New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[mikeandkarla]

I don't know if this will add anything to the "great debate" of the old vs. new booking system, but, I was able to book AKV 2br value at the 11 month window. I am one whom would have booked this reservation day by day because of limited availability of the AKV value rooms. So as of now, I am happy with the new system, only because it worked for me. I hope everyone gets their reservations too! Good luck.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Actually they do have alternatives including buying other timeshares if they desire. The truth and reality is that not everyone is going to get what they want every time and in some cases, none of the time. DVC members have been spoiled over the years with a higher success rate than industry standards suggest was likely.

This comment by Dean caught my attention. You seem to be saying that the DVC system did actually allow a higher success rate than industry standards. And since you have also said that what they are switching to is much more within industry standards then in actuality we should expect to no longer be spoiled and have lower success rates? Or are you suggesting that the higher success rates had nothing at all to do with the system and was just a fluke that DVC members were lucky to get?

 

[DVC92]

It's not that I'm specifically in favor of eliminating or reducing DBD bookings per se but rather than I do believe that the practice accounts for a significant and increasing portion of our dues and that dues will be lower without DBD bookings than with them. Given the posts on this board, it's a practice that's been growing exponentially over the last few years. This is one method but will likely need to be further restricted to be as successful as desired. Instituting change fees would also serve a similar purpose, can you see that thread.

Not only would it be fair, it would be desirable to the system and likely a necessary change to this change to make it truly workable, or at least some process that discourages DBD changes (again maybe a change fee) IMO.

Does it actually increase our dues? Isn't the cost for member services part of the 12% (I believe this number is correct) fee DVC gets which is based on the other parts of the budget? If so, DVC absorbs any additional cost, not us.

 

[dpuck1998]

diane
I did post my letter to the satisfaction team and their "canned" response back to me way back in the early pages of this thread. I will look it up and repost (is there an easy way to find it?). I'm glad you're asking this question again. I'd be interested to see those letters too.

Has anyone else received a phone call from MS? They called in reponse to my email yesterday and let me know there were on the lookout for people abusing the new system and that they were monitoring the "DISboards". Also, that my email was passed on to upper management.

 

[jdg345]

Does it actually increase our dues? Isn't the cost for member services part of the 12% (I believe this number is correct) fee DVC gets which is based on the other parts of the budget? If so, DVC absorbs any additional cost, not us.

Exactly! And probably why they're wanting to make the change. It's about their bottom line, not the members.

 

[jdg345]

Has anyone else received a phone call from MS? They called in reponse to my email yesterday and let me know there were on the lookout for people abusing the new system and that they were monitoring the "DISboards". Also, that my email was passed on to upper management.

I've received a few calls ... not sure what sort of 'abuse' they are looking for though? Those walking reservations now should/would me a very very small number of people. The true test will be when the Thanksgiving window opens up. I figure what will happen is some will give it a try, and some will walk Thanksgiving. Those that can't get their Thanksgiving will feel the new system hurt them and try to walk future dates, perhaps Christmas and NYE.

Thanksgiving starts the rush, so a lot ties together up until NYE.

 

[Doctor P]

The system shouldn't be making a judgement as to who's deserving or not.

I agree. That's why the position you are taking cannot be justified. The new system IS CHOOSING winners and losers--those who start their vacation earlier are the winners. First come, first served DBD does not CHOOSE the winners or losers or make a judgement as to who is more deserving.

 

[zulaya]

This comment by Dean caught my attention. You seem to be saying that the DVC system did actually allow a higher success rate than industry standards. And since you have also said that what they are switching to is much more within industry standards then in actuality we should expect to no longer be spoiled and have lower success rates? Or are you suggesting that the higher success rates had nothing at all to do with the system and was just a fluke that DVC members were lucky to get?

Curious about this myself...

 

[bookwormde]

For those interested in who will get the savings or pay the cost of the new system you can always use your rights under Florida law if you have the spare time.

From FAQ section of FL timeshare site

6. As an owner, am I entitled to access to the financial records of the timeshare plan?
Yes. Florida law provides that the managing entity provide to you a copy of the annual budget each year and make the annual audit available to you upon request. Additionally, as an owner you have a right to inspect the books and records of the timeshare plan at any reasonable time, under reasonable conditions, and under the supervision of the custodian of records. Your request for access should be made to the managing entity or association.

bookwormde

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

I agree. That's why the position you are taking cannot be justified. The new system IS CHOOSING winners and losers--those who start their vacation earlier are the winners. First come, first served DBD does not CHOOSE the winners or losers or make a judgement as to who is more deserving.

I am not the first one to touch on this but it seems to keep coming up so I will say this: How is the new system choosing the winners any more than the old one was? If someone has a job that prevented him or her from calling daily they were a "loser" under the old system.

The way I see it, no matter what system exists there will be "winners" and "losers". I agree with Dean and other posters who say those who are most upset about the changes are those who were able to work the old system to their advantage.

 

[jdg345]

I am not the first one to touch on this but it seems to keep coming up so I will say this: How is the new system choosing the winners any more than the old one was? If someone has a job that prevented him or her from calling daily they were a "loser" under the old system.

As another poster mentioned, there is a difference between LIFE and the SYSTEM. If someone's job prevents them from calling DBD, they can always set up an associate member to make their reservation for them. If you could not call in the morning, you could always call in the afternoon. I just can't understand why someone in this scenario would prefer the new system. With the old system, if you could not call at 9am and did not want to have an associate on your account, you would have a few hours of callers in front of you. With the new system, you'll have more than 7 DAYS of callers in front of you. You still can't call in the morning, so how is this better? Do you take a day off and hope you get in at 9am? What if it's already booked? Then you took the day off for nothing, because at best you can waitlist -- which you could have done DBD anyways under the old system.

The way I see it, no matter what system exists there will be "winners" and "losers". I agree with Dean and other posters who say those who are most upset about the changes are those who were able to work the old system to their advantage.

Actually, the new system makes it far easier for those to work the system -- and it does so by creating further disadvantage to other members in that days that are unwanted will be booked and out of inventory.

Those that called DBD before are going to continue to do so ... they're just going to do it a week before they want to arrive (or earlier). So now, they're booking rooms you might want, that they have no intention of staying in. Is that more fair?

 

[bookwormde]

Below is the Florida section on the manager’s responsibility for establishing and modifying multisite reservation system.

“721.56 (6) Prior to offering the multisite timeshare plan, the developer shall create the reservation system and shall establish rules and regulations for its operation. In establishing these rules and regulations, the developer shall take into account the location and anticipated relative use demand of each component site that he or she intends to offer as a part of the plan and shall use his or her best efforts, in good faith and based upon all reasonably available evidence under the circumstances, to further the best interests of the purchasers of the plan as a whole with respect to their opportunity to use and enjoy the accommodations and facilities of the plan. The rules and regulations shall also provide for periodic adjustment or amendment of the reservation system by the managing entity from time to time in order to respond to actual purchaser use patterns and changes in purchaser use demand for the accommodations and facilities existing at that time within the plan. The person authorized to make additions and substitutions during the term of the multisite timeshare plan shall also comply with the requirements of this subsection in ascertaining the desirability of the proposed addition, substitution, adjustment, or amendment and the impact of same upon the demand for and availability of existing plan accommodations and facilities.”

I wonder how much of the impact study was done?

Here is the site if anyone is interested

http://www.myflorida.com/dbpr/lsc/index.html

bookwormde

 

[DVCBELLE]

I haven't read the whole thread to see how people feel the new system is working out but it worked great for me this morning!

I had booked at my home resort but called today for my 7 months out in February and got a standard view at BWV!!! It was so nice not to have to call everyday this week to make sure I got it and know that it was available for my whole stay. I would not have booked it on a waitlist basis b/c I was borrowing points and did not want to borrow if I didn't need to. I loved that there were no questions or worrying about getting the room I wanted for the whole week.

 

[Doctor P]

I am not the first one to touch on this but it seems to keep coming up so I will say this: How is the new system choosing the winners any more than the old one was? If someone has a job that prevented him or her from calling daily they were a "loser" under the old system.

The way I see it, no matter what system exists there will be "winners" and "losers". I agree with Dean and other posters who say those who are most upset about the changes are those who were able to work the old system to their advantage.

The old system opened every room for reservation exactly at the 11 month mark to every member owning points at that home resort. Every member had the opportunity to make a call to reserve that room at that time. No winners or losers were selected based on any vacation or membership attribute. Equal access.

The situation you use as an example is one of a PERSONAL CHOICE affecting access to the reservations. When I have been in the situation that I could not make a call on a given day, I either had to wait until another day or I had to have someone else on the account make the call for me. The system was not choosing the winners or losers; I was by the personal decision I made as to how and when to make my reservation. By even raising the example, you have agreed that there is a problem with the new system that cannot be justified by any reasonable argument.

 

[jdg345]

I haven't read the whole thread to see how people feel the new system is working out but it worked great for me this morning!

I had booked at my home resort but called today for my 7 months out in February and got a standard view at BWV!!! It was so nice not to have to call everyday this week to make sure I got it and know that it was available for my whole stay. I would not have booked it on a waitlist basis b/c I was borrowing points and did not want to borrow if I didn't need to. I loved that there were no questions or worrying about getting the room I wanted for the whole week.

That's great! But please keep in mind that we're still in a 'honeymoon' period with this new system. Most people don't know about this yet so there would not be a high occurrence of pre-booking your stay.

As an aside, did you normally have to book this DBD? Isn't February a relatively slow time for DVC anyways?

 

[pilferk]

I am not the first one to touch on this but it seems to keep coming up so I will say this: How is the new system choosing the winners any more than the old one was? If someone has a job that prevented him or her from calling daily they were a "loser" under the old system.

The way I see it, no matter what system exists there will be "winners" and "losers". I agree with Dean and other posters who say those who are most upset about the changes are those who were able to work the old system to their advantage.

Another poster responded to you, basically summing up my earlier explanation:

There is a difference between the system being "unfair" and LIFE being unfair.

I'm OK with life being unfair. I've been unable to book things (ADR's, etc), and missed out, because I had something in my life that prevented me from making the call. I had a phone, if I'd called they would have answered, and provided I was at the front of the que, I would have gotten what I wanted. Life prevented me from doing that, the system didn't.

I'm not so OK with the SYSTEM being unfair. I generally prefer, at the literal expense of increased dues, a system which provides equal opportunity (whether you can use it or not) access to everyone, no matter when they're travelling or how many points they have, to inventory on that date. The "old" system was the great equalizer. The guy owning 200 points looking for a date in the middle of his 7 day stay was competing with the girl who owns 2000 points looking for a date to start her 3 night stay. No inherent advantages or disadvantages in the SYSTEM. In their lives, maybe. But not in the system and the opportunity that exists.

I've passed my opinion on to DVC...we'll see what happens. If nothing happens, I can certainly live with the "new" system......we typically (this year being the exception) travel during the slower times anyway. Once in awhile (this year) we'd planned to do the holiday thing.....either pre-Christmas or pre-Halloween (during food and wine, maybe). This will make us think twice about trying for the busier DVC times (yup, more rooms for ya all!) IF it turns out to be as big a hassle as many predict it will. We'll see.....

 

[DVC Grandpa]

I am not the first one to touch on this but it seems to keep coming up so I will say this: How is the new system choosing the winners any more than the old one was? If someone has a job that prevented him or her from calling daily they were a "loser" under the old system.

The way I see it, no matter what system exists there will be "winners" and "losers". I agree with Dean and other posters who say those who are most upset about the changes are those who were able to work the old system to their advantage.

You must be talking about those members who use all the options offered within the Disney guidelines to make there reservations vs. those who don’t or can not call at 9am daily due to circumstances although MS is open 7 days a week from 9 to 5:30 EST.
Is it your desire to cut out the DBD calling and replace it with 7+ day booking policy that gives that 2 to 6 day advantage for anyone booking less than 7 days. Under the old booking system, the time can be measured in minutes, hours or and yes days if the only time you can call is on weekends.

 

[jade1]

I haven't read the whole thread to see how people feel the new system is working out but it worked great for me this morning!

I had booked at my home resort but called today for my 7 months out in February and got a standard view at BWV!!! It was so nice not to have to call everyday this week to make sure I got it and know that it was available for my whole stay. I would not have booked it on a waitlist basis b/c I was borrowing points and did not want to borrow if I didn't need to. I loved that there were no questions or worrying about getting the room I wanted for the whole week.

Congrats, what size room?

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

Thanks for your replies to my post.

I still think the folks who will gain by not having to call every single day will outweigh those people who will "lose" due to the new rules. DVCBelle's post is one example, and I believe we will see more of posts saying "I would have booked day by day and wasted all that time for no reason" or "I booked a resort I didnt' really want due to needing to be sure I got my entire reservation". I guess only time will tell. I really don't think the sky is falling, but I have been wrong before.

 

[jdg345]

Thanks for your replies to my post.

I still think the folks who will gain by not having to call every single day will outweigh those people who will "lose" due to the new rules. DVCBelle's post is one example, and I believe we will see more of posts saying "I would have booked day by day and wasted all that time for no reason" or "I booked a resort I didnt' really want due to needing to be sure I got my entire reservation". I guess only time will tell. I really don't think the sky is falling, but I have been wrong before.

It could be that we're still in that honeymoon period ... or it could be that DBD was never needed in the first for that reservation at this time of year. Either way, if people were doing DBD unnecessarily before, what is to stop them from doing DBD unnecessarily going forward -- just a week earlier?