BIG waitlist problem

[MichelleB]

We have an upcoming trip the end of Jan. and had 1/2 our stay at SSR and 1/2 at VWL. We really wanted VWL so we waitlisted in hopes of switching resorts. I was very adament in asking that if the waitlist came through, they'd cancel our SSR and rebook the VWL portion. MS confirmed this with me on several occasions (I've been calling every week to check on status because I was having trouble getting the info on the website). Well, I just checked my ressie and today they booked our VWL portion but borrowed points from our next UY instead of canceling the existing SSR reservation. I am absolutely livid and now can't reach anyone until Sat. afternoon. Which brings me to ask....what are MS hours on Sat? I think they open at noon but am not sure. I will be on the phone with them as soon as they open to get them to fix this problem. Has anyone else ever had this happen????

 

[sznk]

MS is open on Saturday (12/22/07) from 1 to 5 pm ET. They are closed on 12/25/07 for Christmas.
The schedule changes soon, as stated on the DVC Member website:

New Operating Hours as of Sunday, Dec 30, 2007
Mon - Sat 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET

New Operating Hours as of Sunday, Feb 3, 2008
7 days a week (Sun - Sat) 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET

Regarding your point borrowing issue - I have read of this happening to many folks, and often the MS CMs can fix it. Their system is not perfect, but the good ones know how to correct this type of occurrence.

 

[VrBchJ]

Wait listing is getting to be really scary. I had a similar problem and it was easily corrected manually.

 

[JimMIA]

I'm not sure they made a mistake. I think -- in order to protect you -- they have to book your waitlist before they cancel your existing ressie. If you don't have sufficient current-year points, that means borrowing.

If they didn't do that, this thread might be about how they canceled your SSR ressie and then the VWL availability was gone...and now you have nothing.

Hopefully, you're at a point where you can just bank the SSR points and there will be little practical effect.

 

[Laurabearz]

Jim, I can see your point of view on that... snag it up before someone else gets it...


But was the OP (or anyone) told that since your waitlisting we will book that room first, which will force you to borrow from your 2009 UY even though once we cancel the reservation you made so you would at least have a place to stay in case the waitlist doesnt come through, you would have plenty of current points??

I know I wasn't told that when it happened to me... and not to long ago, it didnt happen that way...

 

[DebbieB]

I had a problem recently where they borrowed points when I still had plenty in my current use year. I e-mailed them and they did a manual correction within a few days.

They open at 1:00pm on Saturday but it's very hard to get through, I don't think they have a big staff on Saturday. The mistake happened on a Saturday and the person who made my reservation didn't seem like she knew what she was doing compared to people I had talked to the rest of the week (I did a day by day). So if you are not getting anywhere, you may want to consider e-mailing or waiting until Monday.

 

[MichelleB]

Jim, I asked about this very situation when I went on the waitlist. I was told that once there's a match to your waitlist, they put it on "hold" for you. Then your original reservation is canceled and the new one booked. The funny thing is they never canceled my original. I now have double reservations and borrowed points to do so. When I went on the waitlist they asked me if they could borrow from the next UY if needed and I said no. The CM checked my points then to verify that I'd have enough points for the extra 3 points per night the room would cost and then said "you're right, we won't need to borrow because you'll have enough points for the room so it's not a problem". I will call today and get it fixed.

I can't bank the SSR reservation points because we have a Feb. UY and they were banked points we got through a recent resale we purchased. Normally we make all reservations at 11 months, but had to use these pts. so weren't able to start the reservation process until 4 months out.

I was on a waitlist for another night of this same reservation and when they had a match for that one, they never made the switch. I called to see how the waitlist was coming to find that there was a "match" and it was never booked. The CM said they had to manually change the reservation. Don't know what would have happened had I not called to check. That also seems to be something other people on the boards have experienced.

This is the first time we've used the waitlist in 8 years and I'm not really enamored with it. It's all working out, but it's a lot of headache.

 

[pixiechick]

We waitlisted for BWV standard view for Easter. I just received an updated confirmation letter indicating that it came through. We have no leftover points for this year so they definitely had to cancel the existing OKW reservation in order to complete it.

 

[JimMIA]

This is the first time we've used the waitlist in 8 years and I'm not really enamored with it. It's all working out, but it's a lot of headache.

I'm with you. I just see way too many problems with waitlists since the implementation of the all-automatic system. MS has done a REALLY sloppy job of managing this program, which is an important program for many owners. They continue to do a very poor job in this area, and it's been that way for almost a year and a half.

Your problem can be fixed by a simple reallocation of points and reversing the borrowing, and hopefully that will get done without too much inconvenience to you.

The worst screwups are where they fulfill one or two waitlist days and cancel the base ressie in error. Then, of course, there is no room at the inn and they supposedly put the victims on a "VIP waitlist" to get their base ressie back. I'm sure it all works out in the end, but can you imagine wanting to add a 12th night and losing the first 11 nights of a vacation you've been planning for a year because of a waitlist system deficiency?

I think this whole automatic waitlist system is broken, and they need to fix it. We don't use waitlist at all because of all the problems.

 

[MichelleB]

Just spoke with a nice CM that is going to manually put our points back and fix our existing reservation. Seems MS doesn't know what the actual waitlist procedure is though. She said that when you go on the waitlist it is supposed to be automatic, but the CM that puts you on the waitlist is supposed to put in instructions and this is where it all gets messed up. She couldn't tell me how it was supposed to work, but was very gracious in fixing it. We had double rooms for one of our nights because they hadn't canceled our existing night when they reserved our waitlisted night. Have no idea how it happened but will be glad when I can look at the website next week and verify that it's correct. I think I'll avoid the waitlist for a while after this and see if they manage to fix all the kinks.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

I'm really sorry about your wait list issue. We waitlisted for Easter week (which you'd think if they were ever going to mess up, it would be this week!), but it worked exactly as they said it should. They didn't borrow to book, and I can see online where they cancelled the 2-BR lockoff at SSR and changed it to a dedicated 2-BR. Everything appeared automated (whether it was automated or manual behind the scenes was invisible to me). I saw my ressie changed online and within a week or so, I received my new ressie through the mail. The entire process worked exactly as they described.

I did have MS mess up my account, but it wasn't linked to a waiting list. So, I KNOW how frustrating that can be. My advice to others...don't give up hope, but watch the transactions on your account(s) VERY CAREFULLY!!! It can work correctly, but if it doesn't, it's much more difficult to correct later down the road.

SOOO glad your ressie came through for you and you got your account corrected! Have a WONDERFUL trip!

 

[Chuck S]

This same situation happened to me (borrowing points when they didn't need to do so) only it was the way the computer booked it not on a waitlist, but because my reservation crossed my use year. It is just the way the computer pulls the points.

A simple call to MS should fix the problem with a manual adjustment.

 

[Laurabearz]

This same situation happened to me (borrowing points when they didn't need to do so) only it was the way the computer booked it not on a waitlist, but because my reservation crossed my use year. It is just the way the computer pulls the points.

A simple call to MS should fix the problem with a manual adjustment.

Ok then... Shouldn't MS inform people that the computer does this, and therefore they need to call for a manual adjustment... OR better yet, flag the account so that the manual adjustment is done in cases like this, without us having to let them know?

 

[Dean]

From what I've seen this is they way they are approaching the wait list anyway. If they cancel, put the points back and then book new you will likely loses the days while working on it. I had a 5 night option I wanted to split so I called and this is exactly how they did it. Borrowed the extra points, split and book with the "borrowed points" then put them back manually so all was the same as before except the ressie is now split. I'm betting they would have fixed it on their own and you'd have never known if you hadn't looked online.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

We have an upcoming trip the end of Jan. and had 1/2 our stay at SSR and 1/2 at VWL. We really wanted VWL so we waitlisted in hopes of switching resorts. I was very adament in asking that if the waitlist came through, they'd cancel our SSR and rebook the VWL portion. MS confirmed this with me on several occasions (I've been calling every week to check on status because I was having trouble getting the info on the website). Well, I just checked my ressie and today they booked our VWL portion but borrowed points from our next UY instead of canceling the existing SSR reservation. I am absolutely livid and now can't reach anyone until Sat. afternoon. Which brings me to ask....what are MS hours on Sat? I think they open at noon but am not sure. I will be on the phone with them as soon as they open to get them to fix this problem. Has anyone else ever had this happen????

Yes and the point war continues!!!!!! Good Luck!

 

[abner1776]

IF the problem can be fixed with a simple phone call, then I think what MS did was right...I would be even more upset if MS cancelled my ressie and then b/4 I could book the waitlist, the room was booked by someone else..then I would be left with nothing....and

I think it was my cancellation at VWL that opened up your waitlist...have a great time at VWL. DW and I will be in Geneva visiting our daughter...

 

[wildernessDad]

Enjoy your stay at VWL!