Would you send a letter?

[lylone]

My DH and I stayed at the BC May 2-7th. We arrived at about 11am and our room wasn't ready. I asked the CM if the room would be ready before 3p since we had ADRs at the Rose and Crown at 5:15p and he said that there wouldn't be a problem. This was special to us because on our last trip we did the same thing....spent the first night at the Rose and Crown. Well there was a problem and at 3p I went back to the desk and was told the computers went down and that they couldn't tell if our room was ready. We weren't the only folks who were waiting on a room, but we didn't get in the room until 4p and then had to wait for our bags. I had to cancel our ADRs for the Rose and Crown and we ended up eating elsewhere at 6:45p. While at dinner I was talking to another family sitting next to us and found out the same thing happened to them. They were actually given a special car ride from ASMovies and then even given all day FastPasses to the park they were visiting the next DAY! We didn't get anything, but a missed opportunity to relive a fond memory. So, is it even worth writing a letter and complaining to Disney? We did get a survey about our stay but nothing about the service we received, more about where we came from and what kind of $$ we spent while we were there...
SO is it even worth it?
Lylone

[faline]

We also checked in on the 2nd. We were told we'd get a voice mail with our room number assignment but that voice mail never came. When we got back to the resort around 4, we checked in with concierge and they explained that they had been unable to get phone messages out that day due to computer issues but they were able to give us our room number. We did have some other impacts from the computer "glitches" but nothing major or that truly impacted our stay.

[BraddyB]

When you get there at 11 did you check in? If you did you would have atleast had your park tickets. Worst case I would have dealt with the room and luggage when I got back from dinner. I wouldnt have cancelled my dinner because of it.

[buzznwoodysmom]

As frustrating as that is, you could have still gone to your dinner even though you didn't have your room yet. I completely understand your frustrations. We had to rush to get ready for our dinner at Ohana's in March because our room wasn't ready till after 4pm. We had let the kids swim while waiting for our room and we all wanted to change/freshen up before our dinner. By the time we got our room, got all the luggage up there, changed, and took WDW transportation we were cutting it very close. All that said I wouldn't have missed the ADR because of the room situation. One way or another we would have taken matters into our own hands and changed the kids in the bathroom and freshened up as best we could, but we would have never canceled our dinner.

One thing I've learned from our WDW stays recently is to never plan an early dinner. I now try to have dinner ADRs around 8ish on our first night so as to give ourselves plenty of time in the event our room isn't ready when expected.

I hope the rest of your stay was magical. If that's your only complaint about your stay then I don't know that I'd send a letter. Not sure what they can do to make you feel better about it now. I don't think it states anywhere that they guarantee your room by a certain time, so not sure what good a letter would do.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I thought check in was at 3pm. If it is bothering you still and you think it will make you feel better, then I say go ahead and write the letter. Just don't do so with any expectations and then you won't be disappointed.

[gerald72]

The room was only ready an hour late. I don't think you'll be compensated. Like another person said, you could have still gone to the dinner.
And as another person said, next time, to eliminate this, try making a later ADR the first night.

[caryrae]

I could see maybe they wanted to maybe change cloths and freshen up before going to there special dinner. I can also see, even though the room was ready only an hour later, that after hearing it happened to another family and they got a special car ride and all day FP's and you did not how that would make you a little upset.

[AllDisney]

I would not have cancelled the reservation. As mentioned in previous post.......on the first day make ADR's later in the evening

[darthmacho]

I say write it. What harm could come from writing the letter? Express your grievance courteously and professionally, expect nothing in return, and who knows, maybe something good will come from it, even if it's just you getting the experience off your chest?

[greengeen]

I emailed them last year and told them their notification process doesn't work... after we had TWO checkin experiences where we were not notified properly. On one occasion we checked in at 2:00, were told we would be texted, and at 5:00 we went back to the desk (hot and tired from waiting) and were told that our room had been ready for hours. We finally received a text at 9:30pm! Seven and a half hours late!

PLEASE do tell them! I can't believe they haven't fixed this system. The worst part is that they won't even give you a phone number to call and check on the room any more, they insist that you'll receive a text. The address to email is:

[email protected]

[buzznwoodysmom]

PLEASE do tell them! I can't believe they haven't fixed this system. The worst part is that they won't even give you a phone number to call and check on the room any more, they insist that you'll receive a text. The address to email is:

[/email]

Yes, the absolutely will give you a card with the number on it for you to call. As hard as it is to imagine, remember not everyone has cell phones. On our most recent trip in March my husband had messed up his iPhone (he had to go into the ATT store to have everything restored to his phone when we got home from the trip) and my phone battery had died. Without any phone numbers to give them they gave me the card with the phone number to call. They did seem as though they didn't want, but they had no choice as I told them we didn't have a phone for them to send the text to.

I found that a lot of my texts came late while in WDW. I think that has more to do with your carrier and service than Disney just sending the texts late. Not sure there's much they can do about delayed texts.

[BrerGnat]

Sorry you had to deal with those frustrations on your arrival day. Unfortunately, it seems like it was just out of Disney's control, for the most part. Computer glitches are common and not really anyone's fault. Disney's official check in time is "After 3pm". There is no guarantee that your room will be ready at 3 or 4 or 5. I'm sure the CM meant well when he told you it would likely not be a problem, but he had no way of knowing at 11am that there would be computer issues later in the day.

I can also understand your frustration with hearing how another family got special treatment. However, I can guarantee you that family put up a MAJOR stink, and was given those things to appease them. Be glad that you took the high road here and didn't make a scene. I've seen stuff like that go down, and CMs will do almost anything to diffuse those situations. Some FP and a private ride go a long way...

Take this as a good opportunity to "live and learn" as they say. I'd certainly agree to writing a letter to express your displeasure at the way this was all handled, but just do it from the perspective of "hey, thought you'd like to be aware." And, in the future, pack a change of clothes you can put on when you arrive at WDW, in the event that your room isn't ready, so you will feel nice and fresh when you head out into the parks/out to dinner. You can leave any bags you have with you with bell services to be delivered to your room later.

I also wouldn't have cancelled the ADR. You were already at BC. How difficult would it have been to just walk over to Rose and Crown? Unless you left out part of the story, I don't understand why you had to miss your ADR. It's not like Rose & Crown is a fancy restaurant with a dress code.

[greengeen]

Yes, the absolutely will give you a card with the number on it for you to call. As hard as it is to imagine, remember not everyone has cell phones. On our most recent trip in March my husband had messed up his iPhone (he had to go into the ATT store to have everything restored to his phone when we got home from the trip) and my phone battery had died. Without any phone numbers to give them they gave me the card with the phone number to call. They did seem as though they didn't want, but they had no choice as I told them we didn't have a phone for them to send the text to.

I found that a lot of my texts came late while in WDW. I think that has more to do with your carrier and service than Disney just sending the texts late. Not sure there's much they can do about delayed texts.

OKW REFUSED to give us a number to call. I insisted and they REFUSED.

[faline]

I found that a lot of my texts came late while in WDW. I think that has more to do with your carrier and service than Disney just sending the texts late. Not sure there's much they can do about delayed texts.

I have experienced very late arriving voice mails (and not at Disney World) so do belive the responsibility lies more with my carrier than with the sender. I assumed that might have happened in this case so wasn't overly surprised to have not gotten the voice mail with our room number.

[buzznwoodysmom]

OKW REFUSED to give us a number to call. I insisted and they REFUSED.

Wow, I would have been furious. If a person doesn't have a cell phone how do they find out when there room is ready???? I felt as though they didn't want to give me the number as well, so I do believe you when you say they didn't give it, but as recent as March they indeed do still have a number, as well as a small business card with the number for guests to call. That is what I was given when I told them we did not have a cell phone number for them to text to. I wonder what would have happened if you refused to give them your cell number???

[DizneyRox]

The old saying, the squeaky wheels get the grease is true in customer service. And lately, I've found it the only way to get much any sort of resolution going with Disney. They are very quick to explain away most situations and not provide any relief. Could be the number of people abusing their hospitality, but kindof bites the people who are really inconvenienced.

In this case however, I don't see much wrong with what was done. Check-in is after 3pm, which really means anytime after, not at the latest 3pm.

A letter writing campaign will probably offer little consolation, and might actually anger you further if you end up getting a response.

[catkrazy]

I say absolutely! It's worth a try.

[BellesRose]

I definitely don't blame you for canceling your dinner reservations. Honestly, who wants to leave their luggage in a car or with the front desk when you don't know who will get into it? And even if that's not an issue for you, I understand wanting to take a shower after traveling, or even just getting in the room and making sure it's up to your standards.

I would definitely write a letter, but do not expect anything out of it. I've dealt with MUCH, MUCH worse from Disney, and after very long, very detailed, and very polite letters, I hear "Sorry your experience wasn't so magical..."

And I am sorry that your experience wasn't magical. I'm sorry your first night and tradition was ruined. I understand. If no one else does, I do. I know it's not as good as fastpasses, but hopefully it helps some.

[lylone]

We did check in online a couple of days before we left and also checked in when we arrived that day. We did leave our luggage with the bellhops and that kind of took awhile to get it to the room as well. I did ask if we could get our luggage while in the lobby and they said that we had to wait till we got to the room. This added more time waiting in the room. We did get a page, but it was right after they told us our room was ready. Yes, we could have gone on to the Rose and Crown and gotten our luggage later, but it was also 89 degrees and with spending four hours in Epcot, we were quite sweaty and needed to shower.
I also think there was a little mix up because they said something about us requesting to have two beds and hence why we got the room we did? Well, the room didn't have two beds. It had a queen, a roll out couch, and a roll out chair. I still don't know where the idea of us needing two beds came from....
I just felt that because we were a couple and not a family with four children that we were treated differently.
And the trip didn't seem to magical.. just staying in a normal hotel room. we may go back to POFQ next time.

[DizneyRox]

I just felt that because we were a couple and not a family with four children that we were treated differently.

Thats probably the last reason for delaying anything quite honestly. Disney absolutely doesn't discriminate due to family shape/size/color/race/religion. I've found them to be equally inept regardless of those factors. If anything, you may have gotten a new employee who was less beaten down by guests each day and stuck by corporate policy longer. When was in customer services, they didn't pay me enough to take the abuse, and I did everything I could to get those people off my phone.