More great customer service from DL
 

Just thought I'd share a quick story. Well, maybe not so quick.

We are AP holders because for our 3 trips/year, it's cheaper than buying other tickets.

When we went in June, we purchased riverside seating for the family for Fantasmic - a whopping $245. Ouch. But it was gonna be my littlest ones first time seeing it, so we indulged.

We were the 4th family to enter the seating area. When we went in, another group of five was leaving seats at the front to head off with the host guy to another location, so we took those seats. About 4-5 other groups came in after us and were seated, taking all the other spots that were in the front. The host then came to us and told us we had to move because the family that had left the seats we were in wanted them back. I wasn't very happy about this - my whole goal was for my 3 year old (turns 4 tomorrow) to have an unobstructed view. I didn't want to ask the other groups that had come in behind us to move, cause that would have sucked for them.

Anyway, the host assured us we were moving to better seats - closer to the middle of the river. We sat there, but a large post was blocking about half the river. We could see the stage, but could only see the floats for half the time they were out there. I told the host I wasn't really happy about it, then left it at that.

Well, I was irked. I didn't go to city hall because it was late and we were taking the monorail back to the hotel rather than fight mainstreet.

I was going to drop it, but was still irritated some 3 weeks later, so I sent off an email. About 2 weeks later, I heard from someone at guest services apologizing and asking for verification of our purchase. He offered free tickets for a return trip to DL. I sent a letter along with the tickets (glad I had saved them) explaining that we were AP holders, but thanked him for the offer and just figured that was the end of it.

Yesterday I heard back from him. When we are there in October, we will have reserved seating at some location called "tower b", the $245 from the original purchase of reserved seating will be refunded, and we are being comped a meal at the Blue Bayou.

While I am a "thrill seeker" and love high powered roller coasters and thrill rides, which DLR doesn't have much of, it is responses like this to guest concerns and great customer service that set them apart, as far as I'm concerned.

The only problem with this story is; Why the heck didn't you tell us you were in town???

Does this mean I have to tell you when I'll be there in October?

No... keep it a freakin' secret and ignore all of us.

Thpth!

Well, since you put it that way.....

Family and I will be there October 13-17, quite coincidentally coinciding with MouseAdventure. I was going to ask everyone who is participating what they were weating so I could watch out for you.

Last yime I told anyone I'd be there, Sac and I ended up in the same Parade of the Stars and didn't even know it until we were both home from vacation. Go figure.

That is a really nice example great service. It is nice to see (hopefully) a spot of good service coming back to the DL. In some of my visits too DL in 2003,they were not so good. 2004 things dramatically changed. My wife and I could just tell, :) things were different in service and the operation of the park.

I am assuming you did not ask for all these comps, so this sounds like another great story of Disneyland customer service. The fact that they offered a refund AND reserved seating sounds pretty fair, but the added meal at Blue Bayou is going above and beyond. :snap:

And yes, I would like to meet Mr. SCA Eagles in person, too. :)

Didn't ask for anything, but I did make the assumption that they would most likely offer a refund. So they have certainly done more than I would have ever expected.

I don't want to sound snobbish at all - I would love to meet all of you. My wife just thinks the whole participating in an online community is odd, so she might feel uncomfortable. My eldest daughter also thinks it's a bit odd. However.....

My wife is a school teacher and has parent-teacher conferences on the day that my three kids and I are driving out - Thursday, October 13. She is going to fly into Orange County on Friday around 2pm. It also just so happens that we scheduled a trip during the exact same time as one of my eldest daughters best friends, so she is planning on hanging with them when we get there, as the she and the two younger kids don't share a lot of common interests in attractions at DL, and she will be on sibling overload after taking care of needs they may have during the 5.5 hours I'm driving.

So, perhaps, if anyone can come on Thursday, October 13 in the early evening (DL is only open until 8:00 that night), my two youngest and I could hook up with whomever to say hello.

I actually had a simular thing happen in 2001, as far as writing a letter to complain about how our pass renewal was handled in the park and $10 we were willing to pay, with out asking for anything in return other than to just hear our complaint, they upgraded our 4 Deluxe passes to Premium ones. WOOHOO!

BTW My DH and I (no kids!) will be in the Sunday only mouseadventure event with button down tan Mickey Mouse Club shirts and on the back of the shirts an old fashioned TV set with Dumbo spelling out Mickey Mouse and the words "Who's the leader of THE CLUB". Say "Hi" if you see us!