New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[maminnie]

One more thing Dean:

You just said quote, "while it likely wasn't DVC's best kept secret, it wasn't something a lot of people were aware of and thus when they called to reserve their time exactly 11 months out, nothing was available for many times. And that's how many actually found out about DBD bookings, after getting such a surprise."

If this statement represents what has actually happened at the 11 month window, then it totally supports those of us that are truly concerned that check-in +7 is really going to be a problem for busy weeks simply by the nature of ones check-in date and those members posting on this topic that say there is little data to support the need for day by day could very well be wrong.

maminnie

 

[Dean]

Dean:

When the teachers, health care professionals, law enforcement people, and store managers bought, they understood the sytem; no member would have access to inventory prior to 11/7 months. That is now not the case.

The old DBD system put everyone on the same playing field despite what their profession might be or their personal travel needs. The old system provided flexibility which DVC so aggressively sold.

This is now reached the point of being ridiculous and as you have said to me in the past I will no longer argue this with you.

maminnie

They all knew or should have known the system could change and that any change might adversely affect them. Still I believe most of them will actually be better off under the new system.

Maminnie,

You are correct. There will be some who loose out with the new system. But for everyone who looses, an another, equally dissevering, member will win. The overall number of folks vying at 11 months for the specialty room categories rooms will not change.

Regardless of the reservation policy there will be winner and losers. The question to ask is: will this policy benefit the most folks the majority of the majority of the time.

Trying to be objective, I think the change is overall positive and most likely a necessary step given the growing size of DVC.

Exactly

 

[maminnie]

Dean and Chloe:

Can one of you descibe what a deserving versus a non-deserving member is under the new guidelines??????

Ridiculous!!!!!

maminnie

 

[Dean]

If this statement represents what has actually happened at the 11 month window, then it totally supports those of us that are truly concerned that check-in +7 is really going to be a problem for busy weeks simply by the nature of ones check-in date and those members posting on this topic that say there is little data to support the need for day by day could very well be wrong.

The truth is we have no real data one way or another. My point all along is that it's OK to have winners and losers so it wouldn't alter my feelings. Still, there was a winner and loser then and there will be now and that's OK, even if it's you or me. IMO, essentially what many are saying is it's OK to have winners as losers as long as that loser is someone else. They are simply being selfish and I understand that. My view is it's OK to have winners and losers even if that loser is myself. Ultimately it is that simple.

 

[Inkmahm]

FWIW, there wasn't much of anything available at VWL at 7 months ... other than waitlist spots.

I had my VWL nights booked DBD at 11 months. We just decided to add a night at AKV at the beginning of the trip and since I hadn't booked it at 11 months, AKV was full. I wanted my niece and nephew to see the animals for one night but most of my points allocated for the Dec trip were at VWL.

Note that this reservation would be tough to do at 11 months now under the new policy since I want to switch resorts on purpose. I'd have to call back at least twice to do it, once to reserve AKV for the first night and then the second day to reserve VWL for the next 5 nights. It would be tough anyway as we are arriving the Tuesday night after Thanksgiving.

 

[Dean]

Dean and Chloe:

Can one of you descibe what a deserving versus a non-deserving member is under the new guidelines??????

Ridiculous!!!!!

maminnie

The system shouldn't be making a judgement as to who's deserving or not. The system should be setting up procedures that work for the membership as a whole and that are cost effective. IMO, this system is far better than DBD and will be better still if they make those alterations I expect.

 

[maminnie]

Dean:

When I purchased my DVC I was not looking to be in a contest for being a winner or loser regarding future reservations. I did not buy a timeshare that said I must come in on Friday or Saturday to get a reservation. I bought a flexible system that was fair to all.

WHO WERE THE LOSERS IN THE OLD SYSTEM? Everyone had a right to call each and everyday of their reservation. The new system does not provide this level of equality PERIOD!!!!!!

Once again I ask you and Chloe who are the deserving members and the non-deserving members????

maminnie

 

[Inkmahm]

I went to bed last night vowing that I would get out of this and focus my energy on Member Services but I continue to be amazed at what I read.

Let me give you all some very clear examples of how this sytem is unfair to certain people; people who are very important to all us.

First let's look at a teacher. A teacher in our school system is not permitted to take any days off before or after a school vacation. Let's say Teacher Smith wants to go to Disney to her home resort BCV (a small DVC resort) at Thanksgiving. Her school does not close until 12:00pm on Wednesday so she can't travel to her beloved BCV until Wednesday night. Under the old system she realizes that this is a busy time so she makes arrangements to have her mother call day by day for her because she can't pull away from the classroom to do it. Teacher Smith's mother secures Wednesday - Sunday. Under the new system Teacher Smith's mother calls the day of check-in (Wednesday) only to be told that all two bedrooms are gone for Wednesday and Thursday night by people (non-teachers) who could simply travel days before her. Teacher Smith is penalized because she is teaching your children until Wednesday at 12:00pm.

Let's look at health care workers and law enforcement professionals. Nurse Smith and Policeman Jones have to work Christmas day this year as it is their turn to work the holiday. Therefore Nurse Smith and Policeman Jones can't go to their beloved VWL (everyone loves VWL at the holidays) at Christmas until Friday, December 26. When Nurse Smith and Policeman Jones call the day of check-in (Friday, December 26) under the new system, all of the room category they need/want at their beloved VWL are gone simply because they had to be home on Christmas day caring for and protecting you and your children. They are very upset because they have been able to secure this in the past using the day by day system.

Let's take the drama and passion out of this as some of you may call it and put a corporate America twist on this. Store Manager Mickey Mouse has been told that he must work throughout the Christmas week. If he takes vacation it must be December 30th or after. Store Manager Mickey Mouse decides that he and his family will travel to their beloved AKV for New Year's Eve. Under the new system Mickey calls the day of check-in which is Tuesday, December 30th, only to be told that the room category and maybe all rooms are gone for Tuesday the 30th, Wednesday the 31st, and Thursday, January 1st by those that had the good fortune not to have to work over the holiday period like he did. Remember Mickey is the one managing the after Christmas chaos at the store you were at when you were making all those exchanges or getting all of those after Christmas bargains. Oh yes Mickey can now choose to stay at a resort for which he did not buy and had no intention of staying at if it is even available.

All of these people/examples are also at a distinct disadvantage with the 11 month waitlist and the 7 month waitlist too as others are on that waitlist before them simply because of their check-in date.

I don't know how much clearer I can be. Over the past days some on this board have implied that those of us concerned about the system are nay-sayers, are in hysterics, are panicing, have no proof, etc. etc. I don't know about any of you but I do travel during peak travel periods, I was advised by DVC Sales Guides/Reps and Member Services that I would have to call day by day to guarantee that I would stand a shot at getting my reservation. This is not just since yesterday but for many many years. I sent DVC thousands and thousands of dollars in good faith for two DVC contracts understanding that DVC was not like other timeshare companies that require you to come a certain week or on a certain day and that is what I bought and why I bought DVC. I did not buy a DVC timeshare with the understanding that others would have a distinct advantage over me in booking reservations simply because of their check-in date for the weeks in which I have to travel.

Respectfully to all,
maminnie

Excellent post. I'm not in any of those categories you talked about above but a lot of people are. I'm still in the camp though of reservations needing to be fair for everyone, no one having a chance to book earlier than anyone else for the same day. I suspect you'll get some of the people here who stick with their idea that it is perfectly okay for all those teachers, nurses, police, etc to never have a shot at staying when and where they want to at Disney just because others beat them to the reservations.(Oops, I see that already happened.)

 

[maminnie]

Inkmahm:

Thank you for your support of those professionals that do so much for us and deserve the support of Disney and the DVC member community.

For the record, I am not a teacher, a nurse, a policeman, or a store manager but I happen to respect what these people are doing for a profession and that they too use their hard earned money to pay Mickey for their DVC timeshare and member dues and deserve the same opportunities as all members when making reservations.

Also for the record, I have family members and friends who are a school principal, a teacher/speech pathologist, an oncology nurse, a respiratory therapist, a state trooper, and a retail person two of whom own DVC and travel during busy travel times. I also know what they experience regarding vacation travel during holiday periods.

maminnie

 

[danielle782001]

Thank you Inkmahm for your support of those professionals that do so much for us and deserve the support of Disney and the DVC member community.

For the record, I am not a teacher, a nurse, a policeman, or a store manager but I happen to respect what these people are doing for a profession and that they too use their hard earned money to pay Mickey for their DVC timeshare and member dues and deserve the same opportunities as all members when making reservations.

maminnie

I am a teacher (going back to work in Sept) and DH is a local police officer...Thanks for thinking of people like us that must travel during peak times...I hope that the new system will not make travelling during peak weeks too difficult...I guess we will find out when we try to make our first reservation with the new system...

We want to go next during the second week of July...Our home resort is SSR but we would really like to stay at the new village at the AK...We would need a two-bedroom...I will call at 11 months to reserve SSR just in case and then at 7 months to hopefully change our reservations to an AK savanna view...Wish us luck that this will work out for us...

For You Experts: Any advise on reserving this under the new system?

Thanks again

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Inkmahm:

Thank you for your support of those professionals that do so much for us and deserve the support of Disney and the DVC member community.

For the record, I am not a teacher, a nurse, a policeman, or a store manager but I happen to respect what these people are doing for a profession and that they too use their hard earned money to pay Mickey for their DVC timeshare and member dues and deserve the same opportunities as all members when making reservations.

Also for the record, I have family members and friends who are a school principal, a teacher/speech pathologist, an oncology nurse, a respiratory therapist, a state trooper, and a retail person two of whom own DVC and travel during busy travel times. I also know what they experience regarding vacation travel during holiday periods.

maminnie

I fail to see where a subset of DVC members, based on employment, has any bearing in this discussion. The changes were made based solely on complaints and overuse of MS's time picking up the phone d-b-d. Whom this affects is not in the equation. If it doesn't work for you, then you have options.

 

[maminnie]

BWV Dreamin:

A reservation system should NOT support one member over another...Period. The new system clearly favors those that can arrive before others. I only use these professionals and their possible vacation scenarios as examples of how the new system is not fair for potentially quite a few members.

Day by day did not favor anyone except the person who chose not to do it or chose not to make arrangements to have someone help them out if they personally could not do it.

It is absolutely obvious to me and my husband that Disney did not take into consideration how this might effect some members over others using profession as an example and a subsequent variable in that equation you refer to.

maminnie

 

[jarestel]

Any advise on reserving this under the new system?

Reserving SSR at 11 months for a July stay should present no problems, no matter how you book it. No worries on this one!

 

[Starr W.]

I am a teacher (going back to work in Sept) and DH is a local police officer...Thanks for thinking of people like us that must travel during peak times...I hope that the new system will not make travelling during peak weeks too difficult...I guess we will find out when we try to make our first reservation with the new system...

We want to go next during the second week of July...Our home resort is SSR but we would really like to stay at the new village at the AK...We would need a two-bedroom...I will call at 11 months to reserve SSR just in case and then at 7 months to hopefully change our reservations to an AK savanna view...Wish us luck that this will work out for us...

For You Experts: Any advise on reserving this under the new system?

Thanks again

Another of the DIS'ers here is a teacher(our kids go to the same elementary school). She goes at Easter and has been playing around with her 2009 reservation and hasn't had a problem.

You'll have no problem getting SSR at 11 months. I've booked 3 Thanksgivings, 1 Easter, and 2 MLK's for a 2br and have never been shut out.
We tend to go elsewhere for Xmas/NYE.

I always book my home resort at 11 months, then call again at 7. I was lucky for a 4 day trip MLK had my choice of everything. With the new system waitlisting will be easier, no dbd wl which may have you switching resorts in the middle.

Do you trust your DH to call? I had mine call at the 7 month mark for MLK, since my eldest had a 9am appointment.

When it comes down to it we are happy at any of the resorts, I just tend to look at 7 months to gage how well things are booking for DVC, sometimes I change or waitlist sometimes I don't.

 

[maminnie]

danielle 782001:

Good luck with your reservation. I hope it works out for you.

maminnie

 

[Kathi OD]

I doubt most members (meaning more than half) are even aware of DBD bookings and even those that are, I doubt it's been recommended to many of them by MS or a guide. But I understand MS has gotten a lot of complaints in two areas. One from those that knew about it and did it but would rather not and two from those that didn't (?couldn't) do it, many of which likely didn't even know the option existed. While it likely wasn't DVC's best kept secret, it wasn't something a lot of people were aware of and thus when they called to reserve their time exactly 11 months out, nothing was available for many times. And that's how many actually found out about DBD bookings, after getting such a surprise.

Dean:

When the teachers, health care professionals, law enforcement people, and store managers bought, they understood the sytem; no member would have access to inventory prior to 11/7 months. That is now not the case.

The old DBD system put everyone on the same playing field despite what their profession might be or their personal travel needs. The old system provided flexibility which DVC so aggressively sold.

This is now reached the point of being ridiculous and as you have said to me in the past I will no longer argue this with you.

maminnie

As a teacher, I never heard of DBD booking until I joined this site a year ago. DH and I have owned DVC for over 8 years, so for 7 years we did not have a clue about DBD bookings and we've been able to get every ressie we've wanted by booking all of our days at one time. Sometimes we've had to waitlist, other times not. Oh, and BTW, we have never called at the 11 month window and have stayed at some pretty busy times, i.e. Easter, Thanksgiving, F&W/Jersey Week/Super Soap (although never Christmas-NYE).

I really think this is much to do about nothing and as a PP has suggested panic and fear by those who are used to using DBD to get what they want, even when it wasn't necessary. Give the system a chance to work before you get all cranked up about how unfair and unlikely it is to work.

 

[DVC Mike]

For the majority of folks this change is a positive thing and should not be discredited:

* less calls to make the average reservation
* fewer multi-resort stays
* shorter waits for MS
* helps keep dues in line

...But overall this appears to be a well intentioned move by Disney to streamline the process.

I agree. I'm hoping the wait times for MS calls will go down as a result of this. Too many people were booking day-by-day just for the peace of mind and the assurance that they would get their reservation -- even though it really wasn't necessary in most cases.

 

[maminnie]

Kathy OD:

I am very glad reservations have worked out for you in the past.

Because I too travel during very busy times, it is just something that is very unsettling to me and with day by day there was simply nothing unsettling about it...if I did DBD I would likely be able to get a reservation for a busy travel period. If I didn't there would be a chance that I would not. For me I was not willing to take that chance nor wealthy enough to just not use my DVC and go on another vacation using all cash therefore I went through the task of DBD. I travel Sunday to Sunday or Monday to Monday as I cannot take off two weekends. Now by the time I book, the Friday to Friday and Saturday to Saturday members may very well have all the desired inventory Sunday through Thursday for busy highly travelled vacation weeks.

Good luck with your future reservations. I hope they continue to work out for you but if they don't because of the new system you will understand after the many posts in which I have tried to get people to understand.

Best of luck,
maminnie

 

[DVC Mike]

We can argue fairness until the cows come home. But I have seen no evidence to suggest that members will be unable to get what they want simply because a few have earlier booking access to overlapping dates.

Just because people chose to book day-by-day...and were even encouraged to do so by biased Member Services reps...doesn't mean that it was ever necessary.

Agreed!

The few times I have called day-by-day to book at the 11-mo window, when I got to the last day, I always asked MS if there was availability if I had just called on the last day, and every time they said yes. Thus, I had booked day-by-day just to be sure, but it turned out to be completely unnecessary. Eliminating all this unneccessary DBD booking is one way this new policy is an enhancement.

As a regular here on the DIS, I have commonly seen "newbies" being told to book DBD just to be sure, even though it really wasn't necessary. The DBD booking practice, while necessary in only a few cases, has been growing and was generating a lot of unnecessary calls to MS.

 

[chloe]

Is it a bad thing to favor those that can arrive before others?

to quote Squirrlygirl:

As someone that firmly believes that a person that started their vacation 3 days before me has more right to an inventoried room than I do, I feel the new rules righted a problem. For someone else to move in the middle of their vacation because I had a faster finger seems wrong. For them to move in the middle of their vacation, possibly making someone else move in the middle of their vacation, which made someone else move in the middle of their vacation, which made someone else stay at SSR in the middle of their vacation just seems completely wrong. Makes much more sense to let everyone have their vacation, and the person at SSR can be happy and enjoy it (like me ) or waitlist for another resort. Think of all the mousekeeping being used when people resort jump due to room-sniping!

I also really think that the number of rooms in inventory will not change due to the booking change . The same number of people will find availability in the same number of rooms. And Jane Jumpingbean, who for the past 3 years booked DBD to get her special room and STILL ended up missing a night might not have to move on day 5 of her holiday reservation for once.

We still have the same number of rooms and the same number of folks trying get the rooms. Now it might be a slightly different mix of winners. The worse case is that some folks will not get the boardwalk view on NYE and will get a preferred view.