Irritated after calling member services....

[The Rivers' Rats]

I called member services this morning to ask about an upcoming Disney Cruise that we are looking to travel on. DCL is offering a promotion where kids travel free, so I called to see if this counts when booking by points. I was less upset by the answer, which was a flat out no, than by how the person in the other end of the line treated me. ****, the one who I spoke with, sounded as though he was in an off- shore phone bank somewhere and had zero personality to begin with. When I asked how kids booking with cash through DCL are free, yet mine would be charged extra since I planned to use DVC, he became very defensive and questioned my integrity. The reply, "Well, if such an offer actually exists..." infuriates me! Why would I call and make something like that up? I do realize that Disney would likely catch onto the fact that I was full of it should I have tried to invent my own promotion, so why treat me like I am lying to you? To top it off, his tone with me was confrontational and when I told him that I feel as though DVC was penalizing members he raised hi voice and started to talk over me. I finally told him that I disagree and feel that It is not fair for DVC to profit off of the fact that I bought into the program by taking my vacation points to pay for three kids who DCL will be letting sail for free. When asked what DVC will do with payment for spots they'll get for free, he said that he doesn't know and that he can't help me any further! Between this and the fact that we have to pay for dinning plans that are being handed out like candy on Halloween is irritating enough, but to have an operator at MS treat me as though I am a liar is inexcusible!

Note: This post has been edited to remove a the name of a CM. Posting complaints on the DVC boards is fine, naming specific CMs, however, is not allowed. - Chuck S

 

[vicki_c]

Well it does sound like he was out of line first, but your responses sounded pretty belligerent as well. In any case, did you stay on the phone to do the survey afterwards? They can't fix any problems unless they know about them. I would send them an e-mail if you are that upset about it.

And I would never expect a MS person to know "what DVC is doing with my money" type question - that are not involved with those kind of details.

I actually think you sound generally unhappy, more than that phone call, with your comment about free dining and all. It's not really something to take up with, or take out on, a MS phone operator.

(And as to whether he told you correct information - I personally have no idea, but it is true that cash booking deals that are offered at WDW are not eligible when you're using points, so the DCL offers may be the same).

 

[TDC Nala]

Yeah, I understand the concern with the agent's attitude (did you do the survey or ask for a supervisor?) but it's standard that if you book with DVC you don't get the discounts (you brought up free dining) and I don't understand berating someone at Member Services because cash guests are getting a discount. If it bothered me that much that I wasn't eligible for discounts when using points I'd sell the DVC or rent the points and use the cash acquired to buy that free dining package or discounted cruise, but I'm thinking someday there will be a time when those kinds of discounts are not offered.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Your DCV reservation for the DCL really has nothing to do with DCL booking. It's a DVC reservation and they do it all. You get none of the DCL discounts that DCL cash guests get. If you want those discounts and free dining, why not just pay cash for those things?

If you have a question like that next time, you might want to post it here first before you go off on the CM at MS. There are a lot of seasoned members who know a lot more than the people answering the telephones at MS.

And if you wanted to discuss it with someone at DVC, you can always send them an e-mail through the member website.

 

[NewDCLGuy]

The phone reps' job is to help you with certain transactions. They Are not there to give you a punching bag to yell at when you don't like one of Disney's polices.

If you don't want a repeat of this CM's behavior, don't start arguements with them over things outside their control

 

[disneynutz]

I hope you did the survey at the end of your call!

Send a email to the DVC Satisfaction Team and share your experience. dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

Bill

 

[jacesmommy]

Regardless of whether or not this MS person was "qualified" to answer her question, I don't think the attitude and disrespect was necessary. Very un-Disneylike for sure!

 

[Chuck S]

DCL has a contract with DVC that allows us to book on points. That contract is at a pre-set price, and does not include any cash booking specials that may be offered. The same is true of trading to other Disney, non-DVC resorts, and concierge collection trades. The alternative would be to not have the ability to trade outside of the DVC system of resorts.

As far as free dining, it is not available on any discounted room reservation, and Disney considers DVC point reservations to be room only/discounted rooms. If free dining is important to you, you are free to book it with a cash package and full price cash accomodation. Meaning my 8 to 10 point studio night will cost me several hundred dollars. You see, "free dining" really isn't "free," even for those that book it. I can save more money on a cash reservaton using an AP discounted room, rather than pay full rack rate price for "free" dining.

If you want the kids to travel free on DCL, you are welcome to book a cash reservation for that. There is nothing that guarantees trades outside the DVC system will be a less expensive option than paying cash.

While the CM should have been nicer, it sounds as if you were also being somewhat confrontational with the CM about why DVC can't get certain offers on point reservations. Member Services agent deal with point reservations, I would not expect them to be fully versed on current cash reservation discount offers....they don't deal with booking them.

 

[JimMIA]

Lots of folks don't think using DVC points for a DCL cruise is that great a value to begin with. With the kids-free option, it sounds to me like paying cash would be a much better choice -- and probably a heck of a lot easier to book.

This cruise offer is just like the complaints we get about DVC not being eligible for "Free" Dining. Of course, we get those discounts -- same way everyone else gets them. Many DVCers book cash rooms for "Free" Dining, and probably many will book the kids cruise free trips as well.

I don't blame you for being disappointed with the MS rep, but if it causes you to look at other options that are better for your family, that may be a big plus.

 

[TDC Nala]

Well, I do see that if the OP already booked the cruise with points they may not be able to cancel (can you use borrowed points for a cruise?) because they don't have another way to use the points before they expire and they'd be out the booking fee - but if they can rent the points it still might work out better to cancel and rebook a cash reservation to get the kids in free as they might be able to use the money they make renting the points to pay off the cruise. Of course I don't know what kind of points the OP used or the use year specifications.

Unless the OP's point is that they want to be able to book the adults with points and STILL get the kids free (i.e. not pay any points for them to sail). That you can't do.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Lots of folks don't think using DVC points for a DCL cruise is that great a value to begin with. With the kids-free option, it sounds to me like paying cash would be a much better choice -- and probably a heck of a lot easier to book.....

But if the trip is already booked on DCL with points, those are now reservation points and cannot become DVC resort points. I guess "Live and Learn".

 

[TDC Nala]

Ah - so they can't rent the points to anyone who wants to go to WDW.

 

[Chuck S]

Ah - so they can't rent the points to anyone who wants to go to WDW.

They can, but they can't stay at a DVC resort. They'd have to book a cash Disney resort on points. It takes a lot of points, but they'd probably rent at a little less than $10 per point. During "free dining" they may not get many interested parties, even though the cost is likely comparable, people are hypnotized by the word "free."

 

[DebbieB]

DVC and Walt Disney Travel Company are 2 different divisions, the MS cm probably was not trained on the WDTC offers because they cannot book them. WDTC offers do not apply to points reservations, just like DVC offers do not apply to WDTC reservations. For example, DVC members don't have to buy tickets with the dining plan. You can't call WDTC (CRO) and expect them to offer the same on a cash reservation.

"Free dining" really isn't free, it requires a full price room and the purchase of at least a 2 day ticket. It was being offered when I stayed at BWV last December. I priced it and it would have been $500 a night for the same room I stayed in (actually not because you can't get boardwalk view with cash). Plus I had an AP, so I would have to buy an additional ticket. So the choice was pay $3,000 for 6 nights, buy tickets and get free dining or use 155 points. You can't expect them to "mix and match" when we are already getting a substantial discount.

 

[The Rivers' Rats]

I appreciate all of you replies and (now) understand that DCL and DVC are two seperate entities with no relation to each other, as far as bookings go, other than being part of the larger company that is Disney. I will not be using DVC for thi booking because of that and will likely just sell off points to pay cash. No big deal, just an extra step in the process and not really the main point of my post.

The rep at MS was curt and unpersonable from the start. I did question the policy, as I had no idea at the time how it worked, but I do not believe that I had been "belligerant" or "abusive" by asking a question when I truly did not understand a policy. The rep did not explain anything to me, but replied by inferring that I had made up a promotion on my own. A simple explanation of how the bookings work and differ would have gone a long way in this conversation. Instead, he just said that I had to pay for the kids and simply that was the only option. While what he said was true, the delivery is what set me back. I've been told no before (as we all have), but Disney has always been great about explaining why the answer was no, which helps ease the pain of being denied something. This wasn't the case, and I felt that I should be able to expect more from Disney. I took the survey and passed that on to Disney and vented here, which proved beneficial since I received the information that I needed from you all.

I have been accussed of "being unhappy" and I am sorry if it came out that way. I will say that I am a little disappointed after finding that all of the promises given by my guide at signing my 280 points of contracts haven't been fully realized, but I don't blame everyone in DVC for that. After coming back from a split stay at AKV & BWV, I will say that I was surprised by the lack of response given to maintanence issues and that may read through in my earlier post. (we had four calls in to engineering before our guide had to contact them on our behalf to fix a tub which did no work for three out of five nights and Boardwalk never sent anyone to check a board near the shower which was torn from the wall, exposing what looked like mold, prior to our arrival).

Once again, I appologive to those who feel I was out of line, but I never rose my voice (as he had) and merely asked a legitimate question about a policy I did not understand.

 

[Ali and boyz]

you maybe got the same CM rep that I got last week he likewise was curt and unpersonable from the start and I came off the phoning feeling quite upset.

 

[thedon3]

I would do a couple of things:
1) Call MS again and ask for a supervisor and explain the issue you had the that person
2) If that does not satify you, write DVC and explain the whole situation and then ask for feedback.

I had some issues with member sevices, but, I always then asked for a supervisor to help right the worng and 9 out 10 it worked
Hope this helps
Bobby

 

[TisBit]

The rep at MS was curt and unpersonable from the start.

It definitely sounds like you started out on the wrong foot and maybe that came across. Unfortunately not every CM is going to be bubbly and talkative, people are different and we have to accept that. Earlier you implied he might have been one of the oversea's students too, so that could add to his demeanor.

The rep did not explain anything to me, but replied by inferring that I had made up a promotion on my own. A simple explanation of how the bookings work and differ would have gone a long way in this conversation. Instead, he just said that I had to pay for the kids and simply that was the only option. .

It didn't sound like he implied or accused you of anything. You said he said "if there is such a promotion", in another words he doesn't know what promotion you are talking about because he doesn't work for DCL and can't tell you anything about it (even if it exists or not).

This wasn't the case, and I felt that I should be able to expect more from Disney. .

One of my pet peeves is people that expect more from Disney. We often get more from Disney, but when you expect more, it is very easy to be disappointed.

Once again, I appologive to those who feel I was out of line, but I never rose my voice (as he had) and merely asked a legitimate question about a policy I did not understand.

Please don't apologize to us, you did nothing to anyone on this board, but maybe without ever raising your voice you did come off the wrong way to CM and he felt you were being argumentative or beligerent. I am not trying to bash you, I am just saying obviously there was a communication break down, but it sounds more like you were BOTH reading into things and contributed to it.

 

[The Rivers' Rats]

"Originally Posted by The Rivers' Rats
This wasn't the case, and I felt that I should be able to expect more from Disney. .
One of my pet peeves is people that expect more from Disney. We often get more from Disney, but when you expect more, it is very easy to be disappointed."

After ten days in WDW, I had to have heard the commrcials on tv for DVC a dozen time a day. Every one of them listed a benefit of DVC as receiving "the superior service that you've come to expect from the folks at Disney". Can I be blamed to expect the service given fom MS to be informative and for the cast member to at least be cordial?

 

[jarestel]

Most of the MS reps are friendly, knowledgeable and courteous. Not all, but most. I can usually determine within a minute or three whether the CM will be useful to me or not and if not, I terminate the conversation and simply call back to speak with someone else. It's not worth my time to try and "set them straight".

Don't get too bummed over one particular CM. As I said, most are extremely helpful.