I've reached my breaking point with Disney and this mess

[CarolAnn856]

Nope...WRONG...they've proved that tonight with their lovely announcement. Literally what they're doing with the free dining stuff is borderline illegal. This is NOT the same Disney customer service. They've handled this entire mess horribly and as if they're incompetent, which I know they're not so only leaves the option of they're willing to take advantage of their customers over and over again. The entire world has had to deal with this pandemic, yet Disney's competitors seem to be leaps and bounds above them right now. This is not the same Disney service ppl. have grown to know. It's sad.

Okay, I’ll bite. How, exactly, is the free dining “borderline illegal?”

 

[Disney Doll]

This should be good...

 

[NotUrsula]

I have rolled with 4 cancellations so patiently but have finally reached my breaking point.

Anyone know what email address I can use to share the challenges I have experienced?

Thanks. Hopefully no one is unhappy I've asked or posted this.

ETA: I have been unable to speak with a supervisor and have already tried emailing wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com with no response. I'm sure they are busy, wondering if there is another address I can try.

I agree that it is perfectly legitimate to complain about having to cancel 4 times due to inconsistent policy decisions. However, you have to be prepared for them to counter with Force Majeure. You are not contractually entitled to anything, and you need to go into this transaction with a clear set of measurable expectations that you can suggest as a reasonable way for the company to make you feel whole. Those requests need to be in line with the time and money value of what you have actually lost due to the time spent on dealing with the cancellations. Asking for them to make up the loss of the vacation won't get you satisfaction; as the closure itself was caused by Force Majeure.

Now then, the address. If you are going to complain in such a large-scale situation, there is only one effective way to do so: snail mail, and CERTIFIED snail mail at that. The mailing address of Walt Disney World is
Walt Disney World Guest Relations
P.O. Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

It is always best to get the name of an actual human to go on the top line; I would suggest carefully combing through news stories until you find the name of a quoted manager in the division you feel you need to contact; LinkedIn may also yield this information, but you'll have to wade in pretty deeply to find it, unless you want to go as high as a C-suite position (which will probably not be wise in this situation -- senior executives are totally swamped and won't be reading letters from anyone they do not already expect to hear from.)

 

[Planogirl]

Just remember that you are just one small fish in a giant school of fish in a way. Usually a supervisor or manager can't do any more than someone on the frontline except let you vent, apologize and then move on to the next.

 

[;-)]

Please...don’t be a Karen right now!!!

 

[Renarr]

Nope...WRONG...they've proved that tonight with their lovely announcement. Literally what they're doing with the free dining stuff is borderline illegal. This is NOT the same Disney customer service. They've handled this entire mess horribly and as if they're incompetent, which I know they're not so only leaves the option of they're willing to take advantage of their customers over and over again. The entire world has had to deal with this pandemic, yet Disney's competitors seem to be leaps and bounds above them right now. This is not the same Disney service ppl. have grown to know. It's sad.

Okay, I’ll bite. How, exactly, is the free dining “borderline illegal?”

If I had to guess, brockash is probably referring to the contents of this article or one like it where Disney offered free dining to those who cancelled in the early days of the closure and rebooked and are now suspending the dining programs.

https://chipandco.com/beginning-may...mZ4UWh7okX7_mKVuy14HrXkAEOLkNHxUkEnNtTDXJ-2pc
But I don't think you're going to get a ton of traction on that, because in order to argue that, you'd have to argue that Disney made that offer in bad faith, which is going to be an awfully hard thing to prove.

[EDIT: And reading that article further, I'm seeing that they're offering the opportunity to rebook at a 35% room discount. I'm presuming that this would be on the same rates offered at the time, as doing so on more recent rates might be shady.]

 

[Planogirl]

They're cancelling dining plans and FP+? I hadn't seen that yet.

I wouldn't be pleased either but I still know that talking to supervisors wouldn't make any difference.

 

[tvguy]

I process complaints for a living, that's what I do. I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of a crazy person, that's not my intention.

Thanks to those who have been kind and provided helpful info

So, how would YOU feel about getting a call from you? Not knowing if your job actually empowers you to resolve issues, I can only guess.
I've been answering phones in a TV newsroom for 40+ years and I try to be nice, but sooo many of the calls are people looking for help with things there is no way I can help with, nor anybody at any TV station. And then they get mad at me for not being able to help.
I really don't think there is anything anyone at Disney can do to help you given how fluid the situation is. Well, except maybe some therapeutic listening that isn't there job.

 

[Pooh93]

I am honestly confused as to what people expect Disney to do with handling the Pandemic? It's not like this happens every year. As a business, that touches thousands of people I can't imagine the standards they have to meet in order to let a person through the turnstile. I don't have a trip to the parks planned, but do have a Disney Cruise planned for November. If it sails, we are going. If it has to be rescheduled, then we will go to the parks. But I will not blame Disney for the decisions they make in order to keep operating.

 

[holden]

We all want everything to go back to the way it was. The reality is that won’t happen for a very long time. No one knows how long these restrictions will be in place.

If a Disney vacation isn’t in the cards right now, that’s just the way it is. It’s a good opportunity to find something else to do. We are a diehard Disney family, but we won’t be back for a long time. This will probably be the first Food & Wine Festival we have missed in 13 years. It makes me sad to think about, but it’s not worth getting upset about. We have to move on.

 

[Allison]

Thanks. Just looking to provide feedback in speaking with someone.

If that is the case, it isn't urgent and you can wait until you get a response.

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

I don’t know what the intentions of the OP are, but I can tell you that I want to contact any and every Disney employee, post on any forum possible and even contact those heirs to the Disney fortune. I don’t have a trip booked and not planning to book one just yet. I just want to communicate to them what poor customer relations they are exhibiting by charging same price for less of a product, giving than taking away of dining to trips affected by COVID, etc.

 

[brockash]

If I had to guess, brockash is probably referring to the contents of this article or one like it where Disney offered free dining to those who cancelled in the early days of the closure and rebooked and are now suspending the dining programs.

https://chipandco.com/beginning-may...mZ4UWh7okX7_mKVuy14HrXkAEOLkNHxUkEnNtTDXJ-2pc
But I don't think you're going to get a ton of traction on that, because in order to argue that, you'd have to argue that Disney made that offer in bad faith, which is going to be an awfully hard thing to prove.

[EDIT: And reading that article further, I'm seeing that they're offering the opportunity to rebook at a 35% room discount. I'm presuming that this would be on the same rates offered at the time, as doing so on more recent rates might be shady.]

No you only get the 35% off room for a future date; I'm sure next year at next years rates. The whole mess is beyond shady. Yes,I understand that I'm sure Disney had their attorney's look it iver and find every loophole imaginable, so I understand none of us can do anything about it, but it's shameful and of all companies.

 

[brockash]

If that is the case, it isn't urgent and you can wait until you get a response.

Well thanks for letting her know what she can do.

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

By the way......you sure don’t see those Disney heirs taking to twitter to say this is wronging customers or not how Walt would have done it or whatever they put in their rants. Maybe THAT is where y’all need to be directing some communication.

 

[Searc]

Okay, I’ll bite. How, exactly, is the free dining “borderline illegal?”

Psst. It isn't.

 

[Searc]

They're cancelling dining plans and FP+? I hadn't seen that yet.

I wouldn't be pleased either but I still know that talking to supervisors wouldn't make any difference.

Yes, all fastpasses, dining plans, ADR's and other experiences are being canceled.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

No you only get the 35% off room for a future date; I'm sure next year at next years rates. The whole mess is beyond shady. Yes,I understand that I'm sure Disney had their attorney's look it iver and find every loophole imaginable, so I understand none of us can do anything about it, but it's shameful and of all companies.

People tend to think Disney is a world of pixie dust and nothing bad happens. Actually Disney is a huge company trying to survive this pandemic. Thousands of employees were without work. Call center employees had angry customers whose vacations were ruined because of an unforeseen pandemic. They did the best they could thinking parks would be open and offered free dining. They weren’t aware of all the new social distancing rules and laws in states. They don’t have a crystal ball. Things change daily! The Disney owing anyone anything is untrue. They can’t allow free dining because of restrictions. Parks can’t be open late because of distancing. Fastpasses go becauseof distancing. People need to think they aren’t the only ones affected by this and not have the entitlement attitude .

 

[Renarr]

No you only get the 35% off room for a future date; I'm sure next year at next years rates. The whole mess is beyond shady. Yes,I understand that I'm sure Disney had their attorney's look it iver and find every loophole imaginable, so I understand none of us can do anything about it, but it's shameful and of all companies.

So what would you have them do? If they're realizing that they don't have the capacity to offer the service ("Man, we sold enough plans to fill X% of our TSR, but now we can't put that many people in there"), they have to come up with something that will allow them to open. The alternative is zero Disney for anyone.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Psst. It isn't.

Psst...I know.