Q&A session at OKW annual meeting

[zulaya]

I also want to point out that when people book cruises or Concierge Collection, those points are traded to non-DVC members, too. So there are a lot more than renters that play into the equation.

 

[DrTomorrow]

First, I agree with those who say that such behavior towards a CM is inappropriate, unhelpful, should NOT be "expected" and ruins the reputation of the 'good' DVC owners. Personally, when I step on Disney property, I sprinkle myself with a little CM-dust and try to be friendly to the CMs and other folks I interact with (hey, it DOES feel good to point someone who is lost in the right direction!).

I do argue, however, with the premise that renters or traders are more likely to be the rude ones. IMHO, it is only after years of DVC ownership (or time spend perusing on-line forums such as this one) that one starts do develop greater, er, "expectations" from DVC. I've seen post on the same thing at the Polynesian: people who have "Stayed Concierge every year for over a decade" start to push the envelope of what they can get away with.

And hey - if my adult son stayed at - or worked at - a DVC resort and asked me to bring up some issue at the meeting, I'd be proud of him, since he knows that owners certainly have a bigger portion of managment's ear than guests or staff.

 

[Chuck S]

I also want to point out that when people book cruises or Concierge Collection, those points are traded to non-DVC members, too. So there are a lot more than renters that play into the equation.

True, but they would not be the majority of guests, and front desk CMs know who are staying on points vs. a Cruise/Disney Collection trade...those type of trades book through CRO, and II trades are coded differently as well, as they have to pay a resort fee. Basically anyone showing in the system as a point ressie is a member, member's guest, or member's renter.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Whether the rude people are mostly renters/owners is probably not that important, since we are all being painted with the "rude" brush, regardless of who may be at fault. A large part of the problems that I have witnessed have to do with smoking/non-smoking and handicapped/not, and the fact that those things are NOT guaranteed. They SHOULD be!!! DVC has set up alot of the problem at the front desk because of their policy of not guaranteeing these things. Every hotel in the country probably guarantees smoking and handicapped preferences, except DVC. Certainly, all the other Disney hotels do. If they want to protect their castmembers from abuse, perhaps they ought to look at whether their policies are contributing to the problem.

 

[Tinkmom]

There seems to be a premise in some of the posts in this thread that DVC members are fundamentally a different breed of guest, and are more likely to "abuse" cast members than other guests. I find that premise hard to accept.

Yes, I'm sure there are some obnoxious DVC members who treat cast members like dirt. And I'm sure there are some equally obnoxious guests at the All Star Resorts to the Grand Floridian who are rude and disagreeable — but who don't own a single DVC point.

I completely agree. Unfortunately I have witnessed several instances of guests abusing CMs. Not ONE of them mentioned DVC at all and most were not even at DVC resorts. While I am sure that there are some obnoxiously DVC owners, I don't think that they are more likely to be rude to a CM than the average visitor. As a matter of fact, my recollection is that the offenders seemed more along the lines of someone who was clueless about the best way to "do" Disney, was overwhelmed, had forked over way more money on this vacation than they should and was taking out their lack of planning, tiredness and general stress on the CM.

 

[bicker]

Non-smoking is NOT guaranteed "every hotel in the country" or even most hotels. It's simply a request.

However, that's irrelevant: DVC resorts are not hotels. Handicapped rooms are part of points inventory and the variance inherant in members making reservations REQUIRES that there needs to be more handicapped rooms than there are handicapped DVC members, so non-handicapped members will inevitably, on occasion, be placed in handicapped rooms.

 

[Chuck S]

Whether the rude people are mostly renters/owners is probably not that important, since we are all being painted with the "rude" brush, regardless of who may be at fault. A large part of the problems that I have witnessed have to do with smoking/non-smoking and handicapped/not, and the fact that those things are NOT guaranteed. They SHOULD be!!! DVC has set up alot of the problem at the front desk because of their policy of not guaranteeing these things. Every hotel in the country probably guarantees smoking and handicapped preferences, except DVC. Certainly, all the other Disney hotels do. If they want to protect their castmembers from abuse, perhaps they ought to look at whether their policies are contributing to the problem.

The WDW resorts do NOT "guarantee" smoking preferences or non handi rooms. In fact, while many hotels claim to "guarantee" specific room types, in practice they do not. I've been "guaranteed" ressies at Holiday Inn in Los Angeles, with confirmation numbers, only to be told the only thing the confimation guarantees is "a room", not a specific room type.

 

[bicker]

And sometimes not even that. There have been couple of occasions, once at a superior hotel in Chicago, once at a moderate hotel in New Jersey, where I arrived at a hotel, where I had a guaranteed reservation (i.e., where they would have charged me even if I didn't show), only to find the hotel completely full. It's not well to place more than appropriate stock in such guarantees.

 

[Simba's Mom]

The WDW resorts do NOT "guarantee" smoking preferences or non handi rooms. In fact, while many hotels claim to "guarantee" specific room types, in practice they do not. I've been "guaranteed" ressies at Holiday Inn in Los Angeles, with confirmation numbers, only to be told the only thing the confimation guarantees is "a room", not a specific room type.

Just to agree with you, Chuck. DH travels a lot and has arrived at a hotel, one with non-smoking "guaranteed", several times only to discover that the "guaranteed" non-smoking room has somehow disappeared. That really makes him livid-"How can you 'guarantee' something to your guests, then not have it?" Much as he dislikes smoking rooms, he at least feels Disney's more honest by not "guaranteeing" non-smoking. In reality, no one else does-they just SAY they do!

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

I agree with Cruella, DVC could guarantee these room types if they wanted to. You can book a prefered room/standard room/lock-off/dedicated/dedicated with two queens, etc. I agree, this would reduce the scences at the front desk.

Now whether the previous occupant smoked in your non-smoking room is another thing.

 

[Chuck S]

The difference is, with "view" guarantees is that they also are not a true "guarantee", yes, they are a "reservable" class of room, but if you get to the resort and one is not available, they usually upgrade you OR refund the difference in room costs. Dedicated/lock-off "guarantees" are for the convenience of DVC in room tracking, they have to track a lock-off as it is also a studio and one bedroom. If "dedicated" was a guarantee, they'd "guarantee" a dedicated studio or one bedroom at those resorts that have them, but those are only "requests". And in no case, does any of this justify having an adult go into full meltdown mode, with their target a front desk CM, does it? Isn't that the focus of this thread?

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Dedicated vs lock-off is a guaranteed room type for 2BR-DVC units, and that was my reference. At BCV you can book a 2BR-dedicated with 2 queens as a room type. I would expect to receive that reservable room type unless there was a maintenance issue preventing my check-in. Recieving an alternate 2BR room type would certainly merit a complaint to resort management/DVC, but does not merit a melt-down, IMO.

You are correct, dedicated would only be a request if you were booking a 1BR or studio unit.

 

[jarestel]

If a CM deals with 100 guests a day and 99 of those people are courteous and respectful, it still only takes the one obnoxious guest to erase the other 99 "normal" ones from the CM's memory. People tend to remember bad things more vividly than other events. I'd take the stories of demanding, rude, and evil DVC members with a LARGE grain of salt. As with all things, it is best not to paint an entire group with the shortcomings of a few. CMs and their overprotective mothers may want to remember this as well.

 

[Chuck S]

CMs and their overprotective mothers may want to remember this as well.

Bit harsh, isn't it? What's the harm in a DVC member (which this mother is) simply reminding folks, basically, that playing nice works out better for everyone? It was a time for DVC member comments, not part of the actual legal "meeting". If you've ever attended one of them, you'd realize that some other folks make some pretty wild comments as well.

When I attended, one member was practically demanding that OKW studios be retro-fitted to a bed and sofa seeper. Another was upset because the meeting that year had been rescheduled due to a convention room booking conflict at BWV, and he had to change his plans by a few days to attend. Really, everyone should attend a meeting if they get a chance...while the legal meeting is scripted, and pretty cut and dry, the "member Q & A " can really open your eyes as to the nature of some people.

 

[jarestel]

Chuck S, I believe you. Not all DVC members are candidates for sainthood. We're agreed on that. I just don't think that a "mischievous" member is going to take a scolding from somebody's mother to heart and decide to change his/her ways. If they cared what others thought in the first place, they wouldn't act in an embarrassing manner while in public. And reminding you and me to behave has no affect either, since we already do behave. So what's the point, except to make "law-abiding" members feel sorry for the CMs?

My concern is if CMs are deciding that, on the basis of a few miscreants actions, that you and I are to be lumped into the same pile, then the CMs are not thinking correctly. If they want to have their mothers, uncles, great-nieces, or whatever go to the meetings and scold the membership, I guess they're free to do that, but I don't see that it changes anything except to possibly make some members feel like the CMs have an attitude regarding DVC members in general.

 

[Monkey Bum]

I think that the lesson that we should take from all of this is that you can make every request under the sun and it is just that, a request. You do not have a right to pick and choose what room you get with what view in what part of the resort.

Maybe DVC needs to stop taking all of these "requests" so people do not think that they are entitled to whatever they ask for.

 

[jennz]

There seems to be a premise in some of the posts in this thread that DVC members are fundamentally a different breed of guest, and are more likely to "abuse" cast members than other guests. I find that premise hard to accept.

I have to agree with this...Maybe we're seeing obnoxious DVC guests because that's where we stay, at DVC resorts...? Personally we've never seen any obnoxious guests at DVC resorts although we haven't stayed as often as many of you. (3 trips so far) I have seen rude guests in the parks, encountered them when I worked in Attractions in the MK, and my worst experience ever was as a cash paying guest at AKL when a guest leaned over the counter and screamed at the CM "You are wrong! I know more about Disney than you ever will and you need to get this done!" Based on that exeperience - if I had to classify I would say guests staying at deluxe hotels have higher expectations and a higher sense of entitlement.

FWIW, everyone's entitled to their opinion and when you think about it's sad to even be able to have this discussion. I don't get why people think they're on vacation and have the right to do whatever they want (including letting their kids climb the Tree of Life! ) but I also don't get why they do that in the grocery, the mall, etc.