just wondering about why on a couple things

[twolf]

2 gripes I had on both my trips at christmas and 2 years ago and don't understand why...not really complaining because the 2nd time I went I knew about it and chose to go anyway, but just wondering if anyone can tell me why?

1. 1800 number...with the size of WDW and the money they take in and charge us, why in the world do they not have a 1800 number, especially when they know people will be holding and calling over and over?

2. The phones in the rooms at the lodges...Why charge me a 75 cent charge each time I used the phone to make a call on my calling card or to call a 1800 number from the room? I mean even motel 6 does not even do that. Are they really that greedy?

Again, not complaining, just wondering. and as i noted I went the second time knowing it so I accepted it, but it just does not make sense...t

 

[cmatt]

2 gripes I had on both my trips at christmas and 2 years ago and don't understand why...not really complaining because the 2nd time I went I knew about it and chose to go anyway, but just wondering if anyone can tell me why?

1. 1800 number...with the size of WDW and the money they take in and charge us, why in the world do they not have a 1800 number, especially when they know people will be holding and calling over and over?

2. The phones in the rooms at the lodges...Why charge me a 75 cent charge each time I used the phone to make a call on my calling card or to call a 1800 number from the room? I mean even motel 6 does not even do that. Are they really that greedy?

Again, not complaining, just wondering. and as i noted I went the second time knowing it so I accepted it, but it just does not make sense...t

welcome to capitalism my friend...

first point - will be so that pays for the call centre (and therefore wont be coming out of any other pot of money)

latter is probably the contract they have with the telecom company that runs the phones into the resorts (and im sure they get a fair share of the money too.....)

 

[twolf]

Chuckling...I guess that is it... I know in room internet at 10 bucks per 24 hours was steep too..but none of it was a hidden thing so if we chose to do it we knew before hand, so I had no room to complain...t

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Both of those gripes are actually standard procedure in more and more companies these days -- and at the heart of it all, that is what Disney is - a large corporation looking at the bottom line.

Many companies no longer have 1-800 numbers -- the consumer pays for the calls.

Similarly, most hotels are now charging for any call you make from your phone. This is directly a result of the majority of those who stay in hotel rooms not using the phones at all -- they use their cell phones with existing plans and don't even pick up the handset of their phone in hotel rooms. That means that those who DO use the phones get a charge.

That is just the way things are going these days.

 

[twolf]

Yeah, thanks Ron..that is yucky....and I guess I will have to suffer..I am old fashioned and just don't believe in cell phones...wouldnt have one if you paid me..haha:brick: ...i could understand it if they did it for long distant or local calls even, but if I am using my calling card, which is a toll free number then they ought to cut some slack, but that's ok....if I go back I will just go to a pay phone i guess or not use the phone unless i have to...

I forgot tho to check and see if they charged me for calls to the lodge operator, if they did then that is outrageous...

The folks at the lodge were nice tho...they screwed my whole reservation up in giving me a smoking room(allergic to smoking), and put me in the last room at the end of one of the trails on the 3rd floor at the AK lodge, when 6mos. prior I specifically was guranteed on the phone that i had a non smoking room that was close to the in and out area(as I am disabled), but they changed my room the next day and were very nice about it.

The only real real gripe I had that was a true complaint is that in 2 days I took my daughters room key to them 9 times to recharge it and it never ever worked on the room door but one time, so after the 9th time i quit and we just used mine that worked the whole time without recharging...that was a really weird one there ..t

 

[cmatt]

Chuckling...I guess that is it... I know in room internet at 10 bucks per 24 hours was steep too..but none of it was a hidden thing so if we chose to do it we knew before hand, so I had no room to complain...t

net access is again done by an external company in most cases at hotels, and when you buy a voucher the hotel would have already bought the voucher (again getting money themselves too) and they will get a percentage on credit card payments too...

its a joke it does not cost £8 for 24 hours of net access!

 

[scottnj1966]

The same reason cokes are 2 bucks and parking is now 11

Getting everything they can.

I do not know what kind of profit margin they run on but it has to be pretty high.

It will never change unless they have a dip in bookings and attendances.
That happened only durinh 911. We had some great 99 dollar deluxe resorts prices for florida Residents during those times.

If people will pay it, they will charge it.

 

[Hummer1676]

I heard they were getting rid of the phone charges for local and 1800 numbers. I know at the resort i work at they charge for it, but good god if they would only realize it only causes headaches and stop charging for it. I mean i can go to a payphone on the street and not pay as much as a hotel room.

 

[bob0012]

Keep in mind the people who don't use cell phones tend to use calling cards to avoid the high rates hotels charge, so the hotels are just trying to get a piece of the action by charing for 800 numbers too.

 

[Monty]

They do have a 1-800 number for resort reservations, tickets and dining reservations. They just don't advertise it.

I however, do:

Disney Travel Company: 1-800-828-0228

When you call, you're asked to enter either 1, 2 or 3 for connection to the appropriate call centre. It puts you through to the same places you'd reach dialling the 1-407 numbers...

 

[CleveRocks]

Disney is a corporation whose mission is to make money for its shareholders. Corporations don't do something because it's "right" or "fair" to do so. If they do something that seems "right" or "fair," it's almost always because if they do it any other way they'll suffer terribly negative publicity, and if they do that they'll lose money, which is against the mission of the corporation in the first place.

Disney is a solid brand and they know it. They know that they are not losing any business because of the lack of a widely-known 800 number. People may grumble, but Disney knows they are not losing business because of that grumbing.

If you are buying a $25 product off an infomercial, a long-distance call might deter you. Not only is, say, a $1 long-distance call a decent percentage of the purchase price, but you could probably buy that some product at a local store or through another company that does have an 800 number.

But if you're buying a several thousand dollar vacation, a $1 long-distance call will not deter you. Also, you can't buy the Disney product anywhere else, so it's not like you can choose to buy it elsewhere where you can call for free.

I'm a liberal Democrat, but I'm also a huge fan of capitalism, and I understand how it works. I have NO IDEA how much Disney saves with its lack of a widely-known 800 number -- let's just guess it's $30 million a year ($1 for every annual visitor to WDW). If they spent $30 million more on phone service, it's not like they'd just kick back and say, "Oh well, we make billions anyway, so we made $30 million less this year, nothing to worry about, that's okay ...." In the real world, that would never happen. An executive who said that would be unemployed faster than you can say Walter Elias Disney. What would happen is they would have $30 million less to spend in/on the theme parks, which means employee layoffs and fewer refurbishment projects.

A corporation making huge profits by offering goods and services that people are willing to pay for is not a bad thing. It's not un-American. It's actually very American.

 

[Robfasto]

Another reason Disney does not advertise and 1-800 number is the fact that they never have and rarely have problems filling rooms.

Also the fact the most home phones now include unlimited local and long distance calls an 1-800 number is not needed.

As also mentioned 90% of the guest NEVER pick up the in room phone so they have to pay for the system some how as PBX systems are not cheap.

I am old fashioned and just don't believe in cell phones

Yet you use the Internet (you are on here) which has been around less to than 'mobile phones'....

 

[2excitedkids]

when did the parking fees go up to $11? Last I read they were $8 a day to park. we will be staying offsite in less than 3 weeks and we already had the $8 a day budget planned in. when did this happen?

 

[Polyman]

What book are you reading?? It's been over 2 years since the fee was $8. It went to $9. on Columbus Day, 2005 and to $10. on Labor Day 2006. I work at Epcot Auto Plaza, and unless it went up to $11. this weekend (I had a rare weekend off) it is still $10.:hammer:

 

[disgolfer]

I am not trying to be rude, but why not just use your cell phone. Then you do not have to worry about how much a call is costing.

 

[GoofyMom2]

They do have a 1-800 number for resort reservations, tickets and dining reservations. They just don't advertise it.

I however, do:

Disney Travel Company: 1-800-828-0228

When you call, you're asked to enter either 1, 2 or 3 for connection to the appropriate call centre. It puts you through to the same places you'd reach dialling the 1-407 numbers...

I have used this 800 number many times....thanks for posting it again!

 

[2excitedkids]

well, it guess it was $10 on what i was planning, because we are going for 8 days i did have $80 budgeted. so, i guess that is right, but i was just reading the above post that said $11. thanks for clearing me up!

 

[Robfasto]

He said he doesn't believe in cell phones as he is old fashioned.

 

[Choya]

I am old fashioned and just don't believe in cell phones...wouldnt have one if you paid me...if I go back I will just go to a pay phone

I justified the cell phone by cancelling all long distance services and use the cell phone for nearly everything. The saved long distance pays for the cell. And in case you haven't noticed, pay phones are quickly disappearing due to cell use.

If the new minimum wage increases go through, you'll see price increases on everything to cover the additional costs. It's about economics and business.

 

[goof29]

We no longer charge for local, collect or 800 calls from Disney resort rooms.