VERY ANGRY at DCL!!!RE: Air travel SOLVED:UPDATE ON PAGE 4

[dis4me]

Wow $100 for standby That stinks.
Anyway Tim and Kam I am glad you got everything worked out.I am sure you and your children will have a great cruise. It is unfortunate that you had to call on a higher up"contact" However as you didi I would have done whatever it took to take care of it. You are a Disney customer regardless of whether the trip was won or you paid.As your wife stated nothing in life is free.
Have a great cruise!!
PS Beano I think that is very nice of you to step up and offer to help with the ressies.Good for you.

 

[MarkRG]

After reading all 4 pages on this subject, I've only a few comments.

I am extremely glad that this sad mess has been straightened out.

I am dismayed the extent that had to be gone to to get it straightened out.


To me the whole position they took is unacceptible and why so many companies have cost overruns. Example: Flights get in late. Costs in rushing people over to the port. Costs in leaving port late. Ship fuel costs in having to rush to make the first stop ontime due to the late departure. Or, worst case, extra flight costs in getting people to join the ship at first port of call. When the easier solution is to make sure the blocks of flights they get are all early enough in the day to guarantee everyone gets over ontime in the first place. Save a penny, pay a pound. A very backwards way of doing things.

And not counting all the unnecessary stress on the people who are supossed to be the ones being served in the first place.

I know this one is a freebie, so there was no choice in the matter, but it is a real example of why we do flights ourselves for every trip.

 

[Tluvs2talk]

HURRAY!!!! Glad to see it is now resolved. happy Cruising.

 

[pal2pluto]

EXCELLENT!!! I'm so happy it has worked out for you!!! And I'm still jealous !

 

[BeanoC]

As a wise man once said, "I love it when a plan comes together!"


I don't care whether you're in the Walt Disney Suite or on a 'free' cruise, no one deserves that treatment. But you know what, Kamy? Problem solved, so we'll be moving on now!!!

Have a beer, relax and shake it off. Get back into "Oh-my-God-I-am-so-excited-I-can't-wait-to-cruise" mode!!!

It's all smiles from here on out. Ready???


'Beano'

 

[gottaluvdisney]

I think this forum is used for people to express their own thoughts, opinions, tips and strategies. I really can see this on both sides. I have been a contest winner before and flew to CA from OH on a double connection thru Atlanta and Dallas - I guess the company had to use Delta and couldn't do non-stops....I didn't complain as to me it was a 'free trip' that I wouldn't have taken otherwise. It included air, hotel and a few meals. This is just MY way of thinking. Did I enjoy myself yes, would I have enjoyed a non-stop flight, of course I would have, but I was glad to be going. Again this is just me and the way I choose to take things as they come accross my table of life.

I am glad to see that things worked out for you Kamy.

Now I think when DCL gets their own airline then they will be able to fly their flights and get space on what ever times they want to fly. Shall we switch this over to the debate board!! LOL ---Should DCL get into the airline business!!! LOL!! I was a travel agent in the past and I know how it is to 'request' space from the airlines for groups of people. The airlines may not have wanted to give up the space on the earlier flight for the DCL group --Just a thought.

Can't wait to read your trip report when you return.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Originally posted by GoofyDisney


S maybe we could just get back to supporting Kamgen in her frustration and offering positive solutions.

I'm sorry, I don't think that you are correct about us not being "boardlike." Kamgen posted a message on this board, which is a public board and people responded. Maybe everyone didn't respond with *HUGS* and maybe everyone didn't agree with her, but that is the nature of posting something on a board where anyone can respond.

I am certianly NOT advocating that this message should turn into a debate thread, but I think that some people have posted their opinions and their suggestions to Kamgen's situation and she explained her view very well in return. There was no arguement or negativity at all that I saw. Simply a few people who had different views. That, to me, is very boardlike.

Kathy

 

[bgurden]

We are flying to orlando on october 10. we booked our flights in february of this year. At that time northwest was very booked for the earliest flights. i spoke to ticket agents who told me that columbus weekend is indeed a big travel time as it is a long weekend. we had to fly spirit airlines in order to get a 7 am fllight.

 

[garyss7]

The best advice I can give after having taken cruise 2 years ago with disney booking the airfair is do it yourself and come the night before the cruise. Disney had us on an early (8am) flight and we had to get up at 4am to get to airport. I'm sure it's much worse now. Kids were real tired first day and not feeling well because they were so tired. This time we are flying down friday night and staying at Hyatt in Orlando Airport. Have a great cruise, I'm glad everything worked for you! Cheers, Gary

 

[shmoogrrrl]

kamgen,

I'm glad everything got worked out for you all. I guess it really does pay to be niceto people around you because you never know who you are going to meet! Have a blast on the trip and a dip in the Hot Tub for me!

Kathy

 

[aalan]

i am glad it all worked out. its a shame they had to ask a favor to get what they wanted. i'm sorry, but when disney gets them there in less time than what they reccomend in their own brochure, that just sucks. nobody needs that stress. the fact that it was free has NOTHING to do with it. a warning to all: if you let disney book your airfare, you will get POOR service and RUDE people. it happened to us as well last year. book your own airfare, fly in the night before, and dont stress. dont get me wrong, my wife and i love disney trips, but this is one area where they dont even get close to having any "magic."

 

[Doctor P]

I'm so glad it worked out, Tim and Kamy! Have a great cruise!

 

[Doctor P]

FWIW, there is a difference between going standby and getting on an earlier flight with a non-change, non-refundable ticket. If there is space on the earlier flight, and you are there in plenty of time, most airlines at the ticket counter will put you on the earlier flight without charge. For every person they move to an earlier flight (when they clearly have space) they create an extra space that can be used to accomodate later passengers who may have been bumped or overbooked. I have found airlines to be EXTREMELY cooperative, even after September 11. The big thing, though, is that you need to do this up front at the ticket counter so that your luggage is matched with you right away. I am, therefore, not panicking about the $100 fee as that is a slightly different situation.

 

[kamgen]

Good morning everyone! Man, do I feel better!!!

My dh is the best. He took care of it, because I was way too stressed out after dealing with rude cast members. I guess I take it to heart when Disney cast members behave that way.

So, we are due to arrive at 9:30am, which gives us time to run late! LOL!

Thanks to everyone who posted....I appreciate having a forum to get opinions, advice, and having a place to vent!

And Beano-yes I am excited!! We are cruising soon!!

Kamy

 

[Luckymommyx2]

I've been reading this thread from the beginning and more than one concern has arisen. First, let me say that I'm so happy that things worked out in the end but there should have never been a problem in the first place. There was absolutely no excuse for the kind of treatment they dished to Karry. Occasionally I've read the WDW resort/park threads and it appears that the customer service is going right out the window. I thought that DCL was different. I'm really, really hoping that this is an isolated incident and that DCL is not going the way of WDW in lack of "magic"!! Anyone with words of reassurance speak up now!

 

[ennazus]

Kamy,

As a planner myself, I would have also been very upset with a flight arriving at 1:00 PM on the day the cruise ship leaves port. I totally understand!! I would have been sick with worry and it would NOT have been a good start for a vacation.

I'm glad that Tim was able to 'get to the top of this' and that you were able to get an earlier flight. It's a shame that it had to go that far!!!

 

[Eloise@the Plaza]

that is awful! What about arriving early at the airport for the 7am flight to fly stand-by?

You have got about an hour's drive time to get to the port once you are on the bus. That flight really will not work.

Make a fuss, and yell, they'll get you on an earlier flight- I am a former New Yorker, yell!

 

[Chattyaholic]

to buzz&woody'smom: I wanted to send a private message but that wasn't an option, and you didn't give your e-mail address in your profile so I couldn't do that either, so I will respond here instead. You said that "those of us who think she should deal with it and adjust her attitude should adjust our own" and that "if we don't have anything nice to say then don't post"....
sorry but I respectfully disagree with that. Anyone, not just the original poster, who posts here in this public forum opens themselves up for comments/responses from people who don't necessarily have the same opinion they do, that's just part of being a public message board. Name calling, being rude, etc. is unnecessary, but just stating a difference of opinion is to be expected here.
I'm glad the original poster was able to get things worked out to her satisfaction, but when I made my original comments I just didn't see the big deal about it when the cruise was FREE!! If I'm PAYING for a cruise and don't get the flight schedule I want then I might complain about it and try to change it, but if I won a FREE cruise I would just "go with the flow" and be HAPPY I WON IT!!!
That's just MY opinion. We are ALL entitled to our own opinions and to share them on these boards.

 

[kamgen]

I don't want everyone to get all upset here. I appreciate ALL the comments I have received here and I am quite certain not all of us share ALL opinions on Disney. LOL!

I will touch on the topic once again that this is NOT a free trip by any stretch of the imagination. The minute you miss work (and you don't have any vacation days, hence lose pay) the trip starts to cost. The minute the IRS sends us the forms to fill out and claim this as INCOME, the trips starts to cost. And the minute we pay the REQUIRED tips, the trip starts to cost.
Yes, we won this trip off the radio. Yes, we are SOOOO Grateful and HAPPY!!! But, again, nothing in life is free. I just feel that to use the "free cruise" rationale doesn't make sense. No matter if you spend $0 or $10,000 on something, you should be treated the same and not have to just "go with the flow" because of the price or lack of.

JMHO.

No flames to anyone. Just doing as we are supposed to do here...post our feelings and opinions and share our insights.

Thanks,
Kamy

P.S. I am really happy to be going and thankful I was chosen!!!

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

You just proved my point......she was already upset enough, yes being truthful and honest is always right but my motto is when someone is already upset don't add to it, sometimes people need to vent, but then you won't see that I am sure. Nothing is ever free and I would expect the same quality service is I were paying $10,000 or having won free cruise.

Have a great day and I hope all of your plans work out just right