So, DVC mails reservation confirmations?

[danv3]

Having just bought resale, I just made my first series of reservations. In the mail today, I was surprised to receive four (four!!) envelopes with confirmations in them. How much could they save by sending members these by e-mail? Postage on mine totaled $1.28.

Anyone else think this is kinda odd?

 

[jco_direwolf]

Having just bought resale, I just made my first series of reservations. In the mail today, I was surprised to receive four (four!!) envelopes with confirmations in them. How much could they save by sending members these by e-mail? Postage on mine totaled $1.28.

Anyone else think this is kinda odd?

Four for 1 reservation? That is odd. But they have always mailed you your confirmation information, and stick in that flyer about travel insurance.

But I've gotten as many as 3-4 on the same day, confirming 2-3 reservations and a cancelation.

johno

 

[danv3]

Well, the "four" part makes sense. I had two reservations and both were split stays, so that is four reservations in Disney's eyes.

It's the "mail" part I don't get. Why not four emails?

 

[Tozzie]

Having just bought resale, I just made my first series of reservations. In the mail today, I was surprised to receive four (four!!) envelopes with confirmations in them. How much could they save by sending members these by e-mail? Postage on mine totaled $1.28.

Anyone else think this is kinda odd?

Well is it one reservation or is it a series of different reservations? Did you make reservations and then change them. It is odd if you got 4 confirmations for one reservation but if they are seprate reservations or cancelled and rebooked reservations it isn't odd.

As for email, well I am still waiting for a confirmation for a reservation I made in September via email, I already have the mailed one. Sorry I want mailed reservation confirmations until A-Disney revamps their IT department and B-until resorts can no longer change reservations, read one too many reports of people being told at check in that they didn't have the reservation they made or that they cancelled it. Nope I don't want an email only system

 

[disneynutz]

Having just bought resale, I just made my first series of reservations. In the mail today, I was surprised to receive four (four!!) envelopes with confirmations in them. How much could they save by sending members these by e-mail? Postage on mine totaled $1.28.

Anyone else think this is kinda odd?

It is a huge waist that I have discussed with DVC Management. I just don't think they get it.

Members with more than one membership just got access to their accounts on the members website after 4 months of it being broken. I understand that someone had to contact the Disney's Chairman of Parks and Resorts to get it fixed.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

Personally I like getting hard copies of our confirmations. I like having them with me at check in. Since joining DVC I have not gotten even one. They say they will email them but those never come either. I always have to print them out from the member's site if I can get in there. I don't understand why they always ask me if I want them sent if they're not going to follow through with it.

 

[CarolA]

My view....

If Disney's IT shop is involved the USPS is MUCH MORE RELIABLE.
Seriously DVC has SAID they emailed me confirmations. They have the right address. NEVER GOTTEN THEM! I get the "ads" so it's not my email. It's probably the "crack" IT shop. (And I think the "crack" is what they are smoking LOL!)

So until Disney fixes IT. Use the mail. It's more reliable LOL!

 

[janni518]

They can email me a dozen times, I still request the hard copy. Not taking any chances, heard a few horror stories and want something on their letterhead in my hot little hand when I check in. It's a comfort thing.

But yes, I agree consolidating to save postage would be nice, but I understand why it doesn't happen.

 

[Anal Annie]

Well, personally, I don't receive any of the DVC emails so I hope they DON'T change it. I don't know why. I have complained and emailed and asked for their IT dept. to get it figured out but they have not. Over and over I have asked. All they can say is "well, you look like you're set up properly and you should receive them". Well, that's NICE, but I read about emails here on the DIS but I NEVER EVER get them. And they can't figure it out. So until Disney gets a "REAL" IT Dept. I'll vote for the mail method thank you!!

 

[disneynutz]

My view....

If Disney's IT shop is involved the USPS is MUCH MORE RELIABLE.
Seriously DVC has SAID they emailed me confirmations. They have the right address. NEVER GOTTEN THEM! I get the "ads" so it's not my email. It's probably the "crack" IT shop. (And I think the "crack" is what they are smoking LOL!)

So until Disney fixes IT. Use the mail. It's more reliable LOL!

The sales database and MS database are different and they don't talk to each other. Make sure that MS has your correct email address and that your junk mail software isn't intercepting them.

 

[backyardponder]

It wouldn't surprise me if the cost of the mailing was covered by AIG which does the insurance. Although I keep the confirmations, I see these mailings more of advertising for the travel protection plan than anything else.

If AIG isn't paying for the mailing, I'm sure the kickback DVC gets from them more than covers the mailings.

 

[pyrxtc]

well, I amde my reservation for September last November and haven't gotten even one for it.

 

[tjkraz]

None of us can offer an educated opinion on the state of DVC's IT infrastructure. All we can see is the net result. And I suspect if DVC knew it could implement electronic confirmations and save money, they would have done it long ago.

They are continuing to upgrade the systems and add new features. Most likely the feature is in the pipeline, but it's part of a greater group of changes still under development.

 

[disneynutz]

They don't have an incentive to upgrade or reduce postage costs, because we, the members pay for everything.

They do have an incentive to focus most of their attention on the sales aspect of the business because that's where the money is.

 

[tjkraz]

They don't have an incentive to upgrade or reduce postage costs, because we, the members pay for everything.

Are you sure about that? The Management Fee, which is fixed at 12% of our dues regardless of actual costs, is described as: "Fee paid to DVCMC for providing management services (including home office expenses) to the Association according to the Property Management Agreement."

If the costs of operating Member Services are not covered by the Management Fee, then which budget line item are they included in?

If members are just footing the bill, why have the enhanced the member website so much in recent years? Why not have more late-night hours at MS to service west coast and international members? Why bother putting limits on waitlist requests if members are paying for the process?

There does have to be some fiscal responsibility exercised, regardless of who is paying the bill. Jim Lewis has publicly stated that on-line reservations are under development. Seems reasonable to assume electronic confirmations will be wrapped-up in that upgrade.

 

[CarolA]

The sales database and MS database are different and they don't talk to each other. Make sure that MS has your correct email address and that your junk mail software isn't intercepting them.

They aren't in junke mail and the MS folks have the right address. I don't think they ever get out of Disney!

The net results of Disney's IT shop are one of the WORST hotel booking engines I have ever tried to use. The net result of Disney's IT shop is that for over two months I couldn't see my vacations because "they are working of fixing a known bug" (Not working too fast LOL!) The net results of Disney's IT shop is that for several weeks you couldn't book tours etc because "they are upgrading the system"

Overall the "net results" from the end user side are pretty

As a stockholder I find the fact that people can't SPEND money on the site very sad!

 

[Chuck S]

Actually, not ALL members are internet savvy or have email. I like the mailed confirmation, but I really don't know why.

That being said, if they discontinued the snail mail confirmations, and only issued them on request, I think it would be a mess, and would be as "iffy" as getting their emails seem to be now, which would really be a problem for those members that don't use the net to access their accounts on the website.

In a perfect world, everyone would have access to the website, and once the reservation posts, we could print that if we wanted a confirmation. No need for snail mail OR email.

 

[disney1474]

Of all the money they get from our dues, I'm willing to bet the money spent on mailings is less than what they spend on anything else.
I prefer receiving my ressies in the mail.

 

[KiminChicago]

I mad reservations in December for AKV for October 2009 and I haven't received any sort of confirmation, no email, no snail mail, nothing. If it weren't for the fact that I can see the reservation on the member website, I'd wonder if we were really going. When I made the initial reservation, I mentioned to the CM that we might have to add additional names to the reservation as my sister and her family might be coming, but I hardly think they'd hold off on mailing just because we might make a change later

I think I'll call and ask for a confirmation to be mailed to me, just in case. It never feels official until I have the hard-copy in my hands!