Disatissfied with DVC member satisfaction team

[pinnocchiosdad]

Recently we added on at BLT. Our excitment was short lived when we found that we could not get a ressie there for our upcomming 2/10 trip. I called our guide and explained the situation to her. She could not help, but offered me the EMAIL address of the DVC member satisfaction team. I wrote them asking for any advice or assistance that could offer me. I would be fine with it if they just outright said we can't help you. But I never heard back from them in about over a week. We are waitlisted at BLT.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You should have told your Guide before you signed on the dotted line for those BLT points. It's only about two months out and you wanted BLT? Not going to happen.

 

[AKLFan3]

Last minute reservations are very hard to get if you have a specific resort in mind. It took us two years to be able to get a reservation at our home resort. It wasn't available when we first bought in, (like you, we wanted to stay at AKV 2 months after we bought and it just wasn't available), then we had a trip planned far in advance for Christmas at AKV, but had to cancel. It takes some time and planning but you will eventually stay there. Good luck getting your BLT stay!

That's unfortunate they never wrote you back. Perhaps it just takes a long time to hear a response?

 

[DVCGeek]

Good luck and maybe your waitlist will come through. We waitlisted 3 nights in a BLT SV studio back in Sept. for Feb. 2nd arrival and then in early November it came through! Less likely since you have less time for it, but definitely still a chance...

 

[Tigger031266]

My advice, take whatever days they have at BLT. Waitlist for the rest (probably a 50/50 chance).

Sellect another DVC for the days that you can't get BLT. There are some rules that the days need to be together. There are lots of fine DVC's. Try Boardwalk, VWL or SSR.

If your flexable, you can usually make reservations without planning ahead many months (except Holidays and special events).

If you really want a specific hotel and time, you need to plan ahead.

I also agree the customer satisfaction people seem to be no help at all.

 

[DebbieB]

I think your guide "passed the buck". This isn't an issue for member satisfaction. Reservations are subject to availabilty and you can't expect availability 2 months ahead. But they should have responded to you.

 

[Crystal_27]

You should have told your Guide before you signed on the dotted line for those BLT points. It's only about two months out and you wanted BLT? Not going to happen.

Yup - I hate to say it, but I agree that you should have made getting a room at BLT a condition of adding on. And, did you check your spam filters for any reply? It does surprise me that you didn't get some sort of response, even a form one. Here's hoping that your waitlist comes through.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Recently we added on at BLT. Our excitment was short lived when we found that we could not get a ressie there for our upcomming 2/10 trip. I called our guide and explained the situation to her. She could not help, but offered me the EMAIL address of the DVC member satisfaction team. I wrote them asking for any advice or assistance that could offer me. I would be fine with it if they just outright said we can't help you. But I never heard back from them in about over a week. We are waitlisted at BLT.

I really feel your pain, but the reality is that new members don't get any preferrencial treatment on reservations (did I spell that right?) We went through the exact same disappointment and were upset when we bought. We tried to make a reservation at our home resort for about 4 months after we bought. We were so disappointed and upset that we had to be put on a waiting list! Fortunately, our wait list came through and hopefully, yours will too.

 

[TagsMissy]

Recently we added on at BLT. Our excitment was short lived when we found that we could not get a ressie there for our upcomming 2/10 trip. I called our guide and explained the situation to her. She could not help, but offered me the EMAIL address of the DVC member satisfaction team. I wrote them asking for any advice or assistance that could offer me. I would be fine with it if they just outright said we can't help you. But I never heard back from them in about over a week. We are waitlisted at BLT.

I am sorry Member Services never got back to you. That is truly unfortunate, however I don't understand why you'd be upset you couldn't get a room for Feb?? I am assuming 2/10 = Feb 2010... I don't know what MS can do for you or what you actually expect them to do?
I know I've been looking for Feb availability and all I can get is SSR so I have to chose whether to take it or leave it as they say... I am still trying to decide. So there are rooms available just not at BLT. You could try to book at SSR and waitlist?

 

[Lynne M]

Did you make the BLT reservation a condition of your purchase? In other words, was it arranged with your guide before you purchased? I've heard of that being done.

If that's not the case, and you bought and then tried to make a short-notice reservation, there's not much they're going to be able to do to help you. They can't give you a villa if they're already booked by other people, and BLT is a very new and very popular resort.

I'm sorry, I know it's frustrating to make such a large purchase and then have to wait months to take your first trip. DVC is like all timeshares in that it requires planning well in advance. As in 7-11 months in advance. It is sometimes possible to get short-notice reservations, particularly at the largest resorts (OKW and SSR), but it can be considerably more difficult at the other resorts.

I'm also confused as to why your guide passed you on to Member Satisfaction, unless it was just to give you an avenue to make a complaint.

 

[Kris10luvsDisney]

like pp'ers have stated a ressie at the newest and most popular DVC resort is highly unlikely to happen 2 months out. Also, if you are looking to travel during President's week (when the kiddos are out of school) that is almost impossible to book and would need to be planned and booked at your 11 month window. Planning ahead is key!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I really feel your pain, but the reality is that new members don't get any preferrencial treatment on reservations (did I spell that right?) We went through the exact same disappointment and were upset when we bought. We tried to make a reservation at our home resort for about 4 months after we bought. We were so disappointed and upset that we had to be put on a waiting list! Fortunately, our wait list came through and hopefully, yours will too.

But according to several reports they do. Pretty much it needs to be set up before you purchase though. And frankly there are differences in guides. Some are willing to go an extra step for you and other's not at all.

Member Satisfaction isn't really the avenue for this though and I don't think your guide should have directed you to them. The only response you would be likely to get is unlikely to be very satisfying.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

When we bought at the BW in Oct 05 we got a room at the BW in a 1 bedroom, BW view for Feb of 06 for only 3 nights. We had to go to the BCv in a studio for the 4th night and VB for the 5th & 6th nights-- It was a few days before Presidents week. We were lucky it was available for the 3 nights only 4 months out.

Are you going Presidents week? Presidents week is tough because all the schools in the NE area are on break.

Can you change your dates?

The thing is at the 7 month window ALL DVC members have the right to make ressie at the BLT- and since it is new and only half sold, a lot of members are trying it out! Try out the BW or BC is you can-- they are both great resorts and within walking distance to 2 parks.

 

[vicki_c]

I don't know what the guide said to you about calling the Member Satisfaction Team, but I'm wondering if she just meant to call them and express that you were unhappy with not being able to get a reservation, NOT that they would be able to get one for you.

I have to agree with all the PPs -- you're too close to your travel dates. Some people have reported that they made it a condition of purchasing - that they told their guide they wouldn't purchase unless he/she got them the reservation they wanted -- in those cases, they seem to be able to make it happen. In any other situation, I don't see it happening.

We were not able to get our 1st choice resort for our first trip either (3 months out) so we waitlisted and a few days came through. We ended up doing a split stay between our home resort and another and it turned out great.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Just reiterating what others have said here - the Member Satisfaction team is where you write to make complaints known. They are unable to obtain reservations for you. They will provide a venue for you to make your dissatisfaction heard..that is about it.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

And just to add, any villas that remain unreserved on points at the 60 day mark are turned over to CRO for cash reservations.

 

[Dean]

To agree with the crowd, this was an expected event and not anything to complain about. Take what you can get and wait list what you want.

 

[disneynutz]

In a nut shell...

1. You should have made your purchase contingent upon getting reservations for your first stay.

2. Your Guide either is new or lazy and didn't know any better or didn't care when she passed you off to Member Satisfaction.

3. Member Satisfaction is really back logged right now. There are only four on the team and I would guess that not all four are currently working. Current return call time is two weeks, so you may still be contacted. Make sure that you provide your phone number and Member number on all correspondence.

Bill

 

[dianeschlicht]

I really don't see what the member satisfaction team can do when someone doesn't try to reserve until the 60 day mark. If there aren't rooms available, it's not like they can kick someone else out to make one available.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

I mentioned to my guide that there was no availability at BLT when I purchased. She could not do anything for me. It was not a deal breaker. My post was not to complain about not getting a ressie. We have a studio for VWL and are fine with it. We will visit BLT. My post was to express a dissatisfaction with taking the time to sit down and write the DVC member satisfactin team, and then them not even responding to my corespondence.