Bluezoo reservation mishandling: closed and forgot to tell me

[squeezle]

I agree. I would write to Disney wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com, and if you can get contact information for Swan's GM and/or bluezoo's manager (or dining@swandolphin.com) and politely and briefly express your concerns and disappointment.

If you want to go even farther up the ladder, Google Todd English contact information, and click on the link to his website, then "contact" on that page.

Thanks! I’ll look into this when we return home.

I understand mistakes can happen, this one just happened to be particularly inconvenient for us as we had specifically selected the date, time, and location for a purpose. Life will go on, we will have a good meal elsewhere, but we may never attempt to dine there again.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Bluezoo takes reservations. Most likely it's some convention that bought it out.
Also, they're not operated by Disney. I think you'd be better off going straight to the source and not contacting Disney. (also it's in the Dolphin, not the Swan.) Both are now Marriott properties, after Marriott bought out Starwood.
up to you, but the best results are usually achieved when the complaint is taken care of while you are there, not if you wait until you get home.

 

[chris benton]

Nope. I got a call directly from someone at Bluezoo and I was told by them they could not accommodate me at any other restaurant. Whether this is true or not, I do not know, but that is what I was told on the phone. The only solution offered was to transfer me to Disney dining.

Also tomorrow’s availability and MDE vs. OpenTable are not the core issues here. The issue is the last minute cancellation and the fact that I was overlooked when all other reservations were contacted! It seems I should have been made aware of this three months ago when the private event was scheduled and all other guests were notified. And I’m just offering my experience as a word of caution.

I completely get the core issue, and it's pretty cruddy. You have some folks here just trying to help out with other suggestions if you wanted to stay in the Swolphin area if you didn't wanna travel to Morimoto, but you were planning on being at Swolphin.

I stay there when we go visit the rat, and from what I know about that place, I have a gut feeling that whoever you spoke to on the phone didn't give you correct information - again, at this point, the real issue is the reservation gaff. But, that info they gave just doesn't seem right. I could completely see them not even knowing HOW to check the other restaurants there. I might even venture to say that they might not even know about all of the other restaurants there.

Just trying to help out if you happen to want to still be at Swolphin for dinner. I know things can get hectic, and this wrench in your plans might be frustrating, but plenty of ppl on this forum have helped me out with plans, so I try to do the same when possible.

Also, Swolphin has a reservation service line for their restaurants: 407-934-1362. Doesn't make sense for BZ to direct you to Disney Dining, imo. Swolphin's in house dining res line might be a direct source to see if they'd "make this right for you" if you still wanna. Never know. If you really wanted to try Bluezoo, maybe they'll make you an offer that makes it easy for you to give them another chance sometime. I have no idea if they will, but it seems totally reasonable to kinda expect an olive branch of some sort from them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Thanks! I’ll look into this when we return home.

Yeah, what @MakiraMarlena said. Since you're still there,contact someone now.

 

[The Pho]

Thanks! I’ll look into this when we return home.

I understand mistakes can happen, this one just happened to be particularly inconvenient for us as we had specifically selected the date, time, and location for a purpose. Life will go on, we will have a good meal elsewhere, but we may never attempt to dine there again.

Yeah, what @MakiraMarlena said. Since you're still there,contact someone now.

Much better off contacting them earlier than later. Give them a chance to fix it. And if nothing works, contact Fred Sawyers, he runs the hotel and really handles issues quite well.

 

[Mazz519]

Wow thats not very Disney like you should have asked to speak to the manager and let them know how disappointed you are and that they should have just let us know when the party was booked so that you can make other plans.... not right at all

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Nope. I got a call directly from someone at Bluezoo and I was told by them they could not accommodate me at any other restaurant. Whether this is true or not, I do not know, but that is what I was told on the phone. The only solution offered was to transfer me to Disney dining.

Also tomorrow’s availability and MDE vs. OpenTable are not the core issues here. The issue is the last minute cancellation and the fact that I was overlooked when all other reservations were contacted! It seems I should have been made aware of this three months ago when the private event was scheduled and all other guests were notified. And I’m just offering my experience as a word of caution.

Wow. That's shocking. As I mentioned, we've walked into bluezoo, Il Mulino and Shula's or made day-of reservations often and, unless all three restaurants were booked by a convention, I find it hard to believe they couldn't find something for you at Il Mulino or Shula's. That's just terrible customer service on their end. They should have done something, IMHO, to help you secure a dining reservation somewhere given how late in the game they contacted you. I would have been peeved as well!

 

[gharter]

Doesn't sound like it was handled well at all.
I understand how something like that could happen. They should have gotten you a reservation at another restaurant rather than leaving you with no options.
I also find it surprising that Shulas, or Il Mulino would have no openings on a Tuesday. Even if there is a big convention there.
As mentioned, I would call guest services either today to make it right or after you get home (but easier to fix it while you are still there).

 

[squeezle]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and ideas! I probably should have asked for a manager, but we had fun stuff to do and I didn’t really want to spend a lot of time getting passed around. I don’t like to spend my vacation chasing after problems, I’d usually rather just regroup and get back to the fun. Anyway we ended up at Morimoto’s and they gave me this sweet card when we were seated.... I think I came out ahead in the end.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Nice! Happy birthday

 

[squeezle]

Nice! Happy birthday

Thank you!

 

[gatordoc]

We go to bluezoo every year for my birthday. A couple of years ago they called me the day before to ask if I would give up my reservation because they had a convention coming in. When I explained that it was my birthday tradition to eat there, they were extremely understanding and said I shouldn’t worry and to come when we had reserved. We ended up having a great meal, and fortunately were seated far enough from the bar that the conventioneer shenanigans didn’t bother us.

 

[FoodieFriend]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and ideas! I probably should have asked for a manager, but we had fun stuff to do and I didn’t really want to spend a lot of time getting passed around. I don’t like to spend my vacation chasing after problems, I’d usually rather just regroup and get back to the fun. Anyway we ended up at Morimoto’s and they gave me this sweet card when we were seated.... I think I came out ahead in the end.

They messed up your birthday plans?? How awful! I'm glad Morimoto came thru for you. I really love the food there! I know you didn't want want to waste time while traveling to deal with BZ's lack of service, but I hope you can take the time to let them know how poorly the situation was handled when you get home. This is definitely important for management to know about.

Happy birthday!

 

[squeezle]

Thank you!! Today is not my actual birthday, but this is my birthday-week.... if these were my birthday plans, I would be far less rational and reason about the whole thing!

Also, I wasn’t even wearing a birthday button, but somehow Morimoto’s knew!

I think I will take the time when I get home to contact the restaurant and the hotel to explain what happened and share my frustration with how it was handled. But for the rest of the week, I will be celebrating!

 

[squeezle]

We go to bluezoo every year for my birthday. A couple of years ago they called me the day before to ask if I would give up my reservation because they had a convention coming in. When I explained that it was my birthday tradition to eat there, they were extremely understanding and said I shouldn’t worry and to come when we had reserved. We ended up having a great meal, and fortunately were seated far enough from the bar that the conventioneer shenanigans didn’t bother us.

Good to know that they are capable of making things right. But honestly I am a little turned off because they seem to prioritize conferences and private events over other reservations even though I understand that is where they make their money.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Today is not my actual birthday

Doesn't matter, close enough

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and ideas! I probably should have asked for a manager, but we had fun stuff to do and I didn’t really want to spend a lot of time getting passed around. I don’t like to spend my vacation chasing after problems, I’d usually rather just regroup and get back to the fun. Anyway we ended up at Morimoto’s and they gave me this sweet card when we were seated.... I think I came out ahead in the end.

I like your attitude. It's very inspiring!!