Useful Concierge Information

[dogsmom]

We'll be there 12/9 - 12/13. I got an e-mail from the IPO today. She was very helpful with switching some of my ADR's around.

See you there!!

 

[crazykids]

Headed to Poly Concierge 9/19-9/27 w/ my 3 little ones (20 months, 3, & 4).
We are going to be celebrating the 2 older kids b-days while we are there - any ideas?

 

[jmkrat]

Has anyone had any issues with the IPO team getting back to them from the Contemporary? This was a problem that I thought was solved last year. I am not hearing from the Contemporary IPO staff about my New Years Eve reservations. The told me my 180 day mark was July 2, and did not let me book adr's at 190 days. I sent them a filled out itinerary over a week ago and have not heard anything. I have since sent 2 more e-mails, and still nothing. I hope this isn't going to be a problem again. I wouldn't care so much, but I was told to make my New Year's Eve dinner ADR's quickly. I am very polite and nice when I write them. I just as them to get back to me asap.

 

[TammiMcMan]

I sent them a filled out itinerary over a week ago and have not heard anything. I have since sent 2 more e-mails, and still nothing.

But you did give them your requests? Hopefully you are just awaiting confirmation that your ADR's are all set, right. This is sad to see. Let's face it, one of the only remaining benefits of the club level is better service. It's seemingly disappeared or at least become very sporadic at best. This and their website are two of my biggest pet peeves. Both areas of the company are so badly lacking that it borders on being ridiculous. It's not difficult, nor is it time consuming for someone to sit down and write out procedures that all the club levels follow. Let's face it, the computer should be doing a majority of the work for them, so customer service should not be an issue. Where are the automated replies that confirm they received your e-mail and that it will be responded to within 48 hours. When a personal itinerary is updated and there's an e-mail address attached to it, then it should be automatically sent out. A little effort up front on their part and this would work so much better.....

 

[jmkrat]

Hi Tammi,
Yes I sent them my requests, I have even e-mailed them to ask questions about needing a credit card for a New Year's Eve ADR. My TA got involved last year, and then everything worked out. She was even having problems getting through. It is a shame because anyone booking concierge for the first time might think the IPO office and CM's on the concierge are one and the same. I have been down this road before. E-mail # 3 will be arriving in their mailbox tomorrow.

 

[ksc37]

Has anyone had any issues with the IPO team getting back to them from the Contemporary?

I've found them to be very responsive while planning my trip for next month. I did have to initiate contact (when my 180 day mark came, I had not heard from them), so I sent them an e-mail that evening around 11 pm, with a list of my ADR requests. They responded by 9 am the next day. On the other occasions I heard back in a matter of 1-2 hours.

I was quite pleased with the response because I had heard stories like yours, and this is my first time using the IPO. I don't have any suggestions that would help... maybe some people's e-mails are being blocked by their system's firewall?? (they seem to have system issues quite often). Have they responded to any of them?

 

[jmkrat]

I've found them to be very responsive while planning my trip for next month. I did have to initiate contact (when my 180 day mark came, I had not heard from them), so I sent them an e-mail that evening around 11 pm, with a list of my ADR requests. They responded by 9 am the next day. On the other occasions I heard back in a matter of 1-2 hours.

I was quite pleased with the response because I had heard stories like yours, and this is my first time using the IPO. I don't have any suggestions that would help... maybe some people's e-mails are being blocked by their system's firewall?? (they seem to have system issues quite often). Have they responded to any of them?

I have heard from them, just haven't gotten an answer on my ADR's for New Year's Eve. It has been more than a week. After everything was straightened out last year I had no problems. I heard from them a month ago when I asked for a better itinerary plan. The new one wasn't one I could write on. Then I heard from them within 24hours. I sent my ADR's in and nothing. I heard it is important to get the New Year's Eve Adr's in. I will try again. They aren't blocked from me, I have had alot of e-mails from them and other folks at Disney in the past. Maybe the more responsive CM's are on vacation .

 

[DarlingDumbo]

Does anyone know if maybe certain CMs are assigned to certain families? I ask this because the service isn't consistent even within the same hotel and also the same CM replies to all of my emails no matter when they're sent. Just a guess

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

the same CM replies to all of my emails no matter when they're sent. Just a guess

I had (I think) 4 different people replying to my emails!!

 

[DarlingDumbo]

I had (I think) 4 different people replying to my emails!!

well there goes my theory!

 

[jmkrat]

Does anyone know if maybe certain CMs are assigned to certain families? I ask this because the service isn't consistent even within the same hotel and also the same CM replies to all of my emails no matter when they're sent. Just a guess

Last year I asked for them to sign their e-mails, because I never knew who to respond too. They said they didn't do it because they didn't want guests t address to one CM, then the pool of CM's couldn't answer the e-mails. This year I got my one e-mail signed. The original IPO letter was sent, I believe, by an automated system. I received the same generated one from the Boardwalk. It just said welcome with an itinerary and the different concierge e-mail addresses. I did just send my 3rd e-mail, I wish I could find out if Calvin is still working Contemporary IPO, he was amazing. They seem to switch resorts from time to time.

 

[DarlingDumbo]

I wish I could find out if Calvin is still working Contemporary IPO, he was amazing.

Calvin is still at the CR, he is who I am working with now.

 

[Dis Ohana]

Calvin from GF seems to respond to all my emails, he's been wonderful to work with. He sent me an email to welcome us, then asked for our mailing address. He sent a package via Fedex with all kinds of maps and information about WDW and the resort.

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

Calvin from GF seems to respond to all my emails, he's been wonderful to work with. He sent me an email to welcome us, then asked for our mailing address. He sent a package via Fedex with all kinds of maps and information about WDW and the resort.

that's great! It seems like all club level guests should get a package like that...not just based on who you're working with! Glad you got something cool though!

 

[penlanspice]

Has anyone had any issues with the IPO team getting back to them from the Contemporary?

I had major problems at the end of last year with the IPO at CR, I was planning my wedding and wanted a little help from them with the ADR's etc and they were less than useless. I had to make the initial contact and then it took them 3 weeks to get back to me, I must have had the worst CM there!! They were really rude and abrupt. Luckily I kept my emails and then contacted a manager who was very helpful and they put me in touch with a lady at the GF and she was a dream to work with.

I agree we should all get the same service, many of us are spending thousands of $$ for these privilages.


Got to admit though I have been emailing this week with Don from AKL and he seems quite good and willing to help.
Lets just hope it stays that way.

Sam

 

[ksc37]

Maybe the more responsive CM's are on vacation .

Actually, I thought that also... it is a big vacation week. Either way, I hope you start seeing some improvement. This is one of the main benefits of paying extra $$$ for the concierge level.

 

[lyeag]

Has anyone had any issues with the IPO team getting back to them from the Contemporary? This was a problem that I thought was solved last year. I am not hearing from the Contemporary IPO staff about my New Years Eve reservations. The told me my 180 day mark was July 2, and did not let me book adr's at 190 days. I sent them a filled out itinerary over a week ago and have not heard anything. I have since sent 2 more e-mails, and still nothing. I hope this isn't going to be a problem again. I wouldn't care so much, but I was told to make my New Year's Eve dinner ADR's quickly. I am very polite and nice when I write them. I just as them to get back to me asap.

Yes. We stayed Atrium Club this past December. I could not get responses for my ADR requests. When my 180 day mark came, I had no idea if they were recieved, let alone made. I waited a few days and then made them myself. I really wanted to get MM Fantasmic dinner package, but they were already booked up for any of the times I wanted, so I had to settle for H&V. I did try to get them to check for openings later, but I doubt they did, as I never heard another word about it.

My travel agent (we had a AAA package) made a few calls and I eventually did get phone calls from the IPO, but not until well after I took things into my own hands. If I had waited, I am not sure we would have been able to eat where we really wanted as it was so close to Christmas.

I do want to say, once we arrived everything was WONDERFUL. The CR staff was great. My dd lost a tooth while we were there, and she showed it to one of the ladies at the concierge desk. That night, the same lady motioned to have me stop to talk to her. She handed my a princess Minnie plush doll, a Cinderella jewelry box, and 5 Disney Dollars to leave from the Tooth Fairy. I was amazed!!! We don't normally stay so extravagantly, so I was shocked, and stated I was touched and I wanted to pay for the items, but she said it was all part of having fun in her job! It made up for the dining issues!

 

[jmkrat]

I did send e-mail number 3 last night we will see what happens. I stayed last year and I agree the actual CM's at the Contemporary are wonderful. I had one tell me that some of them actually read these boards. It is nice to know that they pay attention to what is said. Perhaps the IPO office should read these boards as well. It is not all of them, but I have stayed at a few concierge resorts at Disney and this is the only one that I have trouble with. Is Calvin with GF now? I don't know if the GF CM's can help the Contemporary guests. If he is still at the Comtemporary, I will request him.

 

[honeymo78]

While we aren't staying on CL floor at CR we do have the Platinum package that includes the pre-planning service. Judy took care of all of our ADRs promptly. Just waiting on our illuminations cruise now. But a quick question for you vets - can they book watersports for us, like parasailing and jet skis from the CR marina?

 

[chasgoose]

I just want to make sure that the e-mail on the first page (wdw.contemporary.concierge@disney.com) is the right address to contact the Contemporary IPO office. My ADR window opens on Wednesday and I want to send off a quick e-mail this weekend with my requests so I can get that done and out of the way.

Also, is there a way we can request Calvin to help us? He sounds like he would be good.