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[Ravenseye]

So, I emailed Disney via guest services to ask about arranging a Birthday surprise in my son's room on our visit.
They very quickly replied with the address for front office at Santa Fe. After waiting 10 days for a response, yes ten!, I emailed guest services again to ask how I could get an answer to my question. The answer at first seemed like something I would be interested in, however on reading further I discovered that they want a photocopy of both sides of my credit card and a photocopy of my passport!
I would never send this kind of info for security reasons so my idea for a surprise has been shelved  
I think it is very unreasonable to expect guests to do this when ordering a 'special occasion' package. Maybe it only happens at Santa Fe. I would be interested to hear your experiences of the same or similar.

In comparison, before our holiday to Iceland I emailed the hotel to ask for a Birthday surprise to be waiting in our room on arrival and they could not have been more helpful. They did not ask for any photocopies and I arranged to pay for the cake etc...within 24 hours of arrival. This was not a budget nor a top notch hotel, and just the same as for Disney they had to trust we would show up.
I am not impressed to say the least   I am also sure that this will be our last stay at SF, I only booked it for this trip as my budget was limited but we wanted to be on site.
This is what they offered:



Teen Birthday Package - Boy 69€
 
1 black notebook
1 black pencil case
1 kreyring
1 Mickey Frame
pièces of chocolate
bonbons
5 multicolor balloons


adult Birthday package 109€
 
Mickey Minnie heart frame
champagne chanoine
salted appetizers
box of chocolates
5 multicolor balloons

[captain rocket]

I can't say I am surprised at all! If you have ever bought anything from DLRP by mail order, they ask you to email all the information you mention above, in this day and age of secure payments etc you would honestly believe that an organisation like Disney would be committed to protecting peoples security, but this just does not seem to be the case! They would'nt even accept Paypal! Obviously did not want their wafer thin profit margin compromised!! I agree with you, I would never, never supply this information over an email!

[gemma2806]

I'm staying at the Sequoia Lodge in November and it's a late birthday treat among other celebratory reasons for going for my family. My partner's birthday is the 1st November but we are arriving on the 24th November. I emailed the Sequoia and got a reply 2 days later, requesting if there was anything that could be added to the room firstly for a birthday surprise for my partner (he'll be 38!) and secondly if there was anything festive that could be done for my son's first Christmas trip to Disney.

They were very helpful and have in their words, "happily made a detailed note of your special requests in order that they can hopefully be fulfilled in order to make your vacation a more "magic" experience" and they have also advised me to contact them after the 24th October to discuss further any additional options that may require a charge if they are added to the stay.

They didn't advise any party package costs, possibly because my partner is not a teen (even though he acts like one!) but I'm hopeful that they will be able to give me any further info on add on's nearer the time. But they certainly didn't advise of costs and definitely didn't ask for copies of my credit card and passport!

I would have done exactly the same as you and never given these details out. You just can't be too careful anymore.

[amanda08]

Hi had the same when booking the birthday package for my Ds in SL last may - had to scan and email all those details through - and the whole thing turned into a disaster!!

here is a copy of my posting about what went wrong - I would never book this package again!!
I should add that we emailed a complaint once we returned home and received a very quick reply with appology and the offer to post the missing gifts through to us. The have also made  a note of our next visit in october and have hinted we may recieve some extra disney magic, so we are quite happy with this.

Unbelievable!!!! We per booked the birthday package for my ds to be one room on arrival. When we came in there was birthday gifts on the bed with some balloons but NOT what we had ordered. I went to the gift shop first to price up the costs if the gifts that were left - total of 50 euro if we had bought them ourselves ( we paid 139 euro to Disney for the gifts to be there on arrival)

I went to reception to tell them what had happened - I had even taken a photo of the untouched gifts on the bed) I showed them the email I had detailing the package I had booked and told them I had priced up in the gift shop the value of what ds had reviewed. If course I realise I would be paying for the service but not an extra 90 euro!!' I also explained that my ds was happy with what he had received ( not knowing anything better) and that he thought the gifts were from disneyland! Therefore I did not want to swap them but that they should be more careful in future and that charging 90 euros to blow up some balloons is not really acceptable. They then said that they would make sure that what I had originally booked would be put in our room the following day. I reiterated that I did not want to swap things but they said that was not necasaaery and as they had made the mistake they were just setting things right - excellent Disney service and we were very happy :-)

Today - we come back to the room to find that they have taken back the original gifts!!!! The cuddly Mickey Mouse and Mickey hands that my son loved have been - in his mind - stolen back by Disney!!! I have just been back to reception to complain and am waiting to see what they say burning am extremely angry to be honest!! They left no note, did not phone the room or leave a message there and made no attempt to phone our mobiles ( I just checked and they have both my and dh numbers)

I literally can not imagine anything more in- Disney then to go into a guests hotel room and effectively steal back a child's birthday gifts!!!!

[amanda08]

follow up
So, the situation was sort of resolved. After explains things to a very helpful cm from the G F check in, we had a knock at the room door. Celia from back office who I had arranged the birthday package with before our arrival, handed a new Mickey to my son saying he had try to run away to be with Minnie. No apology, and the Mickey gloves were not returned either. Not wanting to cause a fuss in site if my DS we left it at that. But I am still honestly absolutely shocked that someone somewhere in Disney made the decision to take them from him in the first place!!! I also wander shay would have happened I had already put them in my case or something - the whole thing was very sneaky and unpleasant.

I also have to say not worth the money . The gifts we received ( the correct ones) would have cosy me 67 euro to buy in the hotel shop. The hellium balloons were just normal small balloons blown up with hellium and ehich had deflated before bedtime the same day. And the birthday card was a piece if paper printed happy birthday and not even with my sons name on it. I think the whole thing is a rip off to be honest, and I would not reccommend this service to anyone

[KRHARWOOD]

Hi Im staying at the new port bay hotel next week and e mailed them to leave a suprise in the room for my children they answered within 48 hours and have just told me to pay for the suprise upon arrival at the hotel they never asked for any proofs or copies of anything, i dont know why the santa fe is different??  :?:

[tubbsy]

Three years ago, NPB decorated the room with balloons and the kids had a tin of sweets when I emailed about it being their birthday treat.
Such a shame its now something else they are cashing in on

[Ravenseye]

Thank you for sharing.  :thumbs:

I am shocked at the very unDisney behaviour  :shock: , messing up a simple package then taking things away?!! Totally unprofessional    
However, I am slightly relieved to find that it happened in a hotel other than SF as I wondered if it was because it is there 'lowest grade' hotel.
I have discussed this with my 'non Disney nut' partner and he said, among other things, it shouldn't matter what Hotel you stay in, the 'service' should be the same/consistent.

It is indeed sad that Disney used to offer an extra sprinkle of Magic without charge, but I do understand that they have to charge us something now.

My son is not a kid, he is 21, but as he is the same age as the Disneyland Park and on our visits we have always celebrated that fact. I just wanted this special Birthday to be marked slightly differently. I guess we will just have to go and have a couple of cocktails in HNY, that won't even cost me as much as the 'surprises' in the Hotel room  

I am going to email them back and 'politely' explain my reasons for not going ahead and booking their 'offer'. I will update if I get a response.

[captain rocket]

Just a little addition to all the comments, I recently stayed at the New York with a friend who celebrated his birthday whilst there. He emailed the hotel and told them it was his birthday and when we arrived on the first day there were balloons on the bed, a card from Mickey and a 20th anni mug full of sweets. It seems it's not all grab grab grab from Disney.

[tubbsy]

That is good to hear Captain Rocket. Sounds very similar to the little extras we had a few years ago.

Ravenseye-Cafe Fantasia is a lovely place to sit and have a few cocktails. We kept meaning to go there, but only managed it the last visit.
I embarrassed my 19 year old with a cake this visit in Cafe Mickey-Tigger dancing with her and her brother was funny!

[Ravenseye]

Thank you tubbsy, I hadn't considered Cafe Fantasia. And I do plan on 'embarrasing' my son with a cake at some point    However, I'm fairly sure he would actually love that.

[Ravenseye]

I did indeed email SF detailing my disappointment etc...and the response was not an apology but they said I can order the 'Susprise' upon arrival. I don't know about you, but when something is meant to be a surprise timing is all important. The idea was for my son to arrive at Disney, open the door to his room and be pleasantly surprised by the gifts. Not to open his door on day three (they said it can take 2 days to arrange) and see the gifts 
As you can imagine, I did not respond to this email. I did not want to play ping pong over this matter anymore than I already had.

The good news is I have purchased a Fantasy passport (from an eBay seller) so if all goes to plan, we will be returning to DLP within a year anyway     I will not be booking a stay at SF again though.

[hannabdav]

Does anyone know how long it takes Disney to get back in contact.  I emailed last week and just wondering how long to wait until resenting. It's DLH.

[Ravenseye]

Hi,

I waited 10 days, but no reply. I then emailed to ask where my response was and since then the emails have been replied to within 24 hrs, some within 6 hours.
I have asked for a ground floor room close to the main building and they said they couldnt find our booking on their software so ive done alot of emailing over the past few days....abit worrying to be told that

The last answer I got (today) was 'I will leave a note for the day of your arrival'. I just hope when we check in they actually have us listed    because I definately made a booking and paid in full. Oooooer.

Good luck!

[gemma2806]

I emailed Sequoia Lodge and got a response within 2 days but they did advise there were some things that they couldn't assist with until 4 weeks before I travel.