What would a reasonable compensation be for a room issue?

[tjkraz]

By day 2, I would have asked to be relocated, ideally to a better room (savanna view) at their expense.

There's always hassle with things like this but that's why compensation is offered. We had to switch resorts entirely a few years back. IMO, the room switch + points refund + cash bonus was very fair. The mistake was waiting so long to move. Live and learn.

 

[Canadian Girl]

We tried but they didn’t offer a relocation to a better room and perhaps thought they could get rid of the nest and the problem. We only were moved when they deemed it a safety issue and to another standard room which became available across the hall. I was hoping for some pixie dust but didn’t happen in terms of rooms and I didn’t ask.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

We checked into AKL once with both of my brothers and their wives. One of my brothers was staying in a studio, which hadn't been cleaned .....They got mousekeeping in there to clean it up and they gave my brother $500 in Disney credit and me $400 in Disney credit.

Lucky you, but to me that’s excessive compensation for an issue they remedied quickly. As far as the bee problem, I’m a drink your coffee in the morning and relax at night before bed on the balcony person, so I would requested and switched rooms after then1st day but if they had no options for me to move , then I’d want WBL2745’s comp.

 

[cmwade77]

I would say 2 nights of points, so a little less than half the time you were in the room. And since you said they put you in a lower view room, I would say the point difference between the views. Also, if not on the dining plan, ask for some free breakfasts, that is standard compensation at the Grand Californian, so I would think it would work there as well. Just be polite, but firm about it, one nights of points is definitely not adequate compensation, especially if they put you in a room that would have cost fewer points.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Just be polite, but firm about it, one nights of points is definitely not adequate compensation, especially if they put you in a room that would have cost fewer points.

That isn’t the case, they had a standard view room that by the luck of the draw had a nice view. They were offered a change of room to another standard room (no different from what they reserved and got) but they chose not to take it because again, luck of the draw, the view was not as good as what they currently had. They turned it down, Yes MS has/had the responsibility to make things right. In the end they were moved anyway so MS could put the room out of commission. Was it an ideal vacation, no, express your feelings to MS and ask for additional compensation, what’s the worse that can happen, you get additional comp or you’re stuck with what they’ve already comped you. Only you really know to what degree you were affected. Me, personally, I would have moved the next day, to a same or upgraded room, I’m allergic to bees and eppy pens cost a fortune.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

All I know is that I would have taken any room to move. Immediately.

I'm allergic to bees. Yes, I know they are everywhere, and yes, I prepare for that. BUT - having a hive right outside of my window/door is not acceptable.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

I would be thankful for what they gave you. Yeah it sucks.....but if it was a hard riving rain each day and you couldn't use your balcony...would you expect compensation for that?

If it was truly a bigger issue for the happiness of your vacation, you should have made more noise at the time.

Rain cannot be prevented. Bee infestations can - likely with the money paid for in our ever-increasing dues.

 

[DisBuckMan]

We tried but they didn’t offer a relocation to a better room and perhaps thought they could get rid of the nest and the problem. We only were moved when they deemed it a safety issue and to another standard room which became available across the hall. I was hoping for some pixie dust but didn’t happen in terms of rooms and I didn’t ask.

It rarely does with DVC.

 

[cmwade77]

Rain cannot be prevented. Bee infestations can - likely with the money paid for in our ever-increasing dues.

Exactly right, if it is something outside their control so be it, but according to the OP, there were so many bees they could be heard inside the room very loudly. Mousekeeping should have immediately reported it to maintenance and it should have immediately been deemed a safety issue.

 

[DSLRuser]

Mousekeeping should have immediately reported it to maintenance and it should have immediately been deemed a safety issue.

expecting the lowest paid person in the entire disney system to take ownership of a problem outside their control is laughable. I doubt they even look out the window when they clean it once a week.

i stand by the statement. If it was that big an issue.....the OP should have made more noise with management at the time. not when the vacation is over.

 

[DisBuckMan]

We are currently staying at AKL in a standard studio....We were offered a lower view room that was not comparable

We turned it down as we had a great view

Sounds like you were offered an equal room class (standard) and you chose not to move because it would have been a worse view. Standard "views" are basically guaranteed nothing in DVC. You made a choice. I think DVC was more than accommodating in offering you a night's points back, as well as whatever amount they comped your bill.

Your "pixie dust" was in getting a standard room with any kind of a "view" to begin with. As I said previously, pixie dust doesn't come along very often with DVC.

 

[sjrec]

What I’m taking out of this, if there’s a bee or wasp’s nest outside our villa, I’m not leaving the front desk until we’re moved. It’s very possible they thought it could be removed quickly, but I’m not willing to take a chance.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

What I’m taking out of this, if there’s a bee or wasp’s nest outside our villa, I’m not leaving the front desk until we’re moved. It’s very possible they thought it could be removed quickly, but I’m not willing to take a chance.

The thing is, those bees, to be such a problem, have probably been making house there for some time. And as DLruser stated, the cleaning staff probably doesn't make it out to the balcony to often. Personally, I notify the front desk in person when I have issues (missing/burned out bulbs, leaks, A/C issues, etc. etc.), so that A. it's fixed, replaced for me and if not me, then B. it's taken care of for the next person getting the villa. If the bees situation hadn't been remedied by the next day, I would have moved, somewhere. We all have a sizable ($$$) interest in DVC, things do happen but I expect for them to be taken care of within a reasonable amount of time.

 

[DisBuckMan]

The thing is, those bees, to be such a problem, have probably been making house there for some time.

Truth...makes me wonder if it was a hive or a swarm. Swarms are mobile, and can show up out of nowhere in minutes, stay a day or 3, then leave. Hives of any size at all take weeks to build. Hard to believe that no one else who had the room previously had complained if it were a hive.

 

[sjrec]

Truth...makes me wonder if it was a hive or a swarm. Swarms are mobile, and can show up out of nowhere in minutes, stay a day or 3, then leave. Hives of any size at all take weeks to build. Hard to believe that no one else who had the room previously had complained if it were a hive.

We’ve gone away for a week and have come home to a good size nest on our deck-but they were yellow jackets. Maybe they weren’t bees but yellow jackets? I remember them being a nuisance by the Kidani pool a couple of years ago.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

The room has now been taken out of commission for two weeks. We were told each day it would be taken care of and really did not want the hassle of moving and storing our bags. It seems the people in the next room were not happy about having pest control in their room and bees have a different mandated procedure for removal as it involves relocation. As it turned out, it was actually the room below us where they eventually found a very large hive. I am not sure how no one noticed the big swarm of bees. We were the first to report it and the noise was quite loud. The staff were quite nice and apologetic and we were given a room across the hall. Because no one else could use ours for a while, we were allowed to keep our bags etc there until the evening when we returned from the parks. I was very pleased with how we were treated and just posted as this was the first time anything like this has happened. We wanted wildlife on our vacation but wild bees were not really on our agenda. No fears that anyone else will have this room before it has been taken care of. They told us it had become a safety issue.

I'm not sure exactly what Disney should offer you/what you should have asked for in terms of compensation, but I'm not happy about any of this. The reason is, Disney told you... day...after...day...after...day, that it would be taken care of & it was not. You didn't have access to a major room feature that you had planned to use & that you paid for. Seeing a large hive or swarm of bees anywhere nearby where I would be spending time & sleeping would give me MAJOR WILLYS! I would be very creeped out & worried one or the whole flock would find their way in...not ok!
I happen to have a bee allergy which adds a whole additional layer of concern, but even if you aren't allergic, nobody (except a beekeeper) is ok with buzzing, creepy, stinging bees outside their door. I hope Disney keeps Epipens on hand in the event of an emergency. Maybe they should have offered to relocate you to another Disney resort of your choosing.

 

[Canadian Girl]

Initially, we thought they were wasps. That would have been an easier thing to deal with. Bees are protected and have different protocols. Each day they thought they were gone. What amazed them is that no one in other rooms had reported an issue. Maybe they were commando at the parks. We thought it was between our balcony and the next room but apparently, when they investigated further on the fourth or fifth day they realized there was a much bigger issue with the room directly below ours so there was an actual hive and apparently, it was large. We felt bad for the bees as well as we are animal and insect lovers to a point. lol We also couldn't open the door for air. Wasn't Disney's fault but was disappointing.

 

[com_op_2000]

My compensation stories when something went wrong:
1. Once cause of over booking at VWL:
Booked a studio at VWL, when we tried to check-in, we had been upgraded to a WL 2 bedroom lake view suite. Called some family members to come and join us for an unexpected vacation.
2. Once cause of problem with check-in at AKL:
Booked a standard view studio at AKL-Jambo, checked-in, given a room key as the room was supposed to be ready, went to the room, and found suitcases and purse in the room along with the room not being made up. Went back to the front desk, they gave us an on-the-spot upgrade to a savanna view room in another part of the resort plus four free breakfasts.

 

[Minniesgal]

There isn't a lower category of view than a standard view so the room they offered you was reasonable and you should have taken it

I think 1 nights points returned is reasonable

 

[Canadian Girl]

As I said, they thought that the issue would be resolved quickly. The people we spoke with did not think the new room view was a reasonable trade off as we had a room with a great view and she said she wouldn’t want to change either. We decided to stick it out believing it would be fixed. It was Disney that offered compensation. We didn’t even know it was possible. You can’t unsee what you have been given. Fortunately, they felt that way too. The room we were moved to eventually was only when they realized it was a bigger problem than they thought. While not as good a view, it was vastly better than the first one.