New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[dianeschlicht]

Well, here's my reply from Member Services...

Thank you for contacting Disney Vacation Club.

We appreciate you're taking the time to share your feedback about our
recent reservation booking window policy changes, and we'd like to
apologize for the disappointment you've shared in your message. Prior
to making any modifications to our procedures, we carefully analyze the
impact the adjustment will have to our Members, our operation, and our
business as a whole, taking Member feedback into consideration as well.
Over the years, Members have expressed their frustration with having to
contact us on a daily basis to reserve high-demand travel periods. This
was a major factor in our determination to make this revision. This
adjustment will allow our Member Services Advisors to assist many
Members with their travel plans on one phone call instead of multiple
phone calls over several days. Our hope is that our Members will
appreciate the opportunity to confirm their plans more efficiently than
they have been able to in the past, and in being more timely, we can
provide overall better service to our Members.

Thank you again for sharing your concern. Your feedback is important to
us.

Sincerely,

Disney Vacation Club Member Services

Well all I can say to that is PHHHHHZZZZZZZZTTTTTT

 

[Inkmahm]

As someone who goes at Christmas time, I think the new policy absolutely stinks. There is no reason whatsoever that someone who checks in on Xmas day should have any more right to a New Year's Eve reservation than someone who begins their vacation on December 30. Day-by-day was fair. The new system is not.

I don't go at Christmas but I agree 100% with you. I don't understand some of the people posting here who seem to think exactly that- that if you start a vacation on Christmas Day you have MORE right to get all your nights (including NYE) than a person who wants to check in on Dec 30.

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

Well, here's my reply from Member Services...

Thank you for contacting Disney Vacation Club.

We appreciate you're taking the time to share your feedback about our
recent reservation booking window policy changes, and we'd like to
apologize for the disappointment you've shared in your message. Prior
to making any modifications to our procedures, we carefully analyze the
impact the adjustment will have to our Members, our operation, and our
business as a whole, taking Member feedback into consideration as well.
Over the years, Members have expressed their frustration with having to
contact us on a daily basis to reserve high-demand travel periods. This
was a major factor in our determination to make this revision. This
adjustment will allow our Member Services Advisors to assist many
Members with their travel plans on one phone call instead of multiple
phone calls over several days. Our hope is that our Members will
appreciate the opportunity to confirm their plans more efficiently than
they have been able to in the past, and in being more timely, we can
provide overall better service to our Members.

Thank you again for sharing your concern. Your feedback is important to
us.

Sincerely,

Disney Vacation Club Member Services

My complaint is that I had to read about this "recent reservation booking window policy changes" on the Disboards! All members should have been notified! What about members that don't frequent these boards, I guess they are out of luck. This is just bad customer service. I am a very new member, haven't even made my first trip "home" yet, and I have a very bad taste in my mouth about the way I had to find out about this.

 

[zulaya]

Here's something I was thinking about as I re-read their reply to me...

1. This was a business decision. They admitted it.

2. They clearly stated that this policy was initiated to deal with high-demand times so people don't have to call in every day.

Hello?

Haven't we all said that this policy would not affect most people EXCEPT high-demand times?

As in, for a high-demand time, this policy makes it harder and more stressful, not easier and less stressful?

What were they thinking that this would make high-demand times easier? More people are going to have to waitlist and be disappointed, or angry. Is that what they want?

Or are we to the point where they think this will significantly drop call volume? Not thinking about all the other calls people are going to make when they can't get what they want the first time around?

I really don't think they analyzed how members make their reservations, especially at high demand times.

 

[Inkmahm]

Well all I can say to that is PHHHHHZZZZZZZZTTTTTT

you're much more polite than I am. My response would get me points assigned by a moderator.

I got the very same response from DVC to my email of complaint, too.

 

[Starr W.]

I'm just writing to let you know that as a member I really appreciate finding out about this new policy on a message board and not in some official statement from DVC. I would like to see the whole new written policy on bookings and waitlist procedures as they are now.


I can't believe that we are going to have to wait until the member
magazine
comes out to see this all in writing.



I'm a little disappointed in how this has all transpired. I expected
more
out of Disney, a company known for its customer service.


This was my email and I got the exact same "canned" response.

 

[zulaya]

Starr W. -

Honestly, I think DVC management expected we would all fall all over ourselves thanking them for this new policy.

But DVCers are pretty savvy, especially ones that are on boards like this one. We recognized the problems with the high demand times right away...which is what they claimed to institute this policy for...to help make it easier.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in management's office today when they come in and hear about all the chatter and all the email.

 

[keishashadow]

more jumping thru hoops to get the days u want, really disturbing not to at least get an email notification or post on the web site

OT - why is it that the website is so poorly designed/maintained? I've been trying to acess the DVC percs @ DL for a week . Guess i'll call & "clog up" the phone lines

wonder if it's just a sneaky way to get people to add on points to have ability to have a 'cushion' banked

 

[DVC Grandpa]

Does anyone have the email address to James Lewis? Sending a letter thru the postal service will take a week for him to receive it. Perhaps we should all fill his email box with our concerns.

 

[Inkmahm]

Starr W. -

Honestly, I think DVC management expected we would all fall all over ourselves thanking them for this new policy.

But DVCers are pretty savvy, especially ones that are on boards like this one. We recognized the problems with the high demand times right away...which is what they claimed to institute this policy for...to help make it easier.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in management's office today when they come in and hear about all the chatter and all the email.

I sent a link to this very thread with my complaint email to DVC.

I doubt if they even read it.

 

[Starr W.]

Starr W. -

Honestly, I think DVC management expected we would all fall all over ourselves thanking them for this new policy.

But DVCers are pretty savvy, especially ones that are on boards like this one. We recognized the problems with the high demand times right away...which is what they claimed to institute this policy for...to help make it easier.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in management's office today when they come in and hear about all the chatter and all the email.

To be honest I don't think this policy is really going to be a hinderance to me. I ususally come in on Fri or Sat and don't stay more than 7 days. I go usually Thanksgiving and Easter and call right at 11 months. I'll just do it a few days earlier now.

My main beef is how this is rolled out, not what I expected from Disney. Starwood yes, Disney no.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

honestly, I could care less if disney notified me on this, as it wouldn't matter to me unless I called to book a trip. And if I called, and found out, it would be a nice surprice. So if I read it in a month in the newsletter, no biggie (but thats me.)

But - I booked my 6 night trip at the 11 month window for February Break, didn't call day by day, just waited till I could book everything and got it. 2br at VWL. I am patiently waiting for airfare to be released from Jetblue, probably not until August. If I can't get a decent flight out on Sunday 2/15, I have to fly Monday 2/16. What I am reading is I should be penalized and have to rebook my reservation because I have to cancel my first night? Not sure that would be fare either.

If there is way to buck the system, some idiot will try to do it, not matter what. But those that have to make changes, should be have to suffer because those "bad seeds"!!

 

[Inkmahm]

To be honest I don't think this policy is really going to be a hinderance to me. I ususally come in on Fri or Sat and don't stay more than 7 days. I go usually Thanksgiving and Easter and call right at 11 months. I'll just do it a few days earlier now.

My main beef is how this is rolled out, not what I expected from Disney. Starwood yes, Disney no.

Actually, you are exactly the person with the advantage that others are worried about. Why should you have a better chance of booking Thanksgiving day just because you arrive the Fri or Sat before compared to the person who wants to arrive Wed or actually on Thanksgiving?

 

[jdg345]

If you're talking about booking several days before your intended arrival just to get a jump on bookings, I don't see how that's any more opportunistic than what people have done in the past.

It's different because it gives an advantage to those with higher point banks to draw from.

Even though it was a practice endorsed by DVC, one could argue that day-by-day bookings was taking advantage of other members. All of the guidelines distributed to members state that reservations should be made 11/7 from the checkOUT date.

I disagree, everyone had an opportunity to book day-by-day. This was not restricted by the amount of points you had in your account. If you could not call at 9am, you could always add an associate to do so on your behalf. No cost involved.

People book days they know they will later cancel because they aren't certain of exact arrival and departure dates.

People book multiple unit sizes knowing that one will later be canceled because they don't know how many will be traveling.

People pre-book dates strictly for rental purposes--and I'm not talking about these so-called "commercial renters."

All things easier to do with larger point banks.

Regardless of what reservation system is in use, people will learn how to manipulate it to their greatest advantage. In your case, ultimately you will be keeping only the days that YOU actually want, and the rest will be released to other members. I don't see that as causing any more harm to members than the other forms of abuse that already exist.

The issue is not the days released as they would likely be "less peak"; it goes back to certain room types and certain time periods effectively becoming impossible for those with smaller contracts to book.

 

[jdg345]

No - you cannot call day-by-day after your initial call and change the original reservation. If you want more than 7 days to the original reservation, you'll need to wait until day 8 to add more days or make another reservation for another 7 days and cancel days from the first reservation.

There are ways to avoid this, but there is no question that you won't be able to make day-by-day changes to the original reservation until 11 months after the end of the dates for that reservation. MS has already addressed this possibility and will not allow daily changes, It would require cancelling the original reservation and rebooking the additional 7 days or cancelling days from the original reservation and making a new reservation - all based on availability.

Doc, this may not be entirely accurate.

I am not sure if it was a fluke or not, but I and others have been able to add Day-8 and drop Day-1 with no penalty, no rebook, same confirmation number. I'm going to try to Add another Day-8 today (which would be a total of 9 days out from when I started). I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Okay, I have my flame suit on and am ready for all of your flames!!! I REALLY LIKE THE NEW POLICY CHANGE!!! I don't have to worry about calling day-by-day. No waitlisting worries. I will know when I book whether I can get all of my days requested. I book sometimes on Saturday, sometimes on Sunday. Never more than 7 days. I don't go to WDW at Christmas, New Years Eve, Jersey week, Presidents week, Easter, or Thanksgiving. For me, this has been a blessing. I understand it will affect many. For those that gained an advantage calling day by day, I just feel the playing field is a little more even now. I am ecstatic with the change. Okay, flame away!

 

[Off-The-Deep-End]

It worked for me, I deleted day 1 and added a new day 7 on Friday, added day 8 yesterday and just completed my Ressie for next January with day # 9 today!

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

As of now, I'm just not sure how this new policy will change the way I book a vacation with MS. But, I wonder if an increased pattern of Sun-Thu reservations has lead to a realization by DVC that it has to somehow get more members to commit to staying on the weekends. This new booking policy could do that.

Does anyone else think this is a strategy designed to get people to feel that they need to buy more points in order to be sure they can get the vacation when and where they want it? All of a sudden, I'm not sure if we don't need another 50-75 points!

 

[disneynutz]

Does anyone have the email address to James Lewis? Sending a letter thru the postal service will take a week for him to receive it. Perhaps we should all fill his email box with our concerns.

Here you go:

jim.lewis@disney.com

 

[danielle782001]

Hello Danielle,

Thank you for contacting Disney Vacation Club.

We appreciate you're taking the time to share your feedback about our
recent reservation booking window policy changes, and we'd like to
apologize for the disappointment you've shared in your message. Prior
to making any modifications to our procedures, we carefully analyze the
impact the adjustment will have to our Members, our operation, and our
business as a whole, taking Member feedback into consideration as well.
Over the years, Members have expressed their frustration with having to
contact us on a daily basis to reserve high-demand travel periods. This
was a major factor in our determination to make this revision. This
adjustment will allow our Member Services Advisors to assist many
Members with their travel plans on one phone call instead of multiple
phone calls over several days. Our hope is that our Members will
appreciate the opportunity to confirm their plans more efficiently than
they have been able to in the past, and in being more timely, we can
provide overall better service to our Members.

Thank you again for sharing your concern. Your feedback is important to
us.

Sincerely,

Disney Vacation Club Member Services