cash buyers getting priority over DVC

[crisi]

I also think they "switch" processes....the the front desk CMs sometimes exercise control that isn't part of the system:

i.e. You get a preassigned room you don't like. The front desk CM looks into the system and moves someone else who hasn't arrived yet from their preassigned room and sticks you into it. (This happened to us, though I didn't recognize it at the time - I commented on the check in taking so many steps and he said "oh, that's because I'm moving you closer to the elevators." - we ended up in a HC room - so I think he took one look at us and labeled us "suckers." Or perhaps he honestly thought we'd be happier closer to the elevators. We didn't mind the HC room - and it was close to the elevators.) The problem being that the person who was originally pre-assigned that room may end up without their requests being met.

or

They are operating on room ready. They have two rooms available, but the guest doesn't want either room. Rather than saying "sorry, this is what we have currently" they "block" a room that they expect to be available later in the day.

 

[DrTomorrow]

[...]All I want is for them to give me all of the options available when I am checking in.[...] I want the options to be up to me not some scheduler, let's start a campaign to change the system.

Count me out. We fly into Orlando from Phoenix (sunny and in the 70's today) and, due to the time zone difference, we can't arrive any earlier than 3:30 PM, which turns into WDW arrival time of 4:30. If there were no pre-assignments, I'd get left with the dregs that no one else wanted; and I know that some people arrive even later, due to country of origin and/or personal schedules. I'd really hate it if we had to start arriving a day earlier, staying in a cheap room off-site, then lining up at 7AM the next morning at the SSR front desk to get a room that meets at least some of our requests. (We're sort of doing this in May - due to airfare discounts, we decided to fly in a day early, but we're spending the points on a studio at VWL!)

My experience, last December, at SSR makes this point. DW and I were travelling with another couple - we booked a 2BR, and the only request was N/S. When we arrived at 4:30, the front desk CM looked at the computer screen and got that look we all dread. Only four 2BR were left - all smoking. Now we don't care that much (my parents smoked like chimneys, and to me, the smell of ciggie smoke is the smell of home ) but we weren't sure about our friends' needs. It turned out that smoking was OK by them, we got a great room overlooking DTD, and it didn't really smell. But if we HAD needed N/S, we would have been out of luck.

Spiritually, I'm with you. I'd LOVE to show up at the front desk, and be given a printout with all available rooms of the size I reserved, with all the attributes of each and a map which showed the location of all of them, and say "I want #4". And I do think that, someday, we might come close to this with an on-line reservation system that can display this info and offer such choices. But to give each person checking in a long list of choices, then wait for them to choose, seems terribly impractical; and if there are two (or more) CMs checking people in, I can just imagine the conflicts as two guests both choose "#8" at the same time!

Good luck with your crusade, and be well!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Dr. Tomorrow, we have the same issue as you. Even taking the earliest flight of the day, it is impossible for us to arrive at the resort before about 2:30 PM So far, I have always ended up with my NS for medical reasons, but if that didn't happen, I would be VERY unhappy. We don't usually request anything for view etc. I do sometimes ask not to be under a GV, because I know from experience they are noisey.

 

[Daitcher]

I booked at 11 months and requested one of 18 possible buildings at OKW... When we checked in at 3 pm on March 15th, I was told only one two bedroom was available in the entire resort in building 50 (not any of the group I selected)... I asked her to double check but no luck... So we took 50 and made the best of it... At 7 pm, I am at the desk buying park passes, and who is checking in next to me but a cash paying guest... I know this only because I asked if they were members... I only asked them after I heard them get a 2BR in building 24... I waited for them to leave and asked the CM (the same one who checked me in) why I was not offered that room earlier... She then said that they had a "reservation" for that room through CRO and that I had the last "DVC two bedroom available"... I was stunned, started to rant but I just let it go... I bottled it up, and tried not to let it ruin my vacation... But because of this and other less than "magical" experiences... We've decided to sell our timeshare and just go back to renting points when we need them...


This post takes the cake. DVC members do not have priority over anyone. Everyone makes reservations, rooms are assigned, requests are looked at and they try to accomodate everyone. There are no guarantees, just requests. I wish Disney would end this nonsense and stop taking requests that aren't medical in nature. ALL TIMESHARES have a certain percentage of rooms that are set aside for cash reservations. This is necessary for maintenance issues and to have some type of consistent cash flow coming in. Just because your an owner, big deal! You and 70,000 other people. When we checked into the Marriott Surf Club in Aruba on cash this February a women next to me went through the roof when she heard me checking in on cash. She started ranting and raving about how I got a better location than her and she's an owner. I laughed and proceeded to tell her that I just booked my room at the end of November. She really went off, berating the poor check in girl. This type of behavior is unfortunately common. It is childish and unwarranted. Get it out of your head that being an owner makes one bit of difference because it doesn't. It is all the luck of the draw. Please sell your timeshare and quick. People will be lining up to buy your spot. Everyone, please, if you aren't happy with DVC you will not be happy with ANY TIMESHARE PROGRAM. This attitude of entitlement is what will force the hotel and timeshare industry to stop taking requests. Sorry to be so forcefull here but you don't have a leg to stand on. EVERYONES REQUESTS CANNOT BE MET ALL OF THE TIME, PERIOD. If you see this as a reason to sell, go for it.


DAVE

We also had a maid at 9 AM knocking and asking when we would "be leaving," We told her "11 AM"... She proceeded to (I am not kidding) sit on the bench outside our door for an hour until we actually left at 10...

Forgot to add, that aside from all of this we had a great trip and OKW otherwise great and VB was nearly perfect...[/QUOTE]

 

[DebbieB]

This post takes the cake. DVC members do not have priority over anyone. Everyone makes reservations, rooms are assigned, requests are looked at and they try to accomodate everyone. There are no guarantees, just requests. I wish Disney would end this nonsense and stop taking requests that aren't medical in nature. ALL TIMESHARES have a certain percentage of rooms that are set aside for cash reservations. This is necessary for maintenance issues and to have some type of consistent cash flow coming in. Just because your an owner, big deal! You and 70,000 other people.

I don't see anything wrong with taking general requests, such as golf view or water view. Some people staying at OKW like looking at golfers, some like a more peaceful water view. Why not try to accomodate that if it's available? I don't think they should allow requests for a specific building.

 

[brunoflipper]

This post takes the cake. DVC members do not have priority over anyone. Everyone makes reservations, rooms are assigned, requests are looked at and they try to accomodate everyone. There are no guarantees, just requests. I wish Disney would end this nonsense and stop taking requests that aren't medical in nature. ALL TIMESHARES have a certain percentage of rooms that are set aside for cash reservations. This is necessary for maintenance issues and to have some type of consistent cash flow coming in. Just because your an owner, big deal! You and 70,000 other people. When we checked into the Marriott Surf Club in Aruba on cash this February a women next to me went through the roof when she heard me checking in on cash. She started ranting and raving about how I got a better location than her and she's an owner. I laughed and proceeded to tell her that I just booked my room at the end of November. She really went off, berating the poor check in girl. This type of behavior is unfortunately common. It is childish and unwarranted. Get it out of your head that being an owner makes one bit of difference because it doesn't. It is all the luck of the draw. Please sell your timeshare and quick. People will be lining up to buy your spot. Everyone, please, if you aren't happy with DVC you will not be happy with ANY TIMESHARE PROGRAM. This attitude of entitlement is what will force the hotel and timeshare industry to stop taking requests. Sorry to be so forcefull here but you don't have a leg to stand on. EVERYONES REQUESTS CANNOT BE MET ALL OF THE TIME, PERIOD. If you see this as a reason to sell, go for it.

[/QUOTE]

settle down psycho... i was merely stating my recent experience and thought it might be contributory with regards to the OP comments... i simple stated what check-in told me when i later questioned why they got a room in one of the buildings i had attempted to get into three hours earlier... we are quite happy with our other timeshare program, but as it is a non-expiring rotating schedule partial ownership of a 4 bedroom home, it is apples-oranges when compared with DVC...
you really should look into a reading for comprehension course... i never thought i should be offered something more than the cash guest... quite the contrary, it appeared as if the cash guest was getting their requests and i as a dvcer was not... now it appears that they were simply operating under a room-ready premise... for the record building i got 50 is NS as is 24 and 24 is not HC, so i doubt it was a difference of a medical request... i never took issue with the fact that my request ( a liberal one of 18 buildings request) was not met until the cash guest three hours later got what would have been my original request...
your attitude ("Get it out of your head that being an owner makes one bit of difference because it doesn't") is probably consistent with the management of DVC but sure as hell is not consistent with DVC's "member" and "home" marketing strategy...

 

[DrTomorrow]

While I think that the Daitch-meister went a little bit over-the-top (again ), I agree with his comments about requests, for two main reasons.

1. Taking requests, even with enough caveats about "not guaranteed" to choke a dragon, unfortunately implies to many people that requests will be honored - it sets up expectations that will inevitably lead to disappointment. And since this disappointment happens at the start of a vacation, it can (as we've all read here from time to time) set a negative tone for the whole trip.

2. Many people have asked the question that DebbieB did: 'Why not try to take some general requests' (she mentioned a few views). Sadly, there are many different options, and different people disagree about which ones should be offered. I could care less about lock-off vs. dedicated; those with children staying in the studio portion of a 2BR may think differently. I don't really care about the view, or the building, or the distance to the pool (yep, I really am that easy-going; makes for a happier life, IMHO) - and I know that some people do care about such things. But since there can be no agreement - other than true medical need - as to which options should / should not be offered, they shouldn't offer any.

I long for the day when I can log on to reservations.dvcmember.com and, after seeing what's available, reserve a specific room. That way, short of a major infrastructure issue (A/C exploding, pipe bursting) I'll know what I'm getting - and not getting. But until that glorious day, when it comes to what options DVC can guarantee, I'll let Yoda speak for me; "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Be well!

 

[Dean]

Like I said, neither system satisfies all members.

I agree, in their present form. But either would do fine if an effort was put into making it work for the members. As I've said before, DVC should make smoking/NS a booking category and should limit requests to general things. Nothing like specific rooms or even specific buildings. Then they need to put the effort in to actual meet those requests. Something they haven't done in years which is why the room ready came about due to all the complaining (I'm sure some appropriate and others not).

 

[tjkraz]

In retrospect, I think it's kinda humorous how posts on this forum do a good job of mirroring the primary room assignment system being used.

Six months ago there was a rash of dissatisfaction over folks not getting into their rooms in what they considered to be a timely manner. Post-after-post detailed how "I checked-in at 9am...room wasn't ready...front desk kept telling me 'it's almost done'...finally got into the room at 4:30!!!"

Clearly the rooms were pre-assigned and those arriving early still couldn't get access to their unit.

In more recent times, all of the complaints have centered around not having requests satisfied. Room ready.

Damned if you do...

 

[CarolMN]

In retrospect, I think it's kinda humorous how posts on this forum do a good job of mirroring the primary room assignment system being used.

Six months ago there was a rash of dissatisfaction over folks not getting into their rooms in what they considered to be a timely manner. Post-after-post detailed how "I checked-in at 9am...room wasn't ready...front desk kept telling me 'it's almost done'...finally got into the room at 4:30!!!"

Clearly the rooms were pre-assigned and those arriving early still couldn't get access to their unit.

In more recent times, all of the complaints have centered around not having requests satisfied. Room ready.

Damned if you do...

LOL, tjkraz - I've been thinking the same thing.

 

[Daitcher]

settle down psycho... i was merely stating my recent experience and thought it might be contributory with regards to the OP comments... i simple stated what check-in told me when i later questioned why they got a room in one of the buildings i had attempted to get into three hours earlier... we are quite happy with our other timeshare program, but as it is a non-expiring rotating schedule partial ownership of a 4 bedroom home, it is apples-oranges when compared with DVC...
you really should look into a reading for comprehension course... i never thought i should be offered something more than the cash guest... quite the contrary, it appeared as if the cash guest was getting their requests and i as a dvcer was not... now it appears that they were simply operating under a room-ready premise... for the record building i got 50 is NS as is 24 and 24 is not HC, so i doubt it was a difference of a medical request... i never took issue with the fact that my request ( a liberal one of 18 buildings request) was not met until the cash guest three hours later got what would have been my original request...
your attitude ("Get it out of your head that being an owner makes one bit of difference because it doesn't") is probably consistent with the management of DVC but sure as hell is not consistent with DVC's "member" and "home" marketing strategy... [/QUOTE]


Well I guess you being a little peeved might be called for. I re-read my post and it was a tad harsh. Calling me a pyscho is a little harsh as well. Funny how people get so brave on these boards. You are certainly entitled to your views but I am just as entitled to mine. You did offer other reasons for wanting out of DVC on a subsequent post. Those reasons seemed much more reasonable. If you re-read your post it did seem extreme to want to sell your timeshare over the issues you mentioned. I guess my frustration comes from all the complainers on these boards. DVC is certainly not perfect but they truly do value their members. No matter what room assignment system they use somebody is going to be unhappy. This and only this is why I wish they would do away with requests. I make requests like everyone else but I don't go ballistic if they are not met. I would gladly give requests up to eliminate some of the unhappy DVC members. So many complaints on here stem from requests not being met. Maybe we could start a poll about this? Dean as usual made some valid points as did others. As for the person getting the room 3 hours after you others have answered this. That room wasn't ready when you checked in. The CM should have given you the option of waiting for what you wanted. This may have smoothed things over, I don't know. Sorry to have ruffled your feathers.

DAVE

 

[Daitcher]

While I think that the Daitch-meister went a little bit over-the-top (again ), I agree with his comments about requests, for two main reasons.


Drtomorrow,

Have to agree I probably went a little over the top ( again) with this one. All the complaining about room assignments really gets me. I wish all the complainers had to spend a month assigning rooms at Disney. They might have a little better understanding of what thes people go through. Then they could take a months rotation working the front desk dealing with all the beligerent people who didn't get their requests met. No requets means less unhappy people. Just get your room and go. Hope for the best. Thanks for the post. As usual your posts are very informative.

DAVE

 

[Dean]

Drtomorrow,

Have to agree I probably went a little over the top ( again) with this one. All the complaining about room assignments really gets me. I wish all the complainers had to spend a month assigning rooms at Disney. They might have a little better understanding of what thes people go through. Then they could take a months rotation working the front desk dealing with all the beligerent people who didn't get their requests met. No requets means less unhappy people. Just get your room and go. Hope for the best. Thanks for the post. As usual your posts are very informative.

DAVE

I realize that being desk clerk or doing room assignments is a tedious job. And I'd be the first to say that many ask for far too much and are definitely too specific. OTOH, if one takes a job, they should do it well, period. Not accepting requests at all would likely cause more complaints, not less. The trick is to establish realistic expectations then fulfill them as much as possible.

 

[fishermouse]

Check in times are clearly stated, whenever we have arrived early I simply don't expect my room to be ready. If it is I'm greatful, if not you can leave your lugage if you don't have a car and get started at one of the parks or pools. They will provide you a place to change and even deliver your bags to your room when it's ready all this while your out having fun.. Relax your on vacation leave your stress and hurry-up attitude at home,your sure to have a much better time..