New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[Tigger1]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet about the abuse possibility.
when I called for AKV last year to switch my reservation, They had to completely cancel the OKW ressie then put in theew ressie. I lucked out that AK was till available after waiting for them to cancel first ressie. ( This was a first day to book akv for non AKV DVC owners last June).

If someone overbooks there stay in the new system and then trys to cancel a few days, they might have them cancel the 1st ressie and then make a new one.

Also, if you overbook, you still have to use those points that year.

Sorry if this is a repeated message

 

[RobDoc]

I guess my question is what happens if you call in at the check-in date and the nights of the 2nd and 3rd are avail, the 4th and 5th are not, but the 6th is. Does that mean you can't book any of those days because it is all or nothing so you don't get to have any reservation at all? Or can you book the days avail and just waitlist for the 4th and 5th together?

You can reserve any/all of the available dates and then waitlist for the remainder.

 

[Inkmahm]

Also, if you overbook, you still have to use those points that year.

Not if you cancel within your banking deadline and before cancellation penalties kick in ...

 

[doconeill]

Not if you cancel within your banking deadline and before cancellation penalties kick in ...

...and the points weren't banked/borrowed/in holding in the first place...

 

[zulaya]

Also, if you borrowed points to game the system, then you are possibly stuck with those points in that use year.

It could be a deterrent for some, but those with large point contracts are the winners here. They will have that flexibility that those with smaller contracts will not.

I can see why they might want to do this...save members time and save themselves some calls. But the smartypants who thought of this obviously doesn't have DVC nor understands the trials and tribulations of booking certain categories and/or certain times of year.

This policy should not stand as is. It needs to be scrapped totally OR other safeguards put in place to prevent abuse.

It would be easier to just go back to the way it was as I see too many options that people can think of to prevent abuse, but not how it can be implemented fairly AND maintain the flexibility that has been a DVC hallmark.

I'm off to email MS myself. Thankfully, unless I have a major schedule change, we have our reservations for 2009 set. But my plan is for a GV at AKV in early December 2010. So there's time for me anyway to see how this shakes out.

 

[CarolMN]

I think this change is unfair to those who book popular room categories for popular times of the year. That includes Beach Cottages, studios and 1 bedrooms at HH for the summer weeks, Standard view and Boardwalk view at the BWV, 1 bedrooms with 2 Queens at the BCV, Grand Villas at OKW for some periods of the year and maybe the value categolry at the AKV, too.

For example, the Standard View & Boardwalk View rooms at the BWV almost always sell out within a day or so of the 11 month window opening. That means I have gone from almost surely being able to get what I want to, at best, using a waitlist that may or may not work. There have been many reports of early December waitlists NOT working for SV at the BWV.

I think MS will eventually (if it's not already part of this policy) not allow you to drop days from a reservation. So that will stop bogus reservation making. But it won't fix the inherent unfairness of the change.

Why should someone who books Thanksgiving week have a greater chance of getting the Friday and Saturday night after Thanksgiving than someone whose one week trip starts on the Friday after Thanksgiving?

I also think this new policy supports speculative renting. Think about it. They can get "the low supply" rooms and have 11 + months to find someone who wants the dates they secured. They don't need to drop days - they can just keep the reservation.

I may be sending my first letter to DVC about this one. IMHO, they have taken away the level playing field to possibly save themselves money and to give some members an advantage over others. That's just NOT RIGHT and I'm very disappointed that they just decided to do it with no notice or explanation to members!

 

[Inkmahm]

...and the points weren't banked/borrowed/in holding in the first place...

Which is why there is an advantage to the people who have excess points and can book more days than needed.

I'm liking this less and less...

 

[kgc07]

??? I don't understand the "you can't waitlist for only one day" comment.
For example, I have a 1 bedroom at AKV for Dec 2 and I am waitlisted for a 2 bedroom for just that one night. Then we move to VWL for 5 nights in a 2 bedroom. Are you saying I'm not allowed to have a waitlist for one night at AKV?

You can waitlist for a single day. I just waitlisted for a 2 bd concierge today. I called exactly at 9, but the MS rep was very slow and asked for my member number several times, how to spell my name, ect. before even looking for the room. By the time she had the room and went to put the information in it was gone and came up as a waitlist. Anyway, my point is yes, you can waitlist for a single day.

 

[Simba's Mom]

You can do a one night waitlist if that's the only night you are seeking.

What they have eliminated is the day-by-day waitlist. If you wanted Dec 2-6, in the past you could create 5 separate waitlist requests for each individual night. It's much easier to get one night off of the waitlist than 5 consecutive, so the odds of success are probably much higher this way.

Now if you wanted Dec 2-6, you need to waitlist for the entire period. It's all or nothing.

Whew! I was concerned about that also. I'm on the waitlist for the last night of my vacation in October. I want to change resorts for that last night, since it's a weekend night, and by changing to a value AKV studio, I'm saving points. I was afraid that with the new rules, they'd take me off the waitlist. From what you said, it sounds like I'm OK, right?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Ah, that makes more sense. I think.

What if someone WANTS a split stay though and waitlist for one resort for the first 3 days and another resort for the 2nd 3 days of a vacation? Is that not allowed, either? What if the split is 2 days and 4 days? Or 1 day and 5 days? Where is the line, all are okay except the 1 day and 5 day option?

I was wondering about this also. Lots of times, when I go solo, I do like split stays. Does this new policy make waitlisting for split stays more difficult? I'm wondering if there's lots of things DVC hasn't even considered.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think this change is unfair to those who book popular room categories for popular times of the year. That includes Beach Cottages, studios and 1 bedrooms at HH for the summer weeks, Standard view and Boardwalk view at the BWV, 1 bedrooms with 2 Queens at the BCV, Grand Villas at OKW for some periods of the year and maybe the value categolry at the AKV, too.

For example, the Standard View & Boardwalk View rooms at the BWV almost always sell out within a day or so of the 11 month window opening. That means I have gone from almost surely being able to get what I want to, at best, using a waitlist that may or may not work. There have been many reports of early December waitlists NOT working for SV at the BWV.

I think MS will eventually (if it's not already part of this policy) not allow you to drop days from a reservation. So that will stop bogus reservation making. But it won't fix the inherent unfairness of the change.

Why should someone who books Thanksgiving week have a greater chance of getting the Friday and Saturday night after Thanksgiving than someone whose one week trip starts on the Friday after Thanksgiving?

I also think this new policy supports speculative renting. Think about it. They can get "the low supply" rooms and have 11 + months to find someone who wants the dates they secured. They don't need to drop days - they can just keep the reservation.

I may be sending my first letter to DVC about this one. IMHO, they have taken away the level playing field to possibly save themselves money and to give some members an advantage over others. That's just NOT RIGHT and I'm very disappointed that they just decided to do it with no notice or explanation to members!

I totally agree, Carol! Definitely not a level playing field anymore.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

You can waitlist for a single day. I just waitlisted for a 2 bd concierge today. I called exactly at 9, but the MS rep was very slow and asked for my member number several times, how to spell my name, ect. before even looking for the room. By the time she had the room and went to put the information in it was gone and came up as a waitlist. Anyway, my point is yes, you can waitlist for a single day.

So the real change is that you cannot waitlist for EVERY day on a day-by-day basis, but you can waitlist for SOME days? As confusing as this sounds, it probably makes sense. Of course, just allowing day-by-day waitlists also made sense to me. What do I know?

Anyone else think we will hear the word "simplification" used early and often in explaining these changes to the members? -- Suzanne

 

[Disney Kim]

..I'm beyond upset about this change.
I just added on 50 points at the boardwalk about a month ago SO THAT I CAN GET SUNDAY TO FRIDAY STANDARD VIEW EARLY DECEMBER... So now even with the points I may call that day and have to waitlist?? Because Other members were already able to book those days before me...
ARE THEY KIDDING ME???

 

[kgc07]

I agree - it wipes out the 11 month/7month windows more or less. I wanted to start booking a 1BR AKV concierge villa for August of 2009. I know how hard they are to get so I planned on the day-by-day booking. Now when I call 11 months prior to our check-in day someone arriving the day before (or 6 days before) may have booked them all already. For hard to get room categories this is really going to stink!

I agree. Our May stay will probably be our last. I'm not at all happy about it either. We planned to try for concierge for at least part of all of our stays.
We also just added on points for booking concierge.

 

[toesmom]

I've already e-mailed DVC about this change. I don't like it and the potential abuse of the booking system as a result.

The original system was totally fair for everyone. Owners should voice complaints about it and we should be heard.

 

[zulaya]

Well, I sent off my email.

Addressing a PP about the word "simplification"...

Actually, I'll just put it out there as to DVC MS..

Please do not use the word "Simplification" or any other language designed to make ME think that you were thinking about ME when you made this decision.

You made a huge mistake. The adult thing is to own up to a mistake when one makes a mistake.

Do not give us a political explanation; be upfront and direct.

If you feel being upfront and direct about your decisions is bad for you, maybe you should think about that before you make those decisions.

Off my soapbox now...

 

[mountainjourno]

I am very very disappointed about this rule change.

I like to be at Disney during Christmas Day. Sometimes, I can't get away until December 23rd though. So now - I would need to book from December 18th to get December 25th, and then cancel the nights of December 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd.

Some on here have referred to this as "abuse" of the system, or "gaming" the system. But why do I need to miss out on a fair chance of spending Christmas Day with my family at Disney World, just because we can't arrive on December 18th?

Another poster on this thread referred to those who live closer to Disney spending Thankgiving at DVC - and only spending a couple of days, and worried that they would "abuse" the system by booking and then cancelling a few days earlier. Why are those people less entitled to stay at Disney for Thanksgiving just because they are only staying a couple of days?

I notice that those who were happiest about the changes made their bookings today, or will be soon. So yeah - it's great because you haven't had to deal with people booking their 7 days during the last few days and wiping out your chance at a particular reservation. I'm sure that happiness will fade when they next try to book and others have had several days' booking advantage.

I sent my email to member services, fingers crossed they change this very poorly-thought out idea.

 

[doconeill]

Does anyone else think that whoever reads the MS emails is wondering what the heck happened? Considering they haven't even officially announced any change yet?

In the tradition of Slashdot (a tech news site/blog that often has the result of a web site linked in a story going down when the readership hits it, which has been verbed as "Slashdotted"), I think we need to create a new verb, called "being DIS'd" or "being DISboarded"...

"Hey Joe?"

"Yeah, what?"

"I think we've been DISboarded again."

"How's that?"

Well, one of the call center people told a caller about the upcoming change."

"Yeah, so?"

"I've got a thousand emails from members who are...well, 'displeased'..."

 

[kfalsey]

I booked today may 20 - 27. But, I wanted 4 nights in a studio and 3 nights in a one bedroom so that not to use so many points. She let me book it for 7 nights in a studio, but would not let me book the last 3 night one bedroom even though she stated it was available. she stated it is a separate reservation and that I had to call back on the 24th and change the reservation to the one bedroom for those last 3 days. does it make sense? If they were available, the one bedrooms for the last 3 nights, shouldnt she have booked them. Also, she kept looking to see if available. I did not understand since I was one of the first people to find out about the change in booking since I called right at 9:00, just to book the night of may 20 for next year. So for people who divide their stay to save points, you have to call back.

 

[edk35]

So far for our 2 completed vacations last Aug. and Thanksgiving week and our 3rd next month we have not had to use the 7 or 11 month window yet. Last year we stayed 5 nights SSR our home resort and 3 nights BWV with BW view and we are splitting in July at OKW and BCV and we were so lucky to get them with like 5-6 months out. All of these were 2br. I guess this might be a problem for us if we want a peak time?? I guess time will tell for all of us.