New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[waltfan1957]

, which I assume is your not actually asked question. .

how would you feel etc.

how is that a not actually asked question.

dont want to know if you would feel responsible as its not your fault just how you feel if she followed your advice as many do here on the dis

 

[Dean]

Was it both? Or was it just to reduce phone calls?

Their stated goal was to address the DBD complaints and to decrease phone calls. I'm sure it's more complicated than that but anything else would simply be conjecture.

 

[toesmom]

Let's say I want to book 2 nights (Sat/Sun), do I call 11 months earlier and to make sure I get the 2 nights, I book the 5 days before it as well?

But that is a Sunday check in, so that might already be gone.

So I should actually book for Saturday check-in for 7 nights (so now Saturday is booked), and then call next day to add Sunday (so both nights now reserved).

Then I call back next day (or even in the same call) and cancel the first 7 nights (Sat-Sat).

Now if I don't have enough points, can I allow a borrowing from next year's use of points and once I've settled the nights I really want, then I ask MS to obviously use the borrowed points for the reservation and bank the unused current year's points (knowing I'll use them next year doing this crazy calling all over again).

Did I get that right? I have an upcoming reservation in August so I need to make sure this is correct.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I don't think DVC could put such a restriction in place. There's really nothing that stops me from calling to check on my WL 42 times a day if I want to. Not sure why they'd not want me to book and book ... as many have said, DVC only cares that there are people in the rooms.

Without advocating it, I suggested something similar: you get X number of calls to MS based on Y number of points. After that, there is fee to talk with MS. You can you use your free allowance for any purpose you want: booking a room, checking on a waitlist, etc. Such a system does benefit those booking larger accomodations, but it should make a real dent in calls to MS.

Given Disney's track record, I am not sure that moving to online booking is really a short term solution. After the suits determined that booking the CP at Disneyland was tying up all the dining reservation phone lines, Disneyland made booking CP only available over the internet in 2006. That year the system totally crashed, although eventually reservations were released to those who had entered credit card information. We ended up getting our preferred restaurant and time.

In 2007, the system was very slow and after more than an hour on the computer and hitting the purchase now button 100 or more times, I was unsuccessful in getting any reservation at all.

This unsuccessful online reservation launch has contibuted to the DVC booking issue, because my DH and I are travelling to WDW for the CP in early Dec 2008 and we made DBD reservations for BW view for 13 nights (even though we only intended to stay 11 or 12). -- Suzanne

 

[jdg345]

Let's say I want to book 2 nights (Sat/Sun), do I call 11 months earlier and to make sure I get the 2 nights, I book the 5 days before it as well?

But that is a Sunday check in, so that might already be gone.

So I should actually book for Saturday check-in for 7 nights (so now Saturday is booked), and then call next day to add Sunday (so both nights now reserved).

Then I call back next day (or even in the same call) and cancel the first 7 nights (Sat-Sat).

Pretty much, except you can't cancel the first 7 nights until they are within you 11 month window.

Now if I don't have enough points, can I allow a borrowing from next year's use of points and once I've settled the nights I really want, then I ask MS to obviously use the borrowed points for the reservation and bank the unused current year's points (knowing I'll use them next year doing this crazy calling all over again).

Exactly. It would be easier to just make sure they assign this UY points to nights you aren't going to keep and assign borrowed points to the nights you really want. I suggested something very similar to a PP.

Did I get that right? I have an upcoming reservation in August so I need to make sure this is correct.

Pretty much!

 

[jdg345]

Without advocating it, I suggested something similar: you get X number of calls to MS based on Y number of points. After that, there is fee to talk with MS. You can you use your free allowance for any purpose you want: booking a room, checking on a waitlist, etc. Such a system does benefit those booking larger accomodations, but it should make a real dent in calls to MS.

This just gives advantage to larger point banks ... I don't think it would necessarily really help either. They'd have to make the 'allowed number' of calls pretty large, and then they'd have to track it and figure out a way to bill overages. It'd be a nightmare, imo.

Given Disney's track record, I am not sure that moving to online booking is really a short term solution. After the suits determined that booking the CP at Disneyland was tying up all the dining reservation phone lines, Disneyland made booking CP only available over the internet in 2006. That year the system totally crashed, although eventually reservations were released to those who had entered credit card information. We ended up getting our preferred restaurant and time.

In 2007, the system was very slow and after more than an hour on the computer and hitting the purchase now button 100 or more times, I was unsuccessful in getting any reservation at all.

This unsuccessful online reservation launch has contibuted to the DVC booking issue, because my DH and I are travelling to WDW for the CP in early Dec 2008 and we made DBD reservations for BW view for 13 nights (even though we only intended to stay 11 or 12). -- Suzanne

I think that with Virtualization and Clusters today, along with Disney's past experience, they should be able to spec this out fairly well. They know how many calls they had to take at MS, so they can take that number and muliply it by 'X' to figure how many Internet 'Hits' they can expect and build accordingly. Regardless, it should all but eliminate MS calls during slow times.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

Without advocating it, I suggested something similar: you get X number of calls to MS based on Y number of points. After that, there is fee to talk with MS. You can you use your free allowance for any purpose you want: booking a room, checking on a waitlist, etc. Such a system does benefit those booking larger accomodations, but it should make a real dent in calls to MS. Suzanne

I book the entire month of February and under this new system I call on day one and book seven days. I then have the option to call, starting day two and book day eight and again the next day etc. Are you saying large point holders should have unlimited calls? If so, I also could use those XXX call to secure desired days by “walking” the reservation.

 

[Disneyhappy]

I have made a decision that I will be walking reservations in the future for the high demand times and limit room capacity reservations I want as long as it is still "legal" within the DVC guidelines. I feel they have given me no choice by setting up an inequittable system. I have already experienced what happend with the current ADR 180+10 system when I was shut out from LeCellier for dinner. I now have a new game plan to get around that in the future, all within the rules. I am just uncertain how far out I will walk the reservation. I work in a home office and can be available almost every morning at 9 AM to make a call to MS. It will be inconvenient but I have the persistance to do it for as many days that I feel it is necessary to walk for a reservation I want. Two, three weeks - I'll do what it takes as long as I am following the rules as currently set up. I anticipate DVC will make further changes, probably making things even more confusing. This wonderful flexible timeshare that we owned is not as flexible or easy as it once had been. I am more than happy to pay the extra MF for additional MS staff, if needed.

 

[Wilson.dvc]

I maintain: If they want to reduce call volumes, implement online booking. That would solve the DBD calling demand. Adding online monitoring of WL's would be a good start, as well.

If we had a crystal ball to look into and could see this change in the reservation system as one of the steps leading to online booking would the change have been better received?

Just curious as I know I would prefer online access and would be accepting of the loss of some flexibility to achieve it.

 

[jdg345]

If we had a crystal ball to look into and could see this change in the reservation system as one of the steps leading to online booking would the change have received a better reception?

Just curious as I know I would prefer online access and would be accepting of the loss of some flexibility to achieve it.

Thoughts?

I dont see why this change would be required to implement online booking. DBD and linking most suredly work with an online system just as they do with the current system.

 

[jdg345]

I have made a decision that I will be walking reservations in the future for the high demand times and limit room capacity reservations I want as long as it is still "legal" within the DVC guidelines. I feel they have given me no choice by setting up an inequittable system. I have already experienced what happend with the current ADR 180+10 system when I was shut out from LeCellier for dinner. I now have a new game plan to get around that in the future, all within the rules. I am just uncertain how far out I will walk the reservation. I work in a home office and can be available almost every morning at 9 AM to make a call to MS. It will be inconvenient but I have the persistance to do it for as many days that I feel it is necessary to walk for a reservation I want. Two, three weeks - I'll do what it takes as long as I am following the rules as currently set up. I anticipate DVC will make further changes, probably making things even more confusing. This wonderful flexible timeshare that we owned is not as flexible or easy as it once had been. I am more than happy to pay the extra MF for additional MS staff, if needed.

Imagine the change when/if ADR's change to 90 or 90+10! It sure seems like that is on the horizon!

 

[Wilson.dvc]

I agree the change likely wouldn't be necessary to implement online access.

I guess what I did a poor job of asking was if DVC had stated that this change had been made as part of a process to implement online booking would that have made a difference?

 

[jdg345]

I agree the change likely wouldn't be necessary to implement online access.

Understood.

I guess what I did a poor job of asking was if DVC had stated that this change had been made as part of a process to implement online booking would that have made a difference?

I don't think it would have made a difference as we would have just gone back to your first point -- it's not really necessary. DVC could use it as an excuse, for sure ... but I think we would have all just seen it as that -- an excuse.

 

[Wilson.dvc]

I don't think it would have made a difference as we would have just gone back to your first point -- it's not really necessary. DVC could use it as an excuse, for sure ... but I think we would have all just seen it as that -- an excuse.

Fair enough. Just wondered if there were others like me that would have been more accepting of the change if it had meant access to online booking.

 

[jdg345]

Fair enough. Just wondered if there were others like me that would have been more accepting of the change if it had meant access to online booking.

 

[tidefan]

I believe the OP is referring to cases where members may book the Friday/Saturday that they don't need in order to be able to lock up the Sunday to Thursday stay. Those that have just enough points to book Sunday to Thursday may be at a disadvantage here.

So, basically, even though all of these people really want to arrive Sunday, some will be booking ahead of time and dropping the days to get a jump on the people waiting for their arrival date.

And yes, some people can then book on Thursday to get a jump on the Friday/Saturday bookers, and some people can book earlier, etc. Your post raises one of the issues with the new system and the walking of reservations in order to get your "foot in the door" during a non busy time and walking forward into a peak time.

You also mention that 10-11 day stay. How many people do you think are going to be able to book NYE with Christmas right before it? Those that wanted to arrive on NYE or the Day Before are now likely going to be completely out of luck -- unless, of course, they book their vacations via eBay.

You completely missed the point. The point was that if Sally called at her 11 month window and was say checking in on Thursday and leaving Monday on a long weekend, and Fred and Joe called at their 11 month window trying to check in on a Friday, then Fred and Joe would be out of luck for that particular room, because Sally is in it. Now say Tina calls on Monday, she would have preference for that room over Fred and Joe, who tried to call earlier.

You have to look at the checkout date to see when rooms are coming on line. It is these points in which one will be able to make reservations. My point was that not all checkouts will be on Friday or Saturday, making the previous posters arguement moot.

 

[pilferk]

Actually everyone has the same opportunity at the same reservations subject to their ownership limitations of course. It's just that the availability on a given day may not be the same as another day.

It's the "on any given day" that I see as the issue. Again, we're not going to bridge that disconnect. Macromanager vs system user pov....

Because I travel Sunday to Thursday, I don't think it's "fair" that those travelling Friday to Thursday get to "pre-book" the inventory that I also want a crack at.

Frankly if I didn't believe DVC would make it work, I wouldn't own. I don't know why anyone would own in a system they see as truly unfair and don't have enough faith in to correct major issues realizing there will always be minor issues. The questions is whether the current ripples with the new system are major or minor to DVC, my guess is somewhere in between. I doubt they'll institute fees but they do have precedence for making changes a cancellation and rebooking in relationship to reallocating points.

Again, we'll have to wait and see. You choose to give them the benefit of the doubt, right from the get go. I'm a bit more cautious with that trust....because it sure seems like, from what we're hearing, that they didn't anticipate the "walking" idea. Which means there are at least SOME effects of the system they didn't anticipate....which, to me, means it wasn't thought all the way through. Again,their perspective is as system managers, not users. I'm sure they try to "shift pov" when designing and implementing, but...well, that's tough to do (speaking from a guy who has to do it often).

The saw the DBD as an issue and made a change, if they see the same problems with the change, they certainly will make a further change and it won't be to go back to DBD.

I don't think the PROCESS/FUNCTIONALITY of DBD was the problem. I think the resource usage/costs of DBD turned out to be the problem. Like I said, I'd be willing to absorb the costs into our dues to go back....and I've told Disney so.

It simply depends on how much of an issue it really is in practice. My guess is we're talking mountains (DBD) to molehills (walking) but I doubt we'll ever have much hard data.

Again, we'll see. Perception is going to be the big factor here....I'm sure DBD STARTED as a molehill, too. The membership found it useful but it snowballed to the point where the resources it was using was bogging down the system as a whole, putting too much strain on it with the resources they committed to it. Walking might not strain the resources nearly as much......but will effect membership use of the system. They've got to find a balance to the two, IMHO.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

I think it's more of an issue at the 7 month window for 'general times', and definitely an issue at the 11 month window for 'prime times'.

Time will tell as to how true this statement is. I believe that we will start to see some people that will be shut out of their desired room category at 11 months during all different times of the year and not just during holidays and prime times.

The issue with 'Buy where you want to stay' is exactly what has some people upset. They specifically purchased add-on contracts at BWV, VWL, BCV, etc so that they could stay there. But they only bought enough points for Sun - Thurs, because that's what they wanted. Now someone walking a reservation from the Friday before hand can very well lock them out.

And that is why I am no longer seriously considering doing an add-on at any other resorts. The GCV was the only resort that I was truly interested in adding on at but I don't see that happening now.

 

[pilferk]

I have made a decision that I will be walking reservations in the future for the high demand times and limit room capacity reservations I want as long as it is still "legal" within the DVC guidelines. I feel they have given me no choice by setting up an inequittable system. I have already experienced what happend with the current ADR 180+10 system when I was shut out from LeCellier for dinner. I now have a new game plan to get around that in the future, all within the rules. I am just uncertain how far out I will walk the reservation. I work in a home office and can be available almost every morning at 9 AM to make a call to MS. It will be inconvenient but I have the persistance to do it for as many days that I feel it is necessary to walk for a reservation I want. Two, three weeks - I'll do what it takes as long as I am following the rules as currently set up. I anticipate DVC will make further changes, probably making things even more confusing. This wonderful flexible timeshare that we owned is not as flexible or easy as it once had been. I am more than happy to pay the extra MF for additional MS staff, if needed.

My wholly unfounded, speculative suspicion is that we're going to see a LOT more of this. I completely allow that I could be wrong...but I think a LOT of owners are going to come to this conclusion, warrented or not: That walking is NECESSARY (like DBD was necessary) to get what they want.

 

[pilferk]

I've put up a poll to collect a bit of information. I know it's not statistically or scientifically relevant, but it might be a good jumping off point for further conversations:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1880123

Once that one has run it's course, I'm going to put up another about "typical" length of stay, and finally one asking what your "new preferred check in day of the week" will be.