New wait-list process designed to improve Member experience

[Sammie]

Who are these members they are "so" into satisfying. I have never been surveyed about any of these changes.

If they want my survey, put it on the member site for all to vote before they make these changes.

I am getting soooo tired of the same old, same old with them.

Is impeachment possible.

 

[RachelTori]

Who are these members they are "so" into satisfying. I have never been surveyed about any of these changes.

If they want my survey, put it on the member site for all to vote before they make these changes.

I am getting soooo tired of the same old, same old with them.

Is impeachment possible.

My feelings exactly.

 

[dzorn]

I will be interested to see if you request more than 1 resort if they will be counted separately.

Denise in MI

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I have never waitlisted. What is different now as to before? Once you have even one waitlist, if you modify it in anyway (add or sub. a day), is the entire waitlist cancelled? Between typing with one hand and all the news, I can't keep up!

Can anyone answer this?

 

[JimMIA]

My personal opinion of the waitlist change is that they created a disaster when they made the first change, and this is an attempt to somehow regain control of the waitlist mess.

Unfortunately, I expect them to execute this as competently as they execute most changes!

 

[Bob Price]

I think it underscores the idea that no matter where you buy DVC, you have no idea what your membership will entitle you to tomorrow.

If I were looking to buy a vacation timeshare in today's market, I would not even consider DVC with all the fundamental changes they are trying to pass off as "improving the member experience," "streamlining," etc.

One of the prime selling points for us was that many things would never change. Sure, they could, but in the long history of DVC they never had. Well, they certainly have now.

The truth is that the only thing you are really guaranteed with DVC is that you can use your points for your home resort. That's all we can really count on under the current regime at DVC, and that makes DVC a very unpredictable, unreliable choice for a vacation timeshare...IMHO.

WOW, there certainly are a lot of changes lately. What was it like 10 years ago?

 

[toocherie]

I am seriously considering selling off more points now and jumping into the Marriot system...

I'm actually currently in escrow on a Marriott purchase . . . . .

 

[JACKie SPARROW]

I think that this underscores the "buy where you want to stay" idea!

Bobbi

I completely agree with this. However, those of us who purchased years ago unfortunately didn't have a choice of "buy where you want to stay" because there was only 1 resort available. It will be very interesting to see what other surprising changes changes DVC has for its loyal members.

I don't think the new waitlist rule will affect me because we don't own a lot of points. I don't like the anxiety I get when I waitlist;I can do without the waiting, wondering and constantly checking MS website. I do really feel for the members who own tons of points allowing them to make several trips to Disney per year. This could definately be a major disadvantage to their membership.

 

[LisaS]

I have never waitlisted. What is different now as to before? Once you have even one waitlist, if you modify it in anyway (add or sub. a day), is the entire waitlist cancelled? Between typing with one hand and all the news, I can't keep up!

I don't know the answer but it's a good question. They did away with the day by day WL, but then kind of allowed it again by telling people to call back and grab individual dates as they became available. So if I WL for, say, Dec 3-7 and manage to fill in Dec 4 by calling MS, do I now have 2 WLs, one for Dec 3 and and another for Dec 5-7? I would expect that I do. So if I then manage to get Dec 6 by calling MS, then I need to WL for Dec 3, Dec 5 and Dec 7, so that might be considered 3 active WLs and I would be over the limit.

 

[tamclan]

Hey if this makes MS more available or reduces wait time I am for it.

As the expression goes buy where you want to stay and your waitlists requests should be reasonable.

 

[wildernessDad]

Who are these members they are "so" into satisfying. I have never been surveyed about any of these changes.

If they want my survey, put it on the member site for all to vote before they make these changes.

I am getting soooo tired of the same old, same old with them.

Is impeachment possible.

Yeah, they always do this - the Disney marketing machine. "We have been informed by members that they like to eat chocolate covered bugs, therefore we are now offering only chocolate covered bugs at all of our restaurants."

 

[hematite153]

"We have been informed by members that they like to eat chocolate covered bugs, therefore we are now offering only chocolate covered bugs at all of our restaurants."

I'm not actually too upset by the wait list changes since I don't live close enough for frequent trips and I've never liked to put in waitlists as day-by-day. But, I agree that removing the day-by-day waitlists likely increased MS workloads and this change sounds likely to do so as well. I wouldn't be likely to spend that much time on the phone with them, but, others certainly might.

 

[HookdonWDW]

Hey if this makes MS more available or reduces wait time I am for it.

As the expression goes buy where you want to stay and your waitlists requests should be reasonable.

Ahhh... but there's the rub. This new policy will probably encourage some people to call MS multiple times each and every day to check availability, because they can't waitlist for everything they actually want...

 

[dzorn]

Ahhh... but there's the rub. This new policy will probably encourage some people to call MS multiple times each and every day to check availability, because they can't waitlist for everything they actually want...

Yep I can see that happening.

Denise in MI

 

[Laurabearz]

Yeah, they always do this - the Disney marketing machine. "We have been informed by members that they like to eat chocolate covered bugs, therefore we are now offering only chocolate covered bugs at all of our restaurants."

I think we need to start the Choclate covered bug campaign... Everyone should write in!!!

 

[toocherie]

I think we need to start the Choclate covered bug campaign... Everyone should write in!!!

NO no no no no no--they'll get three or four letters and think we really do want it.

I can see the posting on the member site now: "Due to members' requests . . . . "

 

[lisareniff]

Soooo.....

If I wanted to waitlist for an AKL studio, and really wanted any studio, there are 9 different room categories that you could waitlist. Will you really only get to pick 2???

Jambo Savannah View Dedicated
Jambo Savannah View Lock-off
Jambo Standard View Dedicated
Jambo Standard View Lock-off
Jambo Value Dedicated
Jambo Value Lock-off
Kidani Savannah View
Kidani Standard View
Concierge

 

[hematite153]

I think we need to start the Choclate covered bug campaign... Everyone should write in!!!

NO no no no no no--they'll get three or four letters and think we really do want it.

I can see the posting on the member site now: "Due to members' requests . . . . "

Okay, then. Let's resume the writing campaign for dishes in the studios...I still can't get over the idea that unsealed paper products are being considered more sanitary than glass and ceramics that I can wash with soap. (Yes, I know that the problem got partially fixed...but, I want dishes at OKW and SSR too.)

 

[PIERCEDRN]

I think it underscores the idea that no matter where you buy DVC, you have no idea what your membership will entitle you to tomorrow.

If I were looking to buy a vacation timeshare in today's market, I would not even consider DVC with all the fundamental changes they are trying to pass off as "improving the member experience," "streamlining," etc.

One of the prime selling points for us was that many things would never change. Sure, they could, but in the long history of DVC they never had. Well, they certainly have now.

The truth is that the only thing you are really guaranteed with DVC is that you can use your points for your home resort. That's all we can really count on under the current regime at DVC, and that makes DVC a very unpredictable, unreliable choice for a vacation timeshare...IMHO.

Hear Hear!
I have only been a member for the last two years so all I have seen is one "streamlining" and "simplification" after another.
I am not looking forward to the future "enhancement" when our points are only good for the resort we own. (It could happen, resort hopping is a perk!)
Sure, THV makes my SSR contract more palatable; but "stay only where you bought!" would totally suck eggs!
BOB

 

[Deb & Bill]

New wait-list process designed to improve Member experience

Effective Feb. 1, 2009, Members may have a maximum of two active wait-list requests per Membership, per use year.

While Disney Vacation Club will continue to maintain and honor existing wait-list requests, as of Feb. 1, Members with two or more active requests will not be able to add to their wait lists until their existing requests are expired, matched, canceled or reconciled.

The updated policy is designed to improve the overall Member experience with the wait-list process by increasing available resort inventory (limiting the number of wait-list requests will free up more resort rooms for more Members, as Members will not be holding other rooms that may not be their first preference), improving overall response time (since waitlists will be shorter, Members on the list will receive confirmations more quickly) and boosting the efficiency of Member Services (Cast Members previously dedicated to the time-consuming creation and maintenance of extensive wait lists can focus on handling more calls and serving Members more efficiently.)

This change is just the latest move in a continuing effort to increase Member satisfaction, which earned a 91 percent "excellent" and "very good" rating in the 2008 Condominium Association Survey. Look for more survey highlights in the summer edition of Disney Files Magazine, scheduled to begin mailing in May.

I have have three degrees, one an Engineering degree, but I can't wrap my poor little brain around this one. How does this free up inventory? Won't people still reserve as many nights as they can get wherever they can get them (as long as they don't reserve multiple rooms for the same people on the same night which they can't do)?

When's the next Condominium Association Survey? I need to vote in that one. Or is that what we are voting when we get the after MS survey each time we call????? I googled this and can't find anything anywhere.

Isn't there a Spring issue of the Disney Files due before the Summer issue in May???? Did someone seriously just come up with this garbage last week too late to make the Feb mailing of DF?

It was a real joy to be a DVC member from 1997 when we joined until about 2003 or 2004. When they announced, then never really unannounced Eagle Pines, announced SSR (I do like SSR, though), dumped Vacation Magic and replaced it with Disney Files, suddenly announced AKV (who even saw that one coming), denied VGC for years, denied BLT for a year....it all started down that slippery slope.

Like Sammie, we were some of DVC's greatest cheerleaders. No more.