Who do I send a complaint to?

[RangerPooh]

We recently returned from our spring WDW trip and let's just say that it didn't go quite as planned. We never received a writen confirmation of our reservation which I called and asked for a minimum of 6 times, even speaking with a manager. Additionally each time I asked for an email confirmation and it took 5 times of asking to receive that.

Then we arrived at the airport close to midnight and walk to the Magical Express terminal to only find out that they no longer pick up bags after 11:30pm. Why couldn't there have been a sign placed on the upper levels of the airport? I mean we had infants and a ton of baggage to collect. Once we have our baggage and are laoded onto the bus it takes almost 3 hours to get to our resort! Why did it take so long? They waited until the bus was completely loaded first. The shining star was the gal who checked us in at the resort.

Then on our return home day Magical Expres scheduled our pick up time to be 3 hours before our flight, let's just say that we got to the airport with 20 minutes to spare! It took almost 3 hours to get to the airport, why? Because they went to 5 resorts and filled the bus to full capacity (kids on laps, not empty seats capactity). Plus we still had to get through security! Thinking that it would only be an hour to get to the airport and that we would have time to eat we didn't ahve lunch, nor did we then, infact we didn't get dinner either! And to top it off we had two leaky diapers due to havng to wait so long to be changed. The diapers is besides the point though. DH even asked the driver how long it would be until we reached the airport (after 3 resort pick ups) and they said they'll see what hapens. What kind of response is that?

So as you can see we're kind of bitter about the trip. So does anyone know who I woud complain to complete with address?

Thanks.

 

[disneynutz]

Sorry to hear about the not so magical, Magical Express.

Compliments, Complaints, and Suggestions
Walt Disney World Guest Communications
P.O. Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040

mailto:wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

 

[kapoof]

3 hours to get to and from the airport??? we stopped at 2 other resorts and it was NOT a 3 hour event. you also got in at midnight with small children? i would suggest next trip to plan your flight at a better time, get in earlier and then it won't be so stressfull, for you and your family. and yes the ME will pick you 3 hours before your flight home, because of security, and to allow plenty of time. with all do respect the 3 hours to and from the airport bus ride both times is very hard to imagine.

 

[Andy B]

I find it amazing that so often one of the first posts in response to a complaint about Disney is one of rebuttal almost disbelief.

 

[CleveRocks]

3 hours to get to and from the airport??? we stopped at 2 other resorts and it was NOT a 3 hour event. you also got in at midnight with small children? i would suggest next trip to plan your flight at a better time, get in earlier and then it won't be so stressfull, for you and your family. and yes the ME will pick you 3 hours before your flight home, because of security, and to allow plenty of time. with all do respect the 3 hours to and from the airport bus ride both times is very hard to imagine.

Why do you have ANY reason to doubt the OP's experiences??? I'm a big fan of DME and all, but problems can happen anywhere.

I mean, I'm the first to disregard a supposed complaint that a poster attributes to their uncle's cousin's gardener's sister's faith healer, but for Pete's sake, this is a first-person account of something that the OP actually experienced! An OP, I might point out, who has been a DIS member/poster for a considerable amount of time. Post count doesn't have to mean anything, but I think when someone has made over 1,000 posts you can assume they aren't just making up a fictitious story just to stir up trouble.

I also can't fault the OP for arriving on a late flight. Yes, I'll "blame" someone who is angry about missing their dinner ADR that they scheduled for 90 minutes after flight arrival, and yes I'll "blame" someone who is upset that their DME luggage didn't arrive in their room before they did and they didn't have the badminton clothes from their checked luggage they so desperately needed immediately upon arrival. But if everything the OP reported happened exactly as reported, then where on Earth can you find fault with the OP???

Let's be fair and reasonable.

 

[beth_cam]

I dont necessarily find it so hard to believe if they are filling the bus and you get the unfortunate experience of being on the wrong end both times- first on the bus at the airport and have to wait for other passengers to arrive and load up. Then have to drop off the other passengers. then finally get to your hotel. then on the way out first on the bus and have to go to other resorts to fill the bus. Remember they poster said 5 resorts. that is a lot of people places in and out and we all know how long it can take to get from resort to resort and load up people.

Since I drive I've never had to think of the logistics of that but goodness now i'm glad I drive. While things could go real smoothly and hop off the plane to the waiting bus that takes off as soon as you hit your seat and drives straight to your hotel, the thoughts of what if....

 

[EnnEss]

I doubt that many planes are coming in after midnight, that would have taken a very long time waiting for a full bus.

Sorry you had such a bad experience.

 

[mickey2000]

IMO anything thats free has a price. I would much rather have my freedom at WDW and rent a car. I currently have a car rented for 11 days midsize for a total taxes etc. for $270. For $25 a day I have no buses to wait for JMO !

 

[skipperkim]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with ME. Where did you stay? I can maybe understand why it took so long to get to the resort, being so late and all. But I have no clue why it would take that long going back. I thought they were only suppose to stop at 3 resorts tops. When you gave Disney your arrival times they should have told you about the baggage not being taken after such and such time. That seems completely wrong. That said, Mears actually run ME. But Disney has given them permission to stick their name on it. Maybe Disney should rethink this?

 

[BillyRayJimBob]

Unbelievable. The poster must by lying? Maybe she's a Universal Studios agent trying to sow the seeds of distrust and disbelief amongst the Disney die hards.

Nothing in Disney is free. Nothing. Well, maybe if you wanted to load up your back pack with ranch dressing from the condiment bar at the resort snack bars . . .

I agree that its not too much to ask for quality service when you're paying the price. Yes, a car would have been nice too, but that comes at an additional cost and it is not supposed to be necessary is it? If we could all rent limos and stay at the concierge floors at the Grand Floridian what a wonderful world it would be. But we can't and we make do with what we've got and what's available. If the bus service stinks, please complain; you have every right. The it-couldn't-have-happened mentality is really funny. The if-you-weren't-so-cheap mentality is just plain wrong.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

Im sorry you had sucha tough time with DME. I am glad the rest of yourtrip was a good one.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

3 hours to get to and from the airport??? we stopped at 2 other resorts and it was NOT a 3 hour event. you also got in at midnight with small children? i would suggest next trip to plan your flight at a better time, get in earlier and then it won't be so stressfull, for you and your family. and yes the ME will pick you 3 hours before your flight home, because of security, and to allow plenty of time. with all do respect the 3 hours to and from the airport bus ride both times is very hard to imagine.

you should not judge the OP maybe thats all they could get for flights
the fact remains WDW touts DME as this great thing, her service wasnt great so she has everyright to complain.

 

[Vickie46]

so sorry to hear about your trip..
I am sure Disney can check into it right away.. those bus drivers have to check in each time they drop off and pick up... they like clock in or call in per say... so Disney Customer Service should be able to look all that up and see what the problem was... it should have not taken 3 hours! You would be better off to take a cab... that is just terrible.. sorry to hear of it.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Sometimes there are problems with DME and with DME luggage.
2) Usually
. . . it takes 45-min to 1-hr to get to resort from airport
. . . it takes 1-hr to 1-1/2 hrs to get to airport from resort
. . . it takes 20-min to 2-hrs for luggage to appear after you get to resort
3) But, I have seen
. . . it takes 2-hrs from airport to resort
. . . it take 2-1/2 hrs from resort to airport
. . . it take 6-8 hours for luggage to appear AFTER you get to the resort
4) Bus Stops
. . . there are four bus routes for DME to-or-from airport
. . . there can be 5-resorts on the bus route
. . . the bus can do all resorts if not full
. . . the bus could do just one resort if full

 

[CanadianGuy]

In fairness, this thread should be on the transportation board.. And I will move it there momentarily.

I'm very sorry that you had such an experience. Certainly that was neither Magical.. nor Express.

Knox

 

[bavaria]

3 hours to get to and from the airport??? we stopped at 2 other resorts and it was NOT a 3 hour event. you also got in at midnight with small children? i would suggest next trip to plan your flight at a better time, get in earlier and then it won't be so stressfull, for you and your family. and yes the ME will pick you 3 hours before your flight home, because of security, and to allow plenty of time. with all do respect the 3 hours to and from the airport bus ride both times is very hard to imagine.

I believe that the OP comes from the Pacific Northwest. There is only one airline which flies non-stop from Seattle; most flights take 8-10 hour or more with connections.

Frankly, judging someone for arriving late at night due to their home city is just a nasty shot. For anyone who has to fly a long distance, there is often not a great choice of flight times.

Perhaps you could suggest that the OP moves closer to WDW?

 

[disneynutz]

1) Sometimes there are problems with DME and with DME luggage.
2) Usually
. . . it takes 45-min to 1-hr to get to resort from airport
. . . it takes 1-hr to 1-1/2 hrs to get to airport from resort
. . . it takes 20-min to 2-hrs for luggage to appear after you get to resort
3) But, I have seen
. . . it takes 2-hrs from airport to resort
. . . it take 2-1/2 hrs from resort to airport
. . . it take 6-8 hours for luggage to appear AFTER you get to the resort
4) Bus Stops
. . . there are four bus routes for DME to-or-from airport
. . . there can be 5-resorts on the bus route
. . . the bus can do all resorts if not full
. . . the bus could do just one resort if full

We have seen all of the above. We have waited in line at the airport to get on the DME for over a hour. We have also waited at our hotel for a DME that was 45 min late.

When DME first started there were a lot of delays as they tested the system. After the outsource contract was signed it seemed that we would wait longer to fill the bus and we would make more stops.

 

[kapoof]

i still find it hard to imagine a 3 hour Me bus ride.....perhaps the next question would be which airport did the op land at orlando or miami?

 

[CleveRocks]

Mears actually run ME. But Disney has given them permission to stick their name on it. Maybe Disney should rethink this?

This is simply inaccurate. DISNEY runs DME. Mears is a subcontractor that supplies the buses and drivers. But Disney does all the planning, sets all the policies and procedures, and oversees everything. As I've said before, think of it as Mears is the muscle but Disney is the brains.

 

[CleveRocks]

4) Bus Stops
. . . there are four bus routes for DME to-or-from airport
. . . there can be 5-resorts on the bus route

Actually, these are not accurate statements.

There are no pre-set DME bus routes. There ARE 4 LUGGAGE TRUCK routes, but bus routes are not set in stone. On a busy day or at busy times, I'm sure there are some "classic" combinations of resorts, but this is all fluid when there are more of fewer people going to a certain resort or group of resorts.

Also, as stated by Disney itself, DME is suposed to stop at a maximum of 4 resorts, not 5. This is one of the things that makes the OP's experience such an egregious problem. DME didn't follow its own procedures. One has to do with the max number of resort stops. The other has to do with max wait time at the airport. They are specifically NOT to wait until the bus fills. The procedure is to hold the bus no longer than 15 minutes after the first guest boards it.

Overall, DME has been great and efficient and all that and a bag of chips for most of the people who've used it. The OP's experience sure was a bad one, but I want to make sure that people realize it's not typical. The "you get what you pay for" mentality doesn't typically hold true when it comes to DME. For every bad DME story, I'm sure there is also a bad car service story or bad rental car story or bad taxi story or bad Uncle Cletus picked us up 4 hours late in his 1972 Mercedes story.