Starting 1/08 any non DVC reservation will require a $95 transfer fee

[Enna]

According to the Fall issue of Vacation Magic, any new non-DVC reservation (with the exception of DisneyLand hotels) will require a $95 transfer fee.

According to the article, they are "simplifying" the process for all bookings outside of DVC resorts.

Somehow, paying $95 for a Disney Collection ressie doesn't seem like it's "simplifying" anything for me OR my budget!

 

[flyerron]

According to the Fall issue of Vacation Magic, any new non-DVC reservation (with the exception of DisneyLand hotels) will require a $95 transfer fee.

According to the article, they are "simplifying" the process for all bookings outside of DVC resorts.

Somehow, paying $95 for a Disney Collection ressie doesn't seem like it's "simplifying" anything for me OR my budget!

There are early reports of many cahnges to the booking system including changing the banking parameters. Keep your ears open(&your eyes)

 

[Enna]

OH! That reminds me! The new banking window "Bank or use by four before" is also published in the magazine.

Hmmm...I am guessing I got a copy of that magazine early? It came in our contract box yesterday.

 

[flyerron]

OH! That reminds me! The new banking window "Bank or use by four before" is also published in the magazine.

Hmmm...I am guessing I got a copy of that magazine early? It came in our contract box yesterday.

We have nothing on this. I guess we will have to wait for the email.

 

[lisareniff]

Enna, Could you fill in more details??

Anything on OKW booking catagories. There is a rumour that the HH area will be a new booking caatagory.

 

[Enna]

Yes, there is a new booking category for OKW for Hospitality House, with no change in points. Existing reservations with that request will be transferred to that category.

If there are any other rumors that might be confirmed, please ask questions! I am willing to share any info from the magazine, but haven't bene reading the DVC boards to know what's common knowlege and what is still considered rumor.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I dont like the new fee either. This last trip, I was stuck at the airport and I called MS, booked a room and ME at Coronado Springs for the night with points and I was there within the hour. No DVC units were available so I took CS. I was really impressed with the flexibility my points offered me and now with all these changes, Im not liking it so much.

These are serious downgrades to our memberships, but the dues arent getting cheaper and neither are the points.

With the banking window changing, I see alot more renting of reservations because last minute cancellations outside of 31 days will not be able to bank those points.

It's raining shoes!

 

[cobbler]

I would think if they waived that for Disneyland hotels, then they would also wave it for WDW hotels. I can see them doing it for anything else but to use them at other Disney resorts and still having to pay a fee is nuts.

 

[jodifla]

I dont like the new fee either. This last trip, I was stuck at the airport and I called MS, booked a room and ME at Coronado Springs for the night with points and I was there within the hour. No DVC units were available so I took CS. I was really impressed with the flexibility my points offered me and now with all these changes, Im not liking it so much.

These are serious downgrades to our memberships, but the dues arent getting cheaper and neither are the points.

With the banking window changing, I see alot more renting of reservations because last minute cancellations outside of 31 days will not be able to bank those points.

It's raining shoes!

Absolutely! This is a SERIOUS downgrade to our membership. DVC will hear from me if this is true.

 

[diznyfanatic]

I would think if they waived that for Disneyland hotels, then they would also wave it for WDW hotels. I can see them doing it for anything else but to use them at other Disney resorts and still having to pay a fee is nuts.

I agree with this. I would also not be a happy camper to have to pay a $95 fee to book a WDW hotel if we ever needed to. In fact, we almost did it last week when we wanted to add a Saturday night to our upcoming F&W trip as there were absolutely no DVC studios available anywhere.

In the end, I couldn't justify the points as we were finally able to get an AP rate of $79 through CRO for the one Saturday night at a Value resort.

 

[global_mom]

Where do I get a copy of the Fall magazine issue? Has it not gone out yet?

Ya'll are scaring me about all of the changes, I just figured out how to work things the way they are! Also, was calling our guide today to order our add-on (been debating it since June) but now am a little hesitant. Yikes

 

[Enna]

The copy of the magazine came in my DVC new member box (the one with the tote). I had no idea that other members didn't have it yet until I started reading here.

I can pull it out later today and type exact quotes for working, or possibly scan the page if I can figure out a place to host the image.

 

[JimMIA]

OH! That reminds me! The new banking window "Bank or use by four before" is also published in the magazine.

This is the one I don't like.

We probably won't ever use points anywhere but DVC, but we do use a strategy of banking and borrowing to avoid losing points. Moving the banking deadline back two months means we won't be able to book anything in the last four months unless our plans are really set in concrete.

This is a serious downgrade, not an improvement.

 

[Enna]

I agree with this. I would also not be a happy camper to have to pay a $95 fee to book a WDW hotel if we ever needed to. In fact, we almost did it last week when we wanted to add a Saturday night to our upcoming F&W trip as there were absolutely no DVC studios available anywhere.

In the end, I couldn't justify the points as we were finally able to get an AP rate of $79 through CRO for the one Saturday night at a Value resort.

That's exactly my issue--I can't see paying more for a transfer fee than what it would cost for a night at an onsite hotel without using points. To go for no charge to a flat $95 charge seems very extreme.

The ability to use points at any Disney property without a surcharge was one of the aspects of DVC that sold us. As I said in an earlier post, we wanted to be able to do pre-cruise or post-cruise stays using points. That $95/night makes the hotels by the port seem like a much better option, and makes me second-guess our decision to buy DVC.

 

[Teyedoubleguhrrrr]

This fee is awful - especially when you are talking reservations made to WDW resorts - but just not DVC.

However, I just checked our 07-08 vacation planner, and it stated that non-DVC resort reservations required a $75 fee. Had that been waived in the past? Just curious.

 

[jekjones1558]

Some angel above was looking out for us when we bought into BWV many moons ago. We had no idea that OKW even existed, had no idea resales existed, were clueless on timeshares in general, and never gave use year a second thought. With the new banking window changes I am SO happy that our use year is Oct., since we would be very unlikely to ever do DVC June - Sep. (too hot). Pure luck.
With the change in banking, maybe the rules on the rent/trade board that allow a reservation to be posted for rent no more than 31 days ahead could be relaxed, to allow DISers who have a change in plans within 4 months more options.

 

[Enna]

We were told that we could use the points at any of the Disney Collection hotels with no added charges or transfer fees. We specifically asked becuase we were going to do a pre-cruise stay in DL and a night or two post-cruise at WDW next year.

We were told that with the exception of DCL, we could stay at anything "Disney" using just points.

 

[Orelover]

This fee is awful - especially when you are talking reservations made to WDW resorts - but just not DVC.

However, I just checked our 07-08 vacation planner, and it stated that non-DVC resort reservations required a $75 fee. Had that been waived in the past? Just curious.

We recently added on to our Nov stay at CB using points for 5 nights and were not charged any type of fee nor was it stated to me that there was a fee or that it would be waived. We have stayed on property seve ral times over the years at moderate resorts using points and the only thing ever made clear was the change from DVC points to Reservation points and the issue of changing a reservation once points have been changed over -- Never a fee charged or requested

 

[global_mom]

This fee is awful - especially when you are talking reservations made to WDW resorts - but just not DVC.

However, I just checked our 07-08 vacation planner, and it stated that non-DVC resort reservations required a $75 fee. Had that been waived in the past? Just curious.

I thought that the $75 fee applied to DCL, concierge collection and II. Assumed that DL and WDW point reservations did not require the $75 fee. Did I misunderstand?

 

[JimMIA]

With the new banking window changes I am SO happy that our use year is Oct., since we would be very unlikely to ever do DVC June - Sep. (too hot). Pure luck.

And we are SO unhappy to have an October UY!

Our account is used by three families -- mine and my two adult daughters, both of whom have school age kids, and one of whom is a schoolteacher. They can pretty much only go during the holidays and during the summer, and I'm not sure our DVC account is going to work for them at all. I'm going to wait and see, but we may have to reconsider some fundamental things about DVC.

I'll tell you one thing, this change will certainly make UY very important. It will no longer be something you just work around.

The fall UYs are just going to be a minefield for anyone with school-aged kids. You make a ressie for the summer and a kid gets sick and you're done -- bye, bye points, cause you can't bank them any more. If I were faced with that, I would not buy DVC.

I think the banking change is worse than DVC realizes, and I hope they'll take another look at it.