The Art of Marvel, the test

I tested the Disney’s New York The Art of Marvel Hotel in Suite on June 21, 2021. And my disappointment is almost up to my expectations … This hotel is presented as the new flagship of the Resort’s fleet of hotels until the end of the rehabilitation of the Disneyland Hotel. But my stay seemed more like a trip on the Titanic than a magical experience on a Disney Cruise Line ship…

Context

When the reopening of this establishment was announced, I booked an Avengers suite for a dry night at a rate of 1900 euros. I had also specified the view I wanted while pointing out that this night was a special occasion: a birthday of one of the participants. The various concept arts and images seen on social networks, had given me the desire to see for myself.

an eventful arrival at Disney’s New York – The Art of Marvel

Finally the big day! June 21 arrives. I arrived at the hotel at 8:10 am. And there first surprise, the guests do not have the right to the main entrance of the hotel. The reason: a mini, mini opening ceremony must take place at 9:00 am. Okay, it’s the inauguration… So I head for the entrance of the Convention Center. A baggage handler immediately relieves me of my luggage, it is very appreciable.

However, things are not going well. I had to wait 20 minutes before a CM (a bit overwhelmed, poor guy) showed me where the new Empire State Club office was. My check-in is very fast and efficient. But while all the guests in ESC rooms are directly assigned their rooms, I am told that the Suite will be available very quickly. And this, as soon as the housekeeper will have verified and validated it.

In the meantime, I am invited to go to the ESC Lounge to have a snack. The new Lounge is much more spacious and the CMs are always so happy to be back at work. I’ll pass on my morning completely wasted waiting for a hypothetical text message, which would give me the green light. Every time I ask the CMs ESC, the answer is invariably the same: the housekeeper, blah blah blah.

Well in the meantime I visited the hotel, the Lobby is very beautiful, the Bleecker Street Bar very cosy and the outside gardens giving on the lake with the outside furniture are a very pleasant haven of peace. The precious sesame, the long awaited SMS finally arrived at 2:46 pm! I was beginning to find the time long…

So I’m heading to the Avengers Suite!

Disney’s New York – The Art of Marvel : Dirty and neglected places

The corridor leading to it is dirty, littered with various detritus, and as soon as you enter the Suite, the location is not what you expected. Indeed, the carpet is as dirty as the one in the corridor, as well as the floor of the bathroom. The view from the room is of a “construction site” roof filled with materials and rubble.

Back to the ESC where I have the impression to arrive at the “complaints and claims” office (worrying from the first day). The CMs remain smiling and try their best to satisfy the guests: they listen to my complaints, they take me back to the Lounge (I frequented it a lot this Monday…). After 10 minutes, I am given a new suite.

I go there immediately, and here I am in a Super Hero Suite with a superb view on the lake and the NPBC hotel. At first sight, it seems to be ok, but I realize a bit late that I’ve just been under-classified. Oops…

The price of this Super Hero suite for a dry night is 1480 euros, so it’s not worth it. No commercial gesture will compensate for this difference, which is hardly acceptable.

Disney’s New York – The Art of Marvel : numerous oversights and defects

A more detailed visit of this Suite will reveal a lot of “details” that will confirm my feeling of a rather hasty opening of the hotel. As soon as you enter, the first switch is split in two (no not scratched) but well and truly “broken”… uh yet the establishment is new, right?

I continue. In the closet are the loaner robes and terrycloth slippers that are part of the “welcome gifts”. O surprise, one of the pairs has been used extensively. Oops.

Then, I discover that in the bathroom the draining grid of the shower is unsealed and askew, there is no shower gel, nor shampoo. Oh yes, a bottle of body milk well opened… again !

I pass you the scratches on the furniture, the air conditioning grill unsealed too, but I keep you the “funniest”. On the toilet seat, there is still the manufacturer’s label with the assembly and maintenance instructions… In short, a suite that, once again, has not been verified or validated by the floor manager. It is moreover, somewhat comical since this last one in a report turned by M6 the same day (eh yes I saw them several times in the morning) assures, after having for the camera made excess of zeal in the presidential suite, to have to hurry to go to check the suites… MDR (yellow laugh).

Le Manhattan et le Bleecker Street Bar

So after this enumeration of negative points, I will still address some positive points.

The Manhattan restaurant was a good surprise: its decoration, its dishes and the proposed dishes. As for the Bleecker Street Bar, it is very welcoming and the cocktails original and nice.

End of the story

Back home, I decided to tell the customer relations department about my more than bitter disappointment. I remained clear in my words, correct, and did not demand any compensation of any kind. Mail sent on June 24, 2021.

After a wait that I was beginning to find a little long, on July 15, yippee an answer arrived… But what a surprise to see that I was entitled to a “standardized” return with three meal coupons as compensation. Basically, the same compensation as the customers who had problems on June 21….

How can I put it correctly, I didn’t ask for a handout. I would have preferred a simple apology and an honest acknowledgement of the lack of preparation for this opening. So I sent a second email with a more assertive displeasure. Here I am…

TO BE CONTINUED…

Selon vous, Disneyland Paris aurait-il dû retarder l’ouverture de l’hôtel ?

To read other experiences about this hotel, click ici et là !