Booking stays on DVC Member Site

[veenstra56]

Do you envision a time when a member can simply check availability and book accomodations on the DVC member site?

I am a new member, so maybe I am missing something, but I don't see a down side to this. I don't advocate doing away with member service staff entirely, but switching to an internet-based reservation system would save on staffing as well as the phone bills that DVC incurs when its members call for reservations, questions, etc. And don't the members themselves ultimately pay the salaries and phone bills?

If this isn't a more economical way of doing things, then why do airlines, banks, department stores, and pretty much everyone else in the universe do it?

Just wondering what you think. Am I off base on this?

Thanks.

 

[browniemtb]

I agree with this but I still think MS is a neccessary entity. MS would still be required to fix errors of miss allocated points that DVC members use on-line. I agree if airlines can do it so could DVC but again people like the ability to talk to a human even if it is to rant and rave.
Brownie

 

[danjenp]

Just sat through the DVC presentation at Saratoga last week and asked the exact same question and was told they are working on a members only booking website as we speak with rollout sometime in 07

Do you envision a time when a member can simply check availability and book accomodations on the DVC member site?

I am a new member, so maybe I am missing something, but I don't see a down side to this. I don't advocate doing away with member service staff entirely, but switching to an internet-based reservation system would save on staffing as well as the phone bills that DVC incurs when its members call for reservations, questions, etc. And don't the members themselves ultimately pay the salaries and phone bills?

If this isn't a more economical way of doing things, then why do banks, department stores, and pretty much everyone else in the universe do it?

Just wondering what you think. Am I off base on this?

Thanks.

 

[bpmorley]

I can't wait. We've made every reservation online. Of course you plug in the dates and where you want to stay and it's up to MS to see if it's available. They're usually pretty good with that.

 

[veenstra56]

I agree with this but I still think MS is a neccessary entity. MS would still be required to fix errors of miss allocated points that DVC members use on-line. I agree if airlines can do it so could DVC but again people like the ability to talk to a human even if it is to rant and rave.
Brownie

Absolutely; what makes Disney special to me is attention to detail and service. I would never want to see the day when I couldn't call with a question or beef. I just think that the actual reservation process could be improved. Sounds like they are working on it, though.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The only time I would see on-line as a problem would be the first day of the 11 month booking period. When you want to get that GV at BWV or the Boardwalk view for Christmas. Does the site open up at 8AM ET or midnight ET? Would the system be sophisticated enough to close the reservation as soon as it got full? Even if someone else was in the process of putting their data in? Could you imagine the complaints?

 

[paults]

I for one like to talk to a human.

 

[sssteele]

I bought DVC 2 years before I had a computer at home, and work access to website was not an option. I use my computer at home (obviously), but I still enjoy immediate feedback, and immediate answers to "Let's try this". Internet should be an option, but only if it gives no advantage to those of us who are without a computer at all , or can't take advantage of "It's 9:00, and I'm ready to book my reservation". Am I missing something in this discussion?

 

[bpmorley]

Would the system be sophisticated enough to close the reservation as soon as it got full? Even if someone else was in the process of putting their data in? Could you imagine the complaints?

that's easy stuff.

 

[Rence]

They have said that this is in the works for a while. But if you think about it, you can see that it is quite a bit more difficult than other types of online reservation systems.

With a hotel system, you have options on types of rooms, different categories etc. and there are lots of systems out there that handle this well, so the selecting the resort, the type of room etc. is something that has been done before and shouldn't be too hard.

But on all those other reservations systems, payment is a simple mater of enter your credit card information. With DVC it is a whole nother can of worms.

Now many of the folks on here really understand all the details of the system and know how best to use their points when making a reservation. But there are many more members who don't understand the system well at all.

So when it comes time to 'pay' for the reservation you have a ton of variables, multiple contracts, different resorts, different use years, bank points, borrowed points, transferred points, holding account points etc. etc. etc. The system has to be smart enough to recommend a good choice for those who don't understand but give full flexibility to the pros who know how best to juggle their points. All these different point categories have different policies regarding them. The site will need to get all the possible combinations completely correct and be able to explain to a user in an easy to understand manner why they can or cannot do something. I see this as quite a challange.

 

[RobDoc]

....
With a hotel system, you have options on types of rooms, different categories etc. and there are lots of systems out there that handle this well, so the selecting the resort, the type of room etc. is something that has been done before and shouldn't be too hard.

...

So when it comes time to 'pay' for the reservation you have a ton of variables, multiple contracts, different resorts, different use years, bank points, borrowed points, transferred points, holding account points etc. etc. etc. The system has to be smart enough to recommend a good choice for those who don't understand but give full flexibility to the pros who know how best to juggle their points. All these different point categories have different policies regarding them. The site will need to get all the possible combinations completely correct and be able to explain to a user in an easy to understand manner why they can or cannot do something. I see this as quite a challange.

These are very good points and great analogies. Disney does have a hotel quality online reservation system already in place both for reserving WDW resorts and DCL - so that is not the issue at all here - payment and the 11 month priority is the problem.

I'm not aware of any online reservation system that presently allows a guarantee using multiple credit cards and that is what some members will need to do when using multiple accounts. I suppose those transactions could only be done thru MS by phone, but that would just place a limitation on the online system from the start. In addition, the 11 month/7 month issue also places unique demands on the DVC system that are not part of other online reservation programs.

I expect that we will continue to see additional online services added as time goes on, but full online capability will still be awhile.

Stay Tuned!