Terrible stay at GF

[ducklite]

I respect the views posted on these boards and realize that they are exactly that: observations. Just like anyone can have a bad day, not every guests is going to experience the same thing. The overlying theme has been that if you pay more, you are "entitled" to more. Does anyone know if the CMs earn more at the GF than the other Disney Resorts?

No, they don't.

Here's my take on it. If you pay more for a resort, you should expect more amenities for certain. You should also expect that there is a lower guest to employee ratio, so shorter lines, more efficient service, more personalized service. I do believe that if you are staying at a deluxe resort, you are "entitled" to those types of things. At a value I would expect longer lines for check-in or no immediate luggage assitance for example. The amount that a resort manager has to budget towards staffing has a direct proportion to the revenue stream in that resort. So if he is making $50 per room after the nut, and lets say 10% is directed towards increasing staffing budgets to provide a higher level of service. That's an extra $5 per room per day. On a room where the resort is earning $200 per day after the nut, that's $20 per room per day. Using this formulation, the more expensive the resort, the lower the guest to staff ratio should be.

As I said yesterday in another post, when I refer to service, I'm referring to a clean, well furnished room equipped when I am assigned it with everything it should have--in other words, I shouldn't have to call for towels when I arrive because the laundry was running behind. Housekeeping staffed so all rooms are cleaned before 2:00pm. A wait of no more than five minutes to check in. A valet to park my car within a minute of arrival--I shouldn't have to flag someone down for this. Prompt (within about five minutes) delivery of my luggage. I don't mean towel animals, in-room delivery's of toys, or a butler to unpack me.

Anne

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

snipped. . .but I know I most definitely would be complaining if my luggage arrived SOAKED because it was sitting out in the rain for an hour.

I agree. It would've had to be sitting there for quite some time to soak all the way through and having soaking wet clothes. Not just in and out from room to room.

 

[Lewisc]

The attacks against posters by veteran members is unexcusable. There have been opposing views that have been challenged and two veteran board members have attempted to intimmidate them.

Some people disagree with you but I don't think any poster is attacking your position. I understand the type of hotel experience Anne is looking for. I'm not sure there is enough of a demand for Disney to build that type of hotel, but she has a valid point. Disney doesn't have a hotel for guests who want a Four Seasons or Ritz type of experience. Expecting affluent guests who want to stay in that type of hotel will also want to leave their kids home may not be reasonable.

The fact that a person gets good service does absolutely nothing to dispute the claims of another poster who experienced poor service. What's inexcusable is the comment "you can't please everyone" as a way to classify all the posters with bad experience at best as guests with unreasonable expectations and at worse as liars. Now if the comment was something like every business can have a bad day I, and others, wouldn't have commented directly.

 

[ducklite]

Some people disagree with you but I don't think any poster is attacking your position. I understand the type of hotel experience Anne is looking for. I'm not sure there is enough of a demand for Disney to build that type of hotel, but she has a valid point. Disney doesn't have a hotel for guests who want a Four Seasons or Ritz type of experience. Expecting affluent guests who want to stay in that type of hotel will also want to leave their kids home may not be reasonable.

That's why building two wings, one for adults only, the other where families were welcomed would be the way to go. At the time of reservation you chose which wing you wanted and were guaranteed that wing! I think there are plenty of affluent people who would bring their kids and stay there. I think there are also a ton of honeymooners and emptynesters who would love a choice like that.

When I say "ton" I mean proportionally, I can't imagine a resort like that being successful with more than manybe 250 rooms. I think they would ahve no problem filling that number of rooms.

Anne

 

[Ladyhawke10]

However just because I did not like it, did not have a good experience there I feel no need to jump in every discussion about this resort and scare off anyone that might be planning to stay there. My bad stay there is in the past, and that is where it will stay.

There was a poster that hated the WL for awhile that did this to every positive post about the WL. Funny to remember that.

And on the other side, I remember getting bashed once for reporting a bad experience in AKL concierge.

The quality of responses to a given post is an interesting subject. While I agree this poster had very legitimate concerns, I've read some other bad reports over the years where it seemed obvious that the offended guest would have been unhappy anywhere, and that the concerns were based on a more personalized set of criteria than the norm. When the concerns are focused on a more objective set of service standards (an unclean room, for example, rather than a long wait in the buffet line or for a restaurant table, which might vary) then I start to worry about the integrity of the service at the resort

 

[auntpolly]

I think people better just stop posting their bad experiences all together. When you do, you always get the passive aggressive posters that try to discredit you with their "I've only had tulips and butterflies at that resort", or the resort's fan club that jumps in to do battle for the resort's honor.

Too bad you can't just post the experience and then lock the thread.

 

[MissK]

I think people better just stop posting their bad experiences all together. When you do, you always get the passive aggressive posters that try to discredit you with their "I've only had tulips and butterflies at that resort", or the resort's fan club that jumps in to do battle for the resort's honor.

Too bad you can't just post the experience and then lock the thread.

Oh I hope people don't stop posting bad experiences! I like to hear the good AND the bad about a resort. I realize that not everyone will have stellar service but for instance I know now that if I see something that completely and utterly disagrees with me to report it ASAP instead of waiting till I returned (which is what I normally would do).


I love the theming of the Grand Flordian. Since I was 10 I have wanted to stay there. Does the discovery that it has problems and inconsistancy prevent me from trying to? No. It just means I need to be reminded that while I will be at Disney that doesn't mean my stay wll not be without flaws. I'll not be at the GF (too expensive so I'm going to do BWI concerige instead) but instead will continue to read both the good and the bad about it and hope that my experience is magical.

And 5 star hotels don't always have great service. I've stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Thailand twice and had an absolutely WRETCHED stay the first time. The second time was super-fantastic.

 

[traci]

We are staying at the GF in September. Does this make us snobby? I keep reading about people posting comments like that about the staff, as well as the resort's patrons. How offensive would it be if someone made comments like that about one of the values clients? Only instead of referring to them as snobby, other adjectives were used to describe a persons "class" or attitude? Maybe it's been done but I think it's rude and inappropiate.

As for the original posters comments, I am truly sorry you had a bad stay. I would also be disappointed if the same happened to our family. I hope the next resort you book turns out to be a better experience. I am crossing my fingers and toes we have a magical stay at the GF in a couple of months. {{{hugs to you}}}

 

[Lalita]

We are staying at the GF in September. Does this make us snobby? I keep reading about people posting comments like that about the staff, as well as the resort's patrons. How offensive would it be if someone made comments like that about one of the values clients? Only instead of referring to them as snobby, other adjectives were used to describe a persons "class" or attitude? Maybe it's been done but I think it's rude and inappropiate.

Iam sorry but why would it be the other way around for value clients? Why is "snobby" only reserve for people staying at Deluxe clients. I would use the same adjective describing a staff at a value resort if they were acting "snobby" as I would for a deluxe resort. I don't think people are describing people as "snobby" just because the class of resort they are staying in, they are desribing based on what they feel the person was like

 

[traci]

fair enough lalita. I see your point.

 

[erinz]

We just returned on the 12th and also had a very different experience than the OP. We were in Conch Key and loved the resort. Did not have any of the problems you had. I guess you can't please everyone!!

I think the problem was how you worded the last sentence....

"I guess you can't please everyone" implies that the reason you didn't have problems is that perhaps you are easier to please, or have a better attitude than the folks who posts complaints.

Not saying you meant it that way, it's just how it came across.

 

[auntpolly]

And 5 star hotels don't always have great service. I've stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Thailand twice and had an absolutely WRETCHED stay the first time. The second time was super-fantastic.

You know, you're right about this. There are 5 star hotels that are obviously resting on their laurels, but they can and do lose their stars if they make a habit of it.

 

[undertheradar]

Some people disagree with you but I don't think any poster is attacking your position. I understand the type of hotel experience Anne is looking for. I'm not sure there is enough of a demand for Disney to build that type of hotel, but she has a valid point. Disney doesn't have a hotel for guests who want a Four Seasons or Ritz type of experience. Expecting affluent guests who want to stay in that type of hotel will also want to leave their kids home may not be reasonable.

The fact that a person gets good service does absolutely nothing to dispute the claims of another poster who experienced poor service. What's inexcusable is the comment "you can't please everyone" as a way to classify all the posters with bad experience at best as guests with unreasonable expectations and at worse as liars. Now if the comment was something like every business can have a bad day I, and others, wouldn't have commented directly.

I don't get where the post called people liars or was insulting. In dealing with the public it is true, YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE! The OP made a case out of the CM not being as thorough as the CMs at the Poly when putting gifts in the room. This was a request that was honored but not to the satisfaction of the OP. I would have done it myself and never would have had the problem. I don't feel that I am owed anything more than a clean room, a quiet stay, and a safe environment. We all make choices on how we spend our money and the price paid for the room in relation to the services provided. A resort providing 5* service would be extremely expensive(based upon Orlando pricing) and would not have the occupancy needed year round. With all of the concept hotels in the Orlando area, price still drives occupancy.

 

[Lewisc]

Several other people posted agreeing with me. You can't please everyone implies that the posters have unreasonable requests or expectations. In fact the poster went on to verify that's what was meant. It dismisses the idea that the poster complaining should have been pleased. I prefer to take the position that the problem is inconsistent service rather than have to think either poster is wrong.

I certainly agree the gifts in the room was an "over the top" request. That said the employee could have just politely said I'm sorry, we only deliver gifts purchased from our gift shop. Once the hotel agreed to perform that service it should have been done as agreed to.

Luggage was left out in the rain long enough to get soaked, pool was dirty, spa lost a reservation, bathroom with no toilet paper, overflowing garbage the hotel didn't tell them the party they were waiting for wasn't being held on that day all sound like valid complaints.

What the guest is paying for is not dramatically nicer rooms but better service. There should be an excess of employees to handle those issues. When the hotels bookings are down the staff can be downsized but the staff/guest ratio should be higher than other hotels. Disney really can't have it both ways, if they want to position GF as a flagship hotel that's worthy of a 5* rating (even if the rating services don't agree) than the staffing should be appropriate.

By the way some of the complaints are situations that shouldn't even be present in a value hotel. Really no excuse not having enough employees to empty the garbage and replace the toilet paper as needed.

We cut Disney a lot of slack because of the theme parks and the Disney experience.

I don't get where the post called people liars or was insulting. In dealing with the public it is true, YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE! .

 

[Daryl]

Wow, I've stayed at the GF many, many times at every time of year and never experienced anything close to your level of horror. I'm returning there in sept. I intend to copy some of these posts and forward them to the hotel mgr.

 

[gepetto]

I waited for 1 1/2 hours for check in for a party that wasn't going on.

why would you wait around 1 1/2 hours?


I do wish that they wouldn't put so many of the monorail resorts and WL on the same bus loop.

 

[MissK]

You know, you're right about this. There are 5 star hotels that are obviously resting on their laurels, but they can and do lose their stars if they make a habit of it.

Yup, I think that might be what is happening in here, at least that's what it sounds like. I don't pretend to be the grand pumbaa of Grand Flordian information but a lot of it sounds like a case of "Oh well we can slack off because people will come regardless, we're THE flagship after all" which most definitely is not the case. If you're the flagship it implies you strive to be just a wee bit better, make a bit more effort then most and provide superior quality. Should you not be able to do any of these you try to appease the guest to the best of your ability and it sounds like this didn't happen in the OP case. It sounds like they didn't try at all and for that they should be reprimanded.

 

[Philly81]

I've often posted on these boards that WDW is in dire need of a boutique hotel, either with an adult only wing, or possibly even totally adult only. Every room would be at minimum a junior suite, and it would be truly full service with butler service. There would be no need for a "club" level, as the entire resort would be "Club level". It would offer two restaurants, one along the lines of the YC Galley, the other more like Citrico's. The restaurants would have enforced dress codes, and dress cides such as coverups must be worn over bathing suits and no bare feet anywhere but the pool would be enforced. It would be restricted access, and only those with a room or confirmed dinner reservation would be allowed to visit there. The pool would offer cabana's and poolside service. And they could charge top dollar for all of this, as it would be a five star resort.

>>> It wouldn't matter to those looking for that type of experience.<<<


Anne

There are plenty of resorts like that in and near Fla. and world wide so those looking for that experience should go there. Expecting that at Disney World?

 

[disgal1]

Our bellman at AKL told us that GF had actually lost some of its rating,, and AKL was now a higher rated hotel. He told us that he had heard a lot of guests complain about GF, especially the bad service, and the staff at AKL was jumping on that...and trying really hard to give good service.

Our service at the AKL was excellent,including mousekeeping. loved our towel animals!

 

[ducklite]

There are plenty of resorts like that in and near Fla. and world wide so those looking for that experience should go there. Expecting that at Disney World?

Why not? Those who aren't intersted don't have to stay there...

Anne