Cruise resale disappointment

[skylynx]

Just got off the Feb 9 Fantasy...cruise was great. For a Valentine's gift to each other, DH and I decided to buy a 25 point add-on at Wilderness Lodge to combine with our other 25 point non-Disney direct resale contract. We have points at SSR and AKV, but VWL is our favorite place to stay. We found out the VWL points were $102. Although that's substantially higher than resale, we have found small Wilderness Lodge resale points with our use year (April) don't come along very often. The closing costs were $97 through Disney (substantially less than we paid for closing costs on our non-Disney direct resale) and we'd be eligible for the waiver to bank the 2012 points. So effectively, it "felt" like we were getting some bonus one-time points even though it was just a factor of purchasing points late in a use year. We decided to go for it.

We met with the sales rep at the DVC rooms at the bottom of the ship where we were shown there were three available sets of April use year VWL contract points, enough to take our 25 out of them. We filled out the paperwork and the sales rep said we couldn't actually sign then because it was for a "sold out" property, but that we COULD sign them at the DVC sales office at Kidani since we are staying at AKV post cruise. Gave our credit card # for the deposit, received a hearty "congratulations on your purchase" and off we skipped.

Today, we went to the sales office at Kidani to sign, and a less-than-friendly woman told us we must be mistaken, there was no contract. What? When we didn't just slink away, she took our two member cards (two contracts), went away for a long time, and then came back with the QA guy who told us they found the contract, but that we were actually just put on a wait list. For crying out loud! Our sales person definitely did NOT mention anything about a wait list...the sale was a "done deal" down to the conversation we had with her about using our new points to book a DVC stay around next year's cruise. QA guy admits they dropped the ball and that the sales person on the cruise shouldn't have told us those points she showed us in the inventory were available and should have mentioned the wait list. He said he called her cell phone (she wasn't on the ship this week) and he thinks she didn't call back because she's on vacation.

Certainly not the end of the world, and we may eventually get the opportunity to buy the points when our wait list number comes up, but it still stings a bit. I'm going to take this as a sign I should go back to hunting for another non-Disney resale where we might be able to get more points for less money, and maybe even a loaded contract. Our first VWL contract was like that. I've been watching a couple different re-sellers for about a year now, and no April use year small point contracts have come up for VWL that I spotted...I know how limited the inventory is, which was why we were willing to pay more to get points in our use year direct through Disney. Sigh.

 

[Simba's Mom]

"Stings a bit"? If this is truly how things happened, I'd be furious. There's got to be a "rest of the story" as Paul Harvey used to say. Have you contacted member satisfaction? Have you spoken to the sales rep from the cruise?

 

[tripletsmama]

I hope you can get in contact with the sales rep from the cruise. I would be so bummed! Pixie dust for your waitlist coming through quickly.

 

[tjkraz]

Yeah, the sales person definitely shouldn't have suggested it was a "done deal" until checking for inventory. On "sold out" resorts, Disney needs to reacquire the points before they can sell you an add-on. With 10 properties and 8 Use Years, they simply do not keep a quantity of every combination on hand.

But I can certainly appreciate the disappointment.

Getting a small contract via resale can be even more challenging...and doesn't typically save a lot of money.

With a buyer ready and willing, Disney should be more inclined to exercise ROFR on the next April VWL contract that is presented. Most waits do not seem to be terribly long.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[ssawka]

My question is, since you were put on a wait list, does that mean that you are under no obligation to purchase if you happen to come across a resale contract before the direct points become available?

 

[skylynx]

Have not done anything yet to complain-it just happened today and the cruise sales rep is proving unreachable thus far. She probably will respond eventually with an apology, but it won't change the fact that DVC can't sell me points it doesn't have to sell. What realistically can I expect them to do because one of their sales team gave me incorrect information? Argh.

When I get home, I will write up my disappointment in the unhappy episode and the unfortunate byproducts of it, such as our wasting part of our last day of vacation rearranging our plans so we could drive to the sales office and participate in the unfunny comedy of first being told we didn't have a contract, and then being told we did have a contract after all, but apparently we were too daft not to realize that we were on a wait list instead of there to sign the papers, and then, finally, being asked by the QA guy if we were set on buying points, why we didn't just buy a contract at some other property instead.
What's the right thing for DVC to do for us at this point? We were misled, but no collateral damage was done other than some disappointment and inconvenience. I will tell my story, but I don't expect anything other than a "sorry."

The QA guy told me when the wait list comes through, we will have the option to take it or pass and cancel the sales order. Though they took our credit card information for the sale we thought we were making, according to Mr. QA we will not be charged until we accept the sale when/if the points we are waiting for come available.

It was a great vacation despite this.

 

[disneynutz]

Have not done anything yet to complain-it just happened today and the cruise sales rep is proving unreachable thus far. She probably will respond eventually with an apology, but it won't change the fact that DVC can't sell me points it doesn't have to sell. What realistically can I expect them to do because one of their sales team gave me incorrect information? Argh.

When I get home, I will write up my disappointment in the unhappy episode and the unfortunate byproducts of it, such as our wasting part of our last day of vacation rearranging our plans so we could drive to the sales office and participate in the unfunny comedy of first being told we didn't have a contract, and then being told we did have a contract after all, but apparently we were too daft not to realize that we were on a wait list instead of there to sign the papers, and then, finally, being asked by the QA guy if we were set on buying points, why we didn't just buy a contract at some other property instead.
What's the right thing for DVC to do for us at this point? We were misled, but no collateral damage was done other than some disappointment and inconvenience. I will tell my story, but I don't expect anything other than a "sorry."

The QA guy told me when the wait list comes through, we will have the option to take it or pass and cancel the sales order. Though they took our credit card information for the sale we thought we were making, according to Mr. QA we will not be charged until we accept the sale when/if the points we are waiting for come available.

It was a great vacation despite this.

I would at least send a email to the new SVP & GM Ken Potrock and voice your displeasure.

Bill

 

[rutgers1]

I would expect compensation. As you said, it was not only a disappointment, but also an inconvenience. You essentially wasted time on the cruise, as well as when you returned to land. You totally could have been doing fun things during that time, and it was Disney's fault.

I might be crazy, but I think they should refund your points for the last stay of the trip.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I would expect compensation. As you said, it was not only a disappointment, but also an inconvenience. You essentially wasted time on the cruise, as well as when you returned to land. You totally could have been doing fun things during that time, and it was Disney's fault.

I might be crazy, but I think they should refund your points for the last stay of the trip.

You do realize that you will be contributing to that compensation?

I don't think guest dissatisfaction all comes out of marketing,some of it is overhead.

And I think the request in unrealistic here. You need to have a realistic approach. Maybe one night for the messed up day or something, but the 'Last stay" really?

 

[Micca]

Geez Skylynx that's really disappointing. Sure hope you can find the points & the UY you want real soon. I don't know what to say about compensation, but it'd sure be nice if the sales rep would reach out with some kind of an explanation/apology.

 

[skylynx]

I'm not after compensation. I'm out a couple of hours of wasted time and some disappointment. The loss was more emotional than anything else. Nothing as an adult I expect to be paid back for losing. But I will document what happened to me to share with DVC because when one of their senior sales staff makes a mistake like this, they need to 'fess up to it and attempt to make it right, not just ignore it and hope it goes away. I still may get a call from the sales rep...my letter will go out regardless.

If DVC wanted to offer a service recovery gesture that doesn't come out of the pockets of my fellow members like waiving closing costs (if we eventually do get offered the points to buy) or offering the equivalent amount of one-time bonus points with our purchase that would be super. I don't expect it to happen, though.

Meanwhile, I'll keep checking the resellers sites in case this mishap was a sign to me that I was meant to find something even better elsewhere!

 

[sleepydog25]

I applaud how you are handling the situation. As you point out, it's not an earth-shattering event, and you may very well come out of this with a contract you desire. By all means, voice your displeasure since poor advice by a sales rep needs remedial training, but your calm and adult outlook is admirable. Good luck!

 

[twinklebug]

.. because when one of their senior sales staff makes a mistake like this, they need to 'fess up to it and attempt to make it right, not just ignore it and hope it goes away.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. Senior staff should know better. Junior staff should know better too. It's not like Disney is a shady car dealer selling vehicles that aren't even on the lot yet, while claiming they're in the service bay being detailed.

It all comes down to training and how much the sales reps been allowed to get away with in the past. Maybe your experience was a one time oversight, maybe not. Either way, I'm glad you're speaking up so they can look into the matter and put a stop to it if it was more than an honest mistake.

 

[bigtony777]

I think a handful of fast passes for your next trip would not be too much to ask for. That should make up for the lost time.

 

[skylynx]

I think a handful of fast passes for your next trip would not be too much to ask for. That should make up for the lost time.

Hey! I agree!

 

[Greysword]

I would suggest letting them know, in your letter/email, that you will be pursuing resale options while waiting, and if they are able to find the points fast enough, then you would be open to purchasing from DVD. Puts a little fire under them that they may loose a sale due to the incident

As for being out money, then you won't be out anything, since you'll have the option to rescind once the paperwork is officially signed, anyway. As for now, they can't really hold a deposit for a significant length of time, nor charge the card until you've signed the paperwork. (this is from a small amount of research and experience, while an attorney would know for certain.)

As for compensation, I doubt it would come out of dues, since it has no bearing on maintenance or management of DVC. If it did, I bet it could be fought in court, and DVD isn't likely to do something of such a small scale that threatens bad press. I could be wrong, though, but i hope I'm not .

For your personal compensation, you could speak to a manager at the sales office, if you have the time. Fast passes would be a quick and easy compensation, which would likely given freely if asked to repair any ill-will. In addition if at the sales center, you may be able to also negotiate an ice cream

 

[CPTJAK]

why not look at other use years, doesn't seem to be that big of a deal to have more than one use year?

 

[disneynutz]

why not look at other use years, doesn't seem to be that big of a deal to have more than one use year?

A second UY means that you have a separate second membership. Not really a big deal but why double your work if you don't have to.

Bill

 

[rutgers1]

You do realize that you will be contributing to that compensation?

I don't think guest dissatisfaction all comes out of marketing,some of it is overhead.

And I think the request in unrealistic here. You need to have a realistic approach. Maybe one night for the messed up day or something, but the 'Last stay" really?

I meant last "day", not "stay." And I would think that they would be responsible for some type of compensation if the story as told to us here is 100% correct.

 

[tgropp]

Hey! I agree!

I dont think that this will be a problem. I was on that cruise and went to the DVC meet on the Sunday morning. They were pushing AKL sales by hyping AKL,s concierge options.
I heard them say that BWV had points to be sold but never heard VWL because I would have jumped at that also as I need 25 mor VWL points to have the same amount as I do at BCV. It is never good when your dreams get crushed, especially by Disney. Things will work out for you in the end though.
BTW, was that not a great cruise!