Universal customer service

[jkh36619]

Disney AP holder here and love it. We have booked our 1st trip to US and very excited. I know everyone seem to be complaining about Disney but I have to say US customer service is bad. I have had to make 2 changes to our reservation and both times they wanted to charge me $50 which they were able to magically waive. One of the changes was a net amount of about $20. I had to take off a day. So going to charge me 50 to reduce my bill by 20.. Also their website has got to be of the worst I have ever navigated. It's cumbersome and difficult to find information on packages and such. I may be alone but I am just so surprised.

 

[gatordoc]

Can't disagree about the website, but my experiences with Universal's customer service on the phone have always been outstanding. In addition to being helpful, I'm impressed that they seem to be real people who listen and have actual conversations as opposed to working from a script.

 

[mellyf]

Agree about the website. However, I didn't have the same experience when I changed our reservation. Initially I'd booked for 3 nights, and then a few weeks later added a night. They didn't say anything about charging me $50 to change it, and there was not charge on our final bill. I wonder if this is something new? I wouldn't like it either!

 

[jkh36619]

Well i was taking away. Maybe that was the difference. From 2 nights to 1. From a a 3 day to 2 day.

 

[macraven]

If a person books a package, packages have penalty fees when a change is made

This is the one big reason many of us here tell others to book everything separately and not packages

If you did not book a package then I have not a clue why they wanted to impose that fee

 

[jkh36619]

Guess so

 

[jkh36619]

Well. Today I had to cancel. I just couldn't make it work . I tried. To further my complaint, I was told it takes up to 21 BUSINESS DAYS for a refund. Funny, my card was hit in a day when I purchased. Guess I'll have to carry a balance for a month......

 

[bchbetha]

Bummer on both points. I hope you can find time to try Universal. It really is a ton of fun. I booked a package with them last year and had no issues, but I also didn't need to change it.

 

[damo]

If you don't want to incur any fees, just book room only and get your tickets somewhere else. You are dealing with a travel agency when you book a package. All of the information about fees is there to see.

http://www.universalorlandovacations.com/general-information/terms-and-conditions

 

[jkh36619]

If you don't want to incur any fees, just book room only and get your tickets somewhere else. You are dealing with a travel agency when you book a package. All of the information about fees is there to see.

http://www.universalorlandovacations.com/general-information/terms-and-conditions

I'm over that. 21 business day refund is absurd. I'm sorry but it is.

 

[macraven]

There have been peeps that had the refund within days

Some only took up to 7 days for their cc to be refunded

When I had to cancel a reservation 3 years ago I got that same song and dance of up to 3 weeks for a refund

My cc account reflected the credit back to me in a short time period of 6 days

Maybe it was due to my billing cycle, really don't know

Call back and ask to talk to a supervisor and find out how long it takes them to process that refund

Hope the best for you that your refund will be quick

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm over that. 21 business day refund is absurd. I'm sorry but it is.

It's not on their end. I worked customer service at Amazon back in the 00s and we would tell people "up to two billing cycles" with every refund. Once the company presses the button they have no control over how long whatever bank or cc company you have will take.


If you plan universal in the future don't do a package. There's generally no good reason. And as you've found out, there are fees.

 

[georgina]

I have never been charged fees to change my room only reservations, including decreasing the number of days. I believe there are fees for changing Disney packages also within a certain time frame, but I don't do packages. I recently changed my resort at Universal and had to give a new deposit and get a refund of my old one, refund was processed very quickly (next day) despite the warning it could take much longer.

 

[damo]

I have never been charged fees to change my room only reservations, including decreasing the number of days. I believe there are fees for changing Disney packages also within a certain time frame, but I don't do packages. I recently changed my resort at Universal and had to give a new deposit and get a refund of my old one, refund was processed very quickly (next day) despite the warning it could take much longer.

You don't get charged any fees to change with room only as long as you do any cancellations before the 6 day check-in. Change fees are only with packages and those fees are clearly stated in the information given with the packages.

 

[go2grl]

I had to cancel our room for our trip in December (actually had to cancel trip and move it to next year) and I was told 7-10 business days for the refund. I received it 3 days later. I only booked the room though and not a package, so that might be why.

Sorry about the issues you are having with fees and the long wait for a refund, but I hope you do get a chance to get to Universal as it's a really great place to visit!

 

[damo]

I'm over that. 21 business day refund is absurd. I'm sorry but it is.

How long has it been so far? If it's been a week or so, I'd call them back and check to make sure that they have processed the refund and that it is just the bank you are waiting for.