Checkout this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3365136
I talked with MS, IE8 is NOT allowed access to the member web-site and major issues with IE9 & IE10 are reported. I downloaded and installed IE11 last night and am able to access the member web-site.
It is nice to know that people on these boards are reporting this issue with access to the member website. I just spoke to a DVC Member Services Rep online and it seems like it is like pulling teeth to get anybody from Disney to admit anything when there is a problem. At any rate I was finally able to get an admission from the Cast Member that my Windows Vista and Internet explorer 9 were no longer supported. But it was aggravating to spend 3 days getting the error message that the system was down for maintenance. What's next? Disney offering to sell us updated computers to make more money? I keep reading on these boards that Hilton Head is a very difficult reservation to make in the summer months at 7 months out. I am happy that I made my reservation a couple weeks ago before DVC pulled the plug on my desktop system without so much as a warning banner on the member website warning members to use alternate means to make reservations. Disney communication skill are poor regarding almost everything except sales.
I was getting the error message that DVC member website was down for maintenance when in fact I was able to log in at the same time with a more current version of Internet Explorer with another computer. Thanks to the previous people posting here that tipped me off to the problem.