LOVE playing with the new reservation system!!

[Scrappy_Tink]

I'm not really planning anything right now, but I've been loving going online just to see what's available where for different times of the year!!

Here was the shocker!! The first week of May is "Golden Week" for China/Japan, and I figured there'd be no way ANYTHING would be open for Aulani. I could get into almost any type room I want during that week!! I was really surprised, as I figured that would be one week we'd NEVER be able to get in to...and it's open just four months out!! I notice the summer months suck though, if you're trying now. Our anniversary is May 16th, so I think we shouldn't have too big a problem booking at 7 months, since that's too close to the end of school to be pulling the kiddo's out, and it's after Golden week.

Anyway, I just love being able to see for myself what's open on any particular date, I'm so glad DVC reservations finely went online!!!

 

[jupers]

I have to admit I love playing with it too! I already booked for June before online opened up but I can't wait to book the next one myself!

 

[disneybride96]

I just booked a THV for October on a whim. Never thought that would have been available, but it was exciting to come up with the idea and immediately take a look at availability. So far, so good and very user friendly!

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

What is the link for it? I was not aware it had launched yet.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I had trouble booking a reservation on line today, and gave up, and just called it in. When I had clicked on the contact I wished to borrow from, another contact came up, and the one that came up didn't have enough points to borrow from.

I sent MS an e-mail explaining the problem.

Bobbi

 

[Deb & Bill]

But while you are playing with it, you are locking other members out since there is only room for so many at one time.

 

[CrazyDuck]

I love browsing travel dates... Makes me happy I bought where I did... I had a feeling VGC would be a tough ticket inside 7 months with so few rooms available...

 

[Guzzi]

I think its kinda cool to play with too. I had been wondering about 7 month availability for resorts other than our home resort, now i can play on line a get a pretty good feel for it.

 

[Guzzi]

But while you are playing with it, you are locking other members out since there is only room for so many at one time.

ooops didnt mean to lock anyone out, but isnt it a tool to plan with, and dosnt planning mean looking at various dates and resorts?. Isnt calling m/s and tying up a rep, maybe the last rep with an open phone line locking someone out too? seems you cant get around this

 

[LisaS]

ooops didnt mean to lock anyone out, but isnt it a tool to plan with, and dosnt planning mean looking at various dates and resorts?. Isnt calling m/s and tying up a rep, maybe the last rep with an open phone line locking someone out too? seems you cant get around this

I'm playing with it too and agree with your points. I think it's important for the users to play with it. It will help shake out any bugs the developers didn't find and help us all figure out all the things it can do so we can all help each other here.

 

[Sammie]

Hopefully everyone will get over the newness and it will settle down because I do think some are not being able to get in due to traffic. The system can only handle so many users, even those just looking around.

I think more are playing with it since its online than they ever did calling Member Services. It is very simple to use, so I don't imagine it will take very long for everyone to know how it works.

The only major headache is I hope that people will not ask others to check availability on something that they can not book yet. That truly is a huge waste.

 

[momof2disprincesses]

Just used it last night to book our Christmas trip. We are going to stay 10 nights total, so obviously I could only book 7. Now I do still have to call each morning to add on the other days, but the initial booking online was indeed fun and I enjoyed it very much!!

It was nice to see what was open without having to ask, "can you check this or this".

 

[tfc3rid]

Hopefully everyone will get over the newness and it will settle down because I do think some are not being able to get in due to traffic. The system can only handle so many users, even those just looking around.

I think more are playing with it since its online than they ever did calling Member Services. It is very simple to use, so I don't imagine it will take very long for everyone to know how it works.

The only major headache is I hope that people will not ask others to check availability on something that they can not book yet. That truly is a huge waste.

I like the system but it's real easy to book a 'maybe' trip and hold onto reservations that other people might actually want and/or need since it costs nothing to make a reservation...

It's like WDW Dining reservations... People book them with a 'maybe' intent of going but really just wanting to hold a reservation...

It IS very interesting to see what availability is out there at the 7 month window... VERY interesting.

 

[LisaS]

Hopefully everyone will get over the newness and it will settle down because I do think some are not being able to get in due to traffic. The system can only handle so many users, even those just looking around.

I think more are playing with it since its online than they ever did calling Member Services. It is very simple to use, so I don't imagine it will take very long for everyone to know how it works.

The only major headache is I hope that people will not ask others to check availability on something that they can not book yet. That truly is a huge waste.

I would guess that a small percentage of the DVC membership even knows that the online booking application is live so I find it hard to believe the system is overloaded. If it is, I hope that DVC will make an announcement to ask people to use the system sparingly for now. Also, I would guess that most of us who are getting familiar with the system are using it for just a few minutes at a time, leaving plenty of time for others to do the same.

I also think that checking availability for some things can be useful. For instance, someone recently asked about walking a reservation for a particular resort and dates. Out of curiosity, now that we are past the check-in date for the reservation in question I checked availability and found the desired room is still available, demonstrating that walking was not necessary in this case. I think information like that could be very useful in preventing people from tying up inventory in the future.

 

[tfc3rid]

Just used it last night to book our Christmas trip. We are going to stay 10 nights total, so obviously I could only book 7. Now I do still have to call each morning to add on the other days, but the initial booking online was indeed fun and I enjoyed it very much!!

It was nice to see what was open without having to ask, "can you check this or this".

I was playing around with it and it let me get to the point of booking a 10 night stay...

 

[LisaS]

I was playing around with it and it let me get to the point of booking a 10 night stay...

That would be fine provided you are no more than 11 months and 7 days from your check OUT day. If you are trying to book 11 months from check IN, it should not allow you to book more than 7 nights.

 

[LisaS]

I like the system but it's real easy to book a 'maybe' trip and hold onto reservations that other people might actually want and/or need since it costs nothing to make a reservation...

It's like WDW Dining reservations... People book them with a 'maybe' intent of going but really just wanting to hold a reservation...

It's not quite the same because you have to commit points at the time you make the DVC reservation whereas with most dining reservations you don't have to pay anything up front. But I agree that some of this does happen already with DVC. Fortunately members have to make a decision one way or the other at 30 days out to avoid having points go into holding.

It IS very interesting to see what availability is out there at the 7 month window... VERY interesting.

I agree! I hope that being able to see what's available and when will help to curb needless reservation walking.

 

[Sammie]

But we all know until you actually hit that link to "make" the reservation checking anything is futile. It could come and go so quickly.

And I really hope members are not booking speculative trips anymore than they did by calling in, if they are that is going to be a nightmare.

DVC will be stuck with lots of rooms open right at 31 days out and that could be a serious problem.

 

[CrazyDuck]

And I really hope members are not booking speculative trips anymore than they did by calling in, if they are that is going to be a nightmare.

DVC will be stuck with lots of rooms open right at 31 days out and that could be a serious problem.

I don't think that this will be a problem or even possible. Most members don't have enough points to book "speculative" trips and even if they were to borrow points from the upcoming years allotment those points would end up being stuck in the current use year. You'd have to be pretty stupid to lose points by trying something like that.

 

[mousefan1972]

ooops didnt mean to lock anyone out, but isnt it a tool to plan with, and dosnt planning mean looking at various dates and resorts?. Isnt calling m/s and tying up a rep, maybe the last rep with an open phone line locking someone out too? seems you cant get around this

Actually it's not a planning tool; it is meant for those booking reservations. The link I clicked on to book my Christmas trip said "Book now", not "Play around now".