Disney got my money for the last time

[ford91exploder]

The concierge definitely screwed up but I'm sure they didn't do it on purpose and its not like those Halloween dates are announced at the last minute. I know not everyone likes to plan everything out in detail but special events is definitely something I would have noted months in advance when putting my initial plans together on what day I was going to be in each park.

Furthermore, customer service (not just at Disney but anywhere) does have a limit of what they are going to provide to you for compensation. Think of it from their point of view, it is pretty much your word against the concierge's and the concierge technically didn't lie to you (though I'll admit that doesn't make it right). Now they are going to give you the benefit of the doubt but benefit of the doubt is only going to be worth so much in compensation. Even if they were able to confirm everything, there is still going to be a limit to what they can do. If word got out that all you have to do is complain about a CM and some malfunctioning rides to get into the premium events (regardless of how you feel about them) for free, it would not set a good precedent.

As others have pointed out, there are other non-park locations those fireworks are visible from. And even if the app didn't work, if you have a smart phone, you could've easily looked the information up in your phone's web browser instead. Finally, I find it ironic that even though your kid loves the fireworks, you have decided that you will never take them ever again to see them because of this. That doesn't seem fair. I suggest taking some deep breaths, letting the emotion pass, and learning from this experience so that your next trip is as perfect as can be.

If you travel for business you would understand it's a Concierge's JOB ONE to be correct and reliable at all times as these are the people one depends on when operating out of a hotel to make the arrangements for meeting rooms, dining, car service and entertainment for one's clients, But of course Disney can't be bothered to have competent Concierge's because they are expensive.

It seems the OP might have assumed that a Concierge at Disney was as least as good as the ones in any medium to large city hotel, Rookie mistake but it speaks to the general decline in Disney standards i.e. Motel 6 service at Waldorf-Astoria prices.

 

[Jon81uk]

Well this thread shows why Disney can kick its paying customers with crying kids out of their parks and get away with it too.

Once Upon a Time you'd pay for a day at a Disney park and your daughter got to see the $%# fireworks. Just like the commercial.

Now they want you to pay again at 7 or they'll boot you out. Sucks to be you. Should've checked page 237, section 3 sub B. If not, your fault because our employees (unlike you!) can't possible be expected to keep up with all that planning and endless upcharge events.

The Halloween parties have been going on for at least 20 years. Yes the price is now very expensive compared to back then, but the actual parties have been happening in September and October for years and years.

In the OPs case I think its the resort manager who needs to apologise for the concierge giving bad information. But as others have said there are plenty of places you can see park hours, especially times guides etc in the park.

 

[WDWFan_Boston]

Let us see the fireworks. Thought that was pretty clear from my earlier posts. I even offered to come back 15 minutes before they started so as to not partake for free what others paid for with the Halloween events.

Lol, you said you didn't want compensation, but you did. You wanted free tickets for your entire family to MNSSHP. Disney made a mistake, but so did you. Own it.

 

[Jon81uk]

Also I had a similar experiance at Disneyland. As we bought three-day tickets we were entitled to early entry one morning. But at DL the early entry for hotel guests, APs and 3-day tickets are different parks on different mornings.
The CM at the ticket window wrote on the times sheet which morning we could use, but when we got to the gate they said it was hotel guests only that morning and we told we could only goto DCA (or vice-versa I can't quite remember). I showed where the ticket CM had written it down and the gate CM said it was wrong but would let us in anyway. So not a great experience, but it was fixed.

In the OPs case, I wouldn't expect the same solution, they aren't going to give away party tickets. But the resort manager needs to apologise for their concierge and find a solution. I wouldn't expect park guest services to fix it, they didn't make the mistake.

 

[Ricky Spanish]

Disney app was down the other day (actually most of the week). I asked the concierge at cornado what day would be better to go to Magic Kingdom: Wednesday or Thursday. Told them the main goal was to see the MK fireworks since we missed it on Sunday due to rain. Lady looked at the schedule and said: 'well they're open till midnight Thursday and that has the better weather forecast, so I'd do that'. No problem, sounds good.

Fast forward to today. I get to the park and find out they're kicking everyone out at 7:00 for the damn Halloween party. I go to guest service and tell them what happened, as well as all the other crap that went down: sitting on haunted mansion for 30 minutes due to it going down, missing frozen ever after due to that going down, numerous problems with our bands and sitting forever at restaurants ironing things out with our meal plans. All I wanted was to see the ####### fireworks with my daughter, who was besides herself crying since that's her favorite thing to do. Nope can't do it.

As far as I'm concerned, the MK customer service and Valerie in particular can go 'eff themselves.

Yay, I less family at the park!!!!!!

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

OP - I can see how frustrating that was and I feel very sorry for your daughter who didn't get to see the one thing she came to Disney to see. Don't let this one mistake ruin Disney for you and your family though. As easy as it is for you to look up park information in many different ways, it would have been just as easy for the CM to know, but it was just an honest mistake. The best thing to do would be to contact customer service or the resort manager and let them know; managers need to know about things like this so they can coach and train their employees. The second best thing to do would be to start planning your trip for next year!

 

[JohnD]

Well, again, the app was down. It's kinda the concierge's job to know what they're talking about, no?

There are sheets of paper called Times Guide for both the park you want and WDW as a whole. You can pick those up anywhere in WDW -- park, DS, resort.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

I can't stress enough the AMAZING customer service I have been provided with every single time I have presented an issue(FP+ issues, Magicband issues, food service issues, or resort issues) to a CM. I stay calm and express my disappointment in the process, whatever it may be. I also point out the positive portion of the experience.. I.e. Bad service at a restaurant.. I will let them know the issue, but acknowledge that the poor service wasn't due to the cooks, or the poorly cooked food was not due to the server who continually made sure our bread and drinks were filled.. Having worked in customer service at a major theme park(not Disney), if you provide concrete examples of issues(not generics this or that didn't work at all), stay calm, and show that you are paying attention to the positive things not just looking for the negative things, those CM's will be more than willing to help in any way they can.. Also If you go out of your way to ALSO write a letter to Disney they will respond.. They always have for my family/friends. Sometimes they can't help, I.e. tickets sold out for an event before you could buy them, they can't go above and beyond to book you tickets for that event to make it over capacity, but they will try their best.

Unfortunately MK seems to have a portion of their visitors, even if at 1% that is hundreds or thousands per day, that are looking for ways to game the system or take advantage of others.. I once saw a person eat 75% of their ice cream and then give it to their kid and tell them to throw it on the ground.. the kid did and then the visitor asked the CM nearby(who may or may not have seen the ploy) to replace the Ice Cream Cone.. The CM did per the policy..

Unfortunately this could have been avoided, but if you think this was an intentional lie on the concierge's part, or a systematic issue with Val being told not to offer to help, then I fear you started the day/week on the wrong side of the bed. There is no intentional systematic approach to con people into having to buy premium event tickets by lying to them etc.. It sucks, but try to view it with a different set of eyes. I'd bet if you calmly and maybe even asked to speak with a manager, even if they couldn't get you tickets to the event, they would have offered something they could have.. Maybe a preferred viewing seat at a restaurant around the lagoon that night or a later date etc.. Think outside of the box and don't assume that they don't care about you at all.. Every time I have brought up legitimate issues I have been met by more than sufficient compensation on their part.

 

[JohnD]

Let us see the fireworks. Thought that was pretty clear from my earlier posts. I even offered to come back 15 minutes before they started so as to not partake for free what others paid for with the Halloween events.

It doesn't work that way. All of the Halloween Parties were advertised months in advance. They're not even the regular Wishes fireworks. Those fireworks are also part of what the party goers paid for. Why would it be fair for you to get to see them for free inside the park when the party goers have to pay to see them (granted they do other things as well but the fireworks are still part of the party, regardless)? As another poster said, you could watch them from the beach at the Poly or even the TTC. The audio is still piped in.

 

[JohnD]

You guys must spend much more time at the hotel that i do. I, literally, only saw the main building to fix our band problems and check in. The only time i spend in the room is to sleep. Tonight is the first time the tv has even been in.

You've never heard of the Concierge desk at any hotel anywhere? At WDW all you need to do is walk up to it and grab a times guide. Don't even need to talk to the concierge.

 

[jakeman]

This thread is fascinating.

So the Concierge made a mistake or intentionally mislead the guest as some seem to think, which is unfortunate and there should be some sort compensation. The OP didn't use multiple other resources to confirm the information though, including but not limited to: times guides that are on the concierge desk, times guides that are at the park entrance, sandwich boards with park times, uniquely costumed cast members at the park entrance, resort TV channels.

Seems like the primary fault does lie with a failure of conveying correct information from the concierge, but it's not like there is a massive amount of effort to confirm the information. Should he have to? No, but people do make mistakes and again, there was probably a times guide literally right beside the person they were talking to.

If you travel for business you would understand it's a Concierge's JOB ONE to be correct and reliable at all times as these are the people one depends on when operating out of a hotel to make the arrangements for meeting rooms, dining, car service and entertainment for one's clients, But of course Disney can't be bothered to have competent Concierge's because they are expensive.

It seems the OP might have assumed that a Concierge at Disney was as least as good as the ones in any medium to large city hotel, Rookie mistake but it speaks to the general decline in Disney standards i.e. Motel 6 service at Waldorf-Astoria prices.

Yeah...funny story about that and why I don't use concierge anywhere.

Pre-Katrina I stayed at the W on Poydras Street in New Orleans at least once a month. I asked the concierge where a good place to eat was. His response? The hotel restaurant.

However, I forgot that you in particular only receive poor service at WDW, assuming of course you have actually ever been.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Tbf, part of the experience is the audio and proximity to the fireworks.

It sounds to me like OP is still in the parks so I think he might be able to give it another shot.
Fast Passes aren't some sort of magic (band) cure all and tbh they really add up to jack. Remember that thread in the hotels section about OP being offered FPs when Disney told him he had to switch hotels? Yeah, everyone said the FP "compensation" for Disney's screw up was insulting and a joke and that he should fight for appropriate compensation.

Everyone's ganging up on OP when he was told by a cast member the party wasn't that night and acting like he's being unreasonably angry. Yes, I get she screwed up and that he's human, and I would have just gotten a calander online myself to confirm and not even bothered with a CM, but to chastize him (not so you really. This is meant to be a general post for the thread) is a stupid response as well. He is not being entitled, is being pretty reasonable and it would cost Disney literally nothing to let his family through the gates during MNSSHP. The only reason he didn't get tickets when he planned his trip around a CMs screw up is because it opens the flood gates for "ow I tripped on a candy corn can I get tickets", not because he's "undeserving" or whatever.

I don't know what can reasonably done for the OP but the lot of you saying crap like "I'm glad he's not coming back" and mocking him and saying he's being entitled is intellectually insulting.

This, x100.

Glad to see so many responses that not only show but prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are arrogant who care only about themselves. Thanks for decreasing again my faith in the decency of people. Yeah, the OP could have simply watched the fireworks from just outside the entrance gates or from the beach at Poly, but that's not the point. After what happened that day, no one's going to think about those options. Except for you elitist snobs who cannot fathom that everyone else in the world doesn't think the exact same way you do.

 

[Glasgow]

In spite of the general attitude here, its a) the concierge's job to provide this information and sadly b) now the guest's responsibility to be on top of scheduling, planning and trip satisfaction.

Gone are the days of ad hoc trips and laid back adventures, unless you are a regular whose goals are lessened.

The lesson here is that its ALL parties responsibility now for having a good time. Its just the way it is. Accept it or go elsewhere, unfortunately. They should probably publish that nugget somewhere, but one unhappy customer and 9 happy ones make better business sense.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Yeah because at that point you were Miles From Adventureland. Get it???

I was Niles and Niles away.

 

[Chef Mickey]

If you travel for business you would understand it's a Concierge's JOB ONE to be correct and reliable at all times as these are the people one depends on when operating out of a hotel to make the arrangements for meeting rooms, dining, car service and entertainment for one's clients, But of course Disney can't be bothered to have competent Concierge's because they are expensive.

It seems the OP might have assumed that a Concierge at Disney was as least as good as the ones in any medium to large city hotel, Rookie mistake but it speaks to the general decline in Disney standards i.e. Motel 6 service at Waldorf-Astoria prices.

Come on. I've stayed at some of the best resorts in the world (Ritz, 4 Seasons, Shangri La, etc) and can point to times I've received bad information, overseas. At least he could have easily verified the times because he was in America. I asked a concierge in Tokyo (who spoke English) for directions to the Imperial Palace and it was completely wrong. Luckily, I quickly realized it wasn't going well and improvised by asking one of the many incredible people of Japan and they were so kind of walk me where I needed to go.

I wasn't mad at the concierge. Sometimes, it's difficult to convey information verbally. You have to remember even the OP could have misheard, misunderstood, or actually did get bad information. You make it sound like Disney cheaps out on labor. You know how much labor cost they have? You're never looking around for cast members because they are properly staffed and it costs a lot of money. A concierge at Disney World is not going to command $75,000/yr and even the best make mistakes. You don't need an extremely skilled concierge at every hotel; it's a waste because the general process is simple and so much information is available at your fingertips.

 

[Tinkwings]

Yep I get the OP is upset he missed the fireworks.....I love seeing them every trip. I don't understand the anger level at the concierge, while I have used them from time to time, I rarely do as I pretty much make sure I KNOW those things PRIOR to my trip, I go in a few months and yesterday made sure I knew the hours, extra magic time, my party ticket time and day....and printed out the information to keep in purse. Sure its on my app, I actually GOT a smartphone because I thought it was great fun to see the wait times on a whim even when not in park, so if I couldn't check phone I have it in my head as well as my printed out material....so only can foresee being bummed at not being able to get additional fastpasses should app be down later in day. If a ride is closed I read they email you and you get perk of riding anytime after your slot rest of day so that is cool. So doing it in advance ensures me less frustration because of that preparation.....really don't use the concierge peeps much, but those handy daily times sheets are still about aren't they? At concierge desk and entrance to all parks?!?!?! Always have grabbed those on arrival to review in hotel room in case something changed since I last looked.

Nope Disney is not perfect, it can't be, doesn't exist, but Disney went for better than reality, and they sure nailed that...... We have had TONS of very positive interactions with CM's and I feel most of them DO care that you have a magical day. But they are people and they are NOT perfect....nor are we.

 

[networkpro]

Know Before You Go
Be sure to check the Times Guide at Magic Kingdom park for the schedule and showtimes. This is an outdoor show and subject to cancellation due to inclement weather. Showtimes are subject to change.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Checking for time and day of availability is exactly what the OP did.


If I ask where the bus stop is I don't go back up to my room to turn on the Disney tv channel and watch it for two hours to see if maybe the info provided was incorrect.

 

[wdwfan22]

Checking for time and day of availability is exactly what the OP did.


If I ask where the bus stop is I don't go back up to my room to turn on the Disney tv channel and watch it for two hours to see if maybe the info provided was incorrect.

However if it was something I really wanted to see I think I would have researched myself prior to arriving. Mistakes happen and unfortunately he was told incorrect information. All he deserves is an apology not compensation.

 

[SeanWM48]

Checking for time and day of availability is exactly what the OP did.


If I ask where the bus stop is I don't go back up to my room to turn on the Disney tv channel and watch it for two hours to see if maybe the info provided was incorrect.

this lol. sums it up perfectly.