Worst DVC Stay - Ever for Me

[com_op_2000]

DW and I had some Holding Points that we had to use before today.
Booked this past Sunday night in AKV-K a studio for the night.
On Sunday it was raining until early-afternoon, highs in the low 50's, and on the way to AKV-K we went to SeaWorld for the day as we figured correctly that the park would not be busy with the rain and cold weather. Just stated this as a set-up for what we encountered the rest of the day. We were cold and wet.
Got a text @10:45 stating that our room was not ready - expected that.
We left SW @2:30 and since we had not gotten our text that the room was ready we went to AKV-J to wait for the room ready text. While waiting for the room text, I called Kadani and asked about our room - the 2nd person I talked with stated that we had not gotten the text cause we had not check-in yet. I informed her that I had done the online check-in and gotten the earlier text; after about 10 minutes of waiting I was informed that a text was sent out from their system at 2:43 - I never received it. Given the room number, but not the parking area we need to be in, so we drove over to AKV-K, called again, finally got our parking area information, and got into our room.
When we got to the room, the DVD player we requested was not in the room. Called MKeeping and it was delivered and set-up an hour later. I went out to pick-up dinner for in the room. Upon return to the room, tried to start up the DVD player - no power in the socket it was plugged into. I had to reroute the power cord to a multiple plug outlet that I use for our laptop, chargers, etc. Went to use the TV remote to change the input from TV to DVD - it does not work nor have the ability to get to the menu on the TV. Tried to do it manually and it does not work.
Called MKeeping again, they finally sent someone up again 1.5 hours later, he has to undo the DVD Player from how it was originally set-up and then get it to work using the manual TV inputs. States that he will be right back with a TV remote that works. He never comes back.
After the movie is over, I call MKeeping again, we start a 2nd movie since we can not watch the TV - manual inputs are not working, they sent someone up about an hour later with 4 remotes in her pocket - none of which work for changing the TV or getting to the menu of the TV.
At this point DW and I are beyond believe that something so simple can not be corrected. I call the front desk and ask for a manager to speak with; I am told it will be over an hour before the manager can call me back. What!!! I tell them never mind, I will deal with this in the morning.
We go to bed.
At 6:45, I go to the front desk and ask for a manager, am told they do not get in until 7:00. What no manager on duty over night? I am asked to wait.
I finally got to talk to someone @7:15 and she was very nice about listening to my story. I informed her that I would be reporting this to MemberServices and I have a reservation for our anniversary for this coming Sunday at AKV-K and do not want any of these issues to happen again. She gave me her direct phone ext, asked me to call her, and leave a message if she is not there if any of these issues appear on my next stay. She stated that she will have someone from management test out the DVD and TV before we are notified that the room is ready this Sunday.

 

[onestitchloose]

Ouch! It's frustrating having one issue let alone several. I remember a bus driver chatting to us once on the way to MK as no one else was in the bus and he was more or less saying that Disney all works very well, it's amazing how streamlined everything is and just how many things that are happening that you just don't know about in the background to make it happen, although many of us on here probably do, but he finished saying the trouble with that is, sometimes when it goes wrong, it goes wrong big time

We've fortunately only had one experience of that and the manager was pretty good in the end. Hope the rest of the holiday was ok?

 

[Bellecruiser]

So sorry your trip was frustrating. I would have given up when the plug didn't work. I commend your tenacity!

 

[disneynutz]

These types of issues happen more than we know. We have found that the more often you stay the greater the chance of having an issue. In the past we vacationed at WDW 4 times per year and at least half of the stays would have some type of issue. Now we only stay once or twice each year and either the service is getting better or less stays means less chance for a problem.

Bill

 

[Cyberc1978]

I understand that it's frustrating that the DVD doesn't work, and disney is unable to fix it. Also have in mind it's only a DVD player, again I know it's frustrating when it doesn't work. Don't let a DVD player ruin your vacation, vacation time is too valuable for that and only a few people have a bucket load of it.

 

[disneynutz]

I understand that it's frustrating that the DVD doesn't work, and disney is unable to fix it. Also have in mind it's only a DVD player, again I know it's frustrating when it doesn't work. Don't let a DVD player ruin your vacation, vacation time is too valuable for that and only a few people have a bucket load of it.

Disney has brain washed us to think that they are the best, the magical, the wonderful. When their customer service falls short
it's a hard pill to swallow. Years ago we had a brand new refrigerator at BWV, it wasn't keeping the food cold enough but maintenance said that it was fine. Food started to go bad so we called again, they replaced the refrigerator with another new one. Same issue and this time I talked to a manager who gave us a room credit to replace the food. Same issue again, another new one at 11:30 at night, and this time maintenance tells us that someone bought crap cheap refrigerators for the villas refrigerator replacement project, they were bad, Disney knew that they were bad, maintenance knew they were bad, but they were instructed to swap as necessary.

This was our start of realizing that Disney is like most other companies.

Bill

 

[onestitchloose]

Disney has brain washed us to think that they are the best...

Not sure it's brainwashing as such, I think a certain element of that is the price, when you pay a premium to holiday somewhere you expect a premium service.

 

[MrInfinity]

Good luck on your next stay... Curious to see what the Mgr does to make sure of it after promising that attention to detail. It sounds like you wasted a whole night on this. I would probably not have stopped that night, since I hate leaving things to deal w in the morning. They always take longer than you think they will, like going down at 6:45 and they can't even hear you till 7:15. Time wasting left and right.

 

[disneynutz]

Not sure it's brainwashing as such, I think a certain element of that is the price, when you pay a premium to holiday somewhere you expect a premium service.

That is also a factor but many think that Disney can do no wrong or that they should be allowed to get away with sub-standard service. Some have posted on the DIS, "yes we had these issues by hey, we are at Disney".

Bill

 

[alisonslp]

I think I have read on the boards before to never do anything over the phone in the resorts as the switch board is not in house. That may be why it was taking so long. If you go down to the front desk (a pain, I know) you will get quicker service. They likely would have just given you a new dvd right then.

My dh would have been very frustrated by that so I get it - been living with it for 25 years. Me? - I would have just gone and gotten a game to play instead of watching movies. or broke out my book and read. ;-)

as for the texts for the room ready - that never works for us! We confirm the phone and email info every single time and never get the room ready notice. This past time, we received a text at 10:30 saying it wasn't ready yet - well, duh! but then never got the ready text. The CM told me that it was sent out at 2:30 something. both email and text. I can understand if one didn't make it but both? hmmm

 

[bobbiwoz]

I had 3 stays in January, always got the room not ready message, never room ready.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

I think this is actually a good advertisement for DVC. Your worst stay ever involved a DVD player not working. I know it frustrated you, but they did try several times to get it working for you, it's not like they didn't care at all. Who knows what other things the maintenance staff had to deal with that night, your DVD player may not have been high on their priority list. I hope your next stay is more enjoyable. Perhaps go with a contingency plan, load some movies on a tablet, bring a Roku stick and watch netlfix, go out to the movies perhaps.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

, "yes we had these issues by hey, we are at Disney".

Bill

MAKES ME CRAZY!!

 

[jo-jo]

DVD players have been an issue for yrs for us. Most times it was no remote or a remote that mainly started and stopped the DVD. We like to use CC or perhaps watch half the movie at finish it later, just start and stop doesn't help us. Once we wasted an hour trying to use the player, is that the right channel or is it this one? Try this, try that, I figured I was just too stupid. Turned out it wasn't plugged into the tv. This last trip was the best as far as DVD players. We did ask for one, went to park and hours later, it didn't show up. But asked again and someone came about 30 mins later, hooked it up, checked out, double checked the remote worked well.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

I don't use DVDs anymore. I load the movies on my iPad and connect via HDMI cable.

 

[Dean]

Not sure it's brainwashing as such, I think a certain element of that is the price, when you pay a premium to holiday somewhere you expect a premium service.

But all we're paying for is a timeshare room.

I think this is actually a good advertisement for DVC. Your worst stay ever involved a DVD player not working. I know it frustrated you, but they did try several times to get it working for you, it's not like they didn't care at all. Who knows what other things the maintenance staff had to deal with that night, your DVD player may not have been high on their priority list. I hope your next stay is more enjoyable. Perhaps go with a contingency plan, load some movies on a tablet, bring a Roku stick and watch netlfix, go out to the movies perhaps.

I understand it's frustrating but seems like a lot of angst over a DVD but I suspect it was the process and not the DVD that was the main aggravation. This does seems like small potatoes in the big scheme. OTOH, it does illustrate how the resorts tend to respond to issues which is a shame since it's totally unnecessary and is not an issue I see with any other timeshare that I deal with and I'm in 5-7 most years. Certainly things happen everywhere but this type of approach and response happens over and over with DVC. It's actually easier just to do things right up front than to spin the wheels and cause such frustration.

 

[com_op_2000]

Everyone thank you for the comments.
I believe most are concentrating on the DVD as the issue.
The issue is not the DVD Player but the TV remote, getting to the menu, either through the remote or manually on the side switches, to be able to switch between the TV and the DVD Player.
If the menu on the TV would come of up; All these other issues would not have occurred or been frustrating as one thing piling on top of the other:
the power supply to the original DVD plug in - I fixed that
the original connection between the TV and DVD Player
the middle CM that never returned with a remote
the person with 4 remotes that did not work
the none existent over-night manager.

 

[Missyrose]

I call the front desk and ask for a manager to speak with; I am told it will be over an hour before the manager can call me back.

You're a longtime member, why would you call the front desk instead of walking to the front desk? The call center the calls get routed to is ineffectual and pointless. Hope your next stay at Kidani goes smoother, I've got my first stay at Kidani scheduled for early April.

 

[disneynutz]

Bottom line is that this was a Disney fail. Doesn't matter what the issue was or if everyone feels the same about the issue, the OP was negatively affected during their expensive vacation. IMO we have become a society of accepting less instead of holding the world around us to a higher standard. Continued acceptance of less results in less becoming the norm.

Bill

 

[bwvBound]

I don't use DVDs anymore. I load the movies on my iPad and connect via HDMI cable.

Meh. For me it is still easier to carry the DVDs and the pesky, external DVD player than to cycle the content digitally. Most of my DVD content is short-term training material that was never produced with a digital-license version and carries a strong copy protection that my unaltered, commercial ripping tools either can't or won't break.