Disney/DVC Customer Service

[seanyred]

We own another timeshare through Bluegreen and I can tell you that I HATE dealing with them so much that I have turned over the scheduling of our Bluegreen trips to my husband who has more patience with them. Every time we call we are told a different "rule". Their right hand never seems to know what their left hand is doing. ... .

My wife and I took the tour with Bluegreen and they were definitly one of th worst time share presentations I have ever seen. And the fact they were very pushy...and did not want us to leave without giving them referalls....Which we refused because we did not like their product.

That being said We are Newer DVC members are first trip is Scheduled for this November and as of now I continue to be impressed by the level of customer services. My vacation got extended by two days after I already booked are stay and I had no problems adding on....maybe just luck I don't know...but either way I feel that Disney and DVC on their worse day is far better any other time share I have toured....

[DVC Mike]

Interesting results thus far. 69% rate Disney customer service as exceptional.

The three votes (so far) that found Disney customer service to be mediocre/poor all came from INTERCOT staff. I'm not sure what to read into that, if anything.

I posted this same survey on two other sites to see if I would get different results, and the other two surveys had exception service with more votes than the other two categories combined.

[DizneyRox]

I'm not staff... Don't go giving people heart attacks...

Seriously though, actually I find it hard to believe that people don't find issue with the way the current company operates. I just don't get it...

[DVC2004]

Hmmm. It's been great in the past, but has been declining. The layoffs and cost cutting lately are really beginning to show. Disney is still a business folks and don't forget it. Of course they have the right to earn a profit. And I as a shareholder want that. But recent changes made in the guise of "members wanted this or that"- simply not true. The recent switch to RCI for example. I am sorry but I largely do not care for the properties they offer. Most I have not heard of. Seeing as how most members use thier membership at Disney I would say this change was financially motivated and not anything members asked for. I used mine for an II exchange to Atlantis which was wonderful. Now it's not offered through RCI. Also many of the RCI resorts, particularily in Mexico, are MANDATORY all inclusive. Meaning now yu use your 160 points, $95 exchange fee, and another $1000 to $3000 depending on your party size to pay for the mandatory all inclusive. But you won't see that in the Vacation Planner!

[Ian]

Interesting results thus far. 69% rate Disney customer service as exceptional.

Can't argue with the results. Clearly a majority of people still feel like they're getting appropriate bang for their buck.

[Hammer]

I'm staff and chose the middle response which is not a compliment to Disney. There was a time that Disney wouldn't have dreamed of being like everyone else in customer service as they were the standard bearer! I've had good experiences and not so good experiences with WDW services. The number of not good experiences has increased the last 2 years. If the downward trend continues, I'll use my points for exchange options through RCI. I'm not going to sell because I would lose too much money in the sale (I know to expect to lose some money, but the amount is too large at this point).

Ian mentioned earlier on how different WDW departments like to "pass the buck". I experienced this firsthand. October 2007, we valet parked our car at the Beach Club (going to Boardwalk, but no room at their valet lot). Went off to the Boardwalk and returned to pick up our car at around 11:30 PM. Gave our ticket and we wait... and wait. There was no one else waiting for a car, so we had no idea what was the hold up. After 15 minutes, we notice a car with a flat tire off to the side. We look at it closer and realize it is our rental car! Go to the desk and ask why hadn't anyone come over to tell us that our car had a flat and that was why they had not brought us our car. Lots of finger pointing ensued. Most of it by the Beach Club desk saying it was the outsourcing of valets to blame. At that point, my sister said, "It does not matter whose fault it is, you are all the face of Disney whether you like it or not." A letter was sent regarding this experience of which a response was never received.

There are other instances where we have experienced this (though not to the extent of the above incident). WDW needs to address some of these problems (lack of accountability, antiquated computer systems, etc.) or this will start to happen to more people, even those of you who are satisfied right now.

[JPL]

The three votes (so far) that found Disney customer service to be mediocre/poor all came from INTERCOT staff. I'm not sure what to read into that, if anything.

I am staff and voted Mediocre/poor simply because I hold Disney to the same they used to hold themselves. I was sold on Disney because of their superior customer service and have watched it decline over time. At first it wasn't as noticeable because the flaws were often hidden by other things they were doing right. But as cutbacks caught up to almost all departments and the veil is becoming thinner and the bad will eventually outshine the good things that I love about Disney. I spend my time voicing my opinion and alerting people to these changes like Ian in hopes that it will make a difference and yes I do express concerns to Disney when I have a problem.


And as for the 69% being some sort of victory showing that most people think Disney has exceptional service I would be that back in the day it would have been in the high 90% range. I think the results are very telling and it shows that customer is on the decline.

[Aurora]

I've had (slight) issues with Disney customer service in the past, but overall I think they still deliver exceptional service. I'll share one of the most memorable experiences I've had. I don't think I've posted this and for various reasons I don't want to give some details (feel free to PM me if you want them).

Last year while planning our family trip we learned that the Pirates of the Caribbean ride would be closed for renovations for all of our weeklong vacation. We were very disappointed, to say the least, since my kids were huge Pirates fans, especially my youngest, who had never ridden before.

I wrote an e-mail to Robert Iger that morning expressing our sadness and wondering whether any other ad hoc entertainment would be provided. In the e-mail, I asked for a response.

A FEW HOURS LATER, I received a phone call from someone in Iger's office (NOTE: I hadn't written my phone number in the e-mail; they must have looked me up in the system). This person was very understanding and wanted to acknowledge our disappointment. He answered all the questions I had. I was very impressed, told him that I expected an e-mail back but not a phone call, and I thanked him for calling.

Then, to my astonishment, a week later we received a package in the mail with a gift from Disney, along with a note from this same person saying he hoped we would enjoy our vacation.

I have told everyone I know this story because it was more than above and beyond even anything I knew of Disney customer service. It was totally unnecessary and unexpected.

I e-mailed this person back, with a copy to Iger, thanking him for his and (I assumed) the company's kindness and e-mailed him again after our vacation saying how much we enjoyed ourselves. Both times he acknowledged the e-mails.

I know this was an extreme experience, but it happened, and it reassured me that Disney still sets the bar high.

[DVC Mike]

I am staff and voted Mediocre/poor simply because I hold Disney to the same they used to hold themselves. I was sold on Disney because of their superior customer service and have watched it decline over time.

I agree with you that the legendary Disney customer service is not as great as it used to be. Disney has rested on their laurels and have gone down a notch or two. That said, I still think they are better than most. They aren't perfect, and have never been.

And as for the 69% being some sort of victory showing that most people think Disney has exceptional service I would be that back in the day it would have been in the high 90% range.

Who's claiming "victory"? The poll speaks for itself and shows that most people still feel that Disney provides great customer service.

I would agree that the percentage might have been higher years ago, but I don't think it would have been in the high 90% range.

[pixie1958]

We've been staying at Disney since the early 90's. We joined DVC in early 2002. There has definitely been a downward spiral on quality and they are resting on their laurels quite a bit here lately from what they used to be.

Take our first trips to OKW in 2002 - the resort grounds were constantly being taken care of. Now we see overgrown bushes and trees and cob webs with large spiders on the porches. We've stepped over dead mice on sidewalks, too, that lay there for days. You wouldn't have seen something like that laying there for days a few years ago.

We own a timeshare with Marriott, too, and so far Marriott hasn't cut their upkeep the way DVC has. On our stays at Marriott in Orlando we have still seen Marriott employees constantly cleaning and keeping the grounds immaculate. Somebody from DVC/Disney needs to start staying at their competition and waking up and smelling the coffee or they are going to be wondering what happened to their business/sales. They also have let some of their older DVC properties go too long without refurbishing them like their competition in Orlando does.

[Donald A]

But I can tell you this ... 10 years ago we went a couple times a year because we wanted to go. If we didn't have kids, though, I can tell you with 100% certainty that we might visit once every few years tops. There are just way too many other vacation destinations out there these days that are doing it better than Disney is.

As a DVC member without kids, I can honestly say that is how my wife and I feel and plan to vacation. You are right, Ian, it just isn't what it used to be. I don't know if it is that the fun is "wearing off" after each time. Maybe we have been there too often recently that driving down there, waiting in lines, etc. are just "not worth it" as much.

On the other hand, customer service is OK in my opinion for the most part. I guess there are times of both great service and just OK service. Of course if you looked at what I just said each trip is "less magical." This could make it seem like the service is not as good because I become a little less excited each time I go and a little less patient with the whole thing.

Hopefully the DVC thing becomes more beneficial when (or if) my wife and I have kids.

[Georgesgirl1]

I voted exceptional. My parents own at SSR and my brother and I are on their deed. Every experience we have had with DVC has been great. My grandparents own several non-Disney timeshares so we have seen Disney vs. Non-Disney and let me tell you...no question Disney is WAY better.

When something is wrong at a DVC resort we always get promt service. Non-Disney is hit or miss. At Disney we know we won't be pressured at a sales pitch (DH and I did one since DH isn't on my parents deed). We said, we might be interested in the future, but wouldn't be buying today and they were totally okay with that. Non-Disney sales pitches are high pressure, with flat out rude sales people in our experince. I have always gotten knowledgable, pleasant CM's when calling the 1-800 number.

I agree with however said that we can't expect a kid who is still in college to know as much about Disney as we "Disney experts" who spend all our free time talking about and reading about Disney know.

[Tinkermom]

Interesting results thus far. 69% rate Disney customer service as exceptional.

The three votes (so far) that found Disney customer service to be mediocre/poor all came from INTERCOT staff. I'm not sure what to read into that, if anything.

I posted this same survey on two other sites to see if I would get different results, and the other two surveys had exception service with more votes than the other two categories combined.

I too am one who is confused by some of the responses. I have been on Icot now for 9 years and watched many of the folks here on this DVC board get so excited when new properties were announced. Speculations would abound as everyone got into the excitement. I have also read their celebratory posts as many purchased these properties and even added on points at other established properties and/or some of the new properties. Why would one get so excited and spend money on something that they find just "mediocre" or even "poor"? I am not singling out any one person here but rather a trend of folks who seem to say one thing at one moment in time but then come back to talk of an inferior product.

Perhaps the Disney glory days are gone but when we compare Disney (whether parks, resorts, or DVC) to comparable offerings Disney is, in our eyes and based on our experiences, by far superior. Looking forward to our upcoming trip in just FIVE days!

[Donald A]

In follow-up, I voted with "the same service as everyone else." This is just because I am thinking this is more appropriate vs. the "exceptional service" option. I mean, I really would probably vote somewhere in the middle of these two options. Disney is better than other places out there but I do not think I would say it is exceptional. My last trip at The Grand Floridian was probably "exceptional" related to that resort, but my times in the park at MVMCP, dining, etc. were just a little above average. When I think "exceptional" service I think usually expensive service. I think this holds true for the most part (ie, the people that have club seats get better service but they pay for it). So I guess when you think of "service for the value" Disney is among the best.

[DVC2004]

I also voted "same service as everyone else". My previous gripes are more about some changes going on at DVC rather than service, so a little off topic I guess.

I love Disney and DVC. I guess in the past year it has been harder for me to get into resorts other than SSR aand OKW, and it's been near impossible to get the ADRs we want. I compare that to 2001 when when we first started going to WDW in our adult lives. I wasn't a member yet but I remember how friendly amost of the CMs were, how we could get ito any restaurant at any time or just walk in. It's just not like that anymore.

[Hammer]

I too am one who is confused by some of the responses. I have been on Icot now for 9 years and watched many of the folks here on this DVC board get so excited when new properties were announced. Speculations would abound as everyone got into the excitement. I have also read their celebratory posts as many purchased these properties and even added on points at other established properties and/or some of the new properties. Why would one get so excited and spend money on something that they find just "mediocre" or even "poor"? I am not singling out any one person here but rather a trend of folks who seem to say one thing at one moment in time but then come back to talk of an inferior product.

I was excited when I purchased DVC at SSR and for the record have not had any issues at my home resort. Overall, however, I've had too many "eh" experiences in the past 2 years to continue to give them the exceptional tag. I'm not planning to sell my DVC membership yet because as I said I would take too big of a financial hit selling and we will be going every year for F & W (which we enjoy) for the next couple of years. What I have done is cut out my extra trips. Like Ian, I used to go for multiple times a year but I find myself going to other places now as I think my money can be better spent.

[Tinkermom]

I was excited when I purchased DVC at SSR and for the record have not had any issues at my home resort. Overall, however, I've had too many "eh" experiences in the past 2 years to continue to give them the exceptional tag. I'm not planning to sell my DVC membership yet because as I said I would take too big of a financial hit selling and we will be going every year for F & W (which we enjoy) for the next couple of years. What I have done is cut out my extra trips. Like Ian, I used to go for multiple times a year but I find myself going to other places now as I think my money can be better spent.

I had an interesting conversation with someone today who was asking about our upcoming vacation next week. They asked me in a sarcastic way "you are not going to Disney again are you?" (we are AND we are going to Vero but they ignored me when I said we were also going to the beach ) They then proceeded to tell me all of the reasons why they would never go to WDW in the summer and really had no desire to ever go and then asked me if we would ever go anywhere else. This got me thinking and I ask this question just out of curiosity...

Could some of yours and others "eh" experiences just be that you are getting tired of WDW? I will admit that while we are so excited to be going next week it is not the same as our early trips. It is still magical but not quite as magical when you know lots of the "secrets" and "surprises". I could see us ready to try some new experiences in the future. We are so looking forward to the new DVC resort in Hawaii as we have always wanted to go there and using DVC will make it much more affordable for us. We are also taking a cruise using DVC points in the spring.

Just a thought.

[chefmickey3]

Disney customer service is so good that it often makes us wish that all other businesses were more like Disney. We have never had an experience that wasn't "made right" by Disney.

[Ian]

Could some of yours and others "eh" experiences just be that you are getting tired of WDW?

I've been resisting coming back and posting in this thread, because honestly I felt like I stated my position and didn't want to get into any back-and-forth on the topic. It's pretty clear from the poll results that a majority of folks still find Disney's service exceptional, so arguing the point would be silly.

However, since my response to this question seemed relevant to the conversation, I thought I'd answer ...

For me that is absolutely not the case. Disney burnout has nothing to do with some of the bad, bad interactions I've had with Disney in the past 3-5 years.

When you have Cast Members that are just overtly rude and hostile, simple requests that cannot or will not be met, massive bouts of indifference from Management, industry standard amenities being ignored, 1970's era technology that makes dealing with the company a major hassle, a distinct lack of quality new attractions being added, and a significant slump in the maintenance and upkeep of the parks ... that's not burnout. That's a feeling that you're really not getting what you're paying for.

I think what really drove the point home for me was the (non-Disney) cruise we took in February. The amenities, outstanding service, and cost were just so far superior to anything we get at Disney that it was impossible not to notice the difference.

Now look ... to be perfectly fair ... I've been visiting Disney World since 1974, so maybe my expectations are higher than everyone else's. Although, I'm not sure how "Not getting yelled at and abused by Cast Members while spending annually increasing massive amounts of money and continually receiving less and less for it" could be considered too-high expectations, but anyway ... I'll concede that I do remember the way Disney used to be and maybe that colors my experiences more than others.

[Priority Four]

While i certainly believe ya'll have had problems, its hard for me to imagine. My experience has been so opposite, the only time i ever saw a truly rude cast member that person was removed from her position and replaced by two management types that finished serving the line of people. My father in law once got lost going from BCV to the Yachtsman and ended up at BW.(I Know) He was clearly at fault but upset anyway. The folks at BW put him in a company car and drove him to Yacht Club. Maybe i've just been lucky.