??? All Star Movie - "Roach Hotel" ???

[LuLaSue]

A co-worker of mine just arrived back from Walt Disney World and shared with me what I thought to be a disturbing story.

On Monday June 29th, 2009, they returned to their room (located at the "All Star Movies" resort Dalmatians Building #2) at approximately 11PM. His wife noticed a roach on the night stand located between the beds. She has a terrible phobia of roaches. She called the front desk hysterically crying about the incident. The worker at the front desk offered to send "pest control" to the room. She told the worker that this was unacceptable and we needed change rooms. The worker said to give him some time and he would call us back in the room. When the worker called back he spoke to him this time, he said he was still searching for a room and once again offered to send pest control to the room. While he was on the phone with the CM, 2 more roaches appeared near the sink. Finally, after about an hour of calling back and forth a room was found for us in the "All-Star Sports" complex. This room was better. My co-worker felt this incident was handled terribly unprofessional.

IMHO I agree. I think the family should have been moved immediately. Offer pest control? Are you joking? One roach is one roach to many! They are a family with 2 young girls, all that time waiting for a room change when they could have been sleeping. If rooms were not available in a value resort they should have been bumped to Carribean Beach or POR. I just don't understand what the delay was. Move, Move, Move a customer who is not happy and has a real/valid "BUG" issue!

Does anyone have an email address that this family can send a complaint like this to?

I would appreciate it.

 

[LuLaSue]

This sounds like a negative judgment...is that the way you intended it?

No not at all! Please do not misunderstand. It's about climate and location.

 

[LuLaSue]

I noticed that comment as well but I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully they are just uneducated regarding the frequency and variety of insects found in Florida and didn't mean to insinuate that they are among a higher class than those of us who have actually seen a cockroach or have had one in our house.

Some people equate insects with uncleanliness which is just ignorance, they don't realize that in warm and damp climates, like Florida, that any house or hotel no matter how clean or how many stars it has, can become a getaway for cockroaches.

However I understand that at the Value resorts the cockroaches are shuttled in while guests are preoccupied with "Wishes" just to scare people at night. The Moderate resorts only permit cockraoches during low season so the CM's can play "Room Switch Bingo" and at the Deluxe resorts the cockroaches are dressed in pastel button ups with tiny capri pants and berets and check KTTW cards to prevent pool hopping.

One more reason why I prefer the Poly over Pop.

There was never a mention of uncleanliness, just that there were roaches. If people would read through all the posts it would be clear that location and climate was the discussion at hand. I made no mention of a value resort being better than a moderate only that if there were no rooms available they should have been moved there.

Shameful I feel the need to constantly defend the fact I would not stay in a room with visable roaches. I certainly wouldn't want a roach to make it's home in my pastel button up or my tiny capri's. And I am being accused of being judgemental.:lol:

 

[Gucci65]

Palmettos or water bugs would be squished on sight. One roach in my room would not cause a panic, but I would have made sure none of my luggage was on the floor and I would have called the front desk as well for pest control.

Seeing two more roaches (not palmettos) would have had me packing my bags and waiting in the lobby. I would not have spend another minute in that room.

I don't think Disney hotels are dirty. BUT there is one thing we have all overlooked................the previous occupant could have brought the roaches in their luggage from home.

My cousin does pest control for a living. I'm always amazed at stories of sparkling clean restaurants with roach problems, turns out the the staff are bringing them in unintentionally from home. Finally determined when employee lockers were full of roaches (with no available food source).

So just remember, you have no idea WHO or what level of cleanliness the previous occupant had.

 

[Darth Angelo]

Guys remember this family might not have been the only one to complain and want another room that night. At near 100% occupancy there is bound to be other people complaining. So if your at the front desk, and have lets say 10 rooms that are having problems and need to switch rooms and you only have 1 room open, you have a problem. Plus I am sure that to get a family a room at another resort it takes a managers sign-off if not a manager to do the switch. Plus these other resorts might be full and have their own complaints also.

Two hours is nothing.

I have lived in Florida for 30 years and I hate Roaches. But I have to deal with them. Pest control always works, it has for me. If they sent over a guy to spray and clean up the dead ones, you would be OK for the night at least. Plus the professional bug sprays these days is not the toxic stuff they used back in the old days. It is perfectly safe to spray in the room and you sleep in the room.

If your friend has a phobia of bugs, there are many things she can do. There are electronic devices that emit a sound that keep bugs away. Heck there is even an IPhone app that emits the same sound to keep them away.

Plus like the others have said, and I hate to say it, do not post in any Forum on the internet and think that your not going to get flamed.

 

[EaglesfanNJ]

I sympathize for your co-worker and especially the wife with the phobia of bugs, that could not have been an easy ordeal, especially during peak season and at 11 pm at night.

That being said, part of the problem was with the title of your post in the first place, which may have something to do with why you may have set some people off in here. "All Star Movies, Roach Hotel" You are setting yourself up for criticism right there, you know people will defend anything Disney on the boards. Next the title just isn't fair, 3 roaches in 1 room does not designate it a "Roach Hotel". Yes your coworker had every right to request another room, but he needed to show some patience in the matter. And as far as emailing now, after the fact, what else is he trying to accomplish? Makes one wonder.. Is he after some form of additional compensation? If he was upset enough to complain via email now, why didn't he escalate it in the morning to management? Seems like he would have gotten more of a response then emailing after the fact.

 

[LuLaSue]

I sympathize for your co-worker and especially the wife with the phobia of bugs, that could not have been an easy ordeal, especially during peak season and at 11 pm at night.

That being said, part of the problem was with the title of your post in the first place, which may have something to do with why you may have set some people off in here. "All Star Movies, Roach Hotel" You are setting yourself up for criticism right there, you know people will defend anything Disney on the boards. Next the title just isn't fair, 3 roaches in 1 room does not designate it a "Roach Hotel". Yes your coworker had every right to request another room, but he needed to show some patience in the matter. And as far as emailing now, after the fact, what else is he trying to accomplish? Makes one wonder.. Is he after some form of additional compensation? If he was upset enough to complain via email now, why didn't he escalate it in the morning to management? Seems like he would have gotten more of a response then emailing after the fact.

EaglesFanNJ..

Your correct, my title should have been, shall we say less dramatic. With that said, I am really not sure if he wants more compensation. I do know he was curious if there were another email or address other than the what he was given so he could send a communication.

 

[RedBaron]

I am not a huge fan of bugs either and understand the fear. I suppose if I had only seen 1 bug I would have killed it and checked every corner of the room to see if there were more, and if the coast was clear I would have been OK with it. But hearing that your friend had 3 in their room , I would have asked to be moved to another room too. Considering the time of day and being the peak of the season, I do not think a 2 hour wait to be transferred to a different room was all that unreasonable. As others have said, there are many different kinds of roaches. There are the pest kind and then the kind that live outside and sometimes might sneak in. I always try to remember where I am when I am on vacation and remember that there are different critters in the tropics than we have up north. I have already had a lizard in my room, huge praying mantis, giant roach (not at disney, but at very nice hotels in tropical areas). I think your friend should have dealt with this situation immediately while still on property if he was not happy with the way he was treated. Maybe they could have offered him some kind of compensation for his troubles. Now that he is back home it is too late really. I am willing to bet that nothing will happen if he writes a complaint now, maybe he will get an apology letter at most?

 

[EPCOTPluto]

We happened to stay overnight at the AS Sports for the Fourth of July.
I know as a fact that is where bed bugs were discovered a month or so ago.
What we did was spray around the room, the bathroom, TV, and beds with Lysol when we first arrived. We open the bed's tucked sheets and pulled them aside. We used a towel to cover the bathroom floor. We had a bottle of Germ-Ex to wash our hands with, even two tiny portables for the parks. We used napkins to cover the room table and drawer top. And there was even a card that stated (in verbatim):

"Dear Guest:

You may notice that the carpet in your room is damp due to the recent cleaning. You can expect your carpet to be dry shortly.

If you have any questions, please call our Housekeeping Department by pressing the Housekeeping button on your phone.

Sincerely,

Housekeeping Management
Disney's All-Star Resort"

Mind you, this was something new, mostly from the bug incident. Oh, and the carpet dried some 10 hours later. :hammer:

 

[NewfieFan]

We happened to stay overnight at the AS Sports for the Fourth of July.
I know as a fact that is where bed bugs were discovered a month or so ago.
What we did was spray around the room, the bathroom, TV, and beds with Lysol when we first arrived. We open the bed's tucked sheets and pulled them aside. We used a towel to cover the bathroom floor. We had a bottle of Germ-Ex to wash our hands with, even two tiny portables for the parks. We used napkins to cover the room table and drawer top. And there was even a card that stated (in verbatim):

"Dear Guest:

You may notice that the carpet in your room is damp due to the recent cleaning. You can expect your carpet to be dry shortly.

If you have any questions, please call our Housekeeping Department by pressing the Housekeeping button on your phone.

Sincerely,

Housekeeping Management
Disney's All-Star Resort"

Mind you, this was something new, mostly from the bug incident. Oh, and the carpet dried some 10 hours later. :hammer:

You should never spray around the room yourself! Spraying will actually cause the bedbugs to move and spread out... making it even more difficult to find them and for the professionals to deal with them! By all means, check the mattresses and headboards... if you see any signs of bedbugs contact the front desk right away and request a new room. Never, never, spray... let the professionals deal with it. Lysol won't kill bed bugs anyway!

 

[Master Yoda]

You should never spray around the room yourself! Spraying will actually cause the bedbugs to move and spread out... making it even more difficult to find them and for the professionals to deal with them! By all means, check the mattresses and headboards... if you see any signs of bedbugs contact the front desk right away and request a new room. Never, never, spray... let the professionals deal with it. Lysol won't kill bed bugs anyway!

But it will make them smell fresh and clean!:lol:

You are right though. Insecticides and Lysol do little to nothing to get rid of bed bugs. The best way to kill them is to bring in big heaters and drive the temperature of the room up to 140-150 degrees for a few hours. Unless you plan on packing a few construction heaters in you luggage you are much better letting the pros deal with the issue.

 

[Hakunamatata]

The best way to kill them is to bring in big heaters and drive the temperature of the room up to 140-150 degrees for a few hours.

Thats why the thermostats in the room are set the way they are now. Makes sense.:ROFLOL:

 

[EPCOTPluto]

The Lysol thing is usually for germs already existent in the room.


And if it DOES bring them out, I'll immediately notify Front Desk! :lol: Easiest way to spot them!

 

[lighteningqueen]

This is the thing. If they are the german cockroach then they will never rid of them they breed every 2 weeks and 10 thousand eggs at a time, I am told by a pest company, but this is the thing.... They probably came from a past family in that room. Brought them in with their luggage that might have been stored in the garage etc. I am the biggest baby of them all but would have stayed up all night to kill them first and then second been flinging things out of our luggage or drawers to make sure that they didn't move with me to another room. Then asked for a new room as well when they could move us even if another value. But guessing... it came from prior occupants..

 

[NewfieFan]

But it will make them smell fresh and clean!:lol:

You are right though. Insecticides and Lysol do little to nothing to get rid of bed bugs. The best way to kill them is to bring in big heaters and drive the temperature of the room up to 140-150 degrees for a few hours. Unless you plan on packing a few construction heaters in you luggage you are much better letting the pros deal with the issue.

Well, with the 50lbs limit on luggage and only allowing one piece per person... I guess I won't have room for my constuction heaters!:lol:

 

[Master Yoda]

Well, with the 50lbs limit on luggage and only allowing one piece per person... I guess I won't have room for my constuction heaters!:lol:

It is all about priorities. Clothes or bed bug killers.:lol:

 

[captainkidd]

I don't quite understand what the OP thought Disney should have done. They moved the room. What more did they want? As someone else said, just walk down to the front desk and tell them you need another room. :shrug:

On the other hand, I don't get why anyone blames the OP's friend for wanting another room. Sorry, but if I saw 3 roaches in my hotel room, I'd ask to be switched to. Can it happen anywhere? Sure it can. Doesn't mean I have to stay in that room.

 

[LuLaSue]

I don't quite understand what the OP thought Disney should have done. They moved the room. What more did they want? As someone else said, just walk down to the front desk and tell them you need another room. :shrug:

On the other hand, I don't get why anyone blames the OP's friend for wanting another room. Sorry, but if I saw 3 roaches in my hotel room, I'd ask to be switched to. Can it happen anywhere? Sure it can. Doesn't mean I have to stay in that room.

Morning Captain Kid,

I was trying to obtain an email or address different from the general one's they give online. I thought there was some place else they could send their complaint. I had done a search and came up with nothing so I posted here. My title should not have been so dramatic granted and I relayed the story as it was told to me. I felt they should have been moved immediately. (I do understand the CM did the best he could) I agree, would have packed up and parked myself in the Lobby.

Unfortunately, I think the entire point was missed. I am leaving dead dogs to lie and still stand firm on the fact I would not stay in a room after seeing 3 roaches even if pest control came and sprayed. I wouldn't be able to sleep. Call me crazy, and some people here have but, sleeping with roaches is just not my thing.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

 

[durangojim]

I apologize if this was already covered, but I didn't read through all 6 pages to find out. If your coworker acted in an overtly upset and possibly adversarial way towards the CM (as many people who have irrational fears of things often do) it is possible it may have taken longer for a CM to help her than it would have otherwise. It seems that the CM did his/her job appropriately and in a timely manner. Perhaps if your coworker was nicer she would have been upgraded to a different resort, who knows?

This past weekend we flew home from Jackson Hole, WY. We along with about 40 other people missed our flight literally by minutes due to poor security management at the airport. The gate attendant had many irate customers yelling and screaming at her and she definately felt threatened as she said she would call security on more than one occasion. I was the first passenger she had to deal with, and as politely and calmly as I could as asked what she could do for my family and I so we could still get home on the same day. I made small talk and joked with her about how bad her day was likely to get. Long story short, my family and I made it home after being upgraded to first class on two flights, the other passengers were put on standby or had to wait until the next day to fly home. Being hysterical never gets you anything except resentment from those you are expecting to help you.

 

[worldfanatic]

I have to echo the thoughts of many others.
How you deal with a problem is huge in determining how it's going to be solved.

Customer service is a difficult job. People can get ridiculously rude, obnoxious, threatening, and unreasonable. And the employee pretty much has to take it to remain employed. It's frustrating, and gives little incentive to give the complainer what they really want.

While there's certainly some employees who can be bullied, it doesn't work on everyone.

Over the years in the hotel business, I've had to calmly deal with many irate customers who were really were off base. These people could have gotten exactly what they wanted if they had just been respectful. But because they approached their problem in such a stupid & aggresive fashion, it's "sorry, wish I could help you, but..............."

Not saying it pertains to this case, but some need to remember that on occasion "the louder you cry, the less you'll get"

 

[JustInTime]

I am guessing they want a free trip. :shrug: