New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[dvcdisney]

DBD might be more work for those chosing to book that way, but I see it as: If these people want to invest more time and energy into getting what they want when/where they want it, so be it. If it gives them a better shot, so be it -- They're putting in the effort!

If you call DBD and get the booking and I call 15 days later requesting the same days and I don't get them, who's fault is that? Yours? DVC's for allowing DBD? Nope, all mine. I obviously didn't want it bad enough, so I'll just book somewhere else.

Many of the folks that didn't like the old system were upset because they'd call based on departure day and find that some previous days were booked. Frankly, if they called departure minus 11 months, almost everything should be available. If they called departure minus 10 months, well ... then ... who's fault is that?

Booking DBD was fair for everyone, you always knew that your room was available 1 minute before MS opened and everyone had a fair shot to get in if they wanted it bad enough.

Just as your previous days could be booked when the old system, your current day could be booked with the new system. I wonder how many people who think the new system is great will think so when they call and can't book 7+ because their first day is not available?

Right now, it's great because no one knows about it so you don't have anyone before you really tying up future days. Once the 'secret gets out', you have just as much possibility of having your current/future days locked out as you did your previous days with the old system. The solution? You still DBD, but now you're taking up a bunch of days you don't want or need and are causing issues for other members who might want those days. Plus, you're tying up MS to make meaningless reservations you don't really want!

Yup, sounds more fair to me.

Definitely Agree!

I did a few DBD bookings and it was quick and effortless for both MS and myself. It took no more than 2 minutes to do it. I believe with the new system, cancelling and adding will definitely take a lot longer and be open for more mistakes and member dissatisfaction.

If they thought they were getting a lot of complaints about DBD and availability, wait until people call and find out about the new policy. Then they would have to have a department dedicated to handling just complaints about the new booking policy.

I didn't know about the DBD when I first became a member. But now that I know about it, I do believe that if you are going to make the effort to do this, then by all rights, you deserve the room. If someone would rather wait until 11/7months before departure date then they understand that there is a chance they will not get the room. I think everyone understands this. Maybe some are upset about it, but there's nothing wrong with it. By the way, I found out about DBD from MS, not another member. They were the ones who told me that I could do it.

 

[farmergirl]

Definitely Agree!

I did a few DBD bookings and it was quick and effortless for both MS and myself. It took no more than 2 minutes to do it. I believe with the new system, cancelling and adding will definitely take a lot longer and be open for more mistakes and member dissatisfaction.

If they thought they were getting a lot of complaints about DBD and availability, wait until people call and find out about the new policy. Then they would have to have a department dedicated to handling just complaints about the new booking policy.

I didn't know about the DBD when I first became a member. But now that I know about it, I do believe that if you are going to make the effort to do this, then by all rights, you deserve the room. If someone would rather wait until 11/7months before departure date then they understand that there is a chance they will not get the room. I think everyone understands this. Maybe some are upset about it, but there's nothing wrong with it. By the way, I found out about DBD from MS, not another member. They were the ones who told me that I could do it.

Actually I found oout about DBD from MS as well. I couldn't get concierge for the first three days of our trip and she told me next time to book it day by day to insure a better chance of getting what I want.

 

[jdg345]

Definitely Agree!

I did a few DBD bookings and it was quick and effortless for both MS and myself. It took no more than 2 minutes to do it. I believe with the new system, cancelling and adding will definitely take a lot longer and be open for more mistakes and member dissatisfaction.

If they thought they were getting a lot of complaints about DBD and availability, wait until people call and find out about the new policy. Then they would have to have a department dedicated to handling just complaints about the new booking policy.

I didn't know about the DBD when I first became a member. But now that I know about it, I do believe that if you are going to make the effort to do this, then by all rights, you deserve the room. If someone would rather wait until 11/7months before departure date then they understand that there is a chance they will not get the room. I think everyone understands this. Maybe some are upset about it, but there's nothing wrong with it. By the way, I found out about DBD from MS, not another member. They were the ones who told me that I could do it.

Exactly, as for most of the time, booking departure minus 11 months is going to net you what you want, just as it was argued that 11+7 is going to net you want you want [most of the time].

The issue is the key times ... the new system gives advantage to higher point contracts and spec renters, imo. You still are going to have a landslide of people calling on that first day and a few days previous. And you are still going to have people trying to pre-book days to give themselves an advantage. These people are likely the same people that used to book DBD because they wanted it that bad. The difference is that now these people are going to tie up nights that they may not want which does negative impact other members' plans. The old system still allowed them to 'do all they could', but at least they weren't wasting MS time and blocking out other peoples reservations.

It's one thing to request Fri - Fri because you're not sure when you are going to arrive.

It's another thing to request Fri - Fri knowing you're going to drop Fri/Sat because it gives you a booking advantage over those reserving Sunday stay.

And, of course, this is the *big* problem. I think everyone in this thread sees this ... so ... how many are going to start booking Previous Thursday to next Friday to get a jump on the people booking Friday who are getting a jump on the people booking Sunday? And how many are going to go Wednesday? Yuk.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Member services satisfaction team (Joy) called me this afternoon about my two emails that I sent in regarding this new policy. She said they were totally floored that people were not liking the new policy. She said that the first few people seemed fine with it, but as the day went on, people started getting negetive responses, and then all the emails. They truly had not thought about the impact this would have on things like holiday ressies and low availability rooms like concierge, BWV Standard, BCV dedicated 2 bed 2 bedrooms etc. She did understand what I was saying though, and she promised to voice my concern to the powers that be.

I also found out how to solve my problem with the 42 points I want to use from AKV next year. If I can't get what I want I CAN reallocate them to OKW at the 7 month window without rebooking.

My feeling is we are all (both members and MS) going to have to live with this awhile before we find out how much if an issue it is going to be or if it will be changed to accommodate the errors in how it is implemented. So, I guess time will tell. Anyway, I was pleased that my voice was heard.

 

[ransom]

Thank you for sharing your conversation with us, Diane!

 

[n2mm]

DBD might be more work for those chosing to book that way, but I see it as: If these people want to invest more time and energy into getting what they want when/where they want it, so be it. If it gives them a better shot, so be it -- They're putting in the effort!

If you call DBD and get the booking and I call 15 days later requesting the same days and I don't get them, who's fault is that? Yours? DVC's for allowing DBD? Nope, all mine. I obviously didn't want it bad enough, so I'll just book somewhere else.

Many of the folks that didn't like the old system were upset because they'd call based on departure day and find that some previous days were booked. Frankly, if they called departure minus 11 months, almost everything should be available. If they called departure minus 10 months, well ... then ... who's fault is that?

Booking DBD was fair for everyone, you always knew that your room was available 1 minute before MS opened and everyone had a fair shot to get in if they wanted it bad enough.

Just as your previous days could be booked when the old system, your current day could be booked with the new system. I wonder how many people who think the new system is great will think so when they call and can't book 7+ because their first day is not available?

Right now, it's great because no one knows about it so you don't have anyone before you really tying up future days. Once the 'secret gets out', you have just as much possibility of having your current/future days locked out as you did your previous days with the old system. The solution? You still DBD, but now you're taking up a bunch of days you don't want or need and are causing issues for other members who might want those days. Plus, you're tying up MS to make meaningless reservations you don't really want!

Yup, sounds more fair to me.

Thanks! My thoughts exactly!!

BTW--as other's had said, I learned about day-by-day through MS. They were the ones that recommend I take that approach when wanting to book BWV-Standard view.

 

[jdg345]

Member services satisfaction team (Joy) called me this afternoon about my two emails that I sent in regarding this new policy. She said they were totally floored that people were not liking the new policy. She said that the first few people seemed fine with it, but as the day went on, people started getting negetive responses, and then all the emails. They truly had not thought about the impact this would have on things like holiday ressies and low availability rooms like concierge, BWV Standard, BCV dedicated 2 bed 2 bedrooms etc. She did understand what I was saying though, and she promised to voice my concern to the powers that be.

I just got off the phone with them as well! They spent a good half hour with me going over the multiple issues here. Overall it was a good call, and I also made it clear that, "Like it or dislike it, the way this was communicated to the membership left a lot to be desired." I mean, to date, we still don't know all the details! Did you get the direct contact of the person you spoke to?

I also found out how to solve my problem with the 42 points I want to use from AKV next year. If I can't get what I want I CAN reallocate them to OKW at the 7 month window without rebooking.

Oh? How does this work? Can you reallocate points at 7 months to another contract? Is it considered a transfer?

My feeling is we are all (both members and MS) going to have to live with this awhile before we find out how much if an issue it is going to be or if it will be changed to accommodate the errors in how it is implemented. So, I guess time will tell. Anyway, I was pleased that my voice was heard.

Agreed, it was nice to get a phone call. They might have to go back to the drawing board on this, and that may take some time. I explained that if the goal was to cut down on call volume, this might actually have the opposite effect.

 

[zulaya]

Member services satisfaction team (Joy) called me this afternoon about my two emails that I sent in regarding this new policy. She said they were totally floored that people were not liking the new policy. She said that the first few people seemed fine with it, but as the day went on, people started getting negetive responses, and then all the emails. They truly had not thought about the impact this would have on things like holiday ressies and low availability rooms like concierge, BWV Standard, BCV dedicated 2 bed 2 bedrooms etc. She did understand what I was saying though, and she promised to voice my concern to the powers that be.

I also found out how to solve my problem with the 42 points I want to use from AKV next year. If I can't get what I want I CAN reallocate them to OKW at the 7 month window without rebooking.

My feeling is we are all (both members and MS) going to have to live with this awhile before we find out how much if an issue it is going to be or if it will be changed to accommodate the errors in how it is implemented. So, I guess time will tell. Anyway, I was pleased that my voice was heard.

Diane, I am SO glad that you got a call. You must have written one heck of a letter to receive a call back.

Please continue to email/call/mail Member Services with your thoughts if you haven't already!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Oh? How does this work? Can you reallocate points at 7 months to another contract? Is it considered a transfer?

Basically I can call at 7 months and take however many days of my OKW ressie it takes and reallocate the 42 AKV points to the OKW contract using the AKV points for the already made ressie. You can't transfer to yourself.

 

[zulaya]

jdg345 - good for you that you got a call as well! Did you guys include your phone numbers or ask to be called? I didn't do those specific things and maybe I should have. I think the three of us are on the same page, and I know they have had a ton of responses...nevertheless, it would have been cool to have a voice-to-voice conversation about it.

 

[snackyx]

It's one thing to request Fri - Fri because you're not sure when you are going to arrive.

It's another thing to request Fri - Fri knowing you're going to drop Fri/Sat because it gives you a booking advantage over those reserving Sunday stay.

And, of course, this is the *big* problem. I think everyone in this thread sees this ... so ... how many are going to start booking Previous Thursday to next Friday to get a jump on the people booking Friday who are getting a jump on the people booking Sunday? And how many are going to go Wednesday? Yuk.

This is exactly where the powers that be will have to make some decision about cancellation of these "rolling reservations". If you book a reservation and then start the cancel day 1/add day 8 routine over and over until you have what you want, this is even worse than the old DBD. Once you institute a cancellation policy, though, you are going to hear from everyone who wants flexability and do not want to be penalized for legimitate changes in plans.

Perhaps a "no cancellation" within 30 days of original booking would work--if you do cancel within 30 days (or 15 days or even 8 days--any number that takes you outside the seven day booking limit) you THEN lose the entire reservation and have to start over. Outside of 30 (or 15 or 8) days you can then cancel and add as availability allows.

 

[mopee3]

I also found out how to solve my problem with the 42 points I want to use from AKV next year. If I can't get what I want I CAN reallocate them to OKW at the 7 month window without rebooking.

I am not sure what you mean by "reallocating" them to OKW without rebooking?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Diane, I am SO glad that you got a call. You must have written one heck of a letter to receive a call back.

Please continue to email/call/mail Member Services with your thoughts if you haven't already!

Well, my email was good, but my letter to Jim Lewis was a LOT better!! I could get another call

 

[Laurabearz]

Thanks for the info Diane...

 

[jdg345]

Basically I can call at 7 months and take however many days of my OKW ressie it takes and reallocate the 42 AKV points to the OKW contract using the AKV points for the already made ressie. You can't transfer to yourself.

Ohhh ... but then you have OKW points left over, right? It also shows that they can cancel, hold, and rebook a ressie without triggering a WL. I've done similar to change a Reservation with Current Use Year points to Borrowed Points so I can bank the Current ones.

 

[dianeschlicht]

jdg345 - good for you that you got a call as well! Did you guys include your phone numbers or ask to be called? I didn't do those specific things and maybe I should have. I think the three of us are on the same page, and I know they have had a ton of responses...nevertheless, it would have been cool to have a voice-to-voice conversation about it.

I put my name, address, phone, email and member number down. She actually had my member page up when she called me, so she knew I had made a 7 month ressie using the new system already.

They really did not expect this kind of reaction. She did, however, see why it was a problem for people booking low available units or at high occupancy prime times like holidays and for those staying more than a week. I got the impression that the majority of people stay either Sun-Thur. or a week. I suspect that is what prompted the change.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Ohhh ... but then you have OKW points left over, right? It also shows that they can cancel, hold, and rebook a ressie without triggering a WL. I've done similar to change a Reservation with Current Use Year points to Borrowed Points so I can bank the Current ones.

Yes, but I can bank the OKW points and leave my AKV contract alone so I can do the bank and borrow/book middle year thing with my AKV points in 2010/2011/2012. I kind of jumped the gun and got off schedule because I was so eager to use my new points this past year!

 

[jdg345]

jdg345 - good for you that you got a call as well! Did you guys include your phone numbers or ask to be called? I didn't do those specific things and maybe I should have. I think the three of us are on the same page, and I know they have had a ton of responses...nevertheless, it would have been cool to have a voice-to-voice conversation about it.

I think they likely matched up my information in the database and called me? Not sure, I don't remember leaving my phone number. I may have submitted it through the Website and that's how they linked me?

I did tell them that if they thought I didn't like the policy, just wait until they get in touch with dianeschlicht!

 

[zulaya]

I thought my original email was good, but I only included my member number. I have a snail mail letter that's much better and I'll be sure to include pertinent information.

 

[dianeschlicht]

LOL, but I had a VERY civil conversation with Joy once she understood the problem. Who called you?