BVC compensation for SB closure over spring break

[Dean]

I completely understand things happen and maintenance is done during LOWER seasons. This was prime time Spring Break during two of these weeks. Prime use of points and a time period where there are not any room discounts to the public. We love the Beach Club, but I felt that the situation was bad enough that I asked to change resorts, even to a resort which I am not crazy about. I never thought to ask for any compensation otherwise. If the pool was functional (which it was), I think mangement should have made the decision to do major construciton on the pool two weeks later. Again, I think someone would had to have been there for a few of these days before making any kind of judgement.

IMO, it doesn't matter. They made a decision based on the info they had. A lot of factors go into such a decision like availability of the people to do the work. Spring break is not the same everywhere. In general terms I would agree that such issues need to be done at slower times when possible but it's not always possible due to many factors.

There's always going to be one in every crowd who complains louder and longer than everyone else. I agree Disney needs to set policy and proceedure for making guests happier when resort issues arise that effect the population, but even then they'll have the noisy ones. Disney's one overall policy is: if you can't quiet the guest down, escalate up the management ladder until peace is restored. They work hard to avoid those unpleasant 'discussions' as they tend to suck all pixie dust out of the room for the other guests and cast members alike.

Our OP here did not complain. Therefore they saw no compensation.
I don't believe the OP is considering hammering away at MS until they cave and give them something - they simply posed a question: under what circumstances would one receive compensation, and what would it be?

The resounding answer is: we have no clue

I for one feel bad for anyone who had to be a part of or witness the conversation the other 'compensated' poster must have had - that's no way to feel the magic.

The lack of planning, a formal plan and decision up front and the the inconsistency cause more problems over time. It's like the valet parking, sometimes it's better just to take your medicine and be done with it, esp if you make a reasonable decision initially. Pavlov's Dog theory is alive and well here.

 

[marynvince]

I thought DVC runs at 95% occupancy year round. Someone will always be inconveinenced with a pool closing.

 

[hakepb]

I thought DVC runs at 95% occupancy year round. Someone will always be inconveinenced with a pool closing.

Normal pool refurbishment /maint should always be scheduled for the winter and is expected most winters.

From what I've heard this was a somewhat major filter issue discovered during the normal maintainence, and while unfortunate that the repair overlapped spring break, it was necessary and could not be scheduled differently.

 

[Dean]

I thought DVC runs at 95% occupancy year round. Someone will always be inconveinenced with a pool closing.

It should be that high but historically it never has been in lower seasons from what I can tell. I don't think anyone's seen actual data on occupancy rates in some time.

 

[ldo]

would free WP tickets for a future date work for you? I am sure they would offer that. We were at a Mickey Party of few years ago and the lightning was so bad--I kept asking if they were going to close the park. The parade was cancelled. We literally ran out in a downpour with lightining strikes---and about 5 minute later (apparently), they handed out flyers stating to use your party ticket for MK admission good for 1 year---well, we used a PH day on a non-expiring ticket to go back to MK 2 days later (not knowing about the offer). I found out about it when I got back and saw disboards. I called and they sent us 1 day tickets good for any park.
Some do not like to complain while on vacation---but think that it when to do it, to give the staff the ability to make it right.

 

[Sammie]

This was not a planned rehab event. It was broke, they fixed it as soon as the parts and crew to fix it were available. This is not something they could have planned for another time.

Even if you do rehabs during lower seasons, someone is affected. Why is that more agreeable than the time you were there.

As to compensation it seems some are ok without getting it, until they come to these forums and read that someone did.

 

[jennypenny]

I thought DVC runs at 95% occupancy year round. Someone will always be inconveinenced with a pool closing.

Even if the resort was that full in January, not everyone would want to use the pool when it's 50 degrees half of the time.

And to be clear, I was not taking a shot at the OP. They seem reasonable. I think Disney has established this pattern and should be more proactive in these situations.

 

[Deb & Bill]

would free WP tickets for a future date work for you? I am sure they would offer that. We were at a Mickey Party of few years ago and the lightning was so bad--I kept asking if they were going to close the park. The parade was cancelled. We literally ran out in a downpour with lightining strikes---and about 5 minute later (apparently), they handed out flyers stating to use your party ticket for MK admission good for 1 year---well, we used a PH day on a non-expiring ticket to go back to MK 2 days later (not knowing about the offer). I found out about it when I got back and saw disboards. I called and they sent us 1 day tickets good for any park.
Some do not like to complain while on vacation---but think that it when to do it, to give the staff the ability to make it right.

That's amazing really because we have been at MVMCP/MNSSHP when it was pouring with lightning and no one was offered park tickets. I alway thought when you bought these special event tickets it was if the park is open your ticket is used. And no refunds. But Disney is notorious for giving "refunds" when the ticket or event said no refunds.

Kind of like the one time special banking exception. Or allowing you to bank points instead of losing them if you have to leave in an emergency. Technically the rules say, you lose the points. Or allowing five in a room that sleeps four. Disney changes their rules at their whim.

 

[marie1981]

That's amazing really because we have been at MVMCP/MNSSHP when it was pouring with lightning and no one was offered park tickets. I alway thought when you bought these special event tickets it was if the park is open your ticket is used. And no refunds. But Disney is notorious for giving "refunds" when the ticket or event said no refunds.

.

I agree with you. Last year, I bought 2 tickets for the MNSSHP.
The morning of the party, my husband was not feeling good.
I went to guest services, explained the situation and they refund my husband ticket and wish him a fast return to good health. (I kept mine because I really wanted to go)

For the SAB pool, I was at the BWV during part of the time it was partly closed.
CM were using golf cart to transport the BC guests who wanted to go to the BWV pool. And, each time I passed near the pool, it did not seem overcrowed.

 

[awilliams4]

However, BC guests were told that an option was to use the BCV pool during the closure. Because of this, the chaises and tables were completely taken early in the day, every day. We have stayed at BCV many times, and the quiet pool there has always been just that, quiet. So this was also an an added inconvenience to BCV guests. We usually do parks in the AM and then go back to the resort for pool time in the afternoon. Not possible during this trip. We still had a great trip, but what's fair for one, should be fair for all.

Wow. I would not have expected that. BCV owner's Maintenance Fees pay for the BCV quiet pool. If this is the case, I would hope that CRO would be paying some of the maintenance fees for the quite pool at BCV this year.

Not to suggest your wrong, but this is very suprising to me. I am sure that BC guests can easily walk over and swim in the quiet pool regardless of the policy but to formally suggest they could I believe is wrong. BC does not pay for that pool, BCV does. I would guess that if a CM just said that, they were mistaken. BC guests were supposed to use the BW pool if desired.

 

[awilliams4]

But the flip side of this coin is that SAB is part of the hotel, not the DVC resort. By allowing DVC members to use SAB, aren't hotel guest facing the possibility of a crowded pool deck and occupied chaises and tables?

I realize that as DVC owners, we have made a significant financial investment in our vacationing future with Disney, but for some of the people staying as hotel guests this stay is the highlight of a year (or more).

If your inconvenience was so great that you felt it necessary to complain, you should have spoken up while you were still on sight. Filing a complaint weeks later, in my opinion, looks like a petty attempt to garner a freebie.

I'm not trying to insult you or be mean spirited, but in your initial post you stated that you didn't ask for, or expect compensation. Then you state that if others got some form of compensation, maybe you (and others in a similar situation) should complain as well and hopefully be compensated.

I may be wrong but I believe a portion of BCV owner's maintenance fees do pay for some of the upkeep at SAB as they do with Concierge, check-in at the main building, etc.

 

[Dean]

Wow. I would not have expected that. BCV owner's Maintenance Fees pay for the BCV quiet pool. If this is the case, I would hope that CRO would be paying some of the maintenance fees for the quite pool at BCV this year.

Not to suggest your wrong, but this is very suprising to me. I am sure that BC guests can easily walk over and swim in the quiet pool regardless of the policy but to formally suggest they could I believe is wrong. BC does not pay for that pool, BCV does. I would guess that if a CM just said that, they were mistaken. BC guests were supposed to use the BW pool if desired.

The same can happen any time, closures or not. Same at BWV, VWL or AKV though BLT may not be due to the access, just not sure there.

 

[awilliams4]

We were at BCV over this Spring Break/Easter time and used a HUGE amount of points. I was and still am upset about the pool situation, to the point that I dont want to go back to BCV which I have always loved. I asked to be moved to a different resort, but nothing was available. We were given one day passes to a waterpark. Based on the amount of points that we used, the waterpark passes were really not much of a compensation.

The number of points at BCV is comparable to all other DVC resorts (besides maybe BLT) based on the Villa size. Your reference to to a HUGE number of points leads me to believe you got a 2 Bedroom villa. Those that stay in a Studio versus a 2 Bedroom get the same level of access to BC/BCV's resources. The only difference is the room size you receive. So the number of points is not relevant. That you stayed there however, is.

However, this was not planned downtime, they had a problem with the slide that was discovered about 30-40 days prior to taking it down for maintenance.

This logic would suggest that you should be compensated for your park ticket if Space Mountain goes down for a day .

 

[disneynutz]

I may be wrong but I believe a portion of BCV owner's maintenance fees do pay for some of the upkeep at SAB as they do with Concierge, check-in at the main building, etc.

You are correct, there are no free rides, our dues pay for what we use.

I am looking at the closure letter that we received and Disney offered the Dunes Cove pool at BCV and the Luna Park pool at BWI/BWV for all guests to use.

Use and dues don't always seem fair or equatable.

Club Level at Jambo House comes to mind. AKV owners there pay for Club Level through their dues even if they never use it. Owners from other properties who do use Club Level do use additional points but points don't offset the cost of Club Level amenities.

TOTWL is paid for by BLT owners and yet anyone staying on points can use the venue.

Bill

 

[awilliams4]

The same can happen any time, closures or not. Same at BWV, VWL or AKV though BLT may not be due to the access, just not sure there.

Hmmm, if we do not get reimbursed for that then this is a hole in the financial logic.

 

[Dean]

Hmmm, if we do not get reimbursed for that then this is a hole in the financial logic.

I haven't gone over the budgets in detail enough to answer absolutely but I don't think this is a financial issue. The reverse is also true, that club members staying at those same resorts can use the quiet pools of the other portion. For BCV and VWL this is likely not a major issue except in special circumstances such as this. For AKV it's likely not an issue because of distance if nothing else. BWV is likely the only resort where it's an issue. BCV guests were also carted over to BWV and I doubt BWV had compensation either. I believe in accountability and paying each's own way but I don't want to see too much micromanagement. It's like looking at the budget in general. DVCMC has to decide where to spread the costs over all the members there and where to do pay to play (valet parking). There's no perfect formula but they look at what's expected of a resort, the costs, % of people that will use X option, any bulk savings and how easy/difficult it is to enforce a given option. That made the valet parking a no brainer pay to play but something like the pool or exercise area more reasonable to spread to the entire group. I suspect at some point we'll lose the midweek T&T as well for the same reasons.

 

[mjc2003]

The OP said they would have liked compensation in the form of points, from 8-40, which would have been the points cost for an alternative villa elsewhere (not sure where).

It's inarguable that Disney handed out water park passes. The OP would have received 6, 4 adults and 2 kids, which have a face value of $300.00. This is the same cost compensation essentially (at $10 per point) that the OP was looking for. Disney is, by their own admission, inconveniencing guests and offering compensation so ANYBODY inconvenienced during that time is entitled to compensation. This is based on Disney's actions, not opinion.

I find it strange that so many people are attacking the OP for wanting compensation when Disney was handing out compensatory tickets.

If I was at BCV and SAB was closed and they were handing out water park passes, I wouldn't want one, but would ask for an alternative option since THEY are giving compensation anyway. I would not want to be ferried over to BWV, I don't like that pool. I don't like the water parks and my kids are too young for us to want to spend a day there.

As for the comments that suggest that this just happened to be the time when the company fixing the pool was available to fix it, that's rubbish. This is Disney, they employ 1/2 of central Florida, they call the shots. If that pool company was not amenable to a different time to fix the problem then they can find another one. I understand this issue had to be addressed, but let's not be delusional as to think that some local Orlando-area pool maintenance company is pushing Disney around. Also, somebody said that the issue was discovered 40 days prior, which is the end of Feb. I would think weather-wise and crowd-wise that an immediate fix would have been less of an inconvenience. Heck, we switched our pool this year from chlorine to salt water and the company told us they couldn't do it for 5 weeks; I said "I'll find somebody to do it sooner!", and guess what? They offered to do it 2 days later.

 

[dclfun]

The OP said they would have liked compensation in the form of points, from 8-40, which would have been the points cost for an alternative villa elsewhere (not sure where).

It's inarguable that Disney handed out water park passes. The OP would have received 6, 4 adults and 2 kids, which have a face value of $300.00. This is the same cost compensation essentially (at $10 per point) that the OP was looking for. Disney is, by their own admission, inconveniencing guests and offering compensation so ANYBODY inconvenienced during that time is entitled to compensation. This is based on Disney's actions, not opinion.

I find it strange that so many people are attacking the OP for wanting compensation when Disney was handing out compensatory tickets.

If I was at BCV and SAB was closed and they were handing out water park passes, I wouldn't want one, but would ask for an alternative option since THEY are giving compensation anyway. I would not want to be ferried over to BWV, I don't like that pool. I don't like the water parks and my kids are too young for us to want to spend a day there.

As for the comments that suggest that this just happened to be the time when the company fixing the pool was available to fix it, that's rubbish. This is Disney, they employ 1/2 of central Florida, they call the shots. If that pool company was not amenable to a different time to fix the problem then they can find another one. I understand this issue had to be addressed, but let's not be delusional as to think that some local Orlando-area pool maintenance company is pushing Disney around. Also, somebody said that the issue was discovered 40 days prior, which is the end of Feb. I would think weather-wise and crowd-wise that an immediate fix would have been less of an inconvenience. Heck, we switched our pool this year from chlorine to salt water and the company told us they couldn't do it for 5 weeks; I said "I'll find somebody to do it sooner!", and guess what? They offered to do it 2 days later.

First of all, Disney has contracts with companies that cannot be changed. Fees for service are negotiated in advance. Disney is a huge company and service providers bid for the right to have those contracts. This is unlike a homeowner who can shop around once there's a problem.

Second, I don't agree with asking for "other" compensation. Yes, it's certainly fair that if comp tickets are given out per person for the water parks, then everyone...not just dvc members....who stayed during the time period they were being issued should receive them. However, asking for something else and making Disney decide on possibly a large quantities of guests ( who don't want the tickets ) as to what's fair, is wrong. This would lead to people comparing what they got, deciding later that they'd rather have what another guest received, going back to GS to complain...and on and on. I use a power wheelchair and can't enjoy the waterparks. If I were at BCV's during that timeframe should I ask for cash or points back instead? No....I take what's being offered to everyone else or leave it.

 

[mjc2003]

First of all, Disney has contracts with companies that cannot be changed. Fees for service are negotiated in advance. Disney is a huge company and service providers bid for the right to have those contracts. This is unlike a homeowner who can shop around once there's a problem.

I work for a large company that negotiates with smaller service providers all the time. Disney has full autonomy over these contracts, much like my company, and they control the when, where and how. If you are suggesting that one of their service providers was calling the shots on this, I respectfully disagree. Small service providers, especially those servicing a company like Disney (or mine) literally make their year off that one contract; it might be 50-75% of their total revenue. They don't push back. I deal with this all the time, it's just the nature of big business.
I'm not sure how the fee's play into this. I am not disputing that Disney pays it's service providers.

Second, I don't agree with asking for "other" compensation. Yes, it's certainly fair that if comp tickets are given out per person for the water parks, then everyone...not just dvc members....who stayed during the time period they were being issued should receive them. However, asking for something else and making Disney decide on possibly a large quantities of guests ( who don't want the tickets ) as to what's fair, is wrong. This would lead to people comparing what they got, deciding later that they'd rather have what another guest received, going back to GS to complain...and on and on. I use a power wheelchair and can't enjoy the waterparks. If I were at BCV's during that timeframe should I ask for cash or points back instead? No....I take what's being offered to everyone else or leave it.

Fair enough. I guess my point was simply that the OP was asking for compensation commensurate with what others were getting, and didn't think their request was as outlandish as some were suggesting. I understand your point, that if everybody has their own definition of compensation then it could get tricky. But Disney does open themselves up to this by selectively compensating. I think if all guests were notified of Disney's offer during their stay, they have the option to take it or leave it. Letting guests return home and then find out that others received something sort of leaves the door open for people to seek out compensation that's more useful, like returned points, b/c the water park pass is no longer of any use (since they are already home).

 

[Dean]

The OP said they would have liked compensation in the form of points, from 8-40, which would have been the points cost for an alternative villa elsewhere (not sure where).

It's inarguable that Disney handed out water park passes. The OP would have received 6, 4 adults and 2 kids, which have a face value of $300.00. This is the same cost compensation essentially (at $10 per point) that the OP was looking for. Disney is, by their own admission, inconveniencing guests and offering compensation so ANYBODY inconvenienced during that time is entitled to compensation. This is based on Disney's actions, not opinion.

I find it strange that so many people are attacking the OP for wanting compensation when Disney was handing out compensatory tickets.

If I was at BCV and SAB was closed and they were handing out water park passes, I wouldn't want one, but would ask for an alternative option since THEY are giving compensation anyway. I would not want to be ferried over to BWV, I don't like that pool. I don't like the water parks and my kids are too young for us to want to spend a day there.

As for the comments that suggest that this just happened to be the time when the company fixing the pool was available to fix it, that's rubbish. This is Disney, they employ 1/2 of central Florida, they call the shots. If that pool company was not amenable to a different time to fix the problem then they can find another one. I understand this issue had to be addressed, but let's not be delusional as to think that some local Orlando-area pool maintenance company is pushing Disney around. Also, somebody said that the issue was discovered 40 days prior, which is the end of Feb. I would think weather-wise and crowd-wise that an immediate fix would have been less of an inconvenience. Heck, we switched our pool this year from chlorine to salt water and the company told us they couldn't do it for 5 weeks; I said "I'll find somebody to do it sooner!", and guess what? They offered to do it 2 days later.

I am confident that my posts could not be construed as a personal attack, group attack maybe. I addressed principles and situations, not people. My principles are that Disney should be consistent, should make these decisions up front and that the situation did not warrant compensation to a single person. I fully understand the circumstance and concern where one person was compensated and another was not. That should not happen but if it does, it will often come to light with today's internet connections. As I've said before, Disney needs to grow a backbone where appropriate (they've shown signs of doing so at times lately), the inconsistency will hurt them in the long run. As those in the service industry will tell you, the customer is not always right and you simply can't please some people so you have to draw the line somewhere.

There's no use arguing contracts etc. The truth is a decision had to be made and implemented and it was. None of the rest really matters.