Has anyone else been told this???

[mom2rtk]

Since it just came out yesterday I doubt many people have tried yet.

But seeing that room discounted rooms have had issues you may have some difficulty.

I had problems with the spring discount. They would only let me decrease my days to something that was still in inventory for the discount.

 

[aaarcher86]

I had problems with the spring discount. They would only let me decrease my days to something that was still in inventory for the discount.

This whole policy is really blasting my plans for next fall. Blech.

 

[Boopuff]

I used to work at a giant hotel call reservation center. Here's what would happen: a call drops in they have a stay of 6 nights at hotel. They want to change to 5. The way the system worked (at this reservation center) is that the original reservation would in a sense be fully cancelled (the software recognizes it as such) then the whole thing would be a "new" 5 day stay. So once the system "cancels" the 6 nights they are out there to be booked! So another agent on a call at the same exact time can in fact snatch up those days. That's why many times a stay can't be changed because even though rooms are "there" they are floating in cyberspace waiting to be snatched up. Another oddity- lets say you want to stay 6 nights but oh no! it's booked! well ... if you shorten the trip into tiny chunks sometimes you can get avaiability - book two days, then add one, add two... however! you may actually have to physically move rooms! Very complicated. Each room has it's own price, day by day and discounts are also based daily! So all this is from another hotel company and Disney may not do things like this but I"m guessing it's close!

 

[mom2rtk]

This whole policy is really blasting my plans for next fall. Blech.

Yeah, I can absolutely see how it would do that. It's a real bummer. They set up a system that requires and encourages long range planning, then they put in road blocks to long term planning. So frustrating.

We're making a short stop on our way back from the beach this summer. But the bulk of our days are now at DL where long term planning is a foreign concept. It really is perfect for us now that my daughter is entering high school.

 

[mom2rtk]

I used to work at a giant hotel call reservation center. Here's what would happen: a call drops in they have a stay of 6 nights at hotel. They want to change to 5. The way the system worked (at this reservation center) is that the original reservation would in a sense be fully cancelled (the software recognizes it as such) then the whole thing would be a "new" 5 day stay. So once the system "cancels" the 6 nights they are out there to be booked! So another agent on a call at the same exact time can in fact snatch up those days. That's why many times a stay can't be changed because even though rooms are "there" they are floating in cyberspace waiting to be snatched up. Another oddity- lets say you want to stay 6 nights but oh no! it's booked! well ... if you shorten the trip into tiny chunks sometimes you can get avaiability - book two days, then add one, add two... however! you may actually have to physically move rooms! Very complicated. Each room has it's own price, day by day and discounts are also based daily! So all this is from another hotel company and Disney may not do things like this but I"m guessing it's close!

I can see how losing that "new" reservation would be a risk. But Disney won't even let you try to keep it. Nobody was waiting to catch my days as they were cancelled.

 

[Hi Pluto]

I've been on hold for 1 hour, 40 minutes so far trying to change it. I see a GV for the nights I want so hopefully I can snag that before someone else does. They say the wait is an average of 2 1/2 hours....

~Cari~

 

[Hi Pluto]

Update: I was successful in switching to the 5 days, but it's probably because it was available to book anyway. I'm not sure what would have happened if it wasn't.

 

[dismomtfj]

I am amazed at the number of people willing to book 3 even 4x the number of days they need in a hotel. Not surprising that Disney is starting to change this. Also not surprising that CMs are very confused given, well, it's the way Disney seems to work.

I'm sorry for the people this happened to all of a sudden, but it sounds like they are allowing people to cancel and re-book without a penalty. If I couldn't get my deposit back, I would be mad. We have had our vacation booked since January of 2014...the dates haven't changed at all and believe me we are VERY busy people.

As a side note: Most people book cruises a year or so out and you can't exactly book less nights on one of those...I don't see this as being a problem there so not sure why there is so much fuss, other than the rules are changing. If you wan't it your way, go to Burger King.

 

[HappyMomma]

I never realized how many ppl sucked up several weeks so they had "dibs" on sale dates. Not nice. (directed at NO ONE)

 

[gwynne]

I am amazed at the number of people willing to book 3 even 4x the number of days they need in a hotel. Not surprising that Disney is starting to change this. Also not surprising that CMs are very confused given, well, it's the way Disney seems to work.

I'm sorry for the people this happened to all of a sudden, but it sounds like they are stopping allowing people to cancel and re-book without a penalty. If I couldn't get my deposit back, I would be mad. We have had our vacation booked since January of 2014...the dates haven't changed at all and believe me we are VERY busy people.

As a side note: Most people book cruises a year or so out and you can't exactly book less nights on one of those...I don't see this as being a problem there so not sure why there is so much fuss, other than the rules are changing. If you wan't it your way, go to Burger King.

I don't think I've heard the WDW information you're discussing. How much is the penalty for cancellation and re-booking?

 

[jtowntoflorida]

OK, so I've been in situations (not at Disney) where I've shortened my hotel stay. Sometimes for emergencies, sometimes because plans changed unexpectedly. If Disney won't let you shorten your stay ahead of time, why not just do it at the hotel when you're checking in? "Ms. Jowntown, I see you're staying with us for 4 nights?" "Actually, I'm only going to be staying 3 now." Of course, this only works for people who are shortening their stays on the tail end. I mean, there can't be an issue with room availability if on the day of checkin, they're assuming you're staying for 4 days and then you end up only needing 3.

I wouldn't recommend this as a strategy unless you've been denied over the phone, but it might give a ray of hope to some of you who feel like you are being forced into longer stays.

 

[dismomtfj]

I don't think I've heard the WDW information you're discussing. How much is the penalty for cancellation and re-booking?

Edited. Thanks for the catch!

 

[ArwenMarie]

OK, so I've been in situations (not at Disney) where I've shortened my hotel stay. Sometimes for emergencies, sometimes because plans changed unexpectedly. If Disney won't let you shorten your stay ahead of time, why not just do it at the hotel when you're checking in? "Ms. Jowntown, I see you're staying with us for 4 nights?" "Actually, I'm only going to be staying 3 now." Of course, this only works for people who are shortening their stays on the tail end. I mean, there can't be an issue with room availability if on the day of checkin, they're assuming you're staying for 4 days and then you end up only needing 3.

I wouldn't recommend this as a strategy unless you've been denied over the phone, but it might give a ray of hope to some of you who feel like you are being forced into longer stays.

I wonder if WDW has an early departure fee?...Some hotel companies do and they can be quite steep.

I feel like at Disney they would nod and say ok and then run your credit card for the full amount LOL.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Update: I was successful in switching to the 5 days, but it's probably because it was available to book anyway. I'm not sure what would have happened if it wasn't.

Glad you were able to rebook it. I just rebooked an August reservation with a room discount to take days off. I could see it was still on the website for the dates I wanted so I guess that's why they were able to do it.

 

[PrincessCooper's Mom]

***My results***
I called back this morning to try and change reservation again. The first person that I talked to was having problems until she realized it was booked under a bounceback offer. She transferred me to the bounce back department. The CM told me that she would have to complete a form and send to guest services and they would have to make the decision on whether the change could be made. She completed form and sent while we were on the phone and told me that I would get a response within 24 hours either way. She said that it would also update on My Disney Experience. I checked about 1:00pm and reservation has already been changed. Hope this helps someone!!!

 

[Lewisc]

Sounds like Disney won't you make a change unless your modifed booking iscurrently available for new bookings. In other words a guest booking on spec will no longer have an advantage over guests who wait until there plans are firm. Makes a lot of sense.