Anyone else receive a survey from DVC?

[dismedvc]

My wife just received an email from DVC asking her to complete a survey.
Most of the questions were the standard how would you rate XXX on a 1 to 10 scale. However, two of the first few questions were:
What would you tell someone who was considering purchasing DVC you like about DVC?
What would you tell someone who was considering purchasing DVC you do not like about DVC? (Unfortunately there was a 500 character limit)

 

[Sandisw]

Didn’t get it but very interesting!

 

[RoseGold]

I only had 200 characters in my survey about what I didn’t like about the website.

 

[Chuck S]

My main complaint about DVC is systemic to the entire Walt Disney Company...lack of interdepartment communications and lack of guest communication regarding changes. The recent changes for APs is a perfect example of this. DVC has no idea what ticketing is doing as far as Gold Pass activation with the AP changes. And ticketing has very poorly worded announcements about it, and basically no communication with guests regarding potential changes to unactivated Gold passes.

DVC called a few minutes ago regarding an email I sent regarding the new blockout dates and existing reservations for Thanksgiving. She agreed that Disney needs to honor the commitments, and gave me a number to call for ticketing. I spoke to ticketing, evidently they've been getting LOTS of calls (and with good reason IMO). She said that if you have an unactivated Gold Pass, that the name will change, BUT the blackout dates are basically based upon the date of PURCHASE. So my pass should be good for Thanksgiving even though it won't be activated until November 20....so basically it will be Gold Pass called a Sorcerers Pass until the next renewal or new purchase. I hope that is true, I would not want to be a ticket agent dealing with guests who've had their vacations truncated. I mentioned to her that they need to make that clear on the websites. Ticketing needs to communicate that to DVC.

 

[Jennifer Harris]

My main complaint about DVC is systemic to the entire Walt Disney Company...lack of interdepartment communications and lack of guest communication regarding changes. The recent changes for APs is a perfect example of this. DVC has no idea what ticketing is doing as far as Gold Pass activation with the AP changes. And ticketing has very poorly worded announcements about it, and basically no communication with guests regarding potential changes to unactivated Gold passes.

DVC called a few minutes ago regarding an email I sent regarding the new blockout dates and existing reservations for Thanksgiving. She agreed that Disney needs to honor the commitments, and gave me a number to call for ticketing. I spoke to ticketing, evidently they've been getting LOTS of calls (and with good reason IMO). She said that if you have an unactivated Gold Pass, that the name will change, BUT the blackout dates are basically based upon the date of PURCHASE. So my pass should be good for Thanksgiving even though it won't be activated until November 20....so basically it will be Gold Pass called a Sorcerers Pass until the next renewal or new purchase. I hope that is true, I would not want to be a ticket agent dealing with guests who've had their vacations truncated. I mentioned to her that they need to make that clear on the websites. Ticketing needs to communicate that to DVC.

I called a few days ago and was told the exact opposite. We have unactivated gold passes and a Thanksgiving trip. I was told that we’d have to pay more to upgrade to an incredi-pass or buy daily tickets. I then asked to speak to a supervisor and was told the same. I was furious. I have sent an email so we will see what response that generates. It is infuriating that they can’t get their facts straight. Nobody knows what to believe because every person tells you something different. How can they roll this out without having all the answers ahead of time??!

 

[dismedvc]

I called a few days ago and was told the exact opposite. We have unactivated gold passes and a Thanksgiving trip. I was told that we’d have to pay more to upgrade to an incredi-pass or buy daily tickets. I then asked to speak to a supervisor and was told the same. I was furious. I have sent an email so we will see what response that generates. It is infuriating that they can’t get their facts straight. Nobody knows what to believe because every person tells you something different. How can they roll this out without having all the answers ahead of time??!

I feel for you. Disney does not seem to understand that DVC members are different. Yes, we can only reserve 11 months out, but a lot of us plan up to three years out with banking and borrowing and trying to get multiple trips out of an AP.
That type of planning might not be the most profitable for Disney, but we gave Disney a lot of money upfront, so it is frustrating Disney keeps changing the rules with almost no advance notice.

 

[Chuck S]

I called a few days ago and was told the exact opposite. We have unactivated gold passes and a Thanksgiving trip. I was told that we’d have to pay more to upgrade to an incredi-pass or buy daily tickets. I then asked to speak to a supervisor and was told the same. I was furious. I have sent an email so we will see what response that generates. It is infuriating that they can’t get their facts straight. Nobody knows what to believe because every person tells you something different. How can they roll this out without having all the answers ahead of time??!

First I did an online chat, was told I was good to go. To verify, I did a follow up call to ticketing, and was told the opposite, then I sent an email, which led to DVC calling while I was driving yesterday, with a sympathetic DVC rep, who said the system shows it would be cancelled, to be fair to the DVC Rep, she fully understood the problem and seemed genuinely surprised at how it could effect guests, she said she made several notes in the system and noted the communication in my profile, and she referred me back to ticketing. I called ticketing when I got home and I was told I'd ne fine. I really hope someone responds via email, so I have something in writing, which Disney seems very adverse to do (I wonder why). I did write down the name of the ticketing rep, the date and time of the call. I think over the last few days they may have realized that there may be several hundred, maybe thousands, of guests that have planned their trip, who don't regularly check Disney boards and videos, that would simply show up Thanksgiving week expecting that their vacation is secure.

Imagine the fun the local news media and perhaps National media could have with that! "Meet Jane Doe from a small town in mid-America, who saved up for two years for a Disney trip, she gets to Florida with her family and Disney tells her "No!" Cut to video of crying kids in mouse ears that want to see Mickey Mouse. Now imagine that multiplied hundreds or even thousands of times.

Also I've taken screenshots of the gold pass blockout dates, the Sorcerer Pass blockout dates, my ticket showing in MDE, and my "plans" in MDE showing I have park dates reserved. I did this in case the system automatically make the ticket type and dates in your MDE account quietly change on September 8 when the new APs come online.

I honestly think these changes were rushed through without much thought other than something fresh, new, and more expensive for the 50th anniversary.

 

[Judique]

First I did an online chat, was told I was good to go. To verify, I did a follow up call to ticketing, and was told the opposite, then I sent an email, which led to DVC calling while I was driving yesterday, with a sympathetic DVC rep, who said the system shows it would be cancelled, to be fair to the DVC Rep, she fully understood the problem and seemed genuinely surprised at who it could effect guests, she said she made several notes in the system and noted the communication in my profile, and she referred me back to ticketing. I called ticketing when I got home and I was told I'd ne fine. I really hope someone responds via email, so I have something in writing, which Disney seems very adverse to do (I wonder why). I did write down the name of the ticketing rep, the date and time of the call. I think over the last few days they may have realized that there may be several hundred, maybe thousands, of guests that have planned their trip, who don't regularly check Disney boards and videos, that would simply show up Thanksgiving week expecting that their vacation is secure.

Imagine the fun the local news media and perhaps National media could have with that! "Meet Jane Doe from a small town in mid-America, who saved up for two years for a Disney trip, she gets to Florida with her family and Disney tells her "No!" Cut to video of crying kids in mouse ears that want to see Mickey Mouse. Now imagine that multiplied hundreds or even thousands of times.

Also I've taken screenshots of the gold pass blockout dates, the Sorcerer Pass blockout dates, my ticket showing in MDE, and my "plans" in MDE showing I have park dates reserved. I did this in case the system automatically make the ticket type and dates in your MDE account quietly change on September 8 when the new APs come online.

I honestly think these changes were rushed through without much thought other than something fresh, new, and more expensive for the 50th anniversary.

I have 2 DVC annual passes in my MDE. One is from Feb 2015 and the other is Sept 2015.

Looking online, in History of tickets on another site, my passes are designated as Platinum passes, with NO block outs. Since that time, I've used a ticket that I assumed had block outs, but since I never went during a block out time, the issue never surfaced. Now, I'm curious if these tickets will suddenly have block out dates. It probably won't affect me anyway as my Xmas trip dates are in the rear view mirror, and I just checked my ticket stash and will probably use some no expiry ones first, depending on when I return. My Nov trip is in the air right now, and annual passes would usually be activated in November. If I skip the trip, I'm probably not going to activate before Nov 2022. May go in spring 2021, but use a day or two, and that depends on whether family will go.

Oh, and these passes were an excellent hedge against inflation! I also have my green cert and the letter that goes with it.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

My wife just received an email from DVC asking her to complete a survey.
Most of the questions were the standard how would you rate XXX on a 1 to 10 scale. However, two of the first few questions were:
What would you tell someone who was considering purchasing DVC you like about DVC?
What would you tell someone who was considering purchasing DVC you do not like about DVC? (Unfortunately there was a 500 character limit)

We got this a couple of weeks ago. I slammed them.

 

[Jennifer Harris]

For those with unactivated APs and upcoming reservations, I received my email response from Disney, which confirmed that the passes must either be activated by 9/8 or the blackout dates will convert to the new blackout schedule (sorcerer pass in our case).

 

[dismedvc]

For those with unactivated APs and upcoming reservations, I received my email response from Disney, which confirmed that the passes must either be activated by 9/8 or the blackout dates will convert to the new blackout schedule (sorcerer pass in our case).

If you activate them on 9/7/2021 will they expire on 9/7/2022, or will they expire a year from first use?

 

[Sandisw]

For those with unactivated APs and upcoming reservations, I received my email response from Disney, which confirmed that the passes must either be activated by 9/8 or the blackout dates will convert to the new blackout schedule (sorcerer pass in our case).

Wow…then they should allow people to upgrade the gold to the platinum before 9/7 so it converts to the Incredi pass when actually activated for those with Thanksgiving week trips.

There will be a lot of angry people and I am going to get they cave that week.

 

[Chuck S]

If you activate them on 9/7/2021 will they expire on 9/7/2022, or will thy expire a year from first use?

You have to activate them in person. How are people that don't live near WDW going to do that?

 

[CarolynFH]

We personally won't be affected by this, but I hope that every person who will be affected - has an unactivated Gold AP voucher and Thanksgiving plans - will email wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com and DVCMemberSatisfactionTeam@disneyvacationclub.com and copy Terri Schultz, Chapek and Iger. The more people who bring this misguided policy to attention, the better. It's completely unreasonable.

 

[jo-jo]

But if you have an active gold pass, you are still ok for this Thanksgiving and still have photo pass?

 

[Chuck S]

But if you have an active gold pass, you are still ok for this Thanksgiving and still have photo pass?

yes

 

[Chuck S]

Well, finally, after I've made 3 calls and two emails over the last few days, and being on hold for about 2 hours today (holiday weekend and all) my ticket situation has been fixed. If you call, be sure to talk to someone who actually opens your MDE account, and checks the date you purchased your voucher (I purchased my Gold Pass voucher only a few months ago through Guest recovery) and can see your park day reservations. The first person I spoke to today said nothing can be done, and I couldn't have bought my ticket this year, since they weren't selling APs. After I said I purchased through AP Guest recovery, then she transferred me to the right person and I was on hold for a LONG, LONG, LONG time before they answered. I won't say HOW they fixed it, because it may vary depending upon your specific circumstances and ticket purchase date. But they do need to access your MDE account, and it was not an AP upgrade to a non-blockout AP.

 

[CarolynFH]

Well, finally, after I've made 3 calls and two emails over the last few days, and being on hold for about 2 hours today (holiday weekend and all) my ticket situation has been fixed. If you call, be sure to talk to someone who actually opens your MDE account, and checks the date you purchased your voucher (I purchased my Gold Pass voucher only a few months ago through Guest recovery) and can see your park day reservations. The first person I spoke to today said nothing can be done, and I couldn't have bought my ticket this year, since they weren't selling APs. After I said I purchased through AP Guest recovery, then she transferred me to the right person and I was on hold for a LONG, LONG, LONG time before they answered. I won't say HOW they fixed it, because it may vary depending upon your specific circumstances and ticket purchase date. But they do need to access your MDE account, and it was not an AP upgrade to a non-blockout AP.

I’m glad it’s fixed for you, but I too wonder about the people who have unactivated Gold vouchers and Thanksgiving plans and don’t know about this. Disney most definitely didn’t think this through, and they need to fix it. For everyone.

 

[Chuck S]

I’m glad it’s fixed for you, but I too wonder about the people who have unactivated Gold vouchers and Thanksgiving plans and don’t know about this. Disney most definitely didn’t think this through, and they need to fix it. For everyone.

And a system wide fix would be so simple, either let the Gold Pass holders activate as Gold this year, or wait until next year to change the Sorcerer's pass blockout dates for Thanksgiving. I never usually travel over Thanksgiving, this is the first time...and only because some of the kids on the trip missed so much school last year, the parents didn't want to pull them out for a week in early December. So normally this change would not have bothered me.

 

[corpcomp]

I got a recovery AP late June and was recently told by DVC MS that when I activate the pass likely in November, whatever the options / benefits I had with the prior pass would be the same for the year starting the date when I activate it. So its gives me Photos. I paid $765 for the Recovery Gold Pass. Just don't know what renewal price will be from the new $899 Sorcerer. All I've seen are the new purchase prices which are way higher than before.

This has been the most confusing process I've ever experienced and it took 3 calls and being on hold for a total of two hours to reach someone to get the Recovery AP. Fortunately the blackout dates don't affect me regardless of pass type.