Was he within his rights as a resort guest?

[goodferry]

I have mixed feelings about this issue...
On the one hand, I have stayed at the Poly before, I know how much it costs to stay there, if you are spending $6-7,000 on a vacation, I think it is your responsiblity to do some research, I know I did and that's how I ended up here. Now I am not saying that everyone should be on the Dis, no, but there are PLENTY of guidebooks out there and they all say the same thing, make your ADRs, especially during the holidays, or you are not going to eat at a sit down restaurant. If you are willing to spend that kind of money on a vacation and not do any research, no matter where you are going, you are kind of an idiot and maybe deserve what you end up with. Try showing up on a cruise and saying you didn't know you had to book the excursions in advance...
So, on the other hand, I do wish that Disney had a deluxe resort that was a little more private, where guests from Fort Wilderness who are paying $40 a night weren't coming over for a swim and taking over the pool chairs, where you don't have trouble getting a dinner seating because you can't have dinner there unless you are a resort guest and where you didn't have to sit in the sand to watch the fireworks because guests who aren't even staying on property, have taken up residence in the hammocks. Nothing to do with entitlement just with a level of service on par with the rates they are charging.
So I guess that what I am saying is that I hear what this guy is saying, but what he is expecting from the resort is not the reality right now. I have a feeling that management must agree with him to a point because I have seen a guest make a HUGE stink at Crystal Palace and the management there turned him away flat. Same argument, "do you know what I paid to get in here and my family can't find anywhere to eat." They pointed him to Casey's and explained that all these other people had reservations. This guy was still yelling 25 minutes later, but he did not get a table...and he was making a huge stink.

 

[goodferry]

I have mixed feelings about this issue...
On the one hand, I have stayed at the Poly before, I know how much it costs to stay there, if you are spending $6-7,000 on a vacation, I think it is your responsiblity to do some research, I know I did and that's how I ended up here. Now I am not saying that everyone should be on the Dis, no, but there are PLENTY of guidebooks out there and they all say the same thing, make your ADRs, especially during the holidays, or you are not going to eat at a sit down restaurant. If you are willing to spend that kind of money on a vacation and not do any research, no matter where you are going, you are kind of an idiot and maybe deserve what you end up with. Try showing up on a cruise and saying you didn't know you had to book the excursions in advance...
So, on the other hand, I do wish that Disney had a deluxe resort that was a little more private, where guests from Fort Wilderness who are paying $40 a night weren't coming over for a swim and taking over the pool chairs, where you don't have trouble getting a dinner seating because you can't have dinner there unless you are a resort guest and where you didn't have to sit in the sand to watch the fireworks because guests who aren't even staying on property, have taken up residence in the hammocks. Nothing to do with entitlement just with a level of service on par with the rates they are charging.
So I guess that what I am saying is that I hear what this guy is saying, but what he is expecting from the resort is not the reality right now. I have a feeling that management must agree with him to a point because I have seen a guest make a HUGE stink at Crystal Palace and the management there turned him away flat. Same argument, "do you know what I paid to get in here and my family can't find anywhere to eat." They pointed him to Casey's and explained that all these other people had reservations. This guy was still yelling 25 minutes later, but he did not get a table...and he was making a huge stink.

 

[maxiesmom]

Goodferry--What you are suggesting as far as a more private deluxe resort would only benefit those who have $$$$$$ dollars to spend. And I'm thinking that most of the people who have that kind of money are already reaping the same benefits as your mythical resort would give them. Like the celebrities who get to line cut. I'm sure any celebrity who wanted a table at the Kona Kafe would get one, no matter how booked they are. They just don't post about it here.

I'm not sure if anyone else has had this idea, if they have, forgive me. But maybe Disney could give people with reservations at each resort a 10 day head start on dining reservations? Say you are staying at the Poly. You could book either restaurant 190 days out, and the rest of your dining 180 days out. That would at least help those who like to plan in advance. And maybe if you do plan closer to your vacation when you book you could be told what times are availabe at your home restaruants, so you could book them then?

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I think I would be irritated to have a friend who wouldn't soundly denounce her husband's self-absorbed, childish, highly inappropriate behavior in a restaurant...and I'd tell her so! I'd have been so embarrassed I'd have left my husband standing there making a scene and gone back to the room (but my dh would NEVER do anything like that...he'd rather die than cause a public scene)! I'd also tell her it was their own dang (but not use that word, lol) fault they didn't make ADRs like a told them to.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I think I would be irritated to have a friend who wouldn't soundly denounce her husband's self-absorbed, childish, highly inappropriate behavior in a restaurant...and I'd tell her so! I'd have been so embarrassed I'd have left my husband standing there making a scene and gone back to the room (but my dh would NEVER do anything like that...he'd rather die than cause a public ruckus)! I'd also tell her it was their own dang (but not use that word, lol) fault they didn't make ADRs like I told them to.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Not everyone who dines at Disney posts on the Dis....
it is quite possible there were tables for guests....a few...and they
were gone....

I understand that not everyone who visits WDW posts on Disboards. All I said was if WDW did have a rule to hold tables back at restaurants for guests staying there, you would think someone would find that out and the information would eventually make it on the internet.

So, on the other hand, I do wish that Disney had a deluxe resort that was a little more private, where guests from Fort Wilderness who are paying $40 a night weren't coming over for a swim and taking over the pool chairs, where you don't have trouble getting a dinner seating because you can't have dinner there unless you are a resort guest and where you didn't have to sit in the sand to watch the fireworks because guests who aren't even staying on property, have taken up residence in the hammocks. Nothing to do with entitlement just with a level of service on par with the rates they are charging.

The thing about that is guests who stay at Fort Wilderness can not pool hopp to the Polynesian. The only guests who can legally do that are DVC members if they are staying on points and they need to get permission before doing this. However I do agree that after staying at the Polynesian things like the hammocks and everything else on the beach should be reserved for guests that are staying there. I think there was a total of 4 hammocks and besides those there was 2 or 3 swinning chairs and some deck chairs along the beach. I know if non Polynesian guests were to use them it would not be considered pool hopping, however if the Polynesian guests can not use them whenever they want and someone who is not staying there is using them, how is that fair?

 

[Aliceacc]

I think there's a huge difference between getting a table at a restaurant (for which we pay extra) and getting a hammock or use of the pool (which is included in the price of the room.)

I would be fine with having to show a room key to use the pool or the other resort facilities.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would be fine with having to show a room key to use the pool or the other resort facilities.

I agree with you 100% about that and I would also not mind having to my KTTW card to ensure only guests where I am staying are getting full use of the Resort facilities.

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

I briefly skimmed through this thread so I apologize if this has been mentioned before. A few posters have used the word "right" in referring to what this "gentleman" should have recieved as a paying guest of the Poly... even in the title is the word "right". But we seem to be forgetting that going to Disney or anywhere on vacation at all is a "privilege" not a "right". Going to a restaurant is a "privilege" not a "right". The only thing that the Polynesian had to provide was a safe, clean, habitable hotel room for the time that they were visiting. If anything the manager that gave him the table only acted as an enabler and proved to this guest that if he screams loud enough and long enough he should get whatever he wants.... which in my mind is unacceptable.

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

I briefly skimmed through this thread so I apologize if this has been mentioned before. A few posters have used the word "right" in referring to what this "gentleman" should have recieved as a paying guest of the Poly... even in the title is the word "right". But we seem to be forgetting that going to Disney or anywhere on vacation at all is a "privilege" not a "right". Going to a restaurant is a "privilege" not a "right". The only thing that the Polynesian had to provide was a safe, clean, habitable hotel room for the time that they were visiting. If anything the manager that gave him the table only acted as an enabler and proved to this guest that if he screams loud enough and long enough he should get whatever he wants.... which in my mind is unacceptable.

 

[sandym718]

The only thing that the Polynesian had to provide was a safe, clean, habitable hotel room for the time that they were visiting. QUOTE]


I agree with most of your post (definitely an sense of overentitlement in this country!!). However, I would say that the Polynesian has to provide anything that it advertises it provides, within reason (ie. pool closures for repair, etc). You can pay a lot less for just a clean, safe hotel room, at the Poly you're paying for a lot of other conveniences too. Whatever a hotel advertises it has, that's what they are required to provide, again with reason. for example, pool facilities, free parking, etc. etc.

That said, Disney/Poly definitely does NOT advertise that resort guests are guaranteed a seat at Kona or any restaurant, so they are NOT required to provide that and to expect otherwise would definitely be wrong!

 

[distherapy]

I'm not sure if anyone else has had this idea, if they have, forgive me. But maybe Disney could give people with reservations at each resort a 10 day head start on dining reservations? Say you are staying at the Poly. You could book either restaurant 190 days out, and the rest of your dining 180 days out. That would at least help those who like to plan in advance. And maybe if you do plan closer to your vacation when you book you could be told what times are availabe at your home restaruants, so you could book them then?

They actually do this already - You can reserve earlier than 180 days if you are a resort guest. I think it is actually 190 days, but can't recall for sure. It may be 180 days + how many days you are staying...

 

[summerlandjeff]

So let's see... What if he walked into a restuarant in his town and was told that the place was booked and that everyone was from out of town, would he also flip because he's "paying big money" to live in that town and therefore should have priority seating???

Gimmee a break!

Some one else talked about the squeeky wheel, sounds more like the snotty heel!

 

[mickiecake]

I think he should have been turned away. Or, better yet, they should have taken him to Guest Services, and made them stand there while they called WDW DINE and made them an ADR for later in their trip...

 

[ohiodad]

I think he was being a jerk. Just because you stayed at the hotel doesn't give you any more rights to eat there than anyone else. There's alot of people who paid good money to get into the parks and dont get to eat at the restaurant's because they didn't get an ADR, same thing.

 

[LilGMom]

They actually do this already - You can reserve earlier than 180 days if you are a resort guest. I think it is actually 190 days, but can't recall for sure. It may be 180 days + how many days you are staying...

If staying at a WDW resort you can call at 180 days out from your check-in date and make ADRs for the first ten days of your trip.

 

[loco4dis]

All this outrage over this man's "sense of entitlement" really makes me laugh. A "sense of entitlement" suggests that one has done or contributed no more or no less than anyone else, and therefore is not "entitled." However, in this case, I think it's reasonable for someone to believe that they have purchased some entitlement by paying for a $400/night room where others are paying as little as $59/night. Like it or not, this man has purchased more "entitlement" than someone staying at a value resort. I'm sure that was his expectation, and it is a wholly reasonable expectation. I'm sure each and every one of us has had a time in our life when we've fought to get the value of something we paid for – particularly something expensive – when we felt its value had been diminished or that our hefty financial investment wasn't being recognized. Don't hate the guy just because he has money for goodness sake.

 

[Markstudy]

All this outrage over this man's "sense of entitlement" really makes me laugh. .

This man is a jerk because he (his wife) was told by a good friend that they needed to make plans.... and their reaction was-
.... "NO NOT US"

-Was he thinking right from day one...we don't play by the rules!
-We're big spenders...we don't care
-We don't need advice from our friends, we know better

This man and his wife made mistakes before they ever got to the Poly. Then they followed up mistake number one, with blame Disney (that mistake #2 in my book) instead of admitting that they screwed up (and asking for some help or advice)...instead of yelling like a bully and crying like a baby.

I don't know how you can book a trip...without hearing from the booking agent or reading on your trip plans when they come in the mail.... "please make ADR's up to 180 days out". I was told this by no less than 5 different people as I booked my up-coming trip.

 

[sandym718]

All this outrage over this man's "sense of entitlement" really makes me laugh. A "sense of entitlement" suggests that one has done or contributed no more or no less than anyone else, and therefore is not "entitled." However, in this case, I think it's reasonable for someone to believe that they have purchased some entitlement by paying for a $400/night room where others are paying as little as $59/night. Like it or not, this man has purchased more "entitlement" than someone staying at a value resort. I'm sure that was his expectation, and it is a wholly reasonable expectation. I'm sure each and every one of us has had a time in our life when we've fought to get the value of something we paid for – particularly something expensive – when we felt its value had been diminished or that our hefty financial investment wasn't being recognized. Don't hate the guy just because he has money for goodness sake.

I disagree - he thought he was "entitled" to something he was not. Doesn't matter how much he spent on rooms at the Poly. Those rooms, that price, do NOT come with guaranteed restaurant seating at Kona. We stayed at the Poly, and will again, and never once thought we "should" get priority in seating at the restaurants. We had an ADR for Kona, did not eat at Ohana's - we're going to try that next time. I certainly wouldn't have dreamed of going up to Ohana and assuming I could be seated. And, it definitely wasn't Christmas week!!

Yes, I've definitely fought before to get the value of something I"ve paid for. My last vehicle was 1 "under" in repairs within the timeframe to be considered a Lemon. Try buying a $32,000 vehicle and having it not start at all with 450 miles on it!! And being in the shop repeatedly in the first year, yeah, frustrating. But, in that case, I PAID for a car that would run. This guy, and anyone staying at the Poly, did NOT pay for guaranteed seating at Kona. That is NOT in the "value of what he paid for"

 

[maxiesmom]

They actually do this already - You can reserve earlier than 180 days if you are a resort guest. I think it is actually 190 days, but can't recall for sure. It may be 180 days + how many days you are staying...

Maybe I didn't explain it well. What I mean is you get an extra 10 days to book the restaurants at your own resort. If you are staying at the Contemprary, you could book those restaurants only at 190 days. And the rest of your restaurants at 180 days. Kind of a 10 day head start for your resorts restaurants.