Beware - split stays with DVC is causing me a dining nightmare

[DVC Jen]

Tuesday was my 180 day mark to make my ADR's. I am staying at BLT for 5 nights (one was waitlisted) and then moving to VWL for another five nights. Recently DVC decided to change the way they do linked reservations and I only have one reservation /confirmation number.

I patiently waited on Tuesday for the system to come up. First CM I talked with thought something was still wrong with her system and I needed to call back and speak with someone else. I called and it took forever for me to even be connected - calls kept being dropped. Then I got 2 CMs with accents so thick I couldn't understand them so I had to call back some more. Finally got through and tried to make my ADR's. CM was great - she tried her darndest but just couldn't get anything booked for me. She called a supervisor - he couldn't get anything through. Finally they sent me to "dining help" and this person said they were making a few changes and I should try again tomorrow and everything should be fine.

I was OK with this - not thrilled I had spent about 2 hours between calling, not getting through and then waiting while they tried (really tried) to get me the ADR's - ANY ADR's and couldn't. Couldn't even get one for the first day.

So I called DVC to see if they could do something since it looked like the linked reservations and one reservation number was causing issues with the new dining system. Once again they tried and tried to no avail.

About an hour later I was able to book for the first day of our trip online. It looked like it would allow me to book for our entire trip - then when I went to confirm I got a server error - and as of this posting that is still happening.

So then they next day I call - sure the problem has been fixed. I spend the next 2 hours on the phone with disney dining while CM after CM after CM tries to help me. First one ladies entire system went down. She tells me to call back (apologizing profusely). I call back and the next can not get me an ADR - so she tries to transfer me to dining help... she sends me to someone who had never heard of dining help.. so they send me back to dining - and I have to start the process all over again.

Finally I get to what was dining help or guest services or SOMETHING.. but I speak with a woman named Elizabeth and she takes all the restaurants and times I want.. says she will do her best for me but will be out of the office all weekend. She says she will call me on Tuesday to let me know what she was able to get.

Everyone was kind. Everyone really honestly tried to help - but while I kept my cool and did not lose my temper - i was/am more than a bit frustrated.

Elizabeth told me I may be able to get all my adr's done tomorrow online since it is the last of the 2 (although their system is showing 3 check in days because one of my BLT nights was waitlisted) check in days.

I am not happy about this - but stuff does happen, doesn't it? In the scheme of life an ADR for a disney restaurant is not going to make one bit of a difference. We have been there done it and gonna be doing it all again so I am not sweating this.

I just wanted to give anyone who may have a similar situation as mine a bit of a heads up.

And - cross your fingers for me so maybe if the pixie dust is falling and the Gods are smiling I can log onto the dining website and get everything set and final before Tuesday. I have a few ADR's that I already know I do not have a chance of getting because of this - so now I am just trying to get the best of what I can as soon as I can. Then come Tuesday I will see what Elizabeth was able to get - keep the best of hers and mine (if I get any) and cancel the rest.

 

[vicki_c]

You have a good attitude! I'm a lot like you - no dining thing is going to make or break any trip I have, no matter what it is - none of it is that important to me. But it still sounds like a frustrating experience. It actually doesn't sound like it's that related to the DVC/split thing, does it? I don't know - it seems like it could just be a "regular" dining problem! Not that that makes it any better.

 

[DVC Jen]

I'm not sure. They kept telling me I am supposed to have more than one reservation/confirmation number and when I told them DVC is just giving one and linking reservations it really seemed to stump them. But who knows.

 

[n2mm]

I read a quick post that online system is working again. Also I recently noticed that DVC changed all of my reservation numbers. HAd I not noticed (because no one told me) I would've been putting in the wrong number. I caught it and had no problems. Since the +10 online was not working, I did most of my ADRs daily and had no problem getting anything I wanted for a party of 6. Good luck! Did you check online to see that the number you are using is correct? (Of course, you would think MS would be able to help the best.) I'll be glad when all of this computer upgrading gets done.

 

[DVC Jen]

get this... now that we are 180 days out from the day that was waitlisted and is showing up as our 2nd check-in date.. the online system won't even recognize or find our reservation if I use our real check in day of June 13th.

At least I know tomorrow (our 3rd check in date when we move to VWL) should allow me to book for the entire trip - but I am not holding my breath.

I really do think this is a matter of the change in the DVC system (it showing me having 3 check in days due to being waitlisted for one night at BLT and then moving to VWL) and then changing our reservation number after I booked VWL at the 11 month window - and the dining system changes has really messed things up for me.

If this were a once in a lifetime trip I would really be irked. However I know we have been to all the restaurants we want to eat at numerous times before and will eat there again (with the exception of via napoli). Le Cellier is really the only one I am wondering about. Dinner is out there - that I know - right now I am holding out for lunch or even an off time. If it doesn't work out - it doesn't work out.

I really think the most annoying/frustrating part of this whole situation is the fact that no one seems to be able to do anything for me - even with as much as they have tried - this is completely stumping them. One would think there would be a way to override the system for glitches like this.

 

[DVC Jen]

I read a quick post that online system is working again. Also I recently noticed that DVC changed all of my reservation numbers. HAd I not noticed (because no one told me) I would've been putting in the wrong number. I caught it and had no problems. Since the +10 online was not working, I did most of my ADRs daily and had no problem getting anything I wanted for a party of 6. Good luck! Did you check online to see that the number you are using is correct? (Of course, you would think MS would be able to help the best.) I'll be glad when all of this computer upgrading gets done.

Yes I was putting in the right reservation number - double and triple checked that one