[ilvminnie]

Had to leave for the airport at 5am...oh well, wasn't sleeping anyway! Everything went smoothly at the airport. I had never seen a ticket counter running as efficiently as the Frontier counter that morning! We were very impressed. Flight was fine except for the slight turbulence from about OK! That was ok, too, since we got that Direct TV thing & it made the time pass quickly. Nice having your own TV right in front of you. I even slept a bit.

Got to the airport, met Sam our Tiffany driver, & retrieved the last of our luggage just as they were announcing that there was lightning in the area & no more luggage would be coming until it was gone! Whew, great timing. Had a nice chat with Sam on the way to BCV. His wife works for Disney so that was our main topic of conversation. Really nice guy.

Got to BCV about 2:30. Room isn't ready, but that's ok. Megan says we have a room on the 5th floor looking out at Spaceship Earth. Not the Illuminations view I had hoped for, but still ok. Called the rest of the family...they were staying at OKW. Met them in BCV lobby & we're off! Walked over to EPCOT to get to the monorail to MK. Also saw quite a bit of lightning & hoped it would pass. As we were walking up to get on the monorail it hit me....I'm in WDW!!!! I just start beaming. I look over at my BIL & he's just beaming, too! It's just such a wonderful feeling.

Started pouring as we're on the monorail. OK...get out ponchos. We've done this before. We get to MK & it's coming down really hard & no one else in the group has ponchos! (WDW novices!!!) So we run through with brother & BIL to show them where to get ponchos for the rest of the group. They took the ponchos back to the others & then the turnstiles wouldn't let them back in so they had to wait in the rain for a CM to come override it. By now, even with ponchos, everyone is soaked. We went into the Emporium until it let up a little. Ever try to keep track of a party of 8 in a store where everyone else has also taken refuge? Finally got out of there & headed over to CoP. What a great first ride...except when it broke down & we sat through one scene twice. Of course the 15-yr old niece who has never been to WDW before wasn't impressed. And her mother said the motion made her queasy. Oh, oh...I've got a bad feeling about this trip already! The lines for everything else were pretty long so we decided to head for Fantasyland. On the walk over it started pouring again. Lines for everything were long, we were all soaked, & 5 of us had PS for Cape May at 7. The other 3 had originally planned to go into Orlando for the evening, but with the rain were now 2nd guessing that plan. We tried to modify our PS at Cape May, but the only time they could get a seating for 3 was 8:30 & that was just too late. So now we're feeling bad that they can't eat with us, but we don't want to pass up Cape May. Oh well... The 5 of us decided to go on back & freshen up in our room at BCV before dinner. We get back to BCV at about 6:30. DH & I go to the front desk to get our room number. Phil informs us it's not ready!!! WHAT???? What about 4 pm check-in? Well, the computer says it's not ready. He wasn't very helpful or even apologetic at all! Offered a room on the 1st floor which I absolutely didn't want, especially since Megan had told us about the room we had been assigned to. Seeing we weren't going to get anywhere with him we asked for the hotel manager. Phil says there isn't anyone like that! Offers housekeeping manager or someone else. We're really getting upset now. He said he would comp our meal at Cape May for that night & while we were at dinner he'd check things out. Well, into the bathroom to dry my hair as well as I could & off to dinner. We love Cape May & it was wonderful as usual even though they weren't offering the crab legs at this time. Karen, our waitress, said the quality hadn't been too good so they weren't offering them right now. It was my sister & her DH's 1st time there & they loved it too. I think my BIL made 5 trips to the dessert bar (which they've moved. It's now as you come into the restaurant as they have a prime rib area where the desserts used to be). As we were sitting at dinner my DH says "I hope our room will be ready" and of course we all were sure it would be. NOT!!!!! However, we met a "different" Phil when we got back. Now he's all honey, bending over backwards. Evidently the housekeeping manager, Eric, had been brought into the picture. Now we are going to get a 2-bedroom suite in the hotel for the night as well as another comped meal of our choosing. We met Eric & he was obviously embarrassed at the whole situation. Said it wasn't "Disney quality" & was just great. We were given a few studio locations to choose from for the rest of our trip since our original room (as we later found out from a housekeeper) evidently had a pipe burst & was a mess! We chose a 5th floor room overlooking World Showcase & were told our bags would be moved there for us in the morning. Finally, at 9:30 we're in our room, exhausted & irritated, but glad to be in WDW. I'm sure this was a learning experience for Phil. We think he probably got an earful from Eric on how it should have been handled & that's why the personality change. I understand things happen, but you certainly don't expect to have to fight for what's right!

[tiggerlover1971]

oh minnie I hope the trip got better for you as it went on I cant believe that CM did not have a better attitude towards you guys about the room

[DisneyTeacher]

I love that feeling when I first notice that I am in WDW, isn't it great? I hope things get better tmorrow and you get a nice room. Too bad you couldn't have the 2 bedroom for your entire stay!!

[ajbdk5]

Oh welcome back, ilvminnie...WE MISSED YOU!!!!:)

I was so upset when I was reading your problems with the room, I felt like it was my room!:laugh
I am looking forward to reading the rest!

[neen626]

Oh minnie! how horrible about the way Phil treated you! He obviously needs his Disney magic refresher course :)

I hope things worked out with the room. Don't you just love the Cape May! We have never done dinner, but love breakfast there and just love it :)

Can't wait to read the rest :)

[tragic312]

ilvminnie, sounds like you had a very, very rough day. i'm sorry to hear about this experience. i'm surprised myself with what you and your family went through. the good thing about it all is that it wasn't you're first time there. i would be devastated if i went through what you went through during my first visit to WDW. you must have a lot of patience to have gone through all that you did. you're very strong. good for you! hopefully, the rest of your report won't sound like your first day. i'm gonna have to continue reading to find out what happened.

[sandanv1]

sounds like a bad start, but happily things did get straightened out and you got a little bonus, with a suite and meals. Sounds like Phil needed a heavy dose of pixie dust!

[tinkerbell]

you know .. our problems on the first day actually hurt my feelings. I know this sounds crazy ..but its like having a close friend or someone you believe in let you down.

[ilvminnie]

Originally posted by tinkerbell
you know .. our problems on the first day actually hurt my feelings. I know this sounds crazy ..but its like having a close friend or someone you believe in let you down.

Yep, I know exactly what you mean.:madmad Yesterday in the mail I received a postcard asking me to go on-line & do this survey on our stay at the BCV. I just did it & boy did I let them have it. At the end of the survey they offered the opportunity to send an email to Guest Relations & since I was already fired up I did, & CC'd it to DVC. We'll see if anything comes of it. You ought to let someone know, too.

[tinkerbell]

Originally posted by ilvminnie
Yep, I know exactly what you mean.:madmad Yesterday in the mail I received a postcard asking me to go on-line & do this survey on our stay at the BCV. I just did it & boy did I let them have it. At the end of the survey they offered the opportunity to send an email to Guest Relations & since I was already fired up I did, & CC'd it to DVC. We'll see if anything comes of it. You ought to let someone know, too.

I am thinking about it. I am going over and over it in my head .. it wouldnt be anything really any where else .. but we just always expect more from disney. I do want to know how your complaint / survey comes out.