So what would happen if....

[vascubaguy]

While an online DVC booking system would be somewhat complex, it is definately doable... and the cost saving would come over time... I mean 2054 is a long ways away and a long time to calculate savings.

The benefit can be improving member satisfaction. Some of us don't have the issue of being in different time zones and having to adhere to the MS hours of operation, but I can only imagine the frustration of those that have to not only plan their vacations, but plan their calls to plan their vacation.

As for the booking issues, all of those mentioned earlier can happen now. There's nothing to stop point brokers from booking a GV in the middle of the week, etc... the only major issue I can see is that demand times will start to shift... the servers will likely have increased loads at 12:01AM ET... but it would help reduce the load of calls that hit on Monday mornings, etc...

 

[crisi]

While an online DVC booking system would be somewhat complex, it is definately doable... and the cost saving would come over time... I mean 2054 is a long ways away and a long time to calculate savings.
.

But you never do ROI on a systems development project for more than 3 - 5 years - you know that 3-5 years out you need to start looking at ripping it out and replacing it with new technology. Every time there is a technology change, DVC has one more use case that needs to be updated, changed, tested, reprogrammed. It isn't just the intial cost that is the problem its the whole lifecycle of use - and not just of this system - once this funcitonality is established, it needs to be upgraded and improved as the systems become non-supportable. (says someone who was on the sidelines for a huge Oracle refresh - Boy, did we hate every little add on we ever did).

 

[vascubaguy]

But you never do ROI on a systems development project for more than 3 - 5 years - you know that 3-5 years out you need to start looking at ripping it out and replacing it with new technology. Every time there is a technology change, DVC has one more use case that needs to be updated, changed, tested, reprogrammed. It isn't just the intial cost that is the problem its the whole lifecycle of use - and not just of this system - once this funcitonality is established, it needs to be upgraded and improved as the systems become non-supportable. (says someone who was on the sidelines for a huge Oracle refresh - Boy, did we hate every little add on we ever did).

True, but... usually program development continues to improve functionality and add additional features. I mean places like ORACLE and even the management software we have here is constantly being updated and improved to add/fix "stuff". With the DVC system, the "rules" underlying the logic of the system most likely would not change to the point that it would have to be slashed/burnt/rebuilt.

 

[greenban]

(I always wanted to use this smilie!)

I think all you gear heads should take this confusing, twisted, techno-bable over to the tech boards where it belongs!

Hey VAscubaGuy! Isn't ... slashed/burnt/rebuilt... more like Dungeons and Dragons than coding?

Just Joshing!

-Tony

Also, if my predictions came true, with mega-renters booking early, it would force all members to make multiple 'spec' ressies to have a chance at what they want, moving all of us closer to booking day-by-day at 11 months.

JMHO!

-Tony

 

[crisi]

True, but... usually program development continues to improve functionality and add additional features. I mean places like ORACLE and even the management software we have here is constantly being updated and improved to add/fix "stuff". With the DVC system, the "rules" underlying the logic of the system most likely would not change to the point that it would have to be slashed/burnt/rebuilt.

Over the years, we've had to do a lot of slash/burn projects - some that have added no new functionality or features - they've just been vendor replacements as one vendor has gone bankrupt or technology outpaces what we have. My husband is on his third platform deployment in six years - each new executive decided they should be using a different vendor set. While a lot of the business rules can be reused, in a lot of cases the team assembled to do the new released is significantly different - institutional knowledge is lost (or ignored - because "those guys must have done it wrong for us to be changing") and the group decides to build from the ground up. If you switch from Oracle's ERP system to SAPs you can reuse your business rules, but it isn't plug and play (no matter what bill of goods SAP tries to sell you).

 

[Granny]

I'd love to read the "this post" metioned just for educational sake, but the link is coming up as "404 not found"--can someone post a link to the actual post for me?

Editing to ask if this link would have gone to the same post linked by Granny in his earlier post?

I'm almost sure that Caskbill's link was intended to take you to the same post I linked to in this thread. It was a great explanation, wasn't it?

I don't know why the link he posted isn't working. It's not like he's technologically challenged!!

 

[Chuck S]

And don't forget lack of support if the original software design company folds or merges with another company. A friend of mine owns a video store, one of the better "Video rental" software companies merged with a competitor. The new company discontinued all support and updates for the original software, telling everyone they needed to transfer to the new system. The data files were not compatible, and all the movie and customer info had to be re-entered...plus the new software didn't do all the things the old software did. He wound up buying from another vendor...though he still had to re-enter the data, the software is more functional.

 

[acpalmer]

I'm almost sure that Caskbill's link was intended to take you to the same post I linked to in this thread. It was a great explanation, wasn't it?

I don't know why the link he posted isn't working. It's not like he's technologically challenged!!

Thanks! Just try to get all the info I can, just for the sake of knowing it.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

It would be great to be able to check availability on-line when MS was closed as Caskbill suggests.

However, I'm not sure about on-line reservations. Only because knowing myself, I would be tempted to "play around" to find out all availabilities and use up ALL my available points, at all times, to book up trips, "just in case," because it is so easy to do.

I only book "just in case" trips now if there is remotely a chance I would actually go. I don't don't have the urge to always have a reservation using all available points because I don't want to bother MS unless I had a specific date in mind and don't want to call just to find out all possible scenarios even if I wasn't intersted.

Now... if on-line reservations was too easy... I might just start booking reservations left and right, just 'cause it was so darn easy and I wouldn't feel like I was wasting MS time. Now if I was to have a compulsion to do this, then I'm sure that many other Disney obsessed DVCers might have the same compulsion and pretty soon, the 11 month window will be a necessity!!!

 

[Dean]

Frankly, I have a lot more confidence when talking to a human, even with human error in the equation.

I'd say II messes things up about 50% of the time, I much prefer doing online what I can. That way I have control and can double check what's done.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

What I'd like to have is this..

1. A 6:00PM EST snapshot of DVC availability to use for 24 hours. No need to take it down when MS comes up in the morning...it isn't the same database.

2. From that static database give us the ability to get some type of quick visual on general availability at the 7 resorts and also the opportunity to build a more specific query. Maybe click on a calendar date for a specific resort and get a summary.

 

[Dean]

What I'd like to have is this..

1. A 6:00PM EST snapshot of DVC availability to use for 24 hours. No need to take it down when MS comes up in the morning...it isn't the same database.

2. From that static database give us the ability to get some type of quick visual on general availability at the 7 resorts and also the opportunity to build a more specific query. Maybe click on a calendar date for a specific resort and get a summary.

I doubt this is a workable alternative. Likely easier to actually give direct access than to have two systems with people looking at one then getting a different answer when they call. Heck, many members aren't able to understand the different groups of rooms now else we wouldn't get the periodic question about why CRO had rooms for cash but no rooms available for points. I simply do not feel the membership as a whole can handle getting two different answers OR having a system that is not completely accurate.

 

[lisareniff]

What I'd like to have is this..

1. A 6:00PM EST snapshot of DVC availability to use for 24 hours. No need to take it down when MS comes up in the morning...it isn't the same database.

2. From that static database give us the ability to get some type of quick visual on general availability at the 7 resorts and also the opportunity to build a more specific query. Maybe click on a calendar date for a specific resort and get a summary.

I think this would be a great addition and would save a lot of availability questions. Like right now I'm wondering about if there is availability for adding a day to our Feb vacation. I'm holding off til Monday to buy my airline tickets until I can get a good sense of availability. I could live with calling if I have some data available to me first. Hate making real time decisons on the phone.


I wonder about the 11/7 month window opening time with a online system... They could keep it at 9am, right?

If it was 7 days a week then we would all be calling every day for those day-by-day reservations. I like having the weekend off.