DVC units used to cover sold out resorts?

[RickinPA]

Friends of ours booked their first ever trip to WDW this past October. They booked the buy 4 get 3 at POP Century.

When they arrived to check in, they were told that the resort was over booked and that they were getting a free upgrade to Old Key West.

After some additional computer searching by the Cast Member, they were told that OKW was not available. They were given a one bedroom suite at Saratoga Springs Resort.

Anyone else hear about a similiar upgrade??

 

[mgroshans]

Nope, I've never heard of this happening to anyone

 

[Meriweather]

yes.....when we were at OKW in late Sept....we met several families that been upgraded to OKW from value resorts.

 

[dallastxcpa]

Lot's of people got upgrades during the free dining program back in August/September. There were a couple of threads discussing it. These upgrades also happened in 2008 during the free dining.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Yes it happens. Remember, Disney retains a small ownership in the resorts, plus they have ROFRs that are on their books. Additionally when people trade out, they need to sell rooms to make up for the trades out (simplistically).

What would be interesting to know is when people are upgraded from values, if they are from traded out units, what's the rate that hits breakage, is it the value room rate or does CRO pay the applicable room rate offsetting the difference between what the guest pays on the room rate?

 

[Dean]

It's happened a lot the last couple of years where some were booked moderates, even values at times, and upgraded. Many were done ahead of time rather than at check in.

 

[La2kw]

Friends of ours booked their first ever trip to WDW this past October. They booked the buy 4 get 3 at POP Century.

When they arrived to check in, they were told that the resort was over booked and that they were getting a free upgrade to Old Key West.

After some additional computer searching by the Cast Member, they were told that OKW was not available. They were given a one bedroom suite at Saratoga Springs Resort.

Anyone else hear about a similar upgrade??

Yes, quite a few times- and it is annoying that someone paying so little for a value room gets to stay at my home resort, when my points cost so much. That said, good for them to get such a wonderful upgrade!

 

[Mouse511]

While I agree "Good for them for the value to Deluxe upgrade" - but the thing that bothers me is that it will NEVER happen to me - when I book my 1 bedroom - I will never hear a CM say - "Oh were sorry - all the 1 bedrooms are booked and you are such a great DVC Member - lets upgrade you to the Grand Villa."

Cash customers always take #1 priority.

 

[littlestar]

Another way to look at it - how many people get an upgrade into a DVC unit and end up buying into it later down the road?

Don't cruise ships offer upgrades into higher categories when they need to free up more of the lower priced inventory?

I would think it would help the employees of Walt Disney World to stay employed by freeing up the affordable value resorts for more bookings. Especially during this terrible recession.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Another way to look at it - how many people get an upgrade into a DVC unit and end up buying into it later down the road?

Don't cruise ships offer upgrades into higher categories when they need to free up more of the lower priced inventory?

I would think it would help the employees of Walt Disney World to stay employed by freeing up the affordable value resorts for more bookings. Especially during this terrible recession.

Although I agree, just remember that DVC is different then a hotel or cruise ship because Disney doesn't own the rights to most of rooms, members do. They have obligations to their membership and the membership has rights to proceeds of sales outside their owned interest and transfers.

 

[Dean]

I go by the motto that someone else's gain is not necessarily my loss. It does not hurt me personally if someone else gets upgraded and I get to use DVC.

 

[RobDoc]

The upgrade rooms were villas made available by DVC members - either from Breakage Inventory (unreserved villas during the 60 days before arrival) or from DVC points used for non-DVC options (like the cruise or other WDW resorts) and provided to DRC for cash reservations. These villas were not available any longer to DVC members and would otherwise sit empty, so Disney provides them as an overflow for Value and Moderate resorts which are at capacity during incentive programs.

Disney has done this for years - upgrading guests from Value resorts to Moderates, Moderate Resorts to Deluxe - and it often serves as a win-win since many of those guests will reserve the higher category on their next trip. There is little (if any) real cost to Disney for these upgrades.

 

[whitfamily]

We got upgraded from Port Orleans to Yacht Club in August 2008. During the trip we walked over to the Boardwalk and BCV for a while. That really began out path to purchasing DVC in Apr 09.

 

[dansamy]

We got upgraded from Port Orleans to Yacht Club in August 2008. During the trip we walked over to the Boardwalk and BCV for a while. That really began out path to purchasing DVC in Apr 09.

And that's why it's good customer service to upgrade the customer to a DVC unit, if there is one available. No better selling point than actually experiencing the product.

So, is President's week gonna be really crowded?

 

[JimC]

The upgrade rooms were villas made available by DVC members - either from Breakage Inventory (unreserved villas during the 60 days before arrival) or from DVC points used for non-DVC options (like the cruise or other WDW resorts) and provided to DRC for cash reservations. These villas were not available any longer to DVC members and would otherwise sit empty, so Disney provides them as an overflow for Value and Moderate resorts which are at capacity during incentive programs.

Disney has done this for years - upgrading guests from Value resorts to Moderates, Moderate Resorts to Deluxe - and it often serves as a win-win since many of those guests will reserve the higher category on their next trip. There is little (if any) real cost to Disney for these upgrades.

It is also easier to rebook a cheaper room, then one of our more expensive villas. Same with upgrades from value to moderate or moderate to deluxe. This is common practice in the lodging industry to manage inventory utilization.

 

[Lynne M]

I go by the motto that someone else's gain is not necessarily my loss. It does not hurt me personally if someone else gets upgraded and I get to use DVC.

Thank you.

If someone staying at a value gets a once-in-a-lifetime upgrade to a villa, and I'm using points to stay at the villa next door, am I still getting a fantastic deal on my lodging? Yup.

Am I getting exactly what I was promised in the contract? Yup.

Is what the guest next door paid for their villa any of my business? Nope.

Honestly, I'm not going to lose one microsecond's sleep worrying about what other people pay for stuff. It doesn't affect me in the least.

 

[DVCBELLE]

Last year, my in-laws went with us to WDW and we got 2 studios at BWV. Both were standard views. But guess which room got upgraded to a HUGE balconay and GORGEOUS view of the Boardwalk and water!!

They obviously got upgraded b/c they were the non-members and DVC was trying to sell them on buying!

 

[PinkTink63]

In August we were staying in our studio at SSR. While on the bus, I was sitting next to a lady that had booked two value rooms and was upgraded to two one-bedroom villas. She already owned a Marriott timeshare, but decided to go to Disney because of the free dining they were offering. She said she paid $1400 for each room that included dining plan and tickets for eight people! I thought that was quite an upgrade!

 

[christa112]

As long as I don't get bumped from reservation I honestly don't care.

If the hotel gets over booked (not exactly sure how that happens) what are they suppose to do? Tell them Sorry, we have over booked you are going to have to find yourself somewhere else to stay. It is definately not fair that someone who is paying $89.00 a night gets to sleep in a 1 bedroom Villa. But if it is the only option then so be it.

 

[CarolMN]

It is also easier to rebook a cheaper room, then one of our more expensive villas. Same with upgrades from value to moderate or moderate to deluxe. This is common practice in the lodging industry to manage inventory utilization.

Very common. And the cruise lines do it, too.