Have you ever had your WDW room Downgraded?

[Ladyfish77]

Just curious if this happens much. Someone said they got downgraded in their room. They were informed at check-in. Disney refunded them the difference in price and offered to move them the next day, but that too is an extra hassle with time and effort. Has this happened to you? You see pixie dust upgrades mentioned all the time, but I haven't seen much discussion on this side of the coin.

If you were downgraded, what would you expect? If I decide to pay more for a room for a certain view or location I don't think I'd be a happy camper if I was downgraded. Many people choose upgrades due to mobility issues, etc. Having to unpack, settle in then pack back up the next morning to get moved also isn't how I want to spend my precious time on vacation. I'm not a complainer so this would be a difficult situation for me. (I'm sure it doesn't happen too often, but hotels overbook like airlines expecting a certain amount of attrition).

Thoughts?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Hotels also have plumbing problems and similar that pull rooms from inventory by surprise.

 

[gwynne]

Just curious if this happens much. Someone said they got downgraded in their room. They were informed at check-in. Disney refunded them the difference in price and offered to move them the next day, but that too is an extra hassle with time and effort. Has this happened to you? You see pixie dust upgrades mentioned all the time, but I haven't seen much discussion on this side of the coin.

If you were downgraded, what would you expect? If I decide to pay more for a room for a certain view or location I don't think I'd be a happy camper if I was downgraded. Many people choose upgrades due to mobility issues, etc. Having to unpack, settle in then pack back up the next morning to get moved also isn't how I want to spend my precious time on vacation. I'm not a complainer so this would be a difficult situation for me. (I'm sure it doesn't happen too often, but hotels overbook like airlines expecting a certain amount of attrition).

Thoughts?

Is this someone you know? Did they vacation at a really busy time like the holidays? I'm not sure I'd have even bothered to mentioned it to anyone if I'd gotten money back and I was unwilling to move the next day.

 

[UncleMike101]

I would hope that Disney wouldn't even consider a resort downgrade as an option.
When someone books a room with certain level of amenities, or in a certain location, and pays for that room more than a month in advance, they have an expectation that their wants and needs will be met.
To offer a downgrade is tantamount to telling the customer, "You'll stay where we want you to stay."
Returning the difference in room rate would be a condescending gesture since the guest has selected a certain resort and room type based on their ability to pay for that situation.
Granted, issues come up that negates the ability of the resort to fulfill the guests exact requests but in that case they should offer an upgraded room as compensation for the inconveniences caused by altering the guests plans.
God knows enough planning goes into a Disney vacation without having to account for a resort difference at the last minute.

 

[MrsDuck]

Never has happened to me in all my 20+ years of visiting.

 

[ellie05]

Yes we did. We were staying for one night in pop and when I did the online check in we have asked for a quiet room. We paid for prefer. We got there and we were "upgraded" to pool view. We went to the room the room was so loud. We wanted to take a nap and that would have been impossible our only choice was to take a down grade to standard room. Nothing was offered to is expect a credit in the difference in price. I don't know who did the room assignment but I am going to go with the person has never stayed at pop because with their paper thin wall there is no way they would have thought that would have been a quiet room. Another reason why we won't go back to pop.

 

[dansdad]

We have been downgraded 4 times now. It only bothered me on the 2 occasions that they did not inform us of the downgrade when checking in. We only found out when we got to the room and then had to go back and put up a bit of a fight for a refund of the difference.

 

[loves to dive]

I've never had it happen to me, but that is because I never pay for the upgraded rooms. I have been upgraded from say a standard room to a garden view or water view but never asked. I've read here on the boards where it has happened and I imagine they were overbooked or had issues with the specific room and had no more available. Offering to refund the difference and move doesn't sound like an issue to me, one night is not that big of deal and since they move your luggage for you it's really isn't much of an issue.

 

[mousefan73]

i can see some people being very happy.. I would be too in some cases. Example we book free-dining. a lot of times the cheap, standard rooms are not available so I am forced to book a more expensive room. For me, I could care less about a garden or water view... I care more about Disney putting a "value" of up to 30 a night for this at some moderates and I having to pay for this..

Best scenario would be for us to book a package and only have a higher catagory available and then be put in a standard AND debited back the difference.

I can see though CL or a King, or a themed room ( princess, pirate) being booked specifically and a downgrade really hurting.

I this case I sure hope that the resort does more than debit the difference for example when a family of girls is told their POR princess room is not available. Can you imagine... especially as in most cases these kids are excited for it... A sorry and refund on the difference will not cut this or a free FP... They better be giving them a free CRT meal or something.

 

[Disney fan from Wisconsin]

we paid for a river view room at POR and when we got there we had a huge ugly bush in front of our room in the back of the buildling (no riverview, fountain/garden view). Normally we are at the parks so view doesn't matter but the three nights we were there were non-park days so I was kind of irritated. When we called the desk to ask about it we were told "we don't have any rooms available but it's no big deal we refunded the difference" It mad me angry they told me it was "no big deal" because I had booked this room 9 months in advance. I normally only book standard but since we would be there to enjoy the resort this time I decided to upgrade. It might have not been a big deal to them but they aren't the ones who were disappointed. I didn't want the money, I wanted the view. They were short and acted like we were annoying just for calling to ask about it. When we called they said someone would call us right back, but we didn't hear back for almost 2 hours. I let the front desk know about our not so pleasant experience with the person on the phone and they just shrugged their shoulders. Not a hint of an apology on the phone or when talking to the front desk. All i wanted was a simple "sorry for the inconvenience". So finally my husband emailed Disney about the lack of customer service and they contacted us right away to apologize and gave us extra fastpasses (which was more than enough). In the end it was handled to our satisfaction, but there were some bumps along the way.

 

[Oswin]

In January, we were downgraded at Poly. We had paid for garden view CL and they put us in a standard view room over in Fiji but gave us a key card that let us in the Hawaii building. It wasn't an issue at first but it became a pain going from Fiji over to Hawaii for breakfast and every time we wanted a drink so we went to the front desk to complain. We were allowed to keep the club level access for the rest of our stay but they refunded the difference of the room categories to us.

 

[Kimberly9701]

In January, we were downgraded at Poly. We had paid for garden view CL and they put us in a standard view room over in Fiji but gave us a key card that let us in the Hawaii building. It wasn't an issue at first but it became a pain going from Fiji over to Hawaii for breakfast and every time we wanted a drink so we went to the front desk to complain. We were allowed to keep the club level access for the rest of our stay but they refunded the difference of the room categories to us.

That's scary. I extended my December 2016 trip by a day to fit a 'length of stay requirement' and book a tpv at CR..the ONLY reason I extended was for that view..if I got downgraded I would be furious...same thing at Poly, I booked the view because I wanted the view..if they would have downgraded from tpv to something else upon arrival I don't know what I would have done.

 

[dansdad]

That's scary. I extended my December 2016 trip by a day to fit a 'length of stay requirement' and book a tpv at CR..the ONLY reason I extended was for that view..if I got downgraded I would be furious...same thing at Poly, I booked the view because I wanted the view..if they would have downgraded from tpv to something else upon arrival I don't know what I would have done.

I understand you'd be frustrated, I know I was the 1st time it happened, but there's nothing you could do. If you read the fine print the only thing your reservation guarantees is a room on WDW property. Once I was faced with this realization first hand it hassn't ruined our vacation as it did the first time it happened and I wasted hours trying to get what we reserved. I found out no amount of complaining will get you something that they just can't provide.

 

[Oswin]

That's scary. I extended my December 2016 trip by a day to fit a 'length of stay requirement' and book a tpv at CR..the ONLY reason I extended was for that view..if I got downgraded I would be furious...same thing at Poly, I booked the view because I wanted the view..if they would have downgraded from tpv to something else upon arrival I don't know what I would have done.

If we had booked/paid for Lagoon or TPV I would've pressed the issue but since it was just a garden view (and back in January the view was of construction) it wasn't really an issue because we still had access to the lounge, which is what we primarily wanted. I'm hoping they wouldn't downgrade the most expensive TPV views, but I guess anything is possible.

 

[Mom loves Disney]

Happened to me twice at asmusic. First time they didn't even bother to tell me at the desk. I went back and asked to be moved to my room I paid for only to be told there wasn't any left. I asked for my difference in money back.

 

[Kimberly9701]

I understand you'd be frustrated, I know I was the 1st time it happened, but there's nothing you could do. If you read the fine print the only thing your reservation guarantees is a room on WDW property. Once I was faced with this realization first hand it hassn't ruin our vacation as it did the first time it happened and I wasted hours trying to get what we reserved. I found out no amount of complaining will get you something that they just can't provide.

If we had booked/paid for Lagoon or TPV I would've pressed the issue but since it was just a garden view (and back in January the view was of construction) it wasn't really an issue because we still had access to the lounge, which is what we primarily wanted. I'm hoping they wouldn't downgrade the most expensive TPV views, but I guess anything is possible.

Yeah, maybe it was better for you instead of looking at the green wall. We were there in September and noticed that on our way to the TTC..I never really noticed any construction, but we were on the other side of the resort. We also wouldn't have utilized the quite pool anyway, so it made no difference to me if was closed.

As far as the reservation not have to provide the room you paid for- If so, then they shouldn't be allowed to enforce length of stay requirements on certain rooms!

Anyway, I think the chances are slim, so I won't worry about it. Just surprised me when I read that it happened at Poly...thought it would happen more often to the larger resorts.

 

[dansdad]

Anyway, I think the chances are slim, so I won't worry about it. Just surprised me when I read that it happened at Poly...thought it would happen more often to the larger resorts.

It actually happens more at the smaller resorts as there is less inventory. If there's a problem with some rooms, there's less options to move people around.

 

[maxiesmom]

It has happened to me twice. And just like Mom Loves Disney both times were at the Music. Which is why I now stay away from that resort if I want a preferred room.

Like another poster, they were not going to bother to tell me that I was downgraded AND I had to fight to get the cost difference back.

 

[Babsy]

It's happened to us twice - once at All Star Music and once at the YC. We did get moved within a day or two to what we had booked. we did not get a refund - no one offered and I didn't think to ask for one. I was pretty upset at the time. Now, I am aware and prepared for this eventuality, and just go with the flow. If it happens again, it is my plan to either get a refund or ask about similar room availability at other resorts.

So, I would ask "OK, you say that there is no lagoon view like I booked available at the YC? Is there a lagoon or TPV available at a MK resort or lagoon view at the BC or BWI Or a savanna view at the AKL?" If not, I would request a refund for the difference in the rate for the room booked and paid for to the rate for the room that I was assigned. As Dansdad said, there is little point in causing a fuss trying to get what they cannot or will not give you.

Yup, downgrades DO happen.

 

[Kimberly9701]

It's happened to us twice - once at All Star Music and once at the YC. We did get moved within a day or two to what we had booked. we did not get a refund - no one offered and I didn't think to ask for one. I was pretty upset at the time. Now, I am aware and prepared for this eventuality, and just go with the flow. If it happens again, it is my plan to either get a refund or ask about similar room availability at other resorts.

So, I would ask "OK, you say that there is no lagoon view like I booked available at the YC? Is there a lagoon or TPV available at a MK resort or lagoon view at the BC or BWI Or a savanna view at the AKL?" If not, I would request a refund for the difference in the rate for the room booked and paid for to the rate for the room that I was assigned. As Dansdad said, there is little point in causing a fuss trying to get what they cannot or will not give you.

Yup, downgrades DO happen.

What would happen in a scenario where someone had to book an additional nights in order to get that specific room category? I wonder if this has ever happened..just curious. I'm not one to raise heck, but like I said above, in that scenario I would. It's not about the price difference if you rearrange your entire trip for a certain room.