Contemporary - Trouble changing reservation dates with pin code—any suggestions?

[Little_Sister]

Hi all…I’m hoping some of you veterans can offer me some suggestions or even a glimmer of hope with an unfortunate booking reservation…

Here’s my story…(sorry it’s a bit long-winded…thanks in advance if you make it all the way through!!)

Last Friday the 18th I was very fortunate to receive a 40% off Deluxe Resort pin code. I immediately booked a
6-night/7-day stay at the Contemporary, Tower-MK View for the dates of 11.15—11.21.10.

After approving those dates, my boyfriend’s boss then expressed some concern with him being out the week prior to Black Friday (he’s a retail store manager) and suggested he move his vacation to the week prior.

So I called the Disney Travel Company to move the dates to 11.7—11.14.10 (I wanted to add an extra night)…

The first cast member I spoke to was very kind, but said unfortunately there wasn’t anything available that week for Tower-MK View or Club Level-MK View that qualified for my pin code. Apparently they only release a certain number of rooms for each pin code…She urged me to keep my current reservation and suggested that I keep calling back every day to see if anything opens up for the other week…

I called this morning and spoke to a not so kind cast member that told me all I could book for that week is a Club Level room—but the MK view is not guaranteed, at check-in you could get Bay Lake or MK—it’s a toss up….

I told her I didn’t understand why they couldn’t guarantee the MK view if there were rooms available because I’ve booked Club Level-MK view guaranteed before for our trip just this past November….

She said it was because there were different codes/classes of rooms and the guaranteed MK-view rooms were all booked. She gave me the following examples of codes/classes:

Club-Level MK-View, guaranteed….A
Club-Level BL-View, guaranteed….B
Club-Level BL or MK views, not guaranteed…C

Does anyone understand why Option C exists? There are only two views available in the tower…why would you have two guaranteed options, and then a third wild card option? I could only guess it’s a matter of cost—but that logic still doesn’t really make sense to me…

I told her if it was a matter of cost to get a guaranteed MK-view I would gladly pay it if I could still use my pin code…but she says that’s not the case and there was no way she could book me with a guaranteed view with my pin code….but could book me a MK-view room without the use of the pin code…

I could tell she was getting agitated with my questions (I didn’t mean to sound dense—I just couldn’t wrap my head around it)…but she was getting agitated and we weren’t getting anywhere so I decided to drop the issue with her and I kept my original reservation.

The MK-View is really important to us…I know it may sound silly to some…but it’s kind of a deal breaker for us…we spend so much time on our balcony just enjoying the view that I can’t imagine not having it so I really don’t want to gamble on that, especially when DW is so expensive—pin code or not…I don’t want to compromise on the things that make us the happiest and feel regret later.

I guess I’d like to know if anyone else has experienced these obstacles with a pin code…and if I should continue to try calling hoping something opens up at the reduced rate…or if I should just cancel and book at the full rate to get the view that I want?

Any thoughts, strategies, suggestions would all be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again if you were able to read this far!!

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

Well, geez, sounds weird to me to! I would hate to have the "non-guaranteed" ressie as well! The only obstacles we faced were having to move our dates up two days to use our PIN code (because of Columbus day) ,and also the only thing available was theme park view or above so our total was a bit more than I had really wanted to spend. I think so many PIN codes have gone out now that rooms are getting really limited. Sorry that I don't have any suggestions..maybe someone else will!

 

[Little_Sister]

yeah it completely blew my mind too...I can't for the life of me figure out how you get a third option out of only two views! but they did it!

I think with it being close to a year away i'm gonna try my luck every few days and hopefully something will open up. fingers crossed!!

thanks so much for chiming in!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I am not sure why she gave you option C because the view is guaranteed when it comes to the Atrium Club rooms. Now with the standard rooms on the Tower Club they are not guaranteed, unless you make a reservation for one of their suites.

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

Are these non-guaranteed view rooms only for club level ressies or something??

 

[Little_Sister]

I am not sure why she gave you option C because the view is guaranteed when it comes to the Atrium Club rooms. Now with the standard rooms on the Tower Club they are not guaranteed, unless you make a reservation for one of their suites.

That must have been what it was...we booked an Atrium Club room last time with the MK view guaranteed...I remember when you weren't able to have any view guaranteed and they recently changed that for 2009...so I just assumed they would have made that change across the board...apparently not.

But what I don't get about the standard rooms is why they won't guarantee the view...it just doesn't make sense to me...there are only two views...if they think one is more coveted than the other...fine...charge more...but I think people should have the ability to book the view of their choice...

I realize I'm now just arguing over their policy which we unfortunately have no control over...I just question the logic behind the policy...I just don't get it.

But thanks for weighing in and shedding some light on the confusion...

 

[PearlySwan]

^^^I would suggest you keep calling them. Do you have an expiration date on your PIN code? If so, I would call them every day until your PIN code offer expires. After that, it would be up to you to determine whether or not you want to spend the full rack rate or wait for another offer to come along. Sorry I can't be of any more help.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have no idea if this is the case, but I wonder if the C option your were given is basically used to fill any available room of that type.
This way they can't overbook any MK room view, which I am sure is the most popular.
I also have not stayed at BLT. But one person I know who did had what they called a Contemporary view. They were on the BLT bldg end that faces the Cont. And I can see that can happen with the way the buildings are situated. I do not know what view they call those rooms. However wondering if rooms such as that could be that option C you were offered.
I would just keep trying back and see if availability hits for a MK view.
Again just guessing, but BLT is a DVC resort (obviously). So guessing only a certain percentage go into sale where us commoners can book.
I also would not be surprised if BLT is a very popular resort between being new and it's location/view. Meaning it just very well could be harder to get exactly what you want with a discount.

 

[Little_Sister]

^^^I would suggest you keep calling them. Do you have an expiration date on your PIN code? If so, I would call them every day until your PIN code offer expires. After that, it would be up to you to determine whether or not you want to spend the full rack rate or wait for another offer to come along. Sorry I can't be of any more help.

I think you're right...I'm gonna keep calling and crossing my fingers!! thanks!!

 

[Little_Sister]

I have no idea if this is the case, but I wonder if the C option your were given is basically used to fill any available room of that type.
This way they can't overbook any MK room view, which I am sure is the most popular.
I also have not stayed at BLT. But one person I know who did had what they called a Contemporary view. They were on the BLT bldg end that faces the Cont. And I can see that can happen with the way the buildings are situated. I do not know what view they call those rooms. However wondering if rooms such as that could be that option C you were offered.
I would just keep trying back and see if availability hits for a MK view.
Again just guessing, but BLT is a DVC resort (obviously). So guessing only a certain percentage go into sale where us commoners can book.
I also would not be surprised if BLT is a very popular resort between being new and it's location/view. Meaning it just very well could be harder to get exactly what you want with a discount.

I dont think so in this case...I specifically asked for the Tower MK View...I believe BLT, even though it's the DVC of the CR...I believe you would have to ask specifically for BLT...or they would say specifically BLT if they were giving you that option...

But I think you're right that there are a limited # of location/view that go along with the pin codes...I think they only release a certain # of rooms at a time...

I'm gonna keep calling (praying) that something opens up for those other dates...that's all I can do.

thanks everyone for your thoughts...

 

[Luv2Roam]

Yeah, I did not read the original post enough, and assumed it was BLT.
You are right -- it's Bay Lake or MK view. So I am just guessing the other option is whatever is available. Agree, seems strange. There are a lot of room types at Contemp. But one would think it's either Bay Lake or MK. Not whatever. I guess technically they could throw in the Garden View in that mix.
So is that option C the "standard" room? That seems pretty generic when considering the other room view names.

 

[Little_Sister]

Yeah, I did not read the original post enough, and assumed it was BLT.
You are right -- it's Bay Lake or MK view. So I am just guessing the other option is whatever is available. Agree, seems strange. There are a lot of room types at Contemp. But one would think it's either Bay Lake or MK. Not whatever. I guess technically they could throw in the Garden View in that mix.
So is that option C the "standard" room? That seems pretty generic when considering the other room view names.

Well I was only booking in the Tower...which only has the two views..that's why they threw me off with the third option of not guaranteeing your view...it just seemed so silly to me...it's like the whole thing where you can only request a King bed...but they can't guarantee it...

I don't know why they just can't reserve the dang room you want...you know...first come/first served...and when that room is booked up...it's sorry...we dont have a king/mk view...we only have BL/2 queens...I just cant wrap my head around it...

but I'm sure it has something to do with $$...it always does

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

That must have been what it was...we booked an Atrium Club room last time with the MK view guaranteed...I remember when you weren't able to have any view guaranteed and they recently changed that for 2009...so I just assumed they would have made that change across the board...apparently not.

But what I don't get about the standard rooms is why they won't guarantee the view...it just doesn't make sense to me...there are only two views...if they think one is more coveted than the other...fine...charge more...but I think people should have the ability to book the view of their choice...

I realize I'm now just arguing over their policy which we unfortunately have no control over...I just question the logic behind the policy...I just don't get it.

But thanks for weighing in and shedding some light on the confusion...

You're welcome and I wish I had a correct answer on why they do that for the standard rooms on the Tower Club floor and maybe it's because they have only 5 of them in total.

 

[Little_Sister]

You're welcome and I wish I had a correct answer on why they do that for the standard rooms on the Tower Club floor and maybe it's because they have only 5 of them in total.

I'm hoping I'll learn a definitive answer when I call...if I do...I'll let you guys know.

thanks again and happy holidays!!!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I'm hoping I'll learn a definitive answer when I call...if I do...I'll let you guys know.

thanks again and happy holidays!!!

You're welcome and please let us know what you can find out.

 

[BabyRN]

I would keep trying to call every day. Remember too that people may have held a reservation for 7 days and then either change their mind or not pay their deposit. Calling as soon as they open in the morning everyday is your best bet. Good luck!

 

[f15robyn]

We just stayed on the 14th floor two weeks ago. Here's what we learned in preparation for our trip. The five standard rooms on the 14th floor actually have two different booking categories.

There are two rooms that are category CW - King Standard. Those both have a guaranteed MK view and a king bed. They are rooms 4911 and 4912. And I understand they are slighly smaller than the other standard rooms in the building (although 4912 was plenty big for the 2 of us and we loved knowing we were guaranteed both the MK view and the king bed).

The other three are category CY - Queen Standard. Two of those face the MK and one faces Bay Lake (and one of the two that faces MK is designated as handicapped accessable - CYH). In that category, you never know which room you're going to get, so it might be Bay Lake view).

As long as you're calling, you can ask about the specific options on the 14th floor (that aren't suites).

Good luck.

 

[Little_Sister]

Very helpful info!! thanks!!

I have been calling every morning...so far no luck...buy you have made me a bit more optimistic...so thanks very much!!