Updated Resort Availability Tool

[disneynutz]

The tool that was created by a member on his own website did just fine. Disney came up with their tool after they shut him down, this latest version isn't user friendly and I still am having trouble using the Disney and DVC websites no matter which browser or computer I use.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Though I can work with the new tool, I look at it and ask, what IT people believed some of this was what everyone wanted. Too often you get websites put together by those who are experts at creating pretty sites but lack any common sense or the ability to think from the viewpoint of the user when designing these. Take the points slider. Who has ever done a search for available rooms based on the range of points needed? How could the creators of the site actually believe that a difficult to use points slider was better than providing what everyone obviously would want, an ability to easily search for available studios or another size room at the WDW resorts. Likewise, another feature users would obviously want is the ability to easily check for particular rooms or rooms in general in just two or three resorts at one time. From a user's point of view, those are obvious features the search tool should have but the ones creating the tool either had no idea that is what users would want or purposefully decided to make searches difficult rather than easy.

It appears like they were told to make it look like the CRO tool so they just pigeon holed DVC into that exact model. CRO books with cash? And DVC with points? Then let's replace the cash slider with points! It also caught my eye as an indicator of not designing for DVC use.

 

[apple9117]

I'm finally getting used to this new tool...

 

[TexasErin]

I can't get the %#%%%# thing to work at all today. I've tried using Internet Explorer on my PC and using Safari on my iPhone. Disney IT at it's finest!

 

[Outonarun]

Same here, though it did work intermittently, coincidentally while I was in a chat session with Member Services. The Member Services rep confirmed that the system was having problems today, and that trouble had been reported earlier.

 

[TexasErin]

Frustrating when your window is coming up and you're trying to keep an eye on availability!

 

[disneyberry]

I keep intermittently getting one of two errors: "This resort is unavailable for the dates, party size or point range selected." with a Change Search button.
or
(not exact wording, I forget what it was) "Unable to display availability for this resort." with a Try Again button.
and the picture of Woody kept being a broken link.

Seems like they were maybe trying to fix the CRAP.
Amateur hour.

 

[ziravan]

DVC asked me to take the survey of the website change today. That was fun.

Cut the CRAP (Check Resort Avail Page). Bring Back the RAT (Resort Avail Tool)!!

 

[Sammie]

I am at Disney World and have used the site and MDE several times on my phone and tablet. No issues at all. Not slow and no errors. Android phone and using google chrome on tablet.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I am at Disney World and have used the site and MDE several times on my phone and tablet. No issues at all. Not slow and no errors. Android phone and using google chrome on tablet.

You must have special access Sammie. It's been pretty awful for me today. I had an issue or two with MDE also.

 

[Sammie]

You must have special access Sammie. It's been pretty awful for me today. I had an issue or two with MDE also.

I don't think so. I do think "slow" is personal opinion. I was on dial up for so many years that everything seems fast to me. I do think it works better with Chrome than my IE.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I don't think so. I do think "slow" is personal opinion. I was on dial up for so many years that everything seems fast to me. I do think it works better with Chrome than my IE.

I was really just kidding on the special access of course. And I wasn't stating anything about it being slow as was your interpretation - rather there were quite a few other issues although it often is terribly slow at loading and switching links and I will try Chrome, IE and Firefox with little difference. One improvement was that 3 days ago I was able to set up a waitlist. I had not been able to do that for 2-3 weeks - it would drop out of the process after selecting what contracts to use. In the past when I encounter this problem on my computer it usually could still be done on my ipad but not this time.

I had sent a message to MS about some problems. They called and acknowledge there have been quite a lot of issues and complaints and are working with IT.

 

[twinklebug]

I was really just kidding on the special access of course. And I wasn't stating anything about it being slow as was your interpretation - rather there were quite a few other issues although it often is terribly slow at loading and switching links and I will try Chrome, IE and Firefox with little difference. One improvement was that 3 days ago I was able to set up a waitlist. I had not been able to do that for 2-3 weeks - it would drop out of the process after selecting what contracts to use. In the past when I encounter this problem on my computer it usually could still be done on my ipad but not this time.

I had sent a message to MS about some problems. They called and acknowledge there have been quite a lot of issues and complaints and are working with IT.

They've been doing something, that's for sure. In general I have found the response times on the Disney's websites to be faster than usual. Except for the other day when everything was crashing

 

[Sammie]

I don't know maybe I am just very lucky. While sitting on a bench tonight at the Beach club after a fabulous dinner, and waiting on my family I got into my MDE account on my phone and booked 3 Fastpasses that I wanted for this Saturday before our plane leaves. There was plenty to choose from. It was quick and easy.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Glad things work so well for you, Sammie.

Yesterday it took 2 different MS Cast Members, 2 phone calls and over 30 minutes wait time to pay for my AP's. I wanted to get them before my 60 day window opened for our NYE stay. The CM had said they had problems with AP purchase.

Good news is that once I had the Will Call code for my passes, I had no issues connecting them to MDE! I am all set to sign up for FP + for the busiest days of the year. 3 and out will do it for me each day!

 

[dbriggsq]

I've just looked at it today to see if there is anything at all available for 6-8 November and after a lot of frustration it seems that there isn't anything at all - not even the farthest corner of the kingdom. I do wonder sometimes what my DVC membership is worth - I know I can't expect a 7 day break at short notice in my favourite resort but I thought I might get 2 days somewhere!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I've just looked at it today to see if there is anything at all available for 6-8 November and after a lot of frustration it seems that there isn't anything at all - not even the farthest corner of the kingdom. I do wonder sometimes what my DVC membership is worth - I know I can't expect a 7 day break at short notice in my favourite resort but I thought I might get 2 days somewhere!

Other times of the year you likely could. Your looking for Jersey Week, I think the Wine and Dine weekend, F&W festival and probably something else I'm forgetting. It's just extremely difficult during the last quarter of the year.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I haven't been on the the new site yet, but I just did today and noticed the new changes. We are planning a stay in June and want to stay at BLT in a 2 bedroom MK view room. I was able to check for availability for the first 7 nights that I wanted (we actually want 9 nights but only checked for the first 7 nights like in the past), to my surprise, it told me the point amount that it will cost me and then it asked if I wanted to book it..I was really surprised by this because we own at 2 different resorts and are combining our points so I know I have to wait until my 7 month which isn't until November. Did the rules change and I didn't get the memo, can I book the resort before my 7 month mark? I was staring at it in a state of confusion, then I thought I would ask all of you wonderful folks about it.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I haven't been on the the new site yet, but I just did today and noticed the new changes. We are planning a stay in June and want to stay at BLT in a 2 bedroom MK view room. I was able to check for availability for the first 7 nights that I wanted (we actually want 9 nights but only checked for the first 7 nights like in the past), to my surprise, it told me the point amount that it will cost me and then it asked if I wanted to book it..I was really surprised by this because we own at 2 different resorts and are combining our points so I know I have to wait until my 7 month which isn't until November. Did the rules change and I didn't get the memo, can I book the resort before my 7 month mark? I was staring at it in a state of confusion, then I thought I would ask all of you wonderful folks about it.

I believe the resort availability tool just checks for all availability independent of when you can book. The previous version did as well. If you had clicked the link it would have taken you to the regular booking tool and at that time it would have recognized you could not book yet. Nothing has changed with the 11/7 month booking rules.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I believe the resort availability tool just checks for all availability independent of when you can book. The previous version did as well. If you had clicked the link it would have taken you to the regular booking tool and at that time it would have recognized you could not book yet. Nothing has changed with the 11/7 month booking rules.

Thank you, that was what I thought but I wanted to make sure before trying to book it .