Will Club Level Return?

[chasgeese]

which is the point im making Disney is charging executive suite prices for Hampton Inn level rooms

Fair, but the insane prices Disney charges for its hotel rooms is a separate issue. The premium charged for CL v. non-CL is still similar to what non-Disney hotels charge.

 

[ford91exploder]

I think it will be hard for Disney to justify encouraging gathering around common food areas until CDC alters recommendations that our infection rate is low enough to remove masks indoors with limited to no social distance. Basically back to pre-covid life. I just booked a trip for Aug 2022 at the GF and was looking to just reserve club level and clearly, it's not available. When asking a cast member if it would be they said, it will be back once Disney released those options for booking. IMO it certainly will return as an option, just not until we are at that point. Although I want it back now!

Strange that Hilton and Marriott can manage this but DIsney cannot, Of course there is the difference in hiring standards disney wants cheap so basically anyone with a pulse, Hilton and Marriott pay more and expect more from their staff (yet charge far less than Disney almost anywhere in the world - they must be a charity... or Disney's gouging you decide)

 

[ford91exploder]

Fair, but the insane prices Disney charges for its hotel rooms is a separate issue. The premium charged for CL v. non-CL is still similar to what non-Disney hotels charge.

Yes that is correct, but if you want to see hotels done right for luxury go to Dubai or the Emirates. (and those are less than rooms at the Poly or GF!!!!)

 

[BrianL]

Strange that Hilton and Marriott can manage this but DIsney cannot, Of course there is the difference in hiring standards disney wants cheap so basically anyone with a pulse, Hilton and Marriott pay more and expect more from their staff (yet charge far less than Disney almost anywhere in the world - they must be a charity... or Disney's gouging you decide)

Man, I know you like to bag on literally everything Disney does, but I don't think you can fairly bash the people they hire for the resorts. I find Disney to have some of the best, most friendly workers in the industry (and full disclosure, I work in the hospitality industry for Hilton). I think it's totally fine to criticize the room quality for the price or even staffing levels, which I am sure are reduced - but I don't think calling them "anyone with a pulse" is fair to the CM's that do their best to make the experience magical for the guests.

 

[ford91exploder]

Man, I know you like to bag on literally everything Disney does, but I don't think you can fairly bash the people they hire for the resorts. I find Disney to have some of the best, most friendly workers in the industry (and full disclosure, I work in the hospitality industry for Hilton). I think it's totally fine to criticize the room quality for the price or even staffing levels, which I am sure are reduced - but I don't think calling them "anyone with a pulse" is fair to the CM's that do their best to make the experience magical for the guests.

You apparently have been fortunate in your interactions. My last stay in a 2BR at BLT Refrigerator dead on check in, called to have it fixed as was expecting a garden grocer order. 2 hours pass no repair tech, Meanwhile garden grocer order arrives held at Bell services. I tell family to go enjoy park. Im going to wait in the lobby. 8 hours later refrigerator replaced, My dinner that day was not with my family but the emergency store of fig newtons and water i had in my pack.

Missed a dinner with extended family, The whole time attitude at the desk is ‘it aint my problem what do you expect me to do about it’. No swag, no offer of a snack or water just a snotty attitude from the desk. and I deliberately did not ask for anything.

my interactions were every half hour asking for an eta for the technician. Waiting in line until other guests got their stuff done. And i would simply say i’ve been here since 2pm whats the eta on refrigerator replacement for room xxxx wait for the snotty response and say thank you.

It was a distinctly memorable experience, i did send a nice note to the tech’s supervisor as the tech looked like he had been rode hard and put away wet when he got to the unit.

Thats why I say Disney hires anyone with a pulse. There are some left over from better days who actually do care but the new hires.....

 

[BrianL]

You apparently have been fortunate in your interactions. My last stay in a 2BR at BLT Refrigerator dead on check in, called to have it fixed as was expecting a garden grocer order. 2 hours pass no repair tech, Meanwhile garden grocer order arrives held at Bell services. I tell family to go enjoy park. Im going to wait in the lobby. 8 hours later refrigerator replaced, My dinner that day was not with my family but the emergency store of fig newtons and water i had in my pack.

Missed a dinner with extended family, The whole time attitude at the desk is ‘it aint my problem what do you expect me to do about it’. No swag, no offer of a snack or water just a snotty attitude from the desk. and I deliberately did not ask for anything.

Thats why I say Disney hires anyone with a pulse.

So, one incident with a bad CM and you think Disney just hires anybody they can get? Have you never had a blase attitude at other hotel chains either? Nobody's saying that all CMs are perfect, but I think your experience is more the exception than the rule.

 

[ford91exploder]

So, one incident with a bad CM and you think Disney just hires anybody they can get? Have you never had a blase attitude at other hotel chains either? Nobody's saying that all CMs are perfect, but I think your experience is more the exception than the rule.

multiple incidents all after 2015. That finally led to us selling our 800 DVC points our last update was 2013 for 200 additional points at AKL our favorite resort. I had 30 great years with Disney and 5 years of an increasingly guest unfriendly Disney.

 

[BrianL]

multiple incidents all after 2015. That finally led to us selling our 800 DVC points ou last update was 2013 for 200 addl points

Well, look, I'm not going to say I've never run into a bad CM, but I still think that most Disney Resort CM's are great and that Disney is above average in the industry in that regard. Your mileage may vary of course, but just as you think I am having good luck, I could jsut as well say that you have jsut had some bad luck.

 

[ford91exploder]

Well, look, I'm not going to say I've never run into a bad CM, but I still think that most Disney Resort CM's are great and that Disney is above average in the industry in that regard. Your mileage may vary of course, but just as you think I am having good luck, I could jsut as well say that you have jsut had some bad luck.

in fairness you could say that, you could also say that as soon as they see DVC on your record they go into I dont care mode, because they know you are a ‘captive’ audience and you are ‘locked into’ vacations at Disney so CM’s dont even try to solve your issue hey let Member Services take care of this guy’s issue Unlike a cash guest who could easily leave.

 

[Kmk2]

You apparently have been fortunate in your interactions. My last stay in a 2BR at BLT Refrigerator dead on check in, called to have it fixed as was expecting a garden grocer order. 2 hours pass no repair tech, Meanwhile garden grocer order arrives held at Bell services. I tell family to go enjoy park. Im going to wait in the lobby. 8 hours later refrigerator replaced, My dinner that day was not with my family but the emergency store of fig newtons and water i had in my pack.

Missed a dinner with extended family, The whole time attitude at the desk is ‘it aint my problem what do you expect me to do about it’. No swag, no offer of a snack or water just a snotty attitude from the desk. and I deliberately did not ask for anything.

my interactions were every half hour asking for an eta for the technician. Waiting in line until other guests got their stuff done. And i would simply say i’ve been here since 2pm whats the eta on refrigerator replacement for room xxxx wait for the snotty response and say thank you.

It was a distinctly memorable experience, i did send a nice note to the tech’s supervisor as the tech looked like he had been rode hard and put away wet when he got to the unit.

Thats why I say Disney hires anyone with a pulse. There are some left over from better days who actually do care but the new hires.....

It feels like that. But I’m going to blame Disney corporate- bring more people back. I know they have profits to recoup — but they need to spend. The individual cast members I met were very good — but something about the machine was broken (like your refrigerator) and they know they can get rooms filled regardless of service now, but they are doing damage to their brand in the long term.

 

[fgaini]

Pretty sure it will return as soon as the capacity will go up a notch

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

Eventually, I am sure it will. Probably not until buffets are okay again, though.

The margins on club level have to be incredible for Disney and I don't see them forgetting that.

 

[ford91exploder]

It feels like that. But I’m going to blame Disney corporate- bring more people back. I know they have profits to recoup — but they need to spend. The individual cast members I met were very good — but something about the machine was broken (like your refrigerator) and they know they can get rooms filled regardless of service now, but they are doing damage to their brand in the long term.

The problem is Disney senior leadership views WDW as the company ATM, Put in just enough cash to keep money machine spinning. At one time Disney’s enculturation program ‘Traditions’ ran for two full weeks. Now its 4 hours long. In the past CM’s were carefully hired and expensively trained. So figure a month of training for a sweeper guy. But that same sweeper guy could direct you anywhere on property

The current generation of CM’s the ones hired because they were breathing and had a pulse will get 1-2 days of training before being put in front of guests. Now you get CM's like this 'You have questions, we have blank stares...'

Make no mistake this is all about corporate greed on the part of Disney senior leadership, But every bad interaction does cumulative damage to the brand right now the Disney machine is spinning on inertia alone but with that it spins a little slower each day until the day the inertia is gone.

 

[karen4546]

in fairness you could say that, you could also say that as soon as they see DVC on your record they go into I dont care mode, because they know you are a ‘captive’ audience and you are ‘locked into’ vacations at Disney so CM’s don't even try to solve your issue hey let Member Services take care of this guy’s issue Unlike a cash guest who could easily leave.

I don't agree with the DVC remark but I have not had any bad enough issues to feel that way. But, I do know that if I have an issue and send an email to Disney the it is always a DVC cast member that emails me back. I think I have only dealt with someone named "Joy" via emails. I think that if you are a DVC member then they do route your concerns to DVC guest services.

 

[akk]

Most if not all hotels have closed their club levels. This is a bummer because I have status at Hilton and Hyatt that gives me free access to club level. Now no perk and no reason to book those chains. It was great because I could avoid breakfast and get snacks all day and appetizers before dinner and usually free drinks. Now no such perk. Even the airport clubs are not great. The Delta Lounge now has packaged snacks which are not great. Was much better before but at least that club is now open.

 

[ScubaCat]

Most people don’t pay for club level at Hilton/Marriott hotels. It’s basically a perk for frequent travelers who have achieved elite status in their rewards programs.

Not necessarily. You can often book executive level rooms for an extra $15-$35 a night (it varies considerably from place to place but it never gets anywhere near Disney's club level gouge). If you have a family in one room, even $35 or $40 is a good deal for continental breakfast at a hotel.

Even for one person, it may not seem like a great deal, but if you self-book and have a per diem for meals, you basically get breakfast and drinks/snacks without having to cut into that. I figured out that trick at a prior job. It's similar to why they offer "breakfast included" or "parking included" rooms which are priced identically as if you had paid for those add-ons separately. The reason for that is the invoice just shows a room charge at the higher rate, thus it's much easier filling out expense reports because you don't have to itemize or justify the add-ons.

 

[ScubaCat]

Eventually, I am sure it will. Probably not until buffets are okay again, though.

The margins on club level have to be incredible for Disney and I don't see them forgetting that.

Definitely, and same goes for buffets coming back, too. The DIS shows seem to think they'll "never come back in a post-covid world". At $55 a person for mediocre self-service food, there's no way they don't come back eventually!

 

[ScubaCat]

I don't agree with the DVC remark but I have not had any bad enough issues to feel that way. But, I do know that if I have an issue and send an email to Disney the it is always a DVC cast member that emails me back. I think I have only dealt with someone named "Joy" via emails. I think that if you are a DVC member then they do route your concerns to DVC guest services.

I haven't found that to be the case, either. Issues related to booking DVC villas or DVC-specific promotions can only be handled by DVC member services by design. That's just how it is; it's not that the other CMs don't care.

 

[Dis Dragon]

You apparently have been fortunate in your interactions. My last stay in a 2BR at BLT Refrigerator dead on check in, called to have it fixed as was expecting a garden grocer order. 2 hours pass no repair tech, Meanwhile garden grocer order arrives held at Bell services. I tell family to go enjoy park. Im going to wait in the lobby. 8 hours later refrigerator replaced, My dinner that day was not with my family but the emergency store of fig newtons and water i had in my pack.

Missed a dinner with extended family, The whole time attitude at the desk is ‘it aint my problem what do you expect me to do about it’. No swag, no offer of a snack or water just a snotty attitude from the desk. and I deliberately did not ask for anything.

my interactions were every half hour asking for an eta for the technician. Waiting in line until other guests got their stuff done. And i would simply say i’ve been here since 2pm whats the eta on refrigerator replacement for room xxxx wait for the snotty response and say thank you.

It was a distinctly memorable experience, i did send a nice note to the tech’s supervisor as the tech looked like he had been rode hard and put away wet when he got to the unit.

Thats why I say Disney hires anyone with a pulse. There are some left over from better days who actually do care but the new hires.....

I'm curious as to why you wouldn't just go to the park, the refrigerator was going to be fixed at some point if you were there or not and the groceries were refrigerated with bell services? It sounds like you caused some of your own pain - but the refrigerators always suck so I totally sympathize. I'm not sure what you were expecting from the front desk, they requested the technician right away I would hope - it's not like they have control over maintenance (and I'm guessing they're way over taxed, as you had said). I guess if you escalated it with a manager it may have made a difference, but your groceries weren't going bad because of waiting.

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm curious as to why you wouldn't just go to the park, the refrigerator was going to be fixed at some point if you were there or not and the groceries were refrigerated with bell services? It sounds like you caused some of your own pain - but the refrigerators always suck so I totally sympathize. I'm not sure what you were expecting from the front desk, they requested the technician right away I would hope - it's not like they have control over maintenance (and I'm guessing they're way over taxed, as you had said). I guess if you escalated it with a manager it may have made a difference, but your groceries weren't going bad because of waiting.

Because from prior experience if someone does not show up within a couple of hours, It will be necessary to ride the front desk people till they are tired of looking at you. Yes I did escalate with a manager to no effect.

On talking to the tech, His department had been hit hard by the Shanghai related layoffs so he was the only tech covering Contemporary/BLT/Poly (nobody could do that and satisfy guests but he was old school Disney so he did his best. The elephant in the room was that QA signed off on the room as ready for occupancy when it clearly was not.

The thing about quality is you cannot inspect it into the product it has to be designed into the product right from incoming inspection of raw materials, QA is the last step ensuring that the process has been followed which should result in a defect free product for sale to the customer.

I would have much preferred to go to the park, However I knew if I did, the refrigerator would STILL be broken the next day and probably the day after that.

Unfortunately for a company which for decades was the leader in hospitality Disney manages to undershoot even my low expectations for quality service.

I love Disney but I absolutely despise how it's being run these days,