Staff shortages?

[flowergleam1211]

Hello! I have a question for those of you who recently stayed at a Disney resort, particularly the Deluxe ones. Did you suspect or hear of the resort experiencing staff shortages during your stay? A survey among hotels (I don't know which hotels) found that in May, nearly all are experiencing staffing shortages and half are severely understaffed. I'm curious to see how this "revenge travel" season has been affecting resort operations and the guest experience.

 

[CarolynFH]

Reduced housekeeping staff = checkin delayed, rooms not serviced every day (or,even at all).
Reduced kitchen and serving staff = reduced restaurant capacity, harder to get some ADRs.

 

[RamblingMad]

I stayed in an east coast hotel chain this week, and service was nonexistent. This really makes the case for airbnb these days.

 

[nekonekoneko]

I stayed in an east coast hotel chain this week, and service was nonexistent. This really makes the case for airbnb these days.

Until you get hit with a $350 cleaning fee, AND a list of chores you have to do before leaving. And I mean chores: vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the dishes, washing the sheets. You would be your own housekeeper, and have to pay them to do it!

I'd rather just take the hotel without housekeeping, at least there's no crazy fees and rules making me feel like I'm 14.

 

[Texans_loyal]

Until you get hit with a $350 cleaning fee, AND a list of chores you have to do before leaving. And I mean chores: vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the dishes, washing the sheets. You would be your own housekeeper, and have to pay them to do it!

I'd rather just take the hotel without housekeeping, at least there's no crazy fees and rules making me feel like I'm 14.

THIS!! Found an Airbnb for $199/night, after taxes and fees it was $400/night. CRAZY!

 

[Smugpugmug]

Until you get hit with a $350 cleaning fee, AND a list of chores you have to do before leaving. And I mean chores: vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the dishes, washing the sheets. You would be your own housekeeper, and have to pay them to do it!

I'd rather just take the hotel without housekeeping, at least there's no crazy fees and rules making me feel like I'm 14.

Yup I had the exact same scenario happened when I rented an Airbnb in Prague (Czech Republic) for a few days with a group of people (this was before Covid). The owner left us a massive Bible sized book full of rules in the apartment AND we had to practically clean the entire place before we left. Made me wonder what the cleaning fee was even for. Oh and the Airbnb was located within an apartment complex that required a physical key to enter which we didn't have so we had to call the owner to come give it to us and the owner chastised us for it, despite that information not being listed on the Airbnb listing at all.

Going forward I'll be booking a hotel room over Airbnb 100% of the time.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

Swan...housekeeping every day without asking for it.

 

[maxiesmom]

Had dinner at the Cape May Cafe this past October, and they were severely understaffed.

 

[jimmymc]

The biggest difference with resorts is reduced housekeeping. At deluxe resorts they pick up trash and make the bed every day (not change sheets), at moderate and values it is less frequent. You only get a full cleaning every 4 days at deluxe.

Food service I've found are mostly at capacity, but they really encourage mobile orders to help control crowds.

 

[gottalovepluto]

The biggest difference with resorts is reduced housekeeping. At deluxe resorts they pick up trash and make the bed every day (not change sheets), at moderate and values it is less frequent. You only get a full cleaning every 4 days at deluxe.

Food service I've found are mostly at capacity, but they really encourage mobile orders to help control crowds.

Deluxes all returned to daily/Pre-Covid full housekeeping a few months ago. Mods & Values still at trash & towels every 2 days afaik.

As always with Disney it’s a crapshoot whether you actually get your housekeeping

BWI and POFQ were definitely understaffed in housekeeping when I was there in May, lengthy delays for requests and missed services. Front desks were staffed fine. QS at POFQ was staffed fine.

 

[nw6675]

YC CL in May had our best mousekeeping of any WDW trip. Daily like clockwork since CL. However. Rooms delayed at YC and BCV. Yachtsman was terribly understaffed and horrible.

Everywhere else we use Airbnb or VRBO and other than starting dishwasher and taking trash out, have never had anything else of significance requested.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Deluxe resorts have not returned to pre-Covid housekeeping. CL yes, but non-CL, no.

 

[jimmymc]

Deluxes all returned to daily/Pre-Covid full housekeeping a few months ago. Mods & Values still at trash & towels every 2 days afaik.

As always with Disney it’s a crapshoot whether you actually get your housekeeping

BWI and POFQ were definitely understaffed in housekeeping when I was there in May, lengthy delays for requests and missed services. Front desks were staffed fine. QS at POFQ was staffed fine.

We had reduced housekeeping at WL in April, maybe it was just a rough week.

 

[Miffy]

The biggest difference with resorts is reduced housekeeping. At deluxe resorts they pick up trash and make the bed every day (not change sheets), at moderate and values it is less frequent. You only get a full cleaning every 4 days at deluxe.

Food service I've found are mostly at capacity, but they really encourage mobile orders to help control crowds.

We stayed at AKL--a deluxe resort--in May. They did trash + towels every other day. They did not make the bed every day. At around day 4 or 5 there may have been a full cleaning, although it may only have been trash + towels + bed made.

Yes, they are woefully short-staffed at WDW, in every area you can think of.

ETA: And, no, deluxe resorts have not returned to full housekeeping. This is happening only at the Club Level, as a PP correctly stated.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I actually had a conversation with a CM at Universals Royal Pacific about this this past May. He apologized for my long wait in line to check in and said “we’re really understaffed”. I asked him about it and he said “theyre trying to hire more people but seems like no one wants to work” not sure how true that is but it’s what he said. He also said that the TMs they do have are frequently working overtime or even double shifts, so they’re not able to give the level of service they once could because they’re exhausted. And at our Disney resorts we noticed longer than usual waits for things and would see the same CMs there for hours more than what should be a regular shift, so I’m sure they’re having the same issue.

 

[bdrex28]

We've always found giving a few dollars to the CMs just helps brighten their day. I know it's not expected, but they are working hard and making up for a lot of understaffing.

 

[TeamSy]

Wait…. So we are paying to stay deluxe and NOT getting room service, OR housekeeping… what benefits/amenities are we paying for? What sets deluxes apart nowadays?

 

[Elle23]

We stayed 10 nights last month and got our beds made once the entire time. We had to go buy trash bags and bag up all the trash from the trash cans (it was so pleasant having mounds of trash bags stacked by the door). We had to call and beg for coffee and towels pretty much every day. Not doing that again! If we ever return to WDW, it will not be until full housekeeping returns.

We stayed value. I can not imagine paying deluxe prices and getting the paltry housekeeping we did. I would be livid.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

We've always found giving a few dollars to the CMs just helps brighten their day. I know it's not expected, but they are working hard and making up for a lot of understaffing.

They need to actually do their job to get a tip. I won’t tip someone to make them clean a room or do their job better.

 

[oceanmarina]

Deluxe resorts have not returned to pre-Covid housekeeping. CL yes, but non-CL, no.

Yes this it correct. When I was booking my August trip late June I called Disney (about a WL stay) and they said they are only doing housekeeping every other day unless you are staying in club level.

I agree with other posters this is not acceptable for the price of the deluxe resorts. We decided to book the Swan because they are doing daily housekeeping, it was that much of an issue for us. I can make my bed every day before I go to work, on an expensive vacation I expect daily housekeeping-and we appreciate the staff that does it as well. I always leave $10 every day in a special “thank you mouse keeping “ envelope that I print before we leave.