Is anyone else disappointed with the BLT or THV fiasco

[LIFERBABE]

Flame suit On, but this is another Jim Lewis special!

No I dont have an axe to grind with him, I just call em like I see em. And will continue to do so, as long as the membership keeps getting sold short.

Everybody tapped dance to his music this week and it showed.

It began with the guides, they had to scramble and call everyone they ever sold a point to in 1 day. They knew they would be blamed for this fiasco and their sales would suffer. Im sure they were thrilled with the announcement.

Then the members. I had plans for Sunday and it did not include being on the phone with DVC. I changed my schedule, so I could be on the phone to get a THV for Christmas. Good thing too, because by the end of the day, they were sold out. No DVC did not make me change my plans and yes I got what I wanted and MS was wonderful, but still the lack of consideration for those that have spent tens of thousand of dollars with your company is glaring.

Then Member Services. Complete professionals, even though they got thrown to the wolves by their own management. How valued they must be feeling.

And for what? They opened early because their carrying costs on all this construction is dragging down their bottom line. So we get to carry more of their burden and they can rent the rest of it out thru CRO.

So yes I expected the volume of calls and I expected not to get what I wanted and I expected more from DVC. What this shows is JL is winning. As more and more DVC vets get tired of his mess and leave, we as members are more vulnerable. They've fought for us for years and they are tired. Members need to start standing up for themselves and stop thinking we have all this protection and oversight.

That said, I am pleased with my results, but the ends do not justify the means THV here we come!

Love my DVC! Upper Management not so much!

 

[yourgoingagain?]

I was fortunate to finally get through around 11:15. I actually got through about 11:00 but got dropped by the computer.

I got a dedicated 2-bedroom Magic Kingdom view for 4 nights in December (12- 16th). I was very surpirsed it was still available.

DVC management showed very poor judgement to open calls for both BLT and THV on same day. The calls for BLT were probably most of the calls but even a few less calls would have been better for everyone.

This was much worse than when they opened AKV.

Just extremely poor planning.

Whoever made the decision have both calls beging the same day should have their career freed up to do other things.

 

[katscradle]

Same here

I didn't get the view I wanted but at least I'm staying there. I knew it would be manic and once I got the busy signal at 9am I wasn't expecting much. No sour grapes from me, I'm pleased for everyone who got what they wanted and hopefully when I make another BLT reservation next year I'll get an MK view

Well that is what I am hoping for as well.
We are on the list for a MK view, but I think it will be unlikely to get that this year.

 

[katscradle]

I'm not a BLT owner, so I didn't try to book anything yesterday. But, I do feel badly for those of you that were shut out of your dream MK View. When I considered purchasing at BLT, my foremost thought was how cool it would be to sit on my balcony to watch Wishes ... heck, didn't DVC even promote that ideal in their sales materials for BLT?

Again, I'm sorry. I think it stinks and I think you have every right to be disappointed. I hope your waitlists come through!

Thank you, and yes that is what they promoted.
I was angry with the trying to get through the wait times, and then to be shut out completely.
We devided up our ressie hoping to get one or the other not both weeks.

 

[katscradle]

indeed good luck to all!

okay, now about me , was hoping to grab a MK view studio for T/F/S beginning 12/10 stay after cruise...do u think they r long gone already ?

Our stay is from Dec. 1st - Dec. 14th
Couldn't even get a night.
So I'd say they are long gone.

 

[katscradle]

so sorry!

just look at this way - next year you will definitely get it!!!

Well I won't get my hopes up for that again.
If it happens it happens.
But according to another member,
if that's why I bought I will be sadly disappointed.

 

[katscradle]

Looks like you all have better phone systems than I because I started calling every 10 seconds on my phone at 8:55am and did not get thru until 1:30pm. (using a cell phone) Then I was on hold for 30 minutes then another 2 hours to get reservation sorted out. Also, lost out on July 1st and 2nd for THV. VERY POOR Planning on DVC's part!

Sorry I feel for you and know where your coming from on the disappointment.

 

[alice99]

"remember - they are only booking the rooms that have been declared in to inventory. They only declare rooms based on bow many points are sold.The rest of the reservations will be only cash only through DRC. So as more points are sold, more inventory can be declared into dvc and more dvc rooms will be available. so if you are way at the top of the waiting list you should have a good chance it will come through."

Would the fact that our "use year", for all BLT owners, was cut short because it is opening for only 1/3 of the calendar year make this situation worse?
Limiting availability just by the fact that 2/3 of the use year has gone by already, and we are unable to use it.
I have a February use year, Feb 09 points that I am unable to use until August. This increases demand , for weeks (units) available,because supply is limited.

Is it possible that this is the worst , and it will get better?

 

[keishashadow]

Our stay is from Dec. 1st - Dec. 14th
Couldn't even get a night.
So I'd say they are long gone.

yikes! sorry it didn't work out for u

 

[SunnieRN]

indeed good luck to all!

okay, now about me , was hoping to grab a MK view studio for T/F/S beginning 12/10 stay after cruise...do u think they r long gone already ?

p.m. me. I may be able to help. Will know for sure when all the computer problems at member services are solved.

 

[maburke]

I'm just glad that I don't have to call on the 22nd -- I have to think that that will be worse, if they don't learn their lesson and make a change. It would be great if the availability board would be ready by then, so people know what's left.

 

[DoOverDreams]

I just wanted to give everyone an update with our happy ending! Our wait list for MK view just came through! I'm so excited!



And the best part, I found out today when I received a call from Member Satisfaction on the email I wrote after the booking fiasco! Very nice CM I was talking to said, oh BTW, I see your wait list was met....woohoo

 

[katscradle]

I just wanted to give everyone an update with our happy ending! Our wait list for MK view just came through! I'm so excited!



And the best part, I found out today when I received a call from Member Satisfaction on the email I wrote after the booking fiasco! Very nice CM I was talking to said, oh BTW, I see your wait list was met....woohoo

That's great.
I am happy for you.

 

[figment795]

I think that as BLT owners increase the complaints of owners not getting a MK view 1st 2 weeks of DEC will increase. So do not be surprised the new Member enhancement will be 1st 2 weeks of DEC will be Magic season points instead of Adventure season. It is coming.

 

[tjkraz]

I think that as BLT owners increase the complaints of owners not getting a MK view 1st 2 weeks of DEC will increase. So do not be surprised the new Member enhancement will be 1st 2 weeks of DEC will be Magic season points instead of Adventure season. It is coming.

Some of us believe that early December has been in the wrong season for at least 5 years now...BLT or no BLT. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if that change was part of the next adjustment to the point charts.

I doubt they would be able to go all the way to Magic season, though. There's essentially a cap of a 20% year-to-year increase for each individual night. Changes would have to be gradual.

IMO, the simplest approach would be to move early-December to Dream season and the last two weeks of August (currently Dream) to Adventure. That would be a very clean change. Additional adjustments to lower late-April / early-May and perhaps raise late-October would also seem to be justified.

 

[dcfromva]

Would the fact that our "use year", for all BLT owners, was cut short because it is opening for only 1/3 of the calendar year make this situation worse?
Limiting availability just by the fact that 2/3 of the use year has gone by already, and we are unable to use it.
I have a February use year, Feb 09 points that I am unable to use until August. This increases demand , for weeks (units) available,because supply is limited.

Is it possible that this is the worst , and it will get better?

Alice,
I think you make a very good point. I think it will get better in the future.
We booked std view for our first two visits to save points. At some point in the future, we would like to try the MK view. I figure as owners we have a greater chance.

 

[drusba]

I think that as BLT owners increase the complaints of owners not getting a MK view 1st 2 weeks of DEC will increase. So do not be surprised the new Member enhancement will be 1st 2 weeks of DEC will be Magic season points instead of Adventure season. It is coming.

Moving DEC 1-14 from adventure to magic season at any WDW resort is one that is near impossible for them to do. From one year to the next the point change (up or down) for any given night of the year cannot exceed 20%. Adventure season is currently more than 30% fewer points per night than magic season so they cannot just take something in adventure season and switch it with an equal number of nights in magic season in one change in a single year because the it would violate the 20% rule.

 

[disprincessatheart]

I was on the phone on the 8th at 8:55 am too. I finally got thru to the system and put on hold around 10:15 and then held for 25 minutes. The CM was great and I got just about what I wanted - studio for NYE week. I only had to upgrade from SV to LV. Despite getting about what I wanted, I sent member satisfaction a polite email explaining my disappointment in the poor choice to open 2 resorts on 1 day. I feel like the THV was a smaller percentage of the calls, but it was stupid to do anything else the same day as BLT. I've received 2 phone calls this week from member services wanting to talk to me about my email. Unfortunately I was out of town for work this week and havent yet spoken to anyone, but I'm happy they at least are trying to reach me. I think if anyone else is unhappy with the way they handled these reservation openings, let them know.

 

[tjkraz]

I'm just glad that I don't have to call on the 22nd -- I have to think that that will be worse, if they don't learn their lesson and make a change.

I doubt the 22nd will be worse. Yes, reservations are open to more members but there are fewer dates available.

As of Feb 8, BLT owners could call and book the period from August 4, 2009 to January 8, 2010. That's over 150 nights which opened-up all at once.

On Feb 22 members will be held to the 7 month booking window. The only dates available for booking will be Aug 4 to Sept 22, 2009--about 50 nights. And most of those nights have very low demand to begin with (mid-August and all of September.)

I'm sure there will be a logjam of calls when the phones first open but the total volume is likely to be much, much lower than Feb 8, IMHO.