24 Hours Before My Vacation Disney Changed My Hotel Reservation

[easyas123]

If you are really bummed by the switch or how it was handled, I second calling and explaining your disappointment. I'd convey that you were a bit taken off guard by the agent when you received the call and now that you've had adequate time to think about it you aren't pleased about the situation.

Personally, if it happened to me, I wouldn't look at this as a downgrade. I like both BC and BWV equally and they have a similar theme. I think the switch is pretty "fair". Now getting called and saying I'd be going from the Grand Floridian to OKW would be an issue.

Others might disagree, but if you are looking for some sort of compensation I'd think some extra fastpasses or maybe a giftcard to cover dinner would be appropriate. I think for a move <24 hours out that's a fair outcome. Any more i think would be over in excess of the issue.

Either way, enjoy your trip!

Excellent advice.

 

[Andysol]

All I am getting at is if this was a Marriott they would have offered up the world to make up for the last minute change.

Marriott? Marriott?!?!! They literally have a hashtag that people use after they finalized their merger with SPG and rolled out their new loyalty program. #Bonvoyed
It’s been a colossal disaster in the travel world.

Note for next time: Say Hyatt.

 

[SteveH]

@JRogers725 sorry you feel attacked. I have been bumped by Marriott, and I didn't even get a phone call just an email with instructions to go to another hotel, which wasn't even a Marriott hotel! So in that regards I think Disney treated you pretty well.

The most recent instance I can think of is when the power went out at Coronado Springs new tower and they moved guests to other parts of that resort or in some cases upgraded them to a Deluxe. But since you're already at a Deluxe I'm not really sure what you are expecting. As I said in my previous post, you might find you do get something extra when you check in.

 

[Lacoccinelle]

This would really upset me I’ve stayed at both and definitely prefer a boardwalk. If you think that you deserve something more, I would call and say something like well club level would be nice.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

If you don’t want to change call and tell them you don’t want to. Someone else might happy too. Think asking for club level or something like that’s getting greedy. Tell them what you think is reasonable (with reasonable being they key word). This isn’t a windfall opportunity for you- just ask for same room type or don’t move. Don’t expect the grand suite with a butler.... not saying you are.

 

[SarahC97]

I get why you're bummed. I certainly like BWI more than BC. I certainly would express your disappointment and be rather direct with what you do want. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your vacation!

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Agree I would be disappointed if I ended up without a balcony; it's one reason I've been hesitant to book at beach club. But wanted to add that I have changed resorts at last minute before and done the sharpie thing on the luggage tags and everything worked out great.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

It isn't a Marriott.

Thank Goodness too! Recent mgmt has wrecked Marriott. Last time a Marriott overbooked a hotel they sent me 20 miles down the road at 11pm to a Quality Inn that resembled a musty truck stop because that’s all they could find available. I had to argue on the phone for an hour to get any compensation at all!

Disney is always amazing with finding a reasonable accommodation with any room issues. Beach Club (and Yacht Club) are the best resorts at Disney so I’d be pretty happy with that. If you aren’t and you haven’t called back to ask what else can be done then no sense in complaining. If you ask politely and state your case I’d imagine they’ll work it out. Good luck - I’m sure you’ll have a great trip, you can’t go wrong anywhere in the Epcot resort area.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Also, I'm not sure who you spoke to, but I have seen the cast at the front desk at BWV be less than accommodating. We were put in an accessible room and wanted to move. We were told there were no rooms available even though I knew rooms in the same category were available. Ultimately they did move us, but it took a long time standing at the front desk waiting and repeating that we needed a regular room.

 

[DisneyRobin]

I’ve stayed at both and like the boardwalk resort so much more than the beach club. I love the way it’s positioned right btwn hs and Epcot. An easy walk to both parks. You have to pass the boardwalk and walk around the lake to get to the bc and at the end of a long day, that kind of stinks. I also like that side of the boardwalk better - the bakery, the carnival games, the market, pizza place, flying fish, etc... I don’t really like the bc pool very much because all of the areas in it are small - no place to really swim around like you can at the boardwalk.

I wouldn’t be happy with the change and if you’re not happy, you should let a manager know. You’re paying a lot of money for your trip and it’s supposed to be magical. You’re not supposed to go to Disney feeling bummed! You can tell the manager that your family feels let down and ask if there’s anything they can do to help make them feel better about the last minute change. Maybe there’s some pixie dust that they can sprinkle to bring back the smiles.

 

[Turksmom]

Bonvoy would have downgraded you to all stars and charged you for both rooms #Bonvoyed

In all seriousness we are a discussion forum, so when people post we discuss. Yes, this happens though it’s rare. If you aren’t happy with what you received call Disney, ask for a room upgrade or a different resort, whatever would make you happy. Check online first to confirm availability for what you are requesting, no use if they don’t have it.

Exactly- we had roaches, a standard room with a suite booked, and brown water from the coffee maker (not coffee, water) at a Courtyard in Atlanta. We received 1000 pts and they wouldn't even refund the stay.

 

[kaytieeldr]

First off back off, don’t need to be a jerk.

Please try not to interpret intent. I see people being curious as to what would have satisfied you.

What happened to you is called "walking the guest." If for some reason your reservation can't be accommodated, your hotel will move you to a comparable, or ideally a better, property.

Typically, the hotel advised the guest of this change at the check-in desk. No advance notice.

Perhaps they will reinstate your reservation ( and offer another guest BC) or offer you a free cancellation?

Possibly. The OP could have, and still may be able to, decline the move. Disney will move on to another guest. Although it's possible that would have needed to be done during the call.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I would have been highly annoyed. Sorry this happened to you, OP.

 

[Wolfli]

Hi. This summer, my party was switched from the Boardwalk to the Grand Floridian last minute.

I didn’t ask, but was given daily anytime anywhere fastpasses because the switch was last minute (and from an Epcot to a MK resort). We had been planning to hop to Epcot at night from the Boardwalk, so didn’t have a ton of fastpasses scheduled there,

Also, Our room at the GF was a significant upgrade.... so it worked out in our favor.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

Imagine if you will, an overflowing "water issue in the room above and there is no way either room is going to be "repaired " in time for the incoming guests. I think you were informed asap as could be.
And I absolutely would have asked about getting "something" during the phone call. I'd ask for an anytime FP for all parties and be happy!

 

[Surfinpiratee]

I have heard of this happening before. However it is usually an upgrade from a value or moderate to a moderate or deluxe. So that would then be their compensation. Deluxe to deluxe i suppose it would be hard to compensate by changing resorts. When we stayed at Boardwalk, we ended up walking to Beach Club every morning for breakfast anyway, as we liked their quick service breakfast option better. Maybe they will upgrade you to a larger room?

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I received a call from a Disney Cast Member less than 24 hours before my check in time at the Boardwalk Resort informing me that Disney does not have room to accommodate my reservation for 5 due to maintenance issues. They offered a room at the Beach Club Resort during our stay and told us to cross out Boardwalk on our Magical Express luggage tags and write in Beach Club. Normally I wouldn’t complain but Disney did not offer an sort of compensation for the inconvenience especially with it being less than 24 hours before my check in.

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

I'm sorry this happened. I also choose our resorts with care and would be very upset with a forced switch at the 11th hour. Liking or not liking Beach Club is not the point if I booked Boardwalk. That means for this trip I want Boardwalk, and that's what I paid for. It's as if if I were to pay for a nonrefundable red dress in a shop, and then have the salesperson send me home with the same size & style dress in green, instead. Objectively, both dresses might be of equal value, but the red dress is what I picked out and paid for, not the green. Disney did a bait & switch (though probably not intentionally), so now it's their responsibility to make it right.

I agree with a PP that you should get club lounge access at Beach Club (even if the actual room is not on the club level floor) to compensate. In real terms, that would cost Disney very little (just drinks & light meals eaten by one family at the club), yet it would show their good will and concern for the satisfaction of their guests. Short of that, they should give each of you an anytime FP to use each day. Again, that's a low-cost way for Disney to make it right.

They should have automatically offered something like that to you during the initial call, but since they didn't & just took your customer loyalty for granted, you'll need to call them back to request a compensation option.

 

[MomOTwins]

Calling people jerks doesn’t make you seem more sympathetic when your original post was already coming across as a bit entitled—most people do not expect compensation for an entirely normal occurrence in the hotel industry (actually as other have pointed out, when a hotel is overbooked it often results in a significant downgrade—and yours was an even trade). Nothing really ever goes 100% to plan on a vacation. We’ve had rides we had FO have unexpected shutdowns all day and got a fastpass for other rides. Yes we really wanted the closed ride, and it was our only chance to do it, but we got another pretty good ride and that’s a fair trade. We’ve stayed at monorail resorts when the monorail was not running—so we took the boat. You just have to go with the flow sometimes

 

[Jennasis]

Beach Club is an upgrade, IMO. But if it isn't, for you, then call and ask for something else (the Grand? Poly? Whatever floats your boat) or tell them no thanks, you'll stay put and they can move someone else perhaps..

 

[kaytieeldr]

sorry this happened. I also choose our resorts with care and would be very upset with a no-explanation switch at the 11th hour.

Except there was an explanation:

Disney does not have room to accommodate my reservation for 5 due to maintenance issues