Two Reasons Why I Would Not Do Online Check In at Poly Villa and Bungalows

[lisaviolet]

At one point in history, maybe 20 years ago..?? Disney's philosophy to make money was the "plus it" that was Walts mind set. Unfortunately now there are no Disney's left in the management chain, so things have turned to "make the kwik buck, and cut back the guest experience".
Now they make sure it's "good enough", where as before the goal was to blow you away.
Some old time Disney people can relate???

MG

I am an old time Disney person Maistre Gracey, since 1974. So you're talking to one. And I do understand part of your post.

I've had one awful stay as well, where I've thought that all the *blow you away* was gone. On that vacation it was from pre-planning with MS - coincidentally right through the vacation, daily - and the worst was dealing with the customer service line for DVC (was like talking with brats - and they excused me of everything under the sun - I guess thinking that they were going to shut down someone who wanted the moon and the stars). I persevered and only wanted the company to know where they were failing and got in touch with two fantastic executives. I felt listened to and I felt like they were embarrassed about conduct and incidents. It was a part time job to get through to this point, and it absolutely shouldn't have been, but it has never happened again.

I thought after that specific vacation all the great was disappearing.

But without listing everything, it's not.

I've had some situations in my last four trips where I've been overwhelmed with customer service. Some almost tear inducing it was so lovely.

I have had various customer service situations were way beyond "good enough". So although you feel that way, I've had experiences that challenge that thought.

I want to clarify my experience.

I'm just saying, it would have been much more magical if they had talked to all of us in the first place. Maybe welcomed us with some leis, given us a map of the resort, told us what to do with carry on bags, and apologized for the wait. Maybe they could have given me an activity sheet, or explained what was available to do at the resort. I was the only one interacting with the front desk. Everyone (in my party) was waiting for me to make some magic! Doing online check in did absolutely nothing for us. That's all I'm saying. Room wasn't ready, no leis, no welcome home, no idea what we were supposed to do while waiting. They did come through with our room requests. I couldn't have been happier with that.

Absolutely on the bold.

You're absolutely right that it started your stay not as magical as it could have been. OT, I would love to hear about your room and requests. I did LV last time and trying out SV for the Christmas holidays.

I meant to say in my posts that my replies had little to do with your original post, and I actually felt like I was hijacking your thread, smiling, to simply defend Disney in general terms and with some of their decisions.

Well besides letting you know that the leis can be hit or miss regardless - not downing your experience with them, just letting you know that if you do the front desk you might miss them again.

 

[senadler]

I had a very good experience with on-line check-in at the Poly in May. My son and I were greeted by a CM when we got off the Magical Express bus and both were given leis. I have stayed at the Poly many times, so I did know where are room was located. We were in our room in less than 10 minutes after getting off the bus.

 

[bumbershoot]

Doing online check in did absolutely nothing for us. ... They did come through with our room requests. I couldn't have been happier with that.

Sounds like one big thing was done from online checkin.


We almost never get "welcome home", but thankfully I don't like it, anyway.

I always go to the front desk; even though I have done online checkin every reservation but one (and we got the worst room we could possibly have gotten that time) I do not recall ever getting a room ready text. Probably because I rarely enter a CC during the process, and when I do half the time they lose it in the ether. Even if I did I would still go to the lobby, because that's what I WANT to do. I don't do online checkin to skip it; I do it because it's there to be done and I like it. I want them to know what time I'll be there (that was likely the issue with the one rotten room, though we actually got there hours after I expected to be there, since we were having such fun at Universal no one wanted to leave).

But I always want new park maps, so I go there for that. I am familiar enough with hotels in general to know that Bell Services will take your bags (at almost all hotels everywhere) and that's where bags go during the day, I am familiar enough with hotels in general to know that I probably won't get a room until after official checkin time. And Bell Services is usually in the lobby or on the way to it, so I have likely passed it. (despite KNOWING that we won't get a room, I always see IF my room is ready, before dropping off bags b/c I don't want to tip a bell services person if I don't need to...rarely happens with WDW but sometimes happens at Disneyland and often happens at Universal)

Do the lobbies not have TVs with fun things for kids on anymore? That's where my kid has gravitated to when we enter a lobby. But he hasn't been to WDW since Jan 2015, it seems.



And now I know that leis are a "thing" at the Poly, so we'll be on the lookout for that xmas eve!

 

[disneynutz]

It's not so much the CM's that are the problem, it's corporate. Increasing prices without increasing the experience instead cutting it back. The systems, policies designed to move us along like cattle, packing the parks, changing EMH, increasing the hard ticket dates, decreasing the park hours and attractions, rides, and transportation breaking down more often.

Not having reliable websites, not maintaining the DVC rooms at a better level and not maintaining the original room theming are issues that I do not like.

IMO they have lost their customer focus that made them so strong, posting billions in profit each year but not investing the money in the customer experience.

Bill

 

[TechRavingMad]

I think I understand part of my not understanding. It seems like you were maybe hoping that online check in would equal early check in? If so I can certainly understand your frustration. I've always been under the understanding that online check in is NOT a guarantee of early check in, it's a benefit that Disney offers to its guests to avoid the lobby.

Either way, I am like lisaviolet, I've had overall great experiences with cast members, only rarely (twice that I can think of) that wasn't fantastic. It's actually why we keep going back. Every trip has overall always been great and we always talk about how great we were taken care of.

I hope that you have better experiences in the future.

 

[Sammie]

I see online check in as being good for those that don't need or want the extra printed materials or CM interaction you get at the Front Desk check in. We have been so many times, all I need and want is my room number.

I like that they offer it and give everyone options.

As to the "old" Disney, we have been going for over 35 years. Sure things have changed. To us many things have changed for the better. The website works for us, no complaints. Rooms are clean and well maintained and if something is broke, they come quickly and fix it and apologize. CMs are friendly and out going. New decor, I have not seen a one I don't think is an improvement over the old. So unlike some, we are very happy DVC members.

 

[bigtony777]

Online check in, direct to room, is just another way that Disney is using to increase their profit. Less CM interaction means less CM's.

Bill

I agree that they are trying to reduce costs and increase profits. The only problem is that their technology doesn't work all the time. I would say we have had issues with magic bands about 1 out of 3 trips since they were introduced. This then takes more time to fix then the old card system used to take. Their website is a another frequent issue.

 

[tink'smom2B]

I don't see what online check in had to do with our room request. Neither room was ready for hours after our arrival. I did not request connecting rooms, only asked that we would be in the same building as one room was LV and one was SV. When we did receive the text and went up to the "one" room that was ready, housekeeping was in the hall and remarked, "oh, you're the ones waiting on the room?". That also did not help things. Does everyone get an experience like this??

 

[tink'smom2B]

Lisaviolet, you give me hope that someday I will once again feel some magic in DisneyWorld.

 

[lisaviolet]

the "one" room that was ready, housekeeping was in the hall and remarked, "oh, you're the ones waiting on the room?". That also did not help things.

I'm so sorry. |I know it's not funny. But regardless, I'm laughing. Mainly because I know those kind of comments, and his or her tone.

And no, I don't enjoy them.

My sister and I were must talking about those kind of comments yesterday, mainly to do with health care.

But to defend him or her at Disney, it's because they are under such pressure to get things done. And as a group, we are known as the most entitled brats of the entire bunch ie. demanding.

Lisaviolet, you give me hope that someday I will once again feel some magic in DisneyWorld.

You will, I really hope you will soon.

I said earlier on that I had a beyond bizarre check-in at the GF for the VGF before I checked into the Polynesian, where I had a wonderful check-in. Couldn't have been better. Often, it's like when these truly wonderful interactions happen, you have to allow them to overtake other experiences. And that does not mean not to communicate horrendous issues, I do at times. Because any corporation, or supervisor, does not know what they do not know. But I make sure that I include what is going well, and who is going above and beyond at the same time.


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Now that I have rambled incessantly please tell me about your SV over at Moorea. What did you think? Any pictures of the view of the greenery. Did it seem dark at all?

 

[lisaviolet]

The website works for us

Sammie, I am certainly not arguing with your experience. But you're either very lucky or you just hit days when nothing is up. I had years where I have never experienced one issue, even when so many were.
And months on end of course when I'm not even on it.

I'm on it a lot due to trying to piece together a vacation. It is insanity. Not a small issue. Some days there is nothing wrong, smooth (and this is where you could be on it!). And then all hell breaks loose. I can't even tell you all the issues, it would be an absolute novel.

In the last few days, with their latest update - insert sigh, my phone has issues. It never has, unless it was site-wide issue. Suddenly you put your ID and such in and go to the page you won't and it circles back to your ID page for no reason. And then suddenly, after many circles, it might work. It's not my phone, it came after the update. I sign into mydisneyexperience.com to try to help the circling.

___________________________________________________

But, on the previous series of issues I happened to talk about them via email to MS. Attached to another issue - I was bounced out of a reservation two minutes into the twenty minutes for no reason and my borrowed points stayed in with no reservation - on my last reply I chose to write about the online issues in general - a list. Just so someone might document and that was that.

I got a call from Disney, not MS, from Disney. The next day I believe. I did not ask for one.

She was concerned and wanted me to communicate the various issues. Besides listing all the issues, I told her your IT department has extreme issues, in general terms. And that none of my other websites have even a small percentage of what we are experiencing. It's not right and something needs to be done.

So corporate is not just sitting back in my opinion. Whether they realize that people need to be fired from their IT department, or more money needs to be put in - time will tell.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I don't see what online check in had to do with our room request. Neither room was ready for hours after our arrival. I did not request connecting rooms, only asked that we would be in the same building as one room was LV and one was SV. When we did receive the text and went up to the "one" room that was ready, housekeeping was in the hall and remarked, "oh, you're the ones waiting on the room?". That also did not help things. Does everyone get an experience like this??

I think I've missed where your referencing a correlations with room requests and online check-in, however, what has happened with online check-in is that it has evolved from what was essentially a shortened experience with the front desk to the new, direct to room experience. That means that when you do the online check in you will receive a text with your room number when it's ready. When you receive that text means different things. If you receive it before arrival then you can park close to your room and go straight there without schlepping to and from the lobby unless that's on the way. If you haven't received it before your arrival then you if you arrive by car you can leave your bags in the car and head off for some fun. Or if you've come via ME and have bags then you go to Bell Service who can store them for you or sit and wait. I'd only consider the sit and wait if I were arriving close to 4PM with the thought that they might be close to having the room ready.

I now vary on if I bother with the front desk but if you want any of the paper info then you'll need to do that or if you asked the greeter or concierge for map and info I'm sure they'd be happy to get it. However the front desk remains the location that people checking in get the info if desired, even with online. Sometimes it's just learning the procedures and asking questions. The CM's don't automatically know who's been before and with many repeat visitors they don't always assume you don't know what to do. That works for me because I'll ask the questions if I need to but I otherwise don't need to be bothered or to bother anyone. I think that doing online check-in gives an appearance of being more in the know which is likely why they acted as if you did know the routine. Straight to room can be confusing the first time but once you understand the process it's really nice.

Once you started inquiring about getting a room right away they would have been checking with housekeeping on the room readiness. I wouldn't place any tone onto their remark whether they meant one or not. Sometimes things don't come out as you mean them to. Of course sometimes they do but in the grand scheme that's a little thing and really unknown if anything was meant other than recognizing who you were - the person waiting for the room.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

.....I told her your IT department has extreme issues, in general terms. And that none of my other websites have even a small percentage of what we are experiencing. It's not right and something needs to be done.

So corporate is not just sitting back in my opinion. Whether they realize that people need to be fired from their IT department, or more money needs to be put in - time will tell.

So you may be the reason for the newest round of upgrades and why I watched Woody and Bullseye for hours yesterday telling me to "hold on pardner!"

 

[lisaviolet]

So you may be the reason for the newest round of upgrades and why I watched Woody and Bullseye for hours yesterday telling me to "hold on pardner!"

How astute of you Kathy.

Don't think the thought hasn't gone through my head.

Shhh.

I won't even dial in about my phone issues - not to mention how I can no longer save my ID anywhere anymore, because I'm working relatively fine on Firefox - well as of 2:32 PM on the 10th of July -and I don't want them to screw it up! Who knows what they have left in their magic bag.

OMG, I almost started a post titled "WHO WANTS TO LASSO THE CRAP OUT OF WOODY?".

How could they make us all hate Woody, to the point of violent thoughts.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

How astute of you Kathy.

Don't think the thought hasn't gone through my head.

Shhh.

I won't even dial in about my phone issues - not to mention how I can no longer save my ID anywhere anymore, because I'm working just fine on Firefox and I don't want them to screw it up! Who knows what they have left in their magic bag.

OMG, I almost started a post titled "WHO WANTS TO LASSO THE CRAP OUT OF WOODY?".

How could they make us all hate Woody, to the point of violent thoughts.

Whew! Glad you've seen the error of your ways. Trying to point out the issues! I had noticed my ID wasn't saved anymore (on Chrome), but with Woody riding endlessly along I didn't get around trying to get it to save again.

Poor Woody.

 

[lisaviolet]

Once you started inquiring about getting a room right away they would have been checking with housekeeping on the room readiness. I wouldn't place any tone onto their remark whether they meant one or not. Sometimes things don't come out as you mean them to. Of course sometimes they do but in the grand scheme that's a little thing and really unknown if anything was meant other than recognizing who you were - the person waiting for the room.

True dat Kat. You like it? I blame it on delirium due to dvcmember.com.

I imagined the tone, and it simply made me laugh to think about. When it might not have even been there.

And also OP, you were already frustrated so at that point responses sometimes have a way of playing a bit different for some of us (myself included!).

Or not.

___________________________________________________________

After thinking a bit, I'm wondering if the pressure of leading a group was overwhelming for you. And certainly did not help the situation at hand at all.

In that, it is something to have various voices looking for you to fulfill expectations. Which is of course often impossible.

 

[Sammie]

I don't think I am lucky per the website but I don't ever use it with my phone. Phone connections at best are always going to give issues. I use my PC with a DSL connection that is very fast. Also I use google chrome as it seems to work better with the site. I have tried other browsers to test and have issues. I always dump my files each evening and run malware often.

I have gotten into the website on days when others have posted here they were having issues.

Also when DVC first went online, and I was trying to merge my MDE account with my DVC account, I had issues. I contacted MS they put me in touch with tech and he got it set up for me. Since then no issues, until they went from user name to email address. Again I had trouble signing in, called MS and again tech helped me and since then again no issues at all. Now certainly there are times the site is down completely for everyone, even DVC but I don't considers those to be issues of usage.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I don't think I am lucky per the website but I don't ever use it with my phone. Phone connections at best are always going to give issues. I use my PC with a DSL connection that is very fast. Also I use google chrome as it seems to work better with the site. I have tried other browsers to test and have issues. I always dump my files each evening and run malware often.

I have gotten into the website on days when others have posted here they were having issues.

Also when DVC first went online, and I was trying to merge my MDE account with my DVC account, I had issues. I contacted MS they put me in touch with tech and he got it set up for me. Since then no issues, until they went from user name to email address. Again I had trouble signing in, called MS and again tech helped me and since then again no issues at all. Now certainly there are times the site is down completely for everyone, even DVC but I don't considers those to be issues of usage.

It sounds a bit like you have a different level at what you consider issues are for one thing because with your run down I'd say you have had issues too. It doesn't have to be something large or unresolveable to be an issue. As far as not having things happen like booking and being bumped out and points disappearing - that happens but no, not to everyone. And unless you're actually booking during the times it's prone to happening then it's even less of a chance. I've made lots of reservations without issues. And then I've also had a couple of periods of most of the issues discussed. Same computer. Same user. Same browser. Same connections. Same booking actions. And yet fine sometimes and not so good others. The email for user name hasn't hit me yet so maybe their taking a break on me but I'm at least expecting it now. Personally I think it makes things less secure because it's making it not random but it was an options that should have been allowed for users to select. I think that generally that's the consensus in the IT world - not that email should be a user ID. But the outages you also write off as non-issue? I have to consider those issues for the most part as in my other online experience I don't run into that with anywhere near the frequency, if at all, with other websites. Hotel, online sales, none of it. It's too frequent to not have the downtime count as an issue for most businesses. My business - wow. Couldn't happen.

 

[Sammie]

It sounds a bit like you have a different level at what you consider issues are for one thing because with your run down I'd say you have had issues too. It doesn't have to be something large or unresolveable to be an issue. As far as not having things happen like booking and being bumped out and points disappearing - that happens but no, not to everyone. And unless you're actually booking during the times it's prone to happening then it's even less of a chance. I've made lots of reservations without issues. And then I've also had a couple of periods of most of the issues discussed. Same computer. Same user. Same browser. Same connections. Same booking actions. And yet fine sometimes and not so good others. The email for user name hasn't hit me yet so maybe their taking a break on me but I'm at least expecting it now. Personally I think it makes things less secure because it's making it not random but it was an options that should have been allowed for users to select. I think that generally that's the consensus in the IT world - not that email should be a user ID. But the outages you also write off as non-issue? I have to consider those issues for the most part as in my other online experience I don't run into that with anywhere near the frequency, if at all, with other websites. Hotel, online sales, none of it. It's too frequent to not have the downtime count as an issue for most businesses. My business - wow. Couldn't happen.

Well yes maybe my tolerance for things that to me are small, are large for others. Unless it involves the safety or health of myself or a loved one, it is a small thing to me. It just seems to me on here that some complain about it constantly, well DVC, in general for that matter. I begin to wonder do they really have that much trouble, or do they just like to complain or as you said are large things to them, very small things to me.

I am not sure how many days total the DVC site has been up, but in all that I have only had 2 issues signing in, so yes I consider that extremely minor. Also when I did have those two issues, I immediately called MS for help and then the problem was fixed. No more issues.

As to downtime for maintenance and such again I guess that depends on what one compares it to.

 

[lisaviolet]

I don't think I am lucky per the website but I don't ever use it with my phone. Phone connections at best are always going to give issues. I use my PC with a DSL connection that is very fast. Also I use google chrome as it seems to work better with the site.

Sammie, I only started using my phone recently and had zero issues before besides a few system-wide issues. No issues before the latest *upgrade*. So it's not my phone, it's dvcmember.com.

I have always used chrome, high speed internet before I ever went to phone as well. Only switched over to Firefox because suddenly chrome was acting up for me (dvcmember.com only, not amazon, not a department store here, not RCI, or going into my SIL's II, no other booking site was having issues on chrome.)

And I clear my computer (not that one should have to for a website to work properly or that would mean my father wouldn't have been to visit one ever! )

So all of these issues - phone, computer whatever --- none of them happen for any other site than Disney. I can not explain that (and on the same day mydisneyexperience is fine.) It really is dvcmember exclusively.

One week I had notices of accounting issues blocking me (I have none), telling me I haven't registered, a reservation lost during 20 minutes, and circling.

And then there are the days that it works perfectly.