Chat may soon be able to check availability and book rooms

[JETSDAD]

If you knew that the room was there, wouldn't that mean you had tied it up while looking for it before you called? If you tie it up, from what I recall, the CMs can't see it.

You can see a room available on the calendar without having it tied up. You would have to go anther step to choosing to book that reservation before having it tied up.

 

[Lorana]

I'd rather they just fix the website, so I can just do a normal booking without harassing someone.

This, please. And let me purchase one-time use points online while we’re at it. Don’t make me call or chat for something an online system should be able to handle.

 

[Jimmy Geppetto]

This!! Also making a reservation/waitlist that spans two use years. Can't do it online

can you elaborate on this example. So if you have contracts in your account with two Use Years you can’t book a waitlist on any of them online? I’m likely misinterpreting what you wrote

 

[huskerfanatic7]

can you elaborate on this example. So if you have contracts in your account with two Use Years you can’t book a waitlist on any of them online? I’m likely misinterpreting what you wrote

Actually it was dealing with just one contract. I have a December use year and this trip and i wanted to book a room for end of november and into December It wouldn't allow me to book a room or create a wait list that spanned two use years since the Nov nights would still be in 2020 use year and the Dec nights in the 2021 use year

 

[Jimmy Geppetto]

Actually it was dealing with just one contract. I have a December use year and this trip and i wanted to book a room for end of november and into December It wouldn't allow me to book a room or create a wait list that spanned two use years since the Nov nights would still be in 2020 use year and the Dec nights in the 2021 use year

Ahhhh. Understood. Thanks!

 

[CarolynFH]

Ahhhh. Understood. Thanks!

To further clarify, you can book it yourself by making one reservation that’s entirely in one UY and a second reservation in the other UY. But then you have two reservations, basically a split stay, and most people call MS to have them combined (or to book it as one reservation in the first place).

 

[Sandisw]

Ahhhh. Understood. Thanks!

To add to what has already been shared, a trip spanning a UY can use different points for the days so the CM has to complete a task to ensure the right points are used.

For example, if I have a trip spanning the start of my Dec 2021 UY, the days in November can only be booked with with banked 2019, 2020, and up to 50% of points borrowed from 2021.

But, the Dec days can be booked using banked 2020, 2021, and borrowed up to 50% of 2023 points.

It can be complicated and thus why the CM has to process.

 

[Sandisw]

This, please. And let me purchase one-time use points online while we’re at it. Don’t make me call or chat for something an online system should be able to handle.

That would be tough because OTU points are in essence a transfer and the CM has to reach out to someone else to not only process payment but also to the division that decides which points you will get that are available and match your UY.

It’s not simple as it sounds.

 

[dragonflymom]

I don't think anyone would dislike more avenues to reach DVC all for our DVC related needs and while it may sound like a great idea to have these new CHAT capabilities for many reasons pointed out on this thread already, my concern is whether this is backed up by devoting more Disney resources. I suspect this may be tough given all the labor shortage issues at this time, in which case, everyone will now have to wait longer for the CHAT button to appear when DVC CMs are sucked into checking availability which can be easily and efficiently done online by DVCers themselves. So my vote is "no" to checking availability and "yes" to bookings via the CHAT function when they involve more than just a simple use of points. I understand the two are tied but anyone who is serious about making a reservation should do reconnaissance work beforehand.

 

[RoseGold]

I suspect this may be tough given all the labor shortage issues at this time, in which case, everyone will now have to wait longer for the CHAT button to appear when DVC CMs are sucked into checking availability which can be easily and efficiently done online by DVCers themselves.

You would be right, if the website worked. Big assumption.

 

[Dory92130]

That would be tough because OTU points are in essence a transfer and the CM has to reach out to someone else to not only process payment but also to the division that decides which points you will get that are available and match your UY.

It’s not simple as it sounds.

Yeah my understanding is they use company points in inventory for this -- eg sell aulani points and transfer to membership to use.

 

[eMoneyBug]

I’ve always wondered how OTUP would show online, anyone post a screenshot would be lovely.

 

[Sandisw]

I’ve always wondered how OTUP would show online, anyone post a screenshot would be lovely.

I don't have a screenshot, but they will only show up if you cancel the reservation you booked when you bought them. You can not buy them unless you are booking. If you do cancel, then it shows up as a temporary contract with the name of the resort of the points.

 

[eMoneyBug]

I don't have a screenshot, but they will only show up if you cancel the reservation you booked when you bought them. You can not buy them unless you are booking. If you do cancel, then it shows up as a temporary contract with the name of the resort of the points.

What is the use year of OTUP after you cancel? Does it align with the use year of your membership or does it expire 12/31 no matter what? or something else?

 

[Sandisw]

What is the use year of OTUP after you cancel? Does it align with the use year of your membership or does it expire 12/31 no matter what? or something else?

They expire at the end of the UY of the trip. They can not be banked or borrowed. So, if I purchased them today for a trip in March with my Aug UY, they expire July 31st if I cancel that stay.

They can also only be purchased for trips made 7 months or less.

 

[CarolynFH]

I’ve always wondered how OTUP would show online, anyone post a screenshot would be lovely.

We bought OTUP for a trip this month. Now when I go to Book a Vacation or to Modify any of our existing reservations, Aulani is listed along with BWV as our home resorts. So that’s presumably where these OTUP came from, but it doesn’t say there how many we bought.