Strange Question Regarding Resort Reservation

[PolyRob]

Yes. Call them. We were trying to do the same thing but for a different amount of time. Something like we needed 4 nights, July 2-6, and could only get it for 5 nights, July 2-7. We called Disney and the CM said she had to ask the resort to approve and do it for us. They did with no problem.

Exactly what I was going to post. I had a CM flat out tell me no to removing a night at my AP rate for December 2016. I did not like that answer. I called right back, spoke with a completely different CM who said she had to contact the specific resort's guest services and I would see any changes in MDE within 24-48 hours. Within one hour, my extra night was dropped.

 

[writerguyfl]

I have the room booked right now for the three night stay. If my wife and I both get the time off approved, I'll switch to this method if it's avaliable as it would save us around $100. It's crazy to me that the room is avaliable for all three nights, but the system won't let me book two. It will let me book one and one, or all three, but not two.

With regard to being able to book two separate one-night bookings but not a two-night reservation, my educated guess is that it's related to the possibility of cancelation. Some types of reservations are more likely to be canceled than others. If the system sees that, it may opt to restrict the more speculative ones in favor of the surer thing.

A hypothetical example: One-night bookings have a 5% likelihood of being canceled at the last minute. Two-night bookings have a 50% chance of being canceled at the last minute. Provided they are the exact same rate, smart money would be to only allow one-night reservations.

Certainly, one can argue about the ethics of this type of thing. But, hotels have done this for decades. Additionally, revenue management (also known as yield management) happens in all sorts of industries. Most of the time, you don't even realize it's happening. Industries includes airlines, car rentals, retail, financial services, cell phones/communications, health care, and business-to-business logistics.

This only works if there is availability, and if the system has blocked that length of stay from being available, the strategy does not work. As to revenue and vacant rooms, I imagine there are numbers crunchers locked in a closet somewhere who can project what revenue willbe generated under this specific circumstance. In the event room census falls short fo teh projections, you can bet there will be openings appear.

For what it's worth, when I interviewed for the Revenue Management position at Disney World, I visited their offices. No closets with locks, that I remember. The office was actually much nicer than windowless building in which I'd been working. Huge windows with a beautiful view of a pond.

(Yes, I know you weren't being serious about the locked closet. But, I think the relative niceness of the office highlights the importance the company places on the department.)

 

[Nancyg56]

With regard to being able to book two separate one-night bookings but not a two-night reservation, my educated guess is that it's related to the possibility of cancelation. Some types of reservations are more likely to be canceled than others. If the system sees that, it may opt to restrict the more speculative ones in favor of the surer thing.

A hypothetical example: One-night bookings have a 5% likelihood of being canceled at the last minute. Two-night bookings have a 50% chance of being canceled at the last minute. Provided they are the exact same rate, smart money would be to only allow one-night reservations.

Certainly, one can argue about the ethics of this type of thing. But, hotels have done this for decades. Additionally, revenue management (also known as yield management) happens in all sorts of industries. Most of the time, you don't even realize it's happening. Industries includes airlines, car rentals, retail, financial services, cell phones/communications, health care, and business-to-business logistics.



For what it's worth, when I interviewed for the Revenue Management position at Disney World, I visited their offices. No closets with locks, that I remember. The office was actually much nicer than windowless building in which I'd been working. Huge windows with a beautiful view of a pond.

(Yes, I know you weren't being serious about the locked closet. But, I think the relative niceness of the office highlights the importance the company places on the department.)

LOL! You are right, I was being silly! I have nothing but respect for those folks and am glad that the company holds them in high esteem. I am an accountant, but there is no way I am qualified to do the work those folks do, and if presented with the opportunity I would faint.

I do hope you took a job with windows! My office is a converted house so I am lucky to have picture windows. I am way more productive in this setting than in my previous position where I had to crane my neck to get a glimpse of outdoors.

 

[laurabelle]

For AP Summer discounts I saw a standard room at a resort the first time I checked, but by-passed it for a different resort. Now the only way I can find a standard room available there is to book each night of a 7 night stay separately. Any work around for this?

 

[dansdad]

For AP Summer discounts I saw a standard room at a resort the first time I checked, but by-passed it for a different resort. Now the only way I can find a standard room available there is to book each night of a 7 night stay separately. Any work around for this?

Try calling. If the ftont line CM can't fix it, Guest Services will be able to.

 

[laurabelle]

I'll give it a shot once reservations are back up.

 

[laurabelle]

Naturally, now that reservations are back up, the standard rooms are gone.

 

[writerguyfl]

LOL! You are right, I was being silly! I have nothing but respect for those folks and am glad that the company holds them in high esteem. I am an accountant, but there is no way I am qualified to do the work those folks do, and if presented with the opportunity I would faint.

I do hope you took a job with windows! My office is a converted house so I am lucky to have picture windows. I am way more productive in this setting than in my previous position where I had to crane my neck to get a glimpse of outdoors.

I knew you were joking about the closet.

My overall job history did move towards windows. One of my jobs after college had me in an office that not only did not have windows, it was underground in the basement! The next job moved up above ground, but I had to share a tiny office with no windows. Disney had me mostly in the windowless Reservations Center. Although, I did work in Entertainment based in Magic Kingdom for a season. No office there, but I was outside 80% of my day.

Now, I work for myself. I can literally do my job from anywhere with a mediocre or better internet connection. Since I'm in Fort Lauderdale, I'll sometimes go up to Disney if I can find a great deal on a hotel. I still work when I'm up there, but it's nice being able to hop over to Epcot for dinner and Illuminations.