Like pulling teeth trying to get rates to compare!!! YIKES!!

[cindyfan]

I have been trying to get different rates for March and April and trying to compare....this will decide when we go.
Well....being a DC member I called the 800 number.
First I got this gentleman that was obviously new and I felt I had to try and walk him through in order to check on rates. I was trying to get AAA rates.
Then after about 25 minutes.....I am proud of myself for not slamming the phone down on him!!!......I finally got AAA rates for 6 nights in April......
Then I asked about March and told him I had a code...
Well, I think he knew he was in over his head. He told me he would have to have someone else help me.
Thank goodness he gave me to someone who knew what they were doing!!
But then I called today to check for DC or AAA rates in April at another resort. .....oh yea, the 25 minutes was spent just checking on one resort!
Okay, another new person, this one barely speaking English. Checked on DC rates, gave me rack rates and insisted these were the discounted rates. I just said I would call back and speak to someone else.
So anyway, another new person, but not as bad.
BUT....and here is when it got confusing for me!!!
After checking DC, I asked for AAA. She said I would have to speak with the AAA person. She said there was no way she could do that!!!
First time I ever heard of that!! So, again, I was transferred to someone else.
This one seemed to know what she was doing. But some of the the dates I wanted were blocked out from AAA. So....this is where I started to get a headache.........I told her I wanted to check a couple other dates using DC!!!!! YIKES! I thought for sure she was going to send me back to the other girl.
But, she said she could check for me!! YIPPEE.
She said the DC operators could not check AAA, but the AAA operators could check DC....
Okay, so now after about 45 minutes on the phone I reserved using DC.
OMG......what is going to happen when I try to change using a code or AP rate when they come out!!!!
How many people will I have to talk to????

Anyone else have this happen to them?????? Being flipped back and forth between operators?????
What is up with that????
What would happen if I just called the regular 407 # ???
I just don't want to rack up long distance calls, and I am not sure my cell phone's battery would last that long!!! LOL

Sorry so long....had to vent a little.

 

[TooBoyz4us]

Whew !

Cindyfan,
I got tired just reading about your frustrating reservation making experience,LOL!!!
I'm glad you finally were able to get what you wanted though

I have a question for you about DC.
I was reading that some people are still being allowed to renew their memberships at prorated rates untill the end of 2003.

My membership expires next month, but I first wanted to find out if they were still offering DC discounts on "packages", and not just room only ressies. Do you happen to know?

I saved 75.00 last year off of our package.

 

[cindyfan]

They stopped renewing membership in mid-December.
So you may be out of luck
But thier specialty is packages! That is what they prefer to do.
That was another long part of my experience.....they kept asking me questions like, "do you need air transportation?? do you need tickets??....etc"
Just call the 800 number and see what they say......just make sure you have the time!! LOL

Sorry my post was so long!!

 

[DisneyFan79]

Mary from Mousesavers.com said they had hired about 200 new reservationists. I guess thats why you got the run around for so long. Sorry to hear that. That was very exhausting to me!!

 

[kayeandjim00]

They were supposed to stop renewing memberships in early December, however I read a post here that they were still renewing so I called last week and they let me renew through the end of 2003 for a prorated amount so you might still be able to!

 

[TooBoyz4us]

Okay, thankyou!
I'll just give them a call about renewal and see what they say.

Thanks again!!

 

[MinnieGi]

I guess I got lucky when I called yesterday to book - I had a wonderful cm! I was booking a last minute trip on an AP rate and wasn't sure what resorts were still available. The cm did not mind looking up several for me and seemed genuinely bummed for me when some of the resorts I requested were already filled up. But I did get CBR King bed, which was one of my top choices.

Even though I am a DC member, I usually call CRO for reservations, I just seem to have better luck and I also want the 5 day out cancellation policy. But I call the DC line for dining ps's.

cindyfan - so sorry to hear about your lenghthy call to DC.

 

[TreeOfLife]

They were stiull renewing as of a few days ago, when I called to renew mine, which expired at the end of Jan.

They are just not taking new mwmberships but renewing old ones at prorated cost. In my case mine came up to a little over $2.00 per month.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by MinnieGi
...Even though I am a DC member, I usually call CRO for reservations, I just seem to have better luck and I also want the 5 day out cancellation policy...

FYI: When you book a DC reservation with WDTC, you will always get a 5 day cancellation policy.

 

[MinnieGi]

GoldenOldie - It has always been my understanding that with DC/WDTC your entire stay must be paid up front 21 or 45 days b/4 your arrival depending if you have air travel with them or not. And if you cancel or change after that 21 or 45 days there is a penalty fee. Wheras with CRO I only put one night's deposit down and do not have to pay anything else until I get down there and stay.

In fact I remember reading in my DC book b/c I was looking into DC rates that since my reservation was being made so late b/4 my stay that I would have had to pay the entire stay upfront. If I had waited till 14 days out they would have also added a "processing fee."

I like my one night's deposit much better.

Gi