hear you complaining about the unlimited FOTL access or the cool rides....So you had a bad room. Try another hotel, try a different time of year. Give it another chance. If you dont, thats one more cup of moose juice for me

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I appreciated them offering to move us but why did they put us in that position to begin with. They are the ones that told us after we complained that there was construction on the 4th floor. Besides why would i want to sit around 2-3 hours and wait for another room to become available? I was also told at check out that we weren't the only ones that complained. they had a lot of complaints. I just don't understand why they did it to begin with.
I loved the convenience, etc. The hotel was very nice up until around 11am when we returned. Besides the noise there was also a terrible odor from paint and they said floor glue that penatrated down to the 3rd floor.

A lot of people, ourselves included, spend all day in the parks and wouldn't even be aware of any noise during regular work hours. Now if they were still noisy during the night, that's different. If they refused to do anything, that's different too.
I think if they offered to move you to a quieter room and you choose not to go, then that room was what you chose. How hard would it have been to pack since you had only been in the room a few hours? Did you ask if they would transport your luggage for you?
I love Disney too but you can't compare renovations to what they're doing at AKL. That is major construction including excavating equipment, building roads/parking lots, etc.
Like the pp says, more moose juice for the rest of us!

 

[Nana Annie]

I can not believe that RPR would put people immediately below where they are renovating. This was our first on site visit,( after 15 years of multiple visits to Disney) and we requested tower 1, that's all. We were put on the third floor, loved the convenience, at first. We didn't get in until almost midnight. We get up early to go to the parks and come back around 11 to take a little nap. Well all we heard were noises like jack hammers right above us. Called the front desk and they apologized but did not know that they would be working on Friday - DUH!!! It's a normal work day. They offered to move us but we did not want to pack up when we were going to be leaving the next day anyways (yea back to Disney). I mentioned it again when we checked out and they offered breakfast but we had already eaten. That was it. I could not believe they would do what they did. I know disney has moved most of their guest out of the whole Animal Kingdom lodge so their guests weren't disturbed while construction goes on for the villas.
I was so looking forward to enjoying Universal and IOA but I guess it will take another 15+ years to pay that money to go there again.
I know there are many of you who love it there, and I can appreciate it. I guess I am spoiled by my disney vacation club and the way we are treated even in the value resorts. I thought i did a lot of research and never thought they would be working on the 4th floor on August24. I did love the ability to walk everywhere. I just wish they had either put us up in a renovated room above the noise or in another tower.
I wish all of you luck that are staying at RPR, just make sure you ask about the location of the renovations before you accept a room.

They offered to move you, but you did not want to move.
They offered you a free breakfast, but you had already eaten.

What exactly could the RPR have done to satisfy you?

This reminds me of a recent thread on the Community Board about a gentleman who got a previous smoking room at YC. He complained about the smell. They moved him 3 times, sent a fruit basket and he STILL sent a loooong complaint letter because he did not get free access to club.

Some people will never be satisfied.

Sorry your vacation was ruined. Things happen. However, since you were not flexible enough to accept perfectly good solutions, you must accept the consequences. You CHOSE to stay in the noisy room. This is in no way Loews fault.

 

[phamton]

I know disney has moved most of their guest out of the whole Animal Kingdom lodge so their guests weren't disturbed while construction goes on for the villas.

And have you heard all the moaning, groaning and complaining on the threads on the resort board about how their vacation will be ruined because Disney moved them to another resort? OMG, you would think the world was coming to an end because they had reserved AKL and now they will have to stay somewhere else.

How happy do you think people would be if RPR closed off rooms and people couldn't reserve a room in one of the busiest times of the year? They offered to move you and you refused. I don't know what else they could have done to make it right for you except suspend construction during your one day reservation.

 

[bubba's mom]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience at RPR...but reading your original post, what yaytezIOA posted popped into my mind. It's Loews, not Universal. Not many people sleep in the middle of the afternoon (heck, at 11am, we are just getting TO the parks ). If you had such a wonderful time at the parks (which, seems like you did), I'd book RPR again. Mostly since they are having a renovation now, they won't be due for one for awhile. Every place needs rehabbing or it will be beyond rehabbing (especially a 4 star hotel). You can stay at any of the hotels and have the same wonderful time at the parks, and your stay would have be perfect. (You can always ask if they are renovating, and if they are, stay somewhere else.) Odd thing, if you had taken them up on their offer to move, you could have been in a completely different building and been none the wiser. Don't let this discourage you....I'd try again....but, that's just me.

 

[lindalinda]

They will send you an email survey. You can note it on there and maybe you will get a response. I dont think I would have been bothered by the noise, but paint smell gets to me.

 

[clownboy007]

Maybe I'm odd but when I go on vacation I tend to not spend a whole lot of time at the hotel. Of course, I don't understand spending a couple of hundred of bucks a day for a hotel room that I'm only going to use to sleep for a few hours...as long as the room is clean and the bed is comfy I'm good to go.

 

[damo]

Sounds to me like they put you where you asked -- Tower 1. You were happy. The noise came in the daytime, you weren't happy and they volunteered to move you but you didn't want to. I honestly don't think there should be any issue here. It may not have even been renovations that they were doing on the floor above but some kind of room repair.

In all hotels, hotel management will be doing repairs in certain rooms during the day. We had the same thing happen to us while in the Four Seasons Maui. The renovation work was all done during the day. That's just the way it is done. It isn't a Loews thing or a Universal thing but a hotel thing.

 

[mrshindig]

sounds like there is alot of universal fans out there that don't like ppl making bad comments on the resort. I think you all have valid points..... but if it were me in "jcanary"'s position i would be upset with the resort. You wouldn't want to move rooms, as your only at the resort a few days, and she was most likely settled..... But yes the hotel were good and offered this move!! I think it comes down to when you check in and staff are aware renovations are going on in tower 1. I'm not being funny but common sence should be used by staff, and they should have said...... " You may experience some disruptions in the day due to...... "

I think if this would have been said it would probably have been fine.... am i rite in thinking this?? Just the slightest hickup on a well planned vacation can make the whole thing go sour.

 

[yaytezIOA]

You are right in thinking one thing, Mrshindig......if it was announced ahead of time, it might have made it a little more excusable...but its not because we are Universal fans. The original poster is complaining that he/she will not go to Universal again because of a hotel. I am with everyone else in the fact that I barely use my hotel room, and the only reason...besides the killer pools and great themeing I even use the Universal hotels is for the unlimited FOTL access.
The other impression that I get is that the op is under the impression that this never happens at disney. That this is strictly the way that Universal does business. Rest assured, because disney has more hotels than Universal, it happens more. Bad times happen, but when a remedy is offered, and you dont take it because (in my point of view) you are too lazy to move your stuff, then that bad time is your fault. Just my opinion.

 

[bubba's mom]

The original poster is complaining that he/she will not go to Universal again because of a hotel. I am with everyone else in the fact that I barely use my hotel room, and the only reason...besides the killer pools and great themeing I even use the Universal hotels is for the unlimited FOTL access.

I agree......if I could stay offsite w/ unlimited FOTL, I would...but, love the unlimited and the short walk. When we leave the room in the morning, we are usually out all day.....just in the room for sleepin' really..... but, that's us and I know there are people different and people that do the same as us.

The other impression that I get is that the op is under the impression that this never happens at disney. That this is strictly the way that Universal does business. Rest assured, because disney has more hotels than Universal, it happens more. Bad times happen, but when a remedy is offered, and you dont take it because (in my point of view) you are too lazy to move your stuff, then that bad time is your fault. Just my opinion.

i'll agree....my opinion too.

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

Not a flame here, but I thought the offers they made were appropriate. I've had bad experiences at other hotels and no offers to correct were ever made (not at USO or Disney BTW). The work was being done during the day and as a previous caller stated many people would never be aware of the noise because they never use the rooms during the day.

 

[goofy!]

I can not believe that RPR would put people immediately below where they are renovating. This was our first on site visit,( after 15 years of multiple visits to Disney) and we requested tower 1, that's all. We were put on the third floor, loved the convenience, at first. We didn't get in until almost midnight. We get up early to go to the parks and come back around 11 to take a little nap. Well all we heard were noises like jack hammers right above us. Called the front desk and they apologized but did not know that they would be working on Friday - DUH!!! It's a normal work day. They offered to move us but we did not want to pack up when we were going to be leaving the next day anyways (yea back to Disney). I mentioned it again when we checked out and they offered breakfast but we had already eaten. That was it. I could not believe they would do what they did. I know disney has moved most of their guest out of the whole Animal Kingdom lodge so their guests weren't disturbed while construction goes on for the villas.
I was so looking forward to enjoying Universal and IOA but I guess it will take another 15+ years to pay that money to go there again.
I know there are many of you who love it there, and I can appreciate it. I guess I am spoiled by my disney vacation club and the way we are treated even in the value resorts. I thought i did a lot of research and never thought they would be working on the 4th floor on August24. I did love the ability to walk everywhere. I just wish they had either put us up in a renovated room above the noise or in another tower.
I wish all of you luck that are staying at RPR, just make sure you ask about the location of the renovations before you accept a room.

This is why I don't take complaints like this seriously. He was complaining that all he got for his trouble was an offer of breakfast and a move to a new room. Sounds like he is more upset that he didn't get some big compensation than he was about the noise.

I agree it would have been nice to be informed that the tower I had selected was under refurbishment. However, I am also going to give the reception desk the benefit of the doubt that if a person knows enough to ask for a particular tower that they have done some research and is aware that there is construction going on.

And while all of us love both Disney and Universal, it does start to get tiresome when people come on here and deliberately bash Universal because of a minor hotel problem (one that the chain offered a reasonable solution) and then say they get better service at the value resorts over at Disney.

AAA, an independent organization has rated the hotels on their service and amenities.

4 star
Portofino
Hard Rock
Royal Pacific
Beach Club
Contemporary
Grand Floridian
Polynesian
Yacht Club

3 Star
Animal Kingdom
Beach Club Villas
Boardwalk
Boardwalk Villas
Caribbean Beach
Coronado Springs
Old Key West
Port Orleans
Saratoga Springs
Wilderness Lodge
Wilderness Lodge Villas

2 Star
All Star Movies
All Star Music
All Star Sports
Ft. Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds
Pop Century

So, saying that a value resort (or a 2* resort) has better service than a 4* resort can be viewed as coming on here to be inflammatory.

Both Disney and Loews screw up every once in awhile. It happens everywhere in every hotel.

If Loews makes a mistake - and they do - then come on here and post about the problem. Everybody here would be very sympathetic.

However when you add an additional paragraph about how much better Disney is, then that is just trying to be inflammatory and will get defensive arguments.

 

[yaytezIOA]

Well said, and let me say that I am really shocked about the 4 star rating of RPR above a lot of the "nicer" disney hotels. Goes to tell you what impressions mean.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

No flames from me, either, but I am surprised with all those visits to WDW hotels, you've never had a problem there, either.

I've definitely had issues at the onsite USO hotels, but absolutely nothing in comparison to what happened to us at a WDW hotel -- a moderate. Absolute disgusting situation involving a previous guest's bodily fluids left over for us on our sheets upon check in. You'd think we were speaking a foreign language in our attempts just to get a different room. Actually, I think we were speaking a foreign language ... English. Does WDW even hire any English-speaking maids anymore?

WDW couldn't have paid us to stay there another night.

I'll tell you, if you're a frequent visitor to O-Town (six-plus visits a year), I think the best bet is to stay offsite. You can get the best deals, and the hotels don't just assume you're completely glazed over from a day at the parks to notice things like construction noise, urine-soaked sheets, broken tv's, and less-than-stellar service. There's actually competition in the marketplace unlike the onsite hotels of both theme park companies in town.

I'm just having a harder and harder time trading things like value, space, service and amenities for walking distance to the parks. I drive, anyway.

Hope this doesn't discourage you from enjoying the parks. You certainly don't need to stay onsite at WDW or USO to enjoy the parks

 

[damo]

As soon as Disney gets pulled into the equation as being the perfect resort, we tend to get a little defensive since we have all had less than perfect experiences at both places. It is the whole, "That would never happen at Disney" attitude that is rather grating.