My wife and I took the 4 day Disney Cruise in July and were unhappy with our dinner experience. We wrote a letter to Guest Communications expressing our disappointment with the service and food quality. We have cruised with Disney several times in the past and absolutely loved it but this particular sailing was a dud. To make a long story short, we had to wait approximately 90 minutes each night before receiving our entrees. We also had two separate nights when our food was either cold or very tough. Disney sent me a response letter indicating that they were surprised to hear my concerns because over 95% of the guests on our cruise rated their dining experience as good or above average. They also said that the problem could have been resolved if we would have notified our head waiter. The fact is, we did notify our headwaiter but it was too late to make us another entree because we had already been seated almost 2 hours. Disney also stated in the response letter that they could not make any considerations for our disappointments and hoped we would sail with them again in the future. Needless to say, we will never sail with Disney again and are really upset that they are not willing to compensate us for their short comings. Has anyone else had a situation similar to mine where guest relations just brushed off the concerns? It's almost like they just think I'm fabricating the whole story. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I am really sorry to hear about your dismal dining experience. I can understand that every once in a while you get a bad meal, but for the entire trip? Wow! Agreed, it does sound really odd that it was that consistently bad since from my experiences with them, the dining has always been a high-point for the trip.

While you did mention that you talked to the head waiter, did you talk to anyone else? A dining manager or guest relations in general? I ask only because this is a case where once you are off the ship, chances are, getting any sort of compensation is pretty much not going to happen. Also, did you make complaints each evening or towards the end? If you made them aware of the issues the first night, you would think that the remainder of your trip would be good. (Well, I would like to think so...)

I am one that believes that if service in general is just way substandard, the best way to handle it is to talk to people right afterwards until it is worked out to a reasonable solution. I know it takes away from the magic and time away from your vacation, but sometimes it is the only way.

Out of curiosity, was your table the only one having issues or did you see others experiencing the same thing?

Gusman-It was evidently just our table having problems. In fact, one family at our table requested seating at a different table during the second night of the trip. They were given another table and later told us how much better the service was at the other location. I'm not sure why but this particular family returned to our table for the 3rd and 4th night. I asked Disney to research their records and contact the other families seated at our table to get input regarding the unacceptable dining. Disney said they were not allowed to do so. They also said they would take all measures to ensure this type of thing did not happen again. One thing is for sure, it won't happen to me again. At least, not with Disney Cruise Line.

I am sorry you had this experience, but I agree with GusMan that handling it during your cruise would have probably been better than trying to address it after you got back on land. During our Panama cruise in 2005 we found ourselves at a table with four other couples, and we all agreed after the first night that the servers were not up to standard. We made our head waiter aware of the issue, and after the 2nd or 3rd night we asked to be moved to another seating.

During my Med cruise we had a server team that needed some seasoning. Because we had shuffled and juggled to get the table assignment and seating we wanted (and because we had such a huge group), it wasn't possible for us to change seatings. A member of our group did have words with the head server on several ocassions, and it helped.

Was the dining experience so bad as to ruin your entire cruise? I can see saying "I'm not going to put up with that again," but I can't imagine never sailing on Disney again because of a few late/cold meals.

AVP

Disney said they were not allowed to do so. They also said they would take all measures to ensure this type of thing did not happen again. One thing is for sure, it won't happen to me again. At least, not with Disney Cruise Line.

Duane sorry to hear your story!

Damn that is why I pay all trips on AMEX, you can dispute and place a hold on the charge till it get resolved in a manner that is fair.

I had a similar experience at the Polynesian on my Aug07 vacation. I decided not to go on the Meal Plan but little did I know that not one resturant in Disney was available all week! EVERYTHING WAS BOOKED.

Wife was not happy and I asked the front desk and nothing. This is now being disputed on my AMEX since no warning was given by Disney especially if you stay at a deluxe resort that offers no dinner seating.

Disney is a great company but is facing major growing pains and needs to have better planning if it intends to keep the customer happy.

I feel for you and know where you are coming from.

Danny.

I had a similar experience at the Polynesian on my Aug07 vacation. I decided not to go on the Meal Plan but little did I know that not one resturant in Disney was available all week! EVERYTHING WAS BOOKED.

Wife was not happy and I asked the front desk and nothing. This is now being disputed on my AMEX since no warning was given by Disney especially if you stay at a deluxe resort that offers no dinner seating.
You know, if you wanted to share your experience in the WDW:Good Eats (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/forumdisplay.php?f=68) forum, I bet you would have a good discussion on your hands. (I know I would participate in such a thread.)

You know, if you wanted to share your experience in the WDW:Good Eats (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/forumdisplay.php?f=68) forum, I bet you would have a good discussion on your hands. (I know I would participate in such a thread.)

I agree, I am curious about exactly what you are disputing. Was it the fact that all the table service restaurants were booked up in the middle of summer at one of the busiest places in the world and you did not make any reservations? I stay deluxe all the time and they have never guranteed me a seat anywhere. If I am not mistaken, that does have anything to do with not buying the dining plan, i believe you still have to make priority seating for table service restaurants on the plan too.

I agree, I am curious about exactly what you are disputing. Was it the fact that all the table service restaurants were booked up in the middle of summer at one of the busiest places in the world and you did not make any reservations? I stay deluxe all the time and they have never guranteed me a seat anywhere. If I am not mistaken, that does have anything to do with not buying the dining plan, i believe you still have to make priority seating for table service restaurants on the plan too.

You are correct, Disney makes no guarantee to anyone for Dining and it is becoming more and more important to make priority seating reservations. You should also know, and this is pointed out each time you make priority seating that it is not a "reservation" but a preferred seating and you will be seated at the earliest opporunity fo a table to accomodate your party's size. We have been going to WDW twice a year and over the past couple pf years have noticed that priority seating is more and more important. We have actually seen people turned away at various dinig locations because priority seating does leave them with little to no room to accomodate walk in guests. We always put the six month date on our calendar to start making priority dining reservaitons and if we are making our reservations with less then six months we always make our dining at the same time. Two months ago we made our priority for Christmas and we were able to get every restaurant we wanted (there are 8 of us traveling) and within 15 minutes of our preferred time......that is amazing and where priority seating really comes in hand.

Ted

To help keep this thread from accidentally derailing, I am going to request that if we want to discuss issues with WDW ADR's etc, that a new thread be opened in the Good Eats (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/forumdisplay.php?f=68) forum. Thanks much!