changes to dlr hotel reservations policy?

[blue donkey]

When did dlr start to make you put down a deposit of your first night's stay to your c.c. when you made a reservation?

When I called today, the cm said, she was going to charge my card the 1st night's stay as a deposit. When I told her that I was going to pay my stay with giftcards, she said that everything after the first night could be paid that way. The 1st night, however, would not be put back on my card.

Also, the cm told me that now you have to cancel 5 days in advance to get your first night's deposit refunded rather than 3. I thought 3 days was bad before, but now it's 5? (Marriott chain has the best cancellation policy: 6pm of the day you check-in.)

Isn't the service going in the wrong direction? It's too bad that there isn't another hotel within walking distance that has room service.

 

[minniebeth]

I don't know when they implemented it, but here is another thing that happened to us:
We booked a room at the GCH and had to pay the first night in full upfront...
Then we decided to add another night...they did not have a room in the same category for that night, so we had to upgrade for that one night. We know that we may or may not have to move rooms, but we had to pay for that extra night upfront as well since it was technically a "separate" booking.
Yikes!

 

[scooter15]

Wow, that's awful!!!!! I never knew they changed that. I mean what if you cancel, do you get the money back? I thought they would take your cc just in case you never show up.

 

[keishashadow]

i booked room only, not a package...my confirmation for upcoming trip (ressie made in January) had nothing charged against credit card on file despite confirmation indicating that room is guaranteed by Credit Card

cancellation policy stated:

1 night + tax charge if cancelled with 72 hours

new policy or perhaps different if bundled with tix, etc?

 

[minniebeth]

i booked room only, not a package...my confirmation for upcoming trip (ressie made in January) had nothing charged against credit card on file despite confirmation indicating that room is guaranteed by Credit Card

cancellation policy stated:

1 night + tax charge if cancelled with 72 hours

new policy or perhaps different if bundled with tix, etc?

I know that DH's credit card was actually charged. We didn't get a package because DH is on business. We bought tix. separately.....? I don't get it.

 

[mlggator]

They changed this policy sometime this spring. It funny because I was calling to book a room at GCH and was trying to compare prices between getting package or just booking the room separately with AAA and buying tickets. I really didn't want to put down a deposit. Well the nice CM told me that if I didn't want to pay a deposit that I needed to book in the next 3 days because the following week they were going to start charging a deposit on room only bookings. Needless to say, I just booked right then.

Michele

 

[samkj]

This is also the policy at WDW. I think it was in March that the change went into effect.

 

[keishashadow]

I don't know when they implemented it, but here is another thing that happened to us:
We booked a room at the GCH and had to pay the first night in full upfront...
Then we decided to add another night...they did not have a room in the same category for that night, so we had to upgrade for that one night. We know that we may or may not have to move rooms, but we had to pay for that extra night upfront as well since it was technically a "separate" booking.
Yikes!

cannot believe they couldn't just link the ressies into 1 with 1 deposit since it's the same hotel

This is also the policy at WDW. I think it was in March that the change went into effect.

1 booked a 1 night sat stay for Oct @ WDW jik we decide to save some points, also in January, it had the standard verbage as to cancellation...will have to check it online...wonder if existing ressies are grandfathered in or we have to abide by the new cancellation terms?

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Yep, I'm not crazy about the new policy either. We are only staying one night at the DL hotel next week. So our "deposit" was the whole amount! LOL Some deposit! They charged the whole thing right then and there too, not just holding the card. We have AP's so it was just a room only reservation.

It's okay that it's all paid for, but I definitely liked it better when I could pay for it all at the end. But that would really stink if you were planning on paying with gift cards!

 

[Raidermouse]

I can see why they do it.You can see it right on all the disney forums.People book 3 different hotels for the same days and then cancel two when they decide the week of.Now those rooms are harder to get rid of because they are no longer as cheap as when the person made those reservations.It makes sense.I cringe when I see someone post that they have multiple reservations for the same dates because they can't decide.That is precisely why policies like this are now in place IMO.

 

[minniebeth]

I can see why they do it.You can see it right on all the disney forums.People book 3 different hotels for the same days and then cancel two when they decide the week of.Now those rooms are harder to get rid of because they are no longer as cheap as when the person made those reservations.It makes sense.I cringe when I see someone post that they have multiple reservations for the same dates because they can't decide.That is precisely why policies like this are now in place IMO.

I had no idea people did this...lol, I'm confused enough taking care of the details for one hotel!

also, keishashadow, my DH took care of the reservation , so I'm not sure he even asked if that was possible!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

People can still do that though, they just have to decide 5 days before their trip. The money gets put back on their card when they cancel. It may deter it somewhat, but I'm willing to guess people will still do that.

 

[keishashadow]

I had no idea people did this...lol, I'm confused enough taking care of the details for one hotel!

also, keishashadow, my DH took care of the reservation , so I'm not sure he even asked if that was possible!

men make travel reservations - naw....ur kidding

as for comment re holding multiple reservations: as long as i can remember WDW always required u to immediately pay the 1st night as deposit & things aren't always cut & dried :

*For DVC members u can be on a waitlist up until the very end for your choice of rooms, def. want to have something/anything booked just to have a room @ the inn

*For those getting ready to buy into the DVC units in DL...you'll will find that the weekends are terribly pricey..until i determine whether i'll be ante'ing up the points, paying for my villa on a discounted cash basis (which isn't always available when you book @ the 11 month window) or hoping for the hotel i really want to splurge on for 1 night (CR-MK view) to open up; i will keep my 1 night booked @ the value

Do know that WDW has implementations in effect where they track ressies by telephone # & if you have more than 1 booked for the same time period, u will be questioned as to "why"...found out when i had 2 rooms booked for family on prior trip for a few nights. However, they were very agreeable once i explained that we needed 2 values to hold our brood before moving to villa . Wonder if DL also follows this practice?

 

[blue donkey]

Wow, that's awful!!!!! I never knew they changed that. I mean what if you cancel, do you get the money back? I thought they would take your cc just in case you never show up.

Yes, as long as you cancel 5 days out, you get your card refunded.

 

[Raidermouse]

This Dad does all the planning etc. Wifey does the packing, good system.
A packer married a planner

 

[minniebeth]

This Dad does all the planning etc. Wifey does the packing, good system.
A packer married a planner

I am both, but God love DH, he tries, he really does!
He's a good man and does everything he can to make us happy, thus our upcoming DLR trip

 

[ironpig70]

if the policy at dl is like wdw then you loose your money if you CANCEL and not CHANGE it. when we went to wdw 5 years ago a wek before we where to arrive we had a death in the family. called the airlines and got hit with every fee under the sun. called disney and was going to cancel and was going to just accept the fee. the cm told me if you rebooked your trip and didn't cancel their was no fee. so we rebooked out about 6 months just to give us time to regroup. i then recalled the next week when we had a definet date. no fees at all.


this trip we went with a package deal(tickets and hotel) and they billed me already for about a nights stay. and we go in nov.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

People can still do that though, they just have to decide 5 days before their trip. The money gets put back on their card when they cancel. It may deter it somewhat, but I'm willing to guess people will still do that.

I called DLR to make my resies for December in April and I was told that even if I made my resies on 4/1/08 then decided to cancel 4/2/08 (8 months before the trip) that I would not have my initial night refunded to me.

 

[toocherie]

I called DLR to make my resies for December in April and I was told that even if I made my resies on 4/1/08 then decided to cancel 4/2/08 (8 months before the trip) that I would not have my initial night refunded to me.

That doesn't sound right--I was definitely told 5 day cancellation policy with refund.

 

[keishashadow]

This Dad does all the planning etc. Wifey does the packing, good system.
A packer married a planner

kudos to u!

i can't complain, my DH pays for the travel