Contemporary resort not so kind or contemporary

[speedemon]

This is little on the long side and I don't blame you if you didn't read it.

Just got back from my trip to WDW and had my best visit so far. I'll also be posting a TR pretty soon. But I just wanted to add this rant. It started when my girlfirend and I had to access the internet during our trip and stopped by the Contemporary business center on the way to the Magic Kingdom. We found out that in order to use the internet for any amount of time less than 15 minutes would cost $10. I told her that I would use one computer while she used another, but did not because the woman said she would charge $20... For les than 4 minutes of internet!!!!! I asked the woman why the prices are set like this. Her response was that too many teenagers play internet games and cause an inconvenience for other guests. To me this is just office rhetoric used to deflect blame back to the customer in order to justify gouging prices. If that's really the case they should set up computers similar to Kinkos with a debit machine. Not to mention the resort itself was only futuristic until about 1990 and is in terrible shape despite all the new construction, so, if they are going to take my money; improve the resort effectivley. I also don't like being made to feel like it's my fault prices are so high at WDW. As a final note, the only thing futuristic about the contemporary resort are it's prices. And yes, I'm writing a letter to Disney. I'm also sure the problem is only departmental and not the fault of the corporation as a whole as I had a great time everywhere else that I visited.

Thanks for reading an I hope I don't come off as a jerk,

speedemon

[BigPigletFan]

It's okay to vent. I feel for you as I've been in those shoes when I stayed on property last August (Deluxe and Moderate) and October (Value.)

And yet any guest can walk into the Deluxe resort at the Disneyland Resort - the Grand Californian Hotel and get free wi-fi. This just shows how things really vary from each resort. I'm sure Disney will get the hint, but it'll take a few years until they realize it.

And if I was you, I would've said - yes, I want to play a DISNEY online game! I wonder what she would've said in response to that?

[nbodyhome]

Just so you know, the Swan and Dolphin have a minute-by-minute rate for internet access (still very pricey), and the DD Hilton has a nice internet cafe for much less. And guess what - I've never seen lots of kids in there.

They should have free wi-fi everywhere, and internet terminals (like they were doing on the phones before, but stopped). I mean, it is 2007!

[EPCOT]

Originally Posted by nbodyhome

They should have free wi-fi everywhere,

Absolutely. With entire city's looking to roll out free wifi, there's no excuse for this omission.

[mikeland]

I can understand your frustrations, but you're complaining about two separate things. If the resort charges for the internet, it means that people will pay for the service. Personally, I agree that wi-fi should be complimentary, at least for Resort guests. But that's their policy and you are in your right to complain if you feel it's excessive.

As for the Contemporary being "futuristic," I don't think it was ever meant to be that. Contemporary means "today" or from this same time. It's not the "Futureworld" resort.

[nbodyhome]

Originally Posted by EPCOT

Absolutely. With entire city's looking to roll out free wifi, there's no excuse for this omission.

It takes them longer than others to get on the bandwagon (like when they started giving all deluxe/mods the fridges included). And getting better bedding and such for rooms, which many in the hotel industry have been doing for years. I do think they'll catch up at some point. $10 per day for high speed (in room) is a lot of money, I wouldn't pay it.

It'd be nice if each resort also had a real internet cafe. Something like $6.00 an hour. And if some kids play games, so what?

[speedemon]

I'm not sure it would meet todays standard, which I do realize is contemporary, but always think of as futuristic in that it would display the latest or cutting edge tech. I'm never going to stay there. It reminds me of the marin county courthouse interior. The internet price is just the result of some business center manager, I doubt the higher ups even have a clue, which is why I'm writing a letter to them.

$10 for each 15 minutes... and it is monitored by the desk clerk estimating about when you came in. What a policy! This manager must have a degree from Harvard...

I just wish they could streamline thier internet charges with all hotels. I just got really mad at what they are doing now... but I still want it to get fixed.

[MickeyMania]

IIRC, in-room internet access is $10 daily. I don't see why it would be any different in the business center. Since you're writing a letter, perhaps you can describe exactly what you were expecting when going in?

[nbodyhome]

Originally Posted by MickeyMania

IIRC, in-room internet access is $10 daily. I don't see why it would be any different in the business center. Since you're writing a letter, perhaps you can describe exactly what you were expecting when going in?

I would like to see wifi free all over the resort. I don't think $6.00 or so an hour would be unreasonable at an internet cafe, that would make money, but wouldn't be excessive.

[MickeyMania]

I don't think free internet access is going to happen. $10/daily is also common at the resorts here. You can get internet access in your room via wire, wireless, the Tropicana even offers it at poolside, but it's never free.

And with good reason, really. Tourist traps like WDW (and I say that in a loving, 'gee I'd like to go back there' sort of way) exist to make money. And hosting free internet just entices your customers to just zone off and spend time on the internet instead of playing golf, or going to Pleasure Island, or doing whatever else you could be doing for recreation that will make Disney a buck. They would essentially be competing with themselves for attention.

[mousephreak23]

thats almost as bad as my trip from colorado to CA (bought a car) stopped at a hotel in utah to get a room, and everyone was full...asked if i could use a computer to find a hotel and they asked me if i had a room key....i nearly slapped the guy...

[nbodyhome]

Originally Posted by MickeyMania

I don't think free internet access is going to happen. $10/daily is also common at the resorts here. You can get internet access in your room via wire, wireless, the Tropicana even offers it at poolside, but it's never free.

I think that the free wifi will be a natural progression. I mean, I had it at the Candy Cane Inn near Disneyland - I'd rather stay somewhere that I can get it for free.

Disney has changed quite a bit over the past few years. Complimentary fridges, so you can bring your own items (and maybe not pay as much in the food courts). The upgrades to the resorts now include much nicer TV's. So you can stay and watch your nice plasma instead of going out to PI (which most people don't do anyway). Trundle bed now included at POR for families of 5. So while I don't expect them to hand out free internet (in an internet cafe), I wouldn't be surprised to eventually have free wifi on the property. Gaylord Palms includes a computer in the rooms, so maybe sometime they'll have computers in each room - with free internet. In the future.

[Cmash95]

the contemporary has computers in the rooms or at least they did the last time we stayed there. they were testing them at the contemporary because that is their convention resort. as far as free goes, it was still 10 bucks for 24 contiguous hours to use anything other than the disney information site. the DL hotel in california offers" free" internet. I put it in quotes because they bundle the cost into the extra resort fee they charge.

[ti2gr]

The Contemporary is not the only one that charges those fees. The fees are also the same at The Grand Floridian and the Coronado Springs Resort Business Centers. The prices are benchmarked with other resorts across the country and I have experienced similar prices in cities like Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Indianapolis and Chicago. Most people that use the services of these centers are the convention groups, and therefore they just write it off on their expense reports. They are willing to pay the prices charged for the convenience so in the land of free enterprise the business centers can get away with it.

AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and most other cell phone companies do sell a card that you can insert into your laptop and have access to the internet. If the internet is that important to you while on a business trip or vacation, I would suggest getting one of these cards and the associated service. With my laptop and this card, I can access my email from anywhere in the United States, even poolside or at the beach.

[nbodyhome]

Originally Posted by ti2gr

The Contemporary is not the only one that charges those fees. The fees are also the same at The Grand Floridian and the Coronado Springs Resort Business Centers. The prices are benchmarked with other resorts across the country and I have experienced similar prices in cities like Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Indianapolis and Chicago.
.

Right, all of the business centers (including the Boardwalk also) have the charge. So if I need to access the internet while on property and don't have my laptop, I go to the Hilton.