So mad - RCI never made my reservation

[DVCBELLE]

I reserved Vistana in July - got a confirmation email. Went on today to check the bed setup and there was no reservation

Can't speak to a supervisor today but was able to use chat and she told me there is no availability but she could put me at orange lake -I agreed as long as they would refund my exchange fee.

She agreed and then realized that we stayed at orange lake last year and can't trade in there again...so we can't stay there (its my mom's timeshare and my sister stayed there last year) but said they can't waive the you can only stay once every 3 year rule.

So she gave me the option of Vacation Village at Parkway or a 3 BR at Grande Villas -

I am going to call tomorrow and see if a supervisor can get us in Vistana or orange lake - but if they can't - does anyone have opinions on either of these resorts or another RCI resort we might like - park proximity is important to us - we usually stay onsite and don't want to drive.

 

[rili]

Are they showing any rentals available for your dates? If so, I would ask them to put me in the rental. I think RCI holds back good properties for rental instead of exchange.

 

[greenclan67]

I would take the Grande Villas over the Parkway, on location alone. We stayed at Parkway for 2 nights before OL, and hated it. WE have stayed at Grande Villas numerous times, and love it. You will find it quiet compared to Orange Lake though. Pools are wonderfully warm and love the hot tubs. Rooms are big and clean.

 

[JimMIA]

I don't understand how you could have gotten a confirmation email if there was no reservation made. It is a mistake, hopefully not on your part.

Did you book the reservation from available inventory on RCI, or get a match via an ongoing search with RCI?

If it was an ongoing search, you will get phone calls and possibly an email telling you the room is available, but you have to confirm acceptance of the reservation within 48 hours, I believe. If you just took that initial email as your confirmation, no reservation would have been made. Hopefully that's not the case.

I would call RCI on Monday and speak to someone who can do more than look up currently-available inventory.

 

[Spanky]

Did you check Wyndham Bonnet Creek or Disney DVC? I assume the RCI person checked those properties.

 

[DVCBELLE]

I don't understand how you could have gotten a confirmation email if there was no reservation made. It is a mistake, hopefully not on your part.

Did you book the reservation from available inventory on RCI, or get a match via an ongoing search with RCI?

If it was an ongoing search, you will get phone calls and possibly an email telling you the room is available, but you have to confirm acceptance of the reservation within 48 hours, I believe. If you just took that initial email as your confirmation, no reservation would have been made. Hopefully that's not the case.

I would call RCI on Monday and speak to someone who can do more than look up currently-available inventory.

I will call tomorrow. ... They had charged my credit card, sent an email confirmation titled RCI vacation confirmation - the rep said that just meant they were confirming I had made the reservation not that they had made it but she could see why that is confusing. The email said not to reply and if I had any other questions about my vacation reservation to call. She told me she has no idea why the reservation was not made. She ended up crediting my exchange fees back and crediting my account for a free exchange fee so I will not have to pay anything on whatever I decide to do. I could tell she felt bad but had no control or way to help me. She told me to call n. The morning and ask for a supervisor to start my call. Hopefully tomorrow they will find a way to get me into Vistana but if not we decided to go with Grande villas based on location and getting a 3 bedroom

 

[Straitlover]

Location wise, you can't beat Silver Lake (if they are a part of RCI). It's right next to Animal Kingdom Lodge. I think Vistana is nicer, but I stayed at SL and I liked it.

 

[kathy884]

If you are interested in Orange Lake, ask if they will override the 1 in 4 rule due to the fact that it was their error. // We have asked and had this rule overridden for us before. // Trying new places is run too. // Good luck and let us know how things come out for you.

 

[DVCBELLE]

If you are interested in Orange Lake, ask if they will override the 1 in 4 rule due to the fact that it was their error. // We have asked and had this rule overridden for us before. // Trying new places is run too. // Good luck and let us know how things come out for you.

Oh - that's irritating....they told me that they would not waive it under any circumstance. Luckily it all worked out and a room came available at Vistana the next day. I was the one who found the room searching so they didn't really do anything for me but refund my fees.

Everyone was very nice there - but I got a whole lot of OOPS - sorry - but our hands are tied. Luckily, I never had to get really pushy about it.

 

[kathy884]

The Vistana is lovely. Glad that came though for you.

 

[bobnrobhall]

We've stayed at Vacation Village. It's nice but I think Orange Lake is nicer, plus Vacation Village charges an extra $25 "resort fee" per week. It's located next to Arabian Knights.

 

[bankr63]

Oh - that's irritating....they told me that they would not waive it under any circumstance. Luckily it all worked out and a room came available at Vistana the next day. I was the one who found the room searching so they didn't really do anything for me but refund my fees.

Everyone was very nice there - but I got a whole lot of OOPS - sorry - but our hands are tied. Luckily, I never had to get really pushy about it.

I had almost exactly the same thing happen last year, although after eventually working my way up the chain, they were able to "find" me the booking, that I suspect had been mine all along but in some sort of "suspended animation". I HAD booked it, but it was not showing related to my account. I'm willing to bet that the appearance of a unit the next day was your original unit coming out of limbo.

As an IT Specialist and Project Manager, I cringe at how absolutely horrendous RCI's systems truly are. In today's day and age, these issues should not happen. And who has to take down a busy public internet site every other weekend for maintenance? They really need some heads to roll in their IT department.

 

[2neverland]

OMgoodness that's crazy! and frustrating! I booked same resort thru rci and have it booked for November. All looks like its still listed and in my confirmed vacation section. I had called earlier this summer for a different resort and they were able to hook me up with a condo that wasn't listed. Hopefully they have some "extras". I was frustrated learning their was no way to speak to a rep on a Sunday-being a reservation system. Best of luck!