There *is* a new system..

[travelgoddess]

I am a TA, they want to make sure you are not double booking with them. They would rather not deal with the public directly, they ould rather you go through agents because they can work alot quicker and more proficient through an agent.

 

[duck_adoo]

I'm sure that DU was getting me the best rate...but rather than have DU check on availability & costs at other resorts I was trying to do some of the legwork myself. That's the only reason. Plus, it seems to me that rooms can be open one minute, than not the next, so 2 people trying seems to increase the odds. Just trying to make it a little easier. Oh well...it'll all work out.

 

[the Legend]

In repsonse to several notes from this thread ...

Firstly Name and Zip ... I can see why they ask. They wanna check your history and sell you equal or better based on what youve had in the past. Pure Upsell. Also they can check what you have booked already and see if you can get an upgrade. Plus your zip allows them to suggest extras like rental cars, flights etc. Marketeers are not worries about how much money YOU save by applying a better rate. Ive never heard of a Downsell at Disney.

This morning when DH called to check on the AP rates (we already had code rates for 1 night at ASMu and 3 nights at YC). When the CM finally found our ASMu reservation, she questioned why we even wanted her to check the AP rate, since we were only paying $55+tax. I don't believe they should decide whether or not we should try for a cheaper rate. $5 is $5 to me....

On saving an additional $5/night and cases like it! Whats with this CMs attitude? $5 over a 2 week stay is $70 USD or a meal or more souvenirs for the kids etc. You get my drift. Also for a foreigner like myself $70 USD=$180 New Zealand Dollars before exchange or in other words almost a days pay for me, so I dont take those savings lightly. How rude to suggest $5 is nothing ... I hope you got your rate.

Last but by no means least, remember there is more than 1 way to get rooms at WDW. Its seems the rooms are pre-alloted to groups inside WDW (Eg WDTC might have 10 std rooms at WL, CRO might have 10, the Lodge may have some on hold etc). Because they had none at the AP rate at CRO. You may want to try WDTC or DC or even the resort itself. You'll be surprise at the different results youll get depending on who you call.

 

[d-r]

Disney is working on a guest relations program where they can personalize offers to their guests. The way they will be able to do this is by building a database of your transactions with the company. They are asking you to identify yourself so that they can be sure that they are keeping a single file for you - that your information is getting put in the right place. The added bonus is that you don't have to go through your entire contact information each time you make a reservation - they can pull you up and confirm that is you. I think that is good customer service.

There has been information on the program posted on the rumors and news boards, it has been in the press, it has been discussed in the stock holders meeting. The goal is to be able to offer personalized service to you, the guest. They have tons of information about all of us already - this is just putting the information into a central place where it can be used to provide you better service. Rather than not offering you discounts because you are a frequent guest, offers could be targeted towards you based upon your preferences - this is a rewards program to benefit frequent guests.

This is not trying to track your reservations or keep you from having more than one. You can have many reservations - we often travel with friends and extended family and have many reservations in a single name. This also is not to check to see if you already have a discount and so not offer you a better one - you can move a discounted reservation to another discount if one is available with no problem.

DR

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Just MHO...

1. (As I am a former TA) Once there is a TA on a ressie, WDW (and most other partners in the travel industry) will deal only with the TA. Kind of an unspoken custom...when you use a TA, you have hired them to become your travel representative. Since their commission (time & hard work) are at stake, changes are made thru them. If you are a hands-on kind of traveler, do the booking on your own.

2. There seems to be some kind of dis-connect between Disney's philosophy of customer service, and the CM's we often encounter at CRO. After 30 (yikes!!!!) years of booking WDW, it is amazingly easy to spot the experienced, well-trained, old-time Disney CM's after 30 seconds on the phone. Disney CRO needs to better train their people before they take even one phone call. If guests don't encounter that Disney MAGIC in the first few minutes of contacting them, Disney misses a great opportunity to build its customer base. If we want lousy service, we can go anywhere. We go to Disney for the MAGIC!

 

[milmore104]

I just called this morning to make my ressies and I said I'd like some help on price quotes for codes please. The girl said no problem I gave her my dates, codes, and hotel choices. She never asked me for any info until I said which one I would like to book. We checked every code from AP's, Reg. codes, DC codes, and regular rack rates. We both had out our calculaters to figurge out the diff. I decided on the AP rates and then she asked me for my name and zip code. She was great we spent nearly 45 min. checking things out.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Congrats, Milmores!

Now THAT'S what I'M talkin' 'bout!!!

 

[milmore104]

Thanks Mai Ku Tiki,
I am quite tickled about it myself. I new my fellow Diser's would love it.

 

[ukcatfan]

I can understand not wanting to give your name, but the zip could potentially help you. They often offer discounts only to people from certain states. You might not know about a discount for your state that they might offer you by knowing your zip. As for the name, you can always make something up and if you find what you want, hang up and call back with your real info. Chances are the rate is not going to disappear in the five minutes that would take.

 

[las3888]

I agree with those on this thread who don't want to have to go through the hassle of being asked to verify your information everytime you call (they verify zip, last name, first name, address, and e-mail address usually when I call). BTW, I have corrected my e-mail address with them EVERY time I call, and the next time I call, it is never corrected.

Anyways, I am one of those kinds of people who if I don't like the answer I get from the first CM, I hang up and try again. I am not sure if their records indicate when I last called, what I wanted to check on or anything like that, but I get a little nervous asking the same question to a 3rd cast member, because if they do see that I just called 2 previous times, they will know I am calling to see if they will tell me something the previous 2 CM's wouldn't. Then I imagine they will become suspicious of me.

I am all for marketing information and trying to send offers to the appropriate people, but I have yet to see anything. I don't mind giving any of this information when I am ready to put something on hold. I don' t know why asking for the information up front would help them in many ways...I usually ask for rates in a huge variety of hotels and different price ranges. Quite frankly, their money would have been better spent offering a toll free ressie number. This way, they can ask all the questions they want of me at least on THEIR dime.

 

[StrwLady]

I called CRO yesterday to verify a few things on my reservation and since I had a nice and helpful CM on the phone I decided to ask him some questions. I asked what was the policy on how many reservations you could hold for a certain date. He said it was one per household. We talked about people calling then calling back after to either get a second reservation or ask the same question. As I told him a lot of that would stop if all the CM's were well trained and knew their job. I then went on to tell him about me calling regarding my Boardwalk reservation at the cko rate and wanting to change it to the ckn rate. The first call I was told the 2 rates were the same. Which I knew was incorrect. So I hung up and called back and got the new discount added. He also told me that there should never be a problem changing the rate code on a existing reservation (already discounted or not) as long as there is availability for the new code and the reservation remains the same dates and hotel. He said that is a very easy change. He did say when changing from one hotel to another that entails a little more work but it still can be done as long as the new code is available at that hotel.

I agree with Mai Ku Tiki in that all CRO CM's should be well trained before taking a call. While I have encountered more friendly and trained CM's there are still those who really don't seem to know what they are doing. I do understand the occasional mistake by someone just starting. Heck we have all been in that position before. But I think Disney is only making more work for themselves by having some CM's making reservations and fully knowing their jobs. As long as its like this we will continue to hang up and call back to make sure we get the right information.