What should I expect as far as customer service at Disney?
It seems like they leave a lot of things open ended, which makes it a challenge to really hold them to any sort of a standard.
Here are some of the things I have run into in booking and planning our first two night stay:
-I wanted to book a riverview room on the top floor in the Magnolia Bend section of Port Orleans Riverside. Specifically Magnolia Terrace building 85 if it was available. Apparently there is no way to actually know what building or section of these resorts you will be in in advance of your visit. This seemed odd to me, and now increases anxiety that it is something I will have to try to alter upon arrival. It seems like this would be an easier thing to sort out six months in advance rather than the day of arrival.
-We purchased one day tickets to the Magic Kingdom. This, as you all know, is expensive, as park tickets decrease in cost the more days you purchase them for. This was done in March, and as the year rolled on I learned that several attractions are going to be closed during our visit. More recently I learned that even the Celebrate the Magic light show won't be happening either. The list of "attractions" that we really want to experience is now under ten. Obviously we're going to try to be open minded and positive- but it is a serious bummer. We live far away and this was a huge investment for what is starting to feel like a lot of disappointment.
-I've read a lot about issues with the transportation on site, and people experiencing long wait times even after making advanced dining reservations. Is this something we should just go in expecting? I had planned on giving us about an hour between going to the bus stop and the time we need to be at the restaurant.
-Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of the "perks" for staying on site don't apply to a stay as short as ours. Many of these things are not made clear on Disney's official site, but were discovered through reading many fan sites and blogs over the last several months. One example: I was anticipating the ability to buy something in the park and have it sent back to our room. Turns out, that is not an option as it can take two or more days for delivery.
-A few weeks ago I called in and made a dining reservation through the Disney robot. When I went to enter the confirmation code online, it rejected. So I called the helpline. 45 minutes later, I am told that the number was correct but the robot got my name wrong- despite having read it back to me correctly on the phone. An hour and a half and two transfers later, the reservation is corrected on my account. That seemed really unnecessary. Also, why isn't Disney utilizing the call-back option if their customer service wait times are so bad?
As someone with over 15 years of customer service experience, I am not exactly thrilled with what I've seen so far. What is worth expecting out of this? Would they add a park hopper onto our ticket to compensate for four major attractions being closed during our visit? Would they move our room or discount our rate if we have to be in the area of the resort we really want to avoid? Are dining and transportation really that bad? I wanted so badly to just be excited for this, an opportunity to cut loose and "be kids again" ... but the adult in me is really trepidatious about all of it now. It being such a large and lucrative company I could easily see how they wouldn't care about a single customer's experience, especially when we are not the deluxe resort week long stay kind of money. Thanks in advance for sharing your personal wisdom and experience.
**EDITING FOR CLARITY**
I am not expecting any kind of compensation or special treatment- the above are just examples to get a sense of what the norm is. I now understand a lot more than I did previously, and know that these are not things Disney ever does. When I wrote this I was just throwing out possibilities to get a sense of what was commonplace. They were not things I expected to happen, they were just ideas.
I seem to have come to this thread a bit late, but read through the whole thing. Yes, I think some people were a bit harsh with you, especially after you tried to explain and correct your statements in the best way possible. I think many people here are really Disney fanatics, like me, but some seem way overprotective of the mouse almost going overboard. But it looks like the thread has gotten a bit more positive for you!
One thing I can say in agreement with most who replied here is that thorough research before booking the trip is almost a must these days, because things change at WDW almost overnight. Since you mentioned attraction closures bothered you, research is a must when planning your WDW trip. Generally, closures will be announced with enough time so that you can make your planning decisions beforehand. Here is a link to one site that covers yearly park attraction closures:
https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/closures. They are usually pretty accurate. Granted, surprises to come up, like Disney announcing at the last minute that the
Main Street Electrical Parade will be no more after October 9. This ticked off a lot of people...me included. But one thing has been true since the first time I have been to WDW in 1980: there will always be a closed ride on any given trip. They need to keep the place going and that means maintenance that can only be done by closing a ride to refurbish it. Personally, I'd refuse to get on
Space Mountain if it has not been maintained! Looking at the list of the attractions closed and looking on the link I posted here, indeed, you seem to be going on a bad month, as a few ride closures seem to overlap,
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad being closed the longest for something ridiculous like three months. But based on what you've written, this is not a ride I'd see you going on anyway.
The Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is great, but not a deal breaker. My fear is that they may be making it into a Tarzan tree house! (don't quote me on it, it is just my fear, not any rumor I've heard).
As far as resort room requests, that can be tricky. You can always request nicely, but make sure your request is not ridiculous (like "no rooms that add up to 13" or things like that). However, if you have a disability or medical issue, they take this seriously and will accommodate you the best way they can, like some people who cannot walk much and need a room near an elevator, etc. I actually called to make a simple request for my PORS room to be, if possible, on the Magnolia Bend side of the resort, which is a pretty broad request that can be easily met. But I started my conversation with the Cast Member this way:
"Hi, I would like to make a room request, if possible. I understand you may not be able to accommodate this, and it is perfectly OK, but I figured I would try....." She was really nice and noted my reservation request. If you're really nice to them and let them know you'll be happy either way, they will often go out of their way to help you. Also, keep in mind Disney has been making really bad cuts and Cast Members are hurting with cut hours and the like, so getting in their faces will probably not yield a happy ending for anyone involved. They're getting kicked by their employer and kicked by the customer...I really feel for them. I also have had CM friends through the years and the horror stories I have heard from them as to how some park visitors treat them would make me go on a rampage had it been me. When I can, I thank CM's for their job and for making my stay so magical. Believe me, for some CM's, working at Disney is when the fairy dust runs out.
Also, while this is Disney and truly magical for us visitors, it is still the real world. We forget that sometimes. Our beds are not turned out by singing mice and birds. Granted, it is Disney's fault, because they WANT us to believe the magic, and so sometimes we forget they are an actual corporation. But, being in the real world means something is bound to not work out just as we want it (and it will generally happen when we're there). I know Disney will go out of their way to make up for things within reason. However, it is really up to us to roll with the punches. Cast Members will generally be great, but I have experienced CM's who really could not give a flying fig that I was there. A case in point was when I went to WDW in 2011, after not having been there for 13 years. When I got to the park, I realized the
Main Street Electrical Parade was back. I was so elated, I was bursting at the seems. So, the first CM I bumped into, who was walking around, I HAD to tell her how incredible this was for me, that I had not seen the MSEP since I was 12, in 1980, and I was over the moon over this. That was when I realized that I mistook her for someone who cared.... Her response was less than excited. She really did not seem to give a mouse's behind about my excitement. That was a let down for me. The last time I had been at WDW years before, the CM morale was a bit different. But, I moved on...somewhat.
Overall, I hope you DO go back, with more planning beforehand. It is truly, as their park opening song goes, "Magic wrapped up in pixie dust" if we allow it to be.
