New Preferred View Booking Categories At BWV

[married@wdw]

I agree MeekoB. I try to plan everything out ahead of time, so we can just enjoy the trip. Our January trip happens to be really special to us, so we're hoping for a special room -- this change put a wrinkle in my plan.

I'm trying to think positive about this new change -- at least I won't have to get to Boardwalk early now if I want to sleep in, or if we want to head straight to a park. And who knows -- we might actually get that Boardwalk View and know in advance, which would certainly thrill me!

But we always try to put every trip in perspective. Is it a special trip? Why? How important? If it's just one of our regular trips we don't ask for anything except non-smoking -- let others have what they want as they might be having a really special trip and I wouldn't want to take away from them. Can only hope the DVC gods shine on us when it's our turn!

And when I see someone screaming at a CM because something isn't right about the reservation, I choose to think they are a cash guest, not a DVC member! Please just let me stay in the dark on that one!

 

[BEACHCLUBVILLAS]

I am not as confident as others here that the policy is those who book 11 months out get their view preference before those who book under the 7 month window; except now for BWV owners. I believe there is validity to those folks who have been told by MS that it's first come first serve on day of arrival based on what requests you have indicated on your reservation regardless of when you book. And, as such, the person who booked latest but arrived earliest increased their chances of the best view. Now that there is a special designation for the BW, I would like to see, in writing, what the policy is by resort for obtaining those choice views at the other resorts. I am one of those folks who did not fuss about my view at my home resort but I am also one of them who certainly appreciates a good view.

It's not the categories I object to. Its that there are definitely preferential views at the other DVC resorts with no official designation thereby assuring the owners of those resorts the opportunity to be guaranteed the preferential view. So, now that there is one for BW, I want those assurances from DVC for my home resort.

 

[nuthut]

This new catagory is great news, it just increased the value of my BWV points even more. Now I can book my BWV points at the 11 month window and get either a standard view for less points or a Boardwalk view for more points guaranteed!!! I fell sorry for others members with those off brand home resort points being unable to get either a Boardwalk or a standard view. They will have to use as many points to just get a pool view.

 

[married@wdw]

Off brand??? Ouch!

 

[Eeyore2U]

I'm not sure I feel bad for people that own at other resorts. If I go to book at any of the other resorts at 7 months I get what I get. Isn't that what happens to me now?

 

[Frank in WI]

From the Official Members site (in writing):

"Special Room Request Procedure

As a reminder, the established procedure and appropriate time for making special room requests is when you make your reservation with Member Services. If you have any additional requests, or changes to your original request, call Member Services directly. Please do not call or fax the resort where you'll be staying. To be fair to all Members, the only information we use when trying to honor special room requests is that which comes from Member Services.
With so many Members having special requests, it's important that everyone follow this established procedure. As you can imagine, the number of Members asking for particular rooms, views, floors, and buildings makes it impossible to honor all of the requests. We do our best to honor your requests, but please understand that we cannot guarantee them."

I suspect that if the views at the other resorts cause as much problem as the BW view does at BWV, you may see the same type change. My guess is it's not as big of an issue at the other resorts. This does change the fact that there are still dozens of different type "pool" views and "boardwalk" view still has the village green issue. I suspect we won't see any change in those views.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by nuthut
This new catagory is great news, it just increased the value of my BWV points even more. Now I can book my BWV points at the 11 month window and get either a standard view for less points or a Boardwalk view for more points guaranteed!!!

You are talking about your business venture of renting points correct? I didn't think you were talking about yourself using the points.

I am sure you will get more $$$ now for your Boardwalk view pts on e-bay and the rent boards.

 

[Crissup]

Originally posted by married@wdw
Playing devil's advocate, does it upset you as a BWV owner that they put people in BW view rooms starting with 11 months out until those BW view rooms were filled, but that MS didn't keep going down the list to start a waitlist?

Actually, I believe they did. I have a two bedroom booked for 10 days that was made around the 10 month mark. I had requested BW view. I phoned today to check and was told that it was *not* going to be a BW view, but that it was *already* waitlisted for a BW view. So, this tells me that without me even calling, they had already waitlisted me for a BW view.

BWV Ownership... Gotta love it!

 

[BEACHCLUBVILLAS]

Originally posted by Frank in WI
From the Official Members site (in writing):

"Special Room Request Procedure

As a reminder, the established procedure and appropriate time for making special room requests is when you make your reservation with Member Services. If you have any additional requests, or changes to your original request, call Member Services directly. Please do not call or fax the resort where you'll be staying. To be fair to all Members, the only information we use when trying to honor special room requests is that which comes from Member Services.
With so many Members having special requests, it's important that everyone follow this established procedure. As you can imagine, the number of Members asking for particular rooms, views, floors, and buildings makes it impossible to honor all of the requests. We do our best to honor your requests, but please understand that we cannot guarantee them."

Thank you Frank for posting this procedure. No where in this room request procedure does it state that requests will be honored in the order received with the exception of medical necessity which should always be honored first. It only states that requests must be made thru MS. In light of the BW view guarantee, I think other DVC resorts deserve the same opportunity for view guarantees.

 

[Frank in WI]

BEACHCLUBVILLAS,

Maybe if you can provide a list of the various views at BCV that correspond to the same type issue at BWV, it will help in the discussion. Otherwise, I don't see the same issue at BCV. The views there seem to me to be the same as pool/garden view at BWV. I can just as easily get a maintenance building view at BWV with a pool/garden reservation as the next person. You can make requests just as you always have and since you have 11 month booking at BCV, you're request will hold more weight than mine at 7 months out. If no Epcot view rooms are open when we check in, neither one of us will get our request. If they are, you get it over me. That's your resort advantage.

If I wait until 6 months out, my request holds the same weight as your request 6 months out. No difference. No preferential treatment. Matter of fact, if I wait until 6 months, and you book at 7 months out, your request will hold more weight. Again, just as it should be. I most likely wouldn't get boardwalk view before the new policy, and I probably won't now. I see no change.

It just clarified the situation so that folks had a clearer understanding of what they we getting before they arrived. Before, everyone held out the hope of a boardwalk view, only for a majority of those people to be let down. This new process is a more humane way to handle it.

 

[drusba]

Here is a little different question concerning the new BWV reservation policy. The report at the official DVC site says that preferred view consists of BoardWalk, Garden and Pool view and that there will be now two categories, BoardWalk and Garden/Pool.

I have been going to BWV for a number of years and I have never heard, until the DVC post, of anything called a "Garden" view. There has been mention in the past of BoardWalk, Luna Park, pool, canal, and Epcot (which is just BoardWalk) views when getting rooms. I am not aware of any major garden on the BWV side or anything that could be considered a garden view. I am assuming that BoardWalk view encompasses all the rooms over the BoardWalk and the central square and that Garden/Pool is all the other previous preferred views, but I sure wish I knew what they are actually referring to as Garden view.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by drusba
Here is a little different question concerning the new BWV reservation policy. The report at the official DVC site says that preferred view consists of BoardWalk, Garden and Pool view and that there will be now two categories, BoardWalk and Garden/Pool.

I have been going to BWV for a number of years and I have never heard, until the DVC post, of anything called a "Garden" view. There has been mention in the past of BoardWalk, Luna Park, pool, canal, and Epcot (which is just BoardWalk) views when getting rooms. I am not aware of any major garden on the BWV side or anything that could be considered a garden view. I am assuming that BoardWalk view encompasses all the rooms over the BoardWalk and the central square and that Garden/Pool is all the other previous preferred views, but I sure wish I knew what they are actually referring to as Garden view.

In timeshare lingo, that means you will see green stuff. It doesn't mean there's this great garden to look at. It may be grass, a tree or even a bush. It will be a room type of exclusion. If it's not a pool/BW or standard view room, it will be a garden view room. The rooms that fall into these categories are all set so it's simply a matter of booking them directly rather than having them as requests. As several have noted, I hope they do this with smoking/nonsmoking. In HI, the Island and Mountain view was a parking lot and strip mall.

 

[BEACHCLUBVILLAS]

Originally posted by Frank in WI
BEACHCLUBVILLAS,

"Maybe if you can provide a list of the various views at BCV that correspond to the same type issue at BWV, it will help in the discussion. "

For purposes of discussion at BCV -

EPCOT Illuminations View
Pool View
All Else ( to include EPCOT Service Road view with no Illuminations and Courtyard view)

"If I wait until 6 months out, my request holds the same weight as your request 6 months out. No difference. No preferential treatment. Matter of fact, if I wait until 6 months, and you book at 7 months out, your request will hold more weight. Again, just as it should be. " [/B]

Where does it say this is the policy?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Originally posted by Granny
I'm not sure I understand the logic here. If DVC is using the requests in the date order they are placed, then I don't know if your odds of getting a BW view are much different now than they've ever been.

Granny, yes I see your point. I guess the old way I would have a shot because the puzzle of room assignments could be more maximized by putting a member who booked late in a BW view room. The new way, a BW view room may have to go empty for a day or so because an incoming member is guaranteed that room.

Perhaps my logic is flawed???

 

[TIdoublegaER]

You can make requests just as you always have and since you have 11 month booking at BCV, you're request will hold more weight than mine at 7 months out.

If this is true, then how did I get a BW view, studio plus the week after July 4th booked less than 4 mos out? When we checked in at noon, this is the room we were given. It was NOT pre-assigned. The only request we had made was NS. I cannot believe that there were no BWV owners who had booked before we did. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the view we received!

The way it currently works at the resorts is when you go to checkin, they will look at your requests, if there is a room clean meeting your requests, then you get it - regardless of when the reservation was made. If you and I both book upper floor, epcot view at BCV and I book at 11 mos and you book at 7, but checkin before me, you could easily get your requests met, while I might not.

I am thrilled for BW owners in that they can guarantee the bw view. I totally agree that there needs to be an advantage to the home resort. But, what's good for one is good for all. If there are going to be specific views for BWV, then there needs to be specific views at all of the other DVC resorts.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Maistre Gracey
Granny, yes I see your point. I guess the old way I would have a shot because the puzzle of room assignments could be more maximized by putting a member who booked late in a BW view room. The new way, a BW view room may have to go empty for a day or so because an incoming member is guaranteed that room.

Perhaps my logic is flawed???

In theory, the odds should be about the same assuming they assinged them correctly. The problem is that they didn't assign units as well as they should at times. I think in reality the chances of a BWV members getting a BWV will be marginally to moderately higher. You can even wait list for one. The difference will be that you'll know and won't have to go through the mental gymnastics that some go through in this situation. It also means that the lady who kept griping until she was put in a BW view would not have gotten one if she were not reserved for it.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by TIdoublegaER

I am thrilled for BW owners in that they can guarantee the bw view. I totally agree that there needs to be an advantage to the home resort. But, what's good for one is good for all. If there are going to be specific views for BWV, then there needs to be specific views at all of the other DVC resorts.

I'm not sure I follow you. Are you saying that if they change BWV to have specific booked views, they should do this with all the DVC resorts. The only situation I can think of that is somewhat analagous is VB and the Ocean views. I can't think of another resort that has such a difference between the views that would warrant this type of extra aggravation for MS. Maybe SSR and DD views though I suspect most people will be asking to be on the off side away from DD after one trip facing DD.

 

[lat]

Originally posted by Dean
The only situation I can think of that is somewhat analagous is VB and the Ocean views.

This was exactly what I talked about with MS today. They said Vero's ocean view room was actually brought up in their meeting.

They were bombarded with complaints from people today who did not get their Boardwalk view rooms. I was told that whoever likes the change should send in an e-mail to

members@disneyvacationclub.com

to let them know.

She also told me the Boardwalk view room category was suggested by BWV's front desk because of the overwhelming demand and the limited # of rooms with such view.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

Specifically at BCV, the illuminations view rooms and pool view rooms. I agree that at OKW, it is really a moot point. I really don't know what, if any, different views there would be at VWL. My one stay at VWL we had the dumpster view. Does some rooms overlook the pool? Since room views are being guaranteed at BW, and not anywhere else and since rooms are being assigned at checkin, this gives BWV owners an advantage at their home resort (view is guaranteed) and an advantage at other resorts, if they checkin early, to get their requests met as well.

Maybe instead of view categories at other DVC resorts, Disney could go back to pre-assigning rooms based on when the reservation was made everywhere except BWV.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by TIdoublegaER
Specifically at BCV, the illuminations view rooms and pool view rooms. I agree that at OKW, it is really a moot point. I really don't know what, if any, different views there would be at VWL. My one stay at VWL we had the dumpster view. Does some rooms overlook the pool? Since room views are being guaranteed at BW, and not anywhere else and since rooms are being assigned at checkin, this gives BWV owners an advantage at their home resort (view is guaranteed) and an advantage at other resorts, if they checkin early, to get their requests met as well.

Maybe instead of view categories at other DVC resorts, Disney could go back to pre-assigning rooms based on when the reservation was made everywhere except BWV.

One could come up with a lot of minor categories but I still feel that none of the rest are worth this type of change except as I noted above. the exception would be smoking/nonsmoking IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if the state of FL mandated this change in the near future for all hotels.