Not Happy Right Now ...

[pxlbarrel]

Have to agree with Chuck, not sure the booking agent you were talking to when you called in, was even aware you were on a Wait list.

As you use it more, you will learn that ultimately you have to be on top of all of it yourself. With 500,000 members you are always going to be more interested in your bookings than they are.

It stinks but it is what it is. Another tip I avoid the weekends like the plaque, I think they let the calls go to overflow. Pretty soon you will be able to book online, can't wait for that train wreck.

She was aware I was on the wait list ... she checked on it for me before I asked if there was anything available. I just don't know how interpreting, "I'll take that instead of waiting" can be interpreted as "I'll take that and keep me on the wait list." And quite frankly, I also remember saying to her that I'd invite some friends to stay with me since it was such a big suite .... you'd think she'd say, "Oh...by the way, your grand villa may be cancelled if we find a smaller unit for you..."

The person I talked to yesterday confirmed everything to me by phone .... ad nauseum so I believe she was very good. She told me where each point was coming from and I do believe tried to find some sort of resolution for me. I'm trying to get something for VGC for my friend in July so there are two wait lists (2 different days) and she made sure there was a note in it that as soon as one was matched, the other wait list would be cancelled and made sure there was no 7 day wait list, just the 30 day (after 30, my friend's on his own). I will have to vigilant on that wait list now. Bleh.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you think it's confusing now, just wait until online booking hits us in a couple weeks.

 

[Chuck S]

If you think it's confusing now, just wait until online booking hits us in a couple weeks.

I can see it now, in the best Star Trek computer voice "Self Destruct Sequence Active and Engaged. Self Destruct in 10, 9, 8, 7..."

 

[joelnkelly]

i kind of agree with you pxlbarrel. not sure why they would cancel a gv for a studio. i would be pissed as well. the inital cm who booked the gv should have asked if you wanted the waitlist reservation to be cancelled. i guess you chalk it up as a lesson learned

 

[Chuck S]

i kind of agree with you pxlbarrel. not sure why they would cancel a gv for a studio. i would be pissed as well. the inital cm wow booked the gv should have asked if you wanted the waitlist reservation to be cancelled. i guess you chalk it up as a lesson learned

If a wait list is showing, how/why would the matching system, or even a CM, know the intent of the owner? I'm sure a lot of folks book a one bedroom, and go on a wait list for a studio, if they are out of studios at the time of booking.

The system, nor a CM, has any idea why someone with a GV may have wait listed a studio...there could be a lot of reasons, including a change of plans or traveling party size.

It is simply a function of an automated wait list rather than having a CM try to call and confirm the wait list prior to any change...which they used to do. Of course, that was very inefficient when most folks wanted what was showing on the wait list to be fulfilled. Manual confirmation also put a bottleneck in the system, if they had to wait to confirm the next day.

 

[joelnkelly]

Chuck, I guess we can agree to disagree. The member should have been given a call or something to confirm. From what she stated it was clear she made this GV reservation after initally WL for a studio. Somewhere along the line there was a communication failure and she had already had one previous issue with her reservation before. I am just shocked a confirmed booked room would be cancelled without a confirmation.

Say she waitlisted a GV and a Studio, the studio came off the waitlist so they booked it for her automatically, she loses out on the possibility of the GV because the one waitlist came through. But she had a confirmed ressie for a GV booked, signed, sealed and delivered. Why would they automatically cancel that reservation for something less desirable without a call? Just doesnt make sense to me.

 

[Chuck S]

Chuck, I guess we can agree to disagree. The member should have been given a call or something to confirm. From what she stated it was clear she made this GV reservation after initally WL for a studio. Somewhere along the line there was a communication failure and she had already had one previous issue with her reservation before. I am just shocked a confirmed booked room would be cancelled without a confirmation.

Say she waitlisted a GV and a Studio, the studio came off the waitlist so they booked it for her automatically, she loses out on the possibility of the GV because the one waitlist came through. But she had a confirmed ressie for a GV booked, signed, sealed and delivered. Why would they automatically cancel that reservation for something less desirable without a call? Just doesnt make sense to me.

Because it may not be "less desirable" for every member. Some members DO wait list to downgrade an existing reservation. They fully automated the wait list system a few years ago, and eliminated calling every member on a waitlist to verify. With the sheer number of wait lists, given there are 500K memberships now, it probably took considerable labor/time for phone verification. And what if someone wasn't home or available when they called? Should they hold both the GV and studio, keeping other members from booking one or the other, until they do contact someone.

The wait list is what it is, it functions automatically. Members just need to be very specific and be sure they are removed from the wait list, unless they still want the wait listed accommodation.

 

[disneynutz]

Bottom line is that you are dealing with people at MS and they do make mistakes. Unfortunately Members are the ones that suffer and MS CMs are paid by us!

Many report never having any problems but I find that not to be true in our case. We are pretty active members and the more that you deal with MS the greater the chances for a mistake.

Your only way of reducing mistakes is to know more than the people that you are dealing with and to double and triple check.

I don't like the "hang up and call back" method of dealing with incompetence. That doesn't fix the problem, I report the person to management so they can get additional training.

When and if you are having problems with a MS CM, ask for a Team Line manager. They are senior CMs and they have access to tools that the regular CMs don't have. It's real easy for the MS CM to come back to the phone telling you that they checked with their supervisor, did they really?

Now that the damage has been done, the OP needs to contact Member Satisfaction, dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com.

They also have access to tools, room inventory, and a priority wait list that the regular MS CMs don't have access to.

Good luck.

Bill

 

[disneynutz]

Because it may not be "less desirable" for every member. Some members DO wait list to downgrade an existing reservation. They fully automated the wait list system a few years ago, and eliminated calling every member on a waitlist to verify. With the sheer number of wait lists, given there are 500K memberships now, it probably took considerable labor/time for phone verification. And what if someone wasn't home or available when they called? Should they hold both the GV and studio, keeping other members from booking one or the other, until they do contact someone.

The wait list is what it is, it functions automatically. Members just need to be very specific and be sure they are removed from the wait list, unless they still want the wait listed accommodation.

Here is some info that I have learned. The wait lists aren't fully automated. The matches are automated but the actual reservation changes are still done by CM's.

There are 400,000 plus members, not memberships. The last number that I got from Disney was 275,000 memberships, Disney likes to use the bigger number.

Bill

 

[Chuck S]

Here is some info that I have learned. The wait lists aren't fully automated. The matches are automated but the actual reservation changes are still done by CM's.

There are 400,000 plus members, not memberships. The last number that I got from Disney was 275,000 memberships, Disney likes to use the bigger number.

Bill

But again, imagine the time/labor costs involved to stop between each change, call and verify, then make the changes...especially if the member is chatty or "undecided." While the change itself may be manual, the matches are automated, and the changes, even if manual, are "automatically" applied. The CM does not pause to wonder "Why" a particular Member may want what seems like a less desirable room size or location.

 

[Disbroads]

Yes, you did need to be more specific. Not that this is "your fault" - this is a misunderstanding. Unfortunately, it isn't a misunderstanding that can be fixed easily after the fact. At the end of every transaction with MS confirm everything.

What you have booked, dates, waitlist status, how many points, from what use year, whether any points used were banked or borrowed..

Member services doesn't make the right assumptions all the time - so it behooves us to be very specific.

I'm inclined to agree with it was a misunderstanding, and a very unfortunate one. When putting two of you in a GV, the CM would be thinking "what a waste of points. I hope their wait list comes through so they can save about 20 points that night". I read where you may have mentioned additional guests, but you're speaking with a fairly low paid call center person who is pressured to minimize talk time.

As others have noted, the more common scenario is "book what you can confirm, then wait list what you prefer" so you can book air travel.
So when your wait list matched, and they saw a res with the same dates it would make sense to think that's what you wanted.
How many people were on your guest list for the GV? If two to four people, the GV would look like your "back-up plan" in case the studio didn't match.

As for checking repeatedly on the website, I'd print your email confirmation and keep it. The week before arrival, check online. If it's messed up, call and have them resolve it. It's a their problem, not a your problem. You could end up in a suite at the Grand Floridian.

 

[disneynutz]

But again, imagine the time/labor costs involved to stop between each change, call and verify, then make the changes...especially if the member is chatty or "undecided." While the change itself may be manual, the matches are automated, and the changes, even if manual, are "automatically" applied. The CM does not pause to wonder "Why" a particular Member may want what seems like a less desirable room size or location.

I agree with you and I have found cases where MS was suppose to have made notes on what points to use, etc, and they didn't, and other cases where the CM working the wait list didn't read the note.

Bill

 

[pxlbarrel]

As for checking repeatedly on the website, I'd print your email confirmation and keep it. The week before arrival, check online. If it's messed up, call and have them resolve it. It's a their problem, not a your problem. You could end up in a suite at the Grand Floridian.

I think that's a bit too optimistic. Yesterday's conversation was... "We're so sorry. The wait list should have been cancelled but we have no inventory so what would you like me to do." Uhmmm.... in other words, sorry but tough luck. It was then up to me to decide. She even suggested I cancel and book a room somewhere else.

As for the CM not knowing whether or not I was waiting for a downgrade to save points or whatnot .... I would have thought telling her that I would take a 3 bedroom for sure and not sit around waiting would have been enough to inform said CM that the wait list should have been cancelled. My problem with this whole process is that if the wait list is still active when you get a "confirmed" booking then why the heck do they not say, while they're "confirming" your booking, that the wait list is still active and warn you that your confirmed booking isn't actually what you may end up. The other thing was ... they weren't even the same dates per se. The wait list was for 2 nights and my GV "confirmed" booking was 1 night since I had changed our itinerary so that we would be staying in Los Angeles the next night.

I'm sorry but it makes no sense for people who like to plan and let's face it, some of us DISers are all about the planning.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Now that the damage has been done, the OP needs to contact Member Satisfaction, dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com.

They also have access to tools, room inventory, and a priority wait list that the regular MS CMs don't have access to.

Good luck.

Bill

I'll do that. Thanks for the advice.

The bottom line to me is this .... the veteran DVC members here are used to this crap and are wise to the mysterious ways of MS but I'm new to DVC and after only 4 phone calls in 5 months to MS, I am less than impressed with their service. As first impressions go, they really suck. I've been a member of RCI for years and when I get a confirmed reservation, it's confirmed. I've never had a reservation changed or vanish.

Just an eye opener .... I'll know better now.

 

[tjkraz]

I think that's a bit too optimistic. Yesterday's conversation was... "We're so sorry. The wait list should have been cancelled but we have no inventory so what would you like me to do." Uhmmm.... in other words, sorry but tough luck. It was then up to me to decide. She even suggested I cancel and book a room somewhere else.

Specific to this situation, problem is there are only two grand villas at VGC. If they're gone, they're gone. There are only 20-some Studios so even those can be hard to come by.

Dealing with DVC customer service is like most other business, IMO. Sometimes they are quick to offer solutions. Other times you have to take the initiative and start suggesting alternatives.

Even though you are typically bound by the resale restrictions, floating several different alternatives may have yielded some results. As I understand it, DVC did at least admit some responsibility for the outcome. If you wanted to stand firm on getting accommodations for everyone, suggesting two connecting hotel rooms (rather than villas) was one possibility. Two rooms at the Disneyland Hotel is another possibility. Of course, hard telling how many points they would have charged.

People in customer service roles end up dealing with dissatisfied clients (members) on a daily basis. Some dozens of times per day. It can be difficult to gauge what will ultimately satisfy every single individual. But that job becomes easier when the customer starts offering potential solutions.

Overall I'll stop short of saying that you were at fault. However, DVC points are like currency so it's sensible to take steps to ensure that your account is managed properly. Take those extra few seconds to ask the rep "can you read back those dates again", "is my wait list still in effect" or "do you have my view requests noted." Even the most competent, well-trained reps get distracted.

Everyone's experiences are different but personally I've never had a reservation mis-managed. Never had a single point go unaccounted-for. I do not check my reservations monthly on the member website and all have been waiting for me as promised. But I also go the extra mile to make sure the reps have everything noted properly during all of my conversations.

Good luck.

 

[bumbershoot]

When you booked the GV, did you tell them to cancel your waitlist? If not, it's your fault not theirs. You have to say, cancel the waitlist, not just I'll go ahead and book....

I have a really hard time putting the blame on the new member, when the CM should be the one with far more knowledge, and the ability to remember to ask about the wait list, and the ability to make sure that wait list is canceled.

Waitlists are really something I wish they would show on the website.

Yes.

If you think it's confusing now, just wait until online booking hits us in a couple weeks.

I believe that self-booking will take the CM roulette out of the equation, leaving us only to the issues with the web designers and spotty webpage availability. So I believe it will get better. At least for me. I book our other Disney stays online, rather than on the phone, and I've NEVER had a problem with those (except that the auto email from Disneyland's PPH still says there's a resort fee, and there hasn't been one for something like a year). So I believe that MY experiences will get better. Other problems will be user error and the same website nonsense we have always dealt with.

Now that the damage has been done, the OP needs to contact Member Satisfaction, dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com.

Definitely.

The other thing was ... they weren't even the same dates per se. The wait list was for 2 nights and my GV "confirmed" booking was 1 night since I had changed our itinerary so that we would be staying in Los Angeles the next night.

That's just weird!




With Disney stuff, there's what SHOULD happen and what CAN happen.

What SHOULD happen is that they hire better programmers, make less pretty and more functional websites, do their updates on a "master" site instead of on the live site (so they roll out finished, WORKING, pages and don't mess with us all the time), and their CMs should be fully trained, aware of wait lists, have wait lists visible to us, and all the rest of it.

Sadly, that isn't how disney is. Not just DVC, but the whole thing. They seem to hire bottom of the barrel programmers, they want a pretty website over something useful, the CMs aren't all fully trained...

So now you know to spell it out. (but with what you did say, and what she said to you about inviting more people, I would have thought she was taking care of the WL, most definitely...and that's why it's especially important to write in with SPECIFIC details, so they can review what happened that day, and perhaps see if this was a website problem, CM problem, etc etc)

 

[Sandisw]

I think that's a bit too optimistic. Yesterday's conversation was... "We're so sorry. The wait list should have been cancelled but we have no inventory so what would you like me to do." Uhmmm.... in other words, sorry but tough luck. It was then up to me to decide. She even suggested I cancel and book a room somewhere else.

As for the CM not knowing whether or not I was waiting for a downgrade to save points or whatnot .... I would have thought telling her that I would take a 3 bedroom for sure and not sit around waiting would have been enough to inform said CM that the wait list should have been cancelled. My problem with this whole process is that if the wait list is still active when you get a "confirmed" booking then why the heck do they not say, while they're "confirming" your booking, that the wait list is still active and warn you that your confirmed booking isn't actually what you may end up. The other thing was ... they weren't even the same dates per se. The wait list was for 2 nights and my GV "confirmed" booking was 1 night since I had changed our itinerary so that we would be staying in Los Angeles the next night.

I'm sorry but it makes no sense for people who like to plan and let's face it, some of us DISers are all about the planning.

Unless I am misunderstanding, so correct me if I am wrong, when you originally called, there was nothing available for you to book, so your only option was to wait list.

When you called again and the GV was now available, since you weren't actually changing a reservation, but booking, I can understand why the CM didn't realize you wanted the wait list cancelled. To me, your statement could be interpreted as "I'll book this now so I have something booked, instead of just continuing to stay in a waiting situation." So, I can see how someone might interpret it as you were booking the GV as back up in case the others didn't fill in time.

I booked a reservation for my son a few months back and had to wait list for a one of three nights because it was not available. I booked it for cash. I called back a week later and the 3 nights were available at another resort so we changed things. I made sure that I specifically told the CM to "cancel the wait list for that one night" because I have learned that you always want to tell the CM's as much information as possible to ensure no errors are made.

The nature of wait lists, and the CM's usually explain this, is that they will automatically fill and cancel any nights you have that conflict. Because you didn't actually have anything booked when the wait list was made, it may explain why the details of how it would work were overlooked.

I am really sorry that it happened to you and that your 2 bedroom comes through.

I am with others, though, that wish the wait lists were somehow made available for members to see. It would be a better way to make sure that what a member wants is actually happening.

At least you are learning the system and now understand how it works.

Good luck..

 

[pxlbarrel]

Unless I am misunderstanding, so correct me if I am wrong, when you originally called, there was nothing available for you to book, so your only option was to wait list.

When you called again and the GV was now available, since you weren't actually changing a reservation, but booking, I can understand why the CM didn't realize you wanted the wait list cancelled. To me, your statement could be interpreted as "I'll book this now so I have something booked, instead of just continuing to stay in a waiting situation." So, I can see how someone might interpret it as you were booking the GV as back up in case the others didn't fill in time.

I booked a reservation for my son a few months back and had to wait list for a one of three nights because it was not available. I booked it for cash. I called back a week later and the 3 nights were available at another resort so we changed things. I made sure that I specifically told the CM to "cancel the wait list for that one night" because I have learned that you always want to tell the CM's as much information as possible to ensure no errors are made.

The nature of wait lists, and the CM's usually explain this, is that they will automatically fill and cancel any nights you have that conflict. Because you didn't actually have anything booked when the wait list was made, it may explain why the details of how it would work were overlooked.

I am really sorry that it happened to you and that your 2 bedroom comes through.

I am with others, though, that wish the wait lists were somehow made available for members to see. It would be a better way to make sure that what a member wants is actually happening.

At least you are learning the system and now understand how it works.

Good luck..

What language am I speaking? I wasn't speaking Swahili to her. I said I'd take the Grand Villa INSTEAD of waiting for something else to come up. In what language does "INSTEAD" mean the same as "I'll take the Grand Villa while I wait for something to come up" ? Silly me to think that speaking plain English wasn't enough to convey to this person that I wasn't interested in waiting anymore and to think that this person would tell a newbie (and she knew I was because i told her) ....unless you cancel the waitlist, your reservation for the Grand Villa isn't set in stone. At one point in the rest of my conservation about getting a few friends to joing me in the 3 bedroom did it not clue into her that I didn't want to change my booking?

I'm sorry but if the system is so screwed up that the computer overtakes all brain function and independent thought, then something needs to be fixed and it isn't US who are being screwed by this crazy system. If there needs to be a debate about how we say things, then there's something seriously wrong.

You guys can debate the language all you want but I was very clear about what I thought I was booking and she didn't tell me otherwise.

If they actually need somebody to tell them, "CANCEL THE WAIT LIST" perhaps they should automatically ask if you want to cancel the wait list when they book you into a unit. They did not ask it and had they asked that simple question, I could have said, "Yes, cancel it, I'm happy with the Grand Villa." And don't tell me it'll take too much time to ask that. It doesn't take more than a few seconds to have that safeguard in place to prevent the countless screwed up reservations that have apparently taken place.

Debate all you want ... this has been an eye opener of all sorts.

 

[Sammie]

Does not make any difference what they "should" do, all that matters is what they do.

And you learned the hard way what many of us have learned over the years too. All everyone is trying to do is help you not repeat the situation again, since you are a new owner.

Because believe me they are not going to change. Either you can or the situation will repeat itself again at some point in the future.

The choice is yours.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The points are your points. They don't belong to the CM. If you want to make sure no mistakes are made, you are responsible for making sure all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted.

If you know enough to enter into a waitlist, you need to know enough how to get off the waitlist. The only time a waitlist is cancelled is if you hit 30 days out without getting your waitlist. Then you have the option of going on the 7 day waitlist that takes you to seven days out.

Sometimes it is is a tough lesson to learn. But you won't get stuck with this again for sure.