WDW Disappoints in a big way! - Resolved update post #13

[bluejasmine]

How would you have liked them to respond to your threat? Immediately do as you had asked? If she could have done what you wanted, she probably would not have made you get to the point in the conversation that you thought threatening to cancel your trip was necessary.

Edited to add: That was not meant to be as snarky as it sounded. But seriously, what would have made you happy?

Obviously to hear verification that she would not be seperated from her husband and child at dinner! Im sorry but I dont believe thats too much to ask! Why would a family under the size of 4 be seperated?

Now I know the situation is resolved Thank God but I too would be hopping mad! It made no sense and the OP probably would not have made this threat had the CM even tried to sound like she was trying to help, it sounded like she could have cared less..

 

[Bete]

I have 12 table service reservations already booked. Three of my reservations had to be phoned in because they are the CP package, Fantasmic package and Cinderella's Royal Table (this one has been charging your credit card for those on the dining plan and it shouldn't do it). I noticed the ressies I booked on line had alternate restaurants listed with this disclaimer (it's in red at the bottom) and I never had to use any of those options/alternatives; so, I think that's why most of my reservations came out alright.

Anyway, I just found out that my CP package has this statement about multiple tables. I have a mother who is 88 with Alzheimer's and in a wheelchair and with other medical conditions, too. Can you imagine her being separated from her party? I think I lucked out because the dinner ressie is for Teppan Edo who has 8 people to a table and we are a party of 5. I have never seen that restaurant separate anyone for their reservation. I will just check in at the podium of Teppan and advise them we want to be together and we will wait for the privilege.

I did continue my conversation with the dining CM and he stated that if this comes up in making your reservation with him that he will tell the party making the dining reservation that this is a disclaimer. I, then stated I never received notification from the dining CM when I booked the one reservation that I had issue with here. He apologized that I wasn't notified.

I'm grateful that my ressies looked good almost across the board; so, I won't sweat it. I was happy that he verified that all my ressies were in the system.

I have to tell you now I'm worried about what will happen when the dining system goes out to 180 days in October. Will they lose all our current reservations with this changeover? I don't want to start a panic, but when it went from 180 to 90 days there were some problems. Who knows, but I'll guarantee you I'll be calling and checking again when that changeover occurs.

 

[disneyvoice]

Not to worry anyone unneccesarily but NONE of my ADR's say anything about multiple resource allocations. We are a party of three and I was looking around for an ADR for The Hollywood Brown Derby a few days ago and there was a message that said that our party may be seated at different tables. I checked other restaurants and some had the message but not all of them. I opted not to make the ADR because I didn't want us to be split up. It just makes me wonder if due to free dining and the problems they have had in the past they are trying to fill up EVERY seat in the restaurant so that people can't complain about not being able to get any table service meals. So that now makes me wonder if the tables for four at which we will most likely be seated will have an additional unknown guest seated with us??? Sorry, but that would just be REALLY weird!!!!

 

[Bete]

Not to worry anyone unneccesarily but NONE of my ADR's say anything about multiple resource allocations. We are a party of three and I was looking around for an ADR for The Hollywood Brown Derby a few days ago and there was a message that said that our party may be seated at different tables. I checked other restaurants and some had the message but not all of them. I opted not to make the ADR because I didn't want us to be split up. It just makes me wonder if due to free dining and the problems they have had in the past they are trying to fill up EVERY seat in the restaurant so that people can't complain about not being able to get any table service meals. So that now makes me wonder if the tables for four at which we will most likely be seated will have an additional unknown guest seated with us??? Sorry, but that would just be REALLY weird!!!!

I couldn't handle this with the special needs my mom has already. I can understand places like Biergarten doing multiple groups but even then you are not separated from your group.

I know on cruises this is a popular stance, but I can't see this being done on land especially at Disney. The cruise atmosphere and environment lends itself to this procedure, but again you are never removed from your own group.

This policy would absolutely send me off site to eat. No way! I love my time with family at the dinner table; it's precious to me. I talk with many strangers at Disney during waiting times for parades, fireworks, pre-shows, etc. I just don't want to do it at my dinner time.

 

[Tricia1972]

My guess is that if Disney has changed their policy and is now adding strangers to 3-tops, we'd have heard a whisper of it around here. It's probably pretty safe to assume that this is standard CYB wording.

Perhaps it's not listed on every restaurant right now because they are in the process of adding it?

 

[amykathleen2005]

As a person who worked many, MANY years doing all sorts of customer service related jobs (on the phone), I can't just default to sympathy for the OP.

I'm not saying the CM with whom she spoke handled this in the most mature, professional manner. But it sounds like the OP hit some of the nerves that people who working in customer service develope, so while the CM was wrong, it's not at all surprising.

I realize that most people think it's perfectly acceptable to treat the person making $8 an hour on the phone like they are personally responsible for all the sins & frustrations of the company they're working for, and like they personally are benefitting from whatever raw deal the caller thinks they're getting (or by extension, will be personally hurt by any threatened withdrawl of business).

I know all the OP wanted was for the CM to give her exactly what she wanted and apologize for upsetting her day. But sometimes they can't do that. If *I* as a customer services rep can not (because of company policy, system requirements, or a thunderstorm that knocked out my system) give you exactly what you want, how you want it & when you want it, that does not mean *I* am evil, *I* am incompitent, or that *YOU* have the right to abuse me.

So - was this person's actual sin that she said that they couldn't put the OP, spouse & child at the same table? Or that she said she couldn't change the printed confirmation to say that - and the OP didn't want to just hear that they'd be seated together anyway, regardless of what it said? Or maybe whatever the problem was with the system, the first CM didn't know why it happened or how to fix it - and wasn't getting any support to know when it would be fixed or how to fix it?

Would that have been Disney's fault? You bet. But that CM making $8 an hour didn't deserved to be abused over it. And I'm sorry - but with all due respect, after 15 years doing CS - there's no way the caller went from sweetness & light to "we're cancelling our entire trip over this!" without any negative words in between. That doesn't make the CM right - but really, what do you expect?

Finally someone is talking sense here.

The minute I hear someone does not want to be civil with me I do not go out of my way to help them. That does not mean that I am any less friendly or professional, but I sure as heck won't bother to try to pull some strings and go out of my way to help them.

I have seen at least 5 threads today where someone is having a fit because they are having difficulty with their dining reservations and are threatening to cancel their trip. Times that by the thousands of people calling Disney everyday with various problems and that threat gets old real fast.

 

[maxiesmom]

Obviously to hear verification that she would not be seperated from her husband and child at dinner! Im sorry but I dont believe thats too much to ask! Why would a family under the size of 4 be seperated?

Now I know the situation is resolved Thank God but I too would be hopping mad! It made no sense and the OP probably would not have made this threat had the CM even tried to sound like she was trying to help, it sounded like she could have cared less..

I work retail and I can tell you the minute someone starts to be mean or threaten me is the minute I stop trying to be helpful. You can't expect to treat people like dirt and expect them to want to help. No where in my job description does it say "Must be a whipping post for mad customers".

The CM the OP was speaking with had nothing to do with how the reservation was set up. She should have insisted on speaking with the supervisor herself and not just gone off on a tirade. Threatening to cancel the whole vacation because of table seating sounds a bit like a child having a temper tantrum.

 

[Pumbaa_]

folks it seems this has run its course, the OP has had her problem resolved happily