Feeling less than happy about DVC split stays and booking ADR's

[disneygrandma]

We are staying 9 nights in early June, split between 3 of our home resorts. We are having a tough time booking ADR's. We're not being given the advantage of the +10. We have to start all over on 3 different checkin dates, while someone staying 9 nights on one reservation will be able to book ADR's for their entire trip from their date of checkin.
This does not seem fair. DVC encourages members to add on with other home resorts. Yet we're penalized when we want to stay at more than one resort on each trip. Not everyone has enough points at one resort for the length of their vacation, or can take enough trips in one year to stay at all resorts. These 9 nights should be viewed as one stay-one vacation. We're not going off property. We're staying at Disney World for 9 nights. However, by the time our ADR booking window opens up, the spots have all been taken by others who were able to book out for their length of stay from that first checkin date.
Just another example of how Disney doesn't value their DVC members.

 

[Amyeliza]

That's so frustrating. What are your three resorts?

My average stay will likely be 3 - 5 days, so I'll also be competing against those with longer stays. Fingers crossed that with persistance, we will both get the rezzies that we desire.

 

[supersnoop]

The "+10" went away a long time ago; 8-10 years ago.

The benefit has always been advertised as "length of stay" but the old programming allowed for up to 10 days regardless of length of stay. They "fixed that glitch" several years ago. That rule applies to everyone, not just DVC, so they aren't undervaluing DVC members.

 

[Evita_W]

The "+10" went away a long time ago; 8-10 years ago.

The benefit has always been advertised as "length of stay" but the old programming allowed for up to 10 days regardless of length of stay. They "fixed that glitch" several years ago. That rule applies to everyone, not just DVC, so they aren't undervaluing DVC members.

Except until just recently (basically before COVID you could do this), you could call member services and get the +10 as long as you had continuous reservations that far out.

 

[disneygrandma]

I think that 9 days straight on Disney property should be considered length of stay. And yes, I realize that it applies to everyone. However, because of the way DVC is set up, I believe that many more people do DVC split stays than the other stays in non-DVC resorts. As I said, DVC encourages members to buy in to different resorts. But when we stay at more than 1 resort per trip, then we miss out on the length of stay advantage. We're staying at SSR. BCV, and BLT.

DVC MS had previously been able to help out with dining reservations that were on the 2nd or 3rd part of a split stay. But I've read posts of people who've called in and were told that they aren't doing that anymore. It wouldn't cost Disney much money to provide this service to DVC members, but it sure would go a long way in to making our DVC trips happier.

 

[ABJrGuy]

I had a CM explicitly tell me last month that she could unify my split stay for ADR purposes, but it would have to be done about 90 days out instead of at booking. I'll call in September for my early December trip.

 

[Sandisw]

I read a report elsewhere that someone was able to have MS do it across split stays just last week.

 

[ElizabethG]

I feel your pain. I wish the system read it as a continuous stay. Hopefully, it is a future enhancement. It is also a pain to have to get up really early on multiple days!

 

[Yinn]

We are staying 9 nights in early June, split between 3 of our home resorts. We are having a tough time booking ADR's. We're not being given the advantage of the +10. We have to start all over on 3 different checkin dates, while someone staying 9 nights on one reservation will be able to book ADR's for their entire trip from their date of checkin.
This does not seem fair. DVC encourages members to add on with other home resorts. Yet we're penalized when we want to stay at more than one resort on each trip. Not everyone has enough points at one resort for the length of their vacation, or can take enough trips in one year to stay at all resorts. These 9 nights should be viewed as one stay-one vacation. We're not going off property. We're staying at Disney World for 9 nights. However, by the time our ADR booking window opens up, the spots have all been taken by others who were able to book out for their length of stay from that first checkin date.
Just another example of how Disney doesn't value their DVC members.

I'll admit to grabbing an old key west or a Saratoga Springs reservation for that entire week just to be able to bridge my split stays. Then releasing it once the week is over...

 

[RoseGold]

I'll admit to grabbing an old key west or a Saratoga Springs reservation for that entire week just to be able to bridge my split stays. Then releasing it once the week is over...

I may or may not have made a cash booking I didn't go on.

 

[disneygrandma]

It's too bad we have to come up with plans like this. I talked to MS this morning, and they said that in the past they did a dining work-around to get those ADR's for members on split stays. "as a courtesy" However, when Covid hit, they stopped doing that. The reason? Because it takes up too much of their time, they aren't allowed to do it, a supervisor has to do it now. And yet, the CM pretty much told me their life story, gave me tips on resort villa locations where we aren't even staying, and generally did small talk during the entire phone call. It would have taken less time to do just the one ADR that was important to our group.

I mentioned that DVC should hire back more of their staff, and at that point I was told that only 4 had been put on furlough, and they're back working now. ??

 

[Evita_W]

It's too bad we have to come up with plans like this. I talked to MS this morning, and they said that in the past they did a dining work-around to get those ADR's for members on split stays. "as a courtesy" However, when Covid hit, they stopped doing that. The reason? Because it takes up too much of their time, they aren't allowed to do it, a supervisor has to do it now. And yet, the CM pretty much told me their life story, gave me tips on resort villa locations where we aren't even staying, and generally did small talk during the entire phone call. It would have taken less time to do just the one ADR that was important to our group.

I mentioned that DVC should hire back more of their staff, and at that point I was told that only 4 had been put on furlough, and they're back working now. ??

If that is the case, then why are hold times so long? Something doesn't add up.

 

[arrrroooooo]

I read a report elsewhere that someone was able to have MS do it across split stays just last week.

Pre-COVID, MS helped me do exactly this with some magic pixie dust. So it's possible.

 

[Sandisw]

If that is the case, then why are hold times so long? Something doesn't add up.

Honestly, the wait times are longer because there is so much going on now that is not typical of what we all needed MS for prior to Covid, So, even if all staff is back, I still don’t think it’s enough to handle the issues,

Pre-covid, there was no issue with borrowing that required calls. There were no special ticket or stay offers that required calls to book with MS or international owners who have to call to put in a request for extensions,

There are still a lot of owners who are calling to deal with issues with travel related to what is going on,

It is still not acceptable, but I am not surprised staffing levels, even if normal, are no longer enough to handle it all.

 

[disneygrandma]

I was told that many more members are calling due to canceling vacations last year and having extra points to book for this year. Plus all of the reasons that Sandisw gave as to why more calls are being made to MS. And I agree that they need more people to handle the calls to begin with.

 

[anricat]

This. I have a split stay coming up and getting up at 4:55 AM three times only to get literally none of the reservations I wanted was frustrating. We will still have a good trip and I know it's minor, but seriously, how hard would it be for the system to recognize that you have a continuous stay split between resorts. It's obviously possible because we used to be able to book all our FP in one continuous go, right? It was always just dining that was a problem, if I remember.

 

[disneyfan150]

This. I have a split stay coming up and getting up at 4:55 AM three times only to get literally none of the reservations I wanted was frustrating. We will still have a good trip and I know it's minor, but seriously, how hard would it be for the system to recognize that you have a continuous stay split between resorts. It's obviously possible because we used to be able to book all our FP in one continuous go, right? It was always just dining that was a problem, if I remember.

It's obviously possible because we used to be able to book all our FP in one continuous go, right? Yep!

This may be a minor issue in the grand scheme of things. However, when it comes to my beloved expensive WDW vacation, it is a bit more than minor.

 

[Evita_W]

I was told that many more members are calling due to canceling vacations last year and having extra points to book for this year. Plus all of the reasons that Sandisw gave as to why more calls are being made to MS. And I agree that they need more people to handle the calls to begin with.

Then they should outsource to temporary staff that could filter out simple things, say canceling an RCI reservation or buying tickets (although they should set that up online even for special offers) and escalate more complicated matters to normal member services. There are plenty of companies that have the staffing levels to allow for this and virtually eliminate wait times at minimal costs.

 

[disneyfan150]

I may or may not have made a cash booking I didn't go on.

I don't have a DVC membership, but I discovered this thread when browsing the "What's new" drop down menu. I clicked on the thread as I have a cash split stay (GF 3 nights and YC 5 nights) and I am stressing about the ADR situation.

I may or may not be wondering if I can book a 8 night simultaneous stay in addition to the stay I already have booked?

 

[disneygrandma]

DVC has always been able to help us out before when needed for dining. I didn't think it would be a problem, until it was. We didn't have any points left to do a "placeholder" type booking to cover our stay. I didn't even think of doing a cash stay to later cancel. But then as I said, I didn't forsee so many problems with getting ADR's and DVC not helping. Tomorrow will be our 3rd morning of getting up at 4:45 am. (Central time zone) And it's 2 of us on separate MDE's trying for our group of 10. We're not very optimistic.