Disneyland show?

The cockroach is pretty simple, does housekeeping clean? If it was there when they checked in, you could argue it just happened etc... When it is there throughout your stay it speaks of training, staffing and organization.

Yeah, I have to agree with that, really shows they just don't care anymore. I haven't stayed at this particular hotel since just after it changed ownership, it wasn't the best hotel to begin with but I would usually save around $100 or more by staying there. It sounds like they raised their rates to be similar to the other short walk to the park hotels but actually lowered the quality.
 
I thought the review was fair. Though sorry Mary Jo..I saw it more as them agreeing with the boards, meaning the boards could have spared them. :rolleyes1
My link is to a thread where they are talking about the DIS Unplugged review and most posters seem to agree with the team, not that the team was agreeing with the boards. The team base their reviews on their own experiences, not popular opinion.

I do think the sheets not being changed has to do with serious drought issues in California and common hotel policies meant to conserve. Often you can get fresh towels or sheets anytime by asking.
Agreed. I pretty much don't expect housekeeping to change my sheets mid-stay, and I tend to be conservative on towels, where I don't expect them to be changed every day. Then again, I usually don't have housekeeping come in during my stay, and keep my room tidy myself.

I wish they had mentioned the dead bug to the hotel, I’d been interested to hear guest recovery on that, then hey there are bugs in California.
I would have done that, too, although I think the team wanted to see how thorough housekeeping was.

All hotels have issues, and housekeeping can be lacking in any one. When I was a Dreams agent I got a call from a client that was VERY unhappy when they checked in to the Grand Californian Hotel. They had arrived pretty late at night, and weren't happy that the room had a sleeping bag for their child-guest #5 in the room (in the early days the Grand Californian was set up to have sleeping bags for the 5th person as part of a wilderness experience at the hotel), plus they found a dirty diaper on the balcony that housekeeping had overlooked. Of course, housekeeping took care of the diaper, but it was end of year holidays, and no other rooms were available. They were pretty upset.

My iPod was stolen in a hotel at WDW (partly my fault, as I had left it on the nightstand when we checked out). I called a couple of hours after checking out, and it was never turned in. Years later, I left my replacement iPod at Housekeeping camp in Yosemite, and considered it lost when I realized it was gone when I got home. A month later, I got a call from Lost and Found asking me to ID it, and they sent it to me.
 
The not changing sheets thing is pretty common, in fact GCH won't change your sheets unless you specifically request it.

Based on what they said, this definitely doesn't sound like a case of snobbery and looking down at one of the Harbor hotels. I am actually impressed they were able to maintain their composure as long as they did during the whole room changing fiasco. Bad housekeeping you can sometimes understand if they are having staffing issues, etc. but the issues with even getting the correct rooms and getting into the rooms shows a systemic problem at that hotel.

I think one good thing that will come from this bad experience is hopefully when people hear the podcast they will realize that just because it is a Good Neighbor hotel does not mean it is necessarily high end or high quality. I think people see that designation and assume that there were a bunch of hoops they had to jump through (like Pete assumed based on his knowledge of Good neighbor hotels in Orlando) or a high standard they have to meet. Most of the good neighbor hotels are good quality but that destination isn't enough to just assume there are no issues without bothering to check other reviews and see what the people who are actually staying there say. Also there are hotels that are not Good Neighbor, such as the Park Vue, that more than favorably compare to a lot of the ones with the designation.
 
My link is to a thread where they are talking about the DIS Unplugged review and most posters seem to agree with the team, not that the team was agreeing with the boards. The team base their reviews on their own experiences, not popular opinion.

Lol I was referring to the fact The Anaheim Hotel whenever spoken about on the boards has gotten mixed/mostly not great reviews. Indeed one of the mods recently advised someone against it. I was just saying the common consensus on the boards was already the Anaheim Hotel has issues.
I was joking if they had asked before booking they would have gotten an earful. . Though obviously that’s not the point of reviewing a hotel.
I was just being silly. :)
 


It's like any place you read a review on more people will leave negitive feedback then positive reviews. Yes I agree that they had a terrible stay that was handled very porly by the staff. The whole moving rooms thing sounded realy stupid to me. What I don't get is why didn't they report the cockroach to hosekhouseke or the front desk when they saw it instead of leaving it there.
I know when the same sort of issue happened with me and my friends at a hotel in Williamsburg, VA years ago, we decided to leave the dead roach, and some big cracker crumbs where they were, to see how long it would take housekeeping to clean up. They never did, not for the 4 days we were there. Despite us leaving notes with arrows oh the floor, pointing to both items, since they obviously did not see, or care, on their own. The notes got more elaborate every day, kind of like "Let's see if THIS works!".

So - in my case - it was a case of curiosity. And with my friends and I, it almost became like a game every day - opening the door to see if all was still there, and who could come up with the note/idea to make them FINALLY clean it up. Nobody won. :)

We didn't have all the other room-moving issues, though, just the dead roach, and the crumbs. Oh - and the broken downspout over the only exit staircase during 4 days of deluges, so we always got soaked going in/out.

We did mention everything to the Front Desk Manager on our way out the last morning, so guests after us did not (hopefully) have to put up with it.
 
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instead of leaving it there.
PP's have answered this, but i think we have to remember that they were staying to review it, not reviewing because they stayed.
This was a good way to assess the housekeeping and it clearly garnered results.

I would have done that, too, although I think the team wanted to see how thorough housekeeping was.
As i said above, given they were doing a review, i'm guessing that's why they left it.
If they were staying as guests on their own vacation, no review needed, i'd assume they'd have mentioned it much sooner?
 
Are Tyler and Katrina off of the show officially? I noticed that Tyler’s twitter profile says “l’ve worked with the DIS.” They haven’t been on for quite some time now.
 


I wasn't following Pete’s theory on the DL show. My understanding is the tax deals are all gone and done away with since August. I don't know of any kickbacks on the other three hotels. Also, the Anaheim ballot "Measure L" for the wage requirements for those receiving tax incentives from the city DID pass in November. It is said it doesn't apply to Disney because they walked away from all their tax incentives. Is that not correct? And I would think if Disneyland had any tax breaks that would be a matter of public record?

I think Pete's suggestion they may move the luxury hotel concept to PPH to slip under some preexisting, sweetheart tax deal on PPH (if one exists) would just piss off the city all over again. The very reason Disney claims to have canceled their tax breaks was to "reset" that relationship in good faith. So to turn around and do something like that doesn't add up.

Could they be planning to extensively rehab, update or re-theme PP? Sure, that's possible and even likely. But not a luxury property. Anyways, if they aren't putting sheets on the extra bed or offering polished customer service, I am not that impressed by a Ritz-Carlton hotel manager. o_O
 
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I wasn't following Pete’s theory on the DL show. My understanding is the tax deals are all gone and done away with since August. I don't know of any kickbacks on the other three hotels. Also, the Anaheim ballot "Measure L" for the wage requirements for those receiving tax incentives from the city DID pass in November. It is said it doesn't apply to Disney because they walked away from all their tax incentives. Is that not correct? And I would think if Disneyland had any tax breaks that would be a matter of public record?

I think Pete's suggestion they may move the luxury hotel concept to PPH to slip under some preexisting, sweetheart tax deal on PPH (if one exists) would just piss off the city all over again. The very reason Disney claims to have canceled their tax breaks was to "reset" that relationship in good faith. So to turn around and do something like that doesn't add up.

Could they be planning to extensively rehab, update or re-theme PP? Sure, that's possible and even likely. But not a luxury property. Anyways, if they aren't putting sheets on the extra bed or offering polished customer service, I am not that impressed by a Ritz-Carlton hotel manager. o_O
Actually it isn't the fact that it was going to be a luxury hotel that was the issue, it was the tax break problem. So they could bump PPH up to a luxury hotel and just not use any tax breaks and be ok.
 
Right, I think we agree they can build a luxury hotel if they want. Pete kept referring to part of their motivation for doing it at PPH to use PPH’s existing tax deal.
There was two things I am questioning, I haven’t heard of any tax deal on PPH, I really don’t think they have one. Two, Disney and Josh D’amaro asked the city to cancel all their tax breaks last fall to reset the relationship so I don’t think they would turn around and try to maximize an existing tax deal, if any still even exist.
Yes they can remodel PPH out of pocket, but if tax breaks are part of the basis of the rumor, I think the rumor is flawed.
 
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Right, I think we agree they can build a luxury hotel if they want. Pete kept referring to part of their motivation for doing it at PPH to use PPH’s existing tax deal.
There was two things I am questioning, I haven’t heard of any tax deal on PPH, I really don’t think they have one. Two, Disney and Josh D’amaro asked the city to cancel all their tax breaks last fall to reset the relationship so I don’t think they would turn around and try to maximize an existing tax deal, if any still even exist.
Yes they can remodel PPH out of pocket, but if tax breaks are part of the basis of the rumor, I think the rumor is flawed.
I would agree there, but PPH does need a major remodel and doesn't have enough disabled parking to meet the required number and the structure has no elevator, add in the very poor pool area and you can see that the hotel is prime for a major remodel and should be getting it soon.
 
Are Tyler and Katrina off of the show officially? I noticed that Tyler’s twitter profile says “l’ve worked with the DIS.” They haven’t been on for quite some time now.

They did come back once for the March 13 show (#760) discussing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. And Pete mentioned he was staying at the Boardwalk on Sunday on social media, at the same as Katrina mentioned on social media that she and Tyler are staying at the Boardwalk also this week. So I think they are still around, but just have a lower profile now.
 
I think the show works better with two people on Skype. If there is only one, I think they get left out of the conversation, kinda forgotten and it’s hard for them to jump in. The show yesterday had two and it felt like they were actively participating throughout. I know it’s not always possible schedule wise, but it seems like two locals churns more discussion and keeps the topic on DL.
 
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I like the format of the show now a lot, but I do want to hear more non-disney hotel reviews. I need to know where to stay, I'm not saying take the whole show but maybe a 5 minute review?
 

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