Not Happy Right Now ...

[pxlbarrel]

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.

You're right, I won't get stuck again ... probably unless more incompetence rears their ugly head. You assume that the wait list was explained to me ... well, it wasn't until yesterday. It wasn't until yesterday that a CM explained to me how it worked. I bought the unit in July, got my membership # in August and called them in August, got the Grand Villa in September and in October they cancelled it. Yeah, I won't get stuck with this again BUT I can't believe that I paid all this money to become a lamb at the slaughter. Follow along and you won't get hurt.

Poster above said it was my choice ... to change or not change... cause they won't. I actually have another choice. I could sell. It's been a dream to become a DVC member so I'll give them another chance....and maybe my euphoria over being at the Grand Californian will override my disgust at this system ... and as long as they don't screw up my November Boardwalk reservation, I'll be ok for 2 more years. But ... please .... conform or you suffer? That's what you're all saying. They won't change ... why should they? Everybody accepts what they're doing.

Yeah, I'm the naive newbie ... but still.... I have a right to be angry at the realization that the dream wasn't as cool as I thought it was going to be.

That's the last on this subject for me. I've learned "my lesson". I won't ever trust the CM's again. Thanks for the advice. It's sad but I'll heed it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You do have every right to be angry in this situation, but I do still believe that those types of problems are the exception rather than the norm. In 15 years of membership, I've never had a reservation go missing or get cancelled. I think part of the confusion may have been the whole waitlist thing. Since I've never waitlisted, I can't speak to how convoluted that can get. DVC has so many nuances to membership, that it takes a while to learn how it all works. So many of us relied on MS to help us through those first few calls, but now I think the MS castmenbers might not be as informed themselves as they once were. It's hard when the rules keep changing....both for us and them.

 

[disneynutz]

The more contracts you own, the more reservations you make and the more that you have to deal with MS, you will learn quickly what to watch out for.

The problems aren't just at Disney. We rarely get a correct order when using any drive thru at a restaurant and now we have a contracted USPS carrier who gives us other peoples mail and gives ours to someone else. I sent a complaint to the Post Master General and their response was, "what do you expect us to do?" I expect you to do your job!

Bill

 

[lilpooh108]

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.

I would be frustrated if I were in your position, but, yes MS is pretty hit or miss and you frequently have to double check reservations, waitlists, and repeat things to them. Case in point---we called yesterday to book a 2bdrm, and MS booked a studio instead and had to "modify" it when she repeated the booking to us. I mean, how do you hear the word studio when someone is saying the words "2 bdrm"? This sort of thing is frustrating, but it reminds us to double check each and every time.

 

[Chuck S]

Poster above said it was my choice ... to change or not change... cause they won't. I actually have another choice. I could sell. It's been a dream to become a DVC member so I'll give them another chance....and maybe my euphoria over being at the Grand Californian will override my disgust at this system ... and as long as they don't screw up my November Boardwalk reservation, I'll be ok for 2 more years. But ... please .... conform or you suffer? That's what you're all saying. They won't change ... why should they? Everybody accepts what they're doing.

Yes, you have the choice to sell. But to what end? While Member Services can certainly, at times, be frustrating, the purpose of buying in was to save $ long term on accommodations, or to get nicer accommodations than we could otherwise afford.

Disney/DVC really doesn't care if an individual member decides to sell, they made their profit on the original sale of the contract and the continuing management fee built into dues. No matter who owns the contract, they still get dues.

And, I really have to say, it is the same for the majority of timeshares. Their major profit is front loaded. It is simply the nature of timeshares. Regardless of the hype, timeshares are not magical entities just awaiting the chance to make all your vacation dreams come true.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Yes, you have the choice to sell. But to what end? While Member Services can certainly, at times, be frustrating, the purpose of buying in was to save $ long term on accommodations, or to get nicer accommodations than we could otherwise afford.

Disney/DVC really doesn't care if an individual member decides to sell, they made their profit on the original sale of the contract and the continuing management fee built into dues. No matter who owns the contract, they still get dues.

And, I really have to say, it is the same for the majority of timeshares. Their major profit is front loaded. It is simply the nature of timeshares. Regardless of the hype, timeshares are not magical entities just awaiting the chance to make all your vacation dreams come true.

Sell to what end? Sure they can get somebody else to pay and they don't care who it is but it doesn't have to be me. If the choices are change, conform or get out, I don't have to put up with it.... and if I ever sell, I don't care what they do after that... it won't be my problem and I won't have the right to complain.

As for timeshares ... this DVC purchase is my 3rd timeshare.... I know how they work. You mistake desire for need. I have a place to stay in Orlando if I have to and it's an RCI Gold Crown and not that far from WDW. I don't need DVC, I wanted it. I can easily not want it if they prove to be a pain.

 

[disneynutz]

Sell to what end? Sure they can get somebody else to pay and they don't care who it is but it doesn't have to be me. If the choices are change, conform or get out, I don't have to put up with it.... and if I ever sell, I don't care what they do after that... it won't be my problem and I won't have the right to complain.

As for timeshares ... this DVC purchase is my 3rd timeshare.... I know how they work. You mistake desire for need. I have a place to stay in Orlando if I have to and it's an RCI Gold Crown and not that far from WDW. I don't need DVC, I wanted it. I can easily not want it if they prove to be a pain.

If you are this upset, I would get out now. We hope that the DVC will improve and they did just make a major management change but so far all I have seen is more lip service.

Bill

 

[pxlbarrel]

If you are this upset, I would get out now. We hope that the DVC will improve and they did just make a major management change but so far all I have seen is more lip service.

Bill

Y'know ... I wrote a most aggressive response to this and I just deleted it after a moment's thought. I'm not as upset as you may think I am about what Member Services did to my reservation. They are what they are (for now). I had accepted it by the time I posted my second update on the situation. However, some of the posts which basically said it was my fault and I wasn't vigilant enough or articulate enough and that's why MS cancelled my reservation ... well, THAT got me upset. 'Cause you know, they must have been listening in on my conversation with MS back in September when I made the original booking ...

And the idea that one must meekly follow and accept any disservice by MS or you'll be burned is just such a foreign concept to me. I doubt any of us paid into DVC thinking we would be converted to sheep. I just found that an odd concept from Disboards where you can find threads indignant about things ranging from refilling mugs to saving pool deck chairs on the ships.

I'm still going to enjoy my two days at Disneyland and my one night at the Grand Californian - whether it be in a deluxe studio or a 2 bedroom. And I will definitely enjoy my stay at Boardwalk in November. But reading this thread ... well, it raises my blood pressure. So I'm out of here. I'll see you around the other forums.

 

[tjkraz]

However, some of the posts which basically said it was my fault and I wasn't vigilant enough or articulate enough and that's why MS cancelled my reservation ... well, THAT got me upset. 'Cause you know, they must have been listening in on my conversation with MS back in September when I made the original booking ...

And the idea that one must meekly follow and accept any disservice by MS or you'll be burned is just such a foreign concept to me. I doubt any of us paid into DVC thinking we would be converted to sheep.

Not really sure what your purpose was for posting. Commiseration, perhaps? For the most part what you received was advice. Good advice.

No, none of us were listening in on the call but you've done a pretty effective job of stressing use of the word "instead" as being the prompt for canceling the wait list.

But the other thing we'll never know is why that didn't happen. Did the CM miss the intent? Did the CM get distracted during the conversation and simply forget to complete that step?

None of us is qualified to assign blame. But it's very likely the situation could have been avoided entirely with the words "you cancelled my wait list, correct?" If you want to paint the need for such follow-up as poor customer service or poor training, so be it. From my perspective, if a few extra moments of double-checking helps to protect my interests, it is time well spent. YMMV.

 

[lugnut33]

Seems pretty cut and dried to me when he said, "I'll take the Grand Villa instead", that it's the room he wanted. Waitlist should have been cancelled by the Cast Member at that point. Losing that GV is a pretty big deal.

Now, what can they do to make it right? Well, since there are only two Grand Villas they can't bump somebody out of the room now. Maybe they should put him and his family up in one of the nice Disneyland Hotel Suites? DVC can afford it.

 

[disneynutz]

Seems pretty cut and dried to me when he said, "I'll take the Grand Villa instead", that it's the room he wanted. Waitlist should have been cancelled by the Cast Member at that point. Losing that GV is a pretty big deal.

Now, what can they do to make it right? Well, since there are only two Grand Villas they can't bump somebody out of the room now. Maybe they should put him and his family up in one of the nice Disneyland Hotel Suites? DVC can afford it.

I am sure that Disney doesn't pay out of pocket for DVC problems. That's why when they are sold out at a DVC resort and you have a room issue, they will tell you that their policy is to not relocate DVC Members.

Bill

 

[lugnut33]

I am sure that Disney doesn't pay out of pocket for DVC problems. That's why when they are sold out at a DVC resort and you have a room issue, they will tell you that their policy is to not relocate DVC Members.

Bill

I don't care, I'm not talking about what their policy is (I know DVC would never in a million years send somebody to a Disney property as compensation), I'm talking about doing what's right. What other remedy is there for this guy who got stiffed out of a Grand Villa?

 

[crisi]

I don't care, I'm not talking about what their policy is (I know DVC would never in a million years send somebody to a Disney property as compensation), I'm talking about doing what's right. What other remedy is there for this guy who got stiffed out of a Grand Villa?

It may not be that simple. Transferring assets between different P&Ls isn't something that can be done casually under U.S. GAAP. DVD,DVC and the resorts business are separate entities.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I don't care, I'm not talking about what their policy is (I know DVC would never in a million years send somebody to a Disney property as compensation), I'm talking about doing what's right. What other remedy is there for this guy who got stiffed out of a Grand Villa?

From all the posts, it really isn't clear that the guy got stiffed out of the GV. There was no cancellation of the waitlist and you have got to cancel the wait list.

 

[disneynutz]

I don't care, I'm not talking about what their policy is (I know DVC would never in a million years send somebody to a Disney property as compensation), I'm talking about doing what's right. What other remedy is there for this guy who got stiffed out of a Grand Villa?

Unfortunately life isn't always fair.

Bill

 

[Dean]

Sell to what end? Sure they can get somebody else to pay and they don't care who it is but it doesn't have to be me. If the choices are change, conform or get out, I don't have to put up with it.... and if I ever sell, I don't care what they do after that... it won't be my problem and I won't have the right to complain.

As for timeshares ... this DVC purchase is my 3rd timeshare.... I know how they work. You mistake desire for need. I have a place to stay in Orlando if I have to and it's an RCI Gold Crown and not that far from WDW. I don't need DVC, I wanted it. I can easily not want it if they prove to be a pain.

I'm not taking sides and I understand your situation. I don't blame you for being upset. However, if you've been around timeshares and are well versed in them, you know things happen and there are times that you have to be the one who is vigilant. You can make a personal decision to vote with you feet and wallet but that doesn't make a statement to Disney or have any affect on the system unless you are willing to keep it and not pay which would likely hurt you more than the system.

I know of MANY instances with exchange companies and timeshares where mistakes were made or there were misunderstandings that led to a member not having what they wanted, expected and were "supposed to have". I've had it happen myself where an exchange was given to me but apparently it wasn't II's to give at the time or so they said. We had already made vacation arrangements which could not be changed. Things happen and overall with DVC, less than most.

 

[Snurk71]

Seems pretty cut and dried to me when he said, "I'll take the Grand Villa instead", that it's the room he wanted. Waitlist should have been cancelled by the Cast Member at that point. Losing that GV is a pretty big deal.

Funny - when I read this thread and put myself in the CMs shoes I can understand where they would think the intention was to have something booked over nothing and to keep the waitlist to save 80 points. Sure, better service would have specifically asked OP the question. But I can see how the situation happened.

It may not be that simple. Transferring assets between different P&Ls isn't something that can be done casually under U.S. GAAP. DVD,DVC and the resorts business are separate entities.

Having previously worked accounting for multi-entity businesses, it actually is a simple process. Inter-company charges and entries were commonplace and I can't imagine there aren't intercompany charges every day in the Disney empire. You just need to make sure the transaction is at a fair value to represent an arms-length transaction.

 

[crisi]

Having previously worked accounting for multi-entity businesses, it actually is a simple process. Inter-company charges and entries were commonplace and I can't imagine there aren't intercompany charges every day in the Disney empire. You just need to make sure the transaction is at a fair value to represent an arms-length transaction.

But they have to be at something approaching FMV, right? There has to be both debits and credits. So how is DVC going to "pay" for that room? Our dues? They have no other revenue other than our dues and breakage revenue.

 

[Dean]

Having previously worked accounting for multi-entity businesses, it actually is a simple process. Inter-company charges and entries were commonplace and I can't imagine there aren't intercompany charges every day in the Disney empire. You just need to make sure the transaction is at a fair value to represent an arms-length transaction.

A point I meant to make above fits in here, that is they can't give a member what they don't have. If DVC doesn't have the 3 BR now in this example, they can't manufacture one out of thin air. No matter who, how or why a mistake was made, they will not rectify that mistake by taking the unit back from someone else. They can and will use a priority wait list if they are convinced the mistake were theirs. In this case, unless the member specifically told them to cancel the wait list, I don't see that a mistake was made, miscommunication, maybe, but not a mistake. Should they have asked about canceling the WL, maybe, but not necessarily.

Now if DVD or CRO has a 3 BR that matches the dates, I do not believe DVC should pay cash for that unit to secure it for the member in this situation as presented.

 

[pxlbarrel]

A point I meant to make above fits in here, that is they can't give a member what they don't have. If DVC doesn't have the 3 BR now in this example, they can't manufacture one out of thin air. No matter who, how or why a mistake was made, they will not rectify that mistake by taking the unit back from someone else. They can and will use a priority wait list if they are convinced the mistake were theirs. In this case, unless the member specifically told them to cancel the wait list, I don't see that a mistake was made, miscommunication, maybe, but not a mistake. Should they have asked about canceling the WL, maybe, but not necessarily.

Now if DVD or CRO has a 3 BR that matches the dates, I do not believe DVC should pay cash for that unit to secure it for the member in this situation as presented.

Ok, resubscribed to this thread just to point something out. They HAVE prioritized my wait list for a 2 bedroom at VGC (I told them to wait list a 2 bedroom and not the 3 bedroom because there's more of them to wait for.) AND they've ALSO prioritized my wait list for an 1 bedroom for July which had nothing to do with the original reservation .... in order to make it up to me. According to your statement, they're convinced they made a mistake by not cancelling the list.

Hmmph... ok, unsubbing again. LOL