scolded by ms

[Mr. Potato Head]

My husband and I are currently waitlisted for a 2 bedroom at either VWL or BCV for December 27 through Jan 3. As soon as we hit the seven month window for all of our days we called to go on the waitlist. I know that everyone recommends calling day by day, but we really didn't want to do this. We realize that this is an extremely busy time for DVC reservations and that it may not come through for us, but I am now having my doubts about the waitlist, as I have heard of others around the time we are going where the waitlist has come through for them. Were these people calling frequently to get what they want, possibly. Were they ahead of us on the waitlist, possibly. I guess only MS knows. We do not call MS once a week to see if the waitlist has come through for us because we truly believed that it was done fairly, as the waitlist came through for us once before in April 2001 at BWV. I hate to think that in order to increase my chances I have to call every week, as this is time consuming for myself and MS. I really hope this is not the case, but I'm beginning to think it may be.

 

[Jacksmom99]

The problm as i see it is in the system...they have created a phone based system for people to make reservations. yet they expect you to rely on an automatic system for the waitlist...As a person who has bough into DVC, I want to talk to a human. They should recognize this.....If this is a problem they can create a web based reservation system that people can instantaneusly make reservations, much like the main disney reservations.

I mean i have to believe his would save all of us money in the long run.....however if the phone system remains as it is, MS will just need to get over it quite frankly!

 

[Dancind]

Update! Called this a.m. since we were now off the waiting list for all but one night for our Aug. 4-12 trip. The CM called the resort, and it looks like we will be able to stay at BCV all 7 nights, vs. the last two we were booked for. Seems like real time updating would be very helpful, since there's obviously a discrepancy between the systems now. Or perhaps at this late date they allow more cash rooms to be booked on points? Is that possible? Diana

 

[CRobin]

Originally posted by Jacksmom99
..they have created a phone based system for people to make reservations. yet they expect you to rely on an automatic system for the waitlist..

Based upon what I've read here, I suspect the system is far less automated than the name "auto waitlist" implies.

JMHO, but I would bet that there is a waitlist file sitting out there somewhere. When a cancellation occurs, some sheet prints out or a message gets sent to a CM. And, when that CM gets around to it, she compares the "auto" waitlist to the cancellation and sees if there is a match. If so, somebody gets lucky with the waitlist.

On the other hand, if she doesn't act on that cancellation, and a member calls looking for that room, VOILA, they get it, and who was ever at the top of the waitlist is, well, still waiting.

Just a guess.

 

[DVCajun]

You're probably right, CRobin, and THAT is what should change. The CM needs to put that person on hold and check the dates. If there's a waitlist for those dates, then the person on the phone should be told, "sorry!". If there's *not* a waitlist, lucky for the person on the phone.

 

[JaneDE]

We are also on the automatic waitlist for one night of our Aug.18-23 reservation. I changed from a one bedroom to a two bedroom. Up until 31 days before our reservation, I was called for all of the requested nights except for the one in the middle. I have called MS about two or three times a week since. Everytime the person at MS was pleasant until today. I called around 4 pm and spoke with a man who sounded very disinterested in my situation was not helpful at all. He did not check anything. He only said that nothing was available. I started to call back and try to get someone else but decided to wait until tomorrow. I have also had similiar experiences in the past with the waitlist where I have mysteriously gotten dates when I called on the phone which is why I am still calling in hopes of landing that last night. I have also wondered if someone else has snapped up that one night by calling MS ahead of me. I have been told my MS that when it gets to 6 days before our reservation, they will call the resort and check for any other cancellations. I hope that tomorrow I will at least reach a more helpful person at MS.

 

[scott.campbell]

Being from the UK we have always booked using email, we have also always got what we wanted, and the replies have always been good humoured.

Whilst I agree that they should at all times attempt to remain polite I can undrestand that during their hard day at work it could become frustrating to have a proportion of your time tied up by calls that the system is already dealing with via the waitlist.

Maybe some trust and patience is required on our part.

 

[Doctor P]

Just a counterpoint. Though the process is not fair, and I do indeed have a problem with that, I think one of MS's primary jobs is to try to fill the resort every night. Especially when one gets within thirty days, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say. I suspect that there are a meaningful proportion of wait list calls that go unanswered or the person chooses not to take the accomodation, which makes taking a sure thing much more attractive. Should the system work this way? Probably not. Should members who need to call MS under these circumstances be sensitive to the busy times at MS? Absolutely. Should MS be polite to members who call and try to be patient? Absolutely, without question. Clearly, the system needs to be improved, and I hope that it is.

 

[Dean]

I have read through all of the thread and if this point was made, I missed it. There are 2 ways to wait list. One is to wait list and take one day at a time as it comes up. The other is to wait list the entire number of days needed. With the latter, if all days are not there at one time, you will never be confirmed. I believe if you just ase to be wait listed, they will automatically do the all days at one time option unless you specify otherwise, sometimes they will ask you which one.

The other issue I had was about MS having to call the resort. I wonder if their not using cash rooms to fill the resort when it appears there will be open units. I can think of no other reason they would need to call the resort.

 

[Doctor P]

Dean,

If I understood right, the times they were calling the resort were inside of 30 days when they would have already released remaining rooms to CRO and the wait lists are apparently treated differently if I recall right. Would that make sense?

 

[CRobin]

Originally posted by Doctor P
Just a counterpoint. Though the process is not fair, and I do indeed have a problem with that, I think one of MS's primary jobs is to try to fill the resort every night

Not sure I agree, Doctor P.

Two of the five DVC resorts are, theoretically, sold out every nite, all year, 96% of the time. A member has already paid for the expense to maintain that room. Once unused points hit the breakage window, the unnocupied room is handed off to CRO and it is out of DVC's hands.

I firmly believe that the mission of MS is to handle reservation requests from the membership, under the guidelines established (including those pertaining to the waitlist) and they should not be driven by any edict or direction to "fill up the resort". MS is funded entirely by the dues of DVC members.

JMHO

 

[Doctor P]

Actually, I don't think we are disagreeing. My point is that MS is supposed to do what is best for the membership as a whole, not JUST what is best for an individual member at any given point in time (though, other things equal, they are in the business of being of service to individual members and making their experiences magical as long as that does not conflict with serving the membership at large). Members at large are hurt anytime that a room remains vacant (i.e., there is less breakage income, there are more points chasing the same number of rooms on other nights, etc.). Don't get me wrong. I am not defending less than adequate customer services or a clearly imperfect wait list system. Just making the counter point that we all gain at the margin when that room gets filled when it might not otherwise be filled. If 100% of the wait list requests were accepted when offered, or if the wait list was binding in that you will lose the points even if you don't accept the reservation (don't flame me--I am not advocating this policy), then my point is moot. But that clearly is not the case. Perhaps as part of this discussion, we can come up with a reliable means that will meet everyone's needs (I don't think I have seen it yet--perhaps I missed it). Also, clearly it is not the case that two of the DVC resorts are sold out every night all year. Just go through the threads and see how many last minute wait list reservations and last minute reservations at ALL DVC resorts have been mentioned just in the past few weeks. A room here and a room there adds up to a lot of money if they remain empty when they don't otherwise have to.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

As an IT person I have to say that corporations I've worked for have had real time systems generally available since the late 80's. And of course airlines have had it longer than that.

The technology was available...even in a pc base...at the time OKW opened. So Disney made the decision to with an overnight batch process probably because the system already existed. Fine but 10 years is a loooooooooong time to stick with a batch process. A lot has changed.

From my point of view Disney is wasting my dues with the current system (having MS answer a huge percentage of calls they can't resolve) versus expending the money to at least tweak the system to make the the auto-list more auto.

I do think its unfair that people call and get rooms. And as you post and tell other people to call it just compounds the problem.

 

[Janis]

Can someone explain what "autowaitlist" is? I 've never had to use the waitlist yet, but may need it in the near future. Thanks!

 

[trainfun]

I agree with earlier posts that DVC members should have access to this information through the web. Letting members at least access a list of what is available before calling makes sense and this information should be in real time.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

I do think its unfair that people call and get rooms. And as you post and tell other people to call it just compounds the problem.

Good point.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by doubletrouble_vb
I do think its unfair that people call and get rooms. And as you post and tell other people to call it just compounds the problem.

If one were jumping ahead of others, I'd agree. While that may or may not be the case, these are obviously rooms that are in the system for the taking. Some may be rooms that were released to CRO at the breakage window or the system is just not picking up these rooms to match with wait lists. Anyone with a membership could call and grab them. While MS SHOULD follow the order of the wait list, there is obviously something going on that allowed these rooms to slip by. Other reasons that our wait lists might miss rooms would be if we have wait listed for an entire block of days and only part are there or if we pass the deadlines where the wait lists expire. If you are within 31 days of arrival, you must call back and reaffirm the wait list at which time it runs to 7 days before arrival. If you just generically ask to be wait listed, MS normally puts you in for the entire block of time. That means if part of the days come available, you did not match and they will not call you.

 

[SlyHubby]

but you have to remember who you're dealing with here. This is the same group that for a 6 month period last year emblazoned the DVC website with the notice that "we have our own messageboard coming soon" - YEA RIGHT!

How is it that any hotel you have ever heard of has online reservations, but DVC doesn't? I mean, let's think for a few moments. If using your points online were an option, how quickly would calls to MS go down? If I can go to an airline's website, look at a bloody seat map of the entire plane for my flight and see what seats are available and decide right then where I want to sit in real time, what is so difficult for DVC to do it? So there's a little extra work to handle the rules of when points could be used - it's not that big a deal. I booked a $5000 Disney Cruise through their website, where are those programmers? Are they afraid that they might be able to reduce the MS staff? Maybe reduce our dues? WHAT? For the life of me, I cannot figure out what the issue is here and why this is not a top priority. Better service for us, less work for them - who doesn't benefit?

Well, it's just another reason why Disney profits are plunging lately.

 

[sgtdisney]

What is strange too is you can book rooms in DVC resorts online with cash, through www.disneyworld.com.