Seeing RED!! General Avail. vs. DVC Availability?

[chris1gill]

Okay, I'm trying to take deep breaths here :-( but I'm MAD :mad: We've had a reservation at WLV's for Labor Day weekend, I've been on the waitlist for BCV's... Well, I thought for yucks today I'd check Disney's site to see if it showed availability, and IT DID!!! I called & sure enough the unit is available!! Well, nobody's called me?!?! I had it on call first, so I'd get a call should the waitlist come through...

What I'm really trying to say is I'm sad :( because when I call in the AM the unit will be gone & I will have missed out...

[DebbieB]

The DVC inventory and CRO inventory are 2 separate pools of rooms. At BCV, the members have only bought about 50% of the resort, so only 50% of the rooms are available to members through points. The rest are owned by DVD and are rented out through CRO. So it's very possible that there is availability through CRO that cannot be reserved by points. As more people buy points at BCV, more rooms will be declared into DVC inventory and can be used by members with points.

[chris1gill]

Yes, I know that, but don't both inventories open up sixty days in advance so that non-members & members have the opportunity to book unused rooms? We're within thirty days now, so I would have definitely expected that to open up??

[DebbieB]

It don't think it works that way. Unrented points rooms become available for cash and the income goes back to members via breakage income, but I don't think non-declared cash rooms become available for points. Give Member Services a call tomorrow and see what they say.

[DVC1996]

Originally posted by DebbieB
Unrented points rooms become available for cash and the income goes back to members via breakage income, but I don't think non-declared cash rooms become available for points.

Debbie.....you are correct. Members can only make reservations with points for declared member inventory. For undeclared inventory, members can't use points but can make a cash reservation.

[PamOKW]

I know it's annoying but member inventory becomes available for cash rental. Cash rooms never become available for member point usage. Chances are the room you are seeing never was in member inventory.

BCV is still not sold-out so a great majority of the rooms are not in member inventory yet. As the resort sells out, chances are greater for getting a room. If it makes you feel any better, I had similar feelings when I was unable to book Vero on points but could book it with substantial discount to "try the resort". This was in the early days before they sold more units.

If the Member Cruise sells out, we will probably have a lot of instances next year where there is plenty of DVC availability, possibly at a discount, but not inventory available for rent. All the points members give up for the cruise will need to be "sold" by Disney.

[kem330]

While I know all the above is true- it doesn't make sense that at say 7 days out ( or even 2 days out) , they wouldn't release available rooms for DVC point usage- after all if the room is empty, what's the harm in letting someone use up points and freeing up another time when they would have used points- to be used by other DVC members or turned back to CRO. At peak times I can understand but not during low travel season.

[chris1gill]

I just wanted to thank you guys for setting me straight! See, even an old timer can get confused, so thank you ;) I'm still very disappointed, but I totally understand, so thanks :D

[PamOKW]

what's the harm in letting someone use up points and freeing up another time when they would have used points-

They might do this but it would have to be on just about a "same day" basis. They hold out hope that they'll get some cash for the room. A member using the room is just like giving it away for free.

I'm still very disappointed,

Don't blame you at all. I would be, too. There's still hope that a room will come through. If not, heck you're at VWL! :)

[Richyams]

Pam expressed my thoughts exactly....until this:


A member using the room is just like giving it away for free.

It seems to me that when it gets close, they are giving up something that will likely recieve no value....the room if it doesn't get occupied with cash.

They are getting to free themselves of the obligation of providing a room for those points.

I can see where the accounting may somehow negate this but I think the thought of a member using points equtes to giving it away free is off base.

It seems to me that they would be able to add a night to cash inventory somewhere along the line by renting it out for points at a late date.

[Caskbill]

Rich is correct, and I'm sure Pam didn't quite mean it that way.

Instead of saying 'giving it away free', I might suggest it's more of 'getting a delayed payment'

If it stays empty, they lose out completely.

But if they gave it out on points, then yes they didn't receive the cash they were expecting, but, they will have another room in the future that will now become available because the member has already 'spent' the points they would otherwise have used for that 'future' room. Thus 'delayed' payment.

Hope this makes sense.

[kem330]

Thank you Rich and Caskbill, that was my thinking exactly!;)

[DebbieB]

I have heard ;) that there is some "backroom" juggling of points sometimes. Like when a new member is looking for a reservation and a guide magically finds one.

[dmadman43]

This is confusing to me. Last year I called to make reservations at OKW for a 2 BR for a week in Feb (during winter break). I was intially told nothing was available. The CM then put me on hold for about 10 minutes, then came back on the phone to tell me she pulled a 2 BR from CRO inventory. Said it was "the last one available". So, from what I gathered I got a room that had originally been designated for CRO. ??????

[PamOKW]

Rich and Caskbill and Kem, you are right. I was thinking of the room as a "use it or lose it". I guess they could give the room to someone for points and then "take" another future room for cash. I had the idea of releasing a room last minute for points vs. keeping it empty. I hadn't thought about how that would also give them more time to get $$$.

I'm not exactly sure how they do work all of this. If a BWV member gives up their points, are they used to rent out only BWV rooms or can DVC allocate them to any resort? What's the formula that keeps them from booking all the prime nights? Has DVC shared their thinking with anyone?

[DVC1996]

Originally posted by PamOKW
Has DVC shared their thinking with anyone?


LOL! Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone here was a psychic and could tell us exactly how and why DVC makes the decisions they do? It sure would clear up alot of speculation ;)

[ronw]

I think that perhaps they can/do play some games with CRO inventory at the last minute. I called on a Tuesday for a last minute trip on the following Sunday. II was put on hold and told that within 7 days they had to check with the resort directly. On Tuesday they said nothing was available. I called again on Wednesday and was able to get a room! Whether this was a memer cancellation or reallocation of CRO inventory I don't know - but I was happy. I agree that reallocation of inventory at the last minute is a win-win deal. The room doesn't go empty and I have used my points extending the window for CRO to rent for cash.

[Desperado]

- it doesn't make sense that at say 7 days out ( or even 2 days out) , they wouldn't release available rooms for DVC point usage- after all if the room is empty, what's the harm in letting someone use up points and freeing up another time when they would have used points- to be used by other DVC members or turned back to CRO. At peak times I can understand but not during low travel season.

That's a great point. It would sure seem to make more sense than letting the room sit vacant. Well, as fast as BCV is selling, the point will be moot in the near future anyway.

[chris1gill]

Just an update... sure enough, I called MS & there are no point rooms available, but there ARE cash rooms available... course there are no discounts on those cash rooms & the 3 nights were over 1000.00 for a studio... no thanks!! We'll be quite happy at WL anyways... I might still get lucky & get BC...

[Tigger7570]

I was as outraged as you were chris1gill the first time that happened to me. As a member since 93 I had never come across this situation so when I was waitlisted and then saw availability on line, I immediately call my representative who was absolutely wonderful in explaining the whole thing to me. Although I still didn't like it, I understood it. I know several people have already explained it well, but the easier understanding for me was the fact that they were like two total entities that do not cross over. Fortunately, I did end up getting the time I wanted. But I still remember how angry I was when it first happened. Hang in there and I hopefully it will come through.

[DVC1996]

Originally posted by chris1gill
.......I called MS & there are no point rooms available, but there ARE cash rooms available... course there are no discounts on those cash rooms.....

This reminds me of another "perk" DVC members had when I first joined DVC. At that time we were able to get a discount when paying cash. However, this may have been only for rooms that had been declared into the condominum. I got 25% off for a 2BR unit at the BWV on the weekend.

[Doctor P]

Yes, the discount is still available but it is (and, I believe, always has been) for member inventory rooms.

[kem330]

I totally understand they are separate entities but this shouldn't prevent a creative trade agreement between them. In Chris' case, she is coming down anyway, but what about a member who couldn't get in DVC rooms but lots of cash rooms are available. That's one more person spending money at WDW. ANd since DVC inventory can revert back to CRO, why not the other way around.

[CarolA]

I think on the "sold out" resorts they do do more juggleing then thay are doing on BCV. I just got a 2 Bedroom for Veteran's day weekend, but it took the MS calling someplace to get Saturday night released into her inventory. (I am very grateful!) However, with BCV there probably is just not enough member sold rooms for them to "juggle" like that.

[nanajoyx2]

This is just an example of how some rooms mysteriously become available for new members. Last November i tried to make a reservation for a studio at VWL for the first week in March. I knew I was calling late, but I thought I would try. I was told nothing was available at VWL, but that OKW was available and I could be wait listed for VWL. I asked how reliable a situation this was since it was my first time usng points. The CM immediately said something might be available for me since it was my first time. She put me on hold, and, sure enough, when she came back, she had a studio for me. I was very happy and my thinking was that they don't want to discourage new members, so maybe they allocate some rooms for "special situations". I did't ask where the room came from, I was just happy to get it.

[chris1gill]

CarolA, I would have also hoped that the sold out resorts would give us more room to maneuver, but that's not the case either. I'm wait listed for 2 nights in October and there ARE cash nights available... I've called a couple of times, so that's just been my run of luck I guess!! For all the negatives, DVC offers a lot more positive IMHO... so I just chalk it up to luck or lack thereof!!!

[Dean]

While I can see in our limited situation that it would make sense to give a cash room to a DVC member that would have gone empty. They would then have the points for them to play with later. I suspect the logistics of this would be too difficult to make it a routine thing to do. I still fail to understand when members get upset that DVC won't or can't give them rooms that are not owned by DVC. Even the rooms that are/were owned by DVC are given up to CRO at or around the 2 month window and not available unless released back. Lets face it, there are units that are owned by the members and units that are not. Even at sold out resorts, rooms (points) that are traded out (II, DCL, DC, etc) represent rooms that no longer belong to members. These will end up for rent through CRO except for the II deposits.

[Firefighter Mickey]

Originally posted by dmadman43
This is confusing to me. Last year I called to make reservations at OKW for a 2 BR for a week in Feb (during winter break). I was intially told nothing was available. The CM then put me on hold for about 10 minutes, then came back on the phone to tell me she pulled a 2 BR from CRO inventory. Said it was "the last one available". So, from what I gathered I got a room that had originally been designated for CRO. ??????

Likely you got a point based room that was released to CRO in the breakage period. Just because a room that would normally rent for points enters the 60 day period doesn't mean that DVC automatically releases that room to CRO - as I understand it they try to determine (based on past experience) whether that room is likely to rent for points within the next 60 days. If they release the room to CRO they can still pull the room back if they do in fact get someone that wants to rent it for points - all this does is reduce the amount of $'s for breakage income.

[nanajoyx2]

This is another situation I encountered when making reservations for VWL. In January of 2001, my travel agent tried to book a 2 bedroom villa for my family for Sept. 2001 (cash reservation - we were not members then). She was told she could not book until 6 months before the date we were to arrive because it was at a Vacation Club resort. Now, this does not make sense to me. If member rooms are separate from cash rooms, what was the problem in booking 8 months in advance. VWL was not sold out at that point. Maybe that has something to do with it. Or maybe it was because I was using my Disney Club discount. My travel agent was told it shouldn't be a problem getting the space, but that she had to wait until March to book it.

[Dean]

nanajoyx2, this has come up before. I believe the speculation was that it had to do with declared inventory and the fact that DVC didn't know for certain how fast points would sell. If they've giving up any rooms, they couldn't declare that unit into inventory until the reservation had cleared. Since a unit is a collection of rooms, it really would tie their hands.