Overbooked at Boardwalk and moved barely without asking?

[Marrila]

Oh I agree and really they could've just called ppl. and given the the choice to move. I'm sure they would've had more than enough willing. Things like this is a downturn on their customer service. There was a time this used to happen, but just as the generic responses to emails Disney's priorities have unfortunately changed.

It's really not a matter of the good 'ole days.
If you self book, Disney will call you. If you use a TA, Disney calls the TA. It's up to the TA to decide to push back and/or ask for options, ask for time to contact the client for a decision.

 

[piccolopat]

Glad things worked out for you. For us, BC is too busy with families and gets a bit noisy because of that. We haven't stayed at BW but we have stayed at Yacht Club and found it has a more adult vibe. If this happens again, consider YC or even the Swan, our preference these days.

 

[jimmymc]

I've heard it happening plenty of times. If you're at a value or moderate resort then they usually try to upgrade you, but since you were already deluxe I think they tried to put you in the closest equivalent.

I don't think it has anything to do with Disney today. Hotels and airlines have been overbooking for decades now, including the famous 90's Disney that everyone is so nostalgic for.

 

[brockash]

It's really not a matter of the good 'ole days.
If you self book, Disney will call you. If you use a TA, Disney calls the TA. It's up to the TA to decide to push back and/or ask for options, ask for time to contact the client for a decision.

I have certainly found a decline in their customer service. I understand this had the added complication of the ta and perhaps the ta was not great as well.

 

[Anna131517]

This happened to my parents once. Since they’re very close it seems reasonable. I actually think BC has better amenities.

 

[kiford]

I've no idea how good or not this particular TA is but I've found that some of the value of working with a TA may only happen over the longer term. My TA would definitely have taken the transfer from BWI to BC for us without question because she knows what our favourite resorts are (both BWI and BC are favourites of ours and we sometimes have trouble deciding which one to stay at) but if we had been moved to say, the Poly, she knows that we would really not want to go there unless we absolutely had to so she'd push back. But we've worked with her for 20 years so she knows our preferences and dislikes. Yes, a move from BWI to BC is generally considered an upgrade so without knowing any differently, a TA might consider that the client would appreciate it. Should they be checking with their client first? Yes, but it may be that more communication is necessary or better decision-making will happen over a longer period of time.

 

[Robber Baron]

I think most people would see Beach Club as an upgrade from Boardwalk, what with Stormalong Bay, and I believe Disney sees this as a GOOD solution to the problem.

I definitely would NOT consider it an upgrade if I received a Beach Club room with no balcony, or, a Juliet balcony.

 

[wvjules]

I looked at the TA is the "middle person", I received the call last night at 6pm from her. It didnt seem like there was an option as far as Disney was concerned. At one point I asked her "What if I dont want to change? ..."Then they dont have a room for you".

The TA seemed really nice and seemed like you was in between a rock and a hard place. The reason I didnt place blame on her was she didnt move us. I believe there needs to be a step in place for situations like this with extra effort being made to include all parties involved at the start. In real time. Again Im older and prefer voice contact rather than text type. With a fluid item like this, it just makes for a more pleasant process.

Again I know this is a Disney board and people feel strongly on Disney. However at no point in time is a process perfect. There is always room for improvement to the system. I'm 1/10000 im sure. I just fell through the crack.

We are going, just moving plans back a day. Worlds not coming to an end and Im sure we will enjoy it. As I told my TA im going to just erase the last 12 hours and move on. It just tweaked my little head when it happened so fast. I hope we havent been tagged as a problem when we get there.

But she did when she agreed on your behalf, as your agent, to the move. Disney *may* not have moved you if she said that you'd prefer staying at BWI.

 

[Genie+]

lol, I cant swim. lol

Just poorly handled

I agree it‘s poorly handled. They wouldn’t like or even allow us to do something similar.

In their defense they mostly try to offer something that most people wouldn’t have a hard time accepting. Beach Club is getting refurbed right now, so you’ll be in the same area with a fresh room. Plus BW’s refurb is much more extensive so the flow of the resort might suffer more than the soft goods refurb at BC. What are your dates?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Beach Club is getting refurbed right now, so you’ll be in the same area with a fresh room.

Beach Club hotel side is not being refurbed right now.

 

[kylenne]

Agree that the blame is squarely on the TA for poor communication and not pushing back enough. Really a TA's job is to run interference and advocate for the client. A lot of people point to examples like this as to why people shouldn't use TAs, and I understand why, but we've been working with one for 6 years and she's been fantastic. Originally it was for the (now defunct, sadly) "exclusive offers" the agency used to give but we still work with her because it's nice having another set of eyes on the reservation, and she has always offered prompt, stellar service. I really appreciated having her during all the times we had to cancel and reschedule our trip because of the pandemic and family health issues. I didn't have to stay on hold for hours and hours with Disney, and because her agency is platinum earmarked they have relationships cultivated with Disney. She was able to get our Halloween party tickets refunded when they really shouldn't have been, as an example. Heck she even had cookies waiting for me from a local Orlando-area bakery as a birthday surprise when I checked into the GF for my 40th.

It's not for everyone, but there is definitely value in working with a good one.

 

[Genie+]

Beach Club hotel side is not being refurbed right now.

When is that side due?

 

[gottalovepluto]

When is that side due?

It’s not.

 

[RogueX]

As a former travel agent, I can say that there are some agents who will put in the minimal amount of work to handle reservation changes, etc.

Some factors can be inexperience, the agency they work for specializes in another type of travel that pays out larger commissions (where I worked that was the case) or who knows why.

This doesn't justify how your reservation was handled at all and I would have a discussion with a supervisor at the travel agency.

I hope you have a great vacation.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

When is that side due?

Once GF and BWI hotel side renovations are done, BC will be the “oldest” deluxe rooms, if I’m not mistaken. Someone fact check me if I’m off on my years but I believe they were renovated 2017’ish.

It’s certainly possible something is planned at some point, maybe following BCV’s refurb occurring right now, but nothing has been announced.

 

[Jacq7414]

Once GF and BWI hotel side renovations are done, BC will be the “oldest” deluxe rooms, if I’m not mistaken. Someone fact check me if I’m off on my years but I believe they were renovated 2017’ish.

It’s certainly possible something is planned at some point, maybe following BCV’s refurb occurring right now, but nothing has been announced.

The room we stayed in honestly did feel a little tired. But last time we went there, we were doing a split stay and had just came from a recently renovated Poly room.

 

[focusondisney]

Once GF and BWI hotel side renovations are done, BC will be the “oldest” deluxe rooms, if I’m not mistaken. Someone fact check me if I’m off on my years but I believe they were renovated 2017’ish.

It’s certainly possible something is planned at some point, maybe following BCV’s refurb occurring right now, but nothing has been announced.

Even earlier… 2014-15 from the pictures on the Y & B club thread. YC was 2017. I wouldn’t be surprised if BC is done next year some time.

Since you asked for fact check…..

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Even earlier… 2014-15 from the pictures on the Y & B club thread. YC was 2017. I wouldn’t be surprised if BC is done next year some time.

Since you asked for fact check…..

Ahh, ok, thanks. Time flies!

I do think the rooms are holding up mostly pretty well, personally - but with them being the last of the “legacy” room styles I wonder how long they have left.

 

[sheilafri]

I was/am upset, which coming from me is rare. I've had such fun at Disney over the years. Took my son there for his 5th birthday, Went there for our honeymoon and a Disney cruise. Everything was perfect.

I own my a business and customer care is a top priority for me. I just didnt like the way this went down. Then after the Disney "cast member" told me to call my travel agent i was ticked.

We have until tomorrow to cancel the trip and do something else. Just sad and upset kinda on how this was handled.

Using a TA actually limits your ability to make changes to a reservation. This isn’t a Disney thing. For example, if you book a cruise through a TA, the TA will need to handle most changes. There are often separate phone lines for direct book and TA booked ressies. The situation is very upsetting but it may not be Disney’s fault.

 

[loves to dive]

Any time you book through a third party you have to go through them for changes. Book through Travelocity, go through them. Book your tickets through the Frog, you have to go through them for changes. It is not just a Disney thing. If you book the Dolphin, which is Marriot, through say Costco and you need to change it, you have to go through Costco.

Op I know you bowed out but it really sounds like you just want to blame it all on Disney and not your TA, who really is the one who dropped the ball. They should have explained to you from the get go that as your agent, anything you wanted to change had to go through them. I've booked air line tickets through TAs and needed to change them and had to go through the TA to do so, they were very clear about this up front.