WDW cancelled our castle dinner?

[Accident]

Also might cut down on the people who feel the need to book CRT or BOG multiple days during their trip until they finalize their plans and release them.

I hate the horders but to be honest, now that I live here and do everything same day it does open up the best things for same day and walk up so i'm mixed. as a traveler I hated it.

 

[Nancyg56]

I understand the terms and conditions but it all stems down from the fact that Disney cancelled a reservation to create reservations for something to make more money and that is just morally wrong.

I was not insinuating that you did not know and understand the terms and conditions. I was taking issue with your characterization of a poster who related his opinions of the situation and used the T&C as his reasoning. We all do not need to agree with how this was handled, but I think that we should not declare those whose opinions differ do not know or understand customers service.

 

[perditax]

Somebody should let the new outlets in the orlando area know what is going on. This is not right. People plan this out and its normal a highlight of a lot of people vacation. I remember as a little boy so 35 years ago getting to eat at the castle was a big deal to me . I even got engaged at the castle around 17 years ago. And we visit it once a year for dinner. My son first experince was this year and loved the sword he was given. I am so sorry to the people that been bumped. Shame on you Disney

https://twitter.com/journo_christal?lang=en

 

[Accident]

https://twitter.com/journo_christal?lang=en

ok I'll ask.. what should we do with this twitter url? did you try to link to sentinel with an article or mention because that's just the 1 twitter user coming up.

 

[perditax]

ok I'll ask.. what should we do with this twitter url? did you try to link to sentinel with an article or mention because that's just the 1 twitter user coming up.

Giving an example of a way to get ahold of a Sentinel reporter.

 

[Kaytie]

Giving an example of a way to get ahold of a Sentinel reporter.

Curious why you think the Sentinel isn't already aware of it?

 

[perditax]

Curious why you think the Sentinel isn't already aware of it?

Here's what just happened:

Several people on a prior page mentioned wishing the local news would look into the story. I know a lot of reporters are on Twitter these days and will accept public outreach in that medium, so I looked for one from the Sentinel and linked it. In other words--you can contact a reporter as easily as you can post about wishing someone would do it.

When this invariably turns into a referendum on whether the story is newsworthy, I won't be participating. I was just providing some info that people may not have known in terms of getting the attention of reporters.

 

[Kaytie]

In what universe is this understandable. The only reason this had a happy outcome is the op had a spine and pushed back on the first offer.

I don't disagree that the OP has a spine, but saying "Thhose choices aren't acceptable" isn't 'pushing back.' It's dealing with a disappointing situation as an adult

Exactly. And how many people believed the original lie the first CM told that it was an operational issue.

Guessing between zero and 30 of the affected diners believed the statement the first c allergy was authorized to provide.

the elderly couple celebrating their anniversary because their proposal happened here? Or wedding? Or always wanted to but FINALLY CAN.....and they know in their heart it's their last anniversary together

WDW is 45 years old. I hope you're not referring to people in their 60s as elderly.

For those blasting those who have been affected, go get a hobby. One day you'll be in their shoes, and something that means a lot will be taken from you.

Could you provide the post numbers where those affected are being blasted, please? The only person affected in this thread is the OP, and i haven't seen anyone blast him.

You are correct; it could have been an honest mistake by average folks who work for Disney. Still...if that's the case...they could have called the $500 per plate folks and canceled their meal. Wonder why they didn't go that route?

If they're having the event monthly, there likely isn't anywhere [else] actually 'available' for January.

They contacted everyone that had a reservation that evening and told them that their reservations were being cancelled. I

Well, according to the OP who got the information from the guest services agent who resolved his situation, 30 parties - far from everyone who had a reservation that evening - were affected/contacted.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

WDW is 45 years old. I hope you're not referring to people in their 60s as elderly

Who says the people weren't 50 years old when they got married? or 100?
The poster was making a passionate point, I got that, you seem very caught up in semantics.

If they're having the event monthly, there likely isn't anywhere [else] actually 'available' for January.

In my opinion, that's Disney's own fault. It's not the guest fault. Stop having crazy 180 day reservation windows..... and problem solved.

Could you provide the post numbers where those affected are being blasted, please? The only person affected in this thread is the OP, and i haven't seen anyone blast him

No thank you. I choose not to single out those posters. I was asking for more understanding by follow posters, my point stands.

 

[Disney_traveler]

Thank you @disneyland_is_magic !

As for @Kaytie the Merriam-Webster gives the following definitions for elderly:
A: rather old; especially: being past middle age
B: old-fashioned

Unless the current average life span is at least 120 years, I think someone being in their 60s does qualify as elderly according to that definition.

 

[ArielSRL]

There's a thread on that one with the whole story from announcement to recent resolution.

edit: starts here: http://www.disboards.com/threads/highway-in-the-sky-dine-around-with-wishes-viewing-area.3563105/

Thank you!

 

[AKNOTTS66]

I was not insinuating that you did not know and understand the terms and conditions. I was taking issue with your characterization of a poster who related his opinions of the situation and used the T&C as his reasoning. We all do not need to agree with how this was handled, but I think that we should not declare those whose opinions differ do not know or understand customers service.

Well when someone cites the terms and conditions like that and doesn't take into account how it truly affects the customer I do believe its wrong. It's the difference between a company that truly values its customers and treats them special or one that looks at them like just numbers and the later was how I took TheRustyScrappers reply. Just citing the terms and conditions and not thinking how it affects the families that booked CRT during those days to only found out that Disney catered to $$$. Disney should have known and planned for this before allowing families too make an ADR then decide to make a $$$VIP event. It may have been harsh on someone so valued to the disboards as TheRustyScrapper but his reply was rather cold to me.

 

[MamaBelle4]

WDW is 45 years old. I hope you're not referring to people in their 60s as elderly.

My parents married in 1974 and honeymooned in Disney World.

My father is 67 and my mother is 64. They are both long term smokers and my father had juvenile diabetes. So, yes, I consider them elderly. They've been to Disney 3 times and never dined at the castle. If I am able to get them to go with us in 2019, I plan on making it a priority. Then my father will be 70 and my mother 67.

People get married at different ages. If someone proposed at the age of 30 in 1971, when WDW opened, they would be 75 now, and that certainly is elderly.

 

[Farro]

Don't worry, the older you get, the older the cut off point for elderly is (amazing how that works). When I was 30 I thought 65 was old....

I'm 43, my parents are a sprightly 78. To me, elderly is over 85.

 

[Masonmj84]

Regardless of Disney's legal obligations in this situation, I 100% agree with posters that have opined that cancelling someone's reservation (made long in advance at one of the most unique and popular restaurants on property) in order to make a last minute money grab is just really, really poor business.

If you're going to have a system that asks people to make reservations 180 days in advance then you should, as a matter of policy and good business practice, not bump existing reservations for things that are under your control.

And even if you've made a business decision to operate under lower standards by dishonoring someone's reservation in order to make a few short-term extra bucks, as a matter of policy and good business practice, you should do your utmost to mitigate the damage to the affected customer by bending over backwards on their behalf (for example, in this particular situation, good business practice, IMO, would involve at least some amount of comping, e.g., paying for their CRT meal at a different time or, as an alterntive, paying for dinner at a signature restaurant of the customer's choice).

This situation has made me nervous about my own ADRs as well as to second guess the frequency of my return visits to WDW.

 

[Tinker06]

I didnt read all the replies, but it seems as if Disney had a change in their schedule and went above and beyond to remedy the situation. (Offering a breakfast or lunch that day, and then changing to another day and lining it up with a new BBB reservation) Disney did not HAVE to do that according to their terms & conditions, but DIsney is good at trying their very best to please the guest. If they did that with OP they probably did that with all guests. I think this post makes Disney look good in that they want to please everyone even when there is a wrench in scheduling, unlike how everyone else is seeing it that Disney was out to throw 30 families under the bus for some cash. They remedied the situation, way to go Disney, end of story.

 

[Lisa F]

I can't possibly imagine what the news story would be here: "Disney rearranges 30 families' dinners at Cinderella's Royal Table to accommodate fancy hard ticket event"
what would be in the text? Disney recently contacted 30 families to see if they would be willing to move their CRT ADR earlier in the day. Those that could not were accommodated at dinnertime on another day.

This is hardly worth the time it would take to write it. If they had just issued cancellations and done nothing for anyone sure... that is HUGELY bad PR. But this?

For those pointing out that people could HAVE to eat at CRT on that day due to an anniversary... I'm sure if Disney called some 65 year old who was proposed to on her 21st birthday ON THAT DAY and she said "but oh my, that is both my birthday and my anniversary.. and my husband is terminally ill and this will be our last anniversary together" that Disney would bend over backwards to make something special happen for them, even if it is not a 6:50PM CRT ADR. But no one under those circumstances is reporting that so let's just assume that whoever they moved were able to be accommodated at alternate times and days.

I am not arguing the douchey-ness of scheduling this thing, only saying that once the deed had been done Disney seems to have been handling it correctly and anyone who argues otherwise is being pretty unreasonable. Yes it would have been better to have never been an issue, but since it is, offering people that day earlier in the day, an alternate restaurant at the same time and then on a case by case basis moving it to another night and moving other plans to accommodate is pretty much the right thing to do.

 

[Nancyg56]

For those pointing out that people could HAVE to eat at CRT on that day due to an anniversary... I'm sure if Disney called some 65 year old who was proposed to on her 21st birthday ON THAT DAY and she said "but oh my, that is both my birthday and my anniversary.. and my husband is terminally ill and this will be our last anniversary together" that Disney would bend over backwards to make something special happen for them, even if it is not a 6:50PM CRT ADR. But no one under those circumstances is reporting that so let's just assume that whoever they moved were able to be accommodated at alternate times and days.
.

I agree, and would bet you a buck that under a circumstance that you pointed out, or other very special once in a CRT lifetime, Disney would probably have just invited the couple to the meal.

I am not going to suggest this event should have trumped those already booked, and have not done so. I am suggesting that Disney does bend over backwards to make right a wrong they have done, and if we had he chance to quiz all those involved, I would bet they were made whole in one way or another.

 

[Disney_traveler]

I quit after this. Our point isn't fixated on whether or not "Disney made it right" but on the principle that it happened at all.

 

[Accident]

I didnt read all the replies, but it seems as if Disney had a change in their schedule and went above and beyond to remedy the situation. (Offering a breakfast or lunch that day, and then changing to another day and lining it up with a new BBB reservation) Disney did not HAVE to do that according to their terms & conditions, but DIsney is good at trying their very best to please the guest. If they did that with OP they probably did that with all guests. I think this post makes Disney look good in that they want to please everyone even when there is a wrench in scheduling, unlike how everyone else is seeing it that Disney was out to throw 30 families under the bus for some cash. They remedied the situation, way to go Disney, end of story.

There's a major piece your missing. Disney didn't actually bend over backwards it took those diners being kicked out complaining after 2 unacceptable options were given to get someone with the ability to change anything in their schedule to make it fit and nothing else lost. Then that doesn't take into account that means they now overbooked other things which means there is a domino effect of peopel who have nothing to do with this that will now experience dining delays and other things because they had to fit them into it..

And then of course we have the fact that just moving the expensive dinner 30 minutes later would have displaced absolutely no one and still kept the "after hours dining experience" a true after hours dining experience. Or they could have just not booked 2 things in the same place in the first place and picked a better date...

They didn't think of the guest experience at all and could have easily had the money from both the normal dinners and special event diners with minor tweak or just caring in the first place. So it's not over because something else will be next, and then next and then next and then we'll all be talking about "oh that's just disney and how they do things, it's not 2010s anymore".... I am not ok that any of my plans mean nothing anymore.. i'm ok if something happens and they have to displace me for safety reasons. I'm not ok that I can be displaced if I don't pay more money.

Anyhow I think this ends my posting in this thread.. You can be relaxed and happy with the situation, i'll fight the fight and we'll all benefit from the outcome, including you. I"m not a traveler when I visit and forcing me to change a night is often not possible if it's a special occasion for someone visiting which happens a lot when you live here.