Possible issue with rental

[BillyBuckner]

I have a renter checking in today and checking out on 26th for a Boardwalk View. I logged in to check my account today and what I saw was the original Boardwalk reservation along side a duplicate reservation for Garden/Pool view, same dates, same villa size, same number of points, same names on reservation. How could this happen, what should I do, and what should be my concerns? I sent the renter an email asking how their check in process went but haven't heard back.

A few key points:

- Today 9/24 is check in day
- I saw this "issue" at 6:15 today but member services closed early at 5:00, so I was not able to call.
- I banked the unused 2012 points months ago and all but 3 of my 2013 points are tied up in reservations, so there are no points member services to even attempt to use for a duplicate reservation.

- do you think it's possible that the renters requested a room change which created a new reservation number but the original just didn't get deleted from the computer for some reason?
- do you think it's just some computer glitch that member services will have to manually fix?

- can they really take points from my 2013 year if there are none to take (all in reservations)?
- what should I do and/or fear?

 

[maburke]

I had some similarly strange business with a rented reservation once. My renter very kindly got in touch after he returned and explained that he had been "upgraded" from a studio to a 1BR. Fortunately, they did not charge extra points, and after a few days, it looked like a cancellation and rebooking with the same points (which were in holding in between). But I was very concerned that they could mess with my points without my permission, especially since front desks are notorious with messing up points. I think the fact that you have basically no current points to pull in is a good thing, though I would watch your points very carefully and make sure they didn't borrow any.

You might wait a few days and see how it looks, and then check with your renter after they return to find out what happened. (I wouldn't expect them to reply when they're on a trip.) It most likely was an "upgrade," or else they were allowed to add the dining plan (which for some reason looks like a cancel and rebook at the desk).

 

[disneynutz]

Contact MS and find out what happened. The Front Desk may have touched your account.

We had them let a guest add the dining plan at check in which caused points to go into holding, points to be borrowed, and it took over a week and 4 phone calls to get fixed.

Bill

 

[CarolMN]

BillyBuckner - Would love to know what happened if you are comfortable sharing. It does sound like the front desk was accessing your account for some reason.

I'm sure MS can fix anything they did incorrectly, but my advice is to carefully monitor your account for a few weeks to make sure your points are all as they should be. Make sure the front desk didn't borrow points to do whatever they did and that you don't end up with points in holding. (I speak from experience with BWV CMs who didn't know what they were doing. I'm sure the individuals involved thought they were being nice, but IMO, DVC members need to be very wary of BWV CMs accessing their points accounts!. They were trying to "upgrade" us - and we didn't ask or even want one, LOL)!

Good luck!

 

[lorie13]

Wow, thanks for this post, did not realize that front desk could do this, something we all need to be made aware of.

 

[BillyBuckner]

I called member services and this is what they said happened: Apparently the guests asked for a different location (didn't like the room they were assigned). In order to assign them to a different room, the front desk had to first check them into the first room. The duplicate is for the room they were moved to. I was assured that they called the boardwalk front desk and that only the points from the original reservation will be taken from our account, and there are no holding points.

I'll admit that the whole thing sounds crazy for a couple of reasons but that is what they told me.

I will say that I am glad I had all of my other points tied up in other reservations so that they didn't have the "opportunity" to mess up the points.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I called member services and this is what they said happened: Apparently the guests asked for a different location (didn't like the room they were assigned). In order to assign them to a different room, the front desk had to first check them into the first room. The duplicate is for the room they were moved to. I was assured that they called the boardwalk front desk and that only the points from the original reservation will be taken from our account, and there are no holding points.

I'll admit that the whole thing sounds crazy for a couple of reasons but that is what they told me.

I will say that I am glad I had all of my other points tied up in other reservations so that they didn't have the "opportunity" to mess up the points.

Maybe that is something that needs to be added to sticky threads about renting points. You can't just move to a new location once you check in without causing problems for the owner. At least the owners renting out their points need to be aware of it.

I wonder what they would have done if you didn't have points left in your account to use to make the swap.

 

[cwdefouw]

This type of hassle is exactly why I don't rent our points out. It just is not worth it to us. My opinion only.

 

[BillyBuckner]

Maybe that is something that needs to be added to sticky threads about renting points. You can't just move to a new location once you check in without causing problems for the owner. At least the owners renting out their points need to be aware of it.

I wonder what they would have done if you didn't have points left in your account to use to make the swap.

Just to clarify. In this case there were NOT extra points in the account that were used to make the swap. ALL other points (except 3) were tied to existing reservations. They did not use extra points, they used the original points. It's just that when they made a room assignment change it made it look like there were two desperate reservations at 30 points each. But they only took the original 30 points.

It wasn't a PROBLEM per say... But I was a bit nervous until I called MS and they explained.

The main reason I rented was that I just bought the contract and had banked 2011 points that were going to expire before I could use them. I bet that I won't need to rent again for a long time. But if I do I will tie all my points to reservations to make it very difficult for the front desk to mess something up

 

[BillyBuckner]

This type of hassle is exactly why I don't rent our points out. It just is not worth it to us. My opinion only.

Understand your point. I just bought the contract and had expiring points that were going to go to waste before I could get to WDW. I wrote a contract got all the money ip front and I tied up all my other points in other reservations in case the desk tried to mess things up. I think it all turned out fine .... I'm not AfRAID to rent... But I'm not eager to rent on a recurring basis.

 

[Sammie]

Wow, thanks for this post, did not realize that front desk could do this, something we all need to be made aware of.

Anything that can happen to your account when you use it, can happen when you allow someone else to use it and that includes guests and renters.

After the guest/renter arrives they could ask for an upgrade and thinking they are getting it for free, you could be charged the extra points.

 

[cseca]

Anything that can happen to your account when you use it, can happen when you allow someone else to use it and that includes guests and renters. After the guest/renter arrives they could ask for an upgrade and thinking they are getting it for free, you could be charged the extra points.

I don't understand why that's not a rule.
Just like only a member can call MS and have access to your membership, I think that should be with reservations as well.
That unless you're a member/associate member you should not be able to make any changes to the reservations.... Even if you are a renter already at the resort.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

You are expecting Disney to care that you allowed others to use your points. The truth is it is in their interest to hand you that risk. They don't want to make renting easy or low risk

 

[DenLo]

I'm glad it turned out okay for the OP. I didn't realize when someone is moved from one room to another it shows both on the MS website. It sounds like the CM dropped a step of removing the first check in.

 

[cseca]

You are expecting Disney to care that you allowed others to use your points. The truth is it is in their interest to hand you that risk. They don't want to make renting easy or low risk

I understand that but how is that different than only allowing members to have access to DVC reservations? They could just let anybody call MS and ask about reservations and make changes YKWIM?
I would say that adding that restriction will create less work for Disney in general. Not necessarily DVC only but Disney resort as well.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I understand that but how is that different than only allowing members to have access to DVC reservations? They could just let anybody call MS and ask about reservations and make changes YKWIM?
I would say that adding that restriction will create less work for Disney in general. Not necessarily DVC only but Disney resort as well.

Have you called MS lately? You need to give you SSN and other information, as well as your member number. Unless "anybody" has that information, they can't do anything with MS.

 

[cseca]

Have you called MS lately? You need to give you SSN and other information, as well as your member number. Unless "anybody" has that information, they can't do anything with MS.

That's exactly what I meant.
Why should renters be able to make ANY changes to their reservation when they're at the resort?
That should be something that is not possible since a renter is not the owner of the membership.
They are the owner of that particular reservation but NOT the membership. Which means any changes to the reservation that requires membership changes (pulling more points or even reducing points usage) SHOULD be unavailable to them.
So even if you gave your points to your parents, sister, BFF, etc. they should still not be able to make changes without your consent.
Unless the renter is able to produce SSN, member number and other information any change should not be possible.

Don't get me wrong, I know this will not happen. But it makes absolutely no sense to me.

 

[moreisgood]

That's exactly what I meant. Why should renters be able to make ANY changes to their reservation when they're at the resort? That should be something that is not possible since a renter is not the owner of the membership. They are the owner of that particular reservation but NOT the membership. Which means any changes to the reservation that requires membership changes (pulling more points or even reducing points usage) SHOULD be unavailable to them. So even if you gave your points to your parents, sister, BFF, etc. they should still not be able to make changes without your consent. Unless the renter is able to produce SSN, member number and other information any change should not be possible. Don't get me wrong, I know this will not happen. But it makes absolutely no sense to me.

I totally agree! Without the membership , thru should not be able pull points from your membership.

 

[Deb & Bill]

That's exactly what I meant.
Why should renters be able to make ANY changes to their reservation when they're at the resort?
That should be something that is not possible since a renter is not the owner of the membership.
They are the owner of that particular reservation but NOT the membership. Which means any changes to the reservation that requires membership changes (pulling more points or even reducing points usage) SHOULD be unavailable to them.
So even if you gave your points to your parents, sister, BFF, etc. they should still not be able to make changes without your consent.
Unless the renter is able to produce SSN, member number and other information any change should not be possible.

Don't get me wrong, I know this will not happen. But it makes absolutely no sense to me.

I totally agree! Without the membership , thru should not be able pull points from your membership.

My guess is you don't have this problem as much at OKW or SSR since they are 100% DVC. But the others, where they share a check in desk with the hotel, the CM at the desk just don't know DVC very well.

 

[disneynutz]

CM's often do things outside of Disney policy. We can discuss all we want but to what end?

They only way to make change is to keep hammering DVC by sending emails to Member Satisfaction. A couple of emails about a subject pretty much get noted but ignored. Several tends to get their attention.

dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

Bill