somebody explain this to me, because I don't get it

[mjc2003]

I posted about our trip next week already, talking about how I had booked a room for 6 nights cash (through MS) and subsequently found intermittent availability for those same 6 nights on points; I called MS to inquire about switching 1-2 nights. I was first told I could not be guaranteed I wouldn't switch room (actually was told I most likely WOULD switch rooms), then told that I categorically, 100% would not have to switch rooms as long as it's the same booking category (the rep actually chucked and said, "it happens all the time"), then was told that I could not switch at all because any cash nights after the night I switch would be canceled and go back into inventory and can't be rebooked.

Three calls, 3 answers. So today it was clarified that I cannot switch if the nights are in the middle. Basically, here's how it works: Nights 1-6 are on cash, nights 3 & 4 suddenly are available on points. I book them, and cancel the cash for just those two nights. The system, however, cannot just cancel those two nights on cash--it cancels every remaining night and the MS rep has NO OPTION to rebook that room, they can't count it as part of inventory yet, so can only rebook based on what their system shows (this part made my head spin, I still don't get it).

I explained to the very helpful CM today that this doesn't make any sense. Points effectively are currency, and how we pay for the 6 nights shouldn't matter. If I want to combine cash and points for separate nights by switching cash rooms to points as they become available, why not (as long as it's outside the 5 day cancellation window for cash reservations)? To me it's crazy, and it's also crazy that the system would automatically cancel the subsequent nights if I switch 1-2 nights in the middle. It's way too simplistic a system to handle the nuances and dynamic nature of how DVC works, IMO.

She did agree and say this issue has been brought up much more lately. I suggested it's because of the website, now that people can see real time inventory.

She said I should send an email detailing how I was given conflicting answers to my question, and raise the issue of combining points and cash.

 

[dvcterry]

She said I should send an email detailing how I was given conflicting answers to my question, and raise the issue of combining points and cash.

I would send an email regarding the reservation information and reservation numbers and a request to link those reservations as you don't wish to switch room as they are the same booking category. Be brief and concise.

 

[LisaS]

What you want to do makes sense but I can easily believe that the reservation system does not support it. When you make a reservation, an entry is created in a database with your check-in date, number of nights (or check-out date), resort, room type, etc. If you delete nights at the start or at the end of your trip, no problem. The reservation system would just modify the existing database entry for your trip by changing your check-in date or your check-out date.

What if you want to delete two nights in the middle? Now you've got a problem because you need two entries in the database, not just one. You need one entry for the segment at the start of your stay, another for the segment at the end of your stay. MS would need to cancel all nights from the end of segment one, then create a new reservation for segment two. If there is no inventory currently available for your second segment, they have to hope that they can cancel and then grab those nights back again. What is confusing is what they told you about the delay between releasing those nights and being able to book them again. If the system allocates cash rooms dynamically (based on inventory levels), perhaps there are times when members cancel cash reservations and the system chooses not to make them available again. Just a guess.

 

[vicki_c]

It's all based on consecutive nights. I don't think you would find any different at any hotel. If you have a night in the middle that is not part of the preceding or following reservations, it won't be part of the same reservation (but could be linked by MS). As Lisa described, those systems really work on an all or nothing type basis.

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip).... If the system allocates cash rooms dynamically (based on inventory levels), perhaps there are times when members cancel cash reservations and the system chooses not to make them available again. Just a guess.

I agree with your guess -

OP - DVC nights booked on cash through MS come from the points inventory. It's supposed to be a way to utilize nights that otherwise would go unbooked for points. I'm quite sure the "formula" DVC uses to predict the "excess nights" is not perfect.

If there are now waitlists for those nights, it seems reasonable that if they are cancelled, the system would send them to the DVC points inventory / the waitlist rather than keep them in the cash inventory. Cash nights through MS are not the same as cash nights sent to DRC.

 

[mjc2003]

What if you want to delete two nights in the middle? Now you've got a problem because you need two entries in the database, not just one. You need one entry for the segment at the start of your stay, another for the segment at the end of your stay. MS would need to cancel all nights from the end of segment one, then create a new reservation for segment two. If there is no inventory currently available for your second segment, they have to hope that they can cancel and then grab those nights back again. What is confusing is what they told you about the delay between releasing those nights and being able to book them again. If the system allocates cash rooms dynamically (based on inventory levels), perhaps there are times when members cancel cash reservations and the system chooses not to make them available again. Just a guess.

My question is, why "delete" the two nights in the middle? Why not have a simple mechanism that allows you to switch the payment method for those nights from cash to points, if points availability exists.

It's all based on consecutive nights. I don't think you would find any different at any hotel. If you have a night in the middle that is not part of the preceding or following reservations, it won't be part of the same reservation (but could be linked by MS). As Lisa described, those systems really work on an all or nothing type basis.

I currently do have one continuous reservation, again I guess my point is that I should be able to switch the way I am compensating DVC for the room.

I agree with your guess -

OP - DVC nights booked on cash through MS come from the points inventory. It's supposed to be a way to utilize nights that otherwise would go unbooked for points. I'm quite sure the "formula" DVC uses to predict the "excess nights" is not perfect.

If there are now waitlists for those nights, it seems reasonable that if they are cancelled, the system would send them to the DVC points inventory / the waitlist rather than keep them in the cash inventory. Cash nights through MS are not the same as cash nights sent to DRC.

If there are waitlists for those nights then why are they showing available on the member sight? Answer: b/c we are dealing with a flawed system, which is sort of my point.

My issue is more simple than that though, I am really just saying that if I have a room for 6 nights on cash and want to switch the way I pay for it to points (if there is points availability for the night in question) then I feel like it should allow for that. I'm not changing the booking category or any other particulars of my existing reservations, just how I'm "paying" for it.


Ultimately it's not a huge deal, but I think the system could be far more dynamic. It's not, so I will deal with it. I do understand the explanation as it pertains to how DVC handles it, I guess I just thought they were way over-complicating the issue.

 

[Chuck S]

Different room inventories would be the likely reason the system can not drop days or change payment type for days in the middle of an existing reservation. The cash days would have to be returned to cash inventory and the point night removed from point inventory. The DVC reservation system, in fact Disney cash reservation system, isn't perfect, but it is the best we have for now. Given that they've been integrating the two totally different systems there are bound to be some situations that the system just isn't able to handle without a cancel and re-book.

 

[LisaS]

My question is, why "delete" the two nights in the middle? Why not have a simple mechanism that allows you to switch the payment method for those nights from cash to points, if points availability exists.

It sounds simple enough (and useful too) but I suspect the software changes needed to implement something like that are not simple. The line has to be drawn somewhere on implementation time and costs so systems are usually designed to handle the vast majority of situations that commonly occur but not 100% of the situations that could occur. I would guess that it doesn't happen often that someone books an all-cash trip then calls back to modify it by booking the middle days on points.

With online booking and members able to check availability, this situation may occur more frequently going forward but it may never occur frequently enough to justify changing the reservation system to handle it as you describe. Plus there are other features they could implement that would benefit a much larger number of members, for example, fixing the waitlist software to work as expected and allowing us to modify point reservations online.

It is frustrating when one or more "features" of the system get in the way of doing what you want, especially when you could end up losing part of your reservation entirely.

 

[DebbieB]

Which resort are you talking about? There are some restrictions on cash vs points. For example, at BWV standard rooms for points are not the same as standard rooms for cash. Cash rooms typically get a pool/garden view.

 

[crisi]

It sounds simple enough (and useful too) but I suspect the software changes needed to implement something like that are not simple. The line has to be drawn somewhere on implementation time and costs so systems are usually designed to handle the vast majority of situations that commonly occur but not 100% of the situations that could occur. I would guess that it doesn't happen often that someone books an all-cash trip then calls back to modify it by booking the middle days on points.

With online booking and members able to check availability, this situation may occur more frequently going forward but it may never occur frequently enough to justify changing the reservation system to handle it as you describe. Plus there are other features they could implement that would benefit a much larger number of members, for example, fixing the waitlist software to work as expected and allowing us to modify point reservations online.

It is frustrating when one or more "features" of the system get in the way of doing what you want, especially when you could end up losing part of your reservation entirely.

The other trade in systems design is that sometimes when you create a use case like this, you leave a hole for someone to take advantage of. I don't know if that was the case here, but we've had features we'd like to add, that we can't because it would allow the system to be exploited in ways we can't accept.