Treatment of DVC members

[diznygirl]

I don't see the OP as having complained about not getting a request - she complained because she wasn't aware she was getting a HA room, and so she had to go back to the front desk, request a new room and be told that she would be charged $75 for looking into the room and seeing it would not be acceptable for her family.

I think the VERY simple answer is to have the front desk be honest about the room they are assigning to you. "I have a HA room facing the pool, would that be acceptable?" If it were just me and my husband we would say, "great, we'll take it." If it's me and my husband and our two small kids, I could say "no, I'm sorry - we will need a bath tub for bathing the kids."

I think the key here is to be upfront about the room - no one wants to get all their luggage, walk to a room, and THEN find out it's not right for them. THAT'S what makes them so grumpy!

 

[snowbunny]

...that is the JOB of hotel management: to use words of compassion and accountabilty for the problem...hiring CMs that are 'blamers' rather than 'solvers' is problematic.

Absolutely true, but I have to assume that the CMs labor under the same soul-destroying, crushing burden of increased work, increased hours, and reduced staffing levels experienced by many of us who have worked for the Michael Eisners of the world that must squeeze every last drop of blood from a stone. (Yes, I guess I worked for a large corporation for too many years..)

I'm not trying to excuse the CMs, it goes to the overall quality of staff (solvers rather than blamers).This is a problem with customer service all over the United States, not that wonderful exceptions cannot be found (indeed even elsewhere at WDW), and I do sympathathize with Epcotkids.

 

[debbie in Seattle]

I looked at my reservation confirmation letter recently and noticed that I didn't request non-handicap (I have 2 toddlers and we will likely have another toddler traveling with us). When I called MS to put that request in, they said that they do not take that as a request. They said that handicap rooms are only given out when there are no other rooms available


I just made my very first DVC ressie and the first request I made was NO HC room! Not an issue-the CM sort of snickered and said she's been getting alot of those requests lately

 

[debbie in Seattle]

This whole thread is starting to terrify me. I have been so excited about becoming DVC member, and so looking forward to my first trip 'home'' that this just depresses me.


You know, I'm a newbie too and had been reading some negatives about DVC, mainly not getting the resort or dates you want, the HC room issue.
I too was becoming very, very concerned about becoming a DVC member.
Well, 2 days ago I made my first ressie and can say the CM couldn't of been more helper nor nicer. You bet your bippie my first request was a NO HC ROOM! Hopefully, the rest of my experiences will be the same.

 

[athenna]

This whole thread is starting to terrify me. I have been so excited about becoming DVC member, and so looking forward to my first trip 'home'' that this just depresses me.


You know, I'm a newbie too and had been reading some negatives about DVC, mainly not getting the resort or dates you want, the HC room issue.
I too was becoming very, very concerned about becoming a DVC member.
Well, 2 days ago I made my first ressie and can say the CM couldn't of been more helper nor nicer. You bet your bippie my first request was a NO HC ROOM! Hopefully, the rest of my experiences will be the same.

I know exaclty how you feel!

 

[debbie in Seattle]

I have a funny story about the HC rooms. Last summer my husband and I went on a quick weekend trip and ended up with a handicapped room. Thought I'd be nice and not complain (for once). Counters were a little lower, beds a little lower but ok. The bathroom, no tub (not a biggie for us) but the shower stall was huge, to fit a wheelchair. Which I thought was kinda cool. The shower was a hand held shower and the holder was about waist high to me. I couldn't figure out how to get it unhooked from the wall holder and didn't want to complain to my husband so I spent 2 days on my knees taking a shower. I thought that was part of the HC room design.
Try that one! Try rinsing your hair like that! Our last day, my husband took his shower before me so when I went to go in, noticed all he did was flip the safety lock and put it up at a normal height. I was too embarrased to tell him what I'd been doin' for 2 days.

 

[ColoradoBelle1]

THank you Crisi , for taking the time to explain so false assumptions on my part...I think I understand a bit better...what confused me was reading that Disney 'kept' some of the timeshare units to rent out to cash customers. I took that to mean that they profited from this income the same as when renting one of their hotel rooms. (Not sure where I read that btw..I am a victim of halfheimers)

Snowbunny: I agree with you 100%. I don't think that Disney CMs are paid at the top of the scale for their job classification. I remember once, long before Disney 'unionizing' was successful: I was riding on one of the cars down mainstreet, talking to an oldtimer CM car driver who knew so much about WDW and was willing to cheerfully share it. He told me that he'd worked there since it opened but there was a good chance that he would be 'let go' soon. Why I asked? Well, it seems that if Eisner let him go just before retirement age, they didn't have to pay him any retirement. It made me sick.
I was a Disney shareholder and went home and wrote a letter. Of course, no response. But at least I wrote a letter. It's a shame that corporate ownership doesn't believe that you can make a buck while still treating ALL people: guests, employees and competition honestly and fairly.
I tend to make excuses for people's bad behaviors and learned from a therapist that this is wrong...it is enabling. So lately, I have been trying to call people on accountabilty. I think it can be done without being rude or obnoxious and I hope I never cross that boundary. I've already printed up my
"cast appreciation' cards ('Thank you for sprinkling pixie dust on our day...You've made it magical' and plan on sprinkling them about liberally next time I go to WDW!

Debbie in Seattle: The picture in my mind is just too funny!!!!

Epcotkids: thanks for the tip on getting room requests more easily met. I think I will choose to book a late Orlando arrival in a cheapie motel and then arrive at the front desk early, but 'wait' to get the room with preferences I want. Was it you who wrote that you checked the literature provided to DVC members and that it clearly showed a TUB in every layout. Thank you for that information, because I think it would be valuable to point out to any supervisor that you bought DVC with the understanding that your room CAME with a bed, a chair or two, a lamp and a TUB!!!!!! ANd show the room layouts to prove it....I love it when people come up with logical arguments.

Greysword, fellow Coloradoan!!!, I think I could manage ok with an inflatable tub as long as it came with a rubbie Donald Ducky!! I have had to make due with worse...as in sitting in a shower stall with a facecloth over the drain to have my 'bath' BUT the HC rooms have no lip on the shower stall (to allow wheelchair entry) so without a plastic pool, I canna adapt!!

OK...I have another question. If you have a reservation using points and you don't show up the first day of your ressie, what happens? Do you lose points for that first night or do they cancel your whole ressie, what?

Dr. T, I agree that with the profileration of internet forums that people are now voicing their complaints and praises more. I also believe that when OKW was the only DVC that there were much fewer 'problems' with meeting room requests and such. I stil believe that with a little Imagination, Disney can solve many of the problems associated with reserving rooms.

CapeCod: As there being no difference between members being upset that 'requests' weren't honored and when and if guarantees aren't honored...the reason Disney notes but doesn't guarantee 'requests' is to protect them from having to HONOR guarantees or face legal liability. I think that vies, proximity to elevators, floors desired etc should always be 'request' but things that are medically prolblematic (smoking, first floor if no elevator, etc) should be guarantees. Just my opinion.

well...I learned a lot from reading this post. I'll remember to take my doctor's 'excuse' and my inflatable pool and to check in EARLY Knowledge is POWER!!!
Colorado Belle...still waiting on ROFR.

 

[eileenfk]

I don't think this is an issue exclusive to DVC as this thread makes it sound. You could get a handicapped room or a smoking room at any resort, at WDW or elsewhere.

NOT True (at least the "elsewhere" part is not true).
The only Major hotel chain that I have ever had a problem knowing if the room was smoking or non-smoking or handicap vs non-handicap is Disney.

I have choosen to stay off Disney owned property for this reason multiple times.

Disney can do like most other major hotel chains, and just make these things part of the room description, just like the view or the size of the room.

The only reason, that I can think of, that Disney does not do this is that they make more money not doing this.
They would rather be at max capacity with a few unhappy customers then to have those unhappy customers staying elsewhere.

If I call to make a reservation, and all that is left is handicapped rooms, and I then choose to accept that room, I am going to be less dissapointed then if I get it by the luck of the draw.
If I call to make a reservation and there are only smoking rooms left, I will not make the reservation at all , but will go another time or stay elsewhere.
However, I will not be an unhappy customer.

I have no idea why I finally bought into DVC. I bought a few years later then I otherwise would have. They did tell me that they would guarantee non-smoking for medical reasons. But I should have stuck to my orignal decisions, and continued to just stay on non Disney owned property until they came up to the same reservation standards as the other major hotel chains.

Do the Swan and Dolphin assign smoking/non smoking and handicap/non handicap to the room type reserved?

- Eileen

 

[Beca]

Anyway, from what I understand, whatever room is available when you get there, you can have. That means if you get there at 8:00 am and a room is available you can have it. If you get there and the room that is available is not what you want, you can put in your request, and as soon as one that meets your request comes available , you get it. She said it all depends on the time people vacate their rooms, and if "available" is more important than "preferences" to you. (not a quote; a paraphase)

Well, that's just VERY interesting!! I don't think it works that way in actuality. When we were at BWV in Dec., we checked in early (around 12:00), were told that room was "preassigned" and was not ready yet. I asked whether we could switch to any room that might be ready, and she said...."You room is pre-assigned. You cannot just get the next room that is ready." Isn't that NOT the "room ready" policy? We did not get into our room until 5:00 PM.

So, what was the benefit of checking in early? We got our "preassigned" room and had to wait 5 hrs to get in.

I just don't "get" these policies. When you get there early, you here "preassigned" and when you arrive at 11PM, you get a HA smoking room because you got there last. It sounds to me like DVC is really just doing whatever they want, and blaming your not getting what you requested on which ever policy will work as an excuse. (Not that I had a SINGLE problem with my room....it was BEAUTIFUL). But, I was NOT a recipient of the room-ready policy.

It seems sometimes they have it, and sometimes they don't.



Beca

 

[jnrrt]

When we checked into BWV last year, we were early (around 11 I think) because we'd spent the weekend at Pop Century to be with my family. We were renting points, but the CM's could not have been nicer, and they offered me my choice of three different rooms. The CM even walked me to two of them so I could decide, which I though was wonderful! And they asked my kids names and left us a signed picture of Mickey and balloons for the girls. Made their day!

Last year we stayed at the campground in a cabin and that was an awful experience on checking in. I had requested to be close to the bus stop (you really don't want to walk at the end of the day with two little kids), non smoking, and close to the center of the campground, in that order. Instead it took almost an hour to check us in, not including the time I spent in line (I really have no idea what he was doing - he was training someone so that took more time, but he seemed to have no idea what he was doing - I thought he should be trained, not training) and when we finally got to the room, it was smoking on the furthest loop out, the farthest cabin from the bus stop - and that's a LONG way! No way, so we called and the CM we got that time found us another cabin in about 2 minutes - still really far out, but near a bus stop and non-smoking and we don't expect the world - just to try. I have to say that we were very nice at check-in, and just kept telling him not to worry about it when he'd say he knew it was taking a long time, so I don't think that was it. But it certainly seemed like they were almost trying to not meet any of our requests!

So there's an example of excellent service on points, and terrible service on cash, so who knows. I think it depends a lot on the CM you get.

 

[jekjones1558]

It is hard not to compare the DVC response to giving out HA rooms to the response we got a couple of years ago at PORS. We arrived late, about 10 p.m. and the only room they had left was HA. They informed us at check-in and apologized. They told us that we would be moved the next day. They even gave us several hundred dollars off our bill as compensation for our trouble, AND THIS WITHOUT US EVEN ASKING OR COMPLAINING! I understand the differences between hotel rooms and timeshares regarding the finances of occupancy rates, but the whole attitude also seems different. Too bad.

 

[Tine731]

Ditto.....My dear father would always say...."It's not what you say, but the way you say it."

 

[StephenKay]

My BIG issue is the attitude. You can deal with the worst of rooms and/or circumstances if the person you are dealing with has a pleasant understanding, but my hands are tied, attitude. My complaint is all about their communication. I am sure it is a tough job, but who can get upset with a smiling, understanding, face?

It just seems that Dis. does everything they can to get non-DVC members to come back, but we don't even get an "I'm sorry for whatever" response.

Hi there,

I am a firm believer that we should forward this thread to Head of DVD, as this continues to be a problem. Our experience was the same having travelled from Scotland we always arrive late at the resort, so we generally do not get the best of rooms. To avoid this we have now changed the way we travel and stay at another resort on the first night although I did'nt buy into DVC to do this.

Can somebody bring this up at the regular meetings, CM's attitude!!!!! Very UN Disney.

 

[CarolA]

The think I thing I would be most angry about was the indication that you were getting a "great room" while in fact you were getting an inferior room.

Inferior is in the eye of the beholder..... And by saying this it appears that you behold those who need those rooms as "inferior".

My theory is that the DVC CMs are flat out fed up with us whining about the
rooms, views etc.... I also read the Resorts board and there is a LOT less whining about the room assignments there. And I have seen DVC members making a royal "you know what" of themselves over room assignments. The operative word is REQUEST. A request is just that not a right. If your requests are not met you have two choices, get over it or pay the change fee. If you can't live with the Request options may I suggest you click on the board sponsor. They will be glad to assist you in selling your membership thereby assuring you of no future inferior rooms.

DVC members seem to feel "entitlted", but I am not sure why? When you got your contract did you read it? You are getting what you paid for an accomdation at Disney... You'r contract did not gurantee you all the things I see complaints about on here (view, HA etc..)
With the attitudes I read on these boards at times I am embarrassed to admit I own at DVC.

I don't know how much some of you travel, but it doesn't seem like a lot since you are CONVINCED that no other hotel company would give you a HA room. I have had them at LOTS of hotels and never had any notice on the reservation. Of course I don't consider myself "above" this type of room.

For those of you that are new... I love my DVC.. Yes I have stayed in the HA room and NO it was not inferior. I have had practically no bad interactions with CMs. (I don't however go in with an attidude and considering the posts I am not sure I can say that about some of my fellow members. At least one of whom will probably now send me a PM calling me names which pretty much confirms my theory!)

 

[Sherri]

Quite honestly if I new that people felt like they were treated badly by Cm, or we had to beg to get a non handicap room then I would have saved the money and not joined. I would have been perfectly content staying in a moderate Disney resort every year and booking it through my travel agent and getting the dining plan. Seems like many are implying that we members are looked down upon. Perhaps it is because we already bought and the deal is done and no effort needs to be put into convincing us to come back again, since we are owners we are in for the long haul. Like I said, I only wish I had discovered this board prior to joining. We leave next Sunday for our first trip as members, I can't say i'm looking forward to it as much as I was when we first bought after reading everything. Not just this thread but on many.

 

[mark&sue]

It just seems ridiculous to me to travel half way round the world and arrange to spend a night somewhere else other than Disney for the first night.

I agree with Stephen Kay who probably has to travel to England before his marathon flight to Orlando, to then have to arrange to spend the night somewhere else in order to get a room which was shown on the layouts and the tour when purchasing, seems unreal.

We stay at a hotel the night before we travel and I really don't want to have yet another hotel to go to just because I want a bath tub. In the UK a bath tub is standard in decent hotels, villas and appartments and certainly not something that would need a special request. If only a shower was installed you would be advised when booking.

I was thinking of buying more points but this has definately put me off. I will need all my cash to stay at all the extra hotels along the way!!!

I am now thinking of staying a few days at Universal before moving to DVC accommodation. This will mean I can check in early and Disney will lose out on our spending money for a few days and definately no add-ons.

I really don't think I am being petty. It costs us around £1,600 for the three of us just to fly over to Orlando and after our long journey I would like a bath. I really do not think it is too much to ask.

One other question. When booking hotels in Disneyland or Disneyland Paris should we request non-HA. I have already used 165 points for the Disneyland New York hotel for three nights and did not request non-HA? I am hoping to book 7 days at Grand Californian and wanted to know if I should request non-HA or is this just a DVC problem?

Many thanks.



Susan

Susan

 

[Sherri]

I totally agree with Susan. We have traveled from the US to Ireland, Spain and England. All from our other timeshare that we traded. Not once was I disappointed. Not once was there not a tub. To travel so far and not have your basics would be ridiculous. This brings me to the point of our other timeshare which is located in Orlando, when we stay there (even switching or deeded week and unit), we always have tubs and quality beds. We don't have to beg for it upon arrival.
I honestly hope that things aren't as bad as i'm reading, though so many of you agree that they are. Like Susan we were thinking of picking up some more points, but I have to say I will now save my money.

 

[crisi]

I'd imagine the reason they didn't put in the HC tub was cost....not only is the initial cost greater, but they have a higher overall cost of ownership. My understanding of them (and I, myself, am not handicapped so don't have a lot of personal experience here, but I used to have a coworker I was close to in a wheelchair) is that they are prone to maintenance issues.

(The Universal idea is great - we are planning on doing the same in a few years and are generally to the resort by noon.)

As to attitude, its easy to have a great attitude when you can make offers that will fix the problem. Since the CMs don't have options about comping rooms, have to get management approval to waive the cleaning fee, and the resort is at occupancy so they can't move you - its much harder to have a good attitude.

 

[jarestel]

Inferior is in the eye of the beholder..... And by saying this it appears that you behold those who need those rooms as "inferior".

Here comes the "if you don't like HA rooms, then you don't like HA people" rubbish again...

My theory is that the DVC CMs are flat out fed up with us whining about the rooms, views etc....

What a shame for the CMs. Maybe someone in DVC management should remind them who the owners are and who the employees are...

If you can't live with the Request options may I suggest you click on the board sponsor. They will be glad to assist you in selling your membership thereby assuring you of no future inferior rooms.

I wondered how long it would take for this "if you don't like it, sell" stuff to appear. Actually, it took quite a while, but here it is. How about the concept of trying to make things work better for all concerned, or is that too radical of a idea. We don't have to be vacantly grinning stepford members who are just grateful for the opportunity to spend our money at Disney in order to prove we like Disney as much as everyone else. If we didn't like it so much, we probably wouldn't be so concerned with trying to improve the experience.

 

[CarolA]

The problem is that most people want to make it better by ensuring that they always get what they want. I just don't think that is possible. You can't all go to the same room! LOL!