DVCmembers.com vs Disney.com website

[wendyinoc]

Help me understand why the DVC website is not more advanced? If you go to Disney.com they have one of the most advanced sites I have seen. Yet if you go to the DVCmembers.com site its like visiting a site 10 years ago. Not sure why the website designers are not updating it. Is their a plan??

 

[dianeschlicht]

They have been telling us for years that we can expect booking etc. on the website in the near future. Since they have been telling us that for years, I guess their idea of "near future" and mine are a bit different. Actually, I like being able to talk to a real person when I book though. I don't think the member site is all that bad. It would be a pretty daunting job to make it as interactive as most members seem to want.

 

[gppnj]

I became a member in July 2005. The member Web site has come a long way since then. Back then, it was pretty much only good to look up points charts. I trust they'll continue to improve it. On-line reservations is probably quite complicated. Remember, they need to not just have that capability but to have that capability in an interface that the majority of members can use and understand.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

Help me understand why the DVC website is not more advanced? If you go to Disney.com they have one of the most advanced sites I have seen. Yet if you go to the DVCmembers.com site its like visiting a site 10 years ago. Not sure why the website designers are not updating it. Is their a plan??

Aside from the fact that you can't check availability of rooms and make instant reservations online, I'm not sure where the members website is lacking.

What other features do you want to see included?

 

[thepops]

Maybe they just wnat to keep that personal touch by having you talk to a real person. If you go and do all that online booking stuff and then never talk to a real person, it might feel more like just reserving at an old regular hotel. Who knows what might happen after that. They might go and start using styrofoam cups and paper plates in some of the rooms. ..... oh... oops .... nevermind....

 

[ragtopday]

Aside from the fact that you can't check availability of rooms and make instant reservations online, I'm not sure where the members website is lacking.

What other features do you want to see included?

Actually these ARE the features I'd like to see included!

 

[toocherie]

I think even if they could show availability -- even on the basis of a snapshot at the end of each day-- it would make a huge difference . . . would seem to me that this could be something achievable that wouldn't have to be too complicated. But I'm not a techie so what do I know?

 

[macosx]

Help me understand why the DVC website is not more advanced? If you go to Disney.com they have one of the most advanced sites I have seen. Yet if you go to the DVCmembers.com site its like visiting a site 10 years ago. Not sure why the website designers are not updating it. Is their a plan??

Money. Disney is a business after all and any expense must be paid for. Web sites cost money to build. Adoption rates are still probably fairly low. If you're asking for additional services, they have to consider whether spending $100,000 to develop and service new features can be spread over 100,000 members or only 10,000. There may be cost savings in some areas, but if only 90,000 still do things the old way, it might be quite a long time to achieve positive ROI (returns on investment), and they're spending twice as much in supporting two different methods of doing the same thing. And even if there was an expectation of positive return, they'd have to make the case and borrow money upfront to invest in the cost savings.

I'd like to see more features online, but understand why they're going very slow. As membership grows, the business case towards doing more online is more compelling. Were in the early days of the ATM, and those who thought we'd be buying airline tickets/movie tickets/even tickets at the ATM are still projecting the future.

 

[DebbieB]

And who would pay for DVC website development costs? Through dues? I'd rather not pay higher dues for a fancy website.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Help me understand why the DVC website is not more advanced? If you go to Disney.com they have one of the most advanced sites I have seen. Yet if you go to the DVCmembers.com site its like visiting a site 10 years ago. Not sure why the website designers are not updating it. Is their a plan??

Please all correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the website is outsourced to a non-Disney company.

 

[Sully]

I think the DVC website is constantly being updated. The past day I have been unable to find the member getaway-Interval International resort listings. It was on the site last week with different listings that the member book.

 

[Boardwalker]

You can blame me... well not really but...
I have a beloved nephew whose company has been working with a central Florida company who need help getting their guests to be able to more easily engage with getting things booked.... Love you, $%^!!!

But as to the real question? The reason that the DVC website is so much more neglected is the money involved.. They already got the bulk of ours. We are not high on the profit scale. They know we are coming back, and when we do they will get something from us. If they can hook in someone who doesn't have prepaid accomodations, the profit soars. If you figure the tickets and meals and souvenirs that you buy and then compare it to the rate posted on the back of the door for the accomodations... we really lose.

But how much more money do you want to pay per point for the web site as opposed to repairs and maintenance or housekeeping?

 

[wendyinoc]

I would think having a better site would lower our costs. I assume we pay for the call center reps in member services. If the site showed availability many people would not call just to see if they can get it. Most companies promote online and many charge if you talk to a rep like banks, airlines, etc.. It just does not make sense as our size gets bigger. I would like to see on the future site availability, online reservations, add extra features like dinning.

 

[BroganMc]

If you go to Disney.com they have one of the most advanced sites I have seen.

Actually I hate the Disney.com/go.abc.disney.com website. It's so cluttered with extra junk it frequently crashes my browser. I always mute my sound when I have to go there to check prices.

At least DVCMember.com only has sound on the welcome page and is easily clicked off.

 

[Boardwalker]

I would think having a better site would lower our costs. I assume we pay for the call center reps in member services. If the site showed availability many people would not call just to see if they can get it. Most companies promote online and many charge if you talk to a rep like banks, airlines, etc.. It just does not make sense as our size gets bigger. I would like to see on the future site availability, online reservations, add extra features like dinning.

Unfortunately, DVC has a computer system that is not even recognized when you call to make ADR's.
I think we are a very long ways out on the wish list.

 

[drusba]

I am not that overly complimentary of even the main Disney site, which Disney took about 13 years to even get to the half-decent stage. The DVC site started long after the Disney site and still has many years to go down that normal Disney 13 year odyssey to being any good. I also wonder how Steve Jobs can be the big shareholder/director and you still can't get the Disney/DVC sites to work properly with a Mac and Safari.

 

[Boardwalker]

Actually I hate the Disney.com/go.abc.disney.com website. It's so cluttered with extra junk it frequently crashes my browser.

That part my nephew didn't do. Still love you &*^!

But seriously, I think the most obvious problem with the DVC site is that it must not be any one person's responsibility. There isn't one person who is dedicated to updating the info and making sure it is current. I can accept the regular problem with accessing my account info, writing it off to updates, but the general stuff gets neglected too long.

 

[ragtopday]

Customers who use the web to do business save the company money. Online transactions cost pennies whereas transactions performed by a live person cost dollars. Any cost involved in upgrading the DVC site would likely be recouped in a short time with the savings in reducing phone rep time.

Perhaps DVC feels the bulk of their customers are not internet-savvy and would be unlikely to take advantage of a web-based reservation system - I couldn't say. I know I would much prefer to use the web for routine transactions, saving calling a person for when things get more complex.

 

[kapeman]

If the web site had more functions available that would help alleviate one of the biggest complaints I see here on the boards...MS call wait time!!!

I think that, alone, should be sufficient rationale to update the site.

However, I don't hold out any great hopes, because the main Disney.com site has horrible response times when accessing the database and other issues.

If they won't/can't fix the flagship site, then dvcmember.com doesn't stand a chance.

 

[Boardwalker]

Yes, but look how long it went before they even had member services open on weekends? We used to have to wait on the phone lines 10-20 minutes to speak to an agent.
In general I think the customer service is moving in the right direction, albeit at a snails pace.
But I'd guess that online it isn't going to move beyond the current level of "fill out the form and we'll get back to you within three days" anytime soon.
They seem to be much more oriented towards sales than service.