Since when does member Services dictate how our points can and can't be allocated?

[Pootle]

I also own at 3 resorts, and just in case these threads are read, I wanted to add my voice. So far I've never had any difficulty but I'd rather MS fixed this rather than jump through the hoops to put it right after the event

 

[sjdisneywedding]

This has to be really new as I did a reservation for the final night of our upcoming HH trip with a call at the end of May and easily used points from two resorts for the one night that I needed. I have checked several times on line since then and my points show up exactly the way they are supposed to. If this becomes a problem, I agree that this will be very bad. Now what I WAS told was that the system would not allow you to borrow points from a future year if you had remaining points in your current use year from any resort that could be used for the reservation. In that case, they would have had to do a manual override. In my case, I did not have to borrow points for the reservation. Perhaps this is the issue.

well not being able to borrow from one resort before another is used...thats still the same problem technically. still removes your 11 month window

someone else posted they had an issue as far back as 05 so doesnt seem new to me

seems like an exuse being made by MS because it has to be doen manually. Either an exuse or they are not being trained correctly.

Obviously it can be done becuase they did it, albeit with a warning that wouldnt again

If the points are eligle to be used, banked borrowed transfered or otherwise, then MS can not dictate which ones are used. Either get a better system or do it manually.

 

[Par8hed]

Based on what I see on the member website MS is clearly in the wrong. I would definitely pursue the matter.

b. Club Members with Ownership Interests at Multiple DVC Resorts
1) In the event that a Club Member has Ownership Interests in more than one DVC Resort, Home Resort Vacation Points from multiple DVC Resorts may be combined as DVC Vacation Points for reservations made less than seven (7) months in advance.
2) If a Club Member requests a Home Resort reservation during the Home Resort Priority Period and the reservation requires more Home Resort Vacation Points than the Club Member has available in that particular Home Resort, he or she may borrow Home Resort Vacation Points from that particular Home Resort's next Use Year, subject to all Borrowing guidelines. Or, at the end of that particular DVC Resort's Home Priority Period, Club Members may use their Home Resort Vacation Points from other DVC Resorts as DVC Vacation Points to complete the reservation.
3) Club Members cannot apply Home Resort Vacation Points from one DVC Resort as DVC Vacation Points to any other DVC Resort during the destination DVC Resort's Home Priority Period


Where's Dean when you need him!

 

[Doctor P]

Based on what I see on the member website MS is clearly in the wrong. I would definitely pursue the matter.

b. Club Members with Ownership Interests at Multiple DVC Resorts
1) In the event that a Club Member has Ownership Interests in more than one DVC Resort, Home Resort Vacation Points from multiple DVC Resorts may be combined as DVC Vacation Points for reservations made less than seven (7) months in advance.
2) If a Club Member requests a Home Resort reservation during the Home Resort Priority Period and the reservation requires more Home Resort Vacation Points than the Club Member has available in that particular Home Resort, he or she may borrow Home Resort Vacation Points from that particular Home Resort's next Use Year, subject to all Borrowing guidelines. Or, at the end of that particular DVC Resort's Home Priority Period, Club Members may use their Home Resort Vacation Points from other DVC Resorts as DVC Vacation Points to complete the reservation.
3) Club Members cannot apply Home Resort Vacation Points from one DVC Resort as DVC Vacation Points to any other DVC Resort during the destination DVC Resort's Home Priority Period


Where's Dean when you need him!

Actually, I am not sure that your post is on point. The problem is the following: 1) inside of 7 months, all points are treated the same; 2) the system has always required you to have points available in your current use year to make reservations--indeed, that is the ONLY way that reservation can be made. Your points, banked or borrowed, must be brought into the current use year for the reservation in question BEFORE the reservation can be made; 3) at the 11 month mark (or any point before the 7 month mark for that matter), other resort points cannot be used and therefore there is no issue in terms of having current use year points in another resort while you are banking or borrowing the points you need for the 11 month reservation; 4) the policy is actually for the protection of members (as well as DVC), IMHO, if it is as I outlined. It assures that banked points get used before one is allowed to borrow (for seven month reservations at least), minimizes banking and borrowing transactions, and helps with point management.

I actually suspect that for most members this issue never comes up, but when it does it can be a headache. It only affects reservations made at or after the 7 month mark where the person making the reservation owns at more than one resort, has current year points available at another resort, has run out of points at the resort whose points that they actually wish to use, and intends to make a reservation at the "preferred" resort before the end of the current use year. Otherwise, I don't think there is a problem (if the lockout in the system is as I described it and have understood it).

 

[childsplay]

This is exactly the problem I ran into last year when I was booking for our summer of 07 trip. I was booking a 2 br at OKW 6 months prior (I have OKW, BCV and HH points all same use year same contract) and the computer would not let me use my BCV points for the reservation, the person at MS kept saying you have to use your OKW points first, I explained that I dind't have to use my OKW points first because I was insde of the 7 month window and I wanted to save those for a GV reservation at the 11 month mark.
After a tremendous amount of back and forth a supervisor finally agreed that what I was trying to do was perfectly "leagl" the computer just wouldn't accept it, so they said they would do a manual override, which by the way they never did...now it turns out I never did need those OKW points for the GV, but if I had, and they hadn't made the reservation using the correct points, we would have had one huge mess.
They really need to get this fixed, it's unnacceptable that we have to fight to get these reservations made correctly.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I just don't see how they can have a computer program that doesn't take all the "rules of ownership" into account. If a person can do it, it seems to me a computer should be able to do it easier, and not make it more difficult. I think they need a new programing company!!

 

[mommylo]

I am getting very worried. I own at 4 different resort, but I plan to book at 7 months out using the development points from my AKV purchase and topping up with SSR points, but booking to stay at AKV. Will I have any of the problems that have been mentioned?

 

[Doug7856]

Wow. I can't think of a bigger disincentive for add ons at the new DVC projects than being told that I can't designate which points go for which reservations. I wonder, though, if you can outsmart the system by designating certain points for banking first or making the 11 month reservation first and then the 7 month reservations. It won't work in all instances (if you can't make the 11 month reservation when you're making the 7 month reservation), but I may be forced to think through these strategies if that's going to be the new policy. I hope someone communicates to their marketing department that this is bad news for add ons!

Yes I agree. Before I consider an add on at a different resort, I will want some confirmation that this issue is resolved.

 

[childsplay]

I am getting very worried. I own at 4 different resort, but I plan to book at 7 months out using the development points from my AKV purchase and topping up with SSR points, but booking to stay at AKV. Will I have any of the problems that have been mentioned?

The short answer is maybe...your scenerio sets up to meet the criteria which triggers the problem. But even more confusing to me, is that this happens sometimes and not others. I have done this same type of booking for a 1 BR at HH in June using other points and saving my HH points and the program has accepted it without problem. Just another piece of the puzzle

 

[Doctor P]

The short answer is maybe...your scenerio sets up to meet the criteria which triggers the problem. But even more confusing to me, is that this happens sometimes and not others. I have done this same type of booking for a 1 BR at HH in June using other points and saving my HH points and the program has accepted it without problem. Just another piece of the puzzle

I really think that the problem is both idiosyncratic and one that the average member, even one who owns at multiple resorts, will not run into because it takes a somewhat "perfect storm" of conditions to trigger the problem from what I can tell. Yes, the problem appears to exist, but it also is probably not quite as bad as it might seem on first glance.

 

[childsplay]

1. It only affects reservations made at or after the 7 month mark where the person making the reservation owns at more than one resort,
2. has current year points available at another resort,
3. has run out of points at the resort whose points that they actually wish to use,
4. and intends to make a reservation at the "preferred" resort before the end of the current use year.

Doctor P
First I aplogize for changing how you had this, but i needed to break it down to get my head around it.
My experience with this problem, as you laied it out, is correct with the exception of number three. I was not out of OKW points, I just didn't want to use those but since I was making a reservation at OKW the computer "insisited" that I had to use those OKW points first.
While i do agree that it takes the proper set of "ingredients" to trigger this problem and as a result doesn't happen frequently I think it is potentially bigger than we might know...I think there are a good many people who might just accept MS position that you can't to that and move on.

 

[Inkmahm]

This has to be really new as I did a reservation for the final night of our upcoming HH trip with a call at the end of May and easily used points from two resorts for the one night that I needed. I have checked several times on line since then and my points show up exactly the way they are supposed to. If this becomes a problem, I agree that this will be very bad. Now what I WAS told was that the system would not allow you to borrow points from a future year if you had remaining points in your current use year from any resort that could be used for the reservation. In that case, they would have had to do a manual override. In my case, I did not have to borrow points for the reservation. Perhaps this is the issue.

I have points in 7 contracts under one master contract and at a total of 3 different resorts. Being told I can't borrow points from a future year if I have current year points available would really piss me off. I manage my reservations at the 3 resorts so that I always have an 11 month home advantage for booking my trips. Take that away from me by forcing to use points from a different resort? I don't think so!

 

[Ksp]

Has anyone gotten in contact with MS in writing about the issue yet?
Seems to me that would be a good next step; change (although I hate to say this) or establishing the need for changing a poor policy/program issue, often needs a paper trail.
(Can you tell that I work at a rather bureaucratic institution?? )

 

[sjdisneywedding]

4) the policy is actually for the protection of members (as well as DVC), IMHO, if it is as I outlined. It assures that banked points get used before one is allowed to borrow (for seven month reservations at least), minimizes banking and borrowing transactions, and helps with point management.
.

what policy are you referring to? the policy where members are not allowed to choose the points to use?

I dont think there is such a policy, as far as I know under no circumstances within 7 months must someone use banked points from one resort before current or even borrowed points from another.

yes if we are talking ONE resort ownership then banked must be used before current and borrowed. Not when you are talking multiple reosrt ownership, each of the set of points is completely different.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

I have 7 contracts in 3 different resorts. All with the same use year.

About a month ago I made reservations for BCV (one of my home resorts), using points from all 3 of my home resorts. Was within the 6 month mark. The cast member I had seemed confused, but when I insisted it could be done he talked to a supervisor and acted like it was no big deal. A few hours later it was correctly showing on DVCmember.com.

I plan to do this again next month. I sure hope it isn't going to be a problem. Maybe we just all need to ask for a supervisor if they refuse.
Per our contracts, it is our right!

I think you are right on. Maybe the system wont let this be done, but it certainly is within the rules of what you can do and must need to be done manually

so either some just dont want the bother of doing it manually and just simply say it cant be done or they were never trained on how to do it manually

I know from experience with the developer points, they are very reluctant to do anything extra manually if they dont have.

 

[CarolMN]

With only one home resort, I will not ever be in this situation.

However, from what has been described, it seems that the rule (if it really is a rule) is "stupid". With just a little "creativity", it would be easy to get around.

Just make a "bogus" reservation with the points you want to save for the 11 month window. Anything will do as long as you can cancel it without penalty. Then make the "real" reservation. Then cancel the "bogus" reservation. The points go back into your account and no harm done. (I would be tempted to do it on the same call with the same CM - just to illustrate how stupid the situation is, but others may want to call back and make the real reservation with another CM, LOL).

FWIW, I think this is not really a rule - just something an inexperienced CM doesn't know how to do or perhaps something a few CMs are not interpreting correctly If I were in the situation, I would do as some others suggest - ask for a supervisor.

It just can't be right that DVC has a rule that negates your home resort booking advantage.

 

[DVC Mike]

Just make a "bogus" reservation with the points you want to save for the 11 month window. Anything will do as long as you can cancel it without penalty. Then make the "real" reservation. Then cancel the "bogus" reservation. The points go back into your account and no harm done.

Great idea, Carol!

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

subscribing

 

[PooooohBear]

subscribing

 

[CarolAnnC]

With just a little "creativity", it would be easy to get around.

Just make a "bogus" reservation with the points you want to save for the 11 month window. Anything will do as long as you can cancel it without penalty. Then make the "real" reservation. Then cancel the "bogus" reservation. The points go back into your account and no harm done. (I would be tempted to do it on the same call with the same CM - just to illustrate how stupid the situation is, but others may want to call back and make the real reservation with another CM, LOL).

I fear that if this "solution" were to become widespread, chaos would result with these "fake" reservations tying up villas and resorts. The next time I book using one of my contracts with multi resorts I will certainly stress to MS which points to use and I will confirm point balances before the end of the call as suggested previously. I have not had any issues with this up to this point in time and am hoping that the apparent issue clears up relatively soon.