Question about methods of booking a villa

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

We currently have a contract waiting on Disney's decision of ROFR, and assuming it goes as planned we will be owners in about 4-6 weeks.

My question is that, once we're in the system and want to book a stay, is the only available medium to call Member Services, or can you make reservations, borrow points, etc. online? For our first stay, I'm sure we'll call MS to make sure everything goes smoothly, but as we become more conversant, are wondering if it's possible to do it ourselves online, like with the ADRs, as that works well for our browsing tendencies.

Thanks for any insights you can provide!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Well, the best answer right now is "kind of". There is no direct booking available online yet (it's been promised for about 5 years now), but you can send an email request, and they'll get back to you in a couple of days.

 

[Crystal_27]

DVC keeps promising members that we will be able to book online (I believe the latest is sometime in the Fall?). But, as of now, your only option for "real time" information is to call MS. I say "real time" because you can send an email to MS to book a stay, but there is a lot of debate on when those requests are filled (i.e., when they are received, once a day, etc.). Good luck!

 

[kerry_mf]

DVC keeps promising members that we will be able to book online (I believe the latest is sometime in the Fall?).

The online reservation system won't be available till late 2011.

 

[disneynutz]

The form that is available via the member website is best used when you don't really care about your reservation. It can take a couple of days for a CM to get to your request and if there are any questions, it could take several more days.

Bill

 

[dianeschlicht]

The online reservation system won't be available till late 2011.

Do you actually BELIEVE that? We have been told "in the spring", "in the fall", "in the near future", "in the next year" for at least 5 years now. The last association meeting I went to was in 2005, and they were promising by the next spring then.

I'll believe it when I see it. Of course, then with the Disney IT team at work, it will likely come out looking NOTHING like anything useable for us.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

So, what I'm hearing here is that I should plan on calling for the next decade or so?

I love Disney, but the idea of online booking isn't exactly new technology.