Disappointed with DVC for the first time

[Butters]

I'm trying not to let this ruin our vacation, but I think Disney could have handled this much better.

In Jan we are heading to BLT for 6 nights and for the first time adding 3 nights at VB to the end of our trip. My kids love the beach and have been excited to play in the sand for months. Flights are booked, rental car reserved which I only needed because of the VB stay, and 2 days ago I get a letter from Disney.

They are doing work on the beach and it will be closed during our stay. Why would they wait until one month before to let people know? There are no studio villas available to switch our VB nights back to WDW, and calling member services I'm being told there is nothing they can do to compensate us for booking a beach resort WITH NO BEACH!!!!

At this point I'll have to **** it up and make the best of it, but This just leaves a bad taste in my mouth about Disney. And yes I know we can go to nearby beaches, but if I wanted the inconvenience of packing a 2 and 4 year old and driving to the beach and back I could have saved my DVC points and found a much cheaper room elsewhere.

I'm mostly venting, and my real complaint is their inability to give advanced warning and unwillingness to compensate for taking the beach out of a beach resort.

[faline]

I'm not sure why the beach will be closed but it could be for some reason that is out of Disney's control.

[Butters]

It is the town closing it... But to me that should still be Disneys problem since now they have unsatisfied customers.

It's just the feeling I'm getting when I called "its not our fault... Sorry"

Lately our trips are slowly losing the "magic" and if we now seriously discussing taking a few years off after our current APs expire.

[faline]

I can understand your disappointment when you thought you would be able to easily access a beach during your stay. But, seriously, I can't blame Disney when they are mandated to do something like close the beach. I think a year or so ago, they had to close the beach at Aulani on Oahu due to a sewerage spill that affected the water there. The spill was not caused by Disney - they were just as much a victim as the folks who stayed there during the period the beach was closed.

Disney could, however, throw something in the pot when their guests have been inconvenienced in this way.

[tink'72]

I totally understand your frustration. The beach being closed may well be out of Disney's control (things do happen) but another option should be made available to you. I have found working with DVC for a few years now that they do not go out of their way to accomodate things like this. I also truly believe that even if Disney did know the beach was closed they had no intention of letting you in a decent amount of time.

I just retunred from Kidani Village and the kids water area was under construction and not accessible. Not a word was said to us when we booked. Not only was it closed but because it was under construction and the construction vehicles, granted they were small, used the pool area to to go back and forth and transport material. Needless to say my kids were disappointed and even while enjoying the pool we had to be careful no one got run over!

Now with that said, If i had known when I was booking that the area was closed I would have not made other plans but it would have been nice to know. That play area is one of the best things at Kidani! But of course I LOVE Disney and even with all these little things I keep going back!

[pox24]

If its any help, just north from Disney on AIA is Wabasso Beach Park. I know its not Disney but it is a very nice area.

[VWL Mom]

That's terrible, in this case I don't think a letter cuts it. Closing the beach at a beach resort is not a little thing IMO and whether or not it is their fault I think they should offer something. At the very least they should give you the option to cancel and return your points to the use year they came from. As much as I love our DVC I sometimes feel they take members for granted.

[BrerGnat]

That is awful. Can you cancel and get your points back? If so, just extend your trip at Disney somewhere else on property or off, elsewhere in Orlando. January is a great time to get hotel discounts.

[Butters]

There are no studio DVC rooms in Orlando for those nights now and I don't have enough extra points to move up to a 1 bedroom.

Unfortunately with airline tickets booked and lack of other rooms we have no options.

Thanks for the input on nearby beaches, we'll go and make the best of it.

[DisneyGiant]

Write in to guest services and politely explain your frustration\disappointment. They may make it up to you somehow.

I did this one year for something we were disappointed with and received a phone call apology and 5 free 4-day passes to use on our next trip! I was pleasantly surprised - as I did not ask for anything. I was just giving them feedback & expressing my disappointment....

I hope that you have a fun vacation!!

[Ian]

While I agree it's not Disney's fault the beach is closing, the lack of courtesy and caring for their guests continues to be disturbing.

At a bare minimum, they should offer some type of compensation ... even if it's like a meal voucher or something.

As someone already said, a beach resort with no beach is hardly an attraction.

[1DisneyNut]

They are doing work on the beach and it will be closed during our stay. Why would they wait until one month before to let people know?

Because you and most of the other guests would have cancelled your reservations. Therefore, they wait until it is too late to cancel and then say oh by the way, the beach is going to be closed. It is the corporate way of only thinking about profits.


I would not have accepted it. At the least they would have allowed me cancel or move me to a different location or they would have ended up throwing me out of the place when I got there. I mean, you paid for/reserved a BEACH vacation. I would definitely send guest services an email and voice my displeasure.

[VWL Mom]

Just checked both DVC and the Vero Beach website and there still is no mention of the beaching closing or work being done on the beach. That's just wrong IMO.

[Butters]

Just checked both DVC and the Vero Beach website and there still is no mention of the beaching closing or work being done on the beach. That's just wrong IMO.

I'm going to be writing a letter to Guest Services today, I'm really not expecting anything to come of it, but at least I can voice my displeasure,

It seems completely wrong that' they would not advertise this closure so guests can be aware before they lay down their money or points!

[Aurora]

I'm going to be writing a letter to Guest Services today, I'm really not expecting anything to come of it, but at least I can voice my displeasure,

It seems completely wrong that' they would not advertise this closure so guests can be aware before they lay down their money or points!

I totally agree with you. I'm also at a loss as to why they wouldn't have given you more information about where you could use nearby beaches or offered you some form of compensation. DVC definitely HAS done that with other closings or construction.

We stayed with my parents at Aulani in Sept. 2013 while construction was going on, and my parents were offered compensation for the inconvenience (I can't remember what it was now, and as it turned out, we didn't even notice the construction).