Terrible stay at GF

[JulyGirl]

If it's laughable to you, go right ahead, while I plan my next "play Tinkerbell" surprise for my kids.

Well, someday when your expectations of your "surprise" are not met (and it's bound to happen) , you don't have a valid complaint unless you paid extra for that service.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

When you reserve a room, even at a deluxe resort, you are entitled to a clean room in a theme park and transportation. That's it. You don't get a personal shoppers and stuffed animal arrangers bowing to your every whim.

And anything beyond that is the "magic" Disney is known for, but which has become a standard expectation of seemingly every guest.

 

[Lewisc]

I wouldn't expect any hotel to deliver something not purchased at the hotel. If it was something so different or special the hotel didn't offer it I'd probably ask if a bellhop could deliver it and tip in advance. I wouldn't have the occasion, or nerve, to ask for that type of service but I guess I'd tip at least $20.

This is the type of service that, at least in a non-Disney hotel, would justify a tip to the concierge if you asked them to perform this service.

FYI - I started a debate about what you should be able to expect at a deluxe hotel on the CB - if any one is interested. I'm not arguing here anymore, but I'd enjoy a good debate.

I thought about something about the package delivery to.

What if you were at the Ritz Carlton in a $600 room and asked that a bottle of wine be delivered to your room to surprise your husband for your anniversary and you found it stuck inside the door on the floor. Would you still be as forgiving? Would you say that it was an extra you didn't pay for and shouldn't expect it?

Me, I wouldn't stay at that hotel ever again!

 

[johnsonet]

And anything beyond that is the "magic" Disney is known for, but which has become a standard expectation of seemingly every guest.

EXACTLY. And I'm so tired of hearing people complain about any and all lack of "pixie dust" - think how sick of it all the CMs are!!

 

[Lewisc]

Based on the people posting I think the success rate is below 98%, many guests either don't take the time to post or have a good trip and overlook the issues.

I think your analysis is correct but a hotel that's 5*, or at least is trying to become a 5* hotel, doesn't take that approach. The bottom line is GF isn't a 5* hotel, and really isn't any better than the other deluxe hotels in WDW.

And a comment on the inconsistent service (which I don't disagree with)...

If you do the math that the GF has around 1,000 rooms, the average stay is for 6 nights, and the resort stays at 80% capacity year round - that's close to 50,000 reservations a year. Even if GF has a 98% success rate, that is 1,000 screw-ups a year. So 1,000 people every year are going to leave unhappy with their experience. But if you're in GF management, 98% or 49,000 happy customers might be satisfactory. Moving the needle to 99% or 100% might not be worth cost and would have a diminishing return to get to that number.

If you think about it from a business perspective, the GF is probably doing just as they should. The laws of supply and demand will prevail in the long term. If their success rate goes to 75% and 12,500 people leave unhappy, they might see a slippage in their 80% capacity at the rates they charge. But as long as their success rate stays in line with the volume of buyers willing to buy at Disney's price, all is right in the business world.

 

[auntpolly]

I wouldn't bring my own bottle and expect them to deliver it. If I did, I wouldn't expect more than to have it sitting on the bed or dresser. I don't feel it's a hotels responsibility to "set up" items not purchased through the hotel. (there are of course some limited exceptions to conference materials, etc.)

Now if I called the concierge or room service and ordered a bottle to be delivered, and it was just stuck inside the door, I'd be quite angry. That would be unacceptable, as when ordering a bottle of wine from the hotel you should expect that it would be delivered at the appropriate temperature and with the appropriate glassware.

ANne

I guess that I'm assuming that the items were Disney items in the OPs case, not that I think it should matter, but if they were, and purchased at Disney, I think stuck inside the door was not exactly a classy move on the GF staff's part. And once again, I don't think the OP would have complained if that was the only thing.

 

[Tiffany]

Based on the people posting I think the success rate is below 98%, many guests either don't take the time to post or have a good trip and overlook the issues.

I think your analysis is correct but a hotel that's 5*, or at least is trying to become a 5* hotel, doesn't take that approach. The bottom line is GF isn't a 5* hotel, and really isn't any better than the other deluxe hotels in WDW.

But, you are forgetting about a basic rule of marketing a product. That people are more likely to talk about, or in our case post about a negative experiance regarding a product/service then they are to talk/post about a positive experiance.

 

[Snurk71]

Based on the people posting I think the success rate is below 98%, many guests either don't take the time to post or have a good trip and overlook the issues.

I think your analysis is correct but a hotel that's 5*, or at least is trying to become a 5* hotel, doesn't take that approach. The bottom line is GF isn't a 5* hotel, and really isn't any better than the other deluxe hotels in WDW.

I don't know that 98% is accurate. My other numbers adding up to 50,000 reservations a year is probably fairly accurate though. My intention of highlighting the success rate was to show that even a high success rate (key on the word rate) is still going to have a great number of failures. I don't work in hospitality (though I have worked in the service industry), so I don't know what the success rate goal is. If their success rate is 90%, they're sending away 5,000 unhappy customers a year. 5,000 unhappy customers sounds like a lot. But again, you also have 45,000 good ones. Maybe that is satisfactory to management.

A popular measurement tool on success that can be applied to the service industry is GE's six sigma program. I worked for a company that provided service to GE a number of years ago and as one of their key vendors we had quarterly reporting of our "failures" per X volume of transactions. The rate of allowed failures increased over time as a measurement of our service delivery.

I don't think we can measure any resort's success rate by posted reports. We know a bad trip is more likely to cause a post than a good visit. Say 1% of GF customers are DIS members. So 50 people will come on to the DIS to report a bad visit, while 45,000 customers (450 DIS members) had a good visit. Maybe only 100 of the positive DIS trips are actually posted though. So the perceived post volume appears to be 1/3 bad visits (50 bad reports out of 150 total posts) at GF.

 

[Nolcrest]

Oh, I can't believe this thread is still going on and how many "hits" it's had.

I was at Disney last week myself. We had an awesome stay at POR. The CM's were extremely firendly, at the parks as well as the resort and we found Disney to be very clean. An occasional coffe cup or wrapper laying around but considering the amount of people we felt Disney did a great job. The Magic is still there.

 

[Snurk71]

I do have a comment on the in-room delivery that I don't think anyone has touched on yet.

While the desk CM may have understood the message of the items being sent to the room were meant as a surprise with some intended specialties, that item(s) probably passed through a number of hands until it ended up in a bellman's hands for the actual delivery. The belman that actually delivered the item may have not had any idea that the item was special in any way - the message to him may have been that the item(s) needed delivered to the room and that is what he did. Back when Disney did deliver park purchases to the rooms, I don't remember anything special being done with them - they were just placed in the room (sometimes on the bed, sometimes on a table, sometimes just inside the door).

So much of this thread is on the in room delivery that I thought I would bring up this point as a possible cause.

 

[Snurk71]

I have to disagree with you, gonga. Yes, location is worth a lot. but at least half of the things on Snurk71's list are available to people staying at another resort or even **gasp** off-site and I have personally enjoyed many of them.

I might challenge you to list another resort with the combination of offerings I listed. Some other Disney deluxes will have some of the items (no off-sites will have the location one), but I don't know that you will find another with the total combination of offerings. I don't think any of the other deluxes touch GF on dining options and available child programs.

I think that is why GF charges a little more (not a lot more IMO) than the other deluxes. For example, GF's GV rate during regular season is $394, Poly is $354. So GF is only 11% higher than Poly (that's tax). Some perceive an 11% difference at GF over the Poly worth it, and others don't.

 

[kelscross]

If I would have known that I needed to post pictures of the filth or give you an exact number of used feminine hygiene products falling out of a trash can I would have been more prepared before posting. I would also have recorded the number of times date and time included that the monorail was not functioning. Not just a wait but when you get to the station and the CM said..."the Monorail is closed".

I will not defend myself or my assessment of the GF any longer. If you were actually there that week and disagreed/agreed with my post then those are the opinions that count. If you weren't there then you don't know what went on.

Moderators - having a debate over whether you agree about the GF is one thing, but allowing someone to personally attack my post by dissecting it not by it's points but it's grammar and composition is surprising. I do not appreciate being told I am not trustworthy because of a grammar mistake that may have been made. Nor do I like the assumption that I am uneducated or "stupid".

You do not know who I am or what my education level is. If I posted in the manner that I am required to document on a patient then half of you wouldn't understand that either.

 

[robinb]

I might challenge you to list another resort with the combination of offerings I listed. Some other Disney deluxes will have some of the items (no off-sites will have the location one), but I don't know that you will find another with the total combination of offerings. I don't think any of the other deluxes touch GF on dining options and available child programs.

Sorry, but I think you missed my point. You're right that the GF has all those things you mentioned and more! My point was that you don't have to stay at the GF to enjoy them. Let's take your list again:

one monorail stop to MK
one boat stop back from MK
** I have taken the monorail from the GF and the boat back.

Dining (V&As, Citricos, Narcoosses, GF Cafe, PF, Gasparilla, Minzners)
** I have dined at V&A's and Narcoossees and had a drink in Minzners.

two pools
** As a DVC member I can pool hop to the GF when allowed.

a small beach
immaculate grounds
** I can walk the beach and the grounds if I like since it is a public area.

access to a health club and spa
** As a DVC member I can use the health club for free. I can also pay for any spa service.

tennis courts
** Hmm ... I may be able to use the tennis courts too with DVC, but I don't play tennis so I've never though about it.

Mouseketeer club
** I can send my child to the Mouseketeer club, but she prefers the Neverland Club.

water mice
Grand One rental
** I can rent these if I wish.

Wonderland Tea Party
** I can attend the Tea Party with my DD if I wish, but I think it's too expensive.

Pirate Cruise
** My DD loves the PC and will be doing it again in a couple of weeks.

Grand Adventures in Cooking
Afternoon Tea
on-site beauty shop
portrait artist
** Again, none of these are exclusive to GF guests.

Is it nicer that everything is right there for the GF guests? You bet!

 

[Lewisc]

The fact that some of us think some of your requests may have been "over the top" doesn't change the fact that the overall level of service you experienced is not what should be expected from a 5* hotel, a hotel that aspires to be 5* or probably not even from a 4* hotel.

Your post, and others, confirms my suspicion that GF is just another Disney deluxe hotel with different theming. I appreciate the time you, and others, took to post.

If I would have known that I needed to post pictures of the filth or give you an exact number of used feminine hygiene products falling out of a trash can I would have been more prepared before posting. I would also have recorded the number of times date and time included that the monorail was not functioning. Not just a wait but when you get to the station and the CM said..."the Monorail is closed".

I will not defend myself or my assessment of the GF any longer. If you were actually there that week and disagreed/agreed with my post then those are the opinions that count. If you weren't there then you don't know what went on.

Moderators - having a debate over whether you agree about the GF is one thing, but allowing someone to personally attack my post by dissecting it not by it's points but it's grammar and composition is surprising. I do not appreciate being told I am not trustworthy because of a grammar mistake that may have been made. Nor do I like the assumption that I am uneducated or "stupid".

You do not know who I am or what my education level is. If I posted in the manner that I am required to document on a patient then half of you wouldn't understand that either.

 

[Snurk71]

Sorry, but I think you missed my point. You're right that the GF has all those things you mentioned and more! My point was that you don't have to stay at the GF to enjoy them.

Is it nicer that everything is right there for the GF guests? You bet!

Agreed.

But as you recognize, they're 2 minutes away in availabilty for someone staying at the GF and 2 minutes back to your room. And there is a value in that to some. I don't solely do GF things when we stay there. But it sure is easier to walk to the main building vs. transporting to another resort for something.

 

[poohluvrs]

If I would have known that I needed to post pictures of the filth or give you an exact number of used feminine hygiene products falling out of a trash can I would have been more prepared before posting. I would also have recorded the number of times date and time included that the monorail was not functioning. Not just a wait but when you get to the station and the CM said..."the Monorail is closed".

I will not defend myself or my assessment of the GF any longer. If you were actually there that week and disagreed/agreed with my post then those are the opinions that count. If you weren't there then you don't know what went on.

Moderators - having a debate over whether you agree about the GF is one thing, but allowing someone to personally attack my post by dissecting it not by it's points but it's grammar and composition is surprising. I do not appreciate being told I am not trustworthy because of a grammar mistake that may have been made. Nor do I like the assumption that I am uneducated or "stupid".

You do not know who I am or what my education level is. If I posted in the manner that I am required to document on a patient then half of you wouldn't understand that either.

OP - Thank you for posting your report, it has not deterred me from my upcoming stay at the GF, but your reported experience has made me aware of things I may need to look out for. Travelling for the 1st time to WDW w/ my family, I just want you to know your report is appreciated. I do think your intentions got lost in this thread which seems to have become a debate by people who pay up to stay at the GF defending that its worth it against those who think its crazy to pay the rates GF charges b/c it is not worth it. Anyway, thank you. I just joined this board recently & am a bit surprised w/ the cruel demeanor of many posts I've read, we all enjoy Disney, the posts should be fun & educating, not mean spirited & hurtful.

 

[Harmony]

I just joined this board recently & am a bit surprised w/ the cruel demeanor of many posts I've read, we all enjoy Disney, the posts should be fun & educating, not mean spirited & hurtful.

Absolutely!

 

[ducklite]

We had problems with the monorail last year when we were staying at the Polynesian. It seemed to be broken as much as it was running this time last year. I understand that it is deeply affected by weather, but WDW needs to expect this nad have alternatives such as adding extra buses and boats, and having CM's with factual info giving guests instructions on alternate routes, rather than what we experienced.

Diry restrooms belong in nasty gas stations, not in ANY resort hotel. That is inexcusable. I'd rather deal with dust bunnies in the lobby than overflowing trash cans.

Anne

 

[Alicnwondrln]

OP - Thank you for posting your report, it has not deterred me from my upcoming stay at the GF, but your reported experience has made me aware of things I may need to look out for. Travelling for the 1st time to WDW w/ my family, I just want you to know your report is appreciated. I do think your intentions got lost in this thread which seems to have become a debate by people who pay up to stay at the GF defending that its worth it against those who think its crazy to pay the rates GF charges b/c it is not worth it. Anyway, thank you. I just joined this board recently & am a bit surprised w/ the cruel demeanor of many posts I've read, we all enjoy Disney, the posts should be fun & educating, not mean spirited & hurtful.

ITA!

 

[gonga]

I would like to say something about the service at Disney in general, from the WDTC to the service at the hotels.

We go to Disney at least once per year sometimes twice. Everytime I make a reservation thru WDTC, it is ALWAYS messed up. Not only do we travel often to many destinations, but I am also a TA. WDTC always fails in this very crucial department. I just made reservations for my upcoming trip in Sept. I booked the GF RPC Honeymoon DLX in the main building. I spoke to the CM and he told me there were 2 rooms of this kind left and booked me into one. I got the faxed confirmation and all was fine. A few days later I called executivite reservations to request my room and make dining reservations. He told me that I was not booked in RPC but Sugar Loaf! What!!! I then had to call back to find out what went wrong. Not only did I have to change my vacation dates and reservations (which included being on 2 phones to find out if I could get air for the new dates, I was on the phone with WDTC and Jet BLue) but I had to make a new reservation and pay to have my flights changed. To top it all off they screwed up the transfer of deposits from the old reservation to the new reservation which was $500. Needless to say this was over an hour on the phone. Since I finially got a CM that knew what she was doing I was afraid to let her go. She fixed everything and I got a follow up phone call and a fax stating everything was ok. WHEW! This happens every time I make a reservation...no exaggeration. I have to check and re check. I know this does not happen to everyone, everytime, but it happens to me - every time.

Out last stay at the GF was lovely, but the time before that was a nightmare. We were also at the RPC and I ordered champagne and strawberries thru concierge. I gave them my CC# and was told when they would be delivered. They never came! They also screwed up our room by putting us in a lesser room paid for because they upgraded someone to our room - very nice! There have been other crossed wires that have happened like park tickets nto being right etc..

Having said that, we do enjoy the GF. I have also seen the bathrooms on the main floor - by the front doors and by 1900 park fare to be gross at times. I'm sure it's because they get the most traffic, but that is not an excuse gross is gross. We do enjoy the level of service provided by the RPC. The rooms are immaculate, the bed linens are changed every day, the rooms are cleaned twice per day. We do enjoy the convenience of being right on the monorail and having the monorail and restaurants right in the main building where our room is. I love the view of the pools, grounds, castle and Epcot from our room. I enjoy the convenience of getting my hair blown out right downstairs at the Ivy Trellis and the shops right down stairs. Also the club level is 1 flight down. Looking down the lobby from our room is just lovely. I do think the GF has it's problems, it is not the best hotel we have stayed at *service wise*, but we do enjoy it very much. I know the other deluxes are lovely as well, but we happen to like most of what the GF has to offer...the SPA, restaurants, monorail access, housekeeping, a large beautiful room with a great view, and concierge. If they could only get their act together it would be great. It is the only hotel that I anticipate a check in problem of one kind or another, and that just should not be. I don't know if it's due to computer glitches or incompetent personel or both. For the price they charge the service should be better. I am sure these things happen in all the hotels, not just the GF.

We do however always go back to the GF, I think the good outweighs the bad.