Just got distrubing info.re BRP and AP...

[LakeAriel]

They are only allowing those with either an AP or the AP voucher. There are numbers on the back of the voucher that must be given to book. They can tell if that voucher number has been sold (just not to who unless paid for by a credit card I would imagine, even though that doesn't mean that is who it is for) If you have the voucher, they will more than likely ask for the proof at check in. If it is already activated by check in, they will have all your info.

They not only can tell you how many times you have gone, they can also tell you the names of everyone that has ever stayed in your room. When ever I call, they always ask me about 2 or 3 other names.... friends of my daughter's, or my aunt's name. They do and can keep track...they are like the FBI when it comes to your profile

If you read Boomhauer and others posts they claim to have gotten BRP without the AP. Are they lying? Is Disney screwing up? What gives?

 

[C.Ann]

Perhaps they have finally seen the light and realize what a dismal failure this new program was due to their inability to keep the web site running properly..

Only time will tell..

 

[A Mickeyfan]

If you read Boomhauer and others posts they claim to have gotten BRP without the AP. Are they lying? Is Disney screwing up? What gives?

I just went back thru and read what Boonhauer has said, nowhere in the in the post does it mention if she has a voucher. She only states that she hasn't purchased her AP. She may have purchased the voucher & just not activated it... she didn't say (yes, I do know that purchase means buy). If she has no voucher & goes to check in and has no proof when they ask, she will not get that rate. Disney may not care who books, if they show up with no AP or voucher, Disney makes more money off of them. I booked two rooms for this past October trip. When I booked I asked if my friend & her family had gotten there before me could she still check in since I am the one with the AP (her daughter has one but is only 12). The CM said yes, as long as I showed up before the end of the night to show my pass, or the rate would automaticly be changed to the regular room rate. So if Boonhauer has no voucher, she will more than likely not be getting that rate at check in (and from reading her 2 posts, it sounds as if she will be having one). Disney may be allowing those to book without, but they will not allow you to stay at that rate without the proof. As I said, I went back & read her post & didn't see where she said if she did or didn't have a voucher.....

 

[A Mickeyfan]

The Same CM's that answer the Passholder line and regular CRO line do not have access to check the validity of your pass so no, it's not easy.

If they have you in their system, it will come up that you have a pass. How do you think we get emails for passholders & the mickey monitor. We are in the system as having the pass. In fact, when you log onto thier web site, it even tells you the experation date of your pass...so yes, with your name (and address) they can cross reference the validity of your pass. Unless Disney puts a block on certian computers so only certian CM's can access, but when you check in, they do have that access. That is one of the reasons why they ask for a photo ID. Yes, I have been told by others that they were never asked for a photo ID. I always have been. They verify who I am since they have my info already...pass info & all.

 

[CarolA]

I I asked if that meant there were no longer going to be AP/BRP rates and she told me that's exactly what that means! I am hoping she is just misinterpreting something. I know, I know, just because I have an AP doesn't mean I should "expect" rate discounts, but still. I don't think I'll be renewing my AP after this year.

RULE 1. The folks that pick up the phones DO NOT have ANY advance notice of discounts. Let's get real... read these boards. At least once a month someone posts that either (A) CM said there would NEVER be another discount or (B) great discounts are coming on XXX... In almost ALL of these cases the facts don't back up the CM statements. They just say things to get us off the PHONE!!! LOL!

And your APs are viewable at check in. I was once checked in by someone doing training and she showed the girl earning her ears where to check for my AP number.

 

[srfrgrl07]

If they have you in their system, it will come up that you have a pass. How do you think we get emails for passholders & the mickey monitor. We are in the system as having the pass. In fact, when you log onto thier web site, it even tells you the experation date of your pass...so yes, with your name (and address) they can cross reference the validity of your pass. Unless Disney puts a block on certian computers so only certian CM's can access, but when you check in, they do have that access. That is one of the reasons why they ask for a photo ID. Yes, I have been told by others that they were never asked for a photo ID. I always have been. They verify who I am since they have my info already...pass info & all.

While the cast members at check in can validate whether or not you have an active AP, the cast at CRO cannot. I think this was mentioned on another thread.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

While the cast members at check in can validate whether or not you have an active AP, the cast at CRO cannot. I think this was mentioned on another thread.

"Unless Disney puts a block on certian computers so only certian CM's can access, but when you check in, they do have that access" is what I said.

While CRO maynot be able to view it when your name pops up, the system will eventually flag the name... so the name is cross referenced with having a pass............
and without that valid AP at check in, you will not get the rate, so regardless what someone books over the phone.. they need to be in Disney's system showing a valid pass by the time they check in or the rates will go to rack rates. I believe that is what I was trying to express in my post...Disney will know whether you have one or not by the time you need to show it.... therefore not needing to ask to see it (if indeed you have one). They will ask you if there isn't an AP associated with your name in their system and you will need to provide the proof at that point....

 

[cobbler]

RULE 1. The folks that pick up the phones DO NOT have ANY advance notice of discounts.

So true. How many of us have called for AP rates or other public codes only to have to hang up and call back because the first CM we spoke to can't find it, says nothing exists or whatever.

I had to call back FOUR times this year to get a CM to understand I could book LTT when I bought my MVMCP tickets on April 30th!

 

[srfrgrl07]

"Unless Disney puts a block on certian computers so only certian CM's can access, but when you check in, they do have that access" is what I said.

While CRO maynot be able to view it when your name pops up, the system will eventually flag the name... so the name is cross referenced with having a pass............
and without that valid AP at check in, you will not get the rate, so regardless what someone books over the phone.. they need to be in Disney's system showing a valid pass by the time they check in or the rates will go to rack rates. I believe that is what I was trying to express in my post...Disney will know whether you have one or not by the time you need to show it.... therefore not needing to ask to see it (if indeed you have one). They will ask you if there isn't an AP associated with your name in their system and you will need to provide the proof at that point....

I interpreted your post to mean that "they" meant both CRO and front desk since some people had mentioned how CRO knows how many times you've been there and with whom, etc. I see what you're saying now.

 

[Pig Pen]

Maybe I am the only person in the world to say this, but I had absolutely NO PROBLEM with the BRP system. As soon as I heard the rates were extended, I got online, booked my room, rec'd my email confirmation, and was done within minutes.....MUCH quicker than when I had to call and wait!

Of course I knew exactly where I wanted to stay and how much I was willing to spend, so that helps. If I had needed to compare every room rate at every resort, I am sure this would complicate matters and increased the chance of errors or network difficulties.

I saved over $1200 for 7 nights at WL over the rack rate, so I am happy.

But I also agree that CMs should check APs upon check-in!!!!!

 

[bicker]

I'd hate being a front-desk clerk if they decided to make me police compliance with a discount program. These are folks who are face-to-face with guests, and evaluated based on how pleased the guests are. How can you do a good job in that regard when you have to tell someone that you're going to have to charge them double because they don't have the right admission pass. It's the making of a bad scene, and totally unnecessary given the current system. There is no real benefit to the company to be more lenient in this regard, unless it is the only way to fill rooms; clearly that's not the case.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

Pig Pen,

I guess that makes two of us who have been able to book online with BRP without an issue. I actually like booking the AP rate through the online system, because you can now figure out what's available without having to do it over the phone. I can go through all the resorts, check different date ranges and then make my resort selection instead of making multiple calls to get info and the more calls to book. It took me about 5 minutes if that to book the room and that was because I had to add the magical express information into my reservation.

 

[Gary M]

I also liked the BRP plan better than the old calling for AP rates and waiting on the phone for what seemed like forever, then getting a CM at CRO that had no clue what is going on. I also didn't have trouble booking rooms through BRP online. I booked 3 trips for this winter with BRP.

 

[Sammie]

I'd hate being a front-desk clerk if they decided to make me police compliance with a discount program. These are folks who are face-to-face with guests, and evaluated based on how pleased the guests are. How can you do a good job in that regard when you have to tell someone that you're going to have to charge them double because they don't have the right admission pass. It's the making of a bad scene, and totally unnecessary given the current system. There is no real benefit to the company to be more lenient in this regard, unless it is the only way to fill rooms; clearly that's not the case.

I totally agree. The enforcement of having an AP or voucher to book AP discounts needs to be enforced at the time of booking, whether it is online or over the phone. Since the discounts are for Annual Passholders, "holder" being the optimum word here I see no reason to allow anyone to book until they actually hold the pass or the voucher.

That way there is no confrontation at the desk, no need for the person following the rules to have to make sure they have their pass in hand when checking in, etc.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I interpreted your post to mean that "they" meant both CRO and front desk since some people had mentioned how CRO knows how many times you've been there and with whom, etc. I see what you're saying now.

I have a very bad habbit of not making myself clear... I am sorry. I do it all the time. In my head I know what I am saying...
simple way.. The system will know if you have one or not.... just a matter of who can view it...

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I'd hate being a front-desk clerk if they decided to make me police compliance with a discount program. These are folks who are face-to-face with guests, and evaluated based on how pleased the guests are. How can you do a good job in that regard when you have to tell someone that you're going to have to charge them double because they don't have the right admission pass. It's the making of a bad scene, and totally unnecessary given the current system. There is no real benefit to the company to be more lenient in this regard, unless it is the only way to fill rooms; clearly that's not the case.

You are correct in saying that they are the folks that are face to face with the guest, however, it is the guest that is the one that would be at fault for not having it. Disney clearly stateds that they must be a passholder. If you have no pass when you arrive at the front desk, you are not a passholder & should not be looking for that discount. I see no reason why the front desk clerk should feel like police. Disney may be allowing CRO to accept the ressie with the intentions that the guest will have the pass by the time they arrive. People book their room months & months ahead of time. They may not want to purchase the pass, have the voucher sent in the mail & hold it for many months. It is easier to just purchase it in Disney. Either way you still have to go to guest services at a park to get it... (either to buy it or switch out the voucher). Universal does the same thing. Anyone can book online just by putting in the AP code on thier site... you just need to show it when you arrive.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

That way there is no confrontation at the desk, no need for the person following the rules to have to make sure they have their pass in hand when checking in, etc.

The person that is "following the rules" by having the pass when they check in doesn't have to have it in their hand... the system has the info already. The passholder name matches the number on the pass. If it is a voucher (which I am not sure if they are still allowing you to check in with just the voucher anymore), they would have to show it. I do know not only did they have to show it, but after they turned the voucher into the actual AP, they did have to bring that back to the front desk before the end of the night to show they really have an active AP. Years ago before Disney started making your pass have an anniversary date, when you renewed it, it remained unactive until your first use...meaning that your old pass may have expired in Oct, you renewed in Oct but didn't use it until Dec, then your next one would expire in Dec not Oct. So what guests were doing were showing that they renewed but it wasn't an active pass & they still got the discount. Disney has tried to cut out that loop hole. Now the renewals are automatically activated, so are the AP's that you buy in Disney. Only the vouchers that you purchase thru the mail (or at select Disney locations) are not activated. When checking in & showing the voucher, you are not showing an active pass (which is why I don't think they allow the voucher at check in anymore). Bottom line is.. if person is "following the rules", they don't have to
"have their pass in hand when checking in, etc", the system already has the info.....

 

[bicker]

You are correct in saying that they are the folks that are face to face with the guest, however, it is the guest that is the one that would be at fault for not having it.

The maxim goes, "Always make the customer feel like they're right." The fact that the guest is "at fault" would rarely help achieve that goal.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

The maxim goes, "Always make the customer feel like they're right." The fact that the guest is "at fault" would rarely help achieve that goal.

Correct it wouldn't help acheive that goal. Gone are the days were the guest/customer is always right. Now a days too many customers try to get over. I know this is far fetched but look at it this way:
You go to JC Penny, you see a pair of jeans on the clearence rack but they aren't marked. You take it to the cashier, she tells you it isn't on sale. They do not have to give it to you on clearence ...unless it was clearly marked incorrectly. The cashier isn't going to give you a clearance price when it was put on the rack by mistake. As I said, it is far fetched.
When a guest books a ressie with an AP that has no AP why would the front desk clerk have to make the guest feel as if they are right. Shoot, we all would be doing it then wouldn't we? Here is another way to look at it.. if you are not a FL Resident & book over the phone with a FL Resident Rate. When you check in, you need to show your valid picture ID showing your residency. If you don't have it (since you aren't a resident), should the front desk clerk still allow you to check in with that room rate? No, they shouldn't. You can be a true resident & not be at your home for a few months, therefore when you booked over the phone you gave the address of where they can send the confirmation to you now... not later... and it isn't a FL address...yet you have your valid ID for check in.. Do you see what I am trying to say.. The CRO CM's will allow you to book a FL resident rate & mail it to a different address...you show your valid ID at check in. You don't have your AP yet, they allow you to book over the phone without it, you show your active AP at check in.. it is the same thing. If you are booking without an AP & have no intentions of getting one, then why on earth would Disney have to treat you as if you are correct when you go to check in without your pass???? So you are correct in saying that it isn't helping to acheive a goal of the customer being right because the customer was down right wrong & should not be treated any differently.

 

[Doede95]

Just want to jump on this thread. I am one of those people that booked without an AP. No, I am not lying. I was calling to see if I could switch my WL reservation to the Poly. I asked her if it would be worth it for me to buy an AP. She told me that the rate was $273 and asked if I wanted to book it. I told her that I did not have an AP, but would love to book it and buy one. She booked it. I then asked her if she wanted to charge me for the AP and she told me I could purchase it later. I was shocked. I went online and typed in the reservation # and there was my Poly reservation as a "best rate passholder". I even called twice to confirm. I already ordered mine online. However, I do know that I am not the only one that has been able to do this.