Worst DVC Stay - Ever for Me

[Simba's Mom]

And if your experience with the manager was like ours, they come out to greet you with this huge Disney" smile, as if to say "I'm just so nice and friendly, you won't dare yel or complain at me!" Somehow, that's what DH and I felt when we met the manager one tri (and regardless of the smile, we did sort of yell-or at least complain). I'mo sorry for your exerience-big fail!

 

[granmanh603]

We had issue on our last stay in Oct. Started with morning shower... standing is like 8 in of water when done but on way to FP so let slide. Came back to find HK/mant in room fixing. Second issue was faucet in Kitchen sink only gave a trickle of water, so pointed that out to HK/mant said he looked quick said he would be back. came back looked and tested and fooled around under sink. left never came back. Next day new man did the same things, told him 1st guy checked all that went to get tool never came back. Day 3 another guy same story, Oh has to be something down in the boiler room never came back. So agravated and sick of it just washed the dishes in the bathroom sink. No one ever came back or called. I knew that had no idea why the water was not running right and just did not care. Oh we were there 2 weeks at BVW. Must have been a room rarely used? how could HK clean the room before we got there and not realize the tub was not draining big time, did she not clean it. Or not do any dishes or cleaning in the sink. No one really cares anymore at Disney I feel after going now multiple times a year over 16 years. I am sorry but in the past we never ran into any of these issues and if you did it was handled immediately and with a smile and sorry. Only other issue we really had with multiple week stays is HK get all screwed up and they just don't plain show up after th 1st week/8days. Its like the computer can't handle that.

 

[Lothlórien]

May I suggest you contact the DVC escalations team? They will take all of this very seriously.

I contacted them after a trip due to something that was their "issue" and unacceptable. I wanted my voice to be heard. I was not expecting anything from them. They made it more than right. I was beyond shocked. I am not saying you should expect something....just that they really did not want me to be upset and they wanted me to know they value me as a member. Again, I was shocked!! Completely floored.

If you need some contact information, shoot me a PM.

 

[com_op_2000]

May I suggest you contact the DVC escalations team? They will take all of this very seriously.

I contacted them after a trip due to something that was their "issue" and unacceptable. I wanted my voice to be heard. I was not expecting anything from them. They made it more than right. I was beyond shocked. I am not saying you should expect something....just that they really did not want me to be upset and they wanted me to know they value me as a member. Again, I was shocked!! Completely floored.

If you need some contact information, shoot me a PM.

I have already contacted MS, with an e-mail, message from the website and a phone call.

 

[granmanh603]

May I suggest you contact the DVC escalations team? They will take all of this very seriously.

I contacted them after a trip due to something that was their "issue" and unacceptable. I wanted my voice to be heard. I was not expecting anything from them. They made it more than right. I was beyond shocked. I am not saying you should expect something....just that they really did not want me to be upset and they wanted me to know they value me as a member. Again, I was shocked!! Completely floored.

If you need some contact information, shoot me a PM.

Thank you for the info. To be honest I am just tired of it all. I think they just don't care anymore. When we were there I just didn't feel like going down to desk and believe me we were on the 2nd floor right by the main lobby it would have been easy but all I wanted was peace and quiet and to enjoy my vacation. We usually go to parks early and come back and eat on Boardwalk and just enjoy the resort. Having someone in the room and having to deal with that inconvience. you are right I should have contacted them when I got home but then I got busy and then holidays and just forgot until I saw this post about their lack of caring and service anymore. I had one incident with them years ago during remodeling and it was handled lovely and best they could but I know that particular CS was forced out as I became friends with her, she was lovely. Guess when they lost her they lost a gem. I did read somewhere that there was going to be a revamping of Housekeeping so we will see. Maybe that means outsourcing and that can not be good I do not think. But again thank you for replying. Oh and I am not a complainer it takes alot for me to complain.

 

[Lothlórien]

I have already contacted MS, with an e-mail, message from the website and a phone call.

You really need to go higher than Member Services. Those people cannot do anything for you and frankly, I do not think they care. They are not the ones who lose out on sales for DVC when members tell others about the horrible service.

 

[Lothlórien]

Thank you for the info. To be honest I am just tired of it all. I think they just don't care anymore. When we were there I just didn't feel like going down to desk and believe me we were on the 2nd floor right by the main lobby it would have been easy but all I wanted was peace and quiet and to enjoy my vacation. We usually go to parks early and come back and eat on Boardwalk and just enjoy the resort. Having someone in the room and having to deal with that inconvience. you are right I should have contacted them when I got home but then I got busy and then holidays and just forgot until I saw this post about their lack of caring and service anymore. I had one incident with them years ago during remodeling and it was handled lovely and best they could but I know that particular CS was forced out as I became friends with her, she was lovely. Guess when they lost her they lost a gem. I did read somewhere that there was going to be a revamping of Housekeeping so we will see. Maybe that means outsourcing and that can not be good I do not think. But again thank you for replying. Oh and I am not a complainer it takes alot for me to complain.

Saying something does not make one a complainer. Excessive griping when you do not get your way does.
If you change your mind and want escalation contact information, I am happy to share it. Members Services does not care. That is like going to guest relations and telling them about something crappy a CM did in the park. You have to take it to the team that has the ability to do something about it. That group does not like hearing members are unhappy.

 

[Judique]

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.

Really?

It's so easy to blow off other peoples inconveniences.

It doesn't matter what other things had to be dealt with. Each customer deserves a functional room.

A messed up TV/DVD would have ruined my evening as well. Even at Disney, I'm ready for TV and my comfy robe and slippers in the evening. I've been going going all day and I want to relax, not make alternate plans because they can't get the room I've paid for to function as expected.

 

[robndani]

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

But I've also said things like "but hey, we're in Aruba" or "hey, I could be working right now". I don't expect Disney to be above and beyond all other hotels. It's still a group of people, and equipment, and furniture and so on! I think sometimes people forget that.

 

[PBB]

Personally, I take my AppleTV and stream any of my own movies or new ones from Netflix, Hulu or such.

The problem that is becoming more and more of a problem is that DVC Resorts are not managed by DVC. They are managed by Disney. IMO, Disney hotel standards have dropped dramatically over the last 15 years. I know I am shocked at how much a cash night costs at the various DVC resorts. I have to think it is $350-400 a night at AKL-K? i spent $200 per night at the JW Marriot in Hong Kong (while they were building HK/DL). I had just travelled 24 hours to get to the hotel from home. It was 2 a.m. I plugged my laptop into the wall and the network jack didn't work. I wanted to get all my emails and send a note to my wife that I was alive and go to bed because I had a meeting at HK/DL in 6 hours. I called the front desk and they had three technicians repairing the outlet in 10 minutes. They fixed it in 10 minutes. It was amazing. What a great hotel!

 

[Lothlórien]

but many think that Disney can do no wrong or that they should be allowed to get away with sub-standard service.

Bill

BINGO!

 

[disneynutz]

May I suggest you contact the DVC escalations team? They will take all of this very seriously.

I contacted them after a trip due to something that was their "issue" and unacceptable. I wanted my voice to be heard. I was not expecting anything from them. They made it more than right. I was beyond shocked. I am not saying you should expect something....just that they really did not want me to be upset and they wanted me to know they value me as a member. Again, I was shocked!! Completely floored.

If you need some contact information, shoot me a PM.

A few years ago I knew most of the member satisfaction team by name and back then I think that DVC management cared more. Now most of the team are different people who read scripts well and now what to say to make you feel better.

The icing on the cake was last year when a satisfaction team member told me that they could contact the resort about my issue but that I would probably get better results it I contacted them myself.

Bill

 

[Lothlórien]

A few years ago I knew most of the member satisfaction team by name and back then I think that DVC management cared more. Now most of the team are different people who read scripts well and now what to say to make you feel better.

The icing on the cake was last year when a satisfaction team member told me that they could contact the resort about my issue but that I would probably get better results it I contacted them myself.

Bill

WOW. That is horrible.
My experience was quite the opposite. I wrote in to somebody much, much higher up than Member Services or even a guest relations of sorts. I was contacted within 5 business hours of my email. They took my comments very seriously. I was not even expecting a phone call to be honest; yet they called me and did something completely unexpected as well for the trouble.

I guess it really depends on who you speak with on the Escalations team. The lady who called me has been there at least 7 years. She works directly for the President of DVC.

 

[com_op_2000]

May I suggest you contact the DVC escalations team? They will take all of this very seriously...

I did not want to say so earlier but I have family members who are CMs. So I have my own back-door into DVC. I have been told some pixie dust is coming this weekend.

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 have the back-door phone numbers to the resorts, I do not call the front desk nor the call center.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Really?

It's so easy to blow off other peoples inconveniences.

It doesn't matter what other things had to be dealt with. Each customer deserves a functional room.

A messed up TV/DVD would have ruined my evening as well. Even at Disney, I'm ready for TV and my comfy robe and slippers in the evening. I've been going going all day and I want to relax, not make alternate plans because they can't get the room I've paid for to function as expected.

Yes, really! If I was in the market to buy DVC, and I came across this report of someone's WORST STAY EVER!!! And read this, I would totally be willing to risk buying DVC. While the OP did not enjoy their stay, from a potential buyers perspective a broken DVD player seem pretty minor. Maintenance staff made 3 visits to their room in one night! Someone came to their room with not 1, not 2, but 4 remotes to try and fix a problem. They were certainly not ignored. In my view, if this was someone's worst stay ever I would say to myself, "Well, looks like we might not want to count on the DVD players" and then continue on with my purchase plans.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I'm not familiar with what the "Escalations" team is. Can somebody fill me in? Is this different than going to the front desk or contacting Member Services? How did you find out about it?

 

[bumbershoot]

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.

I give that about a 5% chance of actually happening.

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.

Absolutely.

I think this is actually a good advertisement for DVC. Your worst stay ever involved a DVD player not working.

But from what I read, that's literally the ONLY thing they had plans to do that evening. They were offsite, they finally got there and got their room and wanted to watch a movie. And it was very difficult to do so. Except for the fact that the room was still there, their plans were messed with.

the none existent over-night manager.

Totally. From what I recall from issues we've had (almost exclusively at AK/V) you get a phone call from some offsite, or overall, manager. But real problems are taken care of the next day by the actual onsite manager.

I have family members who are CMs. So I have my own back-door into DVC. I have been told some pixie dust is coming this weekend.

With that in mind I give it 10% chance of something actually happening assuming you're staying at AKV again.

Second stay there, first time at Kidani, at checkin I nervously mentioned the issues we'd had our first time at AKL, and he PROMISED me that NOTHING would go awry. And in case it did, he was there for the rest of the evening, and to come right back to him. So we took our keycards and we went on up (this was as they were transitioning to the touch pads on the doors but didn't have bands yet) and the door wouldn't open. My husband had a hurt hip and chose to trek with us alllllll the way back to the front desk.

And lo and behold, the checkin guy who PROMISED nothing bad would happen and that if it did he was there, was GONE. Maybe 20 minutes after that promise. Off for the day. Gone.

Oh AKL/V...how I dislike you....

 

[TheGecko]

Everyone's definition of "Worst" is different.....one man's nevermind is another man's meltdown. Let's give the OP a chance, since this was obviously a very very big deal to them to the point they needed to make a public message board post.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

A few years ago I knew most of the member satisfaction team by name and back then I think that DVC management cared more. Now most of the team are different people who read scripts well and now what to say to make you feel better.

The icing on the cake was last year when a satisfaction team member told me that they could contact the resort about my issue but that I would probably get better results it I contacted them myself.

Bill

We had a luggage issue two and three years ago - in both cases, it just escalated - one lie on top of another. The airlines were truthful. Of course, there is usually more behind the actual problem when one gets to the shaking screaming stage - to be expected in the hospitality industry - I was told that the manager on duty at OKW was unreachable. He didn't answer his phone regularly and they didn't know where he was. I just kept calling WDW numbers until I found someone that magically found the manager. Yes, I was a bit of a lunatic but a McDonald's or Wal-Mart wouldn't tolerate a manger that disappears for long periods of time and cannot be reached. Perhaps some talent scouting classes are needed.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

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

We rented points from a DVC owner this last January trip. Our room was ready at 10:30a! That has never happened when we book our room as an owner. I wonder if they see that the names don't match and offer up a more magical checkin for renters? We also got all of our requests met!