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Originally Posted By Bolna <<I would want to stay at the recently renovated TreeHouses(DVC only) >> Oh, that's a good one! I would love to stay there as well. And I think the Fort Wilderness cabins would be fun to stay at. I like this idea of staying in a forest as contrast to the busy world of the parks.
Originally Posted By Mr X Bolna, we are similar souls! I've always dreamed of a WDW treehouse stay back in the day AND some campground fun at Ft. Wilderness (naturally, River Country was a big draw too!)...back when I was a kid I actually tried to plan a camping trip to Ft. Wilderness when I realized the Contemporary was way beyond my means (I actually DID send a deposit to the Contemporary, in the mail, and had to cancel when my parents found out lol)...at that time (late 70's??) a camping site was just $15 bucks or so compared to $100 for a Contemporary or Poly night... I was just dreaming, of course, because my family hated DisneyWorld AND Florida and I only got to go there once when I was 11 on a marching band trip during my childhood (I'd been once before, at age FOUR when there was just the Magic Kingdom, but I'd just turned four and have NO recollection of the place! I remember the FLIGHT but not Disney!). Still, I dreamed. And planned. (on the bright side, I DID get to enjoy Disneyland twice when I was 18 then 19, and at 19 I went back to DisneyWorld and enjoyed it thoroughly...have been hanging around Disney Parks ever since then! <---adds Ft. Wilderness to bucket list.
Originally Posted By Mr X That was way back in biblical times, by the way...1975. Today I've decided to take pride in my elderly age...I'm officially NOT a kid anymore lol. Yup...1975. When I was young, that seemed kinda recent. *sigh* Anyone else looking forward to the Tricentennial?
Originally Posted By Mr X <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ck4049/5043744037/in/photostream" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/c...tostream</a> <---remembers seeing that with his own old eyes!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Seriously, dude!! What compels you to spout the company line in these cases!? OBVIOUSLY they were wrong, a first class business would take care of it post haste. No?>> Sorry. I feel it is wrong and perhaps obstinate and pompous for a guest to DEMAND something they have been told up front just may not be possible. It is like a guest showing up at a Vegas Hotel and getting all pissy when the front desk tells you that an upgrade to a strip view is just not possible. I've frequently been given that during less busy times, but if the hotel is packed what the hell do you expect? I could also get upset if my smoking preference was not met when there was no advance notice that it might not be. That has occasionally happened to me and at times I've chosen to get pissy about it. But Disney tells you up-front what to expect. A stated smoking preference is no different from your request to get a corner room overlooking the pool. If you happen to get it great, but it is not something you should count on... especially if the hotel is fully booked. If you end up in a room that was not yet ready for occupancy because of your request for a change (which happened to me once at the Wilderness Lodge) I think it is entirely appropriate to demand that someone be up to clean it within 15 minutes (which I did). But as far as I'm concerned, at that point Disney has gone above and beyond to try and please you, and you really have no cause for further complaint.
Originally Posted By Bolna Well, the good thing about the smoking room issue is that it is no longer an issue since all rooms are non-smoking now.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<What kind of establishments to YOU frequent!?>> A very wide range. I've never stayed at a 4-Seasons, but in the psst 12 months I've stayed at everything from a Comfort Suites to a Hilton. Disney service has been superior to every hotel except perhaps the Hilton. But there I paid over $200 a night for a freaking standard room in Branson, Missouri! In Branson you can usually get a high-end hotel room for under $100 a night. I would HOPE that my service at the Hilton was damned good!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>Sorry. I feel it is wrong and perhaps obstinate and pompous for a guest to DEMAND something they have been told up front just may not be possible. It is like a guest showing up at a Vegas Hotel and getting all pissy when the front desk tells you that an upgrade to a strip view is just not possible. I've frequently been given that during less busy times, but if the hotel is packed what the hell do you expect? <<< RT, I didn't demand anything or get pissy. When we arrived at the room, I called and asked if it would be possible to change rooms (a request, which is within my rights to ask). If the answer was no, we would have stayed put. But they said yes. Then when I got to the desk, the cast got pissy with me. I have never had that happen at any hotel, and at my peak, I was spending as much as 200 nights a year in hotels.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Well, the cast should not have been pissy about your asking, and you should have been told you would be put in a room that needed additional cleaning and told that they would take care of it promptly. Sorry I made any assumptions, but I must say that in my MANY visits to WDW hotels I have witnessed unreasonable behavior by guests far more frequently than I have witnessed unreasonable behavior by cast. And I HAVE noticed that at times you are a bit opinionated and don't hesitate to express that opinion in rather strong terms. My bad though for making assumptions.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo You know what can happen when you AssUMe I am not an average WDW guest, I live in hotels, and I know in those situations that questions, calmness and firm but fair approaches get a lot more. That is very different than voicing critiques on a web site, or useing facebook as a release on a bad day. Like I say, I was not THAT angry about the smoking room, I was more angry about the wile goose chase (we were at the end of the building), to arrive and then be treated poorly by a lead. Not cool at all. At the time, my main role was a senior manager in a a Fortune 250 company, and I had a number of times where although my specialism is community public sector, I would be asked to troubleshoot commercial clients (and we would bring the commercial folks into our accounts when their skills were needed). I had worked with a budget chain of motels a few months before that were concerned about the business processes and customer relations skills, that before we started working with them, we still excellent compared to our experience at AKL. And to not be able to respond to my concerns is inexcuseable in a blue chip service company that Disney is supposed to be. Heck, they sell consultancy to other firms on this stuff.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo But I must confess, I am disappointed with your assumption. And yes, I cringe at most WDWers behaviour. Or most of the Americans that come to the UK and bitch and moan at hospitality staff.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I feel it is wrong and perhaps obstinate and pompous for a guest to DEMAND*** I didn't get the impression that they were being all that demanding. In my experience "the customer is always right" goes a long way. Sure there are truly bad customers, but this doesn't seem like such a case. And for a company like Disney that prides itself on great service, this is a HUGE letdown as far as I'm concerned. They could've been accommodated in a million different ways based on their request, and reading about it none of the million options took place. That does bum me out.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***And I HAVE noticed that at times you are a bit opinionated and don't hesitate to express that opinion in rather strong terms. *** As have U(and)ME. That doesn't mean great Disney service shouldn't apply to all of us.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I am disappointed with your assumption*** We are all adults (and friends) here. RT was offering up his observations. They are fair enough, I think. Perhaps he assumed too much (that's MY take), but on the other hand it's true that the employees in WDW have to deal with difficulties on a regular basis. So, in short, I appreciate both of your takes on this subject...
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo FWIW, I was not just disappointed with it because RT made an assumption, I am disappointed with myself for allowing that assumption to be made. I suppose, in my daily life, I bottle much up to be strong for my clients and the hell that is happening with social reforms right now, I try to be strong for my family as we fight major health issues and scares, I try to be strong for the kids, and not show them stress, and I try to be strong for Sarah as she does not deserve to always see the worst of me when she really deserves the best. I suppose I allow my passion to creep out here, after 10 years of friendships, it is safe. Those who are truly friends on here remain so and hopefuly know my good side too. Those who are not? oh well. It is rather sad, but when one spends 200 nights a year in hotels (ok, I don't so much anymore), it is hard enough maintaining family responsibilities as well as a few friends. LP has always allowed me to keep in touch with people no matter where I am. And given I have made real, true friendships on here, seeing folks whenever I can or looking forward to their upcoming visits, I persevere. My love of Disney is what started it all, my obsession with it really. But I feel like someone who has left the church, that still pops back looking for a sign. Disney to me used to be the closest thing to me as a religion, it was political and a passion. The fact I am really saddened by all the cutting and things generates my passion on line. But you would have to be nuts to think I would spend so much time and money on a vcacation to go just to poke holes. We do have a great time, just not as great as disney used to be, or that others provide. But as the kids also love it, and we still have fun, we still go. Also I consider myself more than a casual observer, having known many imagineers and long time cast, visited most of the parks (with a desire to see them all), and a professional career as a certified Project Manager, Programme Manager, and LEAN Six Sigma consultant. With a lifelong expereience of parks and resorts around the globe. One of my main motivations through school was to get ahead to be able to aford to enjoy Disney. Sadly, when Pop Century and AKL offer similar service standards, linens etc. That seems wrong to me. But maybe it is time for me to step away. I have been wondering. Most of you are on my Facebook, so we wouldn't lose personal connections, but maybe it is time for me to step away from Disney unless it is the family vacation time? I don't know really.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Dave, you know I consider you an Internet friend. But as you indicated in one of YOUR posts, nothing you experienced was that bad in and of itself... it was the cumulative effect that really turned you off on the whole trip. And I do believe you experienced "a perfect storm" of bad experiences. I just think many of your problems were things the hotel had no control over, and I hate to see service at a particular hotel ripped apart when I have heard from so many other people that they received outstanding service. Do I think you are somehow exaggerating your experience? Not really. I just think you are putting more of the fault on the hotel than it really deserves. All I can do is compare it to a situation of my own, the experience on my only visit to San Francisco. It was easily the most miserable few days I've ever had on vacation. From major problems at the airport, to major problems at the hotel, to being really turned-off by the cheap flea-market being conducted out of the trunks of cars at the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, it was overall an experience I would never want to repeat. But I also know that San Francisco is one of the most popular destinations in the United States, so I tell myself that my experience must have been very unusual and unlucky. I think a little of the same may be useful in your overall assessment of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Not that you did not have problems there because you did. But do you REALLY think judging the hotel as harshly as you have is 100% fair? Perhaps you do. I don't.
