Complaining to Disney

[SamandChel]

Has anyone ever complained to Disney about something, big or small, and been shocked about their response? Good or bad lol.


I emailed guest communications about an issue with FP+ reservations in advance. Would not let me make my full reservation for length of stay, on property. FP+ IT number was useless and they said they can't override the system so I emailed the guest communications email and they corrected the issue, gave use 2 extra FP per day and are arranging with the Disney Florists to have a gift waiting in the room. I know what it is but they wanted it to be a surprise for my Fiance.

Anyone else have Disney go out of their way for something small? Or have Disney do nothing at all?

 

[officialtom]

I don't like to complain to Disney because I'm so completely in love with WDW all around. That said, we did have one issue during our March/April 2014 trip that warranted a minor complaint:

We got back to our room at POR shortly after 9:30pm following a day at MK. We walked in and noticed immediately that mousekeeping hadn't made the beds, changed the towels, emptied the garbages, etc. Nothing had been done or cleaned, but the tip we'd left that morning was gone! We called the front desk and asked them to to send somebody with a couple of fresh towels, which they promised to do. More than 45 minutes later, around 10:30, nobody had come, so we called them back and told them to not bother. We were exhausted after a long day, so we grabbed a couple of clean towels from the pool, showered, and went to bed.

It really wouldn't have been a big deal if mousekeeping hadn't come and if the tip had still been there where we left it, but the fact that someone came in, took the tip, and left without doing anything was just plain irritating.

Anyway, we kind of expected to get an apology when we checked out, but we didn't hear anything further about it. Not very Disney-like at all!

 

[SamandChel]

@officialtom I know what you mean about not wanting to complain to Disney because we love it so much. I usually justify it as if I don't say something it won't be fixed.

I can't believe mousekeeping would do that! Usually when I leave a tip I get 2-3 towel animals and a really clean room lol.

 

[officialtom]

@officialtom I know what you mean about not wanting to complain to Disney because we love it so much. I usually justify it as if I don't say something it won't be fixed.

I can't believe mousekeeping would do that! Usually when I leave a tip I get 2-3 towel animals and a really clean room lol.

It was the first time we'd ever had an issue with mousekeeping on any of our trips. Every other day during our trip last year, they left us various towel creatures doing hilarious things.

 

[Hakunamatata]

 

[PhilharMagician]

Has anyone ever complained to Disney about something, big or small, and been shocked about their response? Good or bad lol.


I emailed guest communications about an issue with FP+ reservations in advance. Would not let me make my full reservation for length of stay, on property. FP+ IT number was useless and they said they can't override the system so I emailed the guest communications email and they corrected the issue, gave use 2 extra FP per day and are arranging with the Disney Florists to have a gift waiting in the room. I know what it is but they wanted it to be a surprise for my Fiance.

Anyone else have Disney go out of their way for something small? Or have Disney do nothing at all?

Glad that they were able to help you out. You are having your wedding down there correct? They would certainly be more apt to go out of there way to help make your wedding dreams come true.

I have had 3 issues over the years and can say that Guest relations did not come through on any of them. They gave us 2 FP's for a minor situation. Nothing for a personal injury situation where we had to get transport off site to a urgent care facility and lost 2 days in the parks plus the cost of the medical service. Lastly a security issue in where they checked someone else into our room and the new guests had our bags and belongings removed. The resort manager refused to help us in anyway with the exception of putting us in a room about as far away from the main building as possible. Long story.

We have also had many magical moments over the years.

• Being selected to be in the lead float in the Jingle Jungle Parade in AK.
• We were also randomly selected @ MK when were entering thru the turnstiles to meet privately with Cinderella. We had to go to the Main Street Chamber of Commerce and they took us behind the counter through a door into a large executives office and Cinderella was sitting behind the desk and my daughter got to spend about 15 minutes with her. It was a very special time.
• Sitting in the monorail pilots cab and my daughter getting her monorail pilots license.
• Being the first for dinner @ the Cape May Café and my daughter ringing the dinner bell to open the restaurant.
• While dining @ the California Grill and my daughter being asked to flip the "ceremonial" switch to start Wishes in the MK.
• Dining at the Biergarten and my daughter being asked up on stage so she could light the Christmas tree during there ceremonial lighting.
• Dining at the Crystal Palace and being selected in the opening ceremony so my daughter got to decorate a cupcake with the characters and take a group photo with all of them.
• My daughter riding IaSW sitting next to Peter Pan.
• Riding Soarin' 4 times straight at the end of an EMH night @ 1:00 AM sitting next to some great CM's. Was a lot of fun.

We have more great memorable experiences that WDW CM's have done for us. Far more good than bad.

Congrats on your wedding.

 

[SamandChel]

@PhilharMagician Yes we are getting married on the 16th. Thank youuuuu.

I'm shocked that guest relations didn't help you out. We have always been able to get them to help us with anything. Even upgrading us from a moderate resort to a deluxe because the room type we booked wasn't available and they only has lower level rooms.

Glad to hear that the good outweighs the bad at least! Sounds like your family has been able to really experience the magic of Disney!

 

[Chef Mickey]

My interactions with Guest Services have nearly always been positive.

I've received $300 off my entire visit for a couple problems I had with Magic Band. Didn't even ask for it.

I've received a couple stuffed Mickeys in the mail with a personal note on two different occasions. I got 2 photo frames and other various merchandise, all sent to my home.

I invited Mickey and Minnie to our wedding and received a photo frame gift and post card personally signed by both characters. Probably helped our engagement photos were done at Disney.

I doubt they listen to much of the feedback, but it feels good to get a legitimate, thoughtful response. I always write letters, personally sign them, and mail them.

 

[PhilharMagician]

@PhilharMagician Yes we are getting married on the 16th. Thank youuuuu.

I'm shocked that guest relations didn't help you out. We have always been able to get them to help us with anything. Even upgrading us from a moderate resort to a deluxe because the room type we booked wasn't available and they only has lower level rooms.

Glad to hear that the good outweighs the bad at least! Sounds like your family has been able to really experience the magic of Disney!

Wish you and your fiance' the most magical time.

I am not shocked since so many people complain just to get something for free. We love spending time in WDW and I guarantee that the CM's knew my history looking at their computer and the amount of time that I spent in WDW and that I would be back anyway. I also try to make sure that if something good happens that I stop at guest relations and let them know what and more importantly who made the magic.

Never had any room upgrades over the years, only a downgrade from a DVC (deluxe) to moderate. The only good thing about the downgrade was that my room ended up being free. I guess that was a good thing.

 

[yellowb]

I have only contacted Customer Service after a trip once, and that was after last New Year's Eve. I complained about the Manager at the Grand Floridian Cafe being rude about not allowing the Disney Visa discount for dinner that evening when it clearly stated that was not a blackout restaurant. I received an apology, my discount refunded back to my credit card, as well as a little extra refunded back. Didn't expect it, but very happy they gave it to me.

 

[Disneydreamer23]

I am also one that doesn't like to complain on our last trip in September we have bought a bag from Epcot. We were taking it with us when we left because we bought way too many souvenirs, we had them send it back to the resort we were leaving on Saturday we bought it on Tuesday well we checked on Thursday Friday and Saturday morning and somehow the shipment was lost , ended up giving me the same bag for free because the shipment was lost and then after I got home a couple weeks later they ended up sending me the other bag in the mail so I got to keep both bags which I thought was really nice

 

[sgtmgd]

My only complaint is I cant there often enough!

 

[Pax]

We had an issue a few years ago where we were overcharged at the Yak and Yeti by around $50 or so (an amount we picked up on when reviewing our account prior to check out). My husband is great about keeping his charge slips, so we were able to show it to the front desk upon check out. Disney comp'd the entire meal, which was not our intention.

We never did figure out if it was an honest mistake or a sly server trying to pad her tips. I hope it was the former, but my gut tells me it was the latter based on our experience that day in the restaurant.

 

[DisneyJoe]

I don't like to complain to Disney because I'm so completely in love with WDW all around. That said, we did have one issue during our March/April 2014 trip that warranted a minor complaint:

We got back to our room at POR shortly after 9:30pm following a day at MK. We walked in and noticed immediately that mousekeeping hadn't made the beds, changed the towels, emptied the garbages, etc. Nothing had been done or cleaned, but the tip we'd left that morning was gone! We called the front desk and asked them to to send somebody with a couple of fresh towels, which they promised to do. More than 45 minutes later, around 10:30, nobody had come, so we called them back and told them to not bother. We were exhausted after a long day, so we grabbed a couple of clean towels from the pool, showered, and went to bed.

It really wouldn't have been a big deal if mousekeeping hadn't come and if the tip had still been there where we left it, but the fact that someone came in, took the tip, and left without doing anything was just plain irritating.

Anyway, we kind of expected to get an apology when we checked out, but we didn't hear anything further about it. Not very Disney-like at all!

Most people don't realize that when you pick up the phone in your room, and call the "front desk", you are actually talking to a call center, since the call center can handle 95% of the calls. They then send the message to the front desk or mousekeeping or bell services, if needed.

What I have learned over the years is that for best satisfaction, even for things like getting some extra towels (unless you see a housekeeper in the hallway), is to take a stroll to the front desk and ask for the towels - most likely they will hand them to you right then and there.

 

[LAM378]

I complained last spring about some disgusting issues with our 1br villa at BLT. The response I got from the front desk was subpar, but when I wrote to Disney from home after the fact, I got a phone call in response--and 2 free nights in any 1br villa on property. Huge surprise.

When I visited this past August, I checked in at WL with no issues. I went on to charge about $300 that day using my Magicband. It was souvenir shopping day! The next day, our Magicbands don't work at AK--they all say no charging privileges. Got back to WL and spent the better part of 2 hours up and down from my room to the front desk to figure out why I can't charge anything to my band. Turned out the band had never been properly linked to my credit card, and I was never charged the $300 for the previous day. I pointed out the missing charges once things got fixed, but they refused to charge me. Also got a knock on the door later that day, with a CM bearing a huge tray of cookies and milk and snacks, and a basket of toys for my 5-year-old, with a note of apology for my trouble.

Needless to say, I've been happy--and truly surprised and grateful--with WDW's responses to my problems.

 

[Obi]

i have sent an email of gratitude to meg crofton, which got passed down to joan martin, about a few cm's that went out of their way to make our trip magical. received a call from joan, had a pleasant talk. talked about what the cm's did and if there were any ideas i had that might make disney even better. i shared my thoughts. she thanked me for it and was offered a vip pass to any show or parade that i wanted for my next visit to the world. i didn't ask for it. it was just offered.

 

[MaxsDad]

I don't like to complain to Disney because I'm so completely in love with WDW all around.

I have a Grandson that I love so much that I can not express it in words. My son and daughter-in-law, obviously, love him deeply as well. So much so, in fact, that they often fail to discipline him in an effective matter, and he subsequently frequently runs amuck unchecked. This is not in his best interest, the best interest of his parents, or those around them.

Many of US,the guest, myself included, view complaining as a negative action, but all would be better served if we remember the nature of our relationship with WDW is one in which they serve us. We should view our actions as positive, helpful, and loving, (and remember to deliver them in that manner as well.) None of us, or the resort, benefit from issues being ignored. So don't feel bad, if they are who they say they are, they want to know!

 

[SamandChel]

@LAM378 Wow nice to see they didn't charge you for all your souvenirs. I always love how Disney tries to make sure you are happy when you get done with problems especially when you have children with you.

When I was young I got sick on a flight to Disney (Double Ear Infection) and Disney went out of their way to make sure that I still had a magical trip. Disney brought up a vcr (yes a vcr) to the room along with almost every Disney movie ever made and about 5 giant stuffed animals. Luckily towards the end of the trip I was able to go into the parks lol. Still hear that story every trip from my parents and it's the little things like that which have kept them going back even as their kids all grew up

 

[Jahona]

I had to complain to the front desk at my stay at CSR in July. One of our towels in the room had a huge 3 to 4 inch gaping hole in it. The CM just took it and very nonchalantly tossed it behind the desk. Didn't apologize or try to make amends for an obvious fault with housekeeping. I then had to assist them in their job by hinting that maybe they should ask if I would like more towels sent to my room as replacement.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Oh I forgot one other thing. I booked airfare through Disney and they absolutely messed up my itinerary. Completely their fault. I got a call from American essentially telling me I'd have to pay $150/ticket change fee to get home on the day Disney told me I could. Lot of details, but I was pretty mad.

I called Disney and told them I was misinformed by one of their agents and the tickets they booked will cause multiple issues. At first, they denied that would ever tell a guest that and argued with me. I told them calmly that I want them to go research the call as I know all calls are recorded. Within 2 hours, I received a call back, profusely apologizing for the agent's error.

I received my entire Deluxe Dining Plan free for 9 days, 3 free nights in the hotel, 5 free days at the park, special seating for Wishes and Illuminations, something like a $500 credit to cover my trouble, AND they paid the change fees for my airline tickets.

I'd say they took care of the error. I wrote a thank you note after my trip.