Resort Change by Disney

[DL1WDW2]

I just spoke to Disney Reservations because my stay at POP begins July 5... the modification team will begin contacting these guests next Monday. I plan to call back 1-407-939-5277 to be transferred to modification team first thing Monday (7am-11pm) ....
And booked a backup stay at the new Margaritaville Resort (5miles from Animal Kingdom)... search for discount rates. This resort is part of the new SunsetWalk Complex which includes the new
H2OLive WaterPark with lots of water slides, lazy river, wave Pool, giant splash pad for all age groups (?) Friday night Dive-In Movie . The Sunset Walk has lots of restaurants and a large Game Arcade , Studio Movie Grill theatre and walk to Target and TJMaxx, etc stores. I think the resort offers golf cart shuttle plus bicycles.
The amenities look great, Publix grocery across street!
Plus this WaterPark has modern 2 filter process to chlorinate and UV cleanse water! Don’t forget to search for discounts for WaterPark also!
I almost Think this sounds better than Disney currently.

 

[Sandisw]

I just spoke to Disney Reservations because my stay at POP begins July 5... the modification team will begin contacting these guests next Monday. I plan to call back 1-407-939-5277 to be transferred to modification team first thing Monday (7am-11pm) ....
And booked a backup stay at the new Margaritaville Resort (5miles from Animal Kingdom)... search for discount rates. This resort is part of the new SunsetWalk Complex which includes the new
H2OLive WaterPark with lots of water slides, lazy river, wave Pool, giant splash pad for all age groups (?) Friday night Dive-In Movie . The Sunset Walk has lots of restaurants and a large Game Time Arcade , theatre and walk to Target and TJMaxx, etc stores. I think the resort offers golf cart shuttle plus bicycles.
The amenities look great, Publix grocery across street!
Plus this WaterPark has modern 2 filter process to chlorinate and UV cleanse water! Don’t forget to search for discounts for WaterPark also!
I almost Think this sounds better than Disney currently.

I stayed there last summer for a few nights and the water park was great. We even did a cabana near the adult section...was just two of us...and it was one of the best things we did!

I think it is a great alternative for sure!

ETA: That would indicate that we will know before then if other resorts will open.

 

[MomOTwins]

They did not have to allow people first shot at taking other dates in open resorts. There have already been a few posts from people who are not happy that current guests with these trips are being given that option.

Yeah, I agree this feels odd. We rebooked from May to August, ironically because we thought we'd have a better chance of the parks and our resort being open than if we booked in June or July 4th weekend. Now, assuming our moderate resort is still closed when we go (seems likely) it looks as though we're paying for being cautious because we will be the last in the queue between now and August to get to rebook to an open resort. Hoping there is something left for us to move to on our dates. It is very confusing.

 

[dnw25]

Because their priority right now is maximizing profits, not guest satisfaction. They also don’t actually want to encourage people to come and are actively doing what they can to discourage it. Making someone pay rack rate at some of their most expensive hotels is a darn good way to do that.

Yep - if they wanted to let us modify dates and keep the AP discounts they would have. EASY for them. I will be stunned, beyond shocked if they release discounts the remainder of the year (and if they actually do, they will be minor). Nor do I see them coming back to us with offers for our canceled AP/bounce back discount trips - i.e. sending us a PIN/UOC.

Obviously, this is all unprecedented. All because they have not extended offers in the past, doesn't mean they had to follow the same procedure now. The parks/resorts had never been closed before. When have they ever given extensions or partial refunds on on AP? Clearly, this is not normal operations and if the had wanted to keep those of us happy who had room only reservations, they could have. easily. It just doesn't seem fair or good policy. I don't care if it follows their policy. I have never asked for a discount before and never had multiple trips canceled due to closures. Honestly, it can't be that many of us either. Many, many people are refusing to fly in the near future.

I know my choice to go to Disney, my choice to stay on site. As out of state AP regular, loyal visitors, it feels like they don't care. We had a horrible trip in 2017 which resulted in numerous calls from GS supervisors. They reiterated to me that I am the dream guest. Out of state, loyal, on site AP holders. We are their bread and butter according to them. IMO, just not cool (LOL) to not offer us something other than rack rate. Keep in mind, I wasn't even offered the free dining option for either reservation.

again, I think huge assumption that people booking rack rate will get any discount the remainder of the year. Because this is not normal operations. I hope I'm wrong.

Again, I'm not upset with anyone getting free upgrade. Just that I could only move my closure trips to rack rate. I would have jumped at free dining, modified to 35% with ability to book in October or November. Disney just didn't give me that option.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

Nope it is 4 adults and 1 teen...The lady when we first called tried to make us accept the offer and we pointed out that it doesn't fit 5...So we are waiting to see if they will approve a change to a room that actually fits 5...

I have no doubt they'll put you in a room that sleeps 5, but I'd be super angry by now since smaller parties have already been given 2 bedrooms!

 

[DL1WDW2]

Disney 1-417-939-5277 Hours are 7am-11pm.... ) Currently cast person cant link or add a name or anything. Only the Modification Team....and then I am asked to complete that guest survey at end of call ....

 

[Sandisw]

Yeah, I agree this feels odd. We rebooked from May to August, ironically because we thought we'd have a better chance of the parks and our resort being open than if we booked in June or July 4th weekend. Now, assuming our moderate resort is still closed when we go (seems likely) it looks as though we're paying for being cautious because we will be the last in the queue between now and August to get to rebook to an open resort. Hoping there is something left for us to move to on our dates. It is very confusing.

I really believe that by August, deluxe sections will be open...probably before which opens up many more rooms for moves if needed.

Honestly, the moves before park opening were most likely based on the fact that a lot of DVC owners moved trips and it opened up space. Summer is a less busy DVC time, but still, I did watch things and I had a lot of options as things went by and ended up with all my nights at VGF.

I believe there will always be winners and losers no matter what they do and too many guests to not have standard choices...with the June 12th deadline tomorrow...I bet we hear Saturday or Sunday what the next phase includes.

 

[Doingitagain]

I am as impatient as anyone to find out what is happening with the end of July, but I took a minute to think about what Disney is doing, likely while many are working remotely:

• Following all the state and federal mandates, which fluctuate, and try to plan
• Creating a new park reservation system and linking it to ADRs
• Refunding and rebooking tickets and resorts and dining packages
• Likely trying to reduce on property reservations to match availability of parks and dining
• Estimating demand so they know how many facilities to open and staff
• Planning for reduced capacity at rides and restaurants
• Locating CMs who have scattered and determining how many they have and where they will work
• New hygiene and mask policies

There is a lot, and likely some stuff will fall through one in a while.

I took a breath, gave thanks that my family is healthy and my stress is just about a vacation. Much better now.

 

[Doingitagain]

I did not get an email from Disney, but I got notifications on MDE. I wonder if the email depended on whether you had checked in already?

 

[MomOTwins]

I really believe that by August, deluxe sections will be open...probably before which opens up many more rooms for moves if needed.

I do hope so too, but who knows. They seem to be strongly discouraging folks from keeping their reservations.

 

[Sandisw]

I do hope so too, but who knows. They seem to be strongly discouraging folks from keeping their reservations.

I am not sure I agree with that. I think they are being brutally honest about what to expect. It will not be what is always has been or not what you have heard if this was your first time.

Disney is a big expensive trip and anyone who decides to still go should be expecting a very minimal experience. If that isn’t what one wants, then postpone.

Opening all the resorts, but not being able to get people into parks, even though they said it, would not go over well. You already read people who dont believe that and figure I have a stay and tickets, I will get in.

That may happen still but hopefully, they will be able to back to at least normal capacity in the fall.

 

[cakebaker]

[QUOTE="Marionnette, post: No one is forced to take a Disney vacation. Spend your money elsewhere.
[/QUOTE]

Of all the arguments defending Disney, this is the most tiresome one of all. I am doing exactly that, but it doesn’t make what they’re doing right and we ought to be able to voice our dissatisfaction without being told to like it or leave it.

 

[cakebaker]

Let’s be fair when people booked Disney didn’t know parks wouLd be closed for something like this. People can cancel. Disney could have just said, either keep dates and we will move you to an open resort for no cost or cancel,

I’d love to be fair, I’d just like fair in return.But when they offer some people free dining for the exact same time frame as me, then give them 35% off when it was taken away, but tell AP holders to suck it, they get nothing, that’s not fair. I had 35% off with an AP discount. I just want the same discount everyone else got after having been cancelled multiple times. I’m not sure why guests are chided for not being fair when the company they’re giving money to isn’t doing the same.

And telling me that I could use the free dining promotion if I want to spend thousands on tickets doesn’t work either.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

[QUOTE="Marionnette, post: No one is forced to take a Disney vacation. Spend your money elsewhere.

Of all the arguments defending Disney, this is the most tiresome one of all. I am doing exactly that, but it doesn’t make what they’re doing right and we ought to be able to voice our dissatisfaction without being told to like it or leave it.
[/QUOTE]
I get why you are upset and you have voiced it many times... many times....all over the board.

I personally think Disney is trying to do their best with what guidelines/mandates they have to work with. Some people are not going to be happy, some will settle with what is offered, and some never go back...or complain on message boards. I'm sitting here, looking at the latest states on Covid in my Fl county, numbers are going up. I'm not sure I will be able to go in Nov. Already lost our May trip. With that said....I'm glad I'm relatively healthy right now. That could change tomorrow.

 

[Racheldb]

I was just able to modify my July 5th reservation!!! They just started modifying reservations beginning July 5-July 11th!!!

 

[Marionnette]

I was just able to modify my July 5th reservation!!! They just started modifying reservations beginning July 5-July 11th!!!

And?

Where was your original resort and where are they placing you?

 

[Disneylover99]

And telling me that I could use the free dining promotion if I want to spend thousands on tickets doesn’t work either.

I’m not sure how many people are in your party, but the free dining recovery only required a two day ticket with no hopper. It would have only cost just over $200 per person for tickets.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

I was just able to modify my July 5th reservation!!! They just started modifying reservations beginning July 5-July 11th!!!

Can you please share the options you were given and if they were at a cost?

 

[Marthasor]

Forwarded to me from my TA:

Your Clients may be receiving email communication from us if they have a Resort hotel booking with travel up through departure on July 11, 2020 if we have their contact information. We are asking them to contact their Travel Professional, but since we cannot reach all of your Guests, we request that you contact your Guests regarding their reservation adjustments and all of the information in the example Guest email below. We need them to confirm, modify or cancel their Disney Resort hotel reservations or Walt Disney Travel Company packages by June 19 for the travel period above.


For your Clients wishing to confirm their reservations:

• Contact the Disney Reservation Center to notify our team of your Guest’s confirmation.
• As needed, our team will move Guests from closed to open resorts during this time. This move will be at no additional cost to your Guests. Note that they won’t have an option to modify to another resort of their choosing for this reservation.
• As previously communicated, for Guests who had a dining plan, we will be modifying their package to remove the dining plan.
• If guests staying in our resorts before park opening on July 11, 2020, want to keep their reservation, they will be downgraded out of the ticket package and the package price will be reduced. Alternately, they can move their reservation to new dates, or cancel.

For Guests wishing to modify their reservations to a future date in 2020:

• Contact the Disney Reservation Center to modify their booking to a later date in 2020.
• If your Client would like to modify to a date on or after July 11, 2020, they may only modify to one of the announced opened resorts, based on availability. Guests will be responsible for any higher rates.
• Travel protection may be moved to a new reservation in 2020. The Guest will be responsible for any difference in price.

For Guests wishing to cancel their reservations:

• Contact the Disney Reservation Center to notify our team of your Guest’s cancellation

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

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