In What Century Is Dvc Tech Operating?!?! UPDATE (post #1) 10/20/07

[jekjones1558]

Maybe I am just crabby tonight, but I am PEEVED that, once again, the DVC member site is not working properly for me. On one browser I can get in but not get vacation details. On another browser I cannot even log in. I want to check my points after reading another thread that discusses problems with MS computers combining points for 7 month reservations. I am on my computer a lot and I DO NOT HAVE THESE KINDS OF ISSUES WITH ANY OTHER SITE I USE.
I have often thought that it would be nice to be able to book DVC trips online like I book airfare and rental cars online. NOT. DVC is absolutely, positively, 100% pathetic in their tech standards. Whatever issues that currently exist with computers at MS would only be a huge nightmare if expanded to online booking. DVC COLLECTS ENOUGH DUES TO HAVE ACCEPTABLE, BUG FREE COMPUTER PROGRAMS!!!
UPDATE 10/20/07: Per a suggestion on another thread from MS, I called MS and asked to speak to a web specialist. I was told that now MS computers are down as well. The CM says that every time tech works on the system there are more problems. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A CANDID CAMERA STUNT! We can have fancy graphics and music but not basic operation!

 

[LisaS]

I agree. It's baffling to me how often the vacation details page in particular is not accessible. That is probably the most frequently viewed web page since it's where we go to check whether a wait list has come through, and to verify that reservations have not disappeared (remember that problem?).

I'm also dismayed that after EIGHT months, they still haven't fixed the "null" resort problem where the resort name for AKV contracts displays as "null" on many web pages. I suspect this is due to a missing entry in a database and if true, it would take less than 5 minutes to fix the problem. And yet, after several of us have reported this and supplied detail information about exactly where the problem occurs, it has not been fixed. Is it a major bug? No, but to me it's an indication of sloppy work.

 

[Medery]

I've been having the same problem with not being able to see my vacation details. I was checking on a wait list, but haven't been able to access that page for almost a week. I also get frustrated at the operating hours for DVC Customer service. The bankers hours are not adequate in my opinion - especially when all the services are not available online. I would imagine many people are booking vacations after work and on weekends. The short Saturday window has some wicked long wait times.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

It does seem rather bizzarre that we can't do more online...In this day and age..

I couldn't get into vacation detail today either.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I was just in and it was fine - except for calculating a stay at AKV - only comes up with Savannah view.

 

[jekjones1558]

I just tried again and vacation details will not work for me. I do not understand why this happens off and on month after month. I have no trouble with any other sites.

 

[Chuck S]

Rather than checking your vacation, try checking your point activity statement detail. That should shoud which contract and subcontract a particular vacation has it's points pulled from, and that part of the site seems to be working.

 

[jekjones1558]

Rather than checking your vacation, try checking your point activity statement detail. That should shoud which contract and subcontract a particular vacation has it's points pulled from, and that part of the site seems to be working.

It isn't so easy because the vacation I am checking is for a GV, a 1 bedroom and a 2 bedroom and I used banked, current and borrowed points from one resort, banked and current points from another resort, and several of the reservations are linked. All I see under point activity is how many I've used from each contract and that isn't enough for me to make sure all of the days for each room are correct. I just want to double check that everything is in order before we check in (only 27 days)

 

[mjy]

Maybe they ought to let some of the technicians from the recently acquired Pixar Studios work the problem.

They may not be able to fix the web page, but we would get some outstanding animation while we wait!

 

[Granny]

Jean...it's not a technically advanced solution, but I'd go ahead and call MS to confirm everything. It sounds like you have a complicated reservation, and even though you have your confirmation sheet(s)...you do, don't you?...I'd probably call just to ease my mind.

I agree that it is a mystery why the site seems to have issues showing current status/reservations.

 

[drusba]

Its called ingrained corporate incompetency. If it is any consolation be aware that Disney in general has historically been last in line to show any spark of capability in the the world known as the internet. I remember back in 90s, Disney purchased the "go" web portal with the idea of becoming bigger than Yahoo and managed to set up web pages that were virtually unusable. It also seemed that every hotel/resort in the world other than Disney went to on-line booking in general at least three years before Disney got around to doing it (and its initial attempt had constant problems of being too difficult to use and breaking down all the time). I have always had the impression that Disney was the first to outsource all of its web page design and creation and it outsourced to companies which did not know a computer from a slide rule.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I am speaking in defense of Disney Technology............as a current Computer Support Technician, the average user has no idea what is involved in incorporating many appliciations simultaneously. Until someone with in depth computer application knowledge steps forth to comment, I would refrain about speaking about something you know nothing about. Let give Disney techs a little bit more credit than whats been posted here.

 

[DVC Mike]

I am speaking in defense of Disney Technology............as a current Computer Support Technician, the average user has no idea what is involved in incorporating many appliciations simultaneously. Until someone with in depth computer application knowledge steps forth to comment, I would refrain about speaking about something you know nothing about. Let give Disney techs a little bit more credit than whats been posted here.

I am a technology manager at a major bank headquartered here in Charlotte, and yes, there is a lot of complexity in building and maintaining a web site that is easy to use. I don't know what platforms and tools DVC uses to build their web site, but I must say there appear to be way to many problems with their site. I can't imagine the number of customers that would flee our bank if our online banking worked like the DVC web site. They should invest in either some different tools, some different people, or both (IMHO).

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I am a technology manager at a major bank headquartered here in Charlotte, and yes, there is a lot of complexity in building and maintaining a web site that is easy to use. I don't know what platforms and tools DVC uses to build their web site, but I must say there appear to be way to many problems with their site. I can't imagine the number of customers that would flee our bank if our online banking worked like the DVC web site. They should invest in either some different tools, some different people, or both (IMHO).

Thanks for your comments, but Technology manager is not the same as an applications software engineer. Its a bit more complicated than a bank website. Oh, did I mention you also need to have experience in programming?

 

[jekjones1558]

BWV Dreamin,
If this program is too complicated to run correctly, then it should not be on the web until the complexities are resolved. Maybe other folks are using websites that are regularly inoperable, but I certainly am not. I am not blaming technicians as much as I am blaming DVC's decision to allow a flawed website to operate as if there were no problems.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

It has nothing to do with the website running correctly. The issue is modifying it to the degree that DVC members want.

 

[Chuck S]

Jean, in your first post to this thread you said you are oncerned about which contract/resort the points were used from for a particular reservation. The activity statement detail will show that.

But you also state you want to know whether banked or borrowed or current points were used. I don't think that would show on the the website, even if it was operating normally.

All my contracts are OKW, but for a reservation next month it is showing that 23 points were taken from contract xxxx.1, 40 points from contract xxxx.2 and 35 points from contract xxxx.3 for the 98 point total for the reservation.

Personally, I'm happy with that detail. A few years ago I had to get a full printout to track down 10 missing points (my fault, I added a day and forgot to note it on my spreadsheet). Utill you've gotten a full prinout to look through, which lists every reservation from day 1 of your contract, it is difficult to comprehend the type of programming required to read and use that raw data in any sort of user friendly way.

 

[Merylj]

I haven`t been able to access the vacation details page for days - something I wanted to do after a waitlist day came through and there was minor confusion about modifying a booking.
As Chuck says the activity page was great for offering information and for me a bit of reassurance.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm not sure what the problem is, because I have been able to access my information all along. Everytime I see someone here having trouble, I go right to the login and see if I am also effected, but mine always works. I do think it is a cumbersome program, and needs some tweaking, but it's a lot better than what we used to have!....Nothing!

 

[bobbiwoz]

If Diane can see hers and we can't see ours, is the problem on our end? Mine has been saying that the information is currently unavailable for at least 3-4 days now.

Bobbi