Total Nightmare @ Disney

[DisGirl23]

This is where we can argue semantics and check our tickers!

I love looking at my ticker! It's getting so close!!!
Of course it's the 3rd ticker I've had since I've planned this trip because the other 2 just disappeared and I had to start over.

 

[WDSearcher]

no need to be snarky, I was kind of just making a joke.

I wasn't being snarky (at least ... I didn't think so). I was just answering the question.

 

[KellyNY]

Sorry but yes OP DID say complaint.

I think what this thread really boils down to is how each of us classifies two very specific things:

1. What a "nightmare" is.
2. What an approrpriate compensation is for said "nightmare".

I don't look at two days of extreme inconvience as a reson to classify my whole vacation as a nightmare. Granted I would have been really mad. I am lucky in the aspect that I have a DH who would very clearly, rationally and calmly be the voice of reason that we still had eight days left and let's make the best of it and enjoy what is left. (I had a Hard Rock Hotel employee steal my credit card and charge it up to maxed out while on vacation ~ talk about a nightmare).

2. The answer to this is different for everyone. If OP didn't like this they should simply have said no... that makes nothing up for me because X (I don't like the bus situation, I prefer a value, Instant FP would really better help make up for missed time whatever). To me....SSR would not be fantastic but DH he would be in hog heavan having a room that big instead of Pop. So even to our family it would satisfy one but not the other.

So OP can certainly (obviously) write letter if s/he so desires. Just make sure to be clear, consise and include the good and what exactly the expected outcome of the complaint is (i.e. make managment more aware, get room refund for two nights, use as case study ~ whatever just be specific so they will know what they CAN do that will be acceptable to close this ticket).

So to review response from our family to a move to 2 bedroom at SSR from Pop:

DH:
ME:
DD1 and DD2:

Well said.

 

[Suellen]

I wasn't being snarky (at least ... I didn't think so). I was just answering the question.

I didn't think it was snarky.

 

[Suellen]

Well said.

Thank you Kelly.


Oh and I do love seeing my ticker but I want to know why biggreen73 is 3 days and mine is 4 and I thought we were leaving on the same day!!

 

[brunette8706]

Absolutely. But again ... if the displeasure was relayed at the time -- and to a manager, as I believe the OP wrote -- then stating it again can come across as angling for more. I mean, there are times when all of us have done something wrong and a friend or co-worker calls us on it. We fix the problem and then move on. And how frustrating is it to be reminded again about the thing we did wrong, after we already fixed the problem and thought we had it taken care of? There's a fine line between "just want to be sure you're aware of the problems we had so they can be fixed" and "let me remind you AGAIN about what you did wrong so that you'll continue to feel bad about it". JMO

Hi! This is actually very well stated. I agree wholeheartedly! Brunette

 

[KRCMOM]

OP, I feel your pain - can't imagine going through that with a TWO-year-old especially. Nightmare - yes. I'm sorry you lost that valuable vacation time and for the utter frustration you must have been feeling. And I'm sorry a simple question and maybe a hesitation or lack of desire to vent turned into this thread.

Just have to say, I joined this board a while back since we have our first trip coming up, and have had good experiences personally. I love jumping on and getting helpful answers, support, cheerleading, etc. We have our first trip coming in less than two weeks and it has been immensely helpful.

Having said that, it makes my head spin to see threads go off in this direction. It's one thing to debate two sides of something or have a conversation, as others said - I find that fun sometimes. But the judgmental attitude and leaping to conclusions from some posters is a bummer. You would think that OP had personally attacked someone. She was even ripped for not continuing to check back - wasn't the thread started just yesterday? I'm lucky if I can find the time to get on once a day, if that. Nothing against people that are on a lot, more power to you, but sheesh.

It's can be a frightening thing to be a newbie on this board...but awesome as well. I look forward to continuing to gather info, bond with others and share my own experience at WDW after we go. (Only the good parts, of course...LOL )

 

[brunette8706]

If upgrade from value to deluxe cannot compensate 2 days of inconvenience, then I do not know what can. Time cannot be returned but making the rest of the stay(8 more days) more comfortable is a big deal. What else could be done, firing everyone envolved, closing resort, public execution of maintanance crew? Seriously, situation was handled pretty well ($2,000 upgrade). It does not matter if OP did not plan booking deluxe and was OK with value, OP definitely had more comfort at villa and that is the point.

*
Hi! Still reading this thread! YES, I TOTALLY AGREE!! LOL! What in the world would they want? All Star Sports compared to the a VILLA at Saratoga Springs!?? There is no comparison. Heck some people would have gotten fast passes or a free breakfast! I know Disney has it's problems but this compensation far exceeds what happened to the OP, in my opinion.

Brunette

 

[brunette8706]

I agree that the attitude from the Mousekeeper was unacceptable and I would have complained as well, but I'm not sure what you meaqn by 3pm "deadline."

Check-in at WDW resorts BEGINS at 3pm, that does not mean that all rooms must be ready to turn by 3pm. We have been fortunate to get rooms as early as 11 or 12, but we have also had to wait as late as 4 or 5.

It is possible that there was a miscommunication and that your room notification was sent to you prematurely.

*
This is unacceptable. If my room is not made up by 3 p.m. especially if I were coming back from the parks, I would be very upset!

 

[crashbb]

Thank you Kelly.


Oh and I do love seeing my ticker but I want to know why biggreen73 is 3 days and mine is 4 and I thought we were leaving on the same day!!

Biggreen lives in Australia?

 

[brunette8706]

IMHO I think a big issue here which many are losing site of is the fact that the OP did not check in until 10pm, seriously how many if any maintenance workers were available who could service the a/c ? I am sure if it was during normal daytime shift hours the problem could have been resolved sooner.

*
I'm sure they have emergency maintenance crews at all resorts.

 

[doconeill]

IIRC, "check in" (really, when rooms are supposed to be ready) is 3pm for CRO, 4pm for DVC.

Regardless if the rooms in general are ready or not by a certain time, they should NOT have released the room to the customer if maintenance was NOT completed. If I'm told my room is ready at 2pm, then it should be READY. Not that they've just assigned me my room but they are still cleaning it and it won't be ready until 4pm.

 

[brunette8706]

Sorry but yes OP DID say complaint.

I think what this thread really boils down to is how each of us classifies two very specific things:

1. What a "nightmare" is.
2. What an approrpriate compensation is for said "nightmare".

I don't look at two days of extreme inconvience as a reson to classify my whole vacation as a nightmare. Granted I would have been really mad. I am lucky in the aspect that I have a DH who would very clearly, rationally and calmly be the voice of reason that we still had eight days left and let's make the best of it and enjoy what is left. (I had a Hard Rock Hotel employee steal my credit card and charge it up to maxed out while on vacation ~ talk about a nightmare).

2. The answer to this is different for everyone. If OP didn't like this they should simply have said no... that makes nothing up for me because X (I don't like the bus situation, I prefer a value, Instant FP would really better help make up for missed time whatever). To me....SSR would not be fantastic but DH he would be in hog heavan having a room that big instead of Pop. So even to our family it would satisfy one but not the other.

So OP can certainly (obviously) write letter if s/he so desires. Just make sure to be clear, consise and include the good and what exactly the expected outcome of the complaint is (i.e. make managment more aware, get room refund for two nights, use as case study ~ whatever just be specific so they will know what they CAN do that will be acceptable to close this ticket).

So to review response from our family to a move to 2 bedroom at SSR from Pop:

DH:
ME:
DD1 and DD2:

*
GREAT Post Suellen, very well written! I totally concur! See, even though I write posts about the downhill of disney, I always weigh each circumstance, and I always try to make a fair assessment. What Suellen stated above is a fair assessment and I totally agree. The OP could have said, "no", I would rather have a free breakfast or fastpasses etc., which would have been better for Disney. Anyway, Good post!

Brunette

 

[brunette8706]

is it just me or is anyone else asking what the benefit to keeping this thread open is ?

*
It's just you! Why can't we all discuss what had happened? Why are people so ANXIOUS to close a post, with good dialogue on both sides!? Sheesh! This really boggles my mind!

Brunette

 

[KellyNY]

IIRC, "check in" (really, when rooms are supposed to be ready) is 3pm for CRO, 4pm for DVC.

Regardless if the rooms in general are ready or not by a certain time, they should NOT have released the room to the customer if maintenance was NOT completed. If I'm told my room is ready at 2pm, then it should be READY. Not that they've just assigned me my room but they are still cleaning it and it won't be ready until 4pm.

Agree, Check In is at 3PM so this is when all assigned rooms should be ready unless person requests something particular and offered to wait longer. It happened to us last trip. During busy times only Jamaica 42 was ready and it is quiet a walk, we were offered Jamaica 45(our request), right across from the bridge at CBR but we had to wait till 4PM. Everything was clear and honest. We agreed and they texted us room number when it was ready. It is not acceptable to give room number while it is still dirty and definitely not acceptable to check room clean if it is not done.

 

[brunette8706]

IIRC, "check in" (really, when rooms are supposed to be ready) is 3pm for CRO, 4pm for DVC.

Regardless if the rooms in general are ready or not by a certain time, they should NOT have released the room to the customer if maintenance was NOT completed. If I'm told my room is ready at 2pm, then it should be READY. Not that they've just assigned me my room but they are still cleaning it and it won't be ready until 4pm.

*
Good point!

 

[jkstewart1800]

OK...I guess I could share one of my few nightmare stories from Disney:

One trip went very badly...first, the entire trip I never got a towel animal, someone in an electric cart ran into my foot, I had to walk through a smoking spot and couldn't breathe, someone cut in line on a ride way up in front of me, someone tried to hold a spot on the ropes for the parade, I got something from the counter service that wasn't up to Michelin guide standards, some people near me weren't wearing deodorant, a ride was closed for refurb that I wanted to go on, there were some screaming kids not being controlled by their parents. It was crazy!

OMG!!! I can't stop laughing!!!!

 

[si-am]

Agree, Check In is at 3PM so this is when all assigned rooms should be ready unless person requests something particular and offered to wait longer. It happened to us last trip. During busy times only Jamaica 42 was ready and it is quiet a walk, we were offered Jamaica 45(our request), right across from the bridge at CBR but we had to wait till 4PM. Everything was clear and honest. We agreed and they texted us room number when it was ready. It is not acceptable to give room number while it is still dirty and definitely not acceptable to check room clean if it is not done.

When we were at WL last month, our room was not ready until 4pm on the day of our arrival. We had "checked in" at the front desk at 7am, and had made no special requests. In fact, when it got to be 3:00 we asked at the front desk why our room wasn't ready and the guy was TOTALLY rude: "It is not HUMANLY POSSIBLE to have all the rooms ready by 3!"

 

[KellyNY]

When we were at WL last month, our room was not ready until 4pm on the day of our arrival. We had "checked in" at the front desk at 7am, and had made no special requests. In fact, when it got to be 3:00 we asked at the front desk why our room wasn't ready and the guy was TOTALLY rude: "It is not HUMANLY POSSIBLE to have all the rooms ready by 3!"

That is horrible, I would ask for manager right there. First 4PM is not acceptable, second, attitude is horrible. If they do not have enough people to clean then hire more or do not let everyone to have late check out.

 

[nanalisa]

I tried to think about what I would do if this had happened to me.
First of all, I would have never spent the night in a room with no air, no ceiling fan or window. You can't tell me that a place as large as WDW doesn't have 24 hour maintenance. Even if the last tenant didn't report the broken air conditioner, housekeeping should have.
Second of all I would have been satisfied with the upgrade.
Thirdly, I would write a letter to Disney and recount the details of my trip, and thank them for how they handled it in the end. Disney accepted the resposibility of error when they gave the upgrade so I think it's a good idea to let those in the complaint dept know exactly what happened. That way I could give my side of the story and express appeciation.