Online booking

[DVC SSR Owner]

Has anyone heard if/when DVC rooms can be totally reserved online? IF that happens, will our dues go down? (less people employed to answer the phones?)

 

[chalee94]

it's been discussed for several years.

my random guess is that it's still at least 3-5 years out.

 

[DebbieB]

It's been "right around the corner" for about 10 years. It's not as easy as regular hotels, they have to program multiple contracts, multiple use year situations.

 

[Chuck S]

IT is doubtful that dues will decrease because of an online reservation system. Initial programming for the banking, borrowing, transfers, use years, home resorts, multiple contracts, et cetera, will not come cheaply.

 

[Mr. Disney 652]

Not to mention DVC will have to employ more people to fix the Disney computer system and all the server crashes we will create!

 

[jlapointe30]

According to the DVC News Email received from DVD last month, it is currently planned for 2011. No word on impact on dues.

Among the enhanced system's benefits to Members will be automatic e-mail reservation confirmations and the ability for Members' guest(s) to receive confirmations at the Members' request. Members also will be able to have one itinerary and confirmation number that represents all segments of their vacation (multiple rooms, resorts, reservation types, etc.). Most importantly, this system enhancement lays the final foundation for the planned introduction of online booking in 2011.

When we bought in April our guide was expecting this for end of 2010 early 2011. According to him, they where already testing the system and all needed to be done where changes on the server to handle the load and interface to CRO. So if both info are correct, We can expect that the date won't slip much more than end of 2011.

 

[Harlemgirl720]

When I called today there was a message stating that the system will be down for two days 10/12 at 3pm until 10/14 at 9am. They are changing the reservation system and they will be integrating new technology into the system.

 

[RobDoc]

DVC has already been hosting test groups for the new online reservation system. The upgrade next week will be to prepare more components of that system so that DVC reservations and DRC reservations will all be under the same umbrella.

Presently DVC hopes to go live with the system sometime in 2011. I expect we will get an update on this at the annual meeting. Jim Lewis announced the current timeline at last years meeting.

We can also expect more pressure to use online check-in as another goal from the 2009 meeting was to work towards a CM-free front desk. I do not expect we will ever actually see that happen, but I do expect to see fewer CMs as time goes on. We already experience some of that when we call the front desk as most of those calls are usually answered at a call center and not physically at the resort itself.

Stay Tuned!

 

[JimMIA]

It's been "right around the corner" for about 10 years. It's not as easy as regular hotels, they have to program multiple contracts, multiple use year situations.

It's not that difficult, it just hasn't been a priority. MUCH larger systems, and much more complex systems (RCI, Whyndham, etc) have used online booking for years.

Hopefully DVC will get theirs up and running in a few months. They're way behind the curve.

 

[MrShiny]

While a system like this will have high initial costs, the cost anortized over the life of the system usually delivers a positive ROI compared to the labor it saves (especially if capacity is expected to go up - and with the seemingly never ending DVC expansion, it probably will!). Call center people and phone costs are very expensive compared to computer upgrades.

 

[cds62]

I don't understand what had taken DVC so long to go to an online reservation system. Both Hilton Grand Vacations Club and Marriott Vacation Club have been doing online reservations for years with no problems. Marriott has many more resorts that DVC, so I can't imagine that DVC would have problems incorporating an online system. DVC needs to realize the needs of the members and develope a system as soon as possible.

 

[shortypots]

Keep in mind that Marriott's vacation club was doing mainly weekly reservations which are a lot easier to figure out. Now with their destination club you have no choice but to call in to get a nightly stay on points. They are working on the online booking, but it is not currently available.

 

[JimMIA]

I don't understand what had taken DVC so long to go to an online reservation system.

This question came up at an Owners Association meeting several years ago (2008,2009?) and I think it might actually have been raised by Webmaster Doc. The explanation that was given was they didn't think owners wanted an online system.

Although that sounds odd, it may be true because they have been working in that direction for a couple of years now.

When they finally get it done, the online reservations system will be a huge plus -- especially for the many members who live on the West Coast or outside the U.S.

 

[RobDoc]

This question came up at an Owners Association meeting several years ago (2008,2009?) and I think it might actually have been raised by Webmaster Doc. The explanation that was given was they didn't think owners wanted an online system.

Although that sounds odd, it may be true because they have been working in that direction for a couple of years now.

When they finally get it done, the online reservations system will be a huge plus -- especially for the many members who live on the West Coast or outside the U.S.

It wasn't me. Online reservations have been mentioned a number of times at the Annual Meetings over the years, but always as a coming project. The 2009 meeting was the first when any suggestion of a timeline was offered. I don't recall any excuses ever being given regarding an online system.

 

[DebbieB]

One thing that concerns me is there are members, especially new members, who just don't understand how the system works. How many times do we see people say that they will have to borrow points to make a reservation now for next year.

My question is who pays for the online reservation system? Is it coming out of dues? Perhaps that is the reason it has taken so long, they didn't want a big hike in dues for the initial outlay.

 

[RobDoc]

My understanding is that the online system will be fully integrated with the regular DRC online system and, while DVC will have to have it's own unique components to manage banking/borrowing transactions, the cost will not be borne by DVC members alone. As it was, members have already been paying full cost of the current stand-alone reservation used by DVC for years - so there should not be a big difference one way or the other when we go live under the new system.

Stay tuned!

 

[ADP]

I suspect a big discussion on this subject will take place Dec 9th at the annual DVC meeting at Walt Disney World.

 

[JimMIA]

As it was, members have already been paying full cost of the current stand-alone reservation used by DVC for years - so there should not be a big difference one way or the other when we go live under the new system.

The current stand-alone system is MS and its underlying inventory/accounting system, which is presumably not going away, so it seems to me there has to be some new cost. Other than MS, all we currently have is the ability to emali a request for a reservation, which is then answered by MS.

I'd expect the added cost to be fairly small, and the online booking will certainly be a great addition, but I'm sure there will be some added cost to members.

 

[firstcruise]

This needs to happen soon! I would prefer to do all my stuff online and not have to call in and explain what I want to do. Let me do it myself and get instant notification if the room is booked or not available. This 48 window to be called back that they never adhere to is too long. This last reservation no one even called only sent an email saying no room was available resort wide.

 

[nocknock]

I can not imagine that an online system will be good. They can not even keep dvcmember.com up without problems. The mean Disney web site is not very good either.

Disney is not good at computers.