Very upset ar member service right now!

[disneysky]

We purchased Aulani direct earlier this year and received 120 free one time developer's point. We booked Aulani back in May but didn't use all 120 points. We were told that we can use the remaining 42 points at a later time, but within a year.

We called today and were told the remaining 42 points are no longer available. They said we were supposed to use all 120 points at one time. I can remember for sure that they told us we can use the remaining 42 at a later time.

We spoke to the manager and she insisted that the remaining points are no longer available.

Does any have info on developer's point usage rules? Pease help. Thank you.

 

[Dean]

We purchased Aulani direct earlier this year and received 120 free one time developer's point. We booked Aulani back in May but didn't use all 120 points. We were told that we can use the remaining 42 points at a later time, but within a year.

We called today and were told the remaining 42 points are no longer available. They said we were supposed to use all 120 points at one time. I can remember for sure that they told us we can use the remaining 42 at a later time.

We spoke to the manager and she insisted that the remaining points are no longer available.

Does any have info on developer's point usage rules? Pease help. Thank you.

I seem to recall this limitation with previous developer point bonuses. It should be in your paperwork and that would be the info that controls how this is handled. I'd get it out and start reading. If you find that limitation, you're done and nothing else to do and no one else to complain to. If not, call your guide and see what they say or if they can point you to any applicable contractual information. Maybe you could cancel your initial reservation and start over. I believe there's also a time limit on using those points.

 

[disneynutz]

We purchased Aulani direct earlier this year and received 120 free one time developer's point. We booked Aulani back in May but didn't use all 120 points. We were told that we can use the remaining 42 points at a later time, but within a year.

We called today and were told the remaining 42 points are no longer available. They said we were supposed to use all 120 points at one time. I can remember for sure that they told us we can use the remaining 42 at a later time.

We spoke to the manager and she insisted that the remaining points are no longer available.

Does any have info on developer's point usage rules? Pease help. Thank you.

Your Guide will probably refer you to someone else, they are salespeople not contract people.

IMO MS should have warned you about losing the 42 points if they really cared about their owners.

I would contact member satisfaction for help:
dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Bill

 

[cwdefouw]

Check your paperwork, there should be some details on how and by when the developer points have to be used.

We had something similar happen in 2008 when we bought an addon at BLT. One of the incentives was a 4 night stay at the Tree House Villas. We were told, and our paperwork specifically stated, that we had until June 30, 2010 to use the 4 nights. We planned our trip for mid June of 2010. Imagine my surprise when I call MS to make the reservations and they tell me that I can't use the incentive nights in June because they expire May 31st 2010. I immediately got the Member Satisfaction Dept. involved. I had to fax in my paperwork, and it took several weeks, but they did eventually honor the June Reservation. I was concerned availability would be gone by the time they worked out that they were wrong, based on my paperwork, but they found a villa in inventory somewhere, and we had a great trip.

Moral of the story is, check your paperwork, as Member Services frequently does not have all of the details about your specific incentives.

 

[Dean]

Your Guide will probably refer you to someone else, they are salespeople not contract people.

IMO MS should have warned you about losing the 42 points if they really cared about their owners.

I would contact member satisfaction for help:
dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Bill

Bill, this is a sales incentive program. IMO it's not reasonable to expect MS, the resort management arm, to even know the ins/outs of the program much less to advise people on the best usage. I believe the sales guide is the best contact but they may need to get a supervisor involved. IF the paperwork given to the OP clearly states otherwise, I don't believe what MS thought or told them at the time is particularly applicable. IF the paperwork doesn't state they must be used all at one time, then it shouldn't be an issue getting it corrected and the guide should be able to liaison to get that done. However, if they were specifically told they could use them later, the calls are recorded and they can go back and listen to that call if needed.

 

[jekjones1558]

It seems that a new member could be forgiven for believing that a Member Services agent is telling the facts. Aren't calls to Member Services still recorded? Perhaps OP could ask for the tape to be reviewed by a supervisor. I think it only fair under these circumstances.

 

[disneynutz]

Bill, this is a sales incentive program. IMO it's not reasonable to expect MS, the resort management arm, to even know the ins/outs of the program much less to advise people on the best usage. I believe the sales guide is the best contact but they may need to get a supervisor involved. IF the paperwork given to the OP clearly states otherwise, I don't believe what MS thought or told them at the time is particularly applicable. IF the paperwork doesn't state they must be used all at one time, then it shouldn't be an issue getting it corrected and the guide should be able to liaison to get that done. However, if they were specifically told they could use them later, the calls are recorded and they can go back and listen to that call if needed.

I don't know how developer points are recorded in our accounts but one of our direct buys had some. I remember that MS made a point of using them first when booking our reservation. Now that was years ago and maybe things have changed but my thoughts were based on what happened to us.

I have found that the Guides don't know, don't want to know and/or won't admit that they know about the working of the DVC beyond sales.

One of our past Guides told me that they were reminded that their job was sales, not contracts or accounting. They do the basic paperwork and turn everything over to the experts for quality and legal reasons.

Bill

 

[chainkid]

Word to the wise, if you want to enjoy your DVC and not be constantly upset with something you must know your rules backwards and forwards and once you do, DO NOT BACK DOWN. Most member services people know far less than we long timers and the CM's in guest relations know even less depending on who you get. If you are confident and hold your ground I have found they will usually get a superviser to handle YOU. I saved over $400 once over a fight that involved vouchers for park tickets. Thanks to a hand written copy of the notice DVC sent out , a supervisor overuled the CM' three times . Boy was she steamed. After an hour of wasting my time and hers, I said have a nice disney day and walked off with my correct tickets and the right price. Many people just go to another window until they get someone knowlegable but the meek walk away being told something untrue and it costs them big time. I love my DVC but it is not always easy to get perks unless you know how the system works .

I understand your conversations with member services are recorded on their end so they have a record of when they screw up your reservations. Make sure you get the name of the person you are dealing with and repeat everything twice. Not sure if you can put them on speaker phone and tape for yourself if you tell them they are being recorded. Hopefully it would never come to that but i have heard of people being shut out of a vacation due to a CM screwing up on the phone. Most of the time you will not have an issue as most CM's try to make your day magical but every company has the bad apple. Know your rules in side and out and you will be fine.

 

[Dean]

It seems that a new member could be forgiven for believing that a Member Services agent is telling the facts. Aren't calls to Member Services still recorded? Perhaps OP could ask for the tape to be reviewed by a supervisor. I think it only fair under these circumstances.

I don't think anyone is fussing at the OP but there are some realities involved, esp if the legal paperwork says otherwise which I suspect it does but it needs to be checked. If it can be documented that they were specifically told that they could be used later but within a year (likely a year from the original purchase date), then MS might be able to work something out but aren't necessarily obligated to do so. Normally they go over those issues pretty good when the signing is going on if done in person and it's likely the OP signed separately they understood this limitation.

I don't know how developer points are recorded in our accounts but one of our direct buys had some. I remember that MS made a point of using them first when booking our reservation. Now that was years ago and maybe things have changed but my thoughts were based on what happened to us.

I have found that the Guides don't know, don't want to know and/or won't admit that they know about the working of the DVC beyond sales.

One of our past Guides told me that they were reminded that their job was sales, not contracts or accounting. They do the basic paperwork and turn everything over to the experts for quality and legal reasons.

Bill

This is exactly the situation the guide should be involved in and knowledgable about. What they likely can't do is fix it. IF the legal wording is that they all have to be used at once, there really isn't much they can say other than to point it out. If it's not, they should be able to act as a go between to get it fixed. DVC tends to use the guides as more than simply sales staff so I don't believe your experience quoted is representative. Obviously there are situations where it is and is not appropriate for them to be involved but this is one in their ball park IMO. The first thing to do is to pull out the paperwork and look it over.

 

[bumbershoot]

Googled "aulani developer points 120". Got to an article and a thread on dvcnews.

Found this quote. Looks like this was the offer that was being marketed as "get a free stay".

Offer requires the purchase of a real estate interest at Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina, Hawai'i equal to 100 or more Vacation Points and the payment of $15 times the number of Vacation Points purchased in addition to a minimum 10% down payment (depending on qualified financing). Offer expires April 15, 2014, and includes accommodations only, which are obtained through the use of a complimentary one-time allotment of Developer Vacation Points ("Points") equal to the amount purchased. Each night of accommodations is assigned a point value and length of stay will depend on number of Vacation Points purchased, as well as type of accommodations and night(s) of week and time of year reserved. Points can be used to reserve accommodations at Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina, Hawai'i up to eleven (11) months prior to check-in date. You are not acquiring any right, title, or interest in or to the Developer's ownership interest represented by the Points. Points cannot be banked, borrowed, or transferred, and may not be used for a wait list. Points may only be used to book one reservation per Membership and any remaining Points will be forfeited. Reservations using Points must be booked by August 15, 2015, and stay must be completed by September 30, 2015. All accommodations are subject to availability. Guaranteed weeks at Aulani are not eligible for this offer. Offer is limited to one per Membership, cannot be combined with select Disney Vacation Club offers or discounts and may be modified or withdrawn at any time without notice. Restrictions may apply.

Doesn't look good for the OP.

But they should definitely read the info in their paperwork.

 

[Dean]

Googled "aulani developer points 120". Got to an article and a thread on dvcnews.

Found this quote. Looks like this was the offer that was being marketed as "get a free stay".



Doesn't look good for the OP.

But they should definitely read the info in their paperwork.

IF they can actually prove they were told by MS they could use the points later, they may be able to get some compensation or usage in some way. Likely the only way that will happen is if they keep the recordings long enough and the CM specifically stated they could use them later but within a year. Finding the recording shouldn't be that difficult if it's still available.