New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[bookwormde]

Well I emailed my ideas yesterday. I received an email receipt response immediately.

Had a nice 10-minute talk with Joy at DVC member communications today. Definitely not a canned response (although a few of the questions and comments were scripted but this was a small part of it. She seems to still have a really good attitude after what must have been and extremely busy week dealing with mostly unhappy members.

Nothing really new except that they are still looking at options to make the system as fair to everyone as possible.

My email was 4 pages long including 2 detailed ideas for improvements and while she did not have all the details in her head it was clear that she had read/scanned it. It is now headed for the team with a note for them to call me if they have any questions about my ideas. I also let her know that they had been posted on the “forum” and no one had “torn them apart”.

I reviewed my concerns about the inequity of the new system to short stay people and the issue with booking special days.

I am curious about 1 thing. What is everyone’s experience with booking an OKW GV DBD 11 month in the summer, in the past so I know how to compare my upcoming success/failure? My only direct experience was 2ndhand and that was March several years ago and that person was successful.

bookwormde

 

[bookwormde]

Debi,

I was looking for the address also but after talking to Joy today, all the emails are being sent to the team anyway, so if you get an email response receipt then they will get a copy.

bookwormde

 

[jarestel]

Had a nice 10-minute talk with Joy at DVC member communications today.

Seems like "Joy" is now the designated caller. Others have mentioned speaking with her and she's already called me twice (from Disney Cruise Line if caller ID is to be believed).

 

[LisaS]

That's what I thought, too. I'll try my best to explain

I book days 1-7 on day 1.

On MY day 4, someone else calls in, but there's nothing available until MY day 8 at that time. So the availability shows nothing available for their days 1-4, but 5-7 are available because I haven't called DBD to extend. At that time, they waitlist for their entire 7-day stay (which Joy said you CAN do)
On day 5, someone else cancels what they had already booked, and that frees up days 1-4 for the other person. Because I haven't yet booked my day 8 and beyond, that means that days 5-7 are also available, and now that person's waitlist gets fulfilled, taking my extension days with it.

• So ME: x x x x x x x
• Them: y y y x x x x x x x is waitlisted
• cancel: x x x x x x x

"Them" gets days 1-4 from the cancelled and days 5-7 that are open still because I haven't extended yet. The chances of this happening, and the chances that mr. cancelled's days past what he originally booked not being available, are probably slim and next to none. BUT, we're talking about emotions and wanting control over securing the reservation, which means telling people to call day by day to extend their vacation.

How did I do? I think my brain is now going loopy

Good job but I think you actually proved my point. Let's assign room numbers in each case in your example.

You call Nov 1st to start booking a stay from Oct 1-10. You are assigned Room 1 from Oct 1-7. I call on Nov 4 wanting to book Oct 4-10, but there is nothing available for Oct 4. If what you say is correct that I could waitlist my entire stay on that first call (and we have contradictory information about that) then I am wait listed for Oct 4-10.

The status of rooms 1 and 2 are listed below for the two week period starting Oct 1. An "x" indicates the room is booked that night, a "-" indicates the room is available. You are in Room 1 for 7 nights, someone has Room 2 for 6 nights and then it is free for 1 night in week 1 and all of week 2. I am waitlisted, waiting for all of my nights to become available at once since there is no longer an option to waitlist day by day.

Status as of Nov 4th:

• Room 1: xxxxxxx ------- (you are booked here Oct 1-7)
• Room 2: xxxxxx- ------- ("other" is booked here Oct 1-6)
• waitlist: ---xxxx xxx---- (I'm waitlisted for Oct 4-10)

You decide to wait until Nov 7 to extend your stay. Meanwhile due to a cancellation, my Oct 4-10 stay can be booked. I cannot be assigned to Room 1 for my stay because you are in it from Oct 1-7. So they assign me to the room that became available, Room 2.

Status as of Nov 6:

• Room 1/you: xxxxxxx ------- (you are booked here Oct 1-7)
• Room 2 /me: ---xxxx xxx---- (I am booked here Oct 4-10)

Room 1 is open as of Oct 8th. They cannot assign anyone to that room yet because you are in it until the morning of Oct 8 and it's too early for anyone to book a stay that starts on that date. You call back no later than Nov 7 to extend your stay during the time that you still have a lock on Room 1 and book your last 3 nights.

Status as of Nov 7:

• Room 1/you: xxxxxxx xxx---- (you are booked here Oct 1-10)
• Room 2 /me: ---xxxx xxx---- (I am booked here Oct 4-10)

 

[AKV707]

Good job but I think you actually proved my point. Let's assign room numbers in each case in your example.

You call Nov 1st to start booking a stay from Oct 1-10. You are assigned Room 1 from Oct 1-7. I call on Nov 4 wanting to book Oct 4-10, but there is nothing available for Oct 4. If what you say is correct that I could waitlist my entire stay on that first call (and we have contradictory information about that) then I am wait listed for Oct 4-10.

The status of rooms 1 and 2 are listed below for the two week period starting Oct 1. An "x" indicates the room is booked that night, a "-" indicates the room is available. You are in Room 1 for 7 nights, someone has Room 2 for 6 nights and then it is free for 1 night in week 1 and all of week 2. I am waitlisted, waiting for all of my nights to become available at once since there is no longer an option to waitlist day by day.

Status as of Nov 4th:

• Room 1: xxxxxxx ------- (you are booked here Oct 1-7)
• Room 2: xxxxxx- ------- ("other" is booked here Oct 1-6)
• waitlist: ---xxxx xxx---- (I'm waitlisted for Oct 4-10)

You decide to wait until Nov 7 to extend your stay. Meanwhile due to a cancellation, my Oct 4-10 stay can be booked. I cannot be assigned to Room 1 for my stay because you are in it from Oct 1-7. So they assign me to the room that became available, Room 2.

Status as of Nov 6:

• Room 1/you: xxxxxxx ------- (you are booked here Oct 1-7)
• Room 2 /me: ---xxxx xxx---- (I am booked here Oct 4-10)

Room 1 is open as of Oct 8th. They cannot assign anyone to that room yet because you are in it until the morning of Oct 8 and it's too early for anyone to book a stay that starts on that date. You call back no later than Nov 7 to extend your stay during the time that you still have a lock on Room 1 and book your last 3 nights.

Status as of Nov 7:

• Room 1/you: xxxxxxx xxx---- (you are booked here Oct 1-10)
• Room 2 /me: ---xxxx xxx---- (I am booked here Oct 4-10)

Lisa, that makes perfect sense. I have been thinking about this and you said it right. When you use physical rooms in the example it changes everything.

 

[Inkmahm]

There is nothing I can do about the people who walk and my fear is when MS decides to do something about, THAT will end up screwing me.

The abiblity to add and or drop a day to either end of a reservation needs to be allowed... and if that means people will be able to walk their reservtaion from now until NYE I say... let them.

Agreed.

 

[Dean]

With all this talk of waitlists, do you have any solid information as to how these now trigger? The reason I ask is because there has been concern that as soon as you waitlist, if a room comes up -- whammo -- it's taken out of inventory and fills the waitlist. This would make it tough of cancel/rebook scenarios.

Not other than has posted here, sorry.

Agreeing with 95%+ of what you wrong, but I want to point out that even if Disney stops allowing people to drop days off the reservation, the 7-day limit is still pointless - and evidence Disney didn't do a good job thinking this over ahead of time.

It serves the purpose of allowing a 7 day or less booking on one phone call subject to availability. I suspect that was the main goal, to reduce phone calls and thus MS personnel. Encouraging 7 day reservations would also save on housekeeping. Assuming that was the intent, if it doesn't work, they'll change it again likely to be more strict than right now.

Certainly seems messier than what we had before, doesn't it?

NO, just different, it seems potentially cleaner to me.

 

[Laurabearz]

I am curious about 1 thing. What is everyone’s experience with booking an OKW GV DBD 11 month in the summer, in the past so I know how to compare my upcoming success/failure? My only direct experience was 2ndhand and that was March several years ago and that person was successful.

bookwormde

Here's the thing with GV at OKW in the summer... they are 123 points for each Friday and Saturday Night. Most people can't tie up that many points so I would think they would just book starting Sunday.... That right their means more people will shoot for a Sunday start, so you would have just as good a shot as anyone.


Adding a Saturday night would increase your odds emensely and you would all but be garrenteed one if you booked both starting Friday and Saturday nights.


Although I will say that those DVCers that bought DVC to use OKW GV, more than likely do have enough points for the weekends... the masses dont.

 

[squirrlygirl]

Good job but I think you actually proved my point. Let's assign room numbers in each case in your example.

-snipped here to shorten it-

Status as of Nov 7:

• Room 1/you: xxxxxxx xxx---- (you are booked here Oct 1-10)
• Room 2 /me: ---xxxx xxx---- (I am booked here Oct 4-10)

OK, according to Joy, the problem is that "rooms" are not assigned at the time of booking; the computers are only working with inventory. And what happens if the cancellation was only for the first half of the stay? Then the cancelled person is still in their room for the end days--perhaps they've walked their reservation forward, so the first 3 days are freed up, but now they've extended out to another full 7 days--which might be where your room is taken to fulfill the end of the waitlist.

After this whole big convoluted conversation with Joy about this, I had to admit that I don't even have a reason to be trying to wrap my head around this.
A-I own SSR
B-I don't plan 11 months in advance anyway, and
C-I'll be happy staying most places

 

[mrdiscranky]

It serves the purpose of allowing a 7 day or less booking on one phone call subject to availability. I suspect that was the main goal, to reduce phone calls and thus MS personnel.

The 7-day limit isn't what allows that. Remove the 7-day limit, and everything you say is true, except that you would reduce calls even more.

 

[Debi]

I feel like a complete fool for asking this, but what is the e-mail address for DVC? I've seen it posted here before, but I can't find it.

Thanks!

 

[bookwormde]

Debi,

DVCMemberSatisfactionTeam@disneyvacationclub.com

bookwormde

 

[Dean]

The 7-day limit isn't what allows that. Remove the 7-day limit, and everything you say is true, except that you would reduce calls even more.

You can look at it as a limit or an allowance. It's 6 days more than it was previously and is allowed by the new policy. In theory it could have been any length though the more I think about it the more 7 days makes sense. Also I am starting to think that it may end up 7 days or nothing without the ability to change it without a cancelation and rebooking. We shall see.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

Also I am starting to think that it may end up 7 days or nothing without the ability to change it without a cancelation and rebooking. We shall see.

That would be a terribile thing. All the flexibiity that I liked about the DVC system would be lost if that were the rule. Not very magical at all.

I'd stated earlier in this thread that what struck me right off about this booking enhancement was that I now need to buy more points in order to be sure that I can book the room category that I want during the days that I want. That just wasn't the case before.

We were considering a small-add on at GCV but I doubt we will do that now. It just doesn't make any sense to do it anymore withthis new system. Unless I buy enough points so that I will have enough for 7 days at a resort then I won't own there.

 

[Dean]

That would be a terribile thing. All the flexibiity that I liked about the DVC system would be lost if that were the rule. Not very magical at all.

You wouldn't lose the flexibility pre se though you might have a lower chance of success for other options. You could still do DBD bookings as it's currently set up. Interesting many are looking at adding related to this issue and I'm reducing the # of points I own though not in response to this issue.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

You wouldn't lose the flexibility pre se though you might have a lower chance of success for other options. You could still do DBD bookings as it's currently set up. Interesting many are looking at adding related to this issue and I'm reducing the # of points I own though not in response to this issue.

No you would most definitely lose the flexibility that you had before. If you could only make 7 day reservations and any changes result in a cancellation fo the whole reservation, then that is a loss of flexiblity. At least to me it is. Dean, if you think differently on the subject then that is your right.

As far as the number of points are concerned, you've obviously got more than enough to book a full week. For those of us who were counting on being able to book Sun-Thu only and stay somewhere else on the weekend, then this system means you may need to add on some more points in order to stay at your home resort at your 11 month book window.

 

[DVC Mike]

We were considering a small-add on at GCV but I doubt we will do that now. It just doesn't make any sense to do it anymore withthis new system.

Actually, a bigger reason for East Coasters not to buy in at the Villas at the Grand Californian at DLR is the what it looks like it will end up costing to fly your family to California. Ouch!

 

[jdg345]

Seems like "Joy" is now the designated caller. Others have mentioned speaking with her and she's already called me twice (from Disney Cruise Line if caller ID is to be believed).

I spoke to someone else, fwiw.

 

[jdg345]

Good job but I think you actually proved my point. Let's assign room numbers in each case in your example.

You call Nov 1st to start booking a stay from Oct 1-10. You are assigned Room 1 from Oct 1-7. I call on Nov 4 wanting to book Oct 4-10, but there is nothing available for Oct 4. If what you say is correct that I could waitlist my entire stay on that first call (and we have contradictory information about that) then I am wait listed for Oct 4-10.

The status of rooms 1 and 2 are listed below for the two week period starting Oct 1. An "x" indicates the room is booked that night, a "-" indicates the room is available. You are in Room 1 for 7 nights, someone has Room 2 for 6 nights and then it is free for 1 night in week 1 and all of week 2. I am waitlisted, waiting for all of my nights to become available at once since there is no longer an option to waitlist day by day.

Status as of Nov 4th:

• Room 1: xxxxxxx ------- (you are booked here Oct 1-7)
• Room 2: xxxxxx- ------- ("other" is booked here Oct 1-6)
• waitlist: ---xxxx xxx---- (I'm waitlisted for Oct 4-10)

You decide to wait until Nov 7 to extend your stay. Meanwhile due to a cancellation, my Oct 4-10 stay can be booked. I cannot be assigned to Room 1 for my stay because you are in it from Oct 1-7. So they assign me to the room that became available, Room 2.

Status as of Nov 6:

• Room 1/you: xxxxxxx ------- (you are booked here Oct 1-7)
• Room 2 /me: ---xxxx xxx---- (I am booked here Oct 4-10)

Room 1 is open as of Oct 8th. They cannot assign anyone to that room yet because you are in it until the morning of Oct 8 and it's too early for anyone to book a stay that starts on that date. You call back no later than Nov 7 to extend your stay during the time that you still have a lock on Room 1 and book your last 3 nights.

Status as of Nov 7:

• Room 1/you: xxxxxxx xxx---- (you are booked here Oct 1-10)
• Room 2 /me: ---xxxx xxx---- (I am booked here Oct 4-10)

Great Post!

But ... Ow ... My head hurts ...

 

[jdg345]

Here's the thing with GV at OKW in the summer... they are 123 points for each Friday and Saturday Night. Most people can't tie up that many points so I would think they would just book starting Sunday.... That right their means more people will shoot for a Sunday start, so you would have just as good a shot as anyone.


Adding a Saturday night would increase your odds emensely and you would all but be garrenteed one if you booked both starting Friday and Saturday nights.


Although I will say that those DVCers that bought DVC to use OKW GV, more than likely do have enough points for the weekends... the masses dont.

Advantage, larger point banks.