Hi everyone. I don't post very often, but I thought I should post this.
We just got back from a 4 night trip, staying at Pop Century. It was myself and DD9, and we went to celebrate my finishing my Masters degree (and as a treat for her since she was absolutely amazing and tolerant throughout the process of my degree even though it meant a lot of change for her). We went once before in 2015 (stayed in POR and it was a longer trip with DH along).
Unfortunately, it was a trip where Murphy's Law seemed to take over. A couple of months ago we discovered that Splash (DD's favourite ride) would be closing a day or two before our arrival but we couldn't change our plans. We arrived on Tuesday at about lunch and went to Epcot. First we went to Guest Relations to upgrade my ticket to a hopper. I had a ticket from Airmiles (Canadian rewards program) and when I got it a hopper wasn't an option. DD's ticket was bought through Disney and was a hopper and I had planned the entire trip around hopping. I got the ticket during the Canadian promotion which apparently affected Airmiles tickets as well (I didn't realize this). The cast member told me that it would be $273US to upgrade my ticket. I had no idea it would be that much and wasn't sure that was in the budget. I did not upgrade and went away to try to consider whether I could rearrange the entire trip somehow to avoid hopping. I decided that I could not and would have to go back to Guest Relations the day after to get the hopper since that is when we were first hopping.
We went to Test Track (DD's fave Epcot ride) but it was down. In fact it was down for about 5 or 6 hours. After that, checking on the app, the wait never dropped below 2 1/2 hours for the rest of the day. DD was very disappointed. Before leaving the park, we got into the line for Soarin'. After waiting for about 20 minutes, they announced it had broken down and there would be a delay. We were exhausted (got up at 4 am and this was about 9pm) so gave up and went back to Pop.
The next morning, we had an early ADR (Bon voyage breakfast which I was very impressed with) and then hurried to Hollywood studios to be there for opening. We had a fastpass later for Toy Story but that is really all we wanted to do at that park and we both love that ride so we were hoping to ride right at opening as well. But as we got into line, it went down. It was down for several hours. We were eventually able to ride it once but that was it as they were only taking FastPasses.
As we were leaving the park, we stopped at Guest Relations to upgrade my ticket. The cast member helping us took a long time figuring it out, went back to talk to a manager several times etc. Eventually she came out and told me she was charging me $80 for 2 days of hopping (which is all we wanted). I was relieved!
Before leaving HS, we scored a Fastpass for Test Track for later in the afternoon. However, as we arrived, Test Track went down again, once again for about 4 hours. We did not want to give up our fastpass because of the wait time so that eliminated any further passes that day. We were eventually able to ride it on a fastpass and eventually able to ride Soarin. We also waited in line for Joy and Sadness 2x because the first time we gave up due to the slowness of the line (we timed that they were taking nearly 10 minutes with every party. We did not get to do many of the things we planned at Epcot.
On Wednesday, we showed up at MK right at opening again and went directly to Peter Pan. However, as we were waiting in line, it went down, causing a considerable delay. We emerged at about 9:40, the advantages of getting line so early gone. Then we went for our fastpass on Seven Dwarfs and there was another breakdown although that was very short and didn't affect us more than 5 minutes or so.
I'm not normally the type to complain. I had been avoiding it until this point. It seemed to me that a considerable amount of what was happening was bad luck. However, I also wondered if perhaps Disney was having more downtime than before, and if so, that they should know how it was affecting their customers. So around noon we went to Guest Relations and I told a cast member about our trip thus far. I wasn't really expecting anything at all: in the back of my mind I thought that perhaps she might give us an extra fastpass.
She listened very sympathetically, and then gave us: 3 anytime fastpasses for each of our remaining days, Mickey bars, and 2 DAY PARK HOPPERS FOR BOTH OF US ON A FUTURE TRIP. I was literally stunned to the point that my eyes watered
)) which has never happened before in a customer service situation.
Murphy's law wasn't finished with us. I lost my magic band (staff at our resort replaced it quickly), DD lost a Tinkerbell pin she had just traded (she is still disappointed), Rivers of Light was rained out (we had the dining package: cast member kindly gave us a future fastpass and a small gift card) and my daughter ended up with what may be a sinus infection and a bad headache as a result causing her to want to avoid various rides. And then we had one of those flights home where turbulence involves a big scary drop and people on the plane screaming. So we are very glad to be home. But still stunned by the service at Disney.
Shrill
We just got back from a 4 night trip, staying at Pop Century. It was myself and DD9, and we went to celebrate my finishing my Masters degree (and as a treat for her since she was absolutely amazing and tolerant throughout the process of my degree even though it meant a lot of change for her). We went once before in 2015 (stayed in POR and it was a longer trip with DH along).
Unfortunately, it was a trip where Murphy's Law seemed to take over. A couple of months ago we discovered that Splash (DD's favourite ride) would be closing a day or two before our arrival but we couldn't change our plans. We arrived on Tuesday at about lunch and went to Epcot. First we went to Guest Relations to upgrade my ticket to a hopper. I had a ticket from Airmiles (Canadian rewards program) and when I got it a hopper wasn't an option. DD's ticket was bought through Disney and was a hopper and I had planned the entire trip around hopping. I got the ticket during the Canadian promotion which apparently affected Airmiles tickets as well (I didn't realize this). The cast member told me that it would be $273US to upgrade my ticket. I had no idea it would be that much and wasn't sure that was in the budget. I did not upgrade and went away to try to consider whether I could rearrange the entire trip somehow to avoid hopping. I decided that I could not and would have to go back to Guest Relations the day after to get the hopper since that is when we were first hopping.
We went to Test Track (DD's fave Epcot ride) but it was down. In fact it was down for about 5 or 6 hours. After that, checking on the app, the wait never dropped below 2 1/2 hours for the rest of the day. DD was very disappointed. Before leaving the park, we got into the line for Soarin'. After waiting for about 20 minutes, they announced it had broken down and there would be a delay. We were exhausted (got up at 4 am and this was about 9pm) so gave up and went back to Pop.
The next morning, we had an early ADR (Bon voyage breakfast which I was very impressed with) and then hurried to Hollywood studios to be there for opening. We had a fastpass later for Toy Story but that is really all we wanted to do at that park and we both love that ride so we were hoping to ride right at opening as well. But as we got into line, it went down. It was down for several hours. We were eventually able to ride it once but that was it as they were only taking FastPasses.
As we were leaving the park, we stopped at Guest Relations to upgrade my ticket. The cast member helping us took a long time figuring it out, went back to talk to a manager several times etc. Eventually she came out and told me she was charging me $80 for 2 days of hopping (which is all we wanted). I was relieved!
Before leaving HS, we scored a Fastpass for Test Track for later in the afternoon. However, as we arrived, Test Track went down again, once again for about 4 hours. We did not want to give up our fastpass because of the wait time so that eliminated any further passes that day. We were eventually able to ride it on a fastpass and eventually able to ride Soarin. We also waited in line for Joy and Sadness 2x because the first time we gave up due to the slowness of the line (we timed that they were taking nearly 10 minutes with every party. We did not get to do many of the things we planned at Epcot.
On Wednesday, we showed up at MK right at opening again and went directly to Peter Pan. However, as we were waiting in line, it went down, causing a considerable delay. We emerged at about 9:40, the advantages of getting line so early gone. Then we went for our fastpass on Seven Dwarfs and there was another breakdown although that was very short and didn't affect us more than 5 minutes or so.
I'm not normally the type to complain. I had been avoiding it until this point. It seemed to me that a considerable amount of what was happening was bad luck. However, I also wondered if perhaps Disney was having more downtime than before, and if so, that they should know how it was affecting their customers. So around noon we went to Guest Relations and I told a cast member about our trip thus far. I wasn't really expecting anything at all: in the back of my mind I thought that perhaps she might give us an extra fastpass.
She listened very sympathetically, and then gave us: 3 anytime fastpasses for each of our remaining days, Mickey bars, and 2 DAY PARK HOPPERS FOR BOTH OF US ON A FUTURE TRIP. I was literally stunned to the point that my eyes watered
)) which has never happened before in a customer service situation.Murphy's law wasn't finished with us. I lost my magic band (staff at our resort replaced it quickly), DD lost a Tinkerbell pin she had just traded (she is still disappointed), Rivers of Light was rained out (we had the dining package: cast member kindly gave us a future fastpass and a small gift card) and my daughter ended up with what may be a sinus infection and a bad headache as a result causing her to want to avoid various rides. And then we had one of those flights home where turbulence involves a big scary drop and people on the plane screaming. So we are very glad to be home. But still stunned by the service at Disney.
Shrill
For those following the thread note that Shrill evidently voiced her complaints without going ballistic on the Guest Relations CM or creating a big scene by making demands...and they came through for her. 
