Disney - anyone ever get a compensation for a less than magical experience?

We experienced a number of glitches in what should have been a magical celebration - we paid a premium price to stay at the Grand Floridian - we are drafting a letter listing our issues - the question is, do we request compensation or wait for a response from them?

Why didn't you bring up your glitches when you were there? What kind of compensation are you expecting?

I suppose individually they were just annoying, but when we got home and thought about it, it all added up to more than just disappointing or annoying - and some folks have said that we should write them. I'm not sure what we're looking for - maybe @conandrob could weigh in?

We were in Disney for Thanksgiving and had a complaint with a dining experience. My husband complained at the restaurant and we were compensated. He also complained at the front desk at our resort and we were compensated with 4 additional meals. You're right, it's an expensive trip, it should be magical! Happy New Year!

I find that it's best to ask for whatever would make you happy.

they are very responsive, will call you to discuss and will offer what they think is fair. They will also negotiate if you don't think it's fair. In addition to the potential settlement, the nice part is that they really listen and want details. Good luck.

they are very responsive, will call you to discuss and will offer what they think is fair. They will also negotiate if you don't think it's fair. In addition to the potential settlement, the nice part is that they really listen and want details. Good luck.

Best to address during your stay. The last we were in FL ( not Disney), I emailed corporate, llisted the issues and gave them our room number. Less than an hour later, corporate called my cell and asked if we were available to meet with the hotel manager. Ten minutes later, a knock on our suite door. She was kind, apologetic and helpful. She comped dinner for two nights, deleted the cost of the fishing excursion we had taken, picked up the tab for a restaurant we had made reservations to AND, the morning we departed, hosted a traditional Cuban breakfast for us. It pays to complain (nicely) in the moment. It's your money and it isn't cheap to stay there. Get what you pay for.

Many years ago, I was at Epcot and one of the major attractions broke down while we were on the ride. We got stuck inside for quite a while, before they turned the lights on and had us walk out.

When I returned home, I wrote a polite letter sharing my disappointment and they sent me a free admission ticket for another future visit (with no expiration date).

If you had a bad experience, you should let them know.

not like six flags...can't even get in touch with a human..have tried email, fb, snail mail, phone. I am disabled and needed to ask about certain logistics..and can't get a hold of anyone....for example, I can't stay in the sun...so even if a line is wheelchair accessible, if it is in the sun, that is a problem for me. I know they allow you to get a pass to wait outside the line, but I don't know if that applies to allegedly accessible lines. Then i found out they have a potentially illegal disability accommodation policy...they required proof. I know with a service dog, they can't require proof...it seems odd it would be legal to require a doctor's note for any disability accommodation. Last year, I had the last minute opportunity to go..but since I couldn't get a doctors note over night, I couldn't even attempt to go. I would be using a motorized wheelchair with braces on both knees and orthotics for my feet....medical alert bracelet on my arm...and have a state issue disabled parking ID...yet I would still need a doctors note......that is a heck of a lot of trouble to go through if I were just faking.

@jmitw Six Flags is probably asking for all that stuff for as a legality. It sucks that you have to "prove" to them you are disabled. And why wouldn't they need proof of a service dog? Strange.

If they're making it difficult and are non-responsive, that may be a sign they don't want you there or anyone with a disability. I'd drop some lines from the ADA and spook them a bit. They can't deny your park enjoyment.

This may be helpful: http://www.williamgoren.com/blog/2015/01/20/roller-coasters-ada-product-inaccessibility-versus-public-accommodation-accessibility/

there is no legal requirement to require a doctors note to provide a reasonable accommodation under the Americans With Disabilites Act..in fact in may violate the law by demanding proof. I am not talking about proof it is safe to ride...they demand a medical note to allow people with disabilities to wait outside the line and come in through the exit.

That is what the law is about service dogs, places of public accommodation cannot ask for proof that the dog is an actual service dog (ie walmart, great adventure, restaurants, movie theaters).

dropping lines from ADA doesn't do crap....courts, lawyers, government disability services, non profit disability services, employers in disability services programs all violate the law..in fact, the state division of disability services director violated the law and was promoted.

i know there are a lot of fakers who just claim disability, last I was there, I was still fully ambulatory, but would be in sever pain if I stood for a few minutes (i could walk far, but couldn't stand--it was odd)...I could just breeze through no questions asked (before they changed the policy)...and I surely didn't look disabled...but demanding proof from people who are obviously disabled or have alternate ID (such as handicap parking ID) is ridiculous.

In housing with service dogs or any assistance animal, a landlord can only ask for documentation if the disability/need is not obvious--but that is FHA and doesn't apply to places like great adventure.

even before this issue of demanding proof...I just needed to discuss some logistics of my needs to see if it would be possible for me to enjoy the day or not...without asking them to provide any other accommodation other than waiting outside the line...but they won't respond at all...I just needed to know if I would be able to manage.

one simple issues is that I may need someplace to lay down...they have a 1st aide area and I assume places to lay down there, but I just wanted to check.

another concern was getting the wheelchair up to the ride...it didn't seem easy last I was there and walking..didn't seem to be enough room for the chair to pass people coming down...I could leave it just outside the ride and walk up, but that is too high a risk that someone will take it for a joy ride. I could bring a bike lock and chain it to a fence, but would they allow me to have that or consider it a weapon?

Disney is so less than magical!

Let's see - the time we were stuck in a ride for over 30 minutes in the dark with no word from anyone! We got ourselves out, unbelievably.

Or the time my then 5 year old slipped and fell and broke open his head - no Employee was any help getting us to first aid or then getting us to hospital.

Or the time my (then teen) daughter was in the restroom... and I was worried why it was taking so long and no female employee would help.

Not even an apology was offered! I'm pretty sour on the place.

jmitw said:

there is no legal requirement to require a doctors note to provide a reasonable accommodation under the Americans With Disabilites Act..in fact in may violate the law by demanding proof. I am not talking about proof it is safe to ride...they demand a medical note to allow people with disabilities to wait outside the line and come in through the exit.

That is what the law is about service dogs, places of public accommodation cannot ask for proof that the dog is an actual service dog (ie walmart, great adventure, restaurants, movie theaters).




dropping lines from ADA doesn't do crap....courts, lawyers, government disability services, non profit disability services, employers in disability services programs all violate the law..in fact, the state division of disability services director violated the law and was promoted.

i know there are a lot of fakers who just claim disability, last I was there, I was still fully ambulatory, but would be in sever pain if I stood for a few minutes (i could walk far, but couldn't stand--it was odd)...I could just breeze through no questions asked (before they changed the policy)...and I surely didn't look disabled...but demanding proof from people who are obviously disabled or have alternate ID (such as handicap parking ID) is ridiculous.

In housing with service dogs or any assistance animal, a landlord can only ask for documentation if the disability/need is not obvious--but that is FHA and doesn't apply to places like great adventure.

even before this issue of demanding proof...I just needed to discuss some logistics of my needs to see if it would be possible for me to enjoy the day or not...without asking them to provide any other accommodation other than waiting outside the line...but they won't respond at all...I just needed to know if I would be able to manage.

one simple issues is that I may need someplace to lay down...they have a 1st aide area and I assume places to lay down there, but I just wanted to check.

another concern was getting the wheelchair up to the ride...it didn't seem easy last I was there and walking..didn't seem to be enough room for the chair to pass people coming down...I could leave it just outside the ride and walk up, but that is too high a risk that someone will take it for a joy ride. I could bring a bike lock and chain it to a fence, but would they allow me to have that or consider it a weapon?

Unfortunately the faking had become so rampant that Six Flags decided to require a doctor's note stating that a person requires a Disability Access Pass... the note need not be specific about the nature of the disability. The note can be put on file at the Guest Services office and can serve for an entire season depending on the disability. Just before the change was made, we were at Great Adventure, and two young women were in front of us on line waiting for disability access to a ride... both were wearing identical therapeutic boots on their right leg. When my spouse asked them what had happened, they both said "I fell". That such obvious fakers cannot be asked to validate a disability is a real problem - it undermines the program and creates a lot of resentment towards guests using the passes even when it's legitimate. My family relies on disability access to even think about going to places like Six Flags with one of our kids. I see the new requirement as unfortunately necessary, but under the circumstances, positive.

I do sympathize with your other concerns about Great Adventure... generally their customer service is extremely poor.

Disney felt compelled to change its policy a few years ago when so many people were hiring disabled persons to accompany them in the park to get disability access for their entire parties. A co-worker of mine once bragged that "my wife and her friends have it all figured out...they hire this disabled Viet Nam Veteran whose wife has turned it into a real business." Another acquaintance once asked me if I wanted his "list of gimps" who can help you bypass the lines at Disney.

Completely despicable, I know. Prior to that change, Disney allowed disabled persons and their parties to use the Fast Pass lines on a walk-on basis. Then around 2013, the policy changed to what it is currently... the disability pass allows you to get a return time that approximates the wait time, but without having to stand on the line. This made it more difficult for our disabled child (and us) to get through the day in the parks, but I completely understand why Disney took this step. A group representing disabled persons sued Disney over the new policy, but so far the courts have decided that the new system represents a reasonable accommodation. I think what is needed are some videos on the nightly news of people getting taken out of Disney in handcuffs along with the "disabled" persons they had hired. It is fraud, pure and simple.

Apologies for contributing to the thread drift. Soorlady - good luck. Agree writing a letter will likely get you something of value should you decide to return to Disney.

Also, some disabilities are legitimate but aren't easily visible. Having a doctor's note can save the patron from having to try to justify why they need special accommodations when they don't "look" disabled. Allowing anyone who says "I need this" to have it just leaves it open to abuse. Leaving employees in charge of deciding who has a true need and who doesn't would be disastrous. It isn't perfect, but it sounds like they have come up with the best compromise they could think of.

Great adventure used to be like Disney is now...with me, I can't spend the whole day in the park and it would be better for me to be able to just hop on and off rides so I could pack a whole day in a half..but the logistics of deciding who has time constraints due to a disability and who just can't get through the queue would be impossible..and of course most people would still claim they have time constraints...funny thing is a doctors note would be VERY easy to fake..but with handicap parking you now need a prescription on an official form...but handicap parking ID is not good enough....

why wouldn't a good compromise of allowing handicap parking ID in lieu of a doctor's note as proof be okay? and why can't they just respond to questions about specific needs like how to manage the wheelchair and if there is a place to lay down?

And if people want to fake it, they will fake doctor notes

I got new passes that were good for one year -- but even that did not come easily. I gave the passes to friends since we did not plan to go back.

Great adventure was ever great gen close to disnaybin terms of disability accommodation.

jmitw said:

Great adventure used to be like Disney is now...with me, I can't spend the whole day in the park and it would be better for me to be able to just hop on and off rides so I could pack a whole day in a half..but the logistics of deciding who has time constraints due to a disability and who just can't get through the queue would be impossible..and of course most people would still claim they have time constraints...funny thing is a doctors note would be VERY easy to fake..but with handicap parking you now need a prescription on an official form...but handicap parking ID is not good enough....

why wouldn't a good compromise of allowing handicap parking ID in lieu of a doctor's note as proof be okay? and why can't they just respond to questions about specific needs like how to manage the wheelchair and if there is a place to lay down?

Just thought I'd pop in and let you know that the letter was successful.  A Disney rep called immediately and agreed that we had a less than magical experience.  We are going back next year with nine 5-day hoppers and 3 open ended fast passes a day for each person in our party (in addition to the 3 that you schedule).   We planned to return in 2018 anyway so not having to pay for park tickets is a big plus.  She also bumped the children up to the appropriate age category since one of the kids is now an adult ticket and two of the girls are no longer free.  We are also going to attempt to take our 13 year old special needs grandson this time.  His sensory issues won't allow him to stay in the park very long, but he'll enjoy the pool and walking around the resort - this is when I'll miss the old days when he could get to the front of a line.   We took him 5 years ago but he has stayed home with his dad when we've made other trips.  So... to be continued..... in 2018.

they are such a magical,company and such a pleasure to work with. Glad you got such an amazing resolution. Have a great trip back!

In my experience Disney bends over backwards to respond to its customers. I'm not sure what your issues were but I agree you should have dealt with them right there. They even deal with first world issues.

She probably got a better response by discussing her issues after. I agree to raise at the time but if it's systemic, sometimes it's easier to compose yourself, compile all the info and discuss after. And sometimes, spending time complaining on site is difficult if you are traveling with others or have a packed schedule.

Monorail broke down every day - sometimes with members of my party on it.  When it broke down, alternates (buses or boats) were not readily available causing delay in arrival to the park.   Rides broke down.  On the first day, my and my husbands magic bands didn't work to get into Epcot - the others in our party got in with no problem - it was a computer glitch, but it took almost an hour for us to get in  the park (throwing off the days schedule) and another hour to fix the issue at the end of the day.  The quick service at our hotel has under construction (although it was supposed to be completed) they had two options for us - a section that sold pre-packaged items and the pool snack bar.  Because we were traveling with two 2 year olds I had planned sit down meals at lunch and planned to use the quick serve area back at the resort for their dinner... didn't work very well.   Tigger bounced into a 2 year old and caused a mild concussion (they took us to first aid and gave her a voucher to buy a plush in the gift store).  This is off the top of my head - I may have forgotten a couple of things.    So - on a daily basis it was an inconvenience, but add them all up and you get a less than magical time.