Boardwalk Villas problems

[jamzots]

O.K., I don't mean to seem like a complainer or anything because I usually am pretty easy going, BUT we just returned from a 5 night stay at the BWV. 1st of all I made my ressie through members services and I was given my confirmation via mail, so I thought we were all set. I received a phone call on the drive from N.Y. from Kids Night Out (the babysitting services which I do highly recommend) that the BWV did not have a reservation for us to check in the following night. Afer many phone calls and 45 minutes from my cell phone I was advised by the manager at the BWV that they could get us a room for the first night but apparently did not have anything available for the rest of the week. I explained that I had my confirmation in hand and I would expect a room for the whole week. I received the explanation that the computer somehow cancelled or swicthed my ressie, and that with the F&WF and MNSSHP that they were now booked and could not guarantee me anything????? I was appalled and started yelling and they said they would see what they could do. I was on edge the whole rest of the drive to Florida. When I arrived I was told that (ha ha) they did find a room for me for the whole week. I asked the CM what happened and she said " oh well your here now, thats all that matters" I left it at that. We checked in at 11:00 on a Sunday night and did not get to bed until about 12:30. Laying in bed with the light dimmed, I noticed somethiong crawling in the bed, yes it was a bug, I screamed and woke up my DS-5months who was laying in the bed next to me and my DH, who quickly removed and killed the bug, I was freaked out but exhausted so I went to sleep. The next day upon further inspection of our 1 BR villa, I noticed very poor conditions for what is supposed to be a "deluxe" resort. There was paint peeling on all of the doorways, the bathroom toilet paper holder looked like it fell out of the wall and was put back up with a piece of plywood, there were about 20 exposed screw holes around it like they tried to fix it but just left it, and there were rips in the dining area chairs, the porch chairs were so dirty I didn't even want to sit on them. I finally complained about all this on Wednesday since we were so busy with the parks and all, maintenance came to my room to investigate and we were told that this room should not have been rented, that it was not ready, and that they were just as appalled as we were. They asked us if we wanted to move, and I told them no, that we had all of our stuff plus our 3 kids and we did not want to be inconvenieced that we would just make the best of it for the remaining 3 nights. I told them that I did not expect this at any hotel, never less a disney deluxe resort and they agreed with me. The room also smelled very musty which I also did not expect. The resort itself is beautiful, however I was very dissapointed in these accomodations and I even took pictures of everything so I could write to someone to complain. This is our first time staying as DVC'ers at Disney, is this what all the resorts are like? I think they just shoved us into this room because they had nothing else available, HOWEVER they seemed to have PLENTY of room for all the conventioners, I am so mad that I am considering selling my DVC membership. I don't even know which course of action to take at this point since I am sure to get the run around. What's up with the Boardwalk anyway?? I guess the maintenance fees that we pay are getting spent on something else!!! Any advice would be appreciated on who to write to or where to turn next!!

 

[debbie in Seattle]

Welcome to my world! I've been posting and posting on my negative experiences I just had at BWV. Good luck.

 

[mickeysgal]

O.K., I don't mean to seem like a complainer or anything because I usually am pretty easy going, BUT we just returned from a 5 night stay at the BWV. 1st of all I made my ressie through members services and I was given my confirmation via mail, so I thought we were all set. I received a phone call on the drive from N.Y. from Kids Night Out (the babysitting services which I do highly recommend) that the BWV did not have a reservation for us to check in the following night.

This part is a bit confusing. Who did you get a call from? You had to have a reservation in the system...otherwise, what would prompt them to call you? Was it member services? The BWV front desk? Did you perhaps mean to say that they (DVC) had your reservation but were now having problems fulfilling it (perhaps the room that they intended you to use had to be pulled for maintainance)? I have heard of this happening...although not very often.

I doubt that the conventioneers had anything to do with the impact to your reservation. I would imagine that they would have been staying on the Inn side (resort) of BW, not the Villas (DVC) side.

 

[allie&mattsmom]

I would be extremely upset! Have you emailed or called Member Services? I would and I'd let them know all the details and how upset you are. That is truly unacceptable.

 

[Pa@okw95]

There is a person you can write to to complain, someone will give it to you I don't have it. I must tell you that while most the rooms are similar or better than most deluxe rooms but the service as a DVC member is very poor. You have the double whammy of being a member at a DVC resort that is also a non-DVC resort, thus you may be looked down upon because you are DVC members. Because you have already been prejudiced against DVC with this treatment, I would sell.

 

[jarestel]

jamzots, get ready for the onslaught of "I've stayed at BWV xx times and never had any problems" posts. Like being struck by lightening, many members don't believe "bad trips" will happen to them until it actually does.

All of the resorts probably have rooms that are in rougher shape than they should be. Give yourself some time to recover from the BWV fiasco and then try booking another trip. Chances are very good your next one will be fine.

Hang in there!

 

[BillPA]

Sorry you had problems. I hope you can find out what happened so no other member has this problem.

 

[jcodespoti]

You were probably given a room that was taken out of circulation, but do to there apperant mistake, put back in and given to you.

Joe in CT

 

[Joe T.]

We are just back from our first trip to the F&WF, staying in a 2-bedroom villa at the BW. WE have been owners at OKW since 1995, but this is our first stay at a 2-BR at the BW. We were very disappointed. I understand that mold and peeling paint is an ongoing program in FL, but we had never encountered before in 20 or more visits to a Disney Resort. It may be a direct reult of the monumental maintenance that has been completed in the last year as a result of the hurricane damage. I hope to see little problems like this improved in the near future.

We were more dismayed by the small refridgerater, without an icemaker, in the kitchen. We used the pyrex dish as the ice receptacle. We would be very vocal if we were owners at the BWV.

All small stuff compared to the serious problems. But it does go along with the ongoing deline in quality. We were in many lines at the Festival, and many regulars voiced the opinion that a lot of changes have ocurred in the last few years - most of them not for the better. Bottom line seems to be the over-riding motivation.

All said - it is still the most magical place in the world.

 

[jamzots]

This part is a bit confusing. Who did you get a call from? You had to have a reservation in the system...otherwise, what would prompt them to call you? Was it member services? The BWV front desk? Did you perhaps mean to say that they (DVC) had your reservation but were now having problems fulfilling it (perhaps the room that they intended you to use had to be pulled for maintainance)? I have heard of this happening...although not very often.

I doubt that the conventioneers had anything to do with the impact to your reservation. I would imagine that they would have been staying on the Inn side (resort) of BW, not the Villas (DVC) side.

Disney did not call me to tell me that my ressie was not in the system, I received a call from the babysitting service that I had reserved. When they called the BWV to check on what room I would be in the night I needed the sitter, the BWV advised the sitter that they did not have me in their system. The babysitting service then called me(Thank God) to let me know that BWV did not have my reservation. That's the only way that I found out that my reservation was cancelled by the computer.( I was told this buy one person but never actually got full clarity) Go figure that my reservation would be messed up!! We did I have to say have a WONDERFUL time on our trip, but I just did not expect the accomodations to be so sloppy.

 

[DeeCee735]

What a bummer. Did they offer to restore your points back into your account after they said you were cancelled? I'd complained til I had a room in a deluxe resort somewhere on site for sure. I suggest you call member services, as well as BW manager and relay your problems, see what they can do. Hope DVC improves for you, if not, I think I'd want to sell it to.

 

[jamzots]

All said - it is still the most magical place in the world.[/QUOTE]

I agree!!!!

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Luckily, we've never had a problem at BWV.
I would complain in writing so that this does not happen to anyone else.
I hope you still had a good trip.

 

[ErinC]

I am so sorry that your first DVC experience was so crummy. Nothing like not being sure where you'll be staying when you arrive at Disney! You need to call Carli D'Agostino she is the member satisfaction person with DVC. I think that I would also contact the BWV manager. Frankly, I think you deserve some sort of compensation or points refund or something. I would most definitely want to find out what happened to your original reservation, and make sure that your points balance is what it should be. Best of luck getting it resolved. I would try DVC again before making the decision to sell.

 

[jamzots]

HI!!!! Just got off the phone with members services and they are refunding my points that I used!!!! YEAH!!!! Another Disney trip definately in the planning for me!!! Apparently what happened is this.... I was wait listed at the Beach Club Villas, and was supposed to be there, but nobody ever contacted me to let me know this!!! The Boardwalk manager didn't even let me know!!! If he had I would have definately spent the week there!!!! So much communication confusion!! But I am psyched that I got my points back and I can plan something really nice now!!! Thanks guys!!!

 

[mickeysgal]

Disney did not call me to tell me that my ressie was not in the system, I received a call from the babysitting service that I had reserved. When they called the BWV to check on what room I would be in the night I needed the sitter, the BWV advised the sitter that they did not have me in their system. The babysitting service then called me(Thank God) to let me know that BWV did not have my reservation. That's the only way that I found out that my reservation was cancelled by the computer.( I was told this buy one person but never actually got full clarity) Go figure that my reservation would be messed up!! We did I have to say have a WONDERFUL time on our trip, but I just did not expect the accomodations to be so sloppy.

Wow...thats awful. Funny that you had this problem though. Friends of ours - non DVC - had reservations in October for the Grand Floridian. When they arrived, they were told that they didn't have reservations either...even though she was holding her confirmation letter. They then tried to put them at BW - which they did not want. Somehow after much confusion and aggravation, they found them a room at the GF. Sounds like the reservation computer system needs a tune up.

Please don't let this be a general indicator of DVC. Generally most have a happy problem free vacation. Give DVC another try...perhaps at another resort. BCV and BWV get a lot of use, they're generally operating at near or full capacity. This perhaps explains the extra wear and tear on the units that you and others have seen. Sounds like they gave you an unit that should be rotated out for maintainance and you certainly shouldn't hesitate to let DVC know the condition of this unit. Glad the rest of your trip was fun!

 

[CarolMN]

HI!!!! Just got off the phone with members services and they are refunding my points that I used!!!! YEAH!!!! Another Disney trip definately in the planning for me!!! Apparently what happened is this.... I was wait listed at the Beach Club Villas, and was supposed to be there, but nobody ever contacted me to let me know this!!! The Boardwalk manager didn't even let me know!!! If he had I would have definately spent the week there!!!! So much communication confusion!! But I am psyched that I got my points back and I can plan something really nice now!!! Thanks guys!!!

Thanks for letting us know how this happened. I feel a little better now. At least the computer isn't randomly cancelling reservations!

As someone else posted, the room you received was most likely not supposed to be used at all until the issues you mentioned were fixed, but your situation forced their hand.

I'm sorry all this happened to you - it really is too bad that you didn't know your waitlist for the BCV came through! I'm glad your points were refunded, and I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else!

Best wishes -

 

[5wdwnutz]

Jamzots - What room were you in? We are booked for a 1-br at BWV next month. Hopefully they took this room off the reservation block and it won't be given to someone else.

Try Saratoga Springs for your next trip. We were there Sept 04 and the room was wonderful. Going again Jan 06.

Missy

 

[jamzots]

Jamzots - What room were you in?

Missy

Room 1094----BEWARE(lol)

 

[Simba's Mom]

Thanks for letting us know how this happened. I feel a little better now. At least the computer isn't randomly cancelling reservations!

As someone else posted, the room you received was most likely not supposed to be used at all until the issues you mentioned were fixed, but your situation forced their hand.

I'm sorry all this happened to you - it really is too bad that you didn't know your waitlist for the BCV came through! I'm glad your points were refunded, and I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else!

Best wishes -

Yes, thank you. We have ressies at OKW for Thanksgiving, and I was sitting here reading about your experience and thinking "Oh, no! Do we still have a reservation?" I hope everyone's learned-if you show up and your reservation is cancelled, call MS! So are you going to BCV next time since that's where you were waitlisted for and where you had a reservation (except no one told you)? I hope so-I've always loved BCV.