Complaint about Calling Member Services

[Doctor P]

I totally agree with this. If you are on the wait list then you should get the next room that becomes available, not someone who just happens to call in, they should go on the wait list BEHIND you and everyone else already there if they chose to.

I have no objection to someone calling who is on the wait list to check the status of where they are on the wait list and whether it has come through, but CM's/the system should not be able to circumvent the wait list to move somebody into the reservation just because they called.

 

[LVSWL]

I have no objection to someone calling who is on the wait list to check the status of where they are on the wait list and whether it has come through, but CM's/the system should not be able to circumvent the wait list to move somebody into the reservation just because they called.

I agree Doctor P. The room should go to the next person on the waitlist, and if that person happens to be the person that calls, that's great. I know that I have checked on a waitlist in the past and it happened to come thru that day. I hope that I didn't knock anyone else out who was waiting longer than I was.
It really is such a concern though for those of us who wait for the system to work, if others can call and "move ahead" just by checking, and also we are subject to the callers for last minute reservations. You would think with all of the computer technology out there, someone could come up with a better system.

 

[dclfun]

I just wish there was consistency with such an important policy. By virtue of the booking engine, if waitlisted rooms aren't blocked and show up as general inventory for people who call in, then there's no reason to even have a waitlist procedure- just advise everyone to call...which I'm sure isn't a preferred thing since lots of us would be calling. Still, if this is the case, then telling people to just wait...because they're on a waitlist...is doing them a disservice if the system isn't truly keeping those rooms held until the waitlist is worked. My guess is that the waitlists are worked manually and if they're not being worked at the moment for the dates someone has wtl, then they'll be returned back into inventory for anyone to grab. This happened with DCL waitlisted reservations that weren't for suites, which is why DCL discontinued all waitlists except for suites. If there's a limitation or loophole with the booking engine, then either fix it or stop the wtl procedure so that everyone has the same chance. Also the issue of waitlisting one day at a time vs. the entire timeframe someone is looking for should be clarified. I'm sure there are some members who would prefer to get the preferred resort ( or any resort ) day by day and some who only want the entire timeframe for their ressie or nothing. Is this addressed in the current wtl system to also accomodate each owner's request and thus giving everyone an equal chance?---Kathy

 

[Disney Doll]

I think they should automate the waitlist so that it checks who's waiting for what and matches things up.

I think that if you put yourself on the waitlist, then they should not accept your call to "check". If the waitlist functions properly, those who are on it should receive their requests in the order in which they were put on the waitlist.

If I am #1 on the waitlist, I don't think person #6 on the waitlist should call and get my room just because they called on the phone.

 

[manning]

I think they should automate the waitlist so that it checks who's waiting for what and matches things up.

I think that if you put yourself on the waitlist, then they should not accept your call to "check". If the waitlist functions properly, those who are on it should receive their requests in the order in which they were put on the waitlist.

If I am #1 on the waitlist, I don't think person #6 on the waitlist should call and get my room just because they called on the phone.

I agree, trying to get a room by checking while on a waitlist is akin to butting in line.

I don't think anyone would be too happy if they were in line for a ride and saw someone butt in ahead of them, do you??

 

[DisneyBB]

Well I am very confused now. I thought going on the waitlist meant that you were only willing to accept the entire nights requested. Hence if an odd night becomes available and no one on the wait list was waiting for that one night on its own, it became available for general use. I don't believe they hold onto rooms until they have the required amount. It is pot luck if your dates come up and you fit the list.

So if person 'A' is on the waitlist for 4 nights in BWV and is on top of the list. Person 'B' is on the wait list for 2 nights in BWV and is second on the list. If those two nights become available then person 'B' gets it. If only one night becomes available then neither get it and anyone phoning in can get it.

I think the old way of puting yourself on the waitlist for night by night seemed the best. If I phoned up and 2 of my 3 nights were available then I would book them and go on the waitlist for the 1 night. If they refused to check for me then I would either phone back or cancel my waitlist and then ask for them to check.

Any room that is in the system and has not been grabbed by the waitlist must not be a match for the wait list. For instance I am waitlisted for 3 nights in Dec 19th -22nd studio BWV or BCV. I have just phoned and I could have booked the 22nd now as it is available. I didn't as I wanted to ensure that I have 3 nights.

I have emailed Jim Lewis at DVC about the stress of booking another resort and the potential of losing both bookings in the process. I have so far only had a standard reply, but I replied asking them to answer my question.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Well I am very confused now. I thought going on the waitlist meant that you were only willing to accept the entire nights requested. Hence if an odd night becomes available and no one on the wait list was waiting for that one night on its own, it became available for general use. I don't believe they hold onto rooms until they have the required amount. It is pot luck if your dates come up and you fit the list.

So if person 'A' is on the waitlist for 4 nights in BWV and is on top of the list. Person 'B' is on the wait list for 2 nights in BWV and is second on the list. If those two nights become available then person 'B' gets it. If only one night becomes available then neither get it and anyone phoning in can get it.

I think the old way of puting yourself on the waitlist for night by night seemed the best. If I phoned up and 2 of my 3 nights were available then I would book them and go on the waitlist for the 1 night. If they refused to check for me then I would either phone back or cancel my waitlist and then ask for them to check.

Any room that is in the system and has not been grabbed by the waitlist must not be a match for the wait list. For instance I am waitlisted for 3 nights in Dec 19th -22nd studio BWV or BCV. I have just phoned and I could have booked the 22nd now as it is available. I didn't as I wanted to ensure that I have 3 nights.

I have emailed Jim Lewis at DVC about the stress of booking another resort and the potential of losing both bookings in the process. I have so far only had a standard reply, but I replied asking them to answer my question.

DisneyBB, This is exactly what I was trying to explain how the waitlist works and why people should be able to check because just because your entire waitlist did not come through, does not mean there are not some of your days available or different unit sizes available. The waitlist only allows you to list 1 way. There are multiple ways your days could be available and without that information you cannot make a decision.

If I waitlist for Dec 7-9 at BCV, that is how they will look to fill it. Those 2 nights have to come thru together or no match.

If I call later and check availability for Dec 7-9, they may tell me "we have the night of the 7th but not the 9th" I then can decide to book the 7th and stay on the list for the 8th only or I can decide to wait for both nights.

Or, I could book the 7th and just give up on the WL and pay cash for the
8th using DVC discount if available or thru CRO or AAA or whoever.

Excellent post and I truly do not believe this is about cutting in line, as much as it is, DVC taking a member benefit, gutting it and making it completely useless to all but a very few

The way this waitlist works now, pretty much guarantees you stay home in the busiest of times unless you want to move around alot, only need a day at the beginning or end of your trip or like to wait until the very last minute to pick up the scraps.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Since when has the day by day waitlist disappeared? I thought that was still an option. You just get the days as they come, and can be left with holes, if you are willing to waitlist like that.

Bobbi

 

[jenelope]

I put myself on a day by day waitlist for a week+ in October just last month. The CM was reluctant to do that at first, but once she realized that I had a backup plan for any missing nights and wouldn't be left stranded, she set it up for the three nights I was missing. She initially told me I nothing was available, because she was looking at it as the entire eight nights. However, when I asked whether anything was available at all, I was able to book nights 1-3 and 6-7, and put on the waitlist for 4-5 and 8. So far, I've gotten all but the Sunday night of my trip. If I found out that October 7th came up and someone calling to check inventory effectively bumped me down the waitlist, I would be more than just a little bit peeved.

 

[DisneyBB]

Jenelope - Surley this wouldn't happen if that sunday became available wouldn't the waitlist pick it up straight away? For my 3 nights that I am on the waitlist Fri. night is available now I assume that means that there is no one on the list for that Friday night.

 

[flechette]

Jenelope - Surley this wouldn't happen if that sunday became available wouldn't the waitlist pick it up straight away? For my 3 nights that I am on the waitlist Fri. night is available now I assume that means that there is no one on the list for that Friday night.

My understanding - which is hazy at best- is that the waitlist runs nightly after MS has closed. So if someonce calls in after a cancellation but before the end of day, they can snatch the rooms before they can be assigned to the waitlist.

Or I could be completely wrong~ won't be the first time

 

[jenelope]

Jenelope - Surley this wouldn't happen if that sunday became available wouldn't the waitlist pick it up straight away? For my 3 nights that I am on the waitlist Fri. night is available now I assume that means that there is no one on the list for that Friday night.

I would assume so, but from what the OP is saying, sometimes people are able to call and get MS to check inventory on a night for which they're already on a waitlist. It's clearly not done as each night becomes available, because either the CM would tell the caller that they already had the room, or it wouldn't be available because it would go to someone higher on the list. Unless I'm completely misunderstanding the system, the only thing automatic about it is that when your name comes up, they book first and notify later.

 

[DisneyBB]

I just phoned up to ask how the waitlist works. The CM said that if any rooms are cancelled the system will check the waitlist straight away and flag it as a waitlist match. It is done as soon as the room is made available. She said that is not done at night time, but all the time.

This makes it even scarier to cancel bookings in order to book another resort, the waitlist could snag it and you could end up losing both. this should have a system of holding rooms to give them time to sort out the reservation.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I just phoned up to ask how the waitlist works. The CM said that if any rooms are cancelled the system will check the waitlist straight away and flag it as a waitlist match. It is done as soon as the room is made available. She said that is not done at night time, but all the time.

This makes it even scarier to cancel bookings in order to book another resort, the waitlist could snag it and you could end up losing both. this should have a system of holding rooms to give them time to sort out the reservation.

This is consistent with what many have reported here that while in the process of switching rooms with MS they cancelled their existing ressie to book the available ressie and then that ressie disappears and they cant get back what they just cancelled.

The day by day waitlist is still in effect, but you cant list it both ways (dayxday and as a whole) because if you did that now, the system would double book you and it could borrow a bunch of points to do it and then those points could not be returned to their original UY if you cancelled the double booking.

 

[disney junky]

This is consistent with what many have reported here that while in the process of switching rooms with MS they cancelled their existing ressie to book the available ressie and then that ressie disappears and they cant get back what they just cancelled.

The day by day waitlist is still in effect, but you cant list it both ways (dayxday and as a whole) because if you did that now, the system would double book you and it could borrow a bunch of points to do it and then those points could not be returned to their original UY if you cancelled the double booking.

My understanding is that the cm is supposed to book the first before cancelling the second as a matter of procedure so that doesn't happen.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

My understanding is that the cm is supposed to book the first before cancelling the second as a matter of procedure so that doesn't happen.

I think the problem is that the system needs POINTS in order to book the second which it won't have until the points used for the first reservation is cancelled during which time the rooms for the second can be booked by someone else.

Happened to me too. One of the nights during my stay in a savanna view was no longer available by the time my original reservation at BWV was cancelled. The standard view was still available and rather than book the sav view and waitlist for the missing night, I just reserved the entire stay in a std view instead.

The really should be able to have a 5 minute hold on the rooms or something like that. If they do, it sure doesn't seem like it.

 

[BroganMc]

Oh waitlist schmaitlist. What are you folks crying about? In order for me to book a room, first I must find general resort availability then the CM has to call special services to see if an accessible room is available. In the 10 minutes time that takes, about 5 of you would have your waitlists filled.

I think I'll go with the strategy of booking at home 11 mos out then checking availability at 7 mos. (Planning to try that next year when I use all my points for one trip. I'll break up part specifically for resort hopping and leave the rest intact.)

 

[antree]

After I originally posted this message I thought maybe I was wrong, but after reading all the replies I know now I am not really doing anything wrong. Yes we all are on a wait list and we all want to get our days. When I call MS and get a day here and there then that is Great for me. Because if I didn't call and it was never applied to anyones wait list then I and you are losing that day to a whole different member who decided to call and try get reservations at the last minute. So that doesn't make the other member wrong for calling and getting a last min. reservation, it made them lucky that they were able to get reservations at all.
So that is why I call and try everyday to add another day to my reservation. I want to go on vacation and I'll have to do everything I can to get my room, just the same each and everyone of you should try and get your rooms. Who we should be mad at is the people who make their reservations at the 11 and 7 mo. mark just to have them and are not even sure they want to use it. They are the people who are making it hard for us who really want to go on vacation but can't get the days.
I told MS I want any day that comes available I don't care if it is one here and there any room view if I have to, I will switch off and on, to different views. All I know is that I want a room for each night I want to be there, so I can go. I told them 3 different times and it took 3 different phone calls for them to apply my re guest to my wait list. I would call and they would say yes we have a standard room for x day, so i would say book it, and how come it was applied to my wait list. Their response is well you have you want a preferred room, again I say NO, I want any room available so I know I will have a room when I get there. So once again they say the will mark it, but next time I call it's not there again.
Finally after about 3 calls it is marked and I get a standard room for the 7th because it was marked on my wait list for a standard or preferred view.

So yes I have to check in on my first day to a standard view 2 days later I check in to a preferred view 5 days later I check out/in a standard view again for 3 days and then back to a preferred. But at least I have a room. I am still waiting for 3 days to complete my reservation. Then after it is completed then I will call and see if all preferred rooms are available.
I was able to get more days on my wait list because I am willing to move in and out of rooms.
So yes I will do what I have to, to get a room and you should too.