Problems with the DVC website-This should be a sticky

[WilsonFlyer]

{Bob puts on his flameproof suit.}

I have been adamant in the past as one of the first ones to criticize WDW's customer-facing website(s) flaws, but it's time to put one in particular to rest. The constant moaning and groaning about the DVC Members' booking site.

That site, for the most part, is ROCK SOLID. I'm on it at least every couple of days. Most times, every day, especially when a trip is upcoming, which is most of the time. I use Edge or Chrome (which are the only two it is officially certified for AFAIK), and I can count on one hand the number of times I have ever had problems with the site, and even then, every time I can remember, it was something that was obviously broken on the back end, like trying to secure a room and getting the dwarves or something.

Time and again, I see repeated criticisms of the DVC site. For the most part they seem to be totally unwarranted. People access the website from work computers that have things blocked that they don't even know are blocked. They access the site with home machines that are eaten up with spyware and malware and possibly even viruses that they have no clue they even have. This wreaks havoc on any website, ESPECIALLY a site that is trying to protect itself like the DVC site and its sister site My Disney Experience.

People try to access the site with mobile browsers which have their own restrictions, and they are using them for a site that is not specifically designed for mobile access. And for Christ's sake. Phones and phone browsers? Seriously???

My primary desktop (and all the machines in my home office and home network for that matter) are pristine. They have hardcore AV and anti-malware software running on them. All the time. We don't go to suspicious sites. We don't open attachments or links on emails we didn't solicit. We follow some basic self-security guidelines I have learned in my 40+ years of being a professional in the computer/networking industry.

I don't ever remember reading a new post on here and then going immediately to the site and not having a single problem. I'm not exaggerating when I say that. Maybe it has happened, but the point is that it is so seldom that I don't even remember it ever happening.

The part people seldom share is the fact that they just called the teenager across the street who is a computer wiz because their machine has been acting up for weeks and it's "just not working right." Or, "My machine has sure gotten slow. Maybe it's time to buy a new one." Viruses. Malware. Not doing updates regularly. All of the above.

The DVC site hardly ever burps. Let's try to stop blaming it every time something appears to go wrong. More times than not, the problem has nothing to do with the DVC site at all.

There. I said it. Because it needed to be said.

 

[wnielsen1]

I love a good rant.

 

[bwvBound]

My ongoing gripe remains on populating the Dashboard. Sometimes it works and sometimes it goes to the never-ending spinning thing. I generally have ~6 reservations at any given time and rely on that dashboard to refresh my memory on the details as I often move things around.

I'm logging in using a carefully maintained MacBook Pro with Safari. I routinely monitor for malware (etc) and keep up with patches.

And yet, the Dashboard remains, for me, a persistent struggle. Somedays it works quickly ... other days it is either "slow" or "doomed to fail." I got two of those three even today: quick! and "doomed to fail."

 

[WilsonFlyer]

My ongoing gripe remains on populating the Dashboard. Sometimes it works and sometimes it goes to the never-ending spinning thing. I generally have ~6 reservations at any given time and rely on that dashboard to refresh my memory on the details as I often move things around.

I'm logging in using a carefully maintained MacBook Pro with Safari. I routinely monitor for malware (etc) and keep up with patches.

And yet, the Dashboard remains, for me, a persistent struggle. Somedays it works quickly ... other days it is either "slow" or "doomed to fail." I got two of those three even today: quick! and "doomed to fail."

And while I don't question your experience in the least, I don't ever recall having a problem with my Dashboard and that's the first thing I go to virtually every morning. I just don't have the same experience. Nothing more. Nothing less.

 

[808blessing]

My ongoing gripe remains on populating the Dashboard. Sometimes it works and sometimes it goes to the never-ending spinning thing. I generally have ~6 reservations at any given time and rely on that dashboard to refresh my memory on the details as I often move things around.

I'm logging in using a carefully maintained MacBook Pro with Safari. I routinely monitor for malware (etc) and keep up with patches.

And yet, the Dashboard remains, for me, a persistent struggle. Somedays it works quickly ... other days it is either "slow" or "doomed to fail." I got two of those three even today: quick! and "doomed to fail."

I was coming on here to explain my exact issue with Dashboard almost each time. First time it is fine and when i start checking availability and revert to dashboard it is stuck loading on the previous reservations part more than half the time. I dread it. It's real. I know what's up with my tech and I don't know what kind of bug they have.

 

[Sandisw]

My ongoing gripe remains on populating the Dashboard. Sometimes it works and sometimes it goes to the never-ending spinning thing. I generally have ~6 reservations at any given time and rely on that dashboard to refresh my memory on the details as I often move things around.

I'm logging in using a carefully maintained MacBook Pro with Safari. I routinely monitor for malware (etc) and keep up with patches.

And yet, the Dashboard remains, for me, a persistent struggle. Somedays it works quickly ... other days it is either "slow" or "doomed to fail." I got two of those three even today: quick! and "doomed to fail."

This is the only thing that I run into on a semi regular basis. It does depend what I am on when it happens. I never have it happen on my computer, but when I am on the phone or Ipad, it does....what I find though is that if I just close the tab out and try again, it loads quickly.

Like you, I have a ton of reservation at once (currently 18) across my three membersihps and can never remember which trip was booked with which until I check again!

Other than that, it functions pretty well for me!

 

[CarolMN]

I use an android tablet and phone, and a windows laptop. I do not recall ever having any dashboard issues. If those of you with the issues are using Apple, Mac, iphones, maybe there are compatibility issues? I am not any kind of tech person.

 

[Noodlez]

I use an android tablet and phone, and a windows laptop. I do not recall ever having any dashboard issues. If those of you with the issues are using Apple, Mac, iphones, maybe there are compatibility issues? I am not any kind of tech person.

It's actually fine on my iPhone but happens every time on my windows laptop! I've heard of so many people with the same issue that I assumed it was just a 'feature'.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

It's actually fine on my iPhone but happens every time on my windows laptop! I've heard of so many people with the same issue that I assumed it was just a 'feature'.

But the very fact that it works on your phone and not on your laptop should be telling you it's not the website, should it not?

 

[bwvBound]

But the very fact that it works on your phone and not on your laptop should be telling you it's not the website, should it not?

Not directed at me ... but I would not make the connection you suggest. My mind took those artifacts in a different direction for the hunt.

• Perhaps it is a "timing" issue on the website.
• Perhaps it is a "record locking" issue on the website.
• Perhaps it is a strange navigation issue: when the user approaches the Dashboard after the following sequence of activities, the dashboard fails to load. (As if the sequence of activities has left a gate open/closed that was unexpected by the Dashboard widget?)
• Perhaps there is a cookie being either [retained or lost] that triggers the behavior?
• Perhaps the website is using a sketchy element (3rd party cookie; expired certificate; etc) that offends the user's device?
• ... etc ....

Since the Dashboard behavior is known to surface for multiple users on various device types and is often "inconsistent" for a specific user / specific device (works once then fails for the same user on the same device w/in the same session) -- I think it points to a website issue.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Not directed at me ... but I would not make the connection you suggest. My mind took those artifacts in a different direction for the hunt.

• Perhaps it is a "timing" issue on the website.
• Perhaps it is a "record locking" issue on the website.
• Perhaps it is a strange navigation issue: when the user approaches the Dashboard after the following sequence of activities, the dashboard fails to load. (As if the sequence of activities has left a gate open/closed that was unexpected by the Dashboard widget?)
• Perhaps there is a cookie being either [retained or lost] that triggers the behavior?
• Perhaps the website is using a sketchy element (3rd party cookie; expired certificate; etc) that offends the user's device?
• ... etc ....

Since the Dashboard behavior is known to surface for multiple users on various device types and is often "inconsistent" for a specific user / specific device (works once then fails for the same user on the same device w/in the same session) -- I think it points to a website issue.

Perhaps... It's on the end users' end and not the website at all.

 

[bwvBound]

Perhaps... It's on the end users' end and not the website at all.

Sorry, I don't believe the IT response, "Loose nut behind the keyboard" applies here ...

 

[Sandisw]

Perhaps... It's on the end users' end and not the website at all.

It can happen to me on and off as I search. So, some days it happens and other days it doesn’t.

If I go on my computer, works fine.,go back to the phone and issues can occurs.

So, not sure what is happening but it certainly seems that it had to do with something from the website and server end.

However, that is a minor issue for me and most all tiehr things work fine.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Sorry, I don't believe the IT response, "Loose nut behind the keyboard" applies here ...

That's not what I said nor is it what I implied. At all.

 

[bwvBound]

That's not what I said nor is it what I implied. At all.

(Speaking gently ... regarding "PEBKAC" thought ...)

Not directed to me personally? I agree with you, not implied or said.
But I do read that implication as applied to the broad community? How else were these snippets intended? (Perhaps more words are needed? If so, thank you in advance.)

(EDITED to add the quoted snippets below, each taken from this thread)

The part people seldom share is the fact that they just called the teenager across the street who is a computer wiz because their machine has been acting up for weeks and it's "just not working right." Or, "My machine has sure gotten slow. Maybe it's time to buy a new one." Viruses. Malware. Not doing updates regularly. All of the above.

More times than not, the problem has nothing to do with the DVC site at all.

But the very fact that it works on your phone and not on your laptop should be telling you it's not the website, should it not?

Perhaps... It's on the end users' end and not the website at all.

EDIT #2: I read these as suggesting the user is at fault. Either for individual error (like mine, a few moments ago, struggling with the Quote feature) -- OR -- for lack of housekeeping skills/actions in maintaining their equipment. There appears to be a bias against the user?

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Equipment and software not running to established and clean standards does not lay fault at the feet of the user, it simply is a fact unto itself. I refuse to get into an argument over semantics with you, especially one in which you obviously intend to try to make me throw myself under the proverbial bus while you watch and laugh with a hardy, "Look what he did there."

I never said nor implied that the problem lied "between the chair and the keyboard." I am in fact saying, that more times than not, the problem lies in what the keyboard is attached to.

I virtually never have problems with the DVC Members' site nor the MDE site. If it's not broken for everybody, then it's not broken in and of itself. I stand 100% by my original supposition.

 

[Sandisw]

Equipment and software not running to established and clean standards does not lay fault at the feet of the user, it simply is a fact unto itself. I refuse to get into an argument over semantics with you, especially one in which you obviously intend to try to make me throw myself under the proverbial bus while you watch and laugh with a hardy, "Look what he did there."

I never said nor implied that the problem lied "between the chair and the keyboard." I am in fact saying, that more times than not, the problem lies in what the keyboard is attached to.

I virtually never have problems with the DVC Members' site nor the MDE site. If it's not broken for everybody, then it's not broken in and of itself. I stand 100% by my original supposition.

Given the number of folks that have had issues, you have no idea what is happening within the program. unless you are on the system, doing things every minute of every day.

Broken doesn’t mean it never works…broken or glitches mean it has an issue for some reason and corrects itself.

Regardless. the system does not work for everyone all the time, but then again, no system does.

 

[Jwaire]

I'm as technical as it gets and I have trouble getting the dashboard to load on all platforms.

It has something to do with the website interfacing with the database that manages reservations.

Could be member specific, server specific, etc.

I usually just reload that specific page, sometimes it takes two or three times. I will say the Web site performs better with the latest version of Chrome on Mac OS Sonoma versus using Safari.

However, Safari has anti-tracking and privacy related blocks that are turned on by default that may interfere with their webpage.

Could just be anecdotal, but I also didn't have a problem when I only had one or two reservations. At the moment, I have 10.

 

[Pooh12863]

{Bob puts on his flameproof suit.}

I have been adamant in the past as one of the first ones to criticize WDW's customer-facing website(s) flaws, but it's time to put one in particular to rest. The constant moaning and groaning about the DVC Members' booking site.

That site, for the most part, is ROCK SOLID. I'm on it at least every couple of days. Most times, every day, especially when a trip is upcoming, which is most of the time. I use Edge or Chrome (which are the only two it is officially certified for AFAIK), and I can count on one hand the number of times I have ever had problems with the site, and even then, every time I can remember, it was something that was obviously broken on the back end, like trying to secure a room and getting the dwarves or something.

Time and again, I see repeated criticisms of the DVC site. For the most part they seem to be totally unwarranted. People access the website from work computers that have things blocked that they don't even know are blocked. They access the site with home machines that are eaten up with spyware and malware and possibly even viruses that they have no clue they even have. This wreaks havoc on any website, ESPECIALLY a site that is trying to protect itself like the DVC site and its sister site My Disney Experience.

People try to access the site with mobile browsers which have their own restrictions, and they are using them for a site that is not specifically designed for mobile access. And for Christ's sake. Phones and phone browsers? Seriously???

My primary desktop (and all the machines in my home office and home network for that matter) are pristine. They have hardcore AV and anti-malware software running on them. All the time. We don't go to suspicious sites. We don't open attachments or links on emails we didn't solicit. We follow some basic self-security guidelines I have learned in my 40+ years of being a professional in the computer/networking industry.

I don't ever remember reading a new post on here and then going immediately to the site and not having a single problem. I'm not exaggerating when I say that. Maybe it has happened, but the point is that it is so seldom that I don't even remember it ever happening.

The part people seldom share is the fact that they just called the teenager across the street who is a computer wiz because their machine has been acting up for weeks and it's "just not working right." Or, "My machine has sure gotten slow. Maybe it's time to buy a new one." Viruses. Malware. Not doing updates regularly. All of the above.

The DVC site hardly ever burps. Let's try to stop blaming it every time something appears to go wrong. More times than not, the problem has nothing to do with the DVC site at all.

There. I said it. Because it needed to be said.

How long have you worked for Disney IT?

**joke**

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

And while I don't question your experience in the least, I don't ever recall having a problem with my Dashboard and that's the first thing I go to virtually every morning. I just don't have the same experience. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I have the same issue. I can only populate my reservations on my dashboard maybe 25 percent of the time. It requires several refreshes.