I haven't seen a QOTD yet, so I am going to ask one....
Question Of The Day!
Have you ever had a bad experience at Disney? If so, explain!
This comes from so many post complaining lately. I have to agree to some extent, Disney is not what it used to be years ago. Those of you have been going for the past 30+ years like me, probably have noticed this too. It is kinda sad. Years ago, you could count on Disney CM being the most peppy and kind people you would ever meet. With the most pride in their job even if it was picking up trash!
I have mention briefly, but not in detail, that we had a pretty crappy experience last year at the WL. But I figured I would share my experience. I will warn ahead of time, its gonna get long.
We arrive at the WL around 1pm. With probably ever other Sat traveler! LOL This was our first time going to the WL, even seeing it other then from the ferry or monorail. We were instantly impressed. It looks so much better when you are there. We pull up in front of the resort and the bellhop quickly came over to our car to help us. He was super nice. We joked with him a good 10-15 min. DH and FIL both handed him a $10 and he asked if he could unpack our car again! LOL He handed DH a piece of paper and told us to call when we were ready for our bags. Then we walk in. It was as beautiful as I imagined. Breathtaking as everyone describes it. I got instantly excited! Then we head to check in. That is where he went down hill rather quickly.
As I said, there were alot of people arriving at the same time as us. It was crowded. We finally get up to the counter and the CM looks at us and kinda grumpy says "Whats your name". I was like, okay.... She has had a bad day, so I will give her a break. But not the most welcoming welcome. So, I told her that we were checking in to 2 rooms, ours and our FIL. I gave their names, which the rooms were under and CM could not comprehend that DH and FIL had the same name but were in two different rooms. If there ever was a bone head CM, it was her. I finally asked a CM walking past to get her some help, because she didn't understand. Finally, they get both reservations pulled up and the other CM went about his business. Then she tried to tell us that we had to buy park tickets to get into the park. Well, DUH! We explained to her we were using the Military Salute tickets and she looked at us and told us there were no such thing. At this point, I just start laughing. I told her to go get someone else to check us in, because I no longer wanted her working with us. She got offended, yelled at me that just because I was not informed, that she couldn't help it. I just about lost it at that point. And it takes alot to get me mad. ALOT! I calmed myself and told her to walk away very fast and get the nearest manager. There were alot of guest checking in at that time and one guy actually told her he hoped she had a backup plan, because she was about to loose her job. But before the CM could go get a manager, one of the other CM heard her yelling at me got the manager. She came out and finished checking us in. When she pulled up our reservations, she found our resorts were not linked. No idea why, as they had to be for both to have the military discount. But when she looked at our room numbers, she said oh boy.... She told us that we were on the 4th floor on one side and in-laws were on the other side on the 2nd floor. She scratched her head and you could tell she was a bit annoyed by that fact herself. She mentioned that it clearly stated on our reservations that both were under the military discount and we were requesting connecting/adjoining (either one, didn't matter to us). But she guessed since they somehow were not linked, they didn't even place us in the same hallway. I told her it wasn't a issue, that I knew they weren't promised. But she said, no they are not, but we always atleast put you on the same floor! She told us to hold on and went in the back and came back out a few minutes later. She managed to change the in-laws room to the room next to ours. She said it only worked because the people checking in next to us had the same dates and had not checked in yet. So while she is finishing our check in, I keep waiting for her to apologize about the previous CM. She never does. She doesn't even mention it. I figured it was just because she got distracted by the room mix up. So, she hands me all our keys, pointed us to the elevators and told us to have a magical stay.
So, we get to our rooms. And knock, knock. Its my FIL, my MIL and SIL were to afraid to come tell me, but the fridge in there room was broken and water was everywhere. There was a puddle of water. So, I called maintenance, they said they would be up right away. So SIL takes the girls to the pool while we all waited for maintenance. 3 hours later, nothing. So, I called the manager (wasn't the same one from check in, assuming it was just a random manager). I am pretty sure I may have had smoke coming out my head by that point. I told them what had happened earlier, then about our fridge. She quickly said sorry and that she would contact maintenance again. So, we said well we are going out. And she said no problem, it will be done when you get back.
5 hours later, we get back. Still a flood in FIL room. I call maintenance again. They said they fixed it. I told them they were more then welcome to come look, that they didn't fix it at all. The guy argued they did. But you could still see the water coming out of the fridge. He said he would have someone come right away to look. About a hour after that (almost 1am) someone shows up. And says, oh yeah, thats not fix. We'll unplug it for the night so you guys can sleep and we will come tomorrow and fix it. So, that was fine. Just fix it. We left early the next morning and were gone all day. When we came back to the room guess what.... Still not fixed. It was left just the way it was the night before. So I called maintenance again and the hotel manager. By this point, it was the night manager, I asked him to come to our room to look at the mess... But he said he was running several resorts and couldn't but he said he would address the problem asap. While I am on the phone with the manager, I hear my DD yell YUCK! DH goes to see what is wrong and he yells and tells me to tell the manager to hold on that I have something I need to see and something that I will need to tell him about. So, I walk in the bathroom. And in our bathroom floor was a bag of trash with ummm.... used women hygiene products in it. Not wrapped, not anything. Just sitting there. So, it was very clear what they were. I was very glad my DDs were aware what a period was at that moment, because I can imagine what that conversation would have been like. But really, it was disgusting. No one should ever have to see other peoples used.... ummm... stuff.
I go back to the phone and tell the manager what we just found. I am almost in tears at this point. I had heard so many wonderful things about the WL and our experience was not matching the reviews. He said he was sorry, and that he would send house keeping up to our room to get the trash. The mousekeeper came pretty quick. She didn't speak very good english, but she was probably the only CM I dealt with since checking in who seemed sincere when she said she was sorry. She even brought us a really cool towel animal, it was a gator. So long it had to be pushed on a cart. She told us to take it home with us! We told her Thank You and DH tried to tip her, but she wouldn't take it.
The next morning I called maintenance before we left to make sure they were going to come fix the fridge. Again, they said yes, that it was the first thing on their to do list. We come back to the room at noon.... And guess what. Still not fixed. I gave up at this point. I told my DH that I wanted to switch resorts and go back to Shades of Green. We never encountered anything like this there. But we had to get the girls to the Wonderland Tea Party, so off we went. We decided while they were in the tea party, we were just going to sit in the lobby at the GF and enjoy the peace. I noticed that the Concierge desk was empty and I needed to ask a question about our tickets. I had wanted to ask at WL, but I decided within minutes of our check in, I wasn't even going to bother. Anyways, I went over to the desk and asked my question. And while I was there, we heard a loud snore. It was my FIL. He fell asleep in the chair. She and I started making fun of him. And then just started chit-chatting about the Army and such. She asked if I had ever stayed at SoG. I told her yes and that this was my first trip back to a Disney Resort in years. Then she asked how I was enjoying returning the the magic. I told her it wasn't very magical at all. I told her what was happening and she just seemed shocked. We discussed it a few more minutes and then changed the subject. A few min later, she had guest to check in and I went and set back down. About 20 min later, the CM I had been talking to and a man came out to us in the lobby. The guy introduced himself as the manager. He told me that when the CM I had been talking to told him our story, he was really upset. So he called the WL to see what was going on. He confirmed our story from them. He then told us, that by time we got back to our room that we would have a brand new fridge. He said if I had anymore issues to call him. He gave me a number to call direct. I was amazed. Then the CM told me what took so long for her to come back out was that they were trying to find a way to move us to the GF. They originally were trying to get our rooms switched at the WL, but it was 100% full. But alas, there was no way they could move us to the GF because of the range of check in/out dates of people already booked there. But she did tell us if we wanted to move there the last 3 days, we could. I honestly just started crying. And thanked them over and over. And we almost said yes, but the in-laws wouldn't be up to moving. My FIL already had to rent a
ECV because he was in so much pain. I told her it never occured to me to ask for our rooms to be changed when the floor was flooded. We just wanted it fixed. But she told us anytime there is a issue like that to ask for your rooms to be changed. If possible, they will do it. She also said they should have just brought us a brand new fridge the first time we called. She said there is no point in trying to fix them. They keep several hundred of them stored away at all times. When we were leaving I walked over to the CM and thanked her again. I told her I was worried the magic at Disney was gone, but she showed me it was still there. Again, I teared up. She walked around the counter and hugged me. She is what a Disney CM should be! Simply Amazing!
That evening when I got back to the room, I had a message from the WL manager with a number to call. When I did, they explained to me that they were sorry for all my trouble. That because they were so short staffed and the resort was so full, they had to call in people who weren't properly trained. And she said she knew that didn't explain the maintenance issue or the trash being left in our room, but she hoped that it explained our check in. She reminded me that the room mess up wasn't technically their fault since Central Reservations didn't link them. She then told me that we were getting a full reimbursement of the two previous nights and 2 days worth of dining would be added to our reservation. Also, they were bumping us up to Club Level benefits. She said if there were any rooms, they would have placed us there. I told her I really appreciated the gesture. But a simple "I am sorry with meaning behind it and a fixed fridge" would have been fine. She said there was no justification for what happen to us. And that had she been the manager at the time, she would have taken instant action.
After that, the remainder of our trip went pretty well. Until the our check out day when SIL got sick. We realized there was no way we were going to be able to check out and drive with her like that. So, we had to stay a additional night. We did have to switch rooms because ours was booked for the night. And guess what, when we got in our room... the A/C was broke. It sounded like something was hammering in it. I called the manager that I had the number for from the WL. They had maintenance up within a hour and it was fixed. We got that night free too! But just our room, not the inlaws and no extra dining added....
And to add.... When we went to check in, that first CM, she didn't even tell us "Welcome Home." She sucked!
So there is my story. It is also why we originally booked at the GF. They went above and beyond what they needed to do to make things right for us. I am not sure I would have found that anywhere else. But I have to say, if in 30 years that is the worst I will ever encounter, I am still more then happy stopping in for a annual visit with the Mouse!
I had the same question when we were planning. Each person, old or young, is counted due to the number of people the boat can hold & the life jackets available. 
. Waaayyy OT, but have you eaten at Hillbilly Hot Dogs? We are big DD&Drives fans and want to check it out one day. Looks crazy good. 
...I'll answer the question of fav. place to eat: Wolfgang Puck Express. I wish we were staying more than a week, then it would be easier to get to DTD more than once or twice 
and I don't want to miss that 
