Am I asking MS the wrong questions???

[mybabesuz]

Okay... I'm confused...
I am new to DVC and it is just my nature to want to know everything I can...
Everytime I call MS with a question they never have an answer for me.
So who am I supposed to ask my questions to?

I called and asked how many 2 bedroom units would be available at AKV by the fall?
They said they don't have that information...
So are the current numbers I have in my paperwork only the ones totally completed?
Will there be more to come??? Again they don't have that information...
I asked if It would be possible to get a 2BR SV and a Standard Studio that would
be near each other. I explained that I have 6 kids and don't have enough points for a GV,
So I would need a 2BR and a studio but would want them close to each other.
So would it be better to just reserve two standards?
All they would say is the standard..."we cannot guarantee that your rooms would be near each other."
I understand that but I was just wondering if I would have a better chance if I booked two standard rooms or
I could book the 2BR SV and maybe the Studio could be across the hall???

Then I called about the Tree House Villas.
Can I reserve one yet? No...
Okay, so do you know when I can? No...
Do you know when they are suppose to open? No...
Do you know if I can use my DP's for one? again no idea...

So is MS just there to make reservations or to help answer our questions?
Or am I just asking the wrong questions???

 

[CarolA]

Most of these questions need to be directed to your guide. MS is not doing "sales" and questions on future and/or prospective things aren't in thier training.

As for your questions on the booking, I think they aren't going to tell you what increases your odds. And it's always a request. So they don't want you complaining that MS told me if I booked X we would be across the hall from each other. They aren't kicking the person in the room out for you if it doesn't work out. I don't think there's a "combo" that gurantees what you want.

 

[JimMIA]

So is MS just there to make reservations or to help answer our questions?
Or am I just asking the wrong questions???

Let's take your last question first. MS is there to assist you with reservations. They are not there to provide general information -- that's your guide's job.

And yes, you are asking the wrong questions in many cases. You are asking questions that are far beyond the scope of MS to answer, and in some cases impossible for anyone to answer.

I called and asked how many 2 bedroom units would be available at AKV by the fall?
They said they don't have that information...
So are the current numbers I have in my paperwork only the ones totally completed?
Will there be more to come??? Again they don't have that information...

Right -- they don't have any way of knowing that information, and I'm not sure anyone does. Your guide might have some idea of some of these answers, but MS would have no way of knowing. There are just too many variables with construction and declaring units into inventory for MS to have any clue about this matters.

More importantly, that information is also irrelevent.

The only thing that matters is whether you get the ressie when you call and request a 2 BR villa. Whether they have one or a thousand in inventory doesn't matter -- what matters is whether or not they have one for YOU when you are ready to make a reservation. MS cannot, and will not, take speculative wild guesses about these kinds of questions.

So this one is the wrong question, and directed to the wrong people.

I asked if It would be possible to get a 2BR SV and a Standard Studio that would
be near each other. I explained that I have 6 kids and don't have enough points for a GV,
So I would need a 2BR and a studio but would want them close to each other.

Again, wrong question. NOBODY can answer this question for you. There is no way to know today which specific villa numbers will be available on a particular date. The system just doesn't work that way. Trying to reserve a particular class of villa doesn't really help, because nobody has a crystal ball that will tell them which villas will be occupied and which will be available on a particular date.

You seem to be trying to force a solution, and cram two square pegs into a round hole.

If you are going to split your family into two villas, you really need to be comfortable with the studio-dwellers being self-sufficient. If they are not, you have a fundamentally-flawed strategy -- it's simply not realistic...and that is no fault of MS.

The front desk folks will try their best to put your units as close as possible -- but if it's not there, it's not there. They can't "manufacture" a villa to make your plan work.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Okay... I'm confused...
I am new to DVC and it is just my nature to want to know everything I can...
Everytime I call MS with a question they never have an answer for me.
So who am I supposed to ask my questions to?

I called and asked how many 2 bedroom units would be available at AKV by the fall?
They said they don't have that information...
So are the current numbers I have in my paperwork only the ones totally completed?
Will there be more to come??? Again they don't have that information...
I asked if It would be possible to get a 2BR SV and a Standard Studio that would
be near each other. I explained that I have 6 kids and don't have enough points for a GV,
So I would need a 2BR and a studio but would want them close to each other.
So would it be better to just reserve two standards?
All they would say is the standard..."we cannot guarantee that your rooms would be near each other."
I understand that but I was just wondering if I would have a better chance if I booked two standard rooms or
I could book the 2BR SV and maybe the Studio could be across the hall???

Then I called about the Tree House Villas.
Can I reserve one yet? No...
Okay, so do you know when I can? No...
Do you know when they are suppose to open? No...
Do you know if I can use my DP's for one? again no idea...

So is MS just there to make reservations or to help answer our questions?
Or am I just asking the wrong questions???

You are asking questions that they cannot answer. A request to have two villas near each other is only a request and cannot be guaranteed. You need to call your Guide to get these answers.

If you have six kids, wouldn't that be eight people? Eight (even nine) will fit in a savanna or standard two bedroom. They sleep nine. The value two bedroom will only sleep eight.

Unless you have SSR points, you can't book at the Tree House Villas yet. I don't think SSR member can even book them yet.

Basically, you call MS to make a reservation. If you don't have the points to make that reservation, you don't make the reservation. Or if it is not available, you can't make that reservation.

You should be able to use Developer Points for THV, if they are available after SSR members get first pick at them. The THV also sleep nine.

 

[Chuck S]

There is no way of knowing how many 2 bedroom units will be available and ready for occupancy in the fall. Unit have to be legally "declared" a part of DVC before sales can begin for that unit. However, the resort could be completed, open and running, but if the units are not needed for sales, and are not declared, they can not be reserved on points, they belong to DVD and can be used however they desire until they are officially declared.

As far as Treehouse Villas, they are not yet compete. I understand that at least one of the units fell from a crane, and needs to be rebuilt. Until the buildings are completed, anything can keep them from opening.

Member Services is basically the reservation arm of the DVC system, knowing they have X number of Standard view studios and X number of Savannah View 2 bedrooms at any given moment, not knowing where those units are physically located at any given resort. Some MS Cast Members work from home, and may not even be located in Florida, or may never have been to any of the resorts.

 

[mybabesuz]

Thank You...
Now I understand more...

 

[DisneyWalker44]

I disagree with the folks that say "ask your guide." Your guide is a timeshare salesman. If you want to give them money to buy DVC, they are good at helping you complete the purchase. But otherwise - they may or may not know they answer. And if don't know the answer, they may tell your, or may just make something up.

Your best source for info on these questions are message boards like this one.

 

[Claire L]

If there are 8 of you then you will all fit in a 2 bedroom at Kidani, as it takes 9, plus there are three bathrooms.

Claire

 

[mybabesuz]

I have three older boys 24, 21, 18... Then three younger ones... DD7, DS4, DD3...
I know we could all fit in a two bedroom but...
I think it would be a better vacation all around if we split up some.
The younger one's tend to get on the older ones nerves.
This is probably going to be one last "everyone together" vacation.
I am going to put two oldest in a studio alone.
Then DS18 and DS4 in the second bedroom and the girls 7 and 3 in the pullout couch.
I have enough points with a Dec UY. I just banked my 2008 points and will have 2009 points Dec 2009.
Using DPs for a summer get away... hopefully...

 

[CarolMN]

Just book both units in Kidani or both in Jambo. Then you will all at least be in the same building. You can ask the MS CM to put a request on both reservations that they be located near to each other. That's just a request, but it can't hurt to ask. I'nm sure they will do their best.

Since your eldest are 24 & 21, you shouldn't need to worry about them if their room isn't close by (even though I know it would be great to have them across the hall or right next door). If they are anything like the 20 somethings I know, I suspect they will show up for mealtimes and sleep late, LOL. Good move to get them a separate unit -

 

[Buckeye Fan]

FWIW, we haven't had much luck getting rooms close to each other. My BIL/SIL are also DVC members, and of 4 reservations we've made together requesting that the units be close (both peak and non-peak times), we've only been in the same BUILDING one time (OKW - South Point section - one floor down).

I know it is a request, but I had hoped they could at least put us in the same building or section (like the Springs, or South Point). As a PP recommended, just make sure that whoever stays in the studio part is self sufficient. At resorts like OKW or SSR, they may be on the other side of the property.

 

[crisi]

FWIW, we haven't had much luck getting rooms close to each other. My BIL/SIL are also DVC members, and of 4 reservations we've made together requesting that the units be close (both peak and non-peak times), we've only been in the same BUILDING one time (OKW - South Point section - one floor down).

I know it is a request, but I had hoped they could at least put us in the same building or section (like the Springs, or South Point). As a PP recommended, just make sure that whoever stays in the studio part is self sufficient. At resorts like OKW or SSR, they may be on the other side of the property.

Someone once posted that maybe the room assigner has a sense of humor about this - they wanted two rooms close to one another, and got them right above and below each other - but on separate floors - very close and yet not close at all!

We got lucky and got our "close to each other" rooms right next door, but I think you could have pushed me over with a feather when I realized that they had managed to pull that off for us. It was my sister's cancer recovery trip - and that was on the reservations - so the assigners may have spent a little extra pixie dust for us.

And, unlike most trips - the room wasn't ready until a little later - we were at a waterpark and didn't have to wait, but my parents were arriving from the airport - and they got stuck waiting for a bit.

 

[bookwormde]

One thing you will find is that that if you get a very experience MS person that they have the answer or at least information about almost everything to do with DVC reservations, If you get a “newbee” you might as well call back (half the answers will not be correct). There are many reservation questions which are not down in “black and white” (I seem to come up with them on a regular basis) so it depends on the experience of the CM and/or supervisor on duty at that time.

bookwormde

 

[Dean]

I disagree with the folks that say "ask your guide." Your guide is a timeshare salesman. If you want to give them money to buy DVC, they are good at helping you complete the purchase. But otherwise - they may or may not know they answer. And if don't know the answer, they may tell your, or may just make something up.

Your best source for info on these questions are message boards like this one.

DVC uses the guides as more than sales people. The guides with DVC and Marriott to a degree, assume an ongoing roll in dealing with the customers. While they are sales staff, they are not just sales staff. I would agree you'll get more and often better info at places like DIS but there are some things none of us will know, largely because it's either info than changes and/or DVC doesn't share that info and considers it proprietary.

The reality is that the OP was asking for info that MS will not have direct access to nor knowledge of, nor will they care. As well as info they shouldn't really take their time with as they have no control and there is no point. For example, MS should not be taking the time to give you availability for something you want to book next month. The guide will have more of the info in the OP's example but still not most of it. The resort itself and DVC upper management will have more of it but generally aren't sharing. MS will have access to how many of each room type are available but I doubt the worker bees do. Generally they will not share that info even if they had it in front of them. Sometimes they will give you a general feeling of the availabiltiy of certain times but not number of units and they don't have locations outside booking categories. Part of this is due to their reservation system. Many timeshares, including floating ones (even points ones) book guests into a unit directly so they could control and share locations, unit types, etc. DVC does not do it that way opting to use number of rooms instead, other than HA units. Unfortunately DVC also puts almost no effort into the request and room assignment equation which would be the fix for this issue. Even those that book you into a unit often don't want to share the info for obvious reasons.

Here's an example. We are currently at Marriott's Surf Club in Aruba. We started with a 1 night stay at La Cabana and will finish with 3 nights back at the same resort. For the first and last 3 nights I was able to chose a room because Bluegreen books by room. For both segments, I chose renovated rooms in a less desirable location over older rooms in a better location (not good enough location to override the renovation issue). We had a lovely view of construction materials but a great room that first night. Most Marriott's assign units on a floating basis and do so by giving priority to owners, then Marriott exhangers then other exchangers. They almost always stay within the category owned or exchanged. Thus I knew up front (because I know how to check) that I had exchanged to a Garden View unit. When we arrived the room was not ready and when I checked back as directed, it was still not ready. The resort staff got on the phone with the room controller and houskeeping (without being asked) and found another room that was ready. They spent a lot of time on the phone doing this and I very much appreciated it. We still got what we were supposed to, GV & lowest floor, but at least we got into the room. So they satisfied both masters with no issues. Which is my final point, one I've made before, that timeshares are a balance between the wants/needs of the members, costs involved and wants/needs of the management company and at times, the developer. As such you can bet there will be another change in the next couple of years that will get subset of the members up in arms.

 

[alystad]

Have you considered a Grand Villa at Old Key West? They are very big and less points that the other resprts?

 

[alystad]

Have you considered a Grand Villa at Old Key West? They are very big and less points that the other resorts?

 

[DisneyWalker44]

I would agree you'll get more and often better info at places like DIS but there are some things none of us will know,

I can't think of a single time when guides were given information that wasn't immediately known on the DVC internet boards. I can, however, think of many times where guides have answered questions (using the pull it out of their posterior method) even though they didn't have any official information to back it up.

Enjoy Aruba!

 

[mybabesuz]

Have you considered a Grand Villa at Old Key West? They are very big and less points that the other resprts?

Thanks for the idea ... You had me looking in my book again...
But being Christmas week , I figured there wouldn't be much left at 7 months.
And besides it's our "First Trip Home" and we really want to stay at AKV...

 

[Dean]

I can't think of a single time when guides were given information that wasn't immediately known on the DVC internet boards. I can, however, think of many times where guides have answered questions (using the pull it out of their posterior method) even though they didn't have any official information to back it up.

Enjoy Aruba!

I was basically agreeing with you. When I said there are things none of us will know, I'm refering to info they don't give out like occupancy numbers. The guides may or may not have them but they are not at liberty to share. Still, DVC uses the guides to do some hand holding and education that many timeshares don't. The truth is that most timeshares don't do the education at all and this is one of the pluses with the DVC system.

 

[CheapMom]

Hey OP- just a tip for you. Make sure you register your party as a Grand athering. You can as long as there are 8 or more guests. Then make sure to request your rooms are near each other through the Grand Gathering line as well as requesting that through MS. That should increase your chances.