Stick with what you know...

[DisneyAprilFool]

Ugh, ugh, ugh!

So we just went to DLR as a little anniversary trip for me and DH. Took the 2 year old with us and just went nice and slow through the parks...

Well, DLR was great- tried Blue Bayou for the first time- wow. That was really good chow! LOL!

BUT afterwards, we left the park and called our hotel I had booked through Travelocity. Uuuh- not fun at all. We usually stay at the Ramada Maingate, but I was trying to save money. Found a 'supposed' Maingate hotel for $60- but couldn't map it via the internet. Couldn't locate it via GPS. No problem- as soon as we got out of the parks, we called the hotel.

And spent 2 hours trying to get a hold of a human being!!! Called Travelocity to see if they knew the cross streets- hey, guess what? They don't! And the only number they had for the hotel- patched us straight through to the same answering machine loop we had already been calling!

So finally, we get an operator to patch us through to another hotel of the same sort (my brain is fried- if you want the name of the hotel, just let me know and I'll look it up) and the very kind man working the phones gave us the cross streets to OUR hotel.

Get to our hotel and there IS someone in the lobby! *GASP* When Hubby asks why no one was answering the phones, the man TOOK the phones OFF OF HOLD and then said, "Try calling now!"

You don't know whether to laugh or cry now. It's 10 PM at night and we are EXHAUSTED.

Go upstairs to our room- only to encounter a door that has been KICKED IN and PATCHED back together. No, seriously. We have the pictures to prove it.

The door lock? Doesn't work. The bolt? There is no hole drilled in the doorframe (where they had patched the frame up when the door was kicked in). The ONLY functioning piece of security was a $2 sliding lock that any teenager could break.

The bed spread? Had white crusties on it.

There is no fire escape route posted, no hotel rates on the door- maybe I've been staying at fancy hotels (*Cough-yeah, right*)- but I thought that was REQUIRED to be posted?

I'm NOT a hotel snob, by any means! But this- this was BEYOND ridiculous! And DH calls Travelocity to complain and do you know what they say? "Well, the hotel says they can send maintenance up to drill a hole for the dead bolt if you'd like." At 11:30 at night NOW???

Ooooh yes. Fun, fun, fun.

I'm now on the phone with the Ramada Maingate and booking us a hotel for NOW. We return the keys and the remote to the front desk and leave.

So my $60 hotel room basically cost us $200! (That's an extra $135 for the Ramada Maingate, last minute). We could have STAYED at Paradise Pier for that amount!

I'm sure there's more- I've been suffering from allergies since we got home and my head is all fuzzy- but man-oh- man! Stick with WHAT YOU KNOW in the Anaheim area! That's my story!


(DLR was a blast, btw- and I loved the Pixar Parade at CA!)

 

[djblu883]

OMG I'm so sorry you guys went through that.scary stuff!!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad I went with one that was listed and didn't try to skimp pennies now!!!!whewwwww

 

[audrabolster]

OH NO! I would definitely contact travelocity about your experience!! Did the hotel issue you a refund since you left? If not, I would try calling back, speaking with a manager and if they do not issue a refund, either call the credit card company to file a dispute, and at the very least write some VERY very nasty reviews!!!

 

[DisneyAprilFool]

We were on the phone with Travelocity from the moment we checked in until we were in the Ramada Maingate, to tell you the truth- LOL. I just wrote my review of the place and let's just say- it wasn't very nice at all!

Now, just have to get to calling the manager and discussing the situation- I WANT a refund, but have never had to get one from a hotel before. I mean- we once stayed at a $250 hotel in San Diego (I'm cheap- but it was the only hotel that allowed giant dogs in it- a Dane) and there was a stain on the bed spread- they comp'ed us the whole night's stay. Very nice of them. This- it looks like it will be a fight to get the measly $60!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

OMGosh, a door that has been kicked in, and patched back together? WOW. I'm seriously curious what place this is!

I'm glad the rest of your trip went well though!

 

[audrabolster]

We were on the phone with Travelocity from the moment we checked in until we were in the Ramada Maingate, to tell you the truth- LOL. I just wrote my review of the place and let's just say- it wasn't very nice at all!

Now, just have to get to calling the manager and discussing the situation- I WANT a refund, but have never had to get one from a hotel before. I mean- we once stayed at a $250 hotel in San Diego (I'm cheap- but it was the only hotel that allowed giant dogs in it- a Dane) and there was a stain on the bed spread- they comp'ed us the whole night's stay. Very nice of them. This- it looks like it will be a fight to get the measly $60!

I think all you have to do is mention that you took photos of the state of the room you were in, and you plan on forwarding them to the local authorities due to safety issues, also state that you'll forward them to the local city council, the better business bureau, travelocity and your bank so you can dispute the charges!

I work in customer service and if a customer had done any of those things, we would have issued a refund immediately.

 

[bonita_babe232]

If you don't mind sharing the name of the hotel i would really like to know! Just so we never end up there!!!!

 

[Grumpy'sWife4Ever]

What an experience!! Glad the park was good, to make up for your lousy hotel experience. I would say keep making a stink until you get your $$ back, even if it is only $60 it is horrible you had to go through all that! And good that you wrote a review for Travelocity, hopefully others will read it and avoid that place at all costs!
And I am glad you were able to get a good room immediately, I am sure when your head hit that clean pillow all you wanted to do was cry!!

 

[mariezp]

Man, that sucks! I can imagine just how stressed out you were at the time. I would have been in tears! Please do share the name of the place with us so we can all be sure to avoid it!

 

[stopher1]

Man that's so lousy! I feel bad for you. I had a lousy experience myself the last time I went out there (trying to save some $ and used Expedia) and like, you won't do it again!! NO fun at all.

 

[disney-inspired]

Get to our hotel and there IS someone in the lobby! *GASP* When Hubby asks why no one was answering the phones, the man TOOK the phones OFF OF HOLD and then said, "Try calling now!"

I think I would have punched him the face, right then and there. Or used a long, string of expletives until I was blue in the face . I know I wouldn't do that because I'm not that impulsive. Wow, I'm so sorry you had a bad experience but at least it wasn't at DL

 

[DisneyAprilFool]

Well, I'm pregnant and already emotional- I was about in tears in the car while we were calling and calling and calling trying to get through to the hotel front desk! My 2 year old, thank goodness, slept through everything- that's the magic of Disney! He zonked out in the car, and stayed zonked out through being carried into one hotel room, laid down, picked back up and put back into the car, and going to ANOTHER hotel room.

The name of the hotel is... (Gotta log in to Travelocity because I can't remember)- Rodeway Inn Maingate. It's actually rather funny how they call themself a 'Maingate' hotel when it's actually over the freeway and no where NEAR the main gate of the parks!~

Hate to say it, but by the time we got into the Ramada (beautiful room- they put us one with a king size bed, nice and clean, with TOWEL animals! I only get towel critters at WDW- so that made me smile!)- I was laughing. Because it was just plain CRAZY- and you either had to laugh or cry. When we checked out, I put a word in with the manager for the lady who got us into the room at 11:30 the night before!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Well looking at tripadvisor looks like a lot of people agree with you! Definitely a place we'll avoid!

 

[DisneyAprilFool]

Tripadvisor is a website, yes? I'll have to keep an eye on that site when we book rooms at places then because until this trip- we've lucked out. All I ask for is a secure clean room- I don't expect the Ritz for $60 a night! But security and cleanliness? Yep!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

What an awful experience for you. I'm glad the Ramada Maingate came through for you. It's one of my preferred properties & I think the service there is really good.

 

[Dopey's MIL]

Be sure and put Parkside Inn on West Street on this list too! It's gross. It had mold growing out of the bathroom wall the size of a human head and they just kept painting over it. There's more disgustinng things but I'm saving it for a book...LOL

 

[DisneyAprilFool]

OMG- you made me laugh. That is so sad! Painting over mold??? I mean- come on, people! I think we'll be sticking with what we know- which is basically, the Ramada Maingate and two other hotels on Harbour!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Tripadvisor is a website, yes? I'll have to keep an eye on that site when we book rooms at places then because until this trip- we've lucked out. All I ask for is a secure clean room- I don't expect the Ritz for $60 a night! But security and cleanliness? Yep!

Yep, it's a great place to get reviews on hotels/motels.

You are definitely not expecting too much. That is just the bare minimum of what they should offer!

 

[mikayla73]

Be sure and put Parkside Inn on West Street on this list too! It's gross. It had mold growing out of the bathroom wall the size of a human head and they just kept painting over it. There's more disgustinng things but I'm saving it for a book...LOL

I was just about to post about this one! YIKES! We chose it last minute for a cheap price, we were there for all of about 20 min and most of that time was trying to decide if we would be able to find another place! It was SCARY! I am not sure how the other people who were obviously staying there were managing. And when we checked out, the mgmt didn't seem the least bit surprised.

We had booked through Expedia, and we were charged for one night from this hotel, and Expedia gave us a $50 coupon, which just about covered the room so we didn't even bother with trying to get any $ back. The people at Expedia were wonderful and helped us get the new room.

When staying near DL, I always check here. We also make sure to check out tripadvisor for more reviews. We always check Expedia reviews too before booking some place we have never been. Of course you have to weed out the whiners, people expecting the Ritz for $80/night, and who would complain just to hear themselves complain, but over all we have ended up having pretty OK luck with that plan of attack. Although we did do that for Parkside, it was a pretty mixed bag, with lots of "ok for just sleeping" comments. I am guessing they must be friends of the owners or something We are little more choosy now. Live and learn!

I am glad you still had a great trip to DL!

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

We are planning to use Priceline this week to bid for a hotel for our trip in May.. And now, I am terrified..