Wilderness Lodge Mess

[MamaBear58]

I am reading through the post and now wonder if we did get the best deal. We were at the WL with a CY room and bunk beds. When the announcements were made, it was initially going to be a little noise and not too much hassle. As time went on, we started to see the trend between WL and Poly, so we upgraded to a 1 bedroom at the VWL. Then we heard about jack hammers and at that point, our vacation that we had been planning and saving for 5 years and 6 months was starting to crumble around us.

I decided to be fair and called the number from the letter. The first gal I spoke with said pay or stay. She was nice about it, but I was not happy with that. I understand how it works, so I asked to be transferred to GS and spoke with a lovely gal. I explained everything about how the trip was a big 5th birthday surprise and that we had saved and planned for so long. Explained that we met them part of the way by trying to stay in the same area, but move to a different location for more money. I explained that things were starting to feel worse and we were greatly concerned. She put us on hold for about 10 minutes and came back with BLT 1 bedroom, lake view. No price change and we got to keep our free dining.

I feel like this was a good deal and a good move. The place looks lovely. We lose the theme that we wanted, but 10 minute walk to MK and looking over the water to see the water parade. We noticed it was ranked higher than the GFV and a lot of people seem to prefer it even if the rooms aren't as big as the GFV. The gal we spoke with looked to see if it was an option, but they were totally booked.

I feel like we were taken care of and we are happy with things on our end. Thoughts?

They moved you from WL-CY-BB to a 1 bedroom villa with a lake view and didn't make you pay any increase? I'd say that's a great deal and exactly what they told my TA they won't do. I have the exact same thing booked-WL-CY-BB-and never got a letter or a number to call because it's through a TA. They told my TA that I couldn't move to another balcony with a lake view in the MK area without paying the increase. I don't even want a villa. I was looking at Grand Floridian-Outer-Lagoon. So unhappy right now.

 

[kittyx3]

They moved you from WL-CY-BB to a 1 bedroom villa with a lake view and didn't make you pay any increase? I'd say that's a great deal and exactly what they told my TA they won't do. I have the exact same thing booked-WL-CY-BB-and never got a letter or a number to call because it's through a TA. They told my TA that I couldn't move to another balcony with a lake view in the MK area without paying the increase. I don't even want a villa. I was looking at Grand Floridian-Outer-Lagoon. So unhappy right now.

No, they moved us from a 1 bedroom villa at WL to the BTL lake view 1 bedroom. We started in the WL CY with BB. We moved to the villas in an attempt to avoid the noise and the ugly. Once we started hearing more and more stuff potentially happening, we called. We explained to them how we has wanted to try and make it work, but started to realise we were paying full price to compromise.

 

[Three cats]

I was booked for a WL courtyard view room until I heard about the construction and decided to move. The only thing available with the free dining at that time was Grand Floridian, Lagoon view which was going to cost over $2,000.00 more. I took it as I had made all of our plans thinking we would be at a MK resort. Anyway, a couple of weeks go by and Coronado Springs becomes available with the free dining discount so I switched to that and ended up (literally) saving thousands.

As of late I have been reading about all of these discounts and deals others are getting for moving to alternate resorts and kicking myself wondering if I should have called and possibly been able to move over to GF after all for a reduced rate but now that I see that some are getting better deals than others and some no deal at all I think I am just going to be happy with my decision to stay at CSR.

Yikes, who knew vacation planning could be so stressful...lol...

 

[kittyx3]

Yikes, who knew vacation planning could be so stressful...lol...

I KNOW!! Best of luck to you!!

 

[seebach080]

Kittyx3 what are your dates? I tried the exact same thing and they would do it but alas no availability.

 

[seebach080]

I ended up getting moved from VWL 1 BR to BWV 1 BR for same price and kept free dining. The price difference wasn't much anyway. $542 at VWL and $557 at BWV. But moving for the same price helped soften the blow.

I was a bit worried moving out of the MK area since we will be there 10 days and spending the majority of our time at MK. Is transportation from BWV to MK really that bad? I thought being close to 2 other parks would help make up for the distance from MK plus the ambiance of the boardwalk itself.

I really wanted to get moved to BLT or VGF but no availability.

 

[Sunnyday3]

When have these letters gone out? Our trip is scheduled 11/11 and I haven't gotten one. Would it matter that it isn't fully paid yet?

I called yesterday to try to switch for our dates--nothing is available with FD. I'm starting to second guess this trip :-(

 

[MamaBear58]

No, they moved us from a 1 bedroom villa at WL to the BTL lake view 1 bedroom. We started in the WL CY with BB. We moved to the villas in an attempt to avoid the noise and the ugly. Once we started hearing more and more stuff potentially happening, we called. We explained to them how we has wanted to try and make it work, but started to realise we were paying full price to compromise.

That makes more sense and because you were willing to pay the extra for a villa I also see why they then didn't charge you even more for a villa elsewhere. But if the 2nd villa costs more than the first they are still doing exactly what they told my TA they would not do.

 

[kittyx3]

Kittyx3 what are your dates? I tried the exact same thing and they would do it but alas no availability.

Seebach-We are 9/30-10/11 I saw the scuttle among people chatting, so phoned them the 4th of July.

 

[seebach080]

That makes more sense. I see more availability late Sept than when I am there is mid-Nov. And you got a fantastic deal!

 

[OfTheWind]

As of late I have been reading about all of these discounts and deals others are getting for moving to alternate resorts and kicking myself wondering if I should have called and possibly been able to move over to GF after all for a reduced rate but now that I see that some are getting better deals than others and some no deal at all I think I am just going to be happy with my decision to stay at CSR.

Yikes, who knew vacation planning could be so stressful...lol...

And that is the most frustrating part. I wish Disney would be consistent with the deals they are offering. Who wants to stay at a resort with $50 off per night when the person next door received 1/2 off? Between rising costs, packed restaurants, sitting by the computer at 6:00 am for dining reservations, sitting by the computer at 12:00 am for FP+ and all of the construction, I am definitely reevaluating when or if we will return to Disney. It's become very expensive and very stressful.

 

[kittyx3]

That makes more sense and because you were willing to pay the extra for a villa I also see why they then didn't charge you even more for a villa elsewhere. But if the 2nd villa costs more than the first they are still doing exactly what they told my TA they would not do.

She tried to find a space at our original price point when we were booked in the CY with BB. I appreciated that she did try to do that. When it was explained to her that we felt we kept splashing out cash to try and overcome the pool issue, it didn't seem fair to keep asking us to splash out more. The move from CY to WLV was our first attempt to overcome the pool issues. This sat with us for about 2 weeks, then it still bugged me and I started to hear more and more about jack hammers and such. Two weeks after making our change from CY to WLV, I realised I was not going to be happy, it was going to bug me, and I needed to be fair and give The Big Man a chance to sort it for us. Whether it was a move or a discount. (move was our goal, but not at more money) The lovely lady we spoke with understood and appreciated that I was nice about the whole thing and really appreciated that I was giving Disney a chance to sort it for us as opposed to landing with "guns blazing" and "words flying".

It was then that she was able to keep our Villa price point and move us to BTL with the dining intact and no additional costs. I don't know if we made a tit for tat cost exchange because I haven't been able to see the WLV and the BTL cost compares side by side. I suspect it was a savings for us had we booked normal.

Make sense?

 

[Three cats]

And that is the most frustrating part. I wish Disney would be consistent with the deals they are offering. Who wants to stay at a resort with $50 off per night when the person next door received 1/2 off? Between rising costs, packed restaurants, sitting by the computer at 6:00 am for dining reservations, sitting by the computer at 12:00 am for FP+ and all of the construction, I am definitely reevaluating when or if we will return to Disney. It's become very expensive and very stressful.

And this is exactly why I am just going to be happy with our switch to Coronado Springs!

 

[kittyx3]

And that is the most frustrating part. I wish Disney would be consistent with the deals they are offering. Who wants to stay at a resort with $50 off per night when the person next door received 1/2 off? Between rising costs, packed restaurants, sitting by the computer at 6:00 am for dining reservations, sitting by the computer at 12:00 am for FP+ and all of the construction, I am definitely reevaluating when or if we will return to Disney. It's become very expensive and very stressful.

I totally agree and am so sorry for your frustration. I miss the days of the spontaneous trip to WDW. I love how they are trying to make it a better guest experience, but it does have some limitations. We are west coast, so for our ADR's I was up at 2:30 AM plan in hand ready to go!! Seemed a bit crazy. Now to do it all again with the fast passes. Again, not complaining because I see the goal they are trying to set, but I do find I feel for those that live in the past of WDW days gone by and think they can just show up and go.

Again, super grateful to the lovely lady that helped us when we realised out trip was going barney and I hope for the rest of you to have her find you and make your stay as lovely as we know she has helped make ours.

 

[Marlyn]

I totally agree and am so sorry for your frustration. I miss the days of the spontaneous trip to WDW. I love how they are trying to make it a better guest experience, but it does have some limitations. We are west coast, so for our ADR's I was up at 2:30 AM plan in hand ready to go!! Seemed a bit crazy. Now to do it all again with the fast passes. Again, not complaining because I see the goal they are trying to set, but I do find I feel for those that live in the past of WDW days gone by and think they can just show up and go.

Again, super grateful to the lovely lady that helped us when we realised out trip was going barney and I hope for the rest of you to have her find you and make your stay as lovely as we know she has helped make ours.

If you're west coast then you can make you fast pass reservations at 9:00pm PST. That was a bonus for me after the 3:00 am ADRs....

 

[MamaBear58]

And that is the most frustrating part. I wish Disney would be consistent with the deals they are offering. Who wants to stay at a resort with $50 off per night when the person next door received 1/2 off? Between rising costs, packed restaurants, sitting by the computer at 6:00 am for dining reservations, sitting by the computer at 12:00 am for FP+ and all of the construction, I am definitely reevaluating when or if we will return to Disney. It's become very expensive and very stressful.

This. I can't believe after all the work I put into this that I am starting over with alternative plans.

 

[Playgrnd]

I called to see what was available.. We currently have the bunk beds with courtyard view booked. I was offered 3 options:

-$300 discount to stay

-Move to AK Savanah View (same price)

-Move to Boardwalk with water view (same price)

We have been to the WL for the past 5 years. We love the theme and access to the MK via the boat, same goes for access to the CR.

Any thoughts on what we should consider if any? We normally end up at MK during the evenings and when EMH is an option. Kids are 5 and 8.

 

[MamaBear58]

She tried to find a space at our original price point when we were booked in the CY with BB. I appreciated that she did try to do that. When it was explained to her that we felt we kept splashing out cash to try and overcome the pool issue, it didn't seem fair to keep asking us to splash out more. The move from CY to WLV was our first attempt to overcome the pool issues. This sat with us for about 2 weeks, then it still bugged me and I started to hear more and more about jack hammers and such. Two weeks after making our change from CY to WLV, I realised I was not going to be happy, it was going to bug me, and I needed to be fair and give The Big Man a chance to sort it for us. Whether it was a move or a discount. (move was our goal, but not at more money) The lovely lady we spoke with understood and appreciated that I was nice about the whole thing and really appreciated that I was giving Disney a chance to sort it for us as opposed to landing with "guns blazing" and "words flying".

It was then that she was able to keep our Villa price point and move us to BTL with the dining intact and no additional costs. I don't know if we made a tit for tat cost exchange because I haven't been able to see the WLV and the BTL cost compares side by side. I suspect it was a savings for us had we booked normal.

Make sense? [/QUOTyes, but I am sure that my TA was very reasonable as well. She got nowhere. And that is why this isn't sitting well with so many of us.

 

[goofy4tink]

All of the alternative resorts are more expensive than WL! BW is much higher priced, BLT is really expensive, and a savannah view room at AKL is pretty expensive as well.
We're keeping our VWL reservation, but it's certainly not going to be the same stay we were hoping for. But my friend s t crazy about AKL, and we both stay at BWVs a lot.....actually both own DVC there.
I can only imagine what people with kids are feeling though. The main pool area is terrific.....and now, you not only can't use that pool, you get to look at the construction! I just don't think Disney is handling this in the best possible way. They aren't providing the amenities that were 'promised' when people originally booked WL. Now, guests can pay full price, but not get full service. Moving guests to a different resort and expecting them to pay the difference is wrong. And no, I don't think guests should move to a moderate without paying less!

Disney doesn't seem to care very much about its guests in this case...an across the board 'something' would be nice.

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

The key is to tell them you are going to cancel. By the time I was done talking, I was about to cancel. We moved to GF and got a good deal. It took 2 calls and over 2 hours.