New Preferred View Booking Categories At BWV

[TIdoublegaER]

the exception would be smoking/nonsmoking IMO.

I would love to see this. If Disney can guarantee room views, they can guarantee smoking or non-smoking. This would just be better for everyone - smokers and non-smokers alike.

 

[kathleena]

Regarding reserving late and getting the BW view. I have reserved at BWV at 45 days out - it was in January for an early March - two nights on Monday and Tuesday. Received a BW view. I wondered if it was the only checkin that day requesting the view - or did they have someone leave early and had a couple of nights to fill, didn't book properly and had an extra room. etc I always thought the early requests system really factored on room availability also, not strictly on the time of the request.

If you were checking in for a 2br on a day when no 2 br BW views are checking out - you were out of luck no matter when you made your ressie. That's just the roll of the dice and reason for the room requests being not guaranteed.

I'll just bet they don't have the same view issues at OKW so categories wouldn't be necessary.

Anyway - be careful what you wish for everyone - if people complain too much, I suppose they always have the option of not taking requests at all!!!!

 

[Frank in WI]

I still think that unless your resort was sold with a specific point structure that took view into consideration (BWV and VB), the other resorts were sold with the view as a "request" and nothing more. The member site states very clearly that "requests" made at the time of booking will be noted but not guaranteed. It also states that booking is the best time to list those requests. Why would they say that if they just ball it up and throw it in the trash when they hang up? Now people will know when they book whether they should spend the extra points if they don't have any shot at getting boardwalk view. I have no intentions of booking preferred view unless I can get boardwalk. I'll keep booking standard view and those will continue to fill up as well. Maybe having a boardwalk view guaranteed will open up some of those standard view rooms for other resort members. Who knows?

There is no point structure for view at HH, OKW, VWL, and BCV. That's the way they were sold and that's what I can expect when I try to book there. Like it or not, BWV has two different point structures for standard and "boardwalk/pools/water or garden" (quoted from member handbook). I can now see why there will be no other DVC resort sold with a different structure for view. I would hate to be someone at member services that had to deal with what I'm hearing here.

Because "boardwalk" view has caused a extraordinary amount of grief for both people checking-in and resort staff, I don't blame them for making the adjustment. I repeat my earlier statement, if you can show that the view "requests" at the other resorts cause as much grief as BW view does at BWV, more power to you and good luck. I don't see it.

 

[Crissup]

Originally posted by TIdoublegaER
Maybe instead of view categories at other DVC resorts, Disney could go back to pre-assigning rooms based on when the reservation was made.

You'll notice though that I removed the BWV portion of your quote. I believe this is the most fair way to assign rooms. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the new BW View category and just sent my guide an email telling him so. But, among those rooms, and all the rooms at all the other resorts, I believe they should be assigned based on the date of the ressie. This then gives all owners at a particular resort a 4 month advantage over the non-owners. Let's face it, while I might want a specific view at BCV, why should I be allowed to take that view away from someone who pays the bills at that resort.

I pay the bills at BWV (through my maintanance fees) and expect that I should have home resort bennies at that resort.

 

[Lisa F]

Originally posted by married@wdw
Pardon me -- a long leap of faith. Say what you will, but this is what MS told me -- twice! Once when booking the preferred view studio and again when we upgraded to a one-bedroom. There is a better chance of pressing your case if you check-in early because they have more inventory to choose from. I knew it might not work out, but with the way things were, I was willing to take my chances.

This is EXACTLY why they changed the BW view to a room category instead of a request. You do realize that by "pressing your case if you check in early" that you are basically taking a BW view room out of the hands of someone who booked before you did under the old system. This explains why BWV owners who booked at the 11 month window and requested BW view sometimes (maybe often?) don't get them. I know we have been in that situation and although I won't let my view make or break my resort stay, it does kind of peeve me that someone who booked after me might have gotten the room that had been preassigned to me by "pressing their case" earlier in the day.

I'm sorry that you feel the rules have been changed unfairly on you, but honestly, it's just this attitude (not just yours, but that of many guests) that somehow your reasons for "needing" a BW view are more compelling than anyone else's that created all of the trouble in the first place. It should be first reserved, first served, period. They have just put into a place to make that happen whereby someone cannot guilt, berate, or otherwise coerce the checkin CM into giving them a room that had previously been assigned to someone who was entitled to it. It's kind of sad that it had to come to this, but now that it has, I'm glad DVC stepped up to make it fair.

Lisa

 

[mistermouse]

A lot of opinions are arising regarding what comprises a significant, definable view request vs. a general, or less important view request. Based on MS's action, BWV now has THREE significant, definable views - while NONE of the other DVC resorts are even remotely held in such esteem. Talk about the "squeaky wheel."

This provides an enhanced value to DVC owners at BWV which other DVC owners simply do not have.

With the new "first-come, first-served" check-in policy, non BWV owners have the following to look forward to: OKW owners are just as likely to receive one of the 20% or so less desirable rooms on the property (such as high road noise, no view, etc) as any non-owner, no matter when the reservation was booked (11 months ago or even yesterday). BCV owners are just as likely to receive a service road view instead of the preferred (and spectacular, I might add) Epcot/Illuminations view - VWL owners who booked almost a year earlier are just as likely to view the service area as a last minute guest. The last minute guest could actually be the first served for a top floor lake view instead of an OWNER. Same scenarios at VB (Inn rooms excepted) and HHI.

The BWV 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class system is actually a good idea for owners at BWV. I believe owners should have preference over non-owners. But, is it right for all other DVC resorts to show only the 11/7 preference to their owners (i.e., a cash-renter booked only two weeks ago gets the best room just because he or she checks-in at 8:00 am)?

If this is the road MS is taking, I would recommend completing the journey and breaking down the other other DVC resort rooms to at least a first and second class. The investments each of us has made in DVC should not be treated differently from one home resort to another.

In addition, class based reservations should require MEMBER only (or immediate family) check in. Friends, renters, etc should be traeted as non-member reservations in my opinion. This could be enforced simply by requiring a DVC membership card to be presented at time of reservation.

Disclaimer; My wife and I own at VWL and BCV.

 

[Richyams]

I don't agree. I think it only came about because of crying, whining babies at check in and now BWV MS calls are going to take longer and cost more than any other resort calls and that cost will be put upon all of us.

 

[mistermouse]

Rich, you may be right. Let's lower all other resort dues by $.02 and raise BWV by at least $.10 to compensate for the new and improved BWV class management system! Seems at least fair IMHO.

 

[WDWguru]

Sorry, but I don't buy that the calls are going to take any longer. How does saying "I'd like a one-bedroom preferred view at BWV for May 28-30th. I'd like to request non-smoking, boardwalk view please," take any less time than saying "I'd like a one-bedroom preferred: boardwalk view at BWV for May 28th to 30th. I'd like to request non-smoking, please"??

It's just like any other room... it's either available or not, and if not you waitlist and/or pick something else. If it is, you book it. I wouldn't be surprised if it took LESS time since they'll spend less time taking requests and having to explain that boardwalk view isn't guaranteed.

 

[married@wdw]

Originally posted by Lisa F
This is EXACTLY why they changed the BW view to a room category instead of a request. You do realize that by "pressing your case if you check in early" that you are basically taking a BW view room out of the hands of someone who booked before you did under the old system. This explains why BWV owners who booked at the 11 month window and requested BW view sometimes (maybe often?) don't get them. I know we have been in that situation and although I won't let my view make or break my resort stay, it does kind of peeve me that someone who booked after me might have gotten the room that had been preassigned to me by "pressing their case" earlier in the day.

I'm sorry that you feel the rules have been changed unfairly on you, but honestly, it's just this attitude (not just yours, but that of many guests) that somehow your reasons for "needing" a BW view are more compelling than anyone else's that created all of the trouble in the first place. It should be first reserved, first served, period. They have just put into a place to make that happen whereby someone cannot guilt, berate, or otherwise coerce the checkin CM into giving them a room that had previously been assigned to someone who was entitled to it. It's kind of sad that it had to come to this, but now that it has, I'm glad DVC stepped up to make it fair.

Lisa

Lisa --
As I posted earlier on this thread, I think people need to decide when a trip is really special and make their requests accordingly, no matter what resort they're staying at. I never said the rules were fair toward BWV owners -- as a matter of fact, I said the change was great. However, I based my reservation on the rules as they HAD BEEN. I probably wouldn't haven't spent all the points knowing that I COULD NOT get a Boardwalk view -- I would have stayed at home at OKW as we usually do. But I used all borrowed points, so now I'm stuck -- can't bank them back to next year. And to me, this trip -- unlike all the other trips in the last four years of ownership where the only request I've made was non-smoking at my home resort -- is special. It's our 5th wedding anniversary and we were engaged on the Beach Club beach and had our wedding reception at Atlantic Dance. So yes, I was hoping for something a little more special.
And I also said that I thought all guests should respect the CMs jobs. I used to be a CM, so trust me, I know how terrible people treat them! But in the same respect, MS told me if I show up early on the morning I booked I may be able to take advantage of someone checking out early or get a room that was otherwise unassigned. Since I could try to get that upperhand, of course I was going to. I had no intentions of "taking away" anything from anyone -- just following the rules as they were explained to me.
So please don't assume to know me -- you don't!

 

[Frank in WI]

With the new "first-come, first-served" check-in policy, non BWV owners have the following to look forward to: OKW owners are just as likely to receive one of the 20% or so less desirable rooms on the property (such as high road noise, no view, etc) as any non-owner, no matter when the reservation was booked (11 months ago or even yesterday). BCV owners are just as likely to receive a service road view instead of the preferred (and spectacular, I might add) Epcot/Illuminations view - VWL owners who booked almost a year earlier are just as likely to view the service area as a last minute guest. The last minute guest could actually be the first served for a top floor lake view instead of an OWNER. Same scenarios at VB (Inn rooms excepted) and HHI.

OK, I need help here. Where is this so called "first-come, first served check in policy and where did it state that check-in requests over ride booking requests?

Rich, you may be right. Let's lower all other resort dues by $.02 and raise BWV by at least $.10 to compensate for the new and improved BWV class management system! Seems at least fair IMHO.

Let's do better than that. Let's make all the dues the same and eliminate the 11/7 booking window. Then you non BWV owners can have the same benefits as BWV for the same price. That fair enough for you? Works for me. Then I can book a grand villa at OKW at 11 months. Or a beach cottage at Vero Beach at 11 months. I can only do 7 months now and may not get them. Oh, that's right. That's the same as boardwalk view. Silly me!!!

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by mistermouse
A lot of opinions are arising regarding what comprises a significant, definable view request vs. a general, or less important view request. Based on MS's action, BWV now has THREE significant, definable views - while NONE of the other DVC resorts are even remotely held in such esteem. Talk about the "squeaky wheel."

This provides an enhanced value to DVC owners at BWV which other DVC owners simply do not have.

With the new "first-come, first-served" check-in policy, non BWV owners have the following to look forward to: OKW owners are just as likely to receive one of the 20% or so less desirable rooms on the property (such as high road noise, no view, etc) as any non-owner, no matter when the reservation was booked (11 months ago or even yesterday). BCV owners are just as likely to receive a service road view instead of the preferred (and spectacular, I might add) Epcot/Illuminations view - VWL owners who booked almost a year earlier are just as likely to view the service area as a last minute guest. The last minute guest could actually be the first served for a top floor lake view instead of an OWNER. Same scenarios at VB (Inn rooms excepted) and HHI.

The BWV 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class system is actually a good idea for owners at BWV. I believe owners should have preference over non-owners. But, is it right for all other DVC resorts to show only the 11/7 preference to their owners (i.e., a cash-renter booked only two weeks ago gets the best room just because he or she checks-in at 8:00 am)?

If this is the road MS is taking, I would recommend completing the journey and breaking down the other other DVC resort rooms to at least a first and second class. The investments each of us has made in DVC should not be treated differently from one home resort to another.

In addition, class based reservations should require MEMBER only (or immediate family) check in. Friends, renters, etc should be traeted as non-member reservations in my opinion. This could be enforced simply by requiring a DVC membership card to be presented at time of reservation.

Disclaimer; My wife and I own at VWL and BCV.

I guess I've never understood the thinking that if one person gets a little benefit, everyone else should too else they feel like they actual got a decrement. This doesn't hurt other owners a bit and there are no other resorts where this makes sense save VB. I don't agree with the first come/first served plan but feel it is workable if done correctly. Correctly means to save the best units for the members at that resort.

 

[Lisa F]

Originally posted by married@wdw
As I posted earlier on this thread, I think people need to decide when a trip is really special and make their requests accordingly, no matter what resort they're staying at. I never said the rules were fair toward BWV owners -- as a matter of fact, I said the change was great. However, I based my reservation on the rules as they HAD BEEN. I probably wouldn't haven't spent all the points knowing that I COULD NOT get a Boardwalk view -- I would have stayed at home at OKW as we usually do. But I used all borrowed points, so now I'm stuck -- can't bank them back to next year. And to me, this trip -- unlike all the other trips in the last four years of ownership where the only request I've made was non-smoking at my home resort -- is special. It's our 5th wedding anniversary and we were engaged on the Beach Club beach and had our wedding reception at Atlantic Dance. So yes, I was hoping for something a little more special.
And I also said that I thought all guests should respect the CMs jobs. I used to be a CM, so trust me, I know how terrible people treat them! But in the same respect, MS told me if I show up early on the morning I booked I may be able to take advantage of someone checking out early or get a room that was otherwise unassigned. Since I could try to get that upperhand, of course I was going to. I had no intentions of "taking away" anything from anyone -- just following the rules as they were explained to me.
So please don't assume to know me -- you don't!

You're right, I don't know you. All I know is what you post, and what you posted is exactly the reason that they have had to go to this system. It doesn't matter how often you do it. There are 70,000 members and if everyone does it once every 5 years, that's still a lot of BW views that are being given to non owners because the person checking in pushed really hard to get one. The bottom line is that the squeakiest wheel should NOT get the grease just because they check in early and "press their case" until they get what they want. It's this behavior, that you openly admit that you were planning to do, that I object to. I'm not saying you're a terrible person in every aspect of your life, I'm saying that this particular behavior, which is a direct quote from your post, is the reason that MS decided to go to a guaranteed boardwalk view.

Congrats on your 5th anniversary. My husband and I just celebrated ours 3 weeks ago. There are many ways to make it special besides room view. I hope you can think of some things and have a wonderful time anyway. Perhaps you can switch to BCV since the Beach Club is where you got engaged. For me, personally, the sentimentality of the place would make it more special than a view.

Lisa

 

[DebbieB]

OK, I need help here. Where is this so called "first-come, first served check in policy and where did it state that check-in requests over ride booking requests?

About 2 or 3 weeks ago, I emailed member services about the new request policy. There were posts on this board indicating that rooms were no longer being pre-assigned by date of reservation but on "first come first served" at check-in. I got a call from Jackie Leuders from DVC. She indicated that the new policy was they wanted to get as many people as possible into clean rooms when they arrived. So they would look at your requests and try to match at least ONE with the available rooms when you checked in. She said the response when they tested it was overwelmingly favorable. Members were happy not having to wait until later to get into a room, even though they may not get their requests. I mentioned the fact that I am a BWV owner and we usually do not arrive until between 3 and 4. So I would have little chance of ever getting a boardwalk view even though I made the reservation at 11 months. Those arriving earlier in the day would get it. On my first BWV trip in 2000, I had a preferred view reserved with a BW view request at 11 months and didn't get it. So I've been booking standard since then to save points rather than gamble on a BW view. Now that I can be guaranteed that boardwalk view, I'm going to try next year to get it. If I don't, then I'll book standard view.

 

[COACHSTING]

Originally posted by Frank in WI
I still think that unless your resort was sold with a specific point structure that took view into consideration (BWV and VB), the other resorts were sold with the view as a "request" and nothing more.

BWV initially sold without any view designations. BW owners complained when they were assigned rooms that were not pool or BW views and subsequently, BW created the Standard View with fewer points. The volume of complaints regarding BW view now makes it necessary to create yet another view category.

The squeaky wheel got the oil. If DVC management deems it necessary to create classes of rooms at BW to give owners home resort advantage, then the same structure should be implemented for the other DVC resort owners that gives them first dibbs on premium views at those resorts.

And, I totally agree with others that the smoking/non smoking rooms should be guarantees.

 

[Nanajo1]

I guess we are really odd. 2 trips booked at 7months we got PV both times, one Luna Pool the other BW over the clothing store. It was all that was available when we booked. We were not thrilled with the enclosed balcony that you had to stand to see the PV pool or the noisy Atlantic Dance customers leaving at 2am, So we bought an add on at BWV to get a SV at 11 months. So relax here's one BWV owner that won't be booking any PV at 11 months.
BTW on our Jan 03 trip we had relatives coming in the day after us. We had requested they be close to us. When we checked in we asked about their room and were told it had already been assigned. We were on the first floor they were on the fourth! So much for 11 month requests.

 

[crisi]

And possibly they will. The first come first served policy was done at OKW first and stayed there (apparently) for several months before rolling to the other resorts. It was from that trial that they discovered that people would rather get into their room earlier than get a specific room. And at OKW, that probably makes some sense - the resort is large enough that there is enough turnover to meet some of your requests at check in and assign right there - and there are few locations/views that are particularly prime. It makes the least sense at BWVs - where ten months ago when I booked my room, early booking meant a better chance at the BW View - and then the policy changed sometime last Spring. It makes some sense at BCVs, where the Epcot Illuminations view is prime, and some but less sense at VWL, where you may be saved from seeing a road or dumpster, but the "great" view is looking at a pool or trees.

For BW Views this probably doesn't create a lot of empty rooms, because those rooms are going to book quickly ten to eleven months out. If I call on my day of checkout (or call day by day), and then DeeP calls the day of her checkout, starting her vacation the day I leave, they know that, because eleven month bookers fall pretty much in place like dominos.

My guess is that this was driven by a combination of member complaints and problems at the front desk. Disney does not want people getting irate at the front desk with "I booked my room eleven months out, what do you mean I didn't get a BW View!" It makes everyone else standing in line uncomfortable and impacts the vacation of those around them.

married@wdw - I also made my request, and my decision, on the rules as they had been. Back in November, when I made my October reservations, we were being told that rooms were assigned based on requests and time of reservation. Had this not been the case, we - like you - may have elected to get a larger room over at OKW for fewer points or a room close to the MK at VWL (we have two little kids) or use SAB at BCV. But my husband really wanted to wow his mother with the Boardwalk view - and I thought there would be a good chance we'd get it. I've spent the six months since last Spring when the policy seemed to change to check in time rather disappointed that it seemed unlikely that with our 2:00pm arrival, we'd get a BW view. Not mad - view isn't going to make or break the trip (my mother in law will be responsible for THAT) - but disappointed. Really, they may have renigned on their assurance to you on how the system worked, but they have fullfilled their promise to those of us who had booked eleven months out. We are the ones that have been appearing at the front desk all summer disappointed to discover that we'd have to have arrived at 9:00am - and return to the boards to discover that someone who booked in May got a BW View.

 

[married@wdw]

Originally posted by Lisa F
because the person checking in pushed really hard to get one.

Again, you are putting words in my mouth. I had no intentions of pushing/prodding/cojoling/screaming, etc. to the check-in desk. MS told me to show up early and ask and explain the situation so that I might be able to take advantage of last minute cancellations. That's it -- that's all I was going to do. I don't think MS had any intention of bumping someone who made a request before me. I understand why MS changed the rules and I don't have a problem with it. What I have a problem with is that they changed the rules AFTER I made the reservation using points I can't get back, making that decision with information that changed with NO NOTICE!!! You are right, the old rules stunk. But they shouldn't have been changed without some warning to members -- that's the part that isn't fair. The new policy is more fair, but to those of use who made a reservation under the old policy, we are now getting a bum deal.

[ For me, personally, the sentimentality of the place would make it more special than a view.

You're right about the place being the sentimentality. And we'll be celebrating our <b>wedding</b> most of which took place on the Boardwalk. We don't do the parks commando-style anymore and do spend a lot of time in the room, so for this trip, the view is important to me.

 

[Lisa F]

Originally posted by married@wdw
Again, you are putting words in my mouth. I had no intentions of pushing/prodding/cojoling/screaming, etc. to the check-in desk.

Your words, not mine, said that you had a better chance of "pressing your case." Pressing is the same thing as pushing/prodding to me. Did I say screaming? Now who is putting words in whose mouth?

You're right about the place being the sentimentality. And we'll be celebrating our <b>wedding</b> most of which took place on the Boardwalk. We don't do the parks commando-style anymore and do spend a lot of time in the room, so for this trip, the view is important to me.

Many DVC guests do not do the parks "commando style" and consider the view to be important to them. Many people also celebrate special occasions at WDW. Again, I am sorry that you are disappointed but I guess I don't find your reason to have a BW view any more compelling than anyone else's reasons for wanting one. I don't think that the official policy of dvc was ever check in early for a better chance of "pressing your case." The new "first check in/first served" policy never explicitly stated that the way to get what you want is to check in early to "press your case." Disney's official policy is not those who check in early and "press their case" get what they want. The idea was to accommidate as early a check-in as possible since that's what DVC seemed to think most DVCers wanted. The fact that it gives people who check in super early a chance to "press their case" before anyone else checks in and does the same is a side effect of the system, not the intention of it.

Anyway, it's a moot point. Disney has "made it right" and I sent them an email expressing my appreciation for both this situation as well as the priority seating near-fiasco.

Lisa

 

[married@wdw]

Disney may have made it right by many of you, but they haven't made it right by me. I'm sorry you can't see that. I do feel that on this thread the BWV owners seem to think that they are better than everyone else. I followed the policies and rules as they were stated to me and was doing what I was told to do by MS. Now I'm out of luck. I would feel terrible if it happened to one of you and I always lend a sympathetic ear. I'm certainly not getting one in return.

And yes I did say "pressing my case" which are the words the MS CM I spoke with used. You basically called me one of those insane people who flips out at the check-in desk, then said I was going to "push really hard" to get what I want. I am not one of those people and I do take offense. I was taught it never hurts to ask and MS said asking early helps, so that's what I was going to do. Please stop inferring otherwise.