Received email about closings at CBR - help!!

[LSLS]

Honestly if people want to make a stance that this is unacceptable, do not just book a more expensive resort. If they will not compensate you for the loss of a lot of amenities (either by giving you a significant discount off your room or moving you at no additional cost), go offsite. There is a lot more convenience in being offsite than there was 15 years ago, and THAT will send a message. If everyone just decides they will pay a bunch more to move to deluxes, or are willing to accept losing all these things for the same price as if they were there, it will factor in when they decide to DVC future resorts and raise prices on rooms.

 

[jb405]

On the phone right now. There was not availability anywhere for our party of 5 during our days. CM offered $75 off per night of stay and one extra fastpass per person per day.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

I'd email them, if you don't want to call, and just tell them they are ruining your 25th anniversary.

I have to believe you will get some resolution.

I have already emailed them (yesterday), politely presenting my case to be moved to another MOD without any additional costs. To date, I am still awaiting a reply, so it's difficult to sit idly by waiting to see if they will do anything, and in the meanwhile, the other MODS start filling up.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

On the phone right now. There was not availability anywhere for our party of 5 during our days. CM offered $75 off per night of stay and one extra fastpass per person per day.

I'd take that, no question.....great news for you !!

 

[Roxyfire]

There is no better time frame. That's just the thing. Disney could totally flip all their policies tomorrow if they wanted to with no notice to anyone, is it fair? No. Is it within their rights to do so? Yes.

Right but those booked are 100% within their rights to complain/cancel. This is a big construction project. There will be no food court or table service restaurant. People are paying full price for amenities that are not present and had no advance warning. In the case of Coronado Springs, they will still have a food court and 2 table service restaurants. The grounds may not look very nice. That is not grounds for a refund or switch. Port Orleans French Quarter had their food court refurbished but there was a temporary food court opened, buses to Riverside, plus easy access to Disney Springs. Wilderness Lodge now has their food court under refurbishment but they have just opened a large new pool bar and grill. There are no plans for this for kind of accommodation to those staying at Caribbean Beach.

They know full well they have bookings, so the right thing to do would be to offer them alternate accommodations at no extra expense OR a credit to their account for the disruption. They fully deserve any blowback that comes of this. People should call or email Guest Services directly and calmly state what they want and how they want it resolved. People should not roll over, this is their hard earned money and vacation.

 

[Roxyfire]

I take it you mean SS as Saratoga Springs? You can't just move people from a mod to an all DVC deluxe resort.

Sure they can, they moved people booked Business Class at Coronado Springs to Club Level at Animal Kingdom. Saratoga and Old Key West have plenty of inventory. They should give people the option.

 

[cusesteve]

Will be there first week of August - dont mind having some construction going on if we can eat - any ideas if the food area will be open by the end of July?

 

[mel2014]

I wish Disney would make an official announcement about when the closure will start. I received the email yesterday and we are staying from 4/21 to 4/30, but there are reports coming out from people in this thread and in the WDW Today article that the closures won't start until May 1 (in which case I don't know why we would have received an email). The May 1 date is consistent with the fact that Shutters is still accepting reservations through 4/30. We have a 5-person room and I posted in the main thread that based on the WDW official rates, it would cost us $900 more to move to POR. If I booked through Orbitz again, the difference would be $700, or almost half again as much as we paid for CBR. That's not happening on my dime.

I'm most concerned about construction noise, since my kids need midday naps. I'm hopeful that since they'll just be starting, it will be mainly emptying out the interior of the buildings, removing fixtures, etc. If there is going to be work while we're there, I would like some compensation for the inconvenience, but it could be something little that doesn't really cost Disney anything, like extra FP+ or free mugs. I sent an email off last night, since I don't have an hour to sit on the phone waiting. We'll see if I get any response at all (especially since I booked through Orbitz).

 

[LSLS]

Will be there first week of August - dont mind having some construction going on if we can eat - any ideas if the food area will be open by the end of July?

Supposed to be down til at least the end of the year.

 

[jb405]

I wish Disney would make an official announcement about when the closure will start. I received the email yesterday and we are staying from 4/21 to 4/30, but there are reports coming out from people in this thread and in the WDW Today article that the closures won't start until May 1 (in which case I don't know why we would have received an email). The May 1 date is consistent with the fact that Shutters is still accepting reservations through 4/30. We have a 5-person room and I posted in the main thread that based on the WDW official rates, it would cost us $900 more to move to POR. If I booked through Orbitz again, the difference would be $700, or almost half again as much as we paid for CBR. That's not happening on my dime.

I'm most concerned about construction noise, since my kids need midday naps. I'm hopeful that since they'll just be starting, it will be mainly emptying out the interior of the buildings, removing fixtures, etc. If there is going to be work while we're there, I would like some compensation for the inconvenience, but it could be something little that doesn't really cost Disney anything, like extra FP+ or free mugs. I sent an email off last night, since I don't have an hour to sit on the phone waiting. We'll see if I get any response at all (especially since I booked through Orbitz).

I was told May 1. But I imagine there might be some prep work going on before that.

 

[robinb]

Well, not willing to negatively affect our 25th anniversary trip, I made another RO reservation at POR (Standard Room....I had Water View at CBR).

For now, I guess Disney wins as they now see I am willing to pay more to move to another resort to get the same experience I expected at CBR, but I can't let Disney dictate to me how I will enjoy my vacation.

I'll hold both reservations for now in hopes Disney compensates us somehow, but at least now I have options and able to cancel one of these reservations up to May 4th.

I understand why you booked POR to protect your vacation, but once you've done that you give Disney zero incentive to compensate you.

 

[Nancyg56]

I understand why you booked POR to protect your vacation, but once you've done that you give Disney zero incentive to compensate you.

I understand why she booked POR, but now that room is out of inventory, and there is no teeth when the call finally gets made.

 

[focusondisney]

Supposed to be down til at least the end of the year.

The end of the year??? Yipes! We have a free dining bounceback booked there for mid Dec. Two rooms actually. We are going with DS & DDIL. First trip for DDIL & our first time at CBR. I tried to change to POR a few months ago & nothing was available for the discount. What good is free dining if you can't even eat at your resort?

Wonder if I should keep trying to change or wait for them to contact us.

 

[Nancyg56]

The end of the year??? Yipes! We have a free dining bounceback booked there for mid Dec. Two rooms actually. We are going with DS & DDIL. First trip for DDIL & our first time at CBR. I tried to change to POR a few months ago & nothing was available for the discount. What good is free dining if you can't even eat at your resort?

Wonder if I should keep trying to change or wait for them to contact us.

Free Dining encompasses more than dining at your resort, so I would not confuse the issue when I discussed this probelm with guest services. I would not wait for Disney to contact me, ratehr I would be proactive and call them. When I did I would explain that when I booked my BB, I booked in good faith that I would ahve access to the amenities that were advertised the resort offered. I would then insist that I be moved to a similar moderate at the same cost that I committed to when I booked my rooms because CBR no longer offers the amenities that I paid for, and that change was at the hands of Disney, not me.

WHen you discuss the lack of dining options at the resort, don't bring up your FD discount, that really does not matter. What matters is that you have no dining options to use at the resort you booked. YOu want that amenity, and you do not feel responsible for paying an additional fee due to Disney's decision which took place after you booked.

 

[AngiTN]

Is everyone certain there won't be ANY dining at the resort? Haven't the others all set up temporary options when doing construction?

 

[focusondisney]

Thanks Nancy! DH & I are going to YC in May, so I have been working on that trip & just now trying to get caught up on the CBR construction. I'll have to go back & read everything then talk with the family & see what we want to do. I just can't imagine not even being able to eat breakfast at our resort, let alone a quick meal there once in awhile. And no, I don't want to eat from a food truck either.

DH & I usually stay deluxe, but DS & DDIL probably can't afford that. Ugh. I will also have to decide if I should try to work thru the bounceback people or guest services.

 

[LSLS]

Is everyone certain there won't be ANY dining at the resort? Haven't the others all set up temporary options when doing construction?

Yes, there will be temp stations to get things like boxed lunches/breakfasts. Certainly nothing like a Quick Service or TS.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

I understand why she booked POR, but now that room is out of inventory, and there is no teeth when the call finally gets made.

I completely understand the reasoning, but do I risk having to stay at a resort with no compensation for the construction and closures, or take things into my own hands and secure a resort with no issues?

 

[Nancyg56]

I completely understand the reasoning, but do I risk having to stay at a resort with no compensation for the construction and closures, or take things into my own hands and secure a resort with no issues?

Personally, I would have made the call before I booked another resort, but I do understand why you hedged your bets. WHen you do call, I suggest that you be honest. Tell the CM that you understood that rooms were booking fast since people were unhappy about the refurb at CBR, and you decided to be proactive, book a room so that there would be one in the inventory for you. I have no idea if the CM will be able to match your rate with CBR now that POR has already been booked, but I do believe it is worth a try. I fully get the concern you had though. I wont stay in a resort under any construction.

 

[Nancyg56]

Thanks Nancy! DH & I are going to YC in May, so I have been working on that trip & just now trying to get caught up on the CBR construction. I'll have to go back & read everything then talk with the family & see what we want to do. I just can't imagine not even being able to eat breakfast at our resort, let alone a quick meal there once in awhile. And no, I don't want to eat from a food truck either.

DH & I usually stay deluxe, but DS & DDIL probably can't afford that. Ugh. I will also have to decide if I should try to work thru the bounceback people or guest services.

I like POFQ a lot, and given a choice of moderates, generally choose to stay there.

I would begin with the bounce back CM. If you do not get the results you need, ask to be transferred to guest relations. Tell them the lack of CS options is a deal breaker for you, and that under no circumstances will you consider a food truck an option.

Yes, there will be temp stations to get things like boxed lunches/breakfasts. Certainly nothing like a Quick Service or TS.

Several years ago we stayed at the BC while Hurricane Hannahs was down for refurb. We were staying CL, so we really did not notice at first what a resort without a real CS restaurant was like, and then we had lunch...or should I say we tried to have lunch. OMG! You know when the glass shatters and you have a clear vision of what the problem you had been sensing for days is? Never again. No construction, no refurb.

I know that for a lot of people it really does not matter, but I found out the hard way I feel the strain that this kind of disruption places on the people working there, and I decided I did not like it.