DB
Diana Bernardo
2 days ago
I rarely leave negative reviews, especially about Disney, because I am an Annual Passholder, a longtime Disney fan, and someone who genuinely believes Disney usually gets hospitality and service recovery right. Unfortunately, this experience at the Grand Floridian spa left me deeply disappointed.
I booked a manicure while visiting Disney to relax and celebrate a special occasion. Instead of leaving relaxed, I left emotionally unsettled.
During the service, the technician repeatedly discussed deeply personal and emotionally heavy topics, including detailed conversations about the deaths of family members and comments regarding her daughter’s relationship that made me extremely uncomfortable. There is a major difference between light conversation during a spa treatment and being subjected to distressing personal discussions during what is supposed to be a peaceful luxury experience. I kept trying to redirect the conversation, but it kept turning back into personal details about distressing life events
When I checked out, I explained what had happened to the two Cast Members at the front desk, and they called for a manager. A tall gentleman from Philadelphia, whose name I unfortunately do not remember, came out and asked me to step outside so the technician would not overhear the conversation.
I explained how distressed and uncomfortable I felt, and although he listened, his response was essentially, “But you were happy with the overall service? The service was provided?” It completely missed the point. Relaxation and comfort are part of the service at a luxury spa. I left feeling emotionally drained and uncomfortable, including having to walk back in and awkwardly acknowledge the technician again while paying.
I was surprised to still be charged full price after explaining how upsetting the experience had been. One of the Cast Members behind the counter handed me what was essentially a tiny one-inch packet of bath salts, saying, “Here, you can have an extra pouch of bath salts.” Honestly, the moment felt almost comical considering how upset I was.
About 20 minutes later, I received a phone call from the manager apologizing for “any confusion” and informing me that he would apply a 20% discount, which amounted to roughly $16. I explained that I did not feel this reflected the experience at all and that I was still visibly upset walking to dinner afterward. I told him I would likely escalate the matter to Guest Relations, and the conversation essentially ended there.
The situation bothered me enough that the next day I went to the front desk at the Grand Floridian Hotel itself to speak with someone further. That is when I met Cierra, a team lead, who was the only Cast Member throughout this entire situation who truly seemed empathetic and understanding. She assured me the situation would be passed along and that someone from the spa would contact me right away. Unfortunately, no one ever did.
As someone who works in hospitality, I understand that uncomfortable situations can happen anywhere. What matters most is the service recovery afterward, and that is where this experience failed the most for me.
I had also contacted Disney Guest Relations directly and received what felt like a very generic acknowledgment email without any meaningful resolution or follow-up.
I have always associated Disney and the Grand Floridian with exceptional hospitality and guest care, which is why this experience was so surprising and disappointing. Sadly, the lack of empathy and follow-through afterward left a stronger impression on me than the original uncomfortable experience itself.