Started off with a BANG- Magical Wish family vacation 2/13-2/23 (UPDATED 2 years later!)

[disneyvoice]

Ah! The minors were the magic issue then. Although we were traveling with 3 teenage boys I was certain I wasn't losing my mind and hallucinating the multiple CMs who kept telling me it was guaranteed!

 

[AngiTN]

I think that what you said is the distinction. If there are only minors in the room then yes connecting is guaranteed. However once you put someone over 18 in the 2nd room it is no longer a guarantee. In the OPs case there are adults in every room so they don't see the absolute need to require connecting in the system when filling room assignments.

Ah, good catch. I was assuming PP had 2 adults with the 3 boys too.
So 1 adult with 3 kids can book 2 rooms and get connecting?

 

[wilkeliza]

Ah, good catch. I was assuming PP had 2 adults with the 3 boys too.
So 1 adult with 3 kids can book 2 rooms and get connecting?

Sounds that way. I figure it has to be right since the previous poster said even at the resort that is what they were told. Of course I'm not 100% how to book 2 rooms on 1 reservation online since under 18 can't have their own room by hotel rules.

 

[disneyvoice]

We had two adults (my DH and I) with the three teenage boys but the boys all wanted to stay in the same room. It surprised me because technically we could have had my DH stay in the other room and my DS stay in the room with me. Apparently WDW was more concerned about three teenagers being in a room without an adult than we were!! LOL!!

 

[AngiTN]

Sounds that way. I figure it has to be right since the previous poster said even at the resort that is what they were told. Of course I'm not 100% how to book 2 rooms on 1 reservation online since under 18 can't have their own room by hotel rules.

I booked 2 rooms last November and I was able to put myself in both rooms. Nothing in MDE stopped me so I guess in that way, you could do it the way we did. We booked 1 room for 5 nights and 1 room for 7 nights. 5 night room had me and DH listed and the 7 night had me, DD and DGD. I called Disney, had the reservations connected, or whatever it is the do and put both numbers on the TP fax when I sent our room request. Our only request was for connecting rooms, which we got.

 

[disneyvoice]

Just to clarify so no one thinks we are insane for allowing three teenage boys to stay in their own room. The three boys are all ballet dancers in Professional Ballet programs and have been traveling on their own and living away from home in one capacity or another since they were 12 years old. I wouldn't have been comfortable with the situation if they weren't teenagers who had already proven to be mature and responsible already. I can understand why WDW would not want this kind of situation without adjoining rooms!

 

[maxiesmom]

Ah, good catch. I was assuming PP had 2 adults with the 3 boys too.
So 1 adult with 3 kids can book 2 rooms and get connecting?

In theory. There is at least one poster who still had that sort of set up and still didn't get connecting rooms.

I think they guarantee them as best they can. But sometimes stuff happens and they don't have them to give.

 

[Mainemama]

Hugs and wishes for more magical things for your family. The Stitch buckets were such a lovely start. I love that you spent so much time enjoying the Polynesian! Our family always ends up enjoying those kinds of days the most. I hope your trip has turned a new leaf and is back to the great way it started. Except for that tree! Yikes!

 

[chicagoshannon]

I hope the solution works out. I'm confused about the elevator situation though. There were definitely elevators when we stayed there. My grandparents had a scooter and we used the elevator for our 2nd floor room. We stayed in the mansions so maybe there aren't elevators in Alligator Bayou??

 

[amberpi]

That stinks that it took so much time, but it sounds like it worked out about as well as it could. I travel a lot and handicapped rooms are often either under or over booked

 

[AngiTN]

I hope the solution works out. I'm confused about the elevator situation though. There were definitely elevators when we stayed there. My grandparents had a scooter and we used the elevator for our 2nd floor room. We stayed in the mansions so maybe there aren't elevators in Alligator Bayou??

Right, elevators in the Mansions. Not in the AB area

 

[starry_solo]

I hope everything works out for the OP!

 

[gatour]

This is the key...

"he confirmation I have says preferred room on the "pre-payment" confirmation, and garden or standar room on the actual final confirmation that was made within 12 hours of the first. The price quoted is the same as what I paid. So I don't get it."

It looks like you went through a TA. The first notice was just a confirmation from the TA on what they were booking for you. The second confirmation was what they actually booked for you. I never go with the initial confirmation. When they send the "final" confirmation I double check to make sure it is what I thought I booked.

Even when I book things either directly with a company (hotel, cruise, etc) I double and triple check.

Sounds like Disney is trying to be accommodating, with fully booked hotels I can be problematic to just move people around to different rooms.

Now the housekeeping issue is a different story.

 

[DG25]

I read all this and feel your pain. POR is the first resort that gave me problems years ago and I will never stay there again. I am blind, when I called I told them that and told them I would need to be close to lobby because I will have a 2 yo and 14 yo, and the 14 yo will take off at night. When we got there 2 am, with a screaming 2 yo they could not find our ressies, we were standing in The lobby for over an hour when they finally gave us a room, but not the room we paid for because they never could find our ressies. why in the back of pierriere bld. Blind pushing a stroller I had to walk over a bridge, pass two buildings, up three steps around pushes, thru stairs to find a hidden elevator, the go out around a corner to the end and around another corner and half was up the hall was our room. Before they had royal rooms. We had to get up early and go back to front desk because we never were officially checked in and wanted to eat. Waited another hour and they still could not find our ressies, so could not give us dining plan yet. That night we had a down pour, I went to lobby to check in for third time, 1 hour but they finally found our ressies we paid for a preferred room but was in a standard but they had no free rooms so we had to stay until they could find us a room. I started walking to the room way across the resort, pouring rain, could not see. Two hours later, falling into water with a two year old, I was back in the lobby, I was so mad but they insisted they could not move us. I said fine we will just sleep in the lobby and I started to change the baby into dry cloths and lay her down, an hour later they found us a room in the preferred building for the next morning and they would take us to our room and pick us up in the morning. This did mean I had to wait again the next morning to check in and finally get our dining plan, took another hour. I then stood there and fought another hour for them to reimburse me for the two nights that I paid prefer room and got standard and the two nights of the dining plan that they did not give me. They fought me for over and hour saying they could not reimburse me. Finally got the money, but I still years later say never again for POR, I would never stay there again. But I do love POFQ, they go above and beyond even deluxe resorts don't do what POFQ did.

Just so you know Beach club is another resort I would never go to. But maybe (although needing three rooms may not work) if you keep bugging them they will do something. We did beach club last year, it was awful, we paid for a deluxe room to have all six of us together, and we paid more for club level. It was a long walk to the club room, but that would have been alright, but I am blind, I had to maneuver trash, dirty laundry, dishes, beds cots, cribs, vacuums and everything, on the hallway floors. After four nights of complaining, tripping, bloody knees from falling and such, they finally found us a room at contemporary, garden wing, still had to walk to the club room, but we had a huge huge room, it had a kitchen area, dining room, two living rooms with pull out couches, three bathrooms and a bedroom that slept 5.

Your vacation is almost over, but I would have insisted on a different resort for all, and I would have tried POFQ, it is so much better over there. I pray your vacation goes smoothly. I wish you husband well, I fought cancer three years ago and it is so hard. Your boys are adorable. Relax, have fun and remember the good moments.

 

[pktbMouse]

Im so so sorry that you are going through this...we have had similar things with Disney and its soul destroying when its the start of your vacation and not what you expected. Try not to let it ruin your time there ( easy to say I know, Ive had meltdowns myself before). Sending big hugs your way x

 

[pacsunmama]

I'm checking in really quickly.

Yesterday was not a good day for me, but everyone else really enjoyed themselves! I had a final straw moment and took an Uber from Epcot to PoR because I needed to talk to a manager face to face. I kinda lost it and started crying. But the manager who helped me was so nice. He fixed all the issues we were having, and then went way WAY out of his way to make things right again. Not only good, but downright magical.

I can't wait to tell you guys about our amazing day at Animal Kingdom!!

Today is laundry day, and we are so tired. Tomorrow we are hanging out at the resort and going to Disney Springs, so I should have some more downtime to update and put up some photos.

Just wanted to say real quick though, the Rivers of Light show was phenomenal! It was so beautiful and well designed.

 

[ariane37]

Just read through your whole report here and am truly sorry for all the trouble. As a TA, I will say after seeing the pictures, like others have said it appears the problem was that your TA first quoted and most likely put on hold a preferred room for you and then actually booked a garden view room-so no fault of the resort. However I'm very glad they are now doing what they can to make things right for you and I hope the remainder of your trip is magical Also happy to hear a positive review of ROL !!

 

[Kindermouse]

Following...and yikes!

 

[nancygirl1]

My husband has had, colon cancer, a heart attack and rectal cancer all in the past 20 years. I completely understand you wanting and NEEDING the magic. It's difficult and stressful when you have such high hopes and expectations for something. I'm sorry that things have been difficult, but remember that time together any way you can get it is better than not having this special time together with family. The memories are there and always will be no matter the ups and downs of your vacation. You'll forget the negative and the fun, laughs and magic will be what you remember.

God be with your husband and you and your lovely family...

 

[oceanmarina]

Following here! Can't wait to read your update how they made things right for you! Hopefully everything turns around for the better from this point on for you guys, sending hugs your way, Marina