Help!So Frustrated w/ BWV & MS!!

[melomouse]

Hi All -
All I could think of yesterday as I'm on the phone with MS yesterday is - "I will just post this on the DIS and see what my friends there say about this!"
What am I not understanding and what should I do???
Booked 3 nites at BWV back in April, added 1 more night in August for next week - 11/2-11/5. First trip away from kids in 10 years, 1st trip w/ DBF, 1st F&W - you get the idea - it's an important trip (they ALL are, I know!).
In April, only Boardwalk view was available. DBF does not want BWV ("fishbowl" feeling, privacy, etc.) I agree. The last night came thru on waitlist for pool/garden - fine - I just would prefer not to move. Asked MS back in August for preferred NON BW view - no move, I'm giving ip BW view, fewer rooms, figure no problem.
Spoke to MS a few weeks ago. Tell her again I want preferred pool/garden - same pts. - no BW view. She says tell them when I fax room request. Fax room request last week. Higher floor, near elevators, preferred, not BW view.
Front desk at BWV leaves a message last week and tells me only member services can get me NON BW view - they cannot.
Call MS again yesterday. NOPE - maybe I want to contact Operations?, the CM says - and successfully gets me in a pool garden view for night - telling me that, yes, I have been waitlisted way back as wanting pool garden for the entire stay, but no go.

At this point, if we have to move, we'll move. If I must take the BW view, we will. But WHY is this such a problem?? What am I not "getting" here? Who reserves, who assigns? The place is full up for F&W - doesn't someone WANT that BW view?????

Thanks for bearing with me. I hate to complain, but with all the people wanting sooo much from Disney and all the high-flying expectations - I am asking for "less" - What's the deal and what should I do next????

thanks, DIS!

 

[Granny]

I'm a bit confused. It sounds like you booked a reservation and all that was available was Boardwalk View. At that point, you should have gone on a waitlist for Preferred View - Water/Garden. But I don't see the word "waitlist" in your description of the situation.

BW View and Water/Garden View (and Standard View) are booking categories, not requests. So faxing, e-mailing or anything else to change from one to another will never work. You have to book one of those, and the only way to change is to change your reservation.

Are you on the waitlist for PV-Water/Garden?

Come to think of it, is this a cash reservation or one on points? I suppose that could make a difference in how they handle things.

 

[spiceycat]

ms took away the BW view from the BW front desk a while ago.

heard it was something to do with BW giving their paying guests the BWV over members getting it????

so DVC took it. Only members can now book the BWV with BW view.

Since you are on the wait list - don't think you can do anything else.

would call MS and make sure that you don't want BW view - but would be fine with pool/garden views.

sorry this is happening - but hey for a only a few days - you and he might actually enjoy BW view. didn't like the fact that guest walking along the bw could see me - but the views of the dolphin, YC and bc and fireworks - almost make it worth it.

if it helps most people don't look up - so most of the time you are fine.

 

[melomouse]

"yes, I have been waitlisted way back as wanting pool garden for the entire stay, but no go."

Thanks so much for being so quick, Granny.

Yes, I am waitlisted for the water/garden since at least August.

Yes, I am using points.

 

[ChelleinNC]

I see that you did waitlist, but that it did not come thru.

The problem here is that this is not about room assignment. Boardwalk View is a guaranteed booking category, not a request. Preferred View is a guaranteed booking category, not a request. If you book a BW view that is what you'll get. Same as if you booked a 2BR, that's what you'll get (not a 1BR).

Waitlists match up when someone cancels and that room/category becomes available. I'm sure there are a ton of people waitlisted for a BW view for your dates, but the waitlist doesn't work like a matchmaker. The waitlist will never say "the Smiths want BW view and the Jones want Preferred View, let's switch them".

Sorry to say it looks like you will have to move rooms and will have a BW view for part of your trip. My only suggestion would be to call MS again and make sure your waitlist for the Preferred View continues until you check in. You never know, it could become available at the last minute.

edit to add: it doesn't matter that the points are the same for BW or Preferred view.

 

[melomouse]

Waitlists match up when someone cancels and that room/category becomes available. I'm sure there are a ton of people waitlisted for a BW view for your dates, but the waitlist doesn't work like a matchmaker. The waitlist will never say "the Smiths want BW view and the Jones want Preferred View, let's switch them".

THIS is EXACTLY my issue. It's a very simple programming fix,which could (easily) be done, and DVC owners are happy. One of my fellow owners is not getting what THEY want, and neither am I.This just seems wacky to me.

I will call MS again today.

Thanks, spiceycat for the helpful perspective on BW view. I know it will all be fine - it's more that I absolutely cannot believe the inefficiency on what seems to me a very simple issue.

 

[Chuck S]

Not exactly an easy programming fix, as reservations have to be cancelled and rebooked. There is no ability to simply "swap" membership numbers on reservations, and I'm not sure I'd want them to be able to switch member numbers and reservatons so easily...I really can foresee a lot of potential problems with that sort of system.

 

[melomouse]

Well, I did call MS back again and got a very smart CM, who suggested I write the member satisfaction team - which I just did.

No member numbers need switching - all points are the same. I guess right now I'm feeling this is one advantage to being a cash-paying, booking off the street guest. The DVC system is complicating this more than it need be.

Nonetheless, it shall be a wonderful trip.

 

[Chuck S]

Member numbers would need to be switched. It would have to become their reservation, under the control of their membership.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Sorry, but I disagree.

You are getting exactly what you booked. If you absolutely positively did not want a Boardwalk View, then you should have booked something else.

The guaranteed booking category is there so that people can guarantee they get what they book. That way they don't make a BW view ressie 11months out and show up at check in and get a preferred view because the CM at check in gave the last BW view to someone that booked preferred view just because they were nice.

Your suggestion of letting the waitlist system match up people that want to switch could be an absolute disaster with a lot of risk of people losing their reservations entirely or being switched without their knowledge. Projects like that are very rarely as "simple" as they may seem to be.

I hope you have a wonderful trip no matter what

 

[Chuck S]

To extrapolate, if the membership numbers are not switched, what would prevent the other party from simply cancelling the reservation that would now be in your name. MS would be under no obligation to inform you of the cancellation, as basicaly you would simply be a "renter", they would still be the other party's points to do with as they wish. That is why the reservaton would have to be transferred to their membership number and vise-versa, again meaning a cencellation and re-book. DVC was never set up for "reservation swaps" and like the previous poster, I see it as being a potential disaster if they tried.

Another example:
Tom calls on January 2 and books the last BW view available for December 2 to 6.

John calls on January 3 and waitlists for the BW view, but does not book a non-BWV as he only wants a BW view.

Jane calls on January 5 and books preferred non-BW view for December 2 to 6, but waitlists for BW view.

In February, Tom changes his mind and wants non-BW view instead, but those are booked up by then.

Should Tom and Jane's reservations be switched, even though John has waitlisted the BW view before Jane did? What would be fairest? I think the cancellation and rebook policy is the fairest for all members.

 

[LisaS]

Some of the boardwalk view rooms have enclosed balconies and are very private. A lot of members don't like those rooms because you have to stand up to see over the solid balcony railing to see the boardwalk. Maybe you could put a request on your current (boardwalk view) reservation for an enclosed balcony. That way if your waitlist doesn't come through, maybe you will end up in a boardwalk view room that meets your privacy needs.

 

[DebbieB]

I was in a 4th floor 1 bedroom above Big River last week and I think it was very private. It was a small balcony set into a wood arch area. If you look at the picture in my signature, it was in the red area next to Crest o the Wave. Strange thing was you could not enter the balcony from the living room, you had to go into the bedroom.

 

[melomouse]

Thanbks so much to those of you who posted about some of the Boardwalk view rooms with a bit more privacy - at this point I am totally confounded by the policy/procedure system - even after having it explained by those of you who are experts - that I just want to forget about it til check-in and see what turns up.

I think, Chuck, when you say that DVC was "never set up for reservation swap", that my question is "why not?" Why does DVC NOT accord the same procedures as would be implemented as a regular guest?

I may be comparing apples and oranges here. I may have lost a few brain cells. Somehow, in my mind, it's not about the reservation, but abour room assignments.

This is the first time I have ever changed a room preference, or resort, for that matter. I am grateful to be able to be able to go to Disney as often as I do - it is a blessing in my family's life. I just did not expect to be facing this as a DVC member. Membership may have its priveleges, but it also , for today, has some bothersome limitations.

When I hear back from the "Team", I will update! Thanks to those who offered support!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

. . .I think, Chuck, when you say that DVC was "never set up for reservation swap", that my question is "why not?" Why does DVC NOT accord the same procedures as would be implemented as a regular guest?

I may be comparing apples and oranges here. I may have lost a few brain cells. Somehow, in my mind, it's not about the reservation, but abour room assignments.. . .

Actually, CRO is no more able to swap room categories or rooms at different resorts than MS. The basic problem is that your statement that "its about room assignment" is wrong. Once you booked the BW view room, it is as different from a PV room as it is different from a room at BCV or WLV, even though all 4 rooms use exactly the same number of points. Think of BWV as as single location to check into one of 3 different resorts: the SV resort, the PV resort, and the BW view resort.

As other have noted on this Board before, the proliferation of guaranteed room categories at DVC creates a greater likelihood you will have to switch rooms if you need to add-on to your reservation at a later date or even when booking later, as the available rooms may not all be in the same inventory.

Of course, there is nothing to stop you from asking for the downgraded view at check-in and the front desk may be able to accomodate you at that time. There are, however, no guarantees. We had one night in a PV on our last trip, followed by 10 nights in a SV. On check-in, not only were they not able to accomodate us in a SV room we could occupy for the length of stay, but they actually upgraded us to BW view (which we love!) for that one night.

Best of luck -- Suzanne

 

[crisi]

Mostly because DVC operates at nearly 100% occupancy at a time - they don't have extra rooms to shift people around for.

(I'd never swap a BWV for Preferred View to avoid the fishbowl feeling - some of the preferred view rooms have windows looking right into other rooms - many of them overlook the very busy pool. Feeling like you don't have anyone around you is a feeling easily gotten at a LOT of resorts (VWL is a favorite of mine for that reason) - and rare at BWVs)

 

[Chuck S]

I think, Chuck, when you say that DVC was "never set up for reservation swap", that my question is "why not?" Why does DVC NOT accord the same procedures as would be implemented as a regular guest?

Again, why should a waitlist for change of view, like regular Preferred View to BW View have precedence over someone that may have waitlisted earlier for a new reservation BW View?

Why shouldn't be a cancellation and re-book for both parties?

 

[LisaS]

...when you say that DVC was "never set up for reservation swap", that my question is "why not?"

The only way that could work is to have software built into the wait list system that checks to see what the person at the top of each wait list is currently holding (resort, booking category, room size, travel dates) and look for exact matches among the other members at the top of their waitlists. For example, if you are at the top of the wait list for a BWV PV 1BR and you need the nights of Dec 2-6 and you are currently booked into a BWV BV 1BR for those nights and I am at the top of the wait list for a BWV BV 1BR and I need the same exact nights and I am currently booked into a BWV PV 1BR for those nights, then the wait list system has found an exact match and could swap the ownership of our two reservations. The software to do this doesn't exist and given the odds of two people both at the top of their respective waiting lists who are each holding exactly what the other needs is pretty slim so it's not clear it would be money well spent to develop that functionality since so few would benefit.

There would probably be someone further down the waiting list who wants exactly what you have and vice versa, but it wouldn't be fair for MS to do the swap in that case since the other person is not at the top of their waiting list.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...I think, Chuck, when you say that DVC was "never set up for reservation swap", that my question is "why not?" Why does DVC NOT accord the same procedures as would be implemented as a regular guest?

I may be comparing apples and oranges here. I may have lost a few brain cells. Somehow, in my mind, it's not about the reservation, but abour room assignments....

What you are trying to do is no different than if you wanted BCV one bedroom or VWL one bedroom instead of a BW view BWV one bedroom. MS just makes reservations and cancels reservations. So if you want to cancel the reservation, you can do that, but you won't automatically get that non-BW View. You may wind up with no room at all. I don't know that CRO will "swap" reservations either, change a name on a reservation, yes, but swap two of them? I don't think so. You'd wind up with the whole Cinderella's Royal Table booking fiasco.

Again the problem for MS would be finding someone with the exact same dates as you, in a preferred view who wants the BW view.

I'm surprised that MS told you to fax your preference. DVC members have been instructed not to fax the resorts with requests and make all requests on the reservation.

I hope your trip turns out to be enjoyable.

 

[Dean]

THIS is EXACTLY my issue. It's a very simple programming fix,which could (easily) be done, and DVC owners are happy. One of my fellow owners is not getting what THEY want, and neither am I.This just seems wacky to me.

I will call MS again today.

Thanks, spiceycat for the helpful perspective on BW view. I know it will all be fine - it's more that I absolutely cannot believe the inefficiency on what seems to me a very simple issue.

As others have noted, it's not a programming fix, it's the way the system is supposed to work. For MS to take your BV view and swap it with another members preferred view, you'd both need to be searching for exactly the same dates, same units size, same HC status and BOTH BE AT THE TOP OF THE EXCHANGE LIST. I know in one sense that it seems simple that you have something someone else wants and someone else has something you want, they should just swap it. As noted, it's not that simple and would generally be inherently unfair to other members on the WL. You could certainly do the same on your own but the problem is finding the right person with the right reservation. Even then there's a bit of trust involved as you would each have effectively (and in DVC's eyes) a rental from the other person. As you're set up with two views reserved, you WILL have to move unless they can actually change your reservation at the time of check in as a request alone will not do what you need. Just keep checking, it may come available.

To be clear, DVC did not do this to you. You made a reservation that was not what you wanted and have not been able to change it to your preferred option. That is simply how DVC is set up. It is interesting that you have something that most others would see as a more desirable option but it works that way sometimes.