Unwanted Guest

[Ariel63]

After experiencing much dissatisfied customer service with regards to concerns regarding hotel customer services and overall newly stiffling park regulations and exceptions that are becoming more visible as priveldeges to only certain priveldged guests, I explained in great detail my concerns to guest relations main office. I contacted them by phone the next day after an exausting visit. Tim the "cast member" pretended to be concerned during our nearly 45 minutes conversation, but I realized the reason why he was not directly reiterating my situation, was because his questions were standard and not intested in resolving the situation. He showed no empathy though he "appologized" that I did not have an enjoyable experience and offered nothing more than he would pass on the information. Not even as much as a "fast pass" was offered and when asked he said they would not be able to compensate me in anyway or assure my for my next visit in two months anything to be prearranged that I would not have to concern myself with a situation coming up again. I asked if there was anyone I could follow up some of the specifics with and he said I could go no further in any of the circumstances except to keep asking for a manager if the initial "cast member" was not handling the situation to my satisfaction. I have been a "guest" for 40 years, 10 year pass-holder and 7 year bi-annual hotel guest and I have been made to feel I am lucky they let me show up!

[WallyBoag]

Can you be more specific about what the issue was that led to you placing a phone complaint with Disney?

[Ariel63]

I had some issues with the reservations desk over the phone. Two incidents one of which that included losing a discounted availability at DH in the middle of a reservation and when they found me again the reservation was not availbe and they would not give me another room for that price. The second part was that my family felt like were treated like we were lucky we were able to even attend the park itself, let alone like someone who was a frequent and loyal customer of the park and hotels. A muriad of surprises between the huge increase in our passes to "newly enforced" regulations regarding the entrance to GC hotel to the merchandise return policy to getting kicked out of a sitting area at a the wine tasting place we frequent where my husband I spend at least $40 on a regular basis, including yesterday due to "VIP" parade viewing. I also was suprised and disappointed to not be able to watch the new "World of Color" show due to special fast passes being distributed and being "sold out" at 3 or 4 pm in the afternoon. Again, unlike Fantasmic and the Fireworks it felt very "exclusive". What was even more confusing was that was not even actual seating. Anyway, too many special privledges in the past couple of years for those with mystery criteria qualifications or out of town vacationers with special privledges and coupon books and "newly enforced" regulations have made me feel not very welcome for a family who visits 4-5 times a year spending no less than $200 a visit not including passes. Yesterday this was very apparant so I decided I would call and let them know how I felt with regards to both situations. It was hard enough explaining to my kids for two years why we never got picked for "Year of a Million Dreams" for even so much as a fast pass and that "Uncle Walty" had nothing to do with it and we were just "not lucky". Still watching them get there hopes up during those 8 or 10 visits during those two years trying to find the "magic spot" took effort to try to not allow it to take away from our visits.

[Simba]

All the things you state are a result of the extreme popularity and huge attendance for not just the DLR in general, but specifically World Of Color. I don't mean to sound harsh, but you sound like you have some sense of entitlement just because you're a long time passholder and long time money-spender at the DLR. The World of Color fastpasses are necessary. You complain that the fastpasses were gone by 2-3 PM, yet if they did not have a fastpass system for it, you would have to be staking out a position in front of the lagoon by noon or you wouldn't get a (good) spot.

The reason some of the perks you listed were removed is due to the fact that far too many people were taking unfair advantage of those perks or because it was inconveniencing other guests.

I'm sorry you lost the opportunity to the discount, but that's the essence of those discounts - they are limited availability.

I'm not aware of any great or special perks available to people who just happen to book the right vacation package or have some special coupon book.

Again, I don't mean to sound harsh, but it seems like you're looking for perks that nobody else gets, simply due to being a long standing customer. I'd love those perks too, but if they give them to you, they have to give them to everyone, and you can't give perks to everyone or they aren't perks any more, they're standard procedure. You say you're frustrated by the lack of special treatment, but what I see is that in the past you were afforded perhaps a greater level of special treatment than others, and now that you're in a bad luck streak with things like discounts and Year of a Million Dreams fastpasses, you interpret it as not getting something you're entitled to.

I visited DLR about 30 times during the YOMD celebration and didn't get a single dream fastpass or any other bonuses. It happens.

Perhaps there are other service issues that you experienced that I've overlooks, and I could very well be reading your words incorrectly. If that's the case, I hope that your experiences are just isolated incidents and things get better for you and all guests from here on out.

[darph nader]

Well said Simba. We only get the chance to go to DL maybe every 2-3 years and we live 'relatively' close. Disney did mess up on WoC as far as capacity #s,so using FP,dinners and the cover charge thingy was 'semi' smart on their part. If they want to pander to the 'big' spenders,that is their right. It would be nice if us regular schmooe's could get the discounts offered to others. Of course we don't have a 'this one thing/show is gonna ruin our vacation if we don't see it' mentality. I know this doesn't come across well in type form but that's the way we feel about it.

[Disney Vault]

All the things you state are a result of the extreme popularity and huge attendance for not just the DLR in general, but specifically World Of Color. I don't mean to sound harsh, but you sound like you have some sense of entitlement just because you're a long time passholder and long time money-spender at the DLR. The World of Color fastpasses are necessary. You complain that the fastpasses were gone by 2-3 PM, yet if they did not have a fastpass system for it, you would have to be staking out a position in front of the lagoon by noon or you wouldn't get a (good) spot.

The reason some of the perks you listed were removed is due to the fact that far too many people were taking unfair advantage of those perks or because it was inconveniencing other guests.

I'm sorry you lost the opportunity to the discount, but that's the essence of those discounts - they are limited availability.

I'm not aware of any great or special perks available to people who just happen to book the right vacation package or have some special coupon book.

Again, I don't mean to sound harsh, but it seems like you're looking for perks that nobody else gets, simply due to being a long standing customer. I'd love those perks too, but if they give them to you, they have to give them to everyone, and you can't give perks to everyone or they aren't perks any more, they're standard procedure. You say you're frustrated by the lack of special treatment, but what I see is that in the past you were afforded perhaps a greater level of special treatment than others, and now that you're in a bad luck streak with things like discounts and Year of a Million Dreams fastpasses, you interpret it as not getting something you're entitled to.

I visited DLR about 30 times during the YOMD celebration and didn't get a single dream fastpass or any other bonuses. It happens.

Perhaps there are other service issues that you experienced that I've overlooks, and I could very well be reading your words incorrectly. If that's the case, I hope that your experiences are just isolated incidents and things get better for you and all guests from here on out.

Thanks you for stating it nicer than I would.

On a side note is the GCH antrance into DCA for GCH guests only now or for all disney hotel guests? I know it isn't open to the general public anymore but i thought guests from all 3 disney property hotels could still use it.

[dlfreak]

Paragraphs are so helpful.

I like paragraphs and line breaks.

[1FoolishMortal]

I don't know the specifics of who's allowed *into* the GCH entrance, but I do know that anybody is allowed to exit through it so that hasn't changed.

One thing to note is that on Sunday, July 18th they were not allowing ANY World of Color traffic to exit through the Grizzly area....only if you could produce a hotel key were you allowed that way (this was after the 11:15pm show). I don't know how long they'd been doing that because they weren't checking the week prior, and last night they'd stopped doing it again. I think they're still attempting to figure things out and determine what works best.

[Jspider]

Thanks you for stating it nicer than I would.

On a side note is the GCH antrance into DCA for GCH guests only now or for all disney hotel guests? I know it isn't open to the general public anymore but i thought guests from all 3 disney property hotels could still use it.

I would hope all hotel guests could use it but I suppose thats only because looking online I don't see any real perks to staying in Paradise Pier so they'd best throw those poor folks SOMETHING.

[screamer]

Ariel: perhaps you and your family should try taking a little vacation from Disneyland. Whenever I've had a bad experience there, and there are very few, I try not going back for a while. It's an amazing reminder of what a privilege it is for all of us to even be able to experience the parks. Compared to many forms of entertainment in this world, DLR is a unique bargain that can be compared to little else. Try to remember the first time you visited Disneyland and what made it so special that you wanted to come back. I bet it had nothing to do with perks or fast passes. I remember the smile on my daughter's face the first time she saw Mickey Mouse. I think about how happy my son was when he was actually tall enough to ride Indiana Jones. I think of all the tears I've shed over fireworks and parades throughout the years. I think of how lucky and special I am to live close enough to be able to visit a couple of times a year. Any negativity I have ever experienced at DLR pales in comparison to all the beauty and joy I've been able to be a part of. I hope, Ariel, you decide that most of your complaints don't really matter, that none of us are entitled to anything, and you remember, it's not about what you get, but what you do with the time you have.