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How to solve a customer service problem, online dining reservations at Disney World, plus other notable links*

By Robert Niles
Published: June 16, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Three notable blog links today:

  • Christopher Elliott, one of my favorite consumer travel advocates, has a nice story about how a Disney World visitor got a billing mistake resolved. There's some great advice at the bottom of the piece, as one often finds in Elliott's stuff:

    When something goes wrong, give the grievance process a little time. Guests often expect an immediate resolution, but that’s not always realistic.

    In other words, be polite when asking for a resolution: Explain your problem and ask for help. Go up the chain, if needed, but don't go medieval, threatening to sue.

  • Arthur Levine at About.com recaps Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro's conference call yesterday, where Shapiro addresses the company's recent bankruptcy filing.

    Shapiro was frank about the debt problems, but optimistic about the parks' future. I thought that he hit many the same notes as he did in his one-one-one interview with Theme Park Insider last March, when the bankruptcy rumors had started to fly.

  • Al Lutz at MiceAge lights into Disney for crowd control problems during the public premiere of the "Nightastic" shows at Disneyland and California Adventure. (That was on Friday night, the night after I attended.)

    It's an ongoing problem with anything new at Disneyland: the APs swarm the place for the first days, making access near impossible. I'm putting this on the Tips page now: Don't try to see a new Disneyland attraction or show in its first two weeks. Wait, and the crowds will be much lighter.

    Deeper in his post, Lutz confirms that the Electrical Parade will return to Disneyland next year, largely due to construction disrupting the parade route in California Adventure. (Plus, they'll be in the first year of the World of Color show then, anyway.)

  • * Finally, Walt Disney World now offers online reservations for its restaurants via disneyworld.disney.go.com/restaurants. Have at it.

    Readers' Opinions

    From Chris Danger on June 17, 2009 at 1:50 PM
    Al Lutz like to complain too dang much, im convinced he isnt a happy individual when it comes to disney.

    On SF: its going to be an interesting next couple of years for the parks as a whole. I have a feeling after all is said and done the chain will be smaller, with the legacy/flagship parks(SFoT/SFoG/SFSL/SFMM) spun off accordingly into their own group, with the others being sold off.

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