Help! Disney Resort Changed Without Telling Us!

[loves2plan]

Originally Posted by samsparro

I agree.

So I've done it, in for a penny...

And it's bounced back saying she is out of the office with no access to emails...

No dates given though. I wonder if she has been inundated with emails recently

See more...

Possibly, or she might just be on holiday. Frustrating though, as it means waiting without knowing how long

[Clare]

Another thing to add to the mix, in the small print of Disney's terms and conditions, doesn't matter what room/resort you book your booking only guarantees you a room at a Disney resort. Happened to 2 people I know of who booked directly with Disney, water view at BWI downgraded to standard view, main building CL at GF downgraded to outer lodge CL at GF.

[sprocket]

Have you checked Disney UK and Disney US sites to double check the availability. Sounds like Virgin are taking you for a ride and someone has messed up and covering themselves. You would be surprised how many people wouldn't say anything.
Contemporary to AKL is a huge drop. Yes both Deluxe, and I love AKL, but if I had booked and wanted Contemporary then you should be pushing for Poly or GF if Contemporary is truly full, which I doubt it is, for no extra charge.

[BrightlyBob]

The problem with hotels is that's there's, full, and um, well... full.

Firstly there's long-stay full. Remember for a fortnight hotel stay the property has to have a room available every single night. If the property is full for just one night it can't accommodate your stay. This is a particular issue with hotels that host big conferences or weddings where the entire property can be booked for the event. This is the most likely scenario here.

Secondly there's travel agent full. Travel agents draw against inventory made available to their system by the hotel. Once they've filled that inventory they can't offer any more without checking with the hotel. Of course other travel agents may still have inventory, it may even be available direct with the hotel.

Then there's advance sales full. This occurs where a travel agent takes room reservations before the hotels actually release them intending to compete the booking with the hotel as soon as the inventory is loaded by the property. But then doesn't, for whatever reason - system failure, no hotel inventory on one or more days of the stay, hotel stops dealing with the agent, or perhaps someone simply forgets.

Finally, there's really full - the hotel has no rooms on any day of your stay. Very unlikely if you're there for a couple of weeks.

As for what to do - Chase up Virgin and Disney by phone and email and don't let go. If they really can't accommodate you at the Contemporary then definitely run for the Grand Floridian or Polynesian. As a lawyer breach of contract comes to mind but I do know Travel Agents contracts are full of slippery clauses...

[DisneyDaffodil]

I would push Virgin to either give you a different room at Contemporary and tell them that Disney has availability as you have checked. Possibly take a screenshot of the dummy booking to show Virgin.
If they still refuse, ask for a deluxe resort within the same distance to MK, example Grand Floridian or whatever resort is your second choice. I would be asking for an upgraded room as a gesture of goodwill for the disappointment of not getting your chosen resort too.
If you haven't heard from the Disney lady you emailed within a week or so, I would email her again too as she may be just on holiday. I have dealt with a few companies who send the 'not in the office' email though and to be fair to most, they do get in touch as soon as they are back in the office so hopefully Disney will too.

[catlady]

There's also 'free dining' full! They only release so many rooms to the UK free dining for each hotel, could be that the allocation is full for the contemporary? It's one of the smaller Disney hotels? My bet is on Virgin running out of 'free dining' rooms!

Hope you get it sorted, it's really not good enough!

[sprocket]

A simple check confirms there are plenty of rooms still available at Contemporary during that time.
So this means that the hotel is 'free dining' full, which tells me that Virgin have messed up your reservation and want to try to palm you off rather than sort it out.

[disney_daddy]

I would go back to the store in meadowhall and wouldn't budge until sorted out there and then rather than chasing emails and phone calls.

[MrsMoney]

Originally Posted by samsparro

I agree.

So I've done it, in for a penny...

And it's bounced back saying she is out of the office with no access to emails...

No dates given though. I wonder if she has been inundated with emails recently

See more...

Give her a couple of days, she was fantastic at helping out many of those affected by the CBR fiasco and helped another dibber in the same position as you only this week.

[duchy]

If you didn't email til Thursday evening it may very well be she's taken just Friday or Friday and Monday off using up leave as many of us do this time of year so will hear after the weekend.