I could go my whole life without hearing that phrase again…
That’s what everyone at Disney tells you when you call for something, even if you’re calling to tell them to go to you know where…”Ok, well, have a magical day!”
But I’ll get to that in a minute. So, I’m sorry for just disappearing on you like I did. We went to Disney & I would’ve told you I was leaving but I thought I’d be like the guy who posts on his Facebook that he’s going out of town & then wonders why his house got robbed. But today Daddy flew back home (Samster & I are going to stay in Florida & visit family for a few more days) so I can tell you why I’ve been out of blogging commission.
*also I brought some crafting with me to Florida so don’t worry, I’ll get back to regular posting tomorrow.
I brought my laptop & thought I’d blog during naptime at the hotel but that didn’t quite happen. Mommy needed a naptime too. All that darn happiness & magic will wear ya’ out.
The trip was a lot of fun because we were away from home & on a real vacation, just the three of us, & we haven’t done that since last July. Also Samster is at such a great age, she got such a kick out random things like the monorail buzzing by, or fountains where the water jumps over you…we could’ve sat & watched her all day & been completely happy. There was a crappy side to our trip however that I’ll share with you right quick…
#1 The Contemporary Hotel at Disney was more than disappointing. They didn’t have our room ready until 5p, that’s a whole 2 hrs after check-in! Trying to bide your time with a 2 yr old who’s missing her nap is more than annoying, especially when you’re paying so much for a room that you can’t even go in. I called the front desk every 20 minutes & just got a different “cast member” who’d half-heartedely apologize, pass me off to someone else who’d say it was “almost ready” & they’d call me right back. Only to have another hour go by with no phone call & no one who cared. I just expected more from Disney, honestly, I expected the best. I finally demanded to speak to a manager who after listening to my entire ordeal said, “Ok, let me see what I can do” I expected he’d come back with dinner vouchers, a room upgrade perhaps…nope. He gave me a pass to skip the regular line at ONE ride. Seriously?! You make me sit outside for over 2 hours, miss an entire afternoon of my trip & that’s what you’ve got? Ugh. It didn’t stop there either, we’d call & request a bedrail for the bed…3 hours later…no bedrail. I called to complain that it was now past my daughter’s bedtime & they were just, “Oh, sorry, it should be there in the next 20 minutes OR SO”. Double UGH!
Samster was so bored & hot that I finally just let her run around in the fountains while we waitedSo needless to say I’m going to be writing a stern letter when I get home, although I’m not sure it will matter.
#2 Here’s my tip…from me to you. Screw the Disney dinner reservation system. They told us that every single meal, at all 3 Disney resorts was booked for our entire trip. What they expected us to eat I don’t know. When I asked if we could just walk up to the restaurants (there are at least 3 at each of the resorts) they said, “we highly discourage that, they’ll probably turn you away). Well, we had to eat so we gave it a try & guess what? We had no problem getting in anywhere. Even the really nice place that they swore was completely booked up every night, we walked right in. And let me tell you, there were plenty of empty tables everywhere. My guess is that snarky guests call up & reserve spots at multiple restaurants for different times & then it appears to be booked in their system. My problem is that Disney should know this by now & to tell people they have no options for meals isn’t cool.
Disney, you & I aren’t on speaking terms right now. Perhaps when Chum Chum is a couple of years old we’ll give it another try but for now, you’ve got a lot of growing up to do.
That is really a shame you had such a bad experience with Disney. All the times I have been have been great, and the one time there was a minor issues, we went to guest services and they gave us a free day. I really would suggest you write them a letter about this. Don't give up on Disney.
That is a good tip on the meals. My boyfriend and I didn't plan out our trip well, and never made reservations. We just walked around Epcot until we found a place where we wanted to eat. Sure enough they had tables for us!
I hope Samster loved her trip to Disney!
I'm so sorry you didn't have a Magical Day! I agree – call guest services (their free passes are usually good for a year) and see what they can do for you – that is unacceptable!
I was kinda praying for you – hoping that you HAD actually gone to Disney and not had and emergency that kept you from posting – but I totally get the reason for not telling the world that you wouldn't be home!
Sorry you had such a horrible time. When I went, I stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort and it was amazing. I didn't have any issues at all (although that could have been because I was there for a wedding…who knows), outside of trying to get to another hotel and being told incorrect directions. I never used the Disney meal plan, so I have no experience with it. I also agree – call them and complain, and follow up in writing because then you have a record of what was said.
Oh no! Sorry your trip was bad, but if its any consolation, your advice will be very helpful for me and my family when we go in May! Sorry you had to live and learn, but it wasn't in vain!! You helped a reader!! 🙂
You can take consolation in the fact that your little Samster looked very cute in her Tinkerbell and kitty shirt dresses! I only have a little boy to sew for at the present time, but if I have a girl in the future I would like to try out some of your dress ideas!
awe- Samster looked adorable! We are Orlando residents and went to Hollywood Studios today for fun 🙂 Definitely let Disney know of your troubles. My parents spent a lot of $$ to eat at Victoria and Alberts (they customize the menus for you) and told them they did not eat red meat. When they got there (after confirming this dietary need twice – both their meals were red meat!) They offered little and my mom wrote a letter – they ended up comp-ing the whole thing. So I think it just needs to get to the right person
I'm so sorry that you had (consistently) frustrating service. They absolutely deserve a letter, and having been on the receiving end of such letters in the past, my advice/caution is: be sure to give details and frame the letter in an "I'm so sorry this put a damper on my trip; please help me make this right so that I can happily return for many magical (haha) years to come." If it sounds like a "Screw you, I'm never coming back to this miserable place," you'll have a harder time getting a positive and productive response – if you're never coming back, it's not really worth trying to make you happy.
You've always struck me as someone who would write reasonable and nice letters, but knowing how many angry letters get written, it seems worth mentioning anyway 🙂
That stinks! I am sure that if you do send in a letter ASAP the execs (or higher up people from the park) will send some kind of comp for you and your family. We went in 2008 and had fun with our kids. We did not stay at a Disney hotel though. We stayed in Kissimee and stocked up on our own food for the mini fridge in our room. We were able to take snacks and lunches, which saved us a ton of $$, freeing that up for the kids fun and nicer dinners. I hope that you guys get to go again and have more fun. 🙂 Sam looked adorable in her dress and I love your baby bump!!
But look at Sam! She's having a blast!
Sorry you didn't have a great vacation… I am truly surprised by that! I live in Tampa, and we go to Disney at least once a month, but have never stayed in the hotels there.
Definitely write a complaint letter – you spend buckets of moolah, and you expect to be treated like… well like you spent buckets of moolah!
Did you enjoy the park at least?
I will tell you that is all very unusual for disney going there many many times I have never had a delay on check in , and they have always been grea to us , it was just a fluke I guess.
I think people just don't show up for the reservations they make but they do get charged on their credit cards imagine that , we reserved months in advance and walked right in passed the walk up people for sure , just being pregnant and having a toddler makes waiting always more difficult , as your kids get older its much less of a big deal .
I worked for Disney (At EPCOT) for a year on an international exchange program…and now, knowing what I could do as a cast member, I am very surprised that they just offered a ride pass…I think kinda insulting would be the word. I would most certainly contact guest services. And I agree with the above post. Be clear and concise about what happened and why you were unhappy, and that you are hoping that they can make things right with you. Trust me, if I can go outta my way and pick out a stuffed animal for a child who lost his and have it sent to his room, they could have done more for you…I feel anyways…Hope you get the response you are looking for and can return for a better experience!!
I feel your pain. Last summer we drove all night from Birmingham to Orlando and arrived at 6:00 am – they went ahead and gave us our room so we showered and hit the parks. That night when we came back to the room at midnight (no sleep for about 36-40 hours) our key card wounldn't work so they issued us a temporary key. Thirty minutes later the maintenance guy comes to fix the lock – this is at almost 1:00 AM! he worked for abotu 30 minutes and was going to have to replace the entire lock system. I completely came unglued and immediately marched to the front desk in my pjs and demanded the guy to leave my room. At this point I told the manager I didn't care if the door was unlocked all night and someone came in and murdered me – I just wanted sleep! Needless to say, they ended up crediting one night's stay which was nice. The manager's explanation was that they like to respond to any maint. issue within an hour, but I couldn't get them to understand that we didn't care to have this guy making all this noise and using the drill and all at 2:00 am by this point.
It sounds like you were the victim of hourly employees that didn't care about the reputation of the company. Get a hold of someone higher on the totem pole at Disney and see what they can do for you, and tell them you are counting on them to make this right.
Such a shame that you had problems with Disney.
I suppose that when its such a big and busy place like that, they don't really care if you're unhappy because they will always have customers regardless of their shoddy service.
Still I sure Samster loved it.
Enjoy the rest of your break.
Hahaha. I'm the saaaame way! I tell my husband, "don't tell people on Facebook we're going out of town until we get back already," because I don't want something bad to happen.
That's such a bummer about Disney! I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for posting your story. I hope they fix that situation for you because I really really want to think that taking the babe there when she's little bigger is going to be a magical experience. I literally keep using the word magical when I describe it to my husband, lol.