Booted from AKL Club Level for 50th Celebration Week…*update page 15*

[cruisin5]

Did they announce the opening of Kilimanjaro?

 

[sethschroeder]

Maybe so they had a place to move DVC guests at the same location? If this work is impacting DVC rooms, had they done when the hotel was closed, those owners and guests would have to be sent to a different hotel

Except move them over to Riviera where there absolutely is cash rooms open and problem solved and get the work done.

Surely she knew the club lounge was not open when she booked it.

Except Disney didn't move the OP because the Club Level was closed. Which is the issue here.

To be fair though, AKV club and value run at almost 100% occupancy year round.

Which Club Level has been closed forever and Value is Value.

They could have easily done this during this spring or summer, moved people to open AKV rooms or another resort.

Another option is stating Club Level won't be open through October so being moved is not as big of a deal. Stating they are doing the maintenance while Club Level is still closed. Which case they should have planned to start earlier so it was done prior to the 50th.

 

[Sandisw]

Except move them over to Riviera where there absolutely is cash rooms open and problem solved and get the work done.



Except Disney didn't move the OP because the Club Level was closed. Which is the issue here.



Which Club Level has been closed forever and Value is Value.

They could have easily done this during this spring or summer, moved people to open AKV rooms or another resort.

Another option is stating Club Level won't be open through October so being moved is not as big of a deal. Stating they are doing the maintenance while Club Level is still closed. Which case they should have planned to start earlier so it was done prior to the 50th.

My point remains that moving people is moving people. The impact is the same on the guest. Why is it any less of an inconvenience moving people in the spring and summer from Jambo to RIV than it is for those being moved now? Those owners didn't book RIV...they booked Jambo.

At least now, the people are at the same location they booked. Things happen and need to get done, and for whatever reason, this is when they could get it scheduled. Yes, it is disappointing for the guests, but it would be for any owners who book CL and value rooms any time of the year.

 

[anomamatt]

My point remains that moving people is moving people. The impact is the same on the guest. Why is it any less of an inconvenience moving people in the spring and summer from Jambo to RIV than it is for those being moved now? Those owners didn't book RIV...they booked Jambo.

At least now, the people are at the same location they booked. Things happen and need to get done, and for whatever reason, this is when they could get it scheduled. Yes, it is disappointing for the guests, but it would be for any owners who book CL and value rooms any time of the year.

In these kind of cases, I'd rather them give options. Rather than tell people they can have a hotel room or cancel.

 

[Sandisw]

In these kind of cases, I'd rather them give options. Rather than tell people they can have a hotel room or cancel.

Of course it would be nice if they give people the option to relocate to another hotel. I agree with you there. Just don't agree with the argument that they should have displaced people in spring and summer and not in the fall as though the impact to those owners is less important.

 

[crisi]

In these kind of cases, I'd rather them give options. Rather than tell people they can have a hotel room or cancel.

Disney isn't about to do that. They don't need to, its more work for them, and its would create perceived inequities that would get magnified through threads like these. Always ask "what's in it for Disney" if the answer is just "customer satisfaction" that isn't a good enough reason for Disney to do anything....especially when its customer satisfaction of existing DVC members.

DVC plans their hard and softgoods refurbs on a schedule that allows for planning in bookings. But the hotels division doesn't do that. They will decide nine months out to paint the outside of a building, or three months out to take a pool out of service or four months out to pull up all the carpeting from a floor. These issues are almost always with the co-run resorts - i.e. SSR or OKW seldom has the "we are closing part of the resorts and have to move existing reservations" problem because DVC controls the maintenance schedule. DVC is an afterthought to the maintenance planners at shared resorts - who have no need to even understand how DVC is booked. That isn't their job - their job is to make sure the buildings are maintained in a way that maximizes their resources and minimizes their expenses. If a painting crew is ready to start in September, and AKL needs some work, and the supplies are available for that job at the right price, we paint AKL in September.

(And I suspect that AKL in particular has additional needs - they probably want to keep exterior labor going only in seasons which will not affect breeding. Guest concerns are less important than we can't hit the time of year when zebras give birth or antelope are fertile.)

 

[sethschroeder]

My point remains that moving people is moving people. The impact is the same on the guest. Why is it any less of an inconvenience moving people in the spring and summer from Jambo to RIV than it is for those being moved now? Those owners didn't book RIV...they booked Jambo.

I think it comes down to options. When moving people you should give them options and this Spring or Summer you are likely to have more options than for the 50th.

Just like those at CCV who were told "SSR or cancel" that should never be the choices (although in that instance it sounds like it was a DVC issue but they could have still done "wait lists" for last second rooms at resort of choice). DVC needs to push on Disney to get a list of all cash hotel rooms available to put members in at the choice of the member. This is a Disney issue and not a DVC issue. Maybe I am wrong and DVC pushes on Disney but I find it more likely that Disney says something and DVC is like "okay".

Finally Disney needs to be more open with information to the members impacted other than saying "maintenance".

 

[CarolMN]

Finally Disney needs to be more open with information to the members impacted other than saying "maintenance

LOL. This reminds me of the arguments I used to have with my teenaged daughter. More information was understood to be "an invitation to argue". She wasn't ever going to agree with some decisions, no matter what information was provided as justification. I never told her " because I said so", but certainly thought it.

 

[crisi]

LOL. This reminds me of the arguments I used to have with my teenaged daughter. More information was understood to be "an invitation to argue". She wasn't ever going to agree with some decisions, no matter what information was provided as justification. I never told her " because I said so", but certainly thought it.

Yep. At work I would call this the peanut gallery effect. More information meant more time dealing with "questions" that were really arguments. "Well, couldn't you do this instead." "Why don't you do it next month instead of this month." (I did IT Infrastructure, you are ALWAYS going to inconvenience SOMEONE - and your restrictions on who you are going to inconvenience have to do with your business cycles. Next month is year end close and finance gets really upset if they can't file their SEC paperwork on time) That arguing added costs and delays - and gives people the impression that they have a say - they are then disappointed when they actually don't get one.

 

[DL1WDW2]

DVC plans their hard and softgoods refurbs on a schedule that allows for planning in bookings. But the hotels division doesn't do that.

(And I suspect that AKL in particular has additional needs - they probably want to keep exterior labor going only in seasons which will not affect breeding. Guest concerns are less important than we can't hit the time of year when zebras give birth or antelope are fertile.)

 

[DL1WDW2]

Original poster Thamks for keeping us updated…
But sorry for stress with your supposed to be Magic Trip Planning

I would be tempted to document and discuss with a manager upon check in but then again They can be pretty mean and have only added to more stress and sleepless nights while on vacation whenever I have done this.
I suggest you have to create and focus on the positive ignore the negative to survive. It is a whole new world Disney and real worlds )

 

[mzozzietj]

I was able to extend the first part of our stay at BCV for two nights getting our AKV Jambo Value Studio down to two nights instead of four nights but haven't gotten a call about those two nights yet.

I'm hoping my change helps someone else not get moved for two nights at least! Unless that room went back in inventory (I hope not!) lol

 

[sethschroeder]

LOL. This reminds me of the arguments I used to have with my teenaged daughter. More information was understood to be "an invitation to argue". She wasn't ever going to agree with some decisions, no matter what information was provided as justification. I never told her " because I said so", but certainly thought it.

Here is the thing I am not Disney's child and I am not Disney's employee. I own DVC which should provide me and other information how our membership is be impacted.

Yep. At work I would call this the peanut gallery effect. More information meant more time dealing with "questions" that were really arguments. "Well, couldn't you do this instead." "Why don't you do it next month instead of this month." (I did IT Infrastructure, you are ALWAYS going to inconvenience SOMEONE - and your restrictions on who you are going to inconvenience have to do with your business cycles. Next month is year end close and finance gets really upset if they can't file their SEC paperwork on time) That arguing added costs and delays - and gives people the impression that they have a say - they are then disappointed when they actually don't get one.

That sounds like Disney's issue not mine. Just like it was an owners issue not Disney's that the resorts needed to be shutdown for COVID19.

There are risks and requirements on both sides. If DVC was working well they would as I outlined be pushing more strongly on Disney. Also to be clear I don't even own at AKV but what has been done to those owners leaves a bad taste between keeping Club Level shut down and now this.

 

[crisi]

That sounds like Disney's issue not mine. Just like it was an owners issue not Disney's that the resorts needed to be shutdown for COVID19.

There are risks and requirements on both sides. If DVC was working well they would as I outlined be pushing more strongly on Disney. Also to be clear I don't even own at AKV but what has been done to those owners leaves a bad taste between keeping Club Level shut down and now this.

This is part of owning a timeshare. It is your issue. You own it. And you signed over management responsibilities to DVMC. You can say it isn't your problem all you want to, but Disney is holding all the cards to make it not their problem, but yours.

 

[Lolaura84]

So I have a tangential to this discussion question that has been nagging at me. I own at AKL, so it's possibly of direct impact to me. We know that for as long as Club Level has not been open, members are being refunded the point difference between CL and Standard view for those rooms. As I understand it, there are 10 total club rooms (5 1BRs, 5 Studios), which counts for point charts as 5 2BR lockoffs. If the points calculator on David's is accurate, the total cost of a Club 2BR from 7/15/2021-7/15/2022 is 23,097 points, and the same time period Standard view is 13,635 points, or a difference of 9,462 points x 5 rooms = 47,310 points. So doesn't that mean that even beyond the shutdown points glut, there would be too many AKL points to be used over the course of the year? It's been a year of the resort open with no club level already. Does this just counterbalance the lockoff premium for the resort?

 

[Sandisw]

So I have a tangential to this discussion question that has been nagging at me. I own at AKL, so it's possibly of direct impact to me. We know that for as long as Club Level has not been open, members are being refunded the point difference between CL and Standard view for those rooms. As I understand it, there are 10 total club rooms (5 1BRs, 5 Studios), which counts for point charts as 5 2BR lockoffs. If the points calculator on David's is accurate, the total cost of a Club 2BR from 7/15/2021-7/15/2022 is 23,097 points, and the same time period Standard view is 13,635 points, or a difference of 9,462 points x 5 rooms = 47,310 points. So doesn't that mean that even beyond the shutdown points glut, there would be too many AKL points to be used over the course of the year? It's been a year of the resort open with no club level already. Does this just counterbalance the lockoff premium for the resort?

It did add more points to the system and exceeded the 1:1 point to use match for the year. However, DVC owns points at those resorts as well so it is very possible that they simply decided not to use them to turn into cash rooms. It is one of the things we just don't have specific information on how they handled it.

With the extension of points, they used their own points to do that, so I wonder if they did that with this situation as well.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

It did add more points to the system and exceeded the 1:1 point to use match for the year. However, DVC owns points at those resorts as well so it is very possible that they simply decided not to use them to turn into cash rooms. It is one of the things we just don't have specific information on how they handled it.

With the extension of points, they used their own points to do that, so I wonder if they did that with this situation as well.

Good question!

 

[sethschroeder]

It is your issue. You own it.

No you don't seem to understand. Disney trying to shut down rooms so they can do some maintenance somewhere completely different is their issue coming to me to shutdown my rooms as DVC. As such as DVC management I should be pushing on Disney to change policies on how they do this maintenance (so this is never an issue again like when they do it or how far out they plan) in addition I should be pushing on them to provide more than adequate options to my members for various options knowing a hotel rooms =/= DVC room.

Just like at my house. If the town came to me (or the HOA when I use to live in a HOA) and wanted to change things I can absolutely push back on them. That should be happening for us by DVC which we pay MFs to in order to deal with those "issues". Also I would find it completely unacceptable for the Town, HOA, Apartment Owner, or anyone else to simply say "we are doing something don't ask any questions". In addition everywhere I have ever lived/owned (owned 3 houses in last decade and live in like 13 different locations in past 17 years) they have always proactively reached out with information, had a township/city meeting where questions could be asked, and took feedback (even if they decided to stay with original planned thing).

Again like said previously as well possibly they do end up doing this but there is always going to be give and take and by not pushing here to hard they get some other benefit in exchange for the AKV membership.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I plan to attend the yearly Annual DVC Member meeting . This will be my third year of attendance. Usually the DVC Guides are available before & after to discuss issues . But the meetings are streamed live to listen . Perhaps send a concern the week before and it will be part of the discussion.
And your next visit , take a tour at one of the Open Houses and maybe you will have a different perspective. Yes, we are all frustrated . Nobody knows the future but it usually takes a lifetime to understand change.

 

[crisi]

No you don't seem to understand. Disney trying to shut down rooms so they can do some maintenance somewhere completely different is their issue coming to me to shutdown my rooms as DVC. As such as DVC management I should be pushing on Disney to change policies on how they do this maintenance (so this is never an issue again like when they do it or how far out they plan) in addition I should be pushing on them to provide more than adequate options to my members for various options knowing a hotel rooms =/= DVC room.

Just like at my house. If the town came to me (or the HOA when I use to live in a HOA) and wanted to change things I can absolutely push back on them. That should be happening for us by DVC which we pay MFs to in order to deal with those "issues". Also I would find it completely unacceptable for the Town, HOA, Apartment Owner, or anyone else to simply say "we are doing something don't ask any questions". In addition everywhere I have ever lived/owned (owned 3 houses in last decade and live in like 13 different locations in past 17 years) they have always proactively reached out with information, had a township/city meeting where questions could be asked, and took feedback (even if they decided to stay with original planned thing).

Again like said previously as well possibly they do end up doing this but there is always going to be give and take and by not pushing here to hard they get some other benefit in exchange for the AKV membership.

No, I understand. And hey, you can bang your head against that wall as much as your want. But in the end, it isn't going to be Disney's problem - this isn't even on the radar for problems that Disney is worried about. Investing your energy to get no result, that's your problem. To make it Disney's problem, Disney would have to care - and they don't. They don't care about your feedback, they have been dealing with this problem in pretty much exactly this way for 30 years now. And for 30 years people have been complaining.

In 20 years of owning DVC, the only "successful" pushbacks I've seen were the points allocations a few years ago and the Aulani dues fiasco. Which involved threatening a lawsuit and a blatant disregard for either contract or law. I'm putting "successful" in quotes because I think they are retrying the points allocation change - just less egregiously and over time.